Natural Skin Care Mask
By Greg Podsakoff
Healthy skin is one of the most common health and
beauty concerns for people today, and rightfully so. Our skin is our
bodies largest organ, and when our skin doesn’t look or feel good,
it is exposed for the rest of the world to see.
Consequently, there are hundreds of companies selling
thousands of products, all vying to have the best selling skin care
product. Although this is not inherently bad, many of these companies
charge an arm and a leg for products that are chemically based, pose
a risk of skin irritation, and damage to the environment.
However, there are effective alternatives to chemical
skin care. An all natural, home remedy can often achieve the same
results as the chemically based products, but without any of the irritation
or side effects.
One of the best forms of natural home skin care are
masks. Masks can be made from a wide variety of ingredients at home
to achieve whatever your skin care needs are. Furthermore, most of
the ingredients are easy to find, and very affordable.
The most popular home made mask is an oatmeal mask
It is a simple, completely safe mask, and it works perfectly for people
with oily skin. The ingredients are as follows:
1/3 cup of fast cook oatmeal (1-3 minutes)
¼ cup of honey
½ cup of water
Mix the water and the oatmeal together, and cook.
Then, set the oatmeal aside to cool and thicken. As it is cooling,
mix in the ¼ cup of honey. Once the mask is well mixed and cool, apply
a thin even layer to the skin.
Be careful when applying this mask around the eyes.
Though completely safe, the oatmeal can cause slight eye irritation.
Better yet, place a used tea bag over the eyelids to reduce any redness
or eye irritation.
The way this mask works is simple. The oatmeal in
the mask is the primary “active” ingredient. It works to absorb excess
oil on the skin and in the pores. Oatmeal will also help remove excess
skin cells, and exfoliate the skin. The honey is simply there to turn
the oatmeal into a pasty, sticky consistency that will adhere to the
skin.
Another all natural skin treatment is to use lemon
juice to help exfoliate and freshen the skin.
Lemon juice is a fruit acid, AKA Alpha Hydroxy Acid.
It works in a similar fashion to salicylic acid, except that it is
100% all natural. It will help exfoliate the skin by reducing the
“glue” that causes dead skin cells to stick to the skin.
This is one the simplest masks you can make, and is
actually more of a “rinse” than anything. The only ingredients needed
are water and lemon juice. Mix 1 part water to 5 parts lemon juice,
and massage the solution onto your face. Then, rinse your face with
cool water. Make sure to rinse well, because it can cause skin irritation
if left on too long.
Even though these are all natural, it is always best
to consult a dermatologist before using any skin care treatment. When
used properly, these masks are effective alternatives to many of the
expensive, chemical products sold in stores.
Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and the
editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com
