I love facial masks and use them far too seldom. Below, I've gathered some favorites that I have tried depending on skin quality. I'm a bit of a chameleon - oily skin here, dry skin there, beginning to get wrinkles (ugh!), dark circled eyes (you bet)..!!!
While pregnant, my skin looks plain great, while
breastfeeding
it becomes super dry and wrinkled. When I'm just me, my skin is a bit oily and sometimes prone to acne. So I've had it all!
Here you'll learn how to make a few good facial masks. I've only included recipes that have natural ingredients that many moms already have at home (or that can found easily in the nearest supermarket), so that you can grab the moment when your little baby is asleep or plays on his own.
And if you are really in to making you own skin care products, check out this wonderful e-book - Naturally Skinsational It contains some 150 recipes for anti-aging products. Lots of inspiration for tired moms!
If you breastfeed a lot (and your baby is young enough to not be frightened or distracted by your mask, apply a facial mask right before sitting down to breastfeed.
This facial mask makes your skin feel very fresh. Perfect if you skin feels oily and tired.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon sour cream
1 egg white
Do this:
Beat the egg white until it's fluffy, add sour cream and grapefruit juice and mix well. Apply to face for 15 minutes, and then rinse with warm water.
Strawberries
If you can live with putting the strawberries on your face instead of in your mouth, this is a wonderful recipe for oily skins.
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg white
1,5 tsp honey
1/2 cup strawberries
Do this:
Mash and mix the lemon juice, egg white, honey and strawberries. Apply to your face and leave it on for at least 10 minutes. Rinse off.
Oatmeal and almond
This mask makes your skin feel very smooth. I've used it for many years and like it a lot. It looks awful when applied on your face, however, so don't scare your children (or neighbors).
Ingredients:
1 table spoon of almond
2 table spoons oatmeal
3-5 table spoons water
Do this:
Cook a small portion of instant oatmeal porridge. (No salt added.) Grind the almonds in a blender to a fine meal. Mix together with the porridge. Apply when cool enough and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off.
Mix and apply to your face for 15 minutes. Then scrub it off with a wet wash cloth. Simple and effective!
Oatmeal scrub
Ingredients:
2 table spoons of oatmeal
Yogurt
Do this:
Grind the oatmeal and mix with yogurt to a paste. (The amount of yogurt depends on how thick it is; mix with a little bit at a time until you get a good consistency .) Apply to your face and massage gently. Leave on your face for 10 minutes, then rinse off.
Grate and strain the cucumber and keep it in the fridge to cool it. Take two pieces of cotton wool dipped in rose water (or tap water if you can't find rose water) and the cold cucumber juice. Place the cotton on your eyes.
Black tea
Do this:
Prepare black tea (do not add milk) and allow it to cool. Soak cotton balls in cold tea and use as eyes pads.