Homemade Facial Masks

Professional face masks can certainly be expensive. But you can make very effective and inexpensive ones right at home. You may not even have to go to the store for ingredients! Regardless of your skin type, there’s a facial mask recipe for you. Here are some suggestions for various types of do-it-yourself facial masks and the skin types for which they’re intended.

All masks should be left on for 15-20 minutes before rinsing.

1. Dry Skin

Try some of the following recipes to help moisturize dry skin.

Yogurt Mask

* 1 teaspoon plain Greek-style yogurt
* 1 teaspoon raw honey
* 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel (if you have a plant, you can just scrape this out yourself and mix it in)
* 1/4 teaspoon olive oil

Mix all these ingredients together thoroughly and spread them evenly over your face.

Avocado Mask

This green mask looks like the classic face mask! It’s also said to be very effective at deep moisturizing.

* 1/4 cup thoroughly mashed avocado
* 2 teaspoons raw honey
* 1 teaspoon plain yogurt

Mash the avocado first; then mix in the other ingredients. Apply evenly and leave on for the usual time before rinsing with cool water.

2. Oily Skin

For oily skin, astringency and oil-absorbing properties are what to look for in a mask. Clay-based masks and those containing fruit tend to do well for oily skin. Here are some recipes.

Clay Mask

* 2 tablespoons Bentonite clay
* Citrus juice (such as lemon, orange, or grapefruit)

Add just enough juice to the clay powder to make a spreadable paste. Apply evenly and, when you rinse, use warm water.

Egg White Mask

* 1 slightly beaten egg white
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons plain, Greek-style yogurt

Whisk everything together and apply; rinse with lukewarm water.

3. Acne-Prone Skin

It can be hard to find acne treatments that are non-irritating. Homemade masks tend to be very gentle, and you know the ingredients you’re using are mild.

Aspirin Mask

* 2 aspirin tablets
* 2 tablespoons plain, Greek-style yogurt
* 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Salicylic acid, which is what aspirin is made of, is purported to help heal acne. Crush the aspirin tablets as finely as you can. If you have a mortar and pestle, use that. Otherwise, place the tablets in a shallow dish and crush them with the back of a spoon. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and apply.

4. Anti-Ageing

For a mask that will help your skin look more youthful, try some of the following recipes.

Carrot Mask

Carrots are said to be great for skin, perhaps because of the Vitamin A.

* 1/4 cup finely grated carrot
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 tablespoon raw honey

Mix carrot and milk in a microwave-safe container; microwave 30 seconds (watch, as milk tends to overflow). Then allow the mixture to cool. If you like, you can refrigerate it overnight. When you’re ready to do the mask, strain out the carrots. Mix the milk with the honey and smooth onto your face.

Egg Yolk Mask

* 1 lightly beaten egg yolk
* 1 tablespoon plain, Greek-style yogurt
* 1/4 teaspoon sweet almond oil

Whisk all ingredients together and apply.