Give yourself a fun beauty treatment—you probably have all the ingredients you need!
While winter is just a few day away, the blotchiness and dryness you've picked up from the summer sun may, unfortunately, stick around. Although we love treating ourselves to a fancy salon facial, there are plenty of quick DIY versions that are much easier on our busy schedules—and wallets!
So we scoured Pinterest for the best face mask recipes to restore your skin. They all include good-for-you ingredients like avocado, honey, oatmeal and even chocolate—all stuff that's likely already sitting in your kitchen cabinets.
The Hydrating Avocado Mask
1/2 ripe avocado
1 teaspoon plain organic yogurt
1 teaspoon of honey
This moisturizing mask is great for stressed-out skin from a day outdoors. Mash the avocado until it's soft and then mix in the yogurt and honey until it forms a paste. Apply to your face and leave on for 10-15 minutes. For a more intense dose of hydration, incorporate one or two teaspoons of virgin olive oil into the formula, which instantly softens and smoothes skin
The Pore-Obliterating Egg White Mask
1 egg whites
1 teaspoon of orange juice
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
Egg white proteins work great on oily skin types because this ingredient tightens pores and zaps acne-causing bacteria. Whisk it with orange juice (a dose of vitamin C) and turmeric, an herb that has brightening properties, to help even out your skin tone—but wear an old T-shirt since the powder can stain. Leave the mask on for 15 minutes and wash off the mask with water once it's dried.
The Calming Honey Mask
2 tablespoons of pure honey
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 wedge of fresh lemon
Warm the honey in the microwave for a few seconds, then combine it with the cinnamon and the juice of a lemon wedge into a small bowl. Cinnamon is known to reduce inflammation and redness—plus, it sops up excess oil when applied topically. Lemon acid not only helps exfoliate your skin, but can minimize the appearance of dark spots, too. Gently massage the mixture onto your face and leave on for about 15-20 minutes, then rinse off.
The Exfoliating Brown Sugar Scrub Mask
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil
Brown sugar sloughs off dead skin while coconut oil packs it with moisture. The result? A soft and glowy finish. Use equal parts brown sugar and coconut oil to form an easy scrub, apply it on your face in gentle circular motions, let it sink in for a few minutes and wash it off with warm water.
The Redness-Reducing Oatmeal Mask
2 tablespoons of raw oats
1 teaspoon of honey
1/2 of a banana
Oats are a natural, gentle exfoliator, but they're also well known for their soothing powers—perfect for a post-beach treat for your skin for when you (yikes!) forgot to put on your sunscreen. Mash it up with ripe banana to form a paste. Honey gives it some grip and also has anti-bacterial properties that relieve inflamed skin.
The Blemish-Fighting Milk Mask
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of nutmeg
2 teaspoons of milk
Slather on this honey milk mask to treat acne-prone skin. Honey naturally kills off bacteria to prevent future breakouts and nutmeg acts as a gentle exfoliator that's great for sensitive skin. Let it sink in for 10-15 minutes before rinsing and then follow up with your favorite moisturizer.
The Anti-Aging Chocolate Mask
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
3 tablespoons of oats
4 tablespoons of cream
1/4 cup of honey
Dark chocolate can works wonders in terms of perking up our moods and giving us a boost of antioxidants, when consumed. If applied topically, you also get the benefits of its anti-aging properties, which help the production of collagen. Combine it with honey, coconut cream and avocado, and you have a wonderfully creamy concoction that easily glides onto your face. Apply a delicate layer, leave it on for 10 minutes and gently rinse it off. Plus, it smells amazing and you'll want to set aside some leftover cocoa nibs to nibble on.