The best facial masks can be made at home by utilizing the ingredients in your kitchen. When you apply facial masks, you want to go from the outside in with your hands in circular motions. That way, you won’t be stretching out your skin, because if you start from your nose outward, you will be stretching out your skin. You could also use a facial brush. Apply a face mask about once a week or 2-4 times a week. It really depends on what mask you are using and your skin. You should leave your home made mask for 10-15 minutes. To get it off, I would recommend splashing your face with some warm water. Then take a steaming or cooled wash cloth and wash your face. Below are different kinds of facial masks for various skin types.
-Clear Face Mask-
1 ½ tablespoon of green clay (French is preferred)
1 ½ tablespoon of kaolin clay
1 ½ tablespoon of aloe-vera gel
1 tablespoon of rosewater
2 drops of rose essential oil
Steps- First, mix the green and kaolin clay together. Add in the aloe vera gel, rosewater and essential oil. Refrigerate the mixture for up to four weeks. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. After taking the mask off, follow with a good cleansing.
-Yoghurt Face Mask-
1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt, room temperature (not low-fat or non-fat)
1 tablespoon of runny honey (microwave for a few minutes to soften hardened honey)
Steps- Combine the mixture and then put it on your face. If you have dry skin, use an extra tablespoon of honey. If you have oily skin, add a few drops of fresh lime juice. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Wash off the mask with a steaming wash cloth.
-Oatmeal & Yoghurt Face Mask-
1 tablespoon of oatmeal, finely ground
1 tablespoon of live, organic yoghurt (skip the flavored stuff)
A few drops of honey
Steps- Add the yoghurt and oatmeal together and mix. Warm a few drops of lemon. To do this, warm a spoon under hot water for a minute first, and then add the lemon. Stir the honey into the yoghurt and oat meal mixture. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with several splashes of warm water. Follow with a warm wash cloth.
-Aloha Hawaiian Delight Face Mask-
½ of a papaya
3 tablespoon of honey
4 drops of green tea
Steps- Blend the papaya so that it’s a more creamy consistency. Then, mix in the honey and green tea. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Then take if off with a cool washcloth.
-Strawberry Yoghurt Face Mask –
4-5 small strawberries
2 tablespoon of bio-yoghurt/natural yoghurt
2 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Steps- Mash up the strawberries in a bowl. Then, put in 2 tablespoons of the yoghurt and blend the ingredients together. Apply 2 teaspoons of honey into the mixture. Add one teaspoon of olive oil. Next, add the oatmeal, make sure it gets absorbed into the mixture. Blend it up very good. Wash off the mask and then pat it dry.
-Masks for Oily Prone Skin-
Banana face mask
1 banana, preferably ripe (you can keep ripe bananas in the freezer, let it thaw before use)
1 tablespoon of honey
An orange or lemon
Steps- Mix the banana and honey together. Add a few drops of juice from the lemon or orange; leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with a cool washcloth or a steaming cloth.
-Juice Face Mask-
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 egg whites
3 tablespoon of honey
1 cup of strawberries
Optional: 4 drops of your favourite essential oil
Steps- Mash or blend the ingredients into a mixture. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off.
-Green Clay Face Mask-
1 tables spoon of green clay (you can get it at most health stores)
1 tablespoon of apricot kernel oil
3 drops of palmarosa essential oil
Steps- Mix the palmarosa and apricot oils together. Add a few drops of warm water. Mix in the green clay and add more warm water if needed to make it a spreadable paste. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with warm washcloth.
-Clay Face Mask-
A basic fuller’s earth clay (if skin is sensitive, French clay is good)
1 tablespoon of honey
Water (for a richer mask, substitute half-and-half)
Your favourite essential oil
Steps- Mix two parts of water (or half-and-half) and one part of clay, mixing in a bit of honey. Add more water (or cream) if the clay is too dry. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Wash it off with steaming washcloth (make sure its not too hot).
-Very Simple face Mask-
1 bottle of milk magnesia (I insist no flavours, please)
Steps- Apply your milk magnesia on your face. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with a cool washcloth.
-Masks for Combination Skin-
2 tablespoon of rose water
1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt, room temperature (non low fat or non-fat)
1 tablespoon of runny honey (to get runny honey, warm in microwave for a few seconds)
Optional: rose petals
Steps- Soak rose petals and crush them in a bowl. Add the rosewater, yoghurt and honey. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off.
-Masks for Dry Skin (Avocado face mask)-
½ an avocado
¼ cup of honey
Steps- A classic recipe for dry skin. Mash the avocado in a bowl then, stir in the honey. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse face with a cool wash cloth.
-Milk Face Mask-
1 tablespoon of powdered milk
1 tablespoon of runny honey
1 teaspoon of aloe vera
2 drops of essential oil
Steps- This is a classic milk mask for the face. Mix the ingredients well leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.(this recipe is enough for 2)
-Masks for Sensitive Skin (also good for sun burnt skin) Yoghurt face mask-
1 cup of natural yoghurt
½ a cup of oat meal (any type of basic oatmeal works)
Steps- Mix all the ingredients together. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with a washcloth steamed in the microwave.
-Masks for Aging Skin (Sugar face mask)-
2 tablespoon of sugar
3 tablespoon of water
Steps- Stir sugar into warm water so that it melts. Make sure granules are dissolved, otherwise they could tear your skin. Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm water or a wash cloth steamed from the microwave.
-Lotion as a Mask (Lotion Mask Moisturizer/Lotion with an SPF)-
Steps-Put a thick layer of lotion on your face. But only leave it on for 5 minutes. To take it off, tissue it off or use a warm towel. Try not to get it wet, because it will become oily-ish.