Saran Wrap- a Japanese skincare secret?

I just received a book called “The Japanese Skincare Revolution- How to Have the Most Beautiful Skin of Your Life- At Any Age”, by Chizu Saeki. 

Saeki is “a practicing esthetician and Japan’s most revered beauty advisor” and this book is the distillation of her most essential techniques. 

There are lots of cool things in it, like face massage techniques, quick fix spa secrets, as well as methods to diagnose your skincare needs.

I love this random tidbit. Hold a mirror above your head and look up. This is what your face looked like 5 years ago. Hold the mirror below your face and look down. This is what you’re going to look like 5 years from now. (Ahhh! Please God, no.)

Thankfully, I’m short, so I often look up at others, so they get my 5 years ago face. (So take that tall, leggy people.)

The following was my favorite tip. It involves using Saran Wrap to create a facial sauna.

 

Why is this photo on a stock photo website????

I improvised on her method a bit. Here’s my version. I applied face cream. Put a piece of Saran Wrap over my face. Poked holes where my mouth and nose were. (I didn’t poke holes where my eyes were, because I was afraid I would poke my eyes out and I could see through the plastic anyway.) 

I wore the mask while blow drying my hair, to maximize the sauna effect. 

15 minutes later, I peeled the plastic off. 

It took a few minutes for the excess moisture to evaporate, but once it did, I had a little, post-sauna, healthy, detoxed, dewy complexion going on.

I swear I looked a few years younger (and it wasn't just a hallucination, from having just cooked my face in Saran Wrap).

The youthful look lasted all day. The guy at the pizza place even called me “Miss”, which never happens any more. 

I could be wearing pigtails and skipping down the street, sucking a lollipop and people would still call me "ma'am", so this was a big deal for me. 

So from now on, I'm blow drying my hair with Saran Wrap over my face. (Never thought I would utter those words.) Now I’m wondering if I can do a full body sauna with dry cleaning bags. (Joke. I know they’re not a toy.)  

Don't forget to check out the book.

Comments

[Alexandria]

The saran wrap stuck because your face was moist with moisturizer?

I'm having a hard time visualizing how you got the saran wrap to stay especially with the dryer going.

[jenny]

Hey Alexandria,
I used the clingy kind of plastic wrap. You know, the annoying kind that always clings to itself when you're trying to cover something with it. I think it's probably the combo of it being clingy and sticking to the moisturizer but it stays on well.
jenny

[Laura]

Well, that was definitely one of the more strange parts of my day. But, I am happy to report my experiment. I used regular butter and regular salt, mixed it into a paste and rubbed it in for about 30 seconds. It was kind of a beeyotch to rinse off, but my pores are much less noticeable and my nose is very soft!

[jenny]

Hey Laura, So glad that was "one of the more strange parts of your day" (it would be weird if it wasn't:)
Glad to hear it worked for you!
thanks!
jenny

[Jessica]

That mirror trick is going to give me nightmares. Some double-chinned saggy-cheeked devil-me chasing me into the future or something. Eek.

Tried the Saran Wrap trick, but it didn't work super well being that it just regular ole' plastic wrap and not the properly clinging stuff. I tride slicing little bits out of the sides and looping it over my ears, which worked pretty well.

My roommate: What are you...is that plastic wrap on your head?
Me: Look, I'm trying to stay FRESH.

[jenny]

Hey Jessica,
OMG. I can't stop laughing. I just got a mental image of the looping over the ears thing and your roommate looking at you with plastic wrap on your face. I'm surprised she didn't call your parents because she thought you were trying to suffocate yourself. Yeah, the wrap really has to be the clingy kind, to seal in the freshness, like it does for leftover.
Thanks. I still can't stop laughing. You're better than Conan.
Jenny

[Lillybeth Melmoth]

Hahahahahahahahahahhaha, a true LOL. :-D

[Beautelicious]

I saw a youtube video where the girl put saran wrap on her hair for shine. I thought very interesting! I have not tried it thought.

[jenny]

Hey Beautelicious, I'll have to look for that video on youtube. Sounds interesting.
Thanks!
jenny

[a]

I did this last night, slept with it on (it's so hot in Saudi Arabia, that one doesn't need blowdryers), and woke up to lovely skin!

Thanks for the tip~

[jenny]

you're very brave. I would have been afraid the Saran Wrap would have shifted over my nostrils in the middle of the night and suffocated me, but I'm sure it worked great wearing it for that long.
Glad it worked for you.
jenny

[Marlene Affeld]

Funny and informative post - I am hesitant to try the plastic wrap - concerned the grandchildren might try it and suffocate - a moist steamy towel might be a better alternative. I enjoy you blog and sense of humor -

[buy ponds age miracle]

Wow! great blog so funny but yet very informative. Thank you for sharing. lol! :))

vee

[Pure Skincare]

I agree that ou're very brave. I would have been afraid the Saran Wrap would have shifted over my nostrils in the middle of the night and suffocated me