Here’s a great recipe for a facial mask using some of my favorite foods! Great way to help your skin feel great and look better. Personally I go one step further and use yogurt I make from milk from our local cowshare 🙂 Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images

Benefits of a Yogurt Oatmeal Honey Mask by Arie Kimbell

Face masks bought from the store usually contain preservatives or chemicals. You can easily make fresh and natural face masks at home using basic ingredients from your pantry. One such mask is the yogurt-oatmeal-honey face mask. Experiment with the proportions of each ingredient according to the needs of your skin and to achieve the consistency that you like. Apply a layer of this mixture, leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes and wash off with water.

Yogurt
Yogurt has mild astringent and bleaching effects. The high zinc content in it also keeps away blemishes and spots. It reduces the size of your pores and is a natural moisturizer. Because of the lactic acid it contains, it makes the skin soft and supple.

Use a natural or organic variety of plain yogurt. If you have oily skin, use non-fat yogurt. (Or make your own yogurt – it’s easy!)

Oatmeal
Oatmeal acts as a natural exfoliant. While washing the face mask off, gently rub the mask on your face and let the oatmeal gently slough off dead cells to reveal a bright complexion underneath. This exfoliation also decreases breakouts due to clogged pores. Oatmeal is hypoallergenic and is an emollient, too. Oatmeal also soothes and decreases itching in conditions like eczema, skin rashes, hives and insect bites.

Honey
Honey absorbs and retains moisture in your skin. Skin becomes soft, supple and well-hydrated. It also has a mild bleaching effect. The darker the honey, the stronger its antioxidant effects. This serves to protect your skin from sun damage and might even help neutralize some of the effects of previous sun damage. Honey also keeps wrinkles at bay. Mild acne benefits due to honey’s antimicrobial action.

Combinations and Substitutes
If you are allergic or sensitive to any ingredient in this face mask, consider replacing it with something else. Choose the substitute depending on your skin type. You could even add additional ingredients to this mask to enhance its effects.

Oily skin does well with citrus juices or strawberry purees, normal skin does well with almost anything and dry skin will need creamier substitutes like avocado. Raid your pantry and refrigerator to figure out what you can come up with.

References

• “Good Housekeeping”; The One-Step, Whole-Body Wrinkle Fighter; Robert Hallowell
• “British Journal of Nursing”; Honey: A Guide … professionals; Evans J., et al.; Aug/Sep 2008
• “International Journal … Microbiology”; Antimicrobial activity … honey; Lee H., et al.; August 2008
• “Journal of Drugs in Dermatology”; Mechanism of action … practice; Cerio R, et al.; September 2010

Read more