These homemade face masks use just one ingredient but will leave your skin feeling better, looking better, and battle back against the aging process. You likely have many of these items in your home already so you can begin using them today for fast results.
DIY Masks For Flawless Skin
1. Honey
Honey is an amazing product, has been for millenia, and science is still figuring out all of the good things it can do for the body. One of these is that it helps out the skin in a number of ways, which is why it makes a great face mask.
Because of its thick consistency, it’s easy to apply honey as a face mask. It contains antioxidants and moisturizes your skin, making it a great choice for regular use, as it also has a very low incidence of causing any adverse reactions, unless you’re allergic to bees or aspirin.
Why it works: Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties to it that help purify the skin on your face. It also contains enzymes which your skin will absorb. Be sure to use raw organic honey so that these enzymes will be in place. Processed honey destroys the enzymes and will provide limited results.
2. Oatmeal
Before you dive into that bowl of oatmeal, you should know that it has other benefits besides helping to lower cholesterol. Oatmeal has long been used as an all-natural scrub, but you can use it as a face mask as well.
It’s important to use organic oatmeal, as it will be made from organic oats, will undergo less processing, and be free of toxic poisons like herbicides and pesticides, as well as GMOs.
To use you simply make a paste out of oatmeal and water and spread evenly. If you want a two-ingredient face mask you can combine honey and oatmeal for compounded benefits.
Why it works: Using an oatmeal face mask introduces plenty of amino acids into the skin, which helps build up the skin making it look younger. It also helps to soothe your skin, and is a great follow up to some of the more harsh masks to calm your skin back down and reduce reddening.
3. Egg Yolk
Rather than use the entire egg, you’ll want to separate the yolk from the white and make two different one-ingredient face masks. The yolk is where the bulk of the vitamins and minerals of the egg are, and an egg yolk face mask transfers these to your skin.
The protein in the egg yolk helps to keep your skin healthy, while the vitamins and minerals it contains go to work rejuvenating your skin. Since it’s just one ingredient you don’t have to worry about putting anything on your face that is of a chemical or toxic nature.
Why it works: The skin is highly absorbent, so when you apply a mask like this with vitamins and minerals intact you are helping to get those directly to the source where they’re needed. You’re also avoiding store bought face masks that tend to have things in them you shouldn’t put on your skin.
4. Egg Whites
Once you have your egg separated, what to do with the whites? You can also use these as a face mask, since they contain more protein than the yolk. As egg whites dry on your face you’ll feel your skin tighten. This tightens pores and reduces the look of more shallow wrinkles.
Use pastured, organic eggs in order to make sure you’re getting the highest quality without any unwanted extras. You can also find eggs that have been fortified with extra omega-3s, which would provide even better results.
Why it works: Egg whites also contain protein, which helps in the skin-building process, but they lack the larger amounts of vitamins and minerals that the yolk contains. It works as a face mask because of its texture and the way it tightens up your skin as it dries.
5. Banana
If you happen to have a banana handy, you’re minutes away from an effective homemade face mask that will leave your skin in much better shape when you’re finished. The potassium that bananas are widely known to contain helps the skin by hydrating it, so you’ll see some instant improvement if your skin has been looking dry and in need of moisture.
Bananas are one of the easiest fruits to go organic on, costing just a little bit more, but the difference is crucial here since you’re applying it directly to the skin. Even though bananas have a thick outer peel the pesticides and herbicides are in the soil, and even put right into the seed.
Why it works: Bananas not only contain potassium, but have an assortment of vitamins that will be absorbed by your skin and improve its appearance. Vitamin A will help dark spots fade away, and Vitamin B helps with wrinkles. It’s also the perfect texture for a face mask, sticking right to the skin.
6. Coconut Milk
It’s hard to believe but the jug of coconut milk you have in your refrigerator can actually help the skin on your face look better. You may have heard of milk baths, and you can get the same skin softening effect by simply using coconut milk directly on your face.
Coconut milk contains anti-inflammatory benefits to help reduce redness and blemishes. It’s also got anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties to help keep skin clean.
Why it works: Milk helps cleanse the skin, reduces the size of pores, and has a very soothing effect on the skin. If you want to increase its effectiveness you can mix it with honey and you’ll be getting both the benefits of milk as well as honey described above.
7. Lemon
Lemon is often added to cleansing products because of its clean smell, but it is also a good cleaning agent for the skin because of its acidity and vitamins. You can make a face mask out of lemon juice alone that will help cleanse your skin and slough off dead skin cells.
If you find that straight lemon juice is just too much for your skin to handle, try diluting it with purified water until you reach a consistency that works well for you. As always, organic lemons are recommended over conventional when applying to your skin.
Why it works: Lemon has an astringent effect on the skin and will work as an exfoliant thanks to the citric acid it contains. This can be a bit harsh on the skin, so you may want to follow up with a soothing mask, such as milk, yogurt, or oatmeal, all found on this page.
8. Yogurt
A yogurt face mask can be very soothing, and the lactic acid it contains will go to work on your skin to help it glow. Not only that but it just feels great to apply it and relax for about 20 minutes, letting it go to work on your face.
Opt for organic yogurt so that you’ll avoid the antibiotics and growth hormones that are in conventional yogurt. Greek yogurt contains more protein for the skin to absorb, and also has a thicker consistency which makes it easier to apply.
Why it works: Yogurt is rife with lactic acid, and your skin benefits from having it applied directly, working on fine lines and wrinkles, helping to give you a more youthful appearance. There’s also the soothing effect of the cool and creamy yogurt on your face, and it contains minerals that will help fight acne.
9. Olive Oil
Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can consume, but it also works wonders topically and skin just absolutely loves it. This includes the skin on your face, and a simple olive oil face mask can change the way you look at this oil.
Ideally you’ll want to use organic olive oil, which may be a bit pricier but since you’re rubbing into your skin it’s good to be picky.
Why it works: Olive oil won’t clog your pores the way so many facial products do. You’ll benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties it has, reducing red spots and helping to fight the signs of aging with its antioxidants. It is also very moisturizing for your skin, which will help it look more healthy and vibrant.
10. Strawberries
Here’s a face mask that you might have to resist the urge to eat. There’s a saying that you should never put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t eat, and this is one mask that proves it. Blend up a strawberry puree and spread it evenly across your face.
If you see strawberries or strawberry extract as an ingredient in a facial product, you’re probably getting much more than just strawberries. Check the other ingredients for chemicals, dyes, and additives. But when you buy them and use them singly, you know exactly what is going on your face. Organic strawberries are a must, and only cost a bit more at the store.
Why it works: You may be familiar with the term “alpha hydroxy” because it’s used a lot by the beauty industry. Strawberries contain the real deal alpha hydroxyl acids that go to work against free radicals and improves the appearance of your skin by helping with the most common signs of aging.
11. Avocado
You may feel a little strange spread what amounts to guacamole all over your face, but once you see what it can do for you you’ll be hooked.
Use an organic avocado so that you’ll avoid smearing pesticides and herbicides onto your skin. Even though an avocado is often listed as a fruit you don’t have to buy organic, it’s still a good idea to make sure that the soil and the seeds being used do not contain toxins that end up in the flesh, and then on your face.
Why it works: The healthy monounsaturated fat that avocados contain helps your skin by The antioxidants it contains help lessen the appearance of fine lines associated with aging, and the fruit itself helps to moisturize your skin, reducing a dull look.
12. Dark Chocolate
You may have heard of chocolate face masks being used at ritzy spas, but there’s no reason why you can’t replicate the practice in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Be sure to use dark chocolate, as it has antioxidants that your skin will absorb that milk chocolate just doesn’t have. Instead, milk chocolate is full of sugar which won’t really help your skin at all. It’s also likely full of conventional milk, which makes it something you don’t want to put on your face. Opt for organic dark chocolate, melted and then allowed to cool long enough to apply to skin.
Why it works: The skin is very absorbent, and will draw in the antioxidants from the chocolate, helping to battle free radical damage that can take its toll on your skin, causing a dehydrated and run down look. It also smells wonderful on your face, so much that you may be tempted to sample some, which you can because it’s just chocolate. The beauty of using a homemade face mask!