Mask of chocolate - cosmetic trend

If, after reading this title, you came up with the idea to use the tile of your favorite chocolate for your beauty, then you can calmly eat it: the chocolate mask is not made from a popular confectionery product.

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The benefits of chocolate for the skin

Grated cocoa, cocoa butter and powder are products obtained from whole fermented, and then dried, roasted and peeled cocoa beans. And chocolate is a confectionery product, in the production of which must be used grated cocoa and cocoa butter. Only in this case there can be a benefit of chocolate for the skin.

However, chocolate producers replace expensive cocoa butter or palm oil, add cocoa powder. In addition, the manufacture of chocolate can not do without emulsifiers, for example, soy lecithin, and other components. And hardly a sweet sticky mass of melted chocolate for useful properties is comparable to the original natural products ...

The main bitter nitrogen-bearing alkaloid of cocoa beans is theobromine (by the way, it is also contained in the tea leaf). Despite its name, this compound does not contain bromine: Theobroma cacao is the name of the genus cocoa tree, translated "food of the gods". Compared with caffeine, the effect of theobromine on the central nervous system is milder, but also invigorating and stimulating. The caffeine content in cocoa is scanty - 9 times less than theobromine.

Cocoa is considered a rich source of antioxidants, such as procyanidins, polyphenolic flavonoids and catechins. Cocoa powder contains potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, copper, selenium and zinc. Moreover, zinc in powder is almost three times more than in chocolate. In the cocoa powder found vitamins E, K, B5, B6 and B9, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and choline.

Cocoa butter, which smells of chocolate and melts at a temperature of + 32-35 ° C, includes saturated fatty acids - stearic, palmitic, myristic, arachidonic and lauric; monounsaturated fatty acids - oleic and palmitoleic, as well as polyunsaturated - linoleic and α-linoleic. Most of all, the content of stearic (24-37%) and oleic (29-38%) fatty acids. As for theobromine, in oil, as the chemists say, there are its "trace amounts." But there are antioxidants in cocoa butter, as well as the above micro- and macro elements.

Velvety texture, pleasant aroma, moisturizing and softening properties of cocoa butter have made it a popular ingredient in cosmetic products. A wonderful smell of chocolate provides more than 400 chemicals: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, ethers and esters, furans and pyrazines.

Recipes for masks for chocolate face

Cosmetologists say that almost all the masks made of bitter chocolate, which are prepared on the basis of cocoa powder and cocoa butter, rich in antioxidants, help purify and moisturize the skin, improve its structure and make it smoother, tone and help fight aging. At the same time, homemade chocolate masks can be adapted for any skin type: if you have dry skin, add sour cream, yogurt, egg yolk or honey, if fatty - lemon juice, if the skin is very dehydrated - olive or any other oil.

• Mask with hot chocolate

In order to moisturize and soften the dry skin, you must mix in equal quantities cocoa powder and olive oil. The mixture is heated in a water bath to + 38-39 ° C and another useful ingredient is introduced - half the amount of cocoa butter. On the skin apply in a warm state, hold a quarter of an hour, rinse with warm water. For normal skin, replace the olive oil with honey.

• Chocolate mask with oatmeal

All you need to do is mix a tablespoon of cocoa powder and crushed oatmeal (or oatmeal) with two tablespoons of yogurt. Apply a whipped mass to the skin. To get the most effect for normal skin, add a few drops of avocado essential oil and do this mask for 20 minutes every week.

• Chocolate mask with honey

Mix on a tablespoon of cocoa powder, fresh orange juice and honey - until the paste state (if the mass is too liquid, add a little more cocoa: if thick - orange juice).

With a mask applied to the face against aging skin, rest for about 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. Use this tool two or three times a month.

• Chocolate mask with clay

A mask made of cocoa powder with cosmetic or blue clay will perfectly clean the oily skin and reduce the expanded pores.

Cocoa and clay are mixed in a 1: 1 ratio and turn into gruel by the addition of one of such liquid ingredients, as a decoction of chamomile, sage, plantain, warm milk or low-fat kefir. And if there are acne, then it is recommended to drip a little bit of St. John's wort oil into the mixture.

• Mask for face with white chocolate

White chocolate is a confectionery product for cocoa butter with dry milk and sugar, plus additives. By the way, in the composition of ready masks - all the same cocoa butter.

Therefore, a facial mask with white chocolate can be prepared with cocoa butter, the beneficial qualities for the skin mentioned above.

For moisturizing, nourishing and increasing the turgor of aging skin, a mask is useful, which includes: 5 g of cocoa butter, a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of milk powder, a teaspoon of sap herb (aloe) and a few drops of one of the essential oils - peach, almond , karite, neroli or jojoba.

The mixture of oils is heated on steam or in a water bath, and then juice and milk are introduced. Slightly cool the mass and put on the face and neck, from above bury well with a hot damp towel and hold until the towel cools.

• Mush-chocolate mask Lush

Cupcake face mask is a product of Lush Fresh Handmade Soaps and Natural Cosmetics (UK) - commonly referred to as the mint-chocolate mask Lush.

The mask is intended for the skin of combined and fatty type, with hyperfunction of sebaceous glands of the epidermis, acne, comedones and enlarged pores. In the list of components of the mask appear: Moroccan volcanic clay gassul (Ghassoul Mud), cocoa powder and cocoa butter, mint and sandal oil, flaxseed infusion, glycerin, talc and vanilla extract.

Reviews of the chocolate facial mask Cupcake face mask suggest that the consistency of the mask is too thick, so it is difficult to apply to the skin. However, the skin after applying this remedy becomes softer and purer, although the comedones do not disappear.