Green Tea and Adzuki Cleansing Grains
Traditional Asian facial cleansing grains, like this one, use adzuki beans
that gently exfoliate without damaging the surface of the skin. In addition,
green tea is a powerful antioxidant that helps rejuvenate the skin, prevent
and repair sun damage, and promote elasticity. And the healing powers
of chamomile calm and soothe redness and irritation.
YIELDS: 1 pint
⁄ cup adzuki beans ⁄ cup green tea leaves ⁄ cup chamomile
flowers ⁄ cup brown rice flour ⁄ cup kaolin clay What you will
need: coffee grinder, mixing bowl, fine-meshed sieve, pint-size
canning jar with lid, spice jar with sifter cap, optional
- To Make: Before you begin, find a protective face mask, or tie a
bandana to cover your nose and mouth, to avoid breathing the powders.
Next, put the adzuki beans, green tea, and chamomile into the jar, close
the lid, and shake. Fill a coffee grinder with the mixture and grind to a
very fine powder. Place the sieve over the mixing bowl. Empty the
grinder into the sieve. Carefully sift the powder into the bowl. Put
anything that doesn’t sift through back into the grinder and leave the
powder in the bowl. Fill the grinder with the adzuki, tea, and chamomile
mixture. Repeat until all of the mix has been ground, discarding any
woody bits that won’t grind down. Next, sift the brown rice flour into the
bowl and discard any larger rice grains. Carefully put the powders into
the canning jar and add the kaolin clay. Close the lid tightly and shake
well to blend to a uniform powder. Let stand for 5 minutes or so, letting
the dust settle into the jar.
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