Skin Care: Do Homemade Face Masks Work?

Despite the huge selection of face masks in stores, many women still prefer to make their own masks at home. Because they know exactly what they will put on the face, and the effectiveness of such care products is often no less than ready-made cosmetic masks.

Elizaveta Shukhman, cosmetologist at Medicina JSC, spoke about home masks, the rules for their use and effective recipes.

Masks are tonic, softening, whitening, nourishing, astringent. They are recommended to be used twice a week. You can alternate masks: once – moisturizing, the second – nourishing or whitening. The duration of the course will depend on how you feel. Feelings will tell you when the skin is tired and needs a break.

Remember that a contraindication for the use of masks may be the presence of skin diseases, rashes on the face and allergies.

When preparing and using masks, hygiene must be observed.

“As a rule, a homemade mask needs to be prepared: mix the components, insist,” the doctor continues. – If you do not have time for this, then you can use ready-made ones from the store. When choosing a mask in the mass market, pay attention to its composition. Currently, there are many sheet masks that moisturize the skin, give it a glow. These masks are impregnated with different compositions, make sure that the components of the composition will not cause you an allergic reaction.

A homemade mask is applied to previously cleansed facial skin. This can be done with micellar water or regular water with facial foam. The mask is best applied with a special brush.

At home, masks are applied for 15-20-25 minutes. It is very important that after application the facial muscles are motionless.

• If this is a nourishing mask, it is desirable that the skin be steamed beforehand. Such a mask can be done after a shower, after a bath.
• It is better to apply a moisturizing mask in the morning so that the skin retains freshness and turgor for as long as possible.
• If the mask is soothing, soothing, or whitening, it is better to do it in the evening, 40 minutes before going to bed.

After that, any mask must be removed and rinsed face. First of all, this is necessary in order not to provoke an allergic reaction in the form of reddening of the skin, or swelling of the face due to the fact that the skin does not breathe under the mask.

Secondly, the applied mask will give all the beneficial properties within 20-25 minutes, dry out and can tighten the skin, thus causing an effect completely opposite to the desired one.

After the procedure, you can apply a nourishing cream.

“Masks made from kefir, sour cream, fresh cucumbers are good – they moisturize and whiten the skin,” the doctor continues. “From a decoction of chamomile flowers soothes irritated skin, from protein it dries the skin, tightens pores, honey nourishes.”

3 mask recipes:

• Astringent masks: protein-lemon and yolk-lemon, used for skin with enlarged pores. Egg masks are rich in fat, cholesterol, lecithin.

For the first mask, separate the protein from the yolk, beat until the consistency of sour cream, add three to five drops of lemon juice to it.

For the second mask, grind the yolk in a porcelain mortar, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to it. Masks are applied to the skin of the face for 15-20 minutes, then washed off successively with warm and cool water.

• Whitening masks apply before going to bed, because. after them it is not recommended to go out into the sunlight. Masks made from corn or oatmeal.

Grind oatmeal or corn flakes into powder. Add one beaten protein to two tablespoons of flour. Apply the mixture on your face for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Mask of cottage cheese with honey. Mix 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese and 1 teaspoon of honey. Apply the mixture on the face for 20 minutes, then rinse with a swab dipped in cold milk.

• Softening nourishing masks. Yolk-honey mask: separate the yolk from the protein, beat until the consistency of mayonnaise, add one teaspoon of honey to it. Apply the mixture on a well-cleansed face for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Curd mask: for oily skin, mix fresh cottage cheese with milk or water, for dry skin – with fresh sour cream. Apply the mixture on the face for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

You can enhance the effect of a nourishing mask at home with the help of warm compresses.

And, of course, massage, which must be carried out along the massage lines of the face or Langer lines. These are the directions in which the skin is stretched the least. You can see their location map online.

Additional sources:

1. Skin care and rejuvenation by cosmeceutical facial mask

2. Do Face Masks Actually Work or Are They Just a Fad?