Face Masks Homemade: Ease the Acne

Using simple ingredients and a blender or hand blender, you can

• lessen the severity of teenage pimples and blackheads associated with acne,
• increase skin nutrition,
• help teach life long self care skills with simple ingredients,
• and save money compared to expensive commercial face masks.

Experiment with a few different recipes to see what helps your individual skin the most. There are different types of skin, and each appreciates a slightly different facial mask. Here are listed some that are helpful for teenage acne, but there are many, many more. The equipment and ingredients for homemade facials are found in the kitchen.

Helpful Equipment

Most homes already have a blender or hand blender or chopper. HomeFurnitureDecor.com recommends a sturdy hand blender for making your facial masks. A blender is often too large for the small volume of a facial mask recipe. A hand blender is used for blending the ingredients right in the cup or bowl. Invest in a good brand. Afterwards when you hear someone complain that their cheap hand blender just whirs around but doesn't blend, you'll smile smugly that your hand blender always works like a charm.

One of the best brands of hand blenders for the job is the Braun hand blender. If you get one with the attached storage container, you can mix your facial mask ingredients, blend it, and store it all in the same container.

Online stores carry a couple of good choices.

BRAUN HAND BLENDER This is the barebones bit that will make your facial mask making far easier. It doesn't come with the plastic storage jar, but you can use something from your own kitchen. At less than $30 with free shipping, it's a great investment. When you're not making facial masks, it serves well making shakes, purees, smoothies, and blending soups. Available from NowOnSale.com. Click here for your Braun Hand Blender

BRAUN DLX MULTI QUICK HAND BLENDER CHOPPER Set includes blender, whisk, chopper, bowl, beaker, and wall mount. The important bits for homemade facials are the blender and beaker. The beaker comes with a cover that keeps your facial mask fresh in the refrigerator. Visit ShoppersChoice.com for a Braun blender and chopper set.

The facial mask recipes

Notes:

• Always use fresh ingredients. Your skin is absorbent. You wouldn't want to eat stale food, so keep it fresh on your skin also.
• Try a small amount below your jaw if you have sensitive skin. Not everyone's skin likes the same type of pampering. If your skin is sensitive, try out a test patch first.
• All these masks are egg based. Keep them in the refrigerator no longer than one week, less time if there is fruit or vegetable in them.
• General instructions: Blend the egg with other liquid ingredients, than add solid ingredients and essential oils.
• First wash the face gently with soap and water, apply mask and let dry for about 1/2 hour. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

Apple and Honey Mask

• 1 egg
• 1/2 apple
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
• 10 dropes lavender essential oil

Honey is a natural humectant (gathers moisture to the skin), and also disinfectant. The pectin in the apple also helps draw out waste products from the skin. Oatmeal is used throughout these recipes for its soothing properties as well as the ability to thicken the mask to a usable consistency.

Apricot Oatmeal face mask

• 1 egg white beaten alone
• 1 apricot (blend until smooth with beaten egg white)
• 1/4 cup oatmeal
• few drops tea tree and/or lavender essential oil
• 1 Tablespoon of yogurt

The egg white alone helps tighten pores which helps the appearance when blackheads are present. Apricot is used for the nutrition it gives to the skin. Yogurt helps whiten the skin, and balance acidity. Both tea tree and lavendar essential oil help against oily skin while also providing anti-microbial properties. Additionally, they help the face mask smell beautiful.

Cucumber facial mask

• 1 egg white beaten
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (or less, depending upon your skin)
• 1/2 small cucumber (blend into the beaten egg white and lemon juice until smooth)
• 1/4 oatmeal
• 1 Tablespoon brewer's yeast
• 5 drops lavender or tea tree oil

Cucumer is extremely soothing to skin, and brewer's yeast is recommended against acne. Beware that teens may not like the smell of this one.

Recommended Acne Facial Mask

• 1 beaten egg white
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup quick oats uncooked
• 3 drops lavender oil, 2 drops tea tree essential oil

Homefurnituredecor recommends this face mask only because it is what has worked in our test kitchen with a test adolescent. It's simple, easy to prepare with the Braun hand blender, stores well in the refrigerator for a week in the Braun beaker container, and has shown the best results against blackheads and pimples.

It's really that simple to help your teens with their skin care. Encourage pimple plagued teens to keep their face well cleansed and then a daily facial mask in the evening for further skin nourishment.

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