As requested, today I’m going to be sharing some more zero waste skin care. The beauty industry is a huge culprit of giving us unnecessary plastic and convincing us that we need more and more products. A lot of the skincare we have, we don’t need, because it strips our skin of natural oils so that we have to buy a moisturiser to replace them! Making your own skincare products is often cheaper and better for sensitive skin, as long as you follow recipes and always do a patch test. So, today I have four different types of face mask for you to look at:
- Oat mask – to soften and hydrate
- Turmeric mask – for brightening and clearing skin
- Cucumber mask – anti-inflamatory and hydrating
- Almond mask – softening and purifying
OAT MASK
For this mask, you can either just use oats and water, or you can add honey if you want. Get 1 tablespoon of oats and either blend them or put them into a pestle and mortar, until you have a fine, flour-like texture (you can also use oat flour if you have it). Then, combine this with water until you have a smooth paste. If you are using honey, put about 2 tablespoons in with your oat flour – no water needed. For both, spread them over the face and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. Then, wash off with hot water.
TURMERIC MASK
You may have seen this one around the internet recently, although it is really popular in countries like India, and has been for centuries. Take between half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of turmeric and mix it with 1 tablespoon of honey. Mix until it forms a thick paste and apply to the skin. Leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. The only issue with this mask is that it can stain the skin (like, overnight), so if it won’t come off, use a cleanser to get rid of the staining. It also can stain surfaces, so maybe don’t use anything that isn’t yours!
CUCUMBER MASK
You know in films where people have facials and they put cucumber over their eyes? Well, it’s not just for show, it’s actually because cucumber is cooling, hydrating and anti-inflammatory. For this mask, take some cucumber and blend or mash until it is chunky in consistency. Apply the mask and leave it to sit for about 15 minutes, then wash off with warm water. Obviously, the more cucumber you use, the more mask you have, so use about a quarter of a cucumber if you’re only making it for yourself.
ALMOND MASK
Almonds can exfoliate the skin which leaves it soft. For this mask, add a couple of tablespoons of ground almonds to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix into a paste. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
Sources:
- Elle – https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/skin/articles/a38190/homemade-diy-face-mask-recipes/
- Sio beauty – https://www.siobeauty.com/blogs/news/cucumber-face-masks
- Bellatory – https://bellatory.com/skin/HomemadeOatmealFaceMaskSkinBenefitsofOatmeal#:~:text=Mix%20one%20tablespoon%20of%20oat,then%20rinse%20with%20warm%20water.
- Greatist – https://greatist.com/health/turmeric-for-skin#heal-sun-damage
Waste Makes Waste 