Natural skin care has been around for over 6000 years, with the main goal being to protect the skin from harsh weather and bugs and simply for appearance. During the 19th century, Madame Rowley invented what was known as the “toilet mask” or the first “face glove”, instead of protection, the aim was to ‘bleach, purify and preserve the complexion’. The mask contained an element that protected the face and softened it; however, masks today have a variety of uses and aims.
For instance, face masks can be used to:
- Hydrating and moisturizing the skin.
- Removing excess oils.
- Improving the appearance of your pores.
- Pulling out impurities.
- Helping reduce signs of aging
- And many more!
and the products that aid these results are:
- Honey
- Coconut oil
- Green Tea
- Oatmeal
- Shea Butter
- Turmeric Powder
- Aloe Vera
- and much more!
The most ideal part of natural skin care is that it is affordable, and uses products that are common in the average 21st century household.
As ideal as this method is, it must be done right. It is crucial to look at the ingredients you’re using. For example
Honey
Honey is the raw and sweet substance produced and preserved by bees; However, raw unpasteurized honey is going to be ideal in the case of skincare.
The most recommended honey to use on the skin would be dark and skin-friendly, manuka honey. Manuka honey contains methylglyoxal, a compound containing beneficial antibacterial and antioxidant properties².
Benefits: Anti-bacterial, hydrating, soothing, and good for acne and dry skin.
Coconut oil
When looking at coconut oil there is a variety of options. However it is important to look for labels such as “unrefined,” “extra virgin,” and/or “cold pressed,”. These factors are crucial, as The medium-chain fatty acids found in coconut oil also possess antimicrobial properties that can help treat acne and protect the skin from harmful bacteria.
Benefits: Deeply moisturizing, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, great for dry skin and removal of makeup
Green Tea
Green is great for your skin due to its antioxidant, a substance that protects cells from damage, and anti-inflammatory. When you choose green tea to apply to the skin, look for organic and high-quality tea. You want to have as little additives as possible. These green teas are ideal for the skin:
- Matcha
- Sencha
- Gyokuro
- Genmaicha
Benefits: reduce signs of aging, treat acne, and soothe skin irritation
Oatmeal
As weird as it sounds, oatmeal is great for your skin, and can soften your skin, yes soften. The oatmeal forms on your skin and forms a protective barrier. then can work as a gentle exfoliator after letting sit; however, make sure you grind the oats first so it is not so harsh on the skin. Doctors typically recommend colloidal oatmeal.
Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, soothing, great for sensitive skin or itchy skin (including eczema and sunburns!)
Shea Butter
Shea butter is very beneficial to the skin, as it boosts the skin’s moisture and helps to reduce swelling. The butter contains several types of fatty acids — including linoleic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids — which work to hydrate the skin.
Benefits: anti-aging, moisturizing, softening, sun protection, stretch marks, and treating acne.
Aloe Vera
The great thing about aloe vera is that its gel comes directly from a plant with no added chemicals. The gel can be great for moisturizing the skin or even spot treatment, this also works well for sunburn.
Benefits: hydrating, soothing, anti-inflammatory, great for burns, irritation, and acne.
Turmeric powder
Tumeric powder is ideal when it comes to brightening the skin. “turmeric prevents skin cells from clumping together and clogging the pores” Anubha Charan, writer of beauty and wellness, says “It may effectively stop the growth of acne-causing bacteria.” It is so important that you use turmeric correctly as it has the potential to temporarily stain the skin. mixing it with an organic yogurt or milk can help avoid these stains.
Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, brightening, reduces redness and pigmentation and helps with acne.
When using these ingredients in your masks make sure to test on a patch of the skin first! this is important due to allergies and poor reactions to the mixture.
Sources:
https://www.neutrogena.com/the-bar/spice-it-up-7-turmeric-benefits-for-skin
https://www.herbalife.com/en-us/wellness-resources/articles/face-masks
