Homemade Hydrating Face Masks for Smooth Skin

There are plenty of rejuvenating and hydrating face masks available for purchase at your local pharmacy or cosmetics counter, and while some come at only minor expense, others can be pretty pricy.  You can certainly find options that eschew the use of harmful chemicals, dyes, and fragrances, but these sensitive skin options may end up costing even more.  However, there are ways to get the natural products you crave without spending an arm and a leg.  The easiest way, of course, is to make them yourself from the comfort of your own kitchen, and you don’t have to be a scientist to work out the formulas.

By following a few simple recipes, you can quickly whip up a number of easy face masks that will work for any skin type.  For example, whisking an egg white with a teaspoon of Greek yogurt produces a calming and moisturizing mask that can be applied to the face, left on for a few minutes, and gently washed away with warm water, leaving your skin looking dewy and fresh.  Another great mask can be created from equal parts uncooked oatmeal (buy from here), Greek yogurt (buy from here), and honey (about 1 teaspoon of each should do the trick).  Simply mix, smooth on face, wait a few minutes, and rinse with warm water (try not to scrub since oatmeal can be abrasive).  Your skin will feel smooth and soft afterwards.  Unfortunately, the yogurt makes these masks smell rather funny, but the ingredients are gentle enough to hydrate your skin without unbalancing oil production.

Egg is a popular ingredient used in most DIY face masks.

Of course, there are also masks specific to problem-prone skin.  If you find that your face is fairly oily, try mashing half of a ripe banana and mixing the pulp with a teaspoon of honey (Buy honey from here)and a few drops of fresh lemon juice.  The lemon acts as an astringent to help dry up excess oil while the honey and banana keep your skin from getting too dry.  Depending on the state of your banana, this recipe could get a bit runny, so you may want to add some oatmeal for a bit of extra cohesion.  Or if you’re not too keen on lemon, try mashing up a handful of strawberries (4-5) instead and adding them in, since the strawberry also has natural astringent properties.

For the opposite problem (dry, flaky skin) a little extra moisture is called for.  In this respect, milk can be an excellent agent because of the animal fats contained within.  Try mixing equal parts milk, honey, and raw aloe vera gel (about 1 teaspoon each) (buy from here).  Since this is a very liquidy concoction, a good substitute for regular milk is the powdered variety (Buy powdered milk from here.), which will make it more like a paste and therefore easier to apply.  You could also bring some natural oils to the aid of your face by mashing half an avocado with a couple of tablespoons of honey to leave your face moist and free of dryness.

In truth, there are hundreds of recipes out there that can be made with items commonly found in your kitchen or garden.  Don’t hesitate to scout out homemade tinctures online rather than submitting to the purchase of pricy and often damaging products offered by manufacturers.  You know your skin best, and with a little experimentation you can easily make the mask that’s right for you.
 

Byline:

Carol Montrose writes for fattyweightloss.com where you can find information on dieting and exercise along with printable cheesecake factory coupons and coupons for other great restaurants.

See also : Homemade hydrating masks for winter