Today, after a long and interesting series on the lives of cult authors, I have decided to veer off my usual writing subjects (aka literature) and delve into another field that fascinates me – that of beauty. And I would like to point out, before we go any further, that this is as much for the men as it is for the women. Seems to me that men really ignore and neglect their skin, which is a shame.
So today, we’re going to be doing a light-hearted post on the subject of face masks. Personally, I always hate it when I’m reading a beauty blog online and the writer starts recommending specific masks, especially when they’re from big brands, such as L’oreal or Clarins or someone, because in those cases, more often than not, it’s just a thinly disguised advertisement. They’re paid to recommend you those brands, so you can’t really trust them, can you?
And instead of recommending specific brands (I don’t really go for big brands anyway), I’m going to be talking about products, which are available in most places in the world, I think, so that should be more useful.
1. Clay Masks
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book because (duuh) clay has been readily available to people for a long long time and is pretty cheap. I know many beauty bloggers recommend fancy masks from so and so brand, but the truth is, you can get powdered clay at many local stores and they’re cheaper and often better than the pre-mixed ones.
How do you know a clay mask is a good choice for you?
Well, by trying really. A lot of places online tell you it’s for so and so skin or good for treating acne or whatever, but the truth is, you have to go by a trial and error method most of the time. What works for me might not work for you, obviously.
But let’s look at a few benefits of the regular clay mask ~
a. Detoxifying and Unclogging Pores
Clay has amazing detoxifying properties, it pulls out impurities and toxins from your skin left by day-to-day city life (aka oil, dirt, polluted air etc). These accumulated impurities make your pores appear larger and your face look dirty (which it essentially is). So, it pays to exfoliate regularly to get rid of those nasty bits, as well as use a quick, DIY clay mask to pull them out and make sure your face is cleaned properly.
b. Softer, Smoother Skin
In today’s fast food world, many of us don’t really have a proper diet, which means our skin doesn’t thrive as it could, doesn’t reach its full potential. Clay is rich in this natural ingredient known as silica, which your body technically also produces, but it doesn’t produce as much as it should (for dietary reasons), so a clay mask can be a nice boost.
c. Antibacterial
Clay masks are great because when they dry on your skin, they also bind into the bacteria that has accumulated on your face (particularly useful if you’re suffering from acne) and when you wash away the dried-up mask, you’re also washing away the bacteria. With less bacteria on your face and in your pores, there are less chances for unsightly rashes and infections to pop up on your face. Another cool benefit of clay masks is that, unlike most antibiotics, they don’t actually kill all the good probiotics in your system, so they’re an efficient and safer way of fighting skin infection.
2. Honey Masks of All Shapes and Sizes
Honey is a fabulous ingredient for the skin, particularly natural honey (as in, not the gunk you buy at the store, but honey bought from beekeepers), because it helps moisturize your face. Most store-bought moisturizers aren’t all they’re cranked up to be (more on that in a future post), so it really pays to go with a natural ingredient like honey. Not to mention, honey is amazingly soothing and full of antioxidants (thus battling pimples, wrinkles etc). Seriously, Cleopatra swore by it.
Now, what can you mix it with?
a. Yogurt
This is another amazing ingredient for your face, particularly if you have problematic skin. Yogurt is rich in probiotics, nutrients, calcium, zinc and a lot of other goodies. It’s great because it not only moisturizes the skin, while filling it with all these good stuff, but it’s also a great exfoliant, gently getting rid of all the dirt.
The zinc in the yogurt fights the bacteria that causes pimples and other nasty things like that, so that’s good to know.
Another great thing about yogurt is that it gets rid of dark circles. It’s a natural lightener, so it’s good against all sorts of blemishes and dark spots, which is great, especially if you’re constantly exasperated at those dark circles under your eyes, like me.
b. Oats
Yep, breakfast oatmeal, that’s what I’m talking here. They do a lot of really good things for your skin, like tighten and unclog it, they’re great exfoliators as well.
c. Lemon
This one I’m recommending with only half a voice, because I’ve always found citrus to be extremely irritating for my skin, but that’s just my personal experience. Apparently, there are loads of people who use lemon juice on their face frequently and love it, so here you go.
Lemon juice, like yogurt, is a great lightener. It too can help with those dark circles, spots and acne scars. Not only does it brighten up the skin, but it also treats skin issues, such as zits. Lemon juice is antibacterial, so it helps kill the bacteria causing your blemishes and helps fade blackheads.
Again, be careful with this one and test it on a small patch of skin first.
d. Turmeric
Another phenomenal ingredient for DIY face masks is turmeric, that yellowy condiment you probably have somewhere in the kitchen.
Turmeric is amazing because it’s highly anti-inflammatory while also being rich in antioxidants, which basically means it fights all the skin problems your face is...well, facing, while keeping you safe from getting irritated. It kills bacteria, acne, eczema and combats dry skin while also exfoliating it gently.
3. Charcoal
Charcoal masks have really been getting big lately. You can’t go into a store without seeing at least a few such products. Often rather expensive ones. Personally, I shudder to read the list of ingredients on one of these masks.
But not to worry, because activated charcoal is readily available at the chemist’s, in the form of little pills or powder. And while charcoal is a great treatment for stomach issues, most notably food poisoning (because of its ability to suck in toxins), it’s also a great treatment for skin problems. Even if you just feel your face is full of gunk and could do with a good wash, charcoal is very probably the way to go, as it quickly pulls out the toxins from your face and reduces acne and other such issues. It’s also great for bee stings and insect bites in general.
Be careful though, this is not the same charcoal you use to barbecue and you should be careful what you put on your face, always.
Obviously, a lot of these ingredients work in various combinations, not just the ones given above. Be careful what you put on your face and always do your research. You don’t want to end up with a problem ten times worse than the original, do you?
What I love about these masks is that they’re cheap and easy to do, not to mention a lot healthier, not containing all the acids and weird other ingredients that store masks have that you probably don’t even know about.
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