These at-home facials are so easy you can do them with as little as three ingredients. Being stuck at home doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a relaxing spa treatment. You can whip these face masks up in a snap and have time leftover to lounge in your work chair or take a nap. I recommend the nap.
Harsh winds, humid temps and touching your face can lead to dry skin and excess oil production. Bananas, however, work excellently as exfoliants. They are gentle enough to help shed off unwanted sebum while still hydrating your skin and infusing it with rich potassium qualities. The vitamins found in bananas have secret skin benefits like fading dark spots, fighting wrinkles, reducing dryness, lightening skin, and protecting against the damage of free radicals. All it takes is one ripe banana, a teaspoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey.
For years, yogurt has been praised for its endless health benefits, like gut-friendly probiotics, kidney stone prevention, and bone-building qualities. So, it might not surprise you to know dermatologists recommend applying these helpful microorganisms directly on our skin! They say this “probiotic skincare” can aid the protective moisture barrier of our microbiomes by getting rid of destructive toxins. There are plenty of yogurt scrubs out there to buy, but you can skip a trip to the store by grabbing a tub of Greek yogurt from your fridge, mixing it with honey and lemon, and slathering it on your face. Add a dash of turmeric for extra toning perks.
Honey is sweet for more than one reason. The antiseptic and antibacterial characteristics of honey can open your pores to cleanse away pesky blackheads. This is a big help if you have acne-prone skin or are prone to hormonal breakouts. It can be used as a spot treatment, facial mask, or a simple face wash. Use raw honey to get the most nutrients for your skin out of it. If you want to spice things up, try adding a few drops of essential oil like lavender or patchouli.
Speaking of acne-prone skin, a list about at-home facials would not be complete without a solution for acne scarring. Turmeric has the perfect amount of anti-inflammatory properties to calm down irritated skin and reduce scarring. This can help speed up the recovery of a breakout. Scars can often cause discoloration or dark spots. Turmeric and lime juice (a natural bleaching agent) will lighten your skin without the use of harsh chemicals, leaving skin damage-free. Add this to your acne-fighting routine by mixing raw honey with turmeric powder (and lime juice, is desired) and leaving it on for ten to fifteen minutes.
You may have heard of the papaya facial, but have you heard of the squash facial? Who knew a Thanksgiving side dish could have such “gourd” qualities for your skin! It is really no surprise. Squash is packed with vitamins and Zinc, which makes it a superfood to eat, but these powerful nutrients can work wonders on your skin. Squash enzymes are great for dissolving dead cells and brightening blemish spots. Try this at home with coconut oil, cinnamon, honey, and boiled, baked, or pureed squash.
The charcoal trend hit the web in waves back in the day and is not likely to fade anytime soon. You probably still have a bar of charcoal soap hanging around somewhere, so why not use it on your face? Using charcoal as a mask can unclog pores, cleanse environmental toxins, clear oil and remove dirt from your skin for a total detox. The antibacterial properties of charcoal are perfect for at-home facials. It even cleans away micro-particles you didn’t even know were there!
Here’s a wake-up call to get your face fresh and glowing for the day: lemon! This is perfect if you prefer doing at-home facials in the morning. If you like to add lemon to your drinking water, then you most likely already know about the detoxifying impact it has on your system with its citric acid powers. The same can be said for using lemon on your face. Lemons can fight acne-causing bacteria, lighten scars, and increase collagen. Just be careful if you have sensitive skin. Fruit acids can cause irritation.
At-home facials do not get more delicious than this. Dark chocolate has a high enough level of antioxidants to firm skin, boost hydration, repair weak skin cells, and taste yummy. It even has nutrients to lift dull skin and dark spots. You don’t have to try and resist the temptation of chocolate here. Plus, chocolate facials work well for nearly every skin type – oily, dry, combination skin, et cetera. Mix dark cocoa powder with soothing coconut oil for a light yet penetrative facial.
Dry, itchy and irritated skin is the worst. If you have skin that is sensitive to environmental stressors like shifting weather patterns, or have flare-ups caused by stress, then you’re probably desperate for your skin to calm the fuck down. Try at-home facials like oatmeal and baking soda. The anti-inflammatory perks of oatmeal can moisturize and soothe your skin while also removing dead skin cells, which can lead to eczema-causing bacteria. It’s not a cure, but it can help your skin chill out for a while.
If there’s one thing in your fridge that you can use for at-home facials, it is milk. A washcloth soaked in it and resting on your flushed, overheated, or irritated skin is a godsend. The lactic acid in milk will deeply cleanse your pores while the other vitamins and Biotin will give your skin a soft, hydrated texture. This is perfect if you need a good toning facial. Add a few drops of rose water to your milk bath to open your pores for extra cleaning.
It is great for everything – cooking oil, toast, and your face! Mash a fourth of one up until it is lump free, add Greek yogurt and a teaspoon of honey and leave it on your face for a relaxing fifteen minutes. The chlorophyll and Vitamin E in avocado will soothe and tighten inflamed skin. Not to mention it is packed with healthy fats to plump up the skin and reduce wrinkles. If you’ve got dry or dull skin, look no further. The natural oils in these green bad boys will load your skin with hydration. Now you have more than one reason to love avocados!
Okay, hear me out on this one. Eggs are good for you, right? Therefore, mayonnaise must be GREAT for you. Whole eggs with soybean oil are a superhero duo for dry skin. It may seem weird (or delicious, if you love mayo), but a neglected tub of mayo in the back of your fridge can go a long way as an effective facial treatment. This is perfect for those who have severely dry skin. The best part about it is you only need one ingredient: mayonnaise!
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