Depending on your skin type, here are some great masks to try. For oily skin use some plain Milk of Magnesia, rub it on and let dry, then rinse with lukewarm water. It absorbs oil wonderfully!
For Normal/combination skin mix one egg and 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal and a teaspoon olive oil until smooth. Spread on your face and leave 15 min then rinse.
For dry skin, mix one egg yolk, one teaspoon honey and a teaspoon olive oil and some vitamin E oil if you have it. Smooth on and leave on for 15 min. , rinse in lukewarm water and pat dry. If your skin is a bit dry you can put a dab or two of either olive oil, or any other light oil.
Homemade Facial Scrub Instead of Soap
This is for the lady who wanted a homemade facial mask. First, clean your face with water only. Never use soap. You can open your pores with hot compresses (washcloth) For a facial scrub, moisten oatmeal to a "goo", use it to scrub your face (not around your eyes). Wash off with cool water.You may also make a paste of the oatmeal and allow it to dry..remove with cool water.You may also beat an egg white, put it on your face and let it dry, rinse with cool water. Sliced fresh cucumber placed on your closed eyes will reduce bagginess and dark circles.To make your hair shine, rub in some regular mayonnaise,shampoo out after 15 minutes.
Honey for Best Facial
The best facial mask that i have found is honey. Use warm cloth to open pores, smear on honey, leave on 15 to 30 minutes, rinse off with warm water, and then use cold water to close pores. Use for 3 days in a row and then once a week. Sometimes I mix a little gound oatmeal with the honey, which makes a great mask.
Facial Feels Good
One my daughter and I had fun with and found to have a cleansing and softening effect was to mix regular clean kitty litter, the clay kind, with water and strain out the grit. It really felt good.
Exfoliating Mask
For an easy exfoliating mask, mix three tablespoons olive oil or any good oil and one tablespoon kosher salt mix and gently rub into dry skin. Do not use around eye area. This works great on elbows and feet, but it can also be used on cheeks and forehead
Egg Yolk
The best homemade facial mask that I have used is a raw egg yolk. just apply the raw yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Egg yolks are high in vitamin A. The mask is very effective in healing blemishes.
Match Mask to Your Skin Type
For trouble-prone skin, mix oatmeal with water to form a paste.
For normal to oily skin, use an egg white.
For dry skin, use an egg yolk.
In all cases, spread mixture on face and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
For oily skin, witch hazel makes an inexpensive toner.
For dry skin, you may want to add moisturizer while skin is still damp.
Oatmeal
The cheapest and best facial mask I have ever come up with is oatmeal processed to a powder in the blender and either skim milk or if you are trying to fade spots lemon juice. Really works well for me and I have dry skin.
More Facial Maks Choices
The kind of the mask you want to use depends on your skin type.
For dry skin, try:
an egg yolk mixed with olive oil and warmed honey
sour cream
plain olive oil
avocado
For oily skin:
dissolve a teaspoon of baking yeast in a small amount of warm milk, wait until foamy, then apply (best done in the bath tub);
puree flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste;
cucumber (it will whiten your skin);
beaten egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice (great for getting rid of blackheads);
carrots (but don't use this one more than about every other week because it can overdry your skin). This one will make you look tanned.
General refreshing masks:
grapes (just cut a berry in half and rub lightly)
strawberries (test behind your ear first, because many people are alergic to strawberies used this way even thougth they can eat them just fine)
honey and ricotta cheese
Many fruits and vegetables can also be used to good effect. Anything acidic (lemon, strawberries, etc) will tend to whiten and refresh your skin, but you need to be careful if your skin is dry.
In general, don't apply masks more often than about twice a week, and try to vary the ingredients.
It is a good idea to test the mask first. Apply a small amount behind your ear, wait 20 minutes, then wash off. Then wait 24 hours. If the skin behind your ear is normal, then go ahead and use the mask.
Egg Yolk and Honey
I reader recently asked if anyone had a recipe for homemade facial masks. I often use an egg yolk and honey mask. Just mix one egg yolk with a little honey and spread it on your face and neck. When it dries, rinse it off. Your skin will feel so fresh and soft!
