Homemade Facial Masks

Everyday, people visit the salons and spas to get perfect "skin care" for themselves. We spend hundreds of dollars on expensive creams, lotions, and masks, but sometimes aren't completely satisfied. Have your ever tried any at-home solutions to natural skin care? Here's how to make homemade facial masks with ingredients available in your pantry.

Facial Masks for Dry Skin

These masks for dry skin combats the harsh winter conditions and damaging UV rays. It also nourishes the skin, has anti-aging effects, and tightens the pores. You'll need:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3 tablespoons oatmeal

The banana and egg are the main ingredients of this mask, so let's call this a banana/egg white facial mask. Peel one banana (ripe, as it makes the mask moist enough to apply on the skin) and cut it into small pieces. Smash the banana with the help of a clean fork on a flat surface. Take another small bowl, crack the egg, and extract the egg white only. Now add the banana paste into the egg white and mix them properly. Put 1 teaspoon of honey and mix again. Slowly, add the oatmeal making sure the mask doesn't get too thick. Keep stirring, so the oatmeal grains are smooth into the mixture. To apply this mask, take a clean foundation brush; apply as much mask as you can over your skin. Keep it on for 20-25 minutes, wash it with lukewarm water, and pat dry with a clean cotton towel. Store the leftover mask in the refrigerator. The mask has a 2-3 days shelf life, so if you have any leftovers, you may apply every day for 3 days.

Facial Masks for Acne

Many of us are tortured by acne and skin blemishes. To help lessen the scars and reduce inflammation, try this yogurt/honey masks for acne. Tie your hair up so no loose strands fall on your face. You'll need:

• 1 teaspoon pure honey
• 1 teaspoon plain yogurt
• ½ teaspoon olive oil

Any homemade facial mask recipe made from honey and yogurt is perfect for all skin types and acne prone skin as well. Mix all the ingredients properly and massage it over your face. Leave it for 15 minutes, wash it off in lukewarm water, and pat dry with a clean cotton towel. These beneficial masks will make your skin feel rejuvenated. Apply the mask before you go to bed every night.

Facial Masks for Blackheads

Basically, a blackhead is dirt and oil clogged in the pores, which have oxidized and turned black. One thing you can do to keep your pores nice and clean is to be on a cleansing regime to exfoliate skin naturally. But if you suffer from unwanted blackheads, the first thing you need to do is loosen the blackheads itself. Here's how you can get rid of blackheads easily. You'll need:

• 4 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 tablespoons orange peel powder

Mix both the ingredients properly and apply it all over the face. Gently rub the mask in a circular movement for about 5 minutes. Wash it off with cold water and pat dry with a clean cotton cloth. Any homemade masks for blackheads takes approximately 2 weeks to work effectively.

Tips to Consider

Nobody wants to have dirt, oil, and excess makeup left on their skin. Which is why regular cleaning is important, as it draws out the impurities in our skin to protect it from acne and blackheads. Follow these steps for a nourishing weekly beauty regime:

• Wash your face properly and prepare your facial steamer. If you don't have one, you can substitute it with a bowl of steamed water.
• Once it's boiled, place your head over the facial steamer and let it deep clean your skin. This cleansing regime opens your pores, removes dead skin cells, and allows good blood circulation.
• Do 15-20 minutes of steaming and pat your face dry. You can apply a hydrating mask right after the steaming and use an exfoliating brush to rid your face of excess oil and pollution.
• Wipe it off with a clean towel and apply a moisturizer all over the skin, according to your skin type.

These recipes work according to your skin type. Discontinue use if you experience any issues with any of the homemade facial masks.