As a Nigerian skincare enthusiast living in this present economy, I get extremely worried when my skin essentials start running out. Since the first quarter of the year, the prices of goods and services have doubled, and then tripled, and sadly, my precious skincare products were not exempted from this scary reality.
The other day, I went to purchase a bottle of my best sunscreen before it completely ran out but the price the store attendant told me when I wanted to add the product to my cart made me run out of the store —figuratively of course. But things have gotten so out of hand that I might just pull a Nara Smith and start making my own products.
Via this line of thought, I thought of the skincare hacks that everyone can do and it struck me that face masks were a great alternative. Aside from the fact that making your own face mask is a cheaper option to going to a spa, it also ensures that you’re aware of the ingredients you’re using on your face at any particular time. In fact, if you asked me, I’d say it’s a win-win hack.
Face masks are very beneficial to any skincare routine that you may have going on as they help target a particular skin care concern. This is because masks work to hydrate the skin, get rid of excess oils and shrink pores.
Ideally, there are different types of masks for different skin needs: a hydration mask, a toning and brightening mask, a glowing mask, an anti-oil mask, a decongesting skin mask, an anti-pollution mask, etc.
In this article though, I’ll focus on how to DIY the first four face masks.
1. Hydrating Face Mask
Key ingredient: Honey
Try this face mask if you’ve run out of moisturizer and need a quick fix or you’re looking to boost hydration in your face. With honey as a principal ingredient to this mask, it will serve as a humectant, locking in moisture, fading scars and regenerating skin cells, all at go.
Ingredients:
- A handful of oats
- Half an avocado
- Honey
To make:
Mash the avocado and mix all ingredients listed above together. The oats will act as a binder for this mask. Make sure you have as smooth of a consistency before applying on your face for 15 minutes before washing on.
2. Glowing Mask
Key ingredient: Aloe Vera
This mask is perfect for when your skin looks ashy and your complexion is not popping like you want it to. Using Aloe Vera as an ingredient for this mask will help improve the glow of your skin due to the vitamins it is infused with.
Ingredients:
- A strip of papaya skin
- 1 spoonful of cocoa powder
- 1-2 squeezes of Aloe Vera
To make:
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and apply on a clean dry face for 10 minutes before washing off.
3. Toning and Brightening Face Mask
Key ingredient: Natural yogurt
Yogurt is naturally rich with lactic acid which is great for brightening dull skin. Add this with honey —a great humectant— and turmeric powder, which helps brighten dark spots and heals skin wounds, you’ve got your very own home-made brightening face mask.
Ingredients:
- 1 spoonful honey
- 1 spoonful natural yogurt
- 1 spoonful turmeric powder
To make:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and ensure a smooth consistency before applying the mixture to your face. Wait for 10-15 minutes before washing off.
4. Anti-Oil Skin Mask
Key ingredient: Egg yolk
Egg yolk will act as a binder for the other ingredients used to make this face mask.
Ingredients:
- A handful of oats
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 spoonful of honey
- 1 spoonful of olive oil
To make:
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and mix until smooth. Apply on a clean, dry face for about 15-20 minutes before washing off.
Important Tips To Note
- Be wary of using expired ingredients for your face masks. When unsure about the shelf life of an ingredient, discard it.
- Be wary of certain ingredients, especially if you have allergies
- Always do a patch test to check how you’d react to some ingredients before applying to your face.
- Do not store the mask for later. Use it all up the same day you make it.
