If you’re like me and love a good pamper session, any day of the week ending in ‘Y’ and have also come to realise, that you spend an extortionate amount on cleansers, masks and exfoliants for your skin, then you’ll love this post. 5 DIY at-home face mask recipes with all ingredients either in your kitchen or in your local grocery store.
Whether your skin is dry, oily, sensitive or spot-prone there’s a home-made beauty treatment for you. You will be looking fresh AF (and fab*) for zoom calls, trips to Lidl and your within-2km-daily-walk – because right now this is our life!
Disclaimer: I am not a beauty expert, nor am I trained in this field; however, the following recommendations have been tried and tested by yours truly, and all info has been obtained from reputable sources (listed). See end of post for ‘best-practice-tips’ from Lorraine Scrivener, skin expert and director at Eden Skin Clinic (Elle.com).
Without further a “dew” (we all want dewy-skin, right?), here are my Top 5 DIY – At-Home Face Mask Recipes
Hydrate and Nourish
Home central heating, building or car air-con can all sap the moisture from our skin. Here are three items for your hydration station and away you go.
You’ll Need:
- A handful of oats or oat bran.
- 1/2 Avocado.
- 1 tablespoon of honey.
How It Works:
Humectant is a word many of us won’t know, or at least I certainly hadn’t heard of it until now. Long-story short, humectant means it helps the skin to retain moisture without feeling oily and honey is an excellent source of this. Avocados are full of fatty acids, which help soothe and moisturize your dry skin barrier. The hero ingredient is oatmeal, which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help calm dry skin and remove dead skin cells.
Source: Elle.com/uk
Combat Oily Skin
Ever heard the phrase ‘cool-as-a-cucumber’? Well this isn’t where that comes from, however, this mask will certainly cool your skin, leaving it feeling fresh & clean not to mention de-congest your pores (targeting them before they turn into dreaded spots).
You’ll Need:
- Half an avocado.
- 1/4 cucumber, blended.
How It Works:
When the skin is oily it is over-producing oil because it is dehydrated. Cucumber is super hydrating as it has exceptionally high-water content (95%). Cucumbers also contain vitamin C which will help reduce any breakouts! Finally, avocado regulates oil production! Really? Yep AND its rich in Oleic Acid which helps reduce inflammation. Super-food!
Source: Elle.com/uk
Acne-Prone Skin
While the ‘Combat Oily Skin’ mask will help prevent break-outs, this little gem will help when that breakout has already arrived and the party is in full-swing. This mask will pull the plug on that DJ and help kick everyone out!
You’ll Need:
- 1 mashed banana
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
How it Works:
There is a ‘bunch’ of Vitamin A in Bananas. Vitamin A promotes skin-cell turnover and helps pores stay clean & clear. Baking soda absorbs excess oil in your skin, and turmeric powder wards off acne-causing bacteria. Woo!
Source: Allure.com
Sensitive Skin Prone to Redness
You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
How it works:
If you are prone to redness in the skin, yogurt is fab! Rich in probiotics and soothing skin proteins. It is the perfect base for this mask. Flavanols are found in the cocoa powder and calm irritation, while honey tightens the skin.
Source: Allure.com
Lip Scrub
Not technically a face mask, but nothing better than a fresh face and lips to match. Basic lip scrub (20g of sugar mixed with 2ml of Vaseline / petroleum jelly). One exfoliates, and the other locks in the moisture and soothes. Here is a recipe for something a little more nourishing:
You’ll Need:
- 20mg of organic coconut oil
- 20mg of brown sugar
- 5mg of coarse sea salt
- A drop of your favourite essential oil
How it works:
Mix them all together and what have you got? Bibbidy-bobidy-beautiful lips. Tip: Apply to the lips with cotton bud and don’t be too harsh – lips can be super-sensitive, too rough and you can make them bleed and sore – gently circular motions will do the trick.
Source: Superdrug.com
Pro Tips:
Before embarking on your own at-home face mask adventure, have a read of the following pro tips as listed on elle.com from Lorraine Scrivener, skin expert and director at Eden Skin Clinic.
- Avoid Applying Certain Ingredients Directly onto Your Skin
“DIY face masks are perfectly safe”, says Lorraine Scrivener. Pre-mixing is key and avoid putting some harsher ingredients on your face directly e.g. lemons, vinegar (neither have been listed in this post, however, worth keeping in-mind).
- Check Sell-By Dates Carefully
Self-explanatory really, if it isn’t good enough to eat, it isn’t good enough for your face. The last thing we want is a breakout or rash – the opposite of what we’re trying to achieve here.
- Do A Patch Test First
Similar to what a hair colourist would insist you do, before they could put dye near your scalp, a patch test. Do this in the little spot behind your ear-lob and just make sure your skin has no reaction to it. Better to react there than all over your face.
- Use the Mask on the Day You Make It
Make your mask with fresh ingredients and use it within an hour of mixing. Once ingredients are exposed to air they can start to ‘turn’. Better to use straight away. Just in case 😊
Source: Elle.com/uk
