Honey-Oatmeal Face Mask

If you have honey and oatmeal in your pantry, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't make this! You can check out the E-how's recipe here. I have decided to decrease the recipe so that there will be fewer surplus.  

What you will need (My decreased version):

3 tsp. instant oatmeal

3 tbsp. hot purified water

1 tsp. honey

Bowl

Spoon to mix

What to do:

Pour water over instant oatmeal and add honey. Mix well. Cool until warm enough to apply to face. Put on your face and do something you like for 30 minutes or more. Wash off with warm water. 

Verdict:

Quantity: There was still some left-over. I might have to reduce again next time by half. Thankfully my dog eats everything! But this recipe will be perfect for two. I suggest that you just apply it on your face because it's a messy clean-up if you ought to put it in other parts of your body. But if you really feel like giving yourself, go right ahead!

Compared with other masks: I like this mask a lot because it doesn't fall off. Unlike the Honey-Cinnamon Glaze (which I love still!), you don't have to worry about spilling it because it's not runny at all. It stays in place until it dries up so you can pretty much do something else if you don't feel like just hanging back and listening to music. (I indulged in reading Calvin and Hobbes Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons Collection because I am very mature for my age.) And with this you can move your face too unlike when I do the Blackhead Removal Mask, if you move it will crack on you. But different masks, different effects. 

Effect: It's definitely exfoliating and my face feels less oily after this. According to E-how, oatmeal absorbs the oil while honey is anti-bacterial and moisturizing. Perfect combination for me and my oily skin. Next time, I'm adding cinnamon for that wonderful smell! 

According to Green Earth Bazaar, we should use different liquids for this face for different skin types. 

Oily (Purified Water)

Normal (Milk)

Dry (Cream)

I was so tempted to add raisins in this mask (think oatmeal and raisin cookies) but apparently it's better digested than placed on skin. But oatmeal and honey really proves that what's healthy to eat is just as good for your skin. 

Image from:  http://www.oatmeal-soap-shop.com/honey-oatmeal-soap.shtml 

Honey-Cinnamon Glaze For Your Face

I came across 22 Homemade Body Scrubs, Masks and Lotion Recipes by Tip Junkie and like any DIY personal care junkie, I literally flipped out! I can't wait to try all of these things! As I was scrolling through my latest find I saw, The Miracle Mask. It contains only three ingredients that suggestively smells oh-so-good; honey, nutmeg and cinnamon. *Bites lower lip*

I don't have nutmeg because I'm not really a fan. But I did have honey and cinnamon so I decided to take a plunge. 

What you will need:

2 tbsp. Honey

1 tsp. Cinnamon

A bowl and a spoon

What to do:

Mix and apply to face. Lie down and listen to Mindy Gledhill's songs for 20 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Verdict:

Quantity: This recipe is for three people. I tried it the other day and I had a lot of left over so I shared it with my mom. I tried to convince my dad but he's too macho for honey and cinnamon.  My mom still had enough to put a thin layer on her arms and neck as well. It was kind of messy though. So if you're the only one using it, try to cut the recipe in half so that you don't spoil anything. 

As a mask: It really smells good. I felt like a Krispy Kreme donut basking at this mask's glory. But my mom and I felt a bit of itch using this. We can be allergic to one of the ingredients so please be reminded that before using it on test it on your wrist before applying the whole thing. Thankfully, the itch didn't blotch and we still came out with lovely exfoliated skin. 

Face Massage: Since my face itched a bit, I couldn't sit still and just let it happen. I started massaging my face and boy, was it relaxing. The smell of cinnamon was circulating and it was just heavenly. I didn't matter if I was doing my own face massage because it was so good. 

Remember: When massaging your face, only use your beauty fingers (middle and ring finger) because these two fingers don't have the same pressure as your other fingers, all your fingers all together, or your palm. Our faces are very sensitive that the skin follows the form of the pressure you apply to it. Scary isn't it? So use your beauty fingers and always do an upward-outward circular motion whether you are cleansing, exfoliating, putting toner or moisturizing. It's anti-aging and it's free. 

All in all, I love this mask with the face massage. It made my skin really soft and it really smelled good. And when I washed my face, I didn't mind tasting it a bit (it's really good). If this isn't skin food, I don't know what is!

Baking Soda: Face Mask

I do baking soda on my teeth with my toothpaste once a week, worked it up on my scalp and legs and so this morning I asked myself, why haven't I tried it on my face yet?

Without a moment to lose, I searched the net for the green light to go try it on my face and the green light I found!

Image from: www.newhealthadvisor.com

Apparently, our household baking soda is good for exfoliation plus it's very mild. It is said to even  remove acidic impurities that is usually in our commercial facial scrubs. According to TLC Style, you can add it to your facial wash, thrice a week. Other sites say that it is safe to use as a face mask. So I put them to the test. 

What you will need:

1 tsp. baking soda

Water, enough to make paste

Mix them together and apply to face as you would with a scrub and leave for 10 minutes. 

My verdict:

You know the feeling when you're over-excited and all instructions go down the drain? Well, that happens to me a lot. Thankfully, baking soda is mild. I think I used 1 tbsp. and I placed everything on my face and part of my neck.

I didn't last 10 minutes. I probably made it to 3 minutes tops! I had to wash it off because my face because I felt like my face was getting irritated. I was able to taste a bit of the solution and I tell you, it ain't pretty. I washed off with water and placed toner to close my pores.

Now if it wasn't for my lapse of judgment, I think I might have really enjoyed the process. But who cares when I am really enjoying the results? I am starting to have breakouts because I am days away from my period but after this treat, my breakouts looked smaller and my nose is a lot smoother. There are no medical evidences that baking soda helps alleviate acne but there have been several like me who have seen results. I love that my face is so soft. I should really stop touching it. 

Just remember to follow instructions. You have been warned.