This blog post is in collaboration with iHerb.
Lately I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the kitchen concocting some of my own skincare – from herbal steams, to simple 2-3 ingredient cleansers, moisturizers, and masks. Once you start, it’s easy to get addicted! The recipes are practically endless, not to mention often times more affordable. And best of all, they use all-natural, clean ingredients that are safe enough to eat and probably already in your kitchen!
For anything you may not already have at home, you can easily find them on iHerb.com, one of the world’s largest online stores for natural products. They sell over 35,000 products – often times for cheaper than what you’d find at health food stores or natural pharmacies – and ship to over 160 countries (with a Customer Service team that provides support in 10 different languages). Their website is speedy, easy to navigate, and Google Trusted Store, plus shipping is quick and eco-friendly!
So without further ado, here are two on my favorite DIY face masks for both morning and night. Each takes only 3 ingredients and 2-3 minutes to prep!
The Morning Facial: Caffè Mocha Face Mask
Benefits: Exfoliation + hydration. The coffee grinds help boost circulation, remove dead skin, and reduce inflammation. Meanwhile, the cocoa powder moisturizes, prevents blemishes, and promotes collagen production, plus it’s rich in antioxidants.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (preferably organic and raw, like this one from Big Tree Farms)
- 1-2 teaspoons coffee grinds
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil (preferably organic and unrefined)
Steps:
- Mix the cocoa powder and coffee grinds in a bowl. Keep adding small amounts of coconut oil until it forms a paste.
- Smooth mask all over your skin.
- Let the mask sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water, massaging as you go.
- Use a toner to close up your pores, then follow with your usual moisturizer.
The Evening Facial: Green Tea & Honey Face Mask
Benefits: Hydrating + acne-fighting. Green tea contains polyphenols, which help fight free radicals, while honey helps your skin retain moisture. Honey also helps remove acne-causing bacteria from your skin, prevents and heals small scars, and is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal.
Any honey will do, but for the best results, I’d recommend using Manuka honey. (The consistency is much thicker and cloudier than regular honey.) Try to grab one with a high UMF (potency) score (at least 10+), as these are purer grades and hence richer in nutritional benefits.
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons honey (I used Manuka Doctor 24+ Bio Active Manuka Honey)
- 1-2 green tea bags (I used Bigelow’s Classic Green Tea)
- (optional) melted coconut oil (preferably organic and unrefined) or water to thin out the mask if it’s too thick
Steps:
- Steep the green tea bag in hot water for a minute to two minutes.
- After it has been steeped, grab a bowl and cut open the tea bag.
- Mix the honey and green tea leaves in a bowl until it forms a paste. (Optional: Add in coconut oil or water if needed to thin it out a bit.)
- Using your fingers massage the mask over your face.
- Keep this on for 15-30 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.
- Use a toner to close up your pores, then follow with your usual moisturizer.
The next time you’re looking for some serious skin-food to smooth, tighten, and refresh, look no further than your kitchen. The Green Tea & Honey Face Mask and Caffè Mocha Face Mask are two of my favorite food-based masks – for their scents and how smooth, soft, and hydrated then leave my skin afterwards. I’d recommend using the Green Tea & Honey Face Mask 1-2 times a week, and the Caffè Mocha mask 2-3 times a month (since it’s a bit rougher).
A Few On-The-Go Alternatives
For the times you want to relax and refresh your skin, but don’t have all the ingredients on hand to whip up a homemade mask, iHerb offers loads of bath and beauty products, many of which are paraben free, organic, non-GMO, non-toxic, and more. Here’s my latest haul from iHerb where I grabbed some pre-made, on-the-go masks for when I’m traveling or away from my kitchen.
As a quick morning honey mask substitute, I picked up the Manuka Health ManukaClear Mask. It provides intense hydration and leaves my skin perfectly prepped for makeup. Tip: For the best results, leave the mask on for the full 60 minutes, and then thoroughly remove using a washcloth and warm water.
For a green tea evening mask on-the-go, I grabbed this super cute little guy – the Etude House Bubble Green Tea Sleeping Mask. It features a lightweight hydrating gel formula with little moisturizing ‘bubbles’ on the bottom. The gel alone feels incredibly refreshing and cooling on the skin. This sensation lasts for a good 1-3 minutes until the mask absorbs (depending on how thick you layer it on), and leaves the skin feeling super soft and plump. Tip: Use the gel by itself for a softening and refreshing treat, or mix the gel with 1-2 bubbles for extra moisturizing when your skin needs it.
If you’re looking to make one of these masks, or experiment with making your own recipe, definitely check out iHerb for some fresh, food-based ingredients!
**Special Offer**
If you’re a first-timer at iHerb, click this link to get $5 off your first order! (Discount will be automatically applied to your cart under the ‘Savings’ section.)
Have you tried a DIY food-based face mask? What are some of your favorite food or herbal ingredients to use?
