Thursday, January 2, 2020
Face mask could feel like a much needed luxury at the end of busy and crazy day.
I find that face masks give me a guilt-free excuse to hide from everyone in the house and have “me” time. Everyone in my house, including the cats, is pretty much trained that if I said “I am going to put my mask on”, then it means that I in fact said “Don’t bother me until I say so” lol. It is my own time; time to enjoy the silence, time to de-stress and do some self-care.
Face masks are coming in many forms and consistencies such as sheet masks, gel masks, overnight masks and so on.
Having said that I do not mean that you have to rush to the store and start spending money on expensive masks. You can have as much fun and spa-like treatment with homemade masks that you can easily make with ingredients that you already have in your pantry and fridge.
There are many benefits of homemade masks:
- They are made by you, so you know exactly what you put in there.
- It is easy to customize them to your own needs and problems you would like the mask to address.
- You can also easily customize mask to suit your skin type (you can do so by adding ingredients that are beneficial for your skin type).
- Homemade masks are natural (and if you buy organic products, then you got yourself organic face mask with no preservatives).
- You can adjust homemade masks to your ingredients/products preference: you can make them gluten-free, vegan, dairy free and so on.
- Homemade masks are easy to make and they are relatively inexpensive (comparing to commercial masks).
- DIY masks do not have strong, active ingredients meaning that you can use them on a daily basis without worrying that you overloaded your skin with too many ingredients.
- By making your own masks, you are avoiding the use of plastic, you do not need packaging and all that stuff. That means that you do not contribute to the plastic waste that already overwhelms our planet.
- I can continue the list of benefits of homemade masks, but you get the picture.
Personally, I love Korean face masks for their price and strong innovative ingredients. In addition to that, I am super lazy and it is so much easier to pop on the mask that is already made for me. However, I do incorporate homemade masks in my skin care routine couple of times a week.
There is something special and almost magical in mixing ingredients together and preparing my own skin care product.
What is the best natural face mask?
This is one of the questions that many people ask.
After doing extensive research and also in my own opinion, the best homemade mask is the mask that is right for you. Meaning, that if any mask is able to target your skin issues, eliminate or at least minimize skin imperfections plus it is suitable for your skin type – then it is the very best mask for you.
In other words, do not stress out when you google “what is the best homemade face mask?” and get slammed with many, many recipes. And you do not know which one to choose from. Rather, learn your skin type and then look for ingredients that are good for your type plus look for ingredients that would target your skin problem.
Natural face masks ingredients for different skin types:
Dry skin type: avocado, oils, sour cream, honey, egg yolk, shredded apple
Combination skin: clay, green tea, honey, egg white
Sensitive skin: pink clay, honey, cucumber, aloe vera, tea, carrier oils, oatmeal, yogurt
Oily skin and/or acne prone skin: blueberry, cinnamon, yogurt, honey, clay, aloe vera, shredded carrot
Mature skin: carrier oils, honey, heavy cream, egg white and egg yolk, green tea, clays, strawberries, lemon juice
I have mature oily/combination skin type, so I love masks with all the corresponding ingredients.
I would like to offer you some recipes of diy masks for different skin types and different skin problems.
1. DIY Face Mask for Glowing Skin
Ingredients:
- ½ banana
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 teaspoon of 14% sour cream
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Method:
1. Mash bananas with a fork (or you can use a hand blender)
2. Add honey, sour cream and lemon juice. Mix well
3. Apply mask to a clean face and leave for 15 min.
4. Wash off with clean lukewarm water
Action: anti-bacterial, nourishing, brightening and whitening.
2. Homemade Face Mask for Dull Skin
Ingredients:
- 4-5 organic strawberries
- 1 table spoon of yogurt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 table spoon of organic blueberries
Method:
1. Mash strawberries, blueberries together
2. Add yogurt, ground cinnamon to the mixture
3. Apply mask to clean face and leave for 15 minutes
4. Wash off with lukewarm water
Action: revitalizing, moisturizing, balancing, rich in vitamin C, mild exfoliation, removes excessive sebum from skin.
3. Homemade Face Mask for Acne
This homemade acne mask has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which is what you need when trying fight acne causing bacteria. It also reduces redness and irritation. This mask will help to dry already formed acne.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoon of turmeric
- 3 tablespoons of yogurt
- 2 table spoons of any flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of honey
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Apply to clean skin for 15 minutes
3. Wash off with lukewarm water
You can apply this mask 2-3 times a week for best results.
4. DIY Face Mask for Pimples
This mask contains apple cider vinegar which has alpha-hydroxy and acetic acids in it. Both acids help clear skin from dead cells that contribute to clogged pores and pimples formation. Honey, as we learned earlier, helps to fight pimple causing bacteria. Green tea is excellent for oil control and also has anti-bacterial properties. Oatmeal in this mask acts as exfoliant that takes dead cells away.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons for brewed green tea
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons of oats
Method:
1. Boil water and pour it over oats (just to cover them a bit). Leave to cool.
2. In the mean time, mix brewed green tea, honey and apple cider vinegar.
3. Add cider mixture to cooled oats and mix together.
4. Apply to clean skin and leave for 15-20 minutes.
5. Wash off with lukewarm water.
5. DIY Face Mask for Oily Skin
Clay is the best material for oily skin. Clay face mask removes extra oil from the skin surface, clears pores, gently exfoliates skin removing outer layer of dead cells. Clay also can balance oil production and have matte effect on one’s skin.
Any clay is good for oily skin, so it is your choice what to use.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of clay
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm milk (you can use brewed green tea or even plain warm water)
Method:
1. Pour water into clay starting with 1 spoon
2. Start stirring the mixture, if needed add more liquid
3. Once you get a paste like mixture, apply it to your face with a brush or silicone spoon (or your fingers, whichever you prefer)
4. You will notice that clay dries very fast. You can put some mineral water, tea, or just plain water in a spray bottle and spray over the mask. This way you will be able to prolong mask application.
5. After about 10 minutes wash the mask off and apply toner and moisturizer/cream
Clay masks can be done 2 times a week for oily skin, I would not recommend to do it more frequently.
6. Face Mask for Sensitive Skin
Pink clay is excellent for sensitive skin. You could check some recipes with pink clay in one of my posts.
Today, I would like to offer you another homemade face mask for sensitive skin.
This mask is infused with calming and anti-redness ingredients derived from cucumber. Yogurt will provide very light peeling as well as moisturizing effect; and egg yolk will nourish your skin.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of shredded cucumber
- 1 table spoon of yogurt
- 1 table spoon of fresh egg yolk
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Apply to face for 15-20 min.
3. Wash off with lukewarm water.
7. DIY Face Mask for Blackheads
Homemade Face Mask for Dry Skin (the best face mask for dry skin should contain moisturizing ingredients as well as those ingredients that will keep protective lipid barrier on the surface of the skin)
Before we proceed to the mask, I would like to say a quick blurb about using baking soda for blackheads. It seems to be a very popular hack all over the internet including Pinterest.
Please, do not use baking soda in your face masks and scrubs in its pure form. First of all, baking soda is very harsh abrasive for your skin and will cause damage to it. Second, baking soda contains pH 9 and your face skin needs products with pH of 4.5 to 6, no more. Higher pH means dry, tight and irritated skin. In other words, baking soda might give you lighter appearance of blackheads once you started using it in skin care, but in a long run you will end up with damaged, red, angry looking skin.
The best natural ingredient that contains salicylic acid is papaya. Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) that unclogs pores, controls oil production and as a result, clears blackheads. Also papaya helps to reduce pigmentation and enhances cellular turnover for improved skin tone and texture, while preventing clogged pores.
Papaya for blackheads removal
Just simply cut a piece of ripe papaya and rub it on your face concentrating on the areas with blackheads. Leave on for about 15 minutes and rinse off. Apply this mask 2-3 times a week and you will notice lighter appearance of blackheads.
Clay for blackheads removal
Clay is absolutely phenomenal ingredient to lighten up and even remove blackheads. Clay controls oil production and removes dead cells, which can clog pores and cause blackheads.
8. Homemade Clay Face Mask
There are several types of cosmetic clays. They are generally all good for skin.
White clay is good for any skin type; it is excellent for hyperpigmentation and dull skin.
Green, blue, black clays are suitable for oily and combination skin. They control oil production, remove dead cells, improve tone and clean pores.
Yellow clay is also known as “energizing” clay, it improves blood circulation and brightens skin.
Pink clay is suitable for any skin type including sensitive type. It helps eliminate skin redness and irritation. It clears off dead cells without stripping off outer protective barrier of the skin.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of clay of your choice
- 2-3 table spoons of any liquid (water, tea, mineral water)
- Essential oil of your choice – 3-4 drops (optional)
Method:
1. Pour liquid into clay and start stirring. The mixture should be fine thick liquidy consistency.
2. Apply over your face with a silicone brush.
3. Leave on for 10 minutes or until mask is completely dry.
4. Wash off with warm water.
9. Hydrating Face Mask
This mask is loaded with ingredients that will moisturize your skin and will keep it hydrated for a long period of time.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel
- 1 table spoon of coconut oil
- 1 table spoon of honey
- 1 table spoon of shredded cucumber
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients together.
2. Apply to clean face and wait for 15-20 min.
3. Wash off with warm water.
10. DIY Anti-aging mask
Lastly I would like to introduce anti-aging mask. There are few things that reveal aging skin: dull tone, age spots, wrinkles, enlarged pores and sagging skin and some other. That is why, when you are looking for a good anti-aging product, learn what each ingredient does to your skin and whether the combination of ingredients is able to target aging problems.
This homemade anti-aging face mask contains egg white (lifting, tightens pores), honey (anti-aging), lemon (fights age spots and dull tone), strawberry (fights free radicals – anti-aging, improves dull tone, nourishes tired skin), oatmeal (hydrating and anti-wrinkle).
Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
- 1 large or 2 medium mashed strawberries
- 2 table spoons of oatmeal
Method:
1. Add 2 table spoons of boiling water to oatmeal and set aside until it cools off
2. Mix all other ingredients and add to chilled oatmeal. Mix everything together well.
3. Apply to clean skin for 20 min and wash off with warm water.
4. Soak face cloth in cold water and cover your face for about 30-60 seconds.
In conclusion I would like to encourage you to learn more about homemade face masks and not to be afraid to experiment with ingredients. That will help you to finally develop a face mask that would transform your skin to beautiful, luxurious and glowing.
Source This Article