DIY Face Masks

DIY Face Masks from Everyday Kitchen Ingredients

In this article:

• Homemade Face Mask Using Simple Kitchen Ingredients
• Homemade Hydrating Facial Mist with the Goodness of Cucumber, Aloe vera and Rose water
• Know the ingredients

The skin is the largest organ of the body. Multiple internal and external factors can affect the skin’s appearance, and it is necessary to prevent exposure to harmful elements to preserve its health and glow.

The skin is often a reflection of your mental and physical health. For instance, stress can lead to acne and dark circles, and dehydration results in dry and flaky skin.

Also, your face appears pale during illness, and excessive eating or drinking may cause puffiness. Adverse external factors, together with such internal causes, may result in:

• Premature aging
• Immune dysfunction
• Sensitivity and irritation
• Imbalanced epidermal homeostasis
• Other skin problems

To avoid the development of these conditions, you must proactively take care of your skin. Generally, a daily skin care regimen, regular exercise, a healthy diet, and a happy mind are the key to naturally glowing skin.

Homemade Face Masks Using Simple Kitchen Ingredients

In an ideal universe, we’d have an endless amount of Sephora supply, delve into our stash of luxurious goodies whenever we wanted, and the ingredients would apply themselves smoothly onto our faces.

The secret to a nourished skin is as close as your kitchen. Just because the world isn’t perfect, doesn’t mean your skin can’t be!

Grab a bowl, a clean makeup brush, and let’s get masking.

4 Types of Ingredients

Honey

Honey helps prevent bacterial infections, sun damage, and premature wrinkling and also tightens the pores. It contains a wide range of nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, and minerals. These nutrients provide humectant, emollient, and soothing effects. Honey also helps regulate the pH and maintains the youthfulness of the skin.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera has been exploited for its medicinal, health, beauty, and skin care benefits for long. The gel in the leaves acts as a skin protectant against radiation damage. It also stimulates fibroblasts to increase the production of collagen and elastin fibers, therefore enhancing skin elasticity and reducing wrinkles.

Cocoa

Cocoa and cocoa products are full of nutritional therapeutic phytocompounds that act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. They stimulate the body’s photoprotective mechanisms, which are vital for maintaining skin health.

Avocado

Avocado pulp is made up of around 60% oil, 7% skin, and 2% seed and is considered to be an excellent addition to your skin care regimen. It has anti-aging properties, which aid in reducing wrinkles. It also helps improve damaged, dry, and chapped skin.

Here are two DIY Face Masks from these four ingredients.

DIY Cocoa Hydration Mask

This three-ingredient facial mask comprises all-edible components, which indicate its safety for to topical application.

Ingredients

• One avocado
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions

1. Cut out a quarter of the avocado into a clean bowl.
2. Mash the pulp into a fine paste.
3. Mix in the honey and cocoa powder properly.
4. Clean and pat your skin dry.
5. Apply the mask and leave it on for 10 minutes.
6. Rinse your face with warm water.
7. Apply your regular moisturizer.

DIY Honey, Avocado, and Aloe Vera Mask

This facial mask is highly useful for enhancing the health, youthfulness, and beauty of your skin, giving it a dewy glow. It is a lightweight mask that is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that nourish and hydrate the skin. Honey helps cleanse, soothe, and heal the skin. Aloe vera can help make the skin soft and radiant.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp aloe vera gel
• 1 tbsp avocado pulp

Directions

1. Add the honey, aloe vera gel, and avocado in a clean bowl.
2. Mix the ingredients to form a smooth and thin paste.
3. Use a face scrub to clean your skin.
4. Spread the mask on your face and leave it on for 15–20 minutes.
5. Wash your face with lukewarm water.
6. Apply a face cream.

Homemade Hydrating Facial Mist with Cucumber, Aloe and Rose Water

A cooling facial mist might be the one thing you need for a soothing break from the summer heat. It not only refreshes but also imparts richness and glow to your face. It provides various other benefits to your skin.

Moreover, the use of facial mists is not limited to the summer season only. Spraying facial mists helps keep your skin healthy through the winter season, too.

Ingredients from Home You Can Use

Fresh Cucumbers

Cucumber helps clean out the accumulated waste in your skin and detoxifies it. The freshly extracted juice of cucumber can also provide nourishment to the skin. This fruit helps alleviate the swelling, irritation, and symptoms of sunburn.

Cucumber also aids in the strengthening of connective tissue for increased elasticity, thus rejuvenating the skin.  It has also been demonstrated that cucumber can be safely used to improve the skin barrier. These properties of cucumber have been long exploited in the production of cosmetics.

Cucumber is commonly used in beauty regimens due to its calming effects, leaving the skin smooth and soft.

Use Aloe Vera

Aloe vera application can help in locking in skin moisture, maintaining skin integrity, and preventing ulcers.  The plant is rich in about 75 active constituents, including vitamins, enzymes, minerals, lignin, sugar, saponin, amino acids, and salicylic acid.

Applying the gel to sunburned skin promotes healing. It is also known to help increase cell regeneration and skin rejuvenation.

Moreover, aloe vera acts on the fibroblast to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin fibers, thus enhancing skin elasticity and reversing the signs of aging, such as wrinkles.

While generally safe, the application of aloe vera can cause stinging, burning, and redness in some individuals. In rare cases, it can cause mild localized dermatitis.

The allergic reaction to aloe vera is commonly due to the anthraquinone aloin (also known as barbaloin). Therefore, it is suggested to perform a patch test before application.

DIY Rose Water Moisturizer

Rose water is good for moisturizing, rejuvenating, and boosting skin health.  While it has been used anecdotally for long, scientific research to establish its role in promoting skin health is still needed.

• 1 cucumber
• 1 tsp aloe vera gel
• 1 tbsp rose water
• Few drops of any essential oil (optional)

Directions

1. Chop the cucumber in large chunks and put it in a blender.
2. Blend until you get a smooth puree, devoid of chunks.
3. Strain the pulp through a cheesecloth and squeeze the juice out into a clean bowl.
4. Add the rose water, aloe vera gel, and essential oil to the bowl.
5. Mix the ingredients properly.
6. Pour the prepared facial mist into a plastic spray bottle.
7. Use the mist up to thrice a day.

 Additional Tips

• The homemade mist can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.
• Make sure to shake the liquid before using it.
• You may use a juicer instead of a blender to extract the juice from the cucumber.
• Instead of discarding the cucumber pulp, you can use it as a face mask.
• Rose water can be made at home as well.
• Regular exfoliation is essential for smooth skin as it helps to prevent the buildup of dead skin cells.
• Consume ample amounts of water daily for healthy, glowing skin.
• Refrain from storing the mist in a metal container, as it may react with the essential oils.

How to Use the Masks

For the best results, it is essential to prepare your skin before applying the facial masks. Proper application of the masks will enhance its effects, leaving your skin soft, plump, and shining.

Follow these steps when using facial masks:

1. Cleanse and wash your face properly before applying the mask.
2. Pat your skin dry, leaving it slightly wet. The water will help lower the greasiness of the mask.
3. Put a layer of the mask on your face and neck in a circular motion, like a scrub.
4. Leave it on for the specified time.
5. Wash off the mask using lukewarm water.
6. Use a toner and moisturizer if the skin feels oily.
7. Use the masks once a week.

Possible Adverse Effects

Aloe gel-based formulations are generally safe for topical use. Honey has a wide range of oral (as a sweetener, cough suppressant) and topical applications (for minor sores, wounds), which are usually harmless for adults and older children.

Similarly, cocoa butter has been safely used as a base for ointments and suppositories. Avocado is likely to be safe for use on the skin for up to 3 months.

However, an allergy to any of the ingredients may be deleterious. In such a case, the use of the mask should be avoided. Therefore, it is necessary to take precautions before using these masks, and it is always recommended to perform a patch test first.

Final Words

While there are many commercially produced products available, Homemade DIY are an excellent choice. Homemade DIY are chemical free, easy to handle, and cost effectively as supposed to commercial products. Using these homemade masks and mist will leave your skin rejuvenated and refreshed.