It’s been a rather long time since many of us have seen the inside of a beauty salon and we know it hasn’t been an easy ride. Most of us are missing our regular manicures and pedicures, our hair appointments, our weekly massages and monthly facials. And basically everything that goes along with the perfect day at the spa. We don’t know about you, but what we’re missing the most is our facials and getting that beautiful day afterglow.
Many of us have resorted to doing our own manis and pedis, cutting our own hair and removing unwanted hair. What’s been particularly difficult for many however, is giving ourselves a facial. Without the necessary tools and products and the ability to massage your face the same way your aesthetician would has been quite the task. But fret not, there are still ways to give your skin some TLC, using ingredients that you can find in your kitchen. Check out these ingredients and how you can use them in your DIY face masks.
Eggs and oatmeal
Two ingredients that you wouldn’t normally put together, eggs and oatmeal, make for the most amazing tightening mask. If you find that your skin is feeling dull and dreary and needs a little uplifting and tightening, an egg and some oatmeal will take you a long way. Eggs have the ability to tighten your skin and oatmeal can help mattify oily skin. Here’s what you need to do:
- Combine one egg yolk with a tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Mix in half a cup of oatmeal.
- Stir the mixture well and apply to your face for 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse with lukewarm water and moisturise!
You’ll instantly feel the difference.
Cocoa powder and avocados
Mmm! The two things we love, avocados and chocolate. You can only imagine what this delicious mask will smell like. Avocados are known for their extremely hydrating properties and cocoa is a great skin-soothing antioxidant. Here’s how to turn these ingredients into a mask:
- Mash one-quarter of an avocado in a small bowl.
- Add one tablespoon cocoa powder and one tablespoon honey, mashing and mixing well.
- Apply mixture to a clean and dry face and allow to stay on for 10 minutes.
- Wash with warm water and moisturise as per normal.
Don’t accidentally try and eat your face mask!
Honey
Honey is one of the most common ingredients we all have stashed away in our kitchen cabinets. Not only is it the most fabulous substitute for sugar but works wonders for your skin due to its antibacterial properties. It acts as a natural antibacterial and makes for the best acne-fighting mask. It is rich in B Vitamin properties and is a great way to calm your skin down if you are breaking out.
- Start by brewing a cup of chamomile tea with two tea bags and let cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, stir together one tablespoon of manuka or raw honey, and one teaspoon of nutritional yeast.
- Pour in your cooled down tea, enough to create a thick paste but runny enough to spread across your skin.
- Apply the mixture to your face and neck and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Rinse off and pat dry!
Bananas
If you’re never tried an organic banana face mask, then you’re missing out. A banana mask will make your skin glow like no other and we swear by a banana mask at least once a week. Bananas are gentle on all skin types and are a versatile ingredient that can be used in conjunction with other ingredients to make the masks best suited for your skin.
- In a bowl, mash half a banana.
- Mix in a tablespoon of honey or oatmeal, or both.
- Apply the mixture to your face (a lumpy mixture is totally okay).
- Leave on for 15 minutes, rinse and moisturise!
Which DIY face mask will you try first?