10 Homemade Face Packs for Beautiful Skin
I enjoy giving advice to others on how to get beautiful skin with homemade treatments.
"Beauty comes at a price," or so the saying goes. For those of us on a tight budget, this certainly seems to be the case. Maybe that is why, for many of us, our beauty products are the first things sacrificed when times get tough. This doesn’t have to be the case though. We all deserve pampering and spoiling now and again. With a few basic ingredients, it is possible to make your own homemade face packs.
Follow these simple recipes to cleanse, moisturise, and rejuvenate your skin at a fraction of store prices. Below are 10 face masks for all skin types. Why not treat yourself and give one of them a try? As with all face masks, be careful to avoid the eyes, and wash off with lukewarm water after 10 to 15 minutes.
1. Avocado
Packed with vitamins and rich in healthy fats, the avocado makes a nutritious addition to any diet. But this fantastic fruit is so much more than guacamole. Ideal for using on all skin types, avocados make an ideal ingredient for a face pack. Equally beneficial for dry, oily and sensitive skins, they improve the skin’s elasticity and help keep wrinkles at bay. The mashed flesh can be applied straight to the skin. For best results though, avocados are mixed with other ingredients depending on your skin type. For those with dry skin, a paste made with ½ a cup of cooked oatmeal (cooled) and ½ a mashed avocado can be applied to the skin. Honey is another superfood that combines with avocado to leave your skin glowing. With healing and antiseptic properties, a spoonful of honey added to avocado will soon clear up an outbreak of spots. For those with more mature skin, add a tablespoon of plain yogurt to the mix for a moisturising and brightening effect.
2. Rosewater and Banana
Rosewater is one of those ingredients that is worth investing in as it doesn’t cost a great deal and a little goes a long way. Made from distilled rose petals, it can be found in many supermarkets. If you have roses in your garden, you can make it yourself by following a simple recipe. As well as smelling wonderful, rosewater has regenerative properties. It is believed to restore the PH balance of the skin. Refreshing and light, rosewater is also used as a toner. A banana and rosewater face pack provides intensive moisturisation to the skin and is excellent for preventing fine lines and wrinkles. Mix a mashed banana with a little rosewater and a teaspoon of honey and you will think that you are in heaven.
3. Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that seems to have hit the news in recent years for its positive health benefits. With amazing antiseptic and healing properties it is a staple of Indian cooking. Yet, the benefits don’t end there. Indian brides have long known of the beautifying properties of turmeric. These clever ladies use it as a face pack and body wash on their wedding day to make their skin glow. A versatile spice, it can be combined with many ingredients to create a face pack that suits your skin. A simple mask can be made with ½ a teaspoon of lemon juice, ½ a teaspoon of milk or natural yogurt and ½ a teaspoon of turmeric. Recognised for its lightening properties, this mask can be used on the elbows and knees as well as the face.
4. Cucumber and Lime
As well as making a refreshing drink, cucumber and lime juice can be combined to create a mask for oily skin. Mash ½ of a cucumber with the juice of a lime and apply to the skin. If you find the mixture too wet, add a few drops of glycerine. Glycerine can be found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. A tablespoon of honey also helps to bind the mixture. If you have overdone the sun, the same mixture can be combined with a little natural yogurt for a cooling and soothing face pack.
5. Rose Petal and Buttermilk
Who doesn’t love to receive a bunch of roses? It’s always a little sad when they start to fade and wilt. Think twice though, before you throw them away, particularly if you have combination skin. The petals of a single rose form the key ingredient in this lovely mask. Take the petals of one rose and shred or cut them into tiny pieces. Add the rose to a teaspoon of buttermilk or natural yogurt, a teaspoon of honey and two tablespoons of rosewater. Leave the petals steeping in the mixture for ten minutes before spreading over the skin. This face pack is gentle and soothing and helps calm reddened or flushed skin.
6. Green Tea
If you’re a fan of green tea and its antioxidant properties you will be delighted to know that you can put the leaves to a further use. Instead of throwing that used tea bag away, tear it open and take out the leaves. Mix the dampened leaves with a tablespoon of honey and spread over the face. This mask is great for opening and clearing out blocked pores, so is ideal for acne prone or oily skin. Alternatively, you can brew green tea and mix the cooled tea with rice flour, lemon juice and honey to create a paste. Best for oily skin, this mixture leaves your skin exfoliated and glowing with health.
7. Oatmeal
People are often put off using an oatmeal face pack because they are messy. Don’t let this stop you though as you are missing a treat. Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties as well as soothing and healing compounds. This simple ingredient combines with others to create masks for all skin types. Cooked oatmeal allowed to cool and mixed to a paste with honey, suits all skin types. Massaged gently into the skin its exfoliating properties will help slough off dead skin leaving your complexion healthy and glowing. If you have combination skin add a few tablespoons of natural yogurt to the mix. If you find that your skin is oily, add an egg, a little mashed apple and some lemon juice for a cleansing and refreshing mask. A tablespoon of almond or olive oil and a mashed banana added to an oatmeal mask provides dry or mature skin with a moisture rich treat.
8. Mud
No article about face packs would be complete without a reference to the beautifying properties of mud. Fuller’s Earth can be purchased from pharmacies and online suppliers. Because only small amounts are used, it does represent good value for money. Mud masks are good for revitalizing the skin and drawing out toxins from the skin. Fuller’s Earth can be mixed with a little water and applied to the skin on its own. It can be quite drying so other ingredients can be added to the mix according to your skin type. Add avocado, banana and rose water for an anti-aging mask. Honey and a drop of glycerine can also be added to Fuller’s Earth for a moisturising mask. Remember though, mud cracks, so no smiling.
9. Papaya
Sometimes described as the fruit of angels, papaya can have a heavenly effect when applied to the skin. Packed with enzymes and vitamins used in expensive skin creams, it nourishes and evens the complexion. Papaya is not always suitable for those with sensitive skin so should be applied sparingly at first. The raw papaya pulp can be applied straight to the skin. For a more moisturising mask mix with honey and lemon. Papaya can also be combined with turmeric for a lightening effect.
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10. Mayonnaise
Last but certainly not least in our list of home-made face packs is the old staple, mayonnaise. If the cupboards are bare and your purse is empty, dig out that jar of mayo from the back of the refrigerator and spread it on. Mayonnaise has a soothing brightening effect on the skin and once it is washed off your skin will feel super clean and refreshed. Made from eggs, oils and vinegar it has cleansing, toning and moisturising properties. Add a couple of slices of cucumber over your eyes and you’re good to go.
So there you have it, ten easy to prepare face packs. With just a few basic ingredients you can prepare the face mask that is ideal for your skin at a fraction of store prices. The added bonus of preparing your own treatments is that you know that there are no unwanted additives. As with all face packs, it is wise to consider any allergies you may have and not to overdo things. A face pack applied once or twice a week is more than enough to leave your skin healthy and glowing. Have fun experimenting. Stay beautiful, you deserve it.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
Comments
Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on August 15, 2018:
Hi, Ann -- you are very welcome. And I Appreciate your kind words. Best wishes back at you and I love rainy days and nights where I live in northwest Alabama. Come and visit sometime. You are always welcome.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on August 15, 2018:
Thank you so much. Once again you have cheered me up. I look forward to reading more of your articles.Best wishes from rainy Liverpool UK.
Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on August 15, 2018:
Ann -- I didn't know about the plagiarism, but I was proud to tell YOU the truth about how it was written.
And I am not one to take my friends for granted--so I give you a Sincere Thank You for following me.
I will be e-mailing you a Personal Thank You note in the days to come when I get caught up with some things that need my attention.
Thanks again and keep the faith.
Ann Carney (author) from UK on August 15, 2018:
Thank you. This article has actually been plagiarised word for word and put on another site by someone claiming they wrote it so you have really cheered me up. Have a good day !
Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on August 14, 2018:
Ann -- a very helpful hub. Well-prepared and you presented a lot of practical advice. Great job.
