However, if you’re one of those who have tried every single method to find a solution to your skin problems but none of them ever seem to work for you, have you thought of actually making your own skincare product at home? We’re talking an all-natural and extremely affordable method that is super easy to follow – DIY face masks! So if you are on the verge of giving up on your skin, give these homemade facial mask recipes a shot!
For Oily Skin
Egg White & Honey
Egg white is a great natural astringent that can help shrink pores and tighten the skin. Hence the reason it is a common ingredient used in skin-tightening masks. Essentially, tightening the skin means drying out the skin, but in a more natural way. Ground oats is also very helpful when it comes to absorbing oil and exfoliating dead skin that you find clogging your pores. Combining these two ingredients with the addition of some honey – for its skin healing benefits – makes a great au naturel face mask for oily skin!
Directions:
Firstly, whip one egg white and one teaspoon of honey together until it becomes frothy. Next, add the ground oats to form a paste. You can also use flour as an alternative if you don’t have oats. Apply the mask onto your face and massage gently, avoiding your eyes. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Lemon & Apple
Lemon is another well-known natural astringent that is rich in citric acid and Vitamin C, and is suitable for oily skin. Adding lemon to face masks helps you deal with troubles faced by oily skin, including acne, pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, giving you a fresh face clear of all dirt and impurities. However, using lemon on your skin excessively may dry out your skin. So be sure to apply some oil-free moisturiser after. Apple contains copper that helps you balance out the melanin production in your body. This acts as a natural sunscreen that protects you from UV rays, especially whenever you go outdoors.
Directions:
Combine the apple sauce and lemon juice – one tablespoon each – to form a paste. Adding sage can boost the results of this mask because it is a herb that can tighten and close pores. Apply the mask to your face and leave it on for five to 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
Turmeric & Lemon
Turmeric is a common ingredient found in many Malaysian cuisines. But not many people know that it is also an excellent natural exfoliator for the skin. It has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can treat multiple skin problems. The astringent function of lemon enhances the benefits of turmeric. This concoction helps to remove all the bacteria and impurities on your skin, giving you an oil-free face.
Directions:
Mix three tablespoons of turmeric powder and juice from one whole lemon together to form a paste. Apply the mask onto your face. Rinse off with cold water after 15 to 20 minutes.
For Dry Skin
Coconut Oil
In recent years, coconut oil is becoming more and more popular, both in and out of the kitchen. Besides being used as a nutritious cooking oil, it also contains skin-moisturising benefits. Some even call it the best and only moisturiser that dry skin peeps will ever need. Without leaving any residue on your skin, coconut oil seeps into your pores easily, giving your skin deep and thorough moisture.
Directions:
Firstly, mix two tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil and one tablespoon of honey together. Then, whisk half an egg and add into the mixture. This mask spreads very well, so you’ll only need a small amount. Apply it onto your face and gently massage the mask into your skin. Rinse it off with warm water after five to 10 minutes and you’ll be left with supple skin.
Aloe Vera & Cucumber
Aloe vera is often used whenever we get sunburned because it contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help calm the skin and reduce discomfort. It also has great moisturising functions that are perfect for dry skin, keeping your skin healthy and fully hydrated. It can also boost skin tissues by supplying oxygen to the skin. Cucumber is also another important ingredient for dry skin because it is rich in Vitamin A and C. It contains 90% of water, which makes it a great super food for dry skin. This simple face mask will give you a good soothing, cleansing and cooling effect.
Directions:
Firstly, peel half a cucumber and remove the seeds. Cut the cucumber into smaller pieces and blend it together with three teaspoons of aloe vera gel. Once you have a paste, smooth the mask onto your face, steering clear of the eye area. Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse off the mask with cold water, giving you supple and hydrated skin.
Avocado
Avocado is an excellent ingredient to help treat dry skin. This fruit is full of fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins that help to improve your skin from the inside, moisturising your skin effectively and giving it an extra glow. It also aids in skin repair and maintenance in order to restore silky, smooth skin.
Directions:
Start off by mashing one avocado fruit that has fully ripened. Once it is completely mashed, mix it with half a cup of honey. Apply the fresh paste onto your face and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off. You can use this face mask every day for best results.
For Sensitive Skin
Nutmeg & Manuka Honey
Nutmeg contains antioxidants and has great anti-inflammatory properties that can calm painful and irritated skin as well as relieve itchiness from skin conditions, such as Eczema. It is also a great ingredient that can clear blackheads, unclog pores, remove dead skin cells, and fade skin pigmentation and scars. Raw manuka honey is known to be a natural ingredient that has been used as treatment for centuries. It can heal wounds, rashes, skin burns, and abrasions. It also has powerful antioxidants that can protect your skin against free radicals, acting as a good remedy for various skin infections. Combining both of these powerful ingredients will give your skin a soothing and calming effect in the most natural manner.
Directions:
Mix one teaspoon of raw manuka honey and one teaspoon of ground nutmeg powder to form a thick paste. Apply the mixture all over your face, avoiding the eyes, focusing on problematic areas. Leave the mask on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water while massaging your face in circular motions to exfoliate. Use this mask once to twice a week for best results.
Aloe Vera & Honey
As mentioned before, aloe vera is a great ingredient to soothe inflammation and calm the skin. Therefore, it is an excellent natural ingredient for those with sensitive and irritated skin. Besides treating sunburn, rashes, dry skin, eczema, and minor burns, it also speeds up the skin’s healing process and prevents scarring. You can safely use this face mask to boost your skin’s hydration without worrying about further irritating your skin.
Directions:
Mix two teaspoons of raw honey and one teaspoon of aloe vera gel together. Apply the paste onto your face, avoiding the eye area. Rinse off after 10 to 20 minutes with warm water. This face mask is safe to be used every day if you wish.
Chamomile & Oatmeal
Chamomile not only makes a good tea that calms the soul, it also has anti-inflammatory functions that calms the skin. Whereas, oats contain salicylic acid that acts as a gentle exfoliator, perfect for those who wish to remove dead skin cells on their skin but is worried about irritating their already sensitive skin. Adding sugar and honey will also aid in exfoliation without aggravating the skin condition.
Directions:
Firstly, brew a cup of chamomile tea. Take two tablespoons of the tea and mix it with half a cup of oats. If the mixture is still too dry, slowly add more chamomile tea to form a smooth mixture. Then, add one tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of white sugar to give more texture to the mask. Apply it to a clean, damp face and leave it on for five to 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. Since this mask can be quite messy, it is best to use it while in the shower.
For Acne
Baking Soda
Baking soda has been known to treat pimples and acne scars because it is amphoteric, which means it operates as either an acid or a base that neutralises pH imbalance on the skin. The skin’s pH imbalance is a common factor behind acne. Baking soda also helps to remove excess oil on the skin which leads to blackheads and breakouts. It also has mild anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that can quicken the process of healing pimples.
Directions:
Add two teaspoons of baking soda with one teaspoon of honey to form a paste. Add a dash of lemon juice if you like. Apply the mask to the skin and leave it on for five minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water and apply some oil-free moisturiser after. This mask is only suitable for those without sensitive skin.
Cinnamon & Honey
Cinnamon is a type of natural microbial that stops bacteria from gathering and prevents breakouts. Hence it is a great ingredient for acne-prone skin. When you apply cinnamon to the skin, it also relieves any change around the skin that triggers acne. Additionally, it promotes circulation on the skin, bringing oxygen and blood to the surface of the skin wherever it is applied. But be careful not to use too much of it or it may cause further irritation.
Directions:
Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon and two teaspoons of honey to form a paste. Apply this mask to your entire face, avoiding your eye area. You can also opt to apply it just on the acne. Either way, it will give you results you’ve never seen before!
Apple Cider Vinegar & Green Tea
Apple Cider Vinegar contains AHA that can unclog pores and dissolve dead skin cells. It is also a great ingredient to treat blemishes and pimples, restore the natural pH of the skin, and reduce the appearance of pores. As for green tea, it is not just everyone’s favourite beverage at Japanese restaurants or a popular ingredient in desserts – it is also an amazing skincare ingredient that is packed with antioxidants to protect your skin against free radicals. Plus, it has anti-inflammatory functions that give you flawless and younger-looking skin.
Directions:
Mix one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of cooled green tea. Then, add five teaspoons of sugar to give the paste some texture. Add one teaspoon of honey to tie the mixture together. Apply the mask onto your face and gently massage for a few minutes to remove dead skin cells as well as to improve blood circulation. Leave it on for another 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water. You can use this mask twice a week for best results.
For Anti-Aging
Green Apple & Potato
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Not only that, it also keeps signs of aging skin away! Green apple in particular is packed with loads of Vitamin C that helps to speed up the skin’s cell production, giving you more radiant-looking skin. It also helps to exfoliate your skin, leaving you with healthy, supple, younger-looking skin, shedding a few years from your age. Just like lemon, potato is another natural bleaching ingredient that helps to exfoliate your skin and bring a glow to your face. Therefore, combining all three ingredients can greatly aid in reducing fine lines, pigmentation and age spots.
Directions:
Mix one tablespoon of green apple pulp, potato pulp and lemon juice together and create a thick paste. Apply the mixture onto your face and neck, and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water to reveal brighter, glowing skin.
Buttermilk & Oatmeal
Buttermilk is a very effective ingredient for treating fine lines and wrinkles. In case you didn’t know, buttermilk is a type of thickened, sour milk that is made by adding bacteria to regular milk. The bacteria starts a fermentation process, producing lactic acid, which is essentially an AHA used in anti-aging products to exfoliate the skin. So regular application of this face mask can bring you visible results within a few days!
Directions:
Firstly, mix half a cup of buttermilk and two tablespoons of oatmeal, and warm up the mixture until it becomes a smooth paste. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes to cool it down and add olive oil and almond oil, one teaspoon each. Apply the mask on your face and neck, gently massaging it into your skin. Rinse it off after 15 to 20 minutes. For best results, apply this mask three times a week.
Blueberry & Grapeseed Oil
Blueberries are rich in Vitamin C and contain a good amount of anthocyanin, which can boost collagen levels in the skin. As you know, collagen is a common word associated with anti-aging products and solutions. Grapeseed oil is non-greasy yet highly nourishing. It is also rich in fatty acids, which makes it a superior anti-aging ingredient.
Directions:
Blend a quarter cup of blueberries and two tablespoons of grapeseed oil until it forms a puree. Apply the mixture onto your skin and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off the mask with warm water. You may use it regularly for healthier and younger-looking skin!