Does your face look tired, dull, and dark? Do you want to add a healthy glow and beauty sparkle to your face? The main reason for tired and dull looking face is alack of proper blood supply and oxygen.
Pollution, dust and impurities, suntan, stress, improper skin cleansing and a diet deficient in essential nutrients may make your face appear dark. The following are easy to prepare DIY skin whitening face masks that will brighten your skin if you follow it religiously.
Face Mask for Glowing Skin
Tutorial: Beautician Ankita
Things Needed:
- Lemon juice
- Gram flour or chickpea flour (Available in Indian or Asian store)
- Plain yogurt
- Organic Honey
Method: Take 11/2 tablespoon of gram flour and one tablespoon of curd and one tablespoon of water. Add two drops of honey to this mixture. If you have dry skin, you can add honey. If you have oily skin, then you don’t need to add honey.
Add two tsp lime juice and gently mix all the ingredients. You can use a medium sized brush to apply the mask on your face or just slather the paste with your fingers. Keep the face mask for about 10 to 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes gently wash your face with lukewarm water. Pat dry your facegently with a cotton towel. You can use this face mask twice a week.
Benefits: Yogurt contains lactic acid an alpha hydroxy acid which dissolves dead skin cells. This gentle method of exfoliation creates a natural glow to your face. It also prevents breakouts and reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. A velvety yogurt face mask will help moisturize, prevent premature aging, fight acne, reduces discoloration and relieves sunburn.
Lemon contains alpha-hydroxy-acids that encourage exfoliation, improves circulation and stimulates new cell growth.
Organic honey is a natural humectant meaning it draws moisture to your skin. Honey has antiseptic properties as well which helps to eliminate breakouts.
DIY Turmeric Face Mask
Tutorial: Beautician Mamta Nair
Things Needed:
- Gram flour (Available in Indian stores)
- Organic turmeric powder
- Organic honey
- Milk
- Lemon
- Method
You’ll need one teaspoon each of gram flour, turmeric powder, milk, and honey. Squeeze a¼ piece of lemon into the mixture. Mix your ingredients gently.
If you have dry skin add one tsp of yogurt and a few drops of olive oil as well. Wear a band to avoid getting your hair onto your face. Also, wear an old tee shirt while applying the mask. Rub the leftover lemon onto your face. It is always better to exfoliate your skin before you apply any mask and lemon is a natural exfoliator.
Smear the mask with a brush. Spread the mask to the neck as well. Let the mask dry for 20-30 minutes and then wash your face with lukewarm water. When you clean, make sure to gently rub the skin, and exfoliate to get the best results. You can remove the light yellow turmeric stain on your face with a face wash. You can also remove it using the makeup remover, but anyway it will go off in 2 hours’ time.
Benefits: Turmeric is rich in antioxidants which fights free radicals and reduces the signs of aging and corrects an uneven skin tone. Turmeric regulates the production of sebum an oily substance produced by the sebaceous glands. Hence it is perfect for oily skin.It has antibacterial properties and combats acne. It fights dark circles and enhances your skin tone.
Clay Mask
Cleopatra and Queen Nefertiti loved the clay masks. The cosmetic clay conditions and nourishes your skin and removes dead cells, impurities and extra oils from your skin’s surface. There are different types of clay such as the Bentonite clay, French green clay, Rhassoul clay and Red clay.
Ingredients:
- One tsp Bentonite clay
- 1-2 tsp of distilled water or rose water
Method: Mix one teaspoon of clay with one teaspoon of distilled water or rose water. It is important that you use non-metal spoon and bowl while mixing Bentonite clay. Apply this mask on the face and allow it to dry for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse the mask with lukewarm water and splash with cold water to close your skin pores. You can add oats, honey, essential oils, orange peel and herbs like chamomile and lavender to the clay mixture to enhance your beauty glow.
Benefits: Bentonite clay helps the cells to get more oxygen. When your facial cells receive more oxygen, it brightens your skin. The clay mask unclogs the skin pores and shrinks them. Bentonite clay reduces the overproduction of sebum and removes the toxins. It helps in exfoliation, makes your skin softer, and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
Papaya Cucumber Banana Face Mask
Things Needed:
- ¼ cup ripe papaya
- ½ banana
- ¼ cucumber
Method: Peel and blend all the ingredients in a blender until you get a smooth puree. Apply the mixture onto your face avoiding the areas around eyes and mouth. Allow it to sink in for about 15 minutes. Wash your face with lukewarm water. This action loosens your face mask. Finally, rinse off the mask with cold water. Pat your face dry with a clean towel.
Benefits: Papaya is rich in beta-carotene, powerful enzymes, and phytochemicals. The secret beauty ingredient in papaya is papain that has skin lightening properties and reduces the visibility of blemishes and acne scars. Along with alpha hydroxyacids, papain acts as a gentle exfoliator that dissolves inactive protein and dead skin cells.
Papaya contains vitamins A and C, papain, alpha hydroxyl acids and potassium. Papain promotes skin regeneration; vitamin C boosts collagen production, vitamin A smoothens out aging skin. The potassium moistures your skin.
Cucumber has skin lightening properties and nourishes and moisturizes your skin. More details on rubbing cucumber on face here.
Banana reduces wrinkles and promotes youthful, glowing skin.
Walnut and Milk Cream Pack
Things Needed:
- 4-5 pieces Walnuts
- 1 Tbs milk cream
Method: Soak the nuts in water for one hour and mash them into a thick paste. Add the milk cream and mix well. Clean your face and neck and apply the walnut, dairy cream mask. Massage your face in soft circular motions for five minutes. Leave the mask for 20 minutes and wash off with water.
Benefits: Walnuts are powerhouses of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids help to lock in moisture and nutrients into the skin making it plump and glowing. The omega 3 fats reduce the skin inflammation and protect your skin against harmful UV rays. The vitamin E present in walnuts accelerates skin healing and makes your skin smooth and glowing.
Milk removes oil based impurities with the help of enzyme lipase, protein based impurities with the aid of protease and dead skin cells with the support of the lactic acid. It lightens your skin by shedding off pigmented skin cells. Milk cream significantly reduces tan, dark spots, and dark patches.
Mint Face Mask
Ingredients:
- Mint leaves 200 grams (paste)
- Cucumber 1 (paste)
- Green tea 1 cup
- Yogurt- 3 tablespoons
- Lemon 1 (juice)
Method: In a bowl add the mint leaves paste, cucumber paste, and yogurt. Mix the ingredients gently.Otherwise, you can blend all the three together in a blender.Now add the lemon juice and mix well. Store in a cool place for 20 minutes.
Wash your face with cold running water. Clean your face with a face wash and pat dry. Apply a thin layer of the mint pack onto your face gently. Allow it to dry. When the maskgets dried, apply another fresh coat and leave it for 20 minutes.
Try to peel the mask once it is dry. Then wash your face with warm green tea. Don’t wipe the tea. Allow it to dry on your skin. After 20 minutes rinse your face with ordinary water. For best results use this face pack twice a month.
Benefits: Mint juice is an excellent skin cleanser. It soothes your skin and is a good way to reduce pimples. Mint can relieve some of the symptoms of acne. Mint leaves tighten and cleanse your skin pores thus leaving you with oil free skin tone. Mint juice fights dark circles and puffiness of eyes.
Green tea improves your skin complexion. A 2003 study by the Medical College of Georgia says that green tea aids in skin rejuvenation. Green tea flushes out toxins, reduces inflammation, heals blemishes and scars and even improves the elasticity of your skin.
Rose Face Mask
Ingredients:
- 10 fresh rose petals
- 3 Tbs thick yogurt
- 2 Tbs of dried orange peel powder or ½ cup orange peels
Method: Add the fresh rose petals, yogurt, and orange peels or orange peel powder in your blender. Blend it to form semi smooth paste. Apply this face pack onto your face and neck. Leave the face pack for about 20 minutes and then wash it off using cold water.
Benefits: Rose petals contain cleansing and antibacterial properties. It is the best remedy to treat acne and acne prone skin. Rose provides a high amount of vitamin C which boosts your collagen production and plumps up your skin volume that naturally makes your skin radiant.
The natural oils present in rose helps to store up moisture and hydrates your skin. The pleasant fragrance of the rose petals relaxes, calms and soothes your stressed mind. As a natural astringent, rose restores your glowing complexion.
The peels remove dust and pollutants from pores and removes tan. Orange peels work as a natural bleach and lighten dark blotches. If you use them regularly, it completely removes them. They help lighten suntan and deflect the harmful UV rays.
Blackberry Saffron Face Mask
Things Needed:
- ¼ cup Blackberries
- 1 Tbsp Aloe Gel
- A few strands of saffron
Method: Add the blackberries, saffron strands, and aloe gel into your blender. Blend to form a smooth paste. Transfer the contents to a glass bowl. Apply gently onto your face in circular motions. Allow the mask to dry for 20-25 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water.
Benefits: Blackberries contain an abundance of antioxidants anthocyanocides and polyphenols which fight free radicals. The presence of vitamins A and C boosts your collagen production. Blackberries are composed of 85 percent of water which hydrates and moisturizes your skin. The vitamins A, C, and K in blackberries rejuvenates your facial skin and enhances your beauty.
Saffron is an excellent skin toning agent. It eliminates blackheads and unclogs the clogged pores. It is packed with A, C and B vitamins and possesses good skin lightening properties.
Aloe contains antibacterial and antioxidant properties. It reduces acne and lightens blemishes. It prevents wrinkles and acts as a natural moisturizer.
Carrot Face Pack
Ingredients:
- ½ carrot
- ½ cup papaya pieces
- Egg white from one egg
- One tablespoon milk
Method: Put the carrot, papaya, egg white and milk into a blender. Blend it to form a smooth paste. Apply the carrot face mask onto your face in circular motions. Leave for 30 minutes and wash your face in the lukewarm water. Since you’re using egg white using a gentle face wash will remove the odor.
Benefits: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene which gets converted to vitamin A in your body. It helps to repair the skin’s tissue and protects against the sun’s harsh rays. The vitamin A makes your skin color more attractive by imparting a healthy glow.
Adding more carrots to your daily diet will give a healthy dose of vitamin C that makes your skin firm and plump.
Egg white removes your facial hair. They have astringent properties that help shrink pores by tightening the skin. The nutrients in egg whites help to lift the sagging cheeks and crinkly skin around the eyes. Regular use of egg white masks reduces white heads while the protein in them heals and nourishes your skin.
Coconut Milk Face Pack
Ingredients:
- 4 pieces Almonds
- 2 Tbsp freshly prepared coconut milk
- 1 tsp milk powder
- 1 tsp lime juice
Method: Soak the almonds overnight. Blend the almonds, coconut milk and lime juice in a blender. Mix in the milk powder. Clean your face and neck. Apply this mask allover your face and neck. Let the mask sit for 30 minutes then wash your face in the tepid water and gently pat dry.
Benefits: Coconut milk contains lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid which gives it antimicrobial and exceptional soothing qualities. Coconut milk is the best way to pamper your dehydrated skin. The proteins, vitamins, iron and calcium present in coconut milk nourishes your skin, improves skin elasticity thereby prevents and reduces sagging and wrinkling in your face. Coconut milk is rich in vitamin c that gives a healthy glow to your skin.
Almonds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, proteins, magnesium and calcium. Almonds greatly enhance your complexion because it contains abundant amounts of vitamin E.
Vitamin E prevents cell damage and reinvigorates the cells, so your face looks fresh and glowing. The proteins present in almond milk softens and nourishes your skin. The omega 3 fatty acids present in almonds fights inflammation and keeps your facial skin bright, young and beautiful.
Conclusion
Before you apply these face masks, make sure to cleanse, exfoliate and tone your skin. Wear a sunscreen before venturing out. Remove all your makeup before you hit the bed. Choose natural creams and lotions and say no to chemicals. Avoid smoking, consuming alcohol and tobacco. Cleanse your skin after a long busy day.
Along with all the above tips eat a healthy diet. Stay hydrated, include foods that are rich in vitamin C and avoid junk and oily foods. Apply these skin whitening masks twice weekly to make your face more radiant.
Try out these masks and share your valuable experiences with us.
