How to Create Your Own Face Mask
Facial masks can be expensive, but the experience of applying something to your face that will (hopefully) change the texture of your skin – and make you feel like a fashion spa patron – is incredibly satisfying. Fortunately, there are options for most masks that you can DIY from household items for a lot less money. Below is our guide to a wide range of DIY mask options, including ingredients to avoid and what each ingredient does:
Do face masks work?
Yes, but only partially. Randy Schueller, beautician and blogger for The Beauty Brains , said that while face masks may have some short-term benefits, they don’t compare to other beauty products like creams and lotions. “The bottom line is that masks are nice to use and provide temporary benefits, but they cannot be your main weapon,” Schueller said.
The main reason masks don’t work is because they only stay on the skin for a short time and are limited in the ingredients they can use. “Unlike a cream or lotion, where you can easily combine oil and water-soluble ingredients, masks are usually made with more water-soluble ingredients,” Schueller said.
But in reality, pure functionality is not the reason many people use face masks. I love using this $ 3 Clay Face Mask from CVS, although I’m not sure if it works or not. It fits tightly and makes me feel like the Mia from The Princess Diaries during editing . “I love DIY face masks, and yes, some are much better than store bought ones, but many are just more fun,” said Dr. Ellen Marmour, former vice chairman of cosmetic and dermatological surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. and founder of Marmur Medical .
What good masks can I start with?
If you don’t know where to start a mask, there is no shortage of recipes. There are hundreds of Pinterest boards just for face masks . Lifehacker has a post with homemade skin care products including face masks. Here are some more suggestions from dermatologists:
To reduce redness, Dr. Whitney Bowe , a dermatologist in New York, recommends her a green tea and honey mask. To do this, pour out two tea bags and mix the tea leaves with a few drops of water to keep them slightly damp. Then add 3 tablespoons of honey and apply on face for 15-20 minutes.
Marmur loves to mix sweet potatoes (for hydration and antioxidants), honey (antiseptic and exfoliant), yogurt (for exfoliation) to make a mask that smoothes skin and reduces inflammation.
An exfoliating and anti-inflammation mask is Bow’s coffee and yogurt mask. To make it, combine 3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons of finely ground coffee to make a paste. Then apply to face and rinse off after 20 minutes with warm water.
What does each ingredient do?
Most face masks have many ingredients in common. Typically, mask ingredients serve one or more of the following functions: moisturize, firm skin, reduce redness and inflammation, exfoliate, even out skin tone, or simply make the mask smell good. There is no fancy formula for making a mask – you just need to combine a few ingredients. Here’s a rundown of what you can expect from each potential ingredient in a version made in your kitchen:
Apple cider vinegar is very acidic and kills bacteria on the face, which helps with acne.
Avocado moisturizes the face. It is also an exfoliator to help remove dead skin cells and revitalize your face.
Bananas contain enzymes that remove dead skin cells and make the skin firmer and brighter. Bananas are also good for moisturizing the skin.
Baking soda is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It helps reduce acne, but contrary to popular belief, it does not reduce acne scars.
Cocci powder exfoliates and relieves inflammation slightly.
Coffee or coffee grounds reduce facial puffiness and puffiness as they contain caffeine.
Green tea soothes and relieves inflammation.
Honey has antibacterial properties, so it helps to kill bacteria on the face and reduce acne. Honey is also an exfoliating agent that can help you remove dead skin cells.
Milk is a great moisturizer and can help reduce inflammation. It also helps to change the consistency of the face mask to make it more spreadable.
Oatmeal is a good exfoliating and anti-inflammatory agent. You can add it to the mask when it’s dry, or add water to make a paste.
Pumpkin contains salicylic acid, which reduces acne due to its antibacterial properties. It also exfoliates slightly.
Tomatoes are great at soothing irritated skin (including sunburn). They are also good for lightening skin. By using them in the mask, you can substitute tomato juice for tomato juice, which is generally easier to apply but makes the mask thinner.
Yogurt soothes and moisturizes irritated skin. It also exfoliates as it contains lactic acid (a type of alpha hydroxy acid ) that will help brighten your skin.
Before applying the face mask with your own hands to your face, it is recommended that you check if certain ingredients are causing rashes or allergic reactions. You can do this by doing a patch test, in which you apply a small amount of your homemade mask to an inconspicuous body (such as the back of your ears) and wait to see if anything has changed or you notice signs of an allergic reaction. To test the mask, Marmur recommends applying a portion of the mask to the inside of the hand for at least 20 minutes, but times may vary depending on the person – if you are prone to reactive, sensitive skin, wait 48 hours after the patch. to avoid slow reactions.
What should i avoid?
Lemon / citrus juices are very acidic. According to Bowe, these acids “immediately destroy your skin’s natural barrier and cause significant irritation.” Citrus oils are also phototoxic, which means they make you more sensitive to the sun. “
Spices like cinnamon can irritate the skin. Cinnamon can be anti-aging as it reduces inflammation, but it can cause skin burns. So be sure to test it before applying it to your face.
Egg whites can temporarily tighten the skin, but raw egg whites have a small risk of salmonella contamination, Bowe warns. Also, if you are using egg whites, be careful about how they interact with other ingredients. “One of my favorites is the story of an egg white mask that someone threw on a hot rag and then froze on the person’s face,” Marmur said.
Also, don’t overuse charcoal . “If you suck all the moisture and lipids out of your skin, you will look older and tired,” Marmur said.
In general, “avoid anything that might sting your lip or tongue if you put it on them, because those areas are even more sensitive,” Marmur said. And when using the mask: “If it stings, immediately wash it off with cold water, avoiding eye contact.”
How to make a face mask with your own hands
The most interesting part of DIY face masks is that you can customize them to match what you already have. I don’t have a kitchen or a refrigerator (I live in a dorm), so the easiest DIY face mask for me was to take a container of Greek yogurt and honey from the store.
To make a mask, start with the base of the face mask, which is the largest part of your mask. For my DIY mask, I used Greek yogurt as the base, but almost any ingredient you can apply to your skin works.
Then you can add other parts of the face mask, but this is not a requirement ( masks with one ingredient can be used). I used honey in a two-to-one ratio with Greek yogurt and mixed them together.
Finally, apply the mask to your face for 15-30 minutes. I just used my fingers and waited for the mask to dry (it took about 30 minutes).
Then I washed off the mask with warm water and my skin felt great. It seemed smoother and harder. I’m not sure if this will have a long lasting effect, but it was a fun DIY that cost less than $ 3.
You can repeat this process every day for masks that simply moisturize, or up to once or twice a week for masks with other purposes, such as exfoliation or anti-inflammatory effects, Marmur said.