With our skin constantly under attack from toxins, UV rays and environmental impurities, face masks can be our ultimate saviors. A great face mask can not only draw out toxins and rid the skin of impurities but also hydrate deeply, removes excess oil and impart a radiant glow! A once-a-week application can significantly benefit the facial skin after just a few weeks.

So should you now run out to the store and scour the shelves for a face mask that works for you (while also ensuring that it doesn’t have any of those icky harmful chemicals and preservatives)? Not quite, because we do the hard work for you, and bring you 6 amazing natural homemade masks that you could whip up with stuff in your pantry (maybe combined with a small grocery store run?)!

Keep in mind that our experts love hearing from you - so if you have a question about an ingredient, are looking for a substitution, or are even looking for customized natural skincare solutions that are tailored specifically for your skin - shoot us a note and we'll be delighted to help!

1. Carrots with honey and lemon

Mash a medium sized carrot to a pulp in your food processor (alternatively you can grate it). Add two tablespoons of organic honey and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to this mix (skip the lemon juice if your skin is sensitive to it). Apply this mixture to cleansed skin and leave on for 20-30 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water. Carrots are a rich source of beta-carotene and vitamins C and K, ingredients that are beneficial for the skin as they slow down the aging process and deeply moisturize the skin. Lemon lightens dark spots and aids in cellular turnover, and honey is an excellent natural anti-bacterial agent. Together, this is a super-ingredient mask that works as a lightweight face moisturizer for every skin type!

2. Almond flour with milk powder, honey and rosewater

This is a potent DIY face mask for those bothered by dry skin and skin blemishes! Mix two tablespoons each of milk powder and almond flour (available more readily than you’d imagine at your local grocer!) with 1 tbsp. each of honey and rosewater. Apply this paste evenly to the face and neck region, allowing it about 20 minutes to dry. Rinse with cold water. Almond flour, milk and honey deeply nourish the skin while rosewater serves as the toner. This mask can be applied daily and is extremely helpful in lightening blemishes. In case of spot pigmentation problems, spot-apply the mask and leave on overnight.

3. Fenugreek with milk powder and sandalwood (alternatively, kaolin clay or gram flour)

Fenugreek lightens dark spots, prevents damage to skin by sun radiation, treats blemishes and gives skin an even tone. It also helps repair damaged cells and supports the regeneration of new cells – AND exerts significant antioxidant action to slow down the natural aging process of the skin! (Can’t believe you hadn’t added this amazing ingredient to your skincare regimen?! You’re welcome!). Milk powder – with natural Lactic Acid, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium and Vitamins A, B6 and C is a wonderful skin cleanser and supplement. It tightens pores, boosts collagen production and helps cellular turnover for youthful skin – leaving skin supple and soft.

For this mask, take a tablespoon each of fenugreek powder and sandalwood powder (or kaolin clay/ gram flour) and mix in ½ tablespoon of milk powder. Add water to attain desired consistency before applying it to the face and leaving on for 20-30 minutes. Wash off with cold water. For best results, use this mask once a week.

4. Yogurt and egg whites

Take the whites of two eggs and mix with two tablespoons of plain yogurt. Apply this mix to cleansed skin, and leave on for about seven minutes. Wash off with warm water, followed by a final cool water rinse. Yogurt contains two important ingredients that are great for healthy skin: zinc and lactic acid. Using yogurt in a face mask or even taking plain yogurt and massaging it on the face removes dead cells, tightens the pores and hydrates the skin easing fine lines, and giving the face a glow. When using yogurt, make sure you stay away from the flavored and sweetened variety!

5. Oatmeal, yogurt and honey

A simple face mask with three readily available ingredients, it not only cleanses deeply, but also seriously rejuvenates skin! Add 2 tbsp. of oatmeal to 3-4 tbsp. of plain yogurt and stir together. Add a dash of honey to this mix and stir until you have an even mixture (if honey is taken out of the refrigerator, allow it to warm until it reaches room temperature before mixing it in). Apply this mixture evenly to the face and neck region; allow 10 minutes to dry and then wash off with warm water. Add about ½ tbsp. of powdered rice to the mix if you are looking to remove blackheads and whiteheads. The oatmeal helps exfoliate dead cells while honey provides excellent antibacterial and antimicrobial action. Honey acts as a daily face moisturizer, which is required for maintaining ideal skin hydration.

6. Banana and sandalwood (alternatively: gram flour or oatmeal)

Loaded with vitamin B6, and good sources of iron, manganese, vitamin C, potassium, biotin, and copper – bananas are excellent for the skin. This easy-to-prepare mask works best when applied once in two weeks. Take a ripe banana and mash it until it reaches an even consistency. Mix in sandalwood powder (or oatmeal or gram flour), and apply it all over the face and neck. Allow the mask to dry for 10 minutes before rinsing off. The nutrients in banana rejuvenate the skin, retard the aging process and prevent the appearance of wrinkles. Sandalwood helps balance the skin’s oil production (helping both dry and oily skin alike, as it harmonizes the skin's natural oil production instead of artificially adding or stripping away skin's natural oils). Sandalwood also calms inflammations and gives the skin a radiant glow.

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