Natural Beauty – Homemade Facial Masks

My sister, Robin, and I used to make natural facial masks at home using plain oatmeal and honey. We’d mix the two together, spread it on our face, and then wait. After rinsing the sticky mixture away, we’d get close to the mirror and examine our faces. “Do you see any difference?” we’d ask each other. Facial masks are a fun way to slow down and relax, so there’s definitely an emotional benefit, as well.

In the later years, I began to use something a little more complicated and a lot more chemically-created to treat my skin. It felt a bit on the clinical side and I find that I miss the “fun” aspect. I’m all for revisiting the natural  homemade facial masks of my youth and this time around I get my daughters in on it. At 16 and 10, I’ve been teaching them about the importance of good skin care for awhile now.

Certain household items are used frequently in the facial masks that you purchase in the store. Fruit acids exfoliate, honey has anti-bacterial properties, milk soothes, oatmeal exfoliates – most of us have these at home already, which makes them convenient for homemade facial masks.

To get the full at-home spa effect, begin with a facial steaming to open your pores. Heat a large pot of water up to the boiling point, then place to the side to cool a bit. Steam your face over the warm water to which you’ve added 5-6 drops of the essential oil of your choice.

Here are a few ideas:

For oily skin or acne, use tea tree oil
For dry skin, use rose or a chamomile tea infusion
For combination skin, use eucalyptus, lavender, or lemon

Now you are ready for the mask of your choice:

Cocoa Infusion Facial Mask – moisturizing and cleansing

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup of honey
2 – 1/2 TBs of milk or soy milk
4 tsp oatmeal

Mix together in a bowl, apply to face, avoiding eye area, and massage in a circular motion. Let the mask set for 15 minutes, while you put your feet up. Then, rinse with warm water, and pat dry.

Olive oil makes a wonderful facial massage oil, but if you prefer, you can substitue Apricot oil instead.

Olive Oil Facial Massage Mask – exfoliating and smoothing, increases circlation

5 ripe strawberries
1 TBS olive oil
1 tsp honey

Mash strawberries into a pulp. Add olive oil, then honey. Mix, then apply to the face, avoiding the eyes. Massage into your face and neck for 5 minutes – use an upward smoothing motion on neck, gentle upward, inward circles on the face. Tissue off excess, rinse thoroughly with warm water, pat dry.

To make a vegan version of this mask or the scrub below, simply skip the honey.

Facial Scrub Mask – smoothing, softening

Ground nuts can be added to honey for an easy exfoliating scrub.  Grind 1/4 cup of walnut or almonds in a coffee grinder, then add to either 2 Tablespoons of honey or yogurt (can substitute soy yogurt for a vegan scrub). Mix well.  Apply to the face, again avoiding the eye area, and massage gently, in a circular motion for 2 minutes. Rinse with warm water, pat dry.

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