Homemade Face Mask Recipes - How To Make Your Own Spa-Worthy Face Masks At Home
- All the home-made face mask ingredients you need are secretly hiding in your kitchen cupboard...
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 yoghurt 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.
DIY Face Mask Recipe 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 - an 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.
DIY Face Mask Recipe 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.
DIY Face Mask Recipe 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.
DIY Face Mask Recipe 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.
DIY Face Mask Recipe 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.