Nourishing Matcha Face Mask

Fresh back from sun-drenching in Hawaii last week, not only am I thirsty for tea but my skin is too!

On none other than Earth Day, my hubby Jeff and I decided that we wanted to explore Kauai’s western Na Pali Coast, where the highlight is Honopu Valley, also known as Cathedral Beach. As Honopu Valley can only be accessed by boat or helicopter, we thought: “No brainer!  We’ll take a boat!”

About 30 minutes into the boat ride, our catamaran was swarmed by a cluster of dolphins.  At this point, I was still feeling really good.  I was so preoccupied with enjoying the dolphin spectacle that I hadn’t noticed that my husband’s face was starting to turn green.

It was just when we were edging into the gorgeous Cathedrals of Na Pali that I realized that my husband was seriously no bueno.  As breathtaking as the scenes were, Jeff ended up having a sea-sickness episode of epic proportions.  My husband is generally considered to be mild mannered and reserved, but on that day the poor guy was seriously one hot mess!

Soon after witnessing his AM breakfast reappear, I too fell ill and succumbed to the ocean’s churning.  My nausea wasn’t as epic as my husbands, but it was bad enough that the crewmen asked me to stay towards the tail end of the boat in case of any more mishaps.  I managed to snap these two photos of the Cathedrals while in the pits of my stomach flipping.  If you are going to be ill, it might as well be for this, right?

Right after taking these photos, we headed back towards our home port.  As you can see, at this point the sun was just breaking through the thick clouds.  As the sun’s rays came bearing down on us, I realized that giving my skin some serious TLC was going to be at the top of my to-do list upon returning home.

This Nourishing Matcha Mask is made from 3 simple, natural ingredients:  aloe, chorella, and matcha powder.  With both green tea powder and chorella algae, the mask combines the effects of two very powerful antioxidant ingredients–exactly what you need if you’ve had a bit too much sun!  The matcha powder has a gentle cooling and anti-inflammatory effect while the chorella is detoxifying and nutrient-rich.

I was first introduced to chorella when I was given a sample of chorella matcha.  Chorella matcha is a matcha powder used for cooking and baking.  As it has a deep, dark shade of green, chorella is added to matcha powder for an extra boost of color and vibrance.

This algae by itself is better known for its antioxidant effects, where it is either consumed or lathered on skin.  You can find chorella in the vitamin and supplement section of well-stocked grocery stores like Whole Foods.

And speaking of matcha and Whole Foods, for this mask I ended up using a matcha powder that I found at a Whole Foods in Kailua, a small city on the eastern side Oahu.  The Best of the Best by The Honolulu Advertiser label attracted me to this local brand of matcha.  After I smear it on my face, I can’t wait to taste it!  It’s always nice when a tea can double up on its duties!

The base for my skin mask is pure aloe, plucked from the small aloe plant that I purchased from Lowe’s last month.  After killing off several house plants and one very pretty orchid, I decided that drought tolerant succulents were the way to go.

Hopefully my aloe plant will grow faster in these warm months, since I need to rip off one of its fleshy leaves every time I give my skin this treatment.  If you also use fresh aloe, squeeze out the gel though the ripped side of the leaf.  It will be clumpy and goopy, but you can use your fingers to mash up any large bits.  And while I’m talking about tea and skin, I wanted to show you one of the goodies I picked up in Hawaii last week!  These tea blends are from Tea Forte’s Skin Smart line of teas.

These individually wrapped loose leaf samples are antioxidant amplifier teas…just another way to protect and nourish your skin from the inside out.  After my Na Pali excursion, I need all the help I can get.  My favorite of the bunch is the Honey Yuzu green tea blend–it’s smooth and buttery with a hint fragrant citrus.

Keep this Nourishing Matcha Face Mask recipe in mind this year as summer is coming around the corner!  And if you love tea, tea foods, and the beautiful islands of Hawaii, stay tuned for more of my Hawaiian tea explorations in the next few days!

Nourishing Matcha Face Mask

Makes 1 face application. 

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp matcha powder

1/4 tsp chorella powder

1 Tbsp aloe vera, fresh or bottled

Directions:

Mix ingredients together in a small bowl and apply with fingers to a just-washed and towel-dried face.  Leave on face for 5-10 minutes avoiding the eye area, then rinse off with cool water.  For best results, apply moisturizer right after drying face with towel.

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shootingvienna

Those mountains look amazing! Definitely worth it to get a bit sea sick 🙂
I love the simplicity of the mask, I just have matcha and my aloe plant at home but definitely can see myself trying it out.
Excited for the next post 🙂

Reply
bonnieeng

Just matcha and aloe work well too! You probably haven’t been in way too much sun like I have, so just the two will still do their magic. See you back soon!! 😉

Reply
Nicole Martin

Poor Jeff! You got some really beautiful pictures though. I make a similar mask with honey and powdered green tea. This one sounds like it would be even better for the summer months. I’ve had a few of Tea Forte’s skin smart line. My favorite was the cherry marzipan, it’s like desert in a cup 🙂

Reply
bonnieeng

Nice! I’m going to have to try the honey variation…I bet it does an even better job at softening the skin. I loved the Cherry Marzipan, especially because it had natural cherry flavoring, not artificial like the Sakura Allure from Teavana.

And thanks for that Sakura Allure post by the way! Right after I purchased it, I was curious to see what others thought of it, and sure enough you were right there at the top of my Google search! =)

Reply
Butter, Basil and Breadcrumbs

Oh so beautiful… I’m sorry that you were seasick…but I think I might have to agree with you that it was completely worth it to be able to experience such beauty. I’m so happy that you shared that beauty with us! And I’m loving this face mask… I need to be taking care of my skin more. I’ll be trying this for sure… thanks so much for sharing… <3

Reply
bonnieeng

Thanks so much!! As beautiful as it was, the hubby and I were so glad to be back on solid ground. I asked him after if he would do it again for that view. To my surprise, he said very promptly said “yes, with Dramamine!” =) He’s right, it was worth it. Hope you can try the mask sometime! =)

Reply
Patty Nguyen

Your poor hubby! And poor you! But what gorgeous photos you got while sick, Bonnie! See? I don’t call you Bonnie Stewart for no good reason! 😉 Your tea mask sounds so refreshing. My parents have a large potted aloe vera plant in their backyard. I may have to steal a leaf soon! By the way, I was in Portland and had a most delicious matcha brownie. Totally thought of you. 🙂

Reply
bonnieeng

Ya Patty, it wasn’t pretty. I hope your parents don’t mind if you start breaking their aloe plant apart! =) Good thing, they are relatively easy to replace.

And I loved your Portland post!! I like to vicariously eat through your blog…excellent food choices, I must say! 😉

Reply
bonnieeng

You are lucky you fell asleep, Lan! Much better than being awake for the madness. I bet you probably ended up with a nice tan though right!? =)

Reply
Bonnie Eng

Hi Felisa, I actually never tried storing this, but placing it in a small airtight container in the fridge may be the best bet. Hope this helps! 🙂

Reply
Tyra Banks Cosmetics

I’m sure you agree that it would not be a pretty sight.

It unclogs pores, protects the skin from the sun, and absorbs oil.
Dyes are soluble, meaning they will dissolve into whatever medium they
are mixed (usually water).

Reply
Tyra Banks Cosmetics

As a guy, what I know about women’s make-up can pretty much be written on one side of a file card.
If you do not have had moisturizers, priming coat with
SPF will make out. Dyes are soluble, meaning they will dissolve into whatever
medium they are mixed (usually water).

Reply
Tyra Banks Cosmetics

Propylene Glycol – (PG): used to break down protein and cellular structure (exactly what skin is made of.
Some may be cause an allergic response or some
may become outdated even before expiry date.

The smudge pot in cobalt is an amazing navy tone and is perfect for making your eyes really open and pop.

Reply
Russell Organics Rose Hip Oil

By using this oil morning and night, you will not only help yourself
look younger, your skin is able to breathe, while it generates new cells and repairs.
It is commonly used at a ratio of up to approximately ten percent in soap formulations.
One of the very important ways of turning back the
clock and looking younger is the type of skin care products you use.

Reply
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