There isn’t much a good face mask can’t cure. They’re just as amazing at taking the stress out of a crappy day in the office as they are at banishing unsightly parched patches, minimising pores and zapping blemishes. But instead of raiding the Selfridges beauty hall for your next mask fix, you might want to look a little closer to home.
Yep, we’re talking the contents of your fridge.
Trust us on this one, because humble ingredients like yogurt boasts exfoliating properties on par with heaps of skincare products, while honey is brilliant at busting spot-causing bacteria and cacao powder a great glow-booster – hello, supermodel skin.
So whether your new Saint Laurent ankle boots have left you more out of pocket than you had planned for, or you simply just fancy getting creative in the kitchen, here are the best and most spa-worthy homemade face masks to whip up right now.
Just try not to eat them…
To hydrate and nourish
A flaky forehead is not a good look, but if your current moisturiser isn’t doing much to quench your dry skin, look no further than this trio to hydrate and nourish.
What you need:
– 1/2 avocado.
– 1 tablespoon of honey.
– A handful of oats or oat bran.
How it works:
Yes, it sounds like an Instagram-worthy breakfast (er, who doesn’t love avo toast?) but refrain from scoffing the ingredients for a second, because they’ll work much better all over your face.
According to Clean Beauty co-founder Dominika Minarovic, honey is an excellent humectant, which means it helps skin retain moisture without feeling oily – but that’s not all. “It’s a wonder ingredient,” says Dominika. “Massaged on to affected areas, it helps with the appearance of scars and increases both healing and tissue regeneration.”
And if you want to step up your face mask game? Mix it with oats — and ingredient even beauty brands like Aveeno and Garnier pack into their moisturisers. “Oats have healing and moisturising properties,” explains Dominika. :They’re brilliant at nourishing, calming and soothing skin, too.”
And thanks to the ultra-nourishing oils, the addition of mashed avocado will banish any roughness, leaving your skin silky smooth. If you don’t have any at home, substitute for 3 tablespoons of milk.
“Adding milk, which contains lactic acid, will gently exfoliate the skin whilst brightening without irritation,” explains Lorraine Scrivener, skin expert and director at Eden Skin Clinic.
Leaving it on for 15 minutes is ample.
To improve uneven skin texture and tone
You don’t need to spend megabucks on facials or stock up on scrubs to achieve super-smooth and supple skin.
What you need:
– 1 tablespoon of natural, plain yogurt.
– 1 tablespoon of honey.
– 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder.
How it works:
Just like milk, yogurt is filled to the brim with lactic acid which makes a visible difference to skin by lifting away rough and lacklustre surface cells to uncover much newer, brighter ones. If it’s good enough for Priyanka Chopra…
Thanks to moisture magnet honey, skin feels soft and elastic, while Kate Protopapas, founder of Isla Apothecary, mentions that turmeric is useful for combating pigmentation — perfect if you’ve been sun-worshipping a little too long.
For an otherworldly glow
If a dull and lacklustre complexion is your biggest beauty bugbear, you need this mask in your life — and there isn’t a strong acid in sight. Girls with sensitive skin, rejoice!
What You Need:
– 1 tablespoon of cacao powder.
– 1/4 papaya.
– A squeeze of aloe vera gel.
How it works:
Aloe Vera is filled to bursting with vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12 which means its radiance-boosting, skin-soothing and hydrating properties are pretty much unrivalled. Teamed with papaya — which is packed with exfoliating enzymes that will dissolve dead skin cells — it’ll take your face mask sesh (and skin) to the next level.
And the added cacao powder works total wonders, too.
When layered over clean skin, it has the ability to brighten and boost circulation for a plump and pillowy look and feel.
Simply pop all three ingredients into a bowl, stir, leave on for ten minutes and tissue off.
To fight acne and blemishes
Whether it’s an angry red acne cluster or a team of pesky whiteheads, spots aren’t a good look, and we totally feel your pain. But if you want to take a break from the spot treatments and are looking for something a little more natural to try, give this wonder trio a whirl.
What you need:
– 1 tablespoon of manuka honey.
– 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.
– 1/2 teaspoon of Dead Sea salt.
How it works:
Both the healing and bacteria-zapping properties of manuka honey are pretty impressive, while turmeric — yep, it’s not just for fancy lattes — is brilliant at bringing down redness. “Turmeric is a great option for raw, acne prone, angry skin,” says Isla Apothecary’s Kate. “It is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Incorporating Dead Sea salt will also help to clean, reduce inflammation and infection. A little goes a long way.”
Together, they launch a three-pronged attack on infection, irritation, swelling and excess sebum which can block pores and leads to spots and blackheads. Crystal clear skin? Um, yes please.
Just mix them together, use a clean foundation brush to apply to your face (paying extra attention to your T-Zone), and let it work it’s magic for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
To minimise enlarged pores
Despite what you might have heard, there’s actually no real way to ‘close up’ your pores, but there are clever ways to obscure them, which is amazing news seeing as we find ourselves flung in front of megapixel smartphone cameras on the regular!
What you need:
– 1 egg white.
– 1 tablespoon of honey.
– A little squeeze of lemon juice.
How it works:
Both the egg white and lemon juice have clever astringent properties which will tighten the skin and make enlarged pores much less obvious. It’s the perfect pre-foundation ritual — just be careful not to get any in your mouth.
The addition of honey is important, as it’ll boost your skin’s moisture levels, provide suppleness and take away that uncomfortable, taught feeling.
To combat oily skin
“This is a great remedy for decongested pores,” says Lorraine Scrivener, and seeing as excess sebum can lead to spots, this is a good way to target them before they erupt.
What you need:
– Half an avocado.
– 1/4 cucumber, blended.
How it works:
“This is a super-cooling mask that will leave the skin feeling clean and fresh,” says Lorraine. “Cucumber mainly contains water which will hydrate [if skin is dehydrated, it sometimes produces more oil to compensate] but it also contains vitamin C and this will reduce any break out activity.”
As for the avocado? It cleverly regulates oil production, and according to Lorraine, it’s rich in Oleic Acid which helps reduce inflammation, “all whilst working on those fine lines!’
We’re sold.
To protect against pollution
We’re only just beginning to understand the damaging effects that environmental aggressors like pollution (especially particulate matter and CO2) have on our skin, but that’s where this savvy concoction from the girls at Clean Beauty comes in.
What you need:
– A handful of ground almonds.
– 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
How it works:
It might not sound like much, but the fatty acid content from the almonds are able to penetrate the skin, leaving it soft and supple, while the vitamin E from the olive oil acts like a coat of armour against free radicals which can lead to dullness, dehydration and fine lines.
And if you really want to amp up the protection? Add a teaspoon of the Bloom Absolute Matcha Green Tea Powder, Rs 1351. High in antioxidants (which are essentially vitamins that deflect the bad stuff) it’ll neutralise pesky free radicals and, in turn, help prevent the breakdown of collagen.
Leave it on for 10 minutes, but before rinsing it off, gently massage the paste into your skin to really dislodge everyday grime, make-up, dead cells and oil.
Something to remember before you raid your kitchen cupboards
1. Avoid applying certain ingredients directly onto your skin
“DIY face masks are perfectly safe, says Lorraine Scrivener, “but there are a few at home products you should avoid putting directly on to the skin without pre-mixing first, such as lemons and apple cider vinegar.”
Why?
“These could make the skin sensitive to light and could also could possibly cause skin bleaching,” she explains.
2. Check sell-by dates carefully
The tub of yogurt that’s been in your fridge for ages? Yeah, don’t use it — even if it’s unopened. If you wouldn’t eat it, it’s not a good idea to slather it all over your face — you want skin that’s clear, glowing and gorgeous — not full of red blotches.
3. Do a patch test first
Just like trying out a new laser or acid treatment, it pays to do a quick patch test to see how your skin will react. “If in doubt, patch test on an area that is out of site, like the side of the neck before applying all over the face,” says Lorraine, because an allergic reaction is not cool.
She adds, “Skin products purchased over the counter undergo rigorous testing and contain preservatives and anti-irritants and whilst raw ingredients may seem more of a natural alternative it’s always best to test them first.”
4. Use the mask on the day you make it
Ingredients exposed to air and bacteria will very quickly go off and could easily irritate the skin. To be on the safe side, make your mask with fresh ingredients and use it within an hour of mixing.
From: ELLE UK
