Skin is in! With the upsurge of mask, acid, retinol and serum use, many women have been taking a more active approach in caring for their skin. Additionally, even more women are spending their coins and booking facials at the spa. Now, while I’d recommend that every woman should have a professional facial done on the regular, I know all too well (from experience) that not everyone can afford to have their skin care maintained by an aesthetician. So in the meantime, why not try some DIY skin care treatments?!
The good thing about DIY facials, is that for the most part, you most likely already have the ingredients on hand. That’s because a lot of DIY mask recipes require ingredients that you can easily find right in your kitchen. Here are a few of my favourites:
Oats and honey
Oatmeal has both anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties. It is full of lipids and proteins, so it can lock in moisture and protect the skin’s barrier function. Honey is a humectant. It draws moisture from the air and on to your skin. A combination of these two will leave your skin feeling moisturised and over time, can even give your skin a healthy glow.
What you’ll need:
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rolled oats
½ tablespoon of hot water
How to prepare it:
In a food processor or blender, grind up the oats until its consistency is like a coarse flour. In a separate bowl, combine the honey and hot water. Add the oats to the water and honey mixture. Let it cool a little, then apply to a freshly washed face. Leave it on for about 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water and follow up with the rest of your skin care routine.
Sugar and olive oil
Sugar scrubs are excellent if you want your mask to also exfoliate your skin. Sugar, similarly to honey, is a humectant, and it also is a source of glycolic acid, which encourages cell turnover, generating fresher, younger-looking skin. Olive oil has been shown to reduce the signs of aging and smoothen skin texture.
What you’ll need:
½ tablespoon sugar
½ tablespoon olive oil
How to prepare it:
Mix both ingredients and let it sit for a few minutes, then apply to a freshly washed face. Gently massage in circles then leave it on for about 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
Mayonnaise and lemon
Rich in eggs and oils, mayonnaise is excellent at keeping your skin hydrated. The fatty acids also help produce the skin’s natural oil barrier, which helps keep skin plumper, and younger looking. Lemons are filled with citric acid and vitamin C that can get rid of dark spots over time and fight against any damage from being exposed to the sun.
What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice*
*You can also use lime juice, but I would recommend that you use less lime than lemon juice as limes are more acidic.
How to prepare it:
Mix the mayonnaise with the lemon juice until the juice is fully incorporated. Lightly massage it on to your face for a minutes, then leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
From my experience, masks should be done no more than two to three times a week (in the case of the scrub, one to two times a week). I also prefer (especially in the case of the lemon juice and mayo mask), to do my masks at night. The good thing about DIY, is that you can adjust the measurements to suit your skin issues. Of course, these masks do not equate to a facial done by a professional, however, giving your skin some love and pampering yourself doesn’t hurt either. Happy masking!
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Tshenelle Bethel-Peters aka Nelly B. is a natural hair, plus size, beauty, and lifestyle blogger; an avid supporter of buying local and a firm believer in the power of a smile. Follow her at www.adayinthelifeofnellyb.com or @blessednelly on Twitter and Instagram