Being safe at home means one can be more experimental and creative with one’s skincare. I find myself reaching for a face mask even in the morning as I go about my new daily routine and I think my skin is thankful for it. Going on this long sans makeup and exposing it to daily pollutants is giving it quite a break.
I then thought about how you can get a little resourceful with your maks. I’m one of those people who save the fun and creative videos on DIY masks but never get around to doing it. Now is the time to delve into your bookmarks menu and invade the pantry. It won’t take too much. It’s also a fun activity you can get your housemates in on.
Looking up these recipes further online, I found that the classic Oatmeal Mask is effective for anti-breakouts and hydration. The ingredients are found often in different beauty products: honey, oatmeal, milk, and water. Combine half a cup each of the oatmeal, water, and lukewarm milk with one tablespoon of sugar. Leave it on for around 10 to 15 minutes on a cleansed face.
Honey acts as an anti-inflammatory while milk tempers redness. Oatmeal gently exfoliates the skin, promoting a healthy turnover of skin cells.
If you’ve got a jar of bentonite clay in your shelf, now is the time to not just use it on your face. As often advised, you can use it as a body mask or wrap. Usually combined with apple cider vinegar, which carries anti-bacterial properties, a bentonite clay mask helps oily skin. If you’re not a fan of the apple cider vinegar, water will do just fine.
Be warned, the longer it stays on, the tighter it feels. You may even feel a little bit of heat so don’t leave it on too long. Wash it off with some lukewarm water so you won’t rub your face too much.
Another mask recipe that gets marks from dermatologists is one made from matcha powder, coconut oil, and water.
Matcha or green tea powder acts an anti-inflammatory and fights redness in the skin. It also adds an earthy scent to your mask.
Coconut oil helps to moisturize skin but could clog your pores a bit. I read that one is advised to do a patch test first before going ahead with it as a mask. Otherwise, matcha and water could do with some tea tree oil if you have any.
On top of this, now is also to make a small pot of homemade lip scrub. Brown sugar and some olive oil should do the trick.
Don’t forget to post a mask #selfie!