Need a serum? Check your veggie crisper drawer.
With the coronavirus lockdown stretching into its third month, fancy facials are not a possibility, and spending on pricey skin care seems crazy. So for anyone in need of a little self-care, DIY face masks made with ingredients from home just might be your best bet.
I tapped a few celebrity skin-care experts to help me on my quest to find the best at-home masks for my finicky, sensitive skin. It turns out that with a little help from your pantry and fridge, issues including “maskne” (breakouts caused by wearing protective masks), excess oil, dryness and irritation can all be tackled with a mixture of budget-friendly ingredients.
Read on for recipes that can help nearly every complexion conundrum — and see how my skin fared when I tried them.
For oily skin
Mix 1 tablespoon each of sugar, plain Greek yogurt, honey and cacao powder into a paste. Apply a thick layer on the face and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes. For extra exfoliation, damp your hands and use a circular motion to scrub your face before rinsing.
Why it works: “The sugar draws in moisture and acts as a natural humectant to give skin a glow, [while] Greek yogurt is a natural probiotic for the skin and helps to retain moisture,” says LA-based facialist Kát Rudu, who works with Kate Beckinsale and Dakota Johnson. “Honey clarifies and is antibacterial, while cacao is excellent for repairing skin from premature aging and is very potent in anti-oxidants.”
My verdict: This mask actually felt like a legit store-bought mask. It went on easily, stuck on my face like a charm and left my skin oil-free and very clean. Plus, a little got in my mouth as I was rinsing it off and it tasted absolutely divine. I can’t decide if I want to wear it or eat it!
For dry skin
Mash half an avocado, half a banana, 1 tablespoon sunflower oil and a splash of pomegranate juice into a thick, smooth paste. Apply a thick even layer on the face and let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm (not hot!) water.
Why it works: “They key with dry skin is to find skin-loving ingredients that stop transepidermal water loss and seal the moisture barrier, protecting [the skin] from dehydration and a dull, dry appearance,” says Rudu. “The natural oils in avocado are superstars for skin. They can penetrate to nourish, hydrate and soften skin.”
My verdict: I love avocados in every way (who doesn’t?), but making it stay on my face without covering the floor in light green globs wasn’t so easy. Once I did manage to make it stay — I leaned my head back a lot — it was worth it. My skin was so baby-butt soft that I put the rest on my neck and arms to reap every last benefit of this mask.
For acne
Mix 1 cup plain yogurt, ½ cup mashed strawberries, ½ cup almond meal and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Apply a thick layer on the face and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse.
Why it works: “If you’re bothered by persistent breakouts or dull, oily skin, this soothing mask will help brighten, clear and reduce surface bacteria,” says Joanna Vargas, an New York City aesthetician who works with Julianne Moore and this year released a book, “Glow From Within.”
My verdict: While I didn’t enjoy the smell of apple cider vinegar so close to my nose, I can see how this mask would benefit anyone with breakouts — my skin looked bright and felt really clean when I rinsed it off.
For inflammation and puffiness
Grate about 1 tablespoon fresh ginger into a bowl and mix well with ¼ cup coconut oil and 1 tablespoon almond meal. Smooth over the face, making circular motions for extra exfoliation. Rinse well with warm water.
Why it works: “The ginger reduces puffiness and increases collagen, while the almond meal exfoliates and stimulates your lymphatic system,” says Vargas.
My verdict: Even while mixing up the ingredients, I knew I would love this mask. It’s simple, the ginger gives it a fresh, crisp smell and the creamy coconut mixed with almond bits makes it look like a true, beady exfoliant. It did drip a bit into my eyes and down my neck, but the superb afterglow it left me with was simply radiant. Hands down, this was my favorite mask of them all!
For clogged pores
Cut up several pieces of toilet paper into small squares and triangles and set aside. Whisk 1 egg white until foamy. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime into the mixture and continue to whisk. Use a brush (a makeup brush or small paint brush would work) to paint the mixture on your face, section by section, then apply the appropriate toilet-paper shape to each section. Overlapping layers of toilet paper is OK; you want to peel off the mask as a single sheet. Once your face is completely covered, let the mask dry fully. Peel it off and wash the remnants off your face.
Why it works: “One of the really cool and innovative ways to do extractions on your face is at-home peel-off masks,” Sheika Daly, a top makeup artist who works with Zendaya, told Page Six Style. “When you [peel it off], you can see all the impurities and black heads that came out.”
My verdict: Full disclosure: I only had single-ply toilet paper, which made the application of this mask super tough. Tried as I might, the paper kept breaking apart, but I finally got some parts to stick. And wow, did they stick! This mask hardened so well that I couldn’t move my face at all by the time I peeled it off, and it really rips the gunk out of your pores. The lime left my sensitive skin a little raw, but nothing a little moisturizer couldn’t fix.