Tag: diy skincare

HOMEMADE ROSEMARY + COCONUT OIL MASK

Published on by Crystal Lee1 Comment

New year, new you right? Ya Ya, we’ve heard it (and said it) all before. And while we all have goals and things, we want to do to better ourselves, we also understand that it doesn’t all happen at once. Let’s take our beauty routines for example. Refreshed and glowing skin is always at the top of our lists. But honestly, after the holidays who has $$$ to spend on new masks and serums and creams and whatever else we need? That’s why we did a bit of research and made our mask instead. It checks off a few boxes on our list of being better humans. Self-care? Check. Save money? Check. Take care of our skin? Check.

And guess what? You can probably make this with items already in your kitchen leftover from breakfast. It’s 4 simple ingredients with a few steps to a refreshing mask that you’ll want to make a daily habit (if we all had the luxury of time to treat ourselves to a mask a day!). We love it while we’re listening to our favorite podcast, reading a chapter in a new book, or even during a girls’ night in with a little rosé.

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Rich in nutrients including iron, calcium, vitamins, and antioxidants, rosemary in various forms —rosemary extract, rosemary oil, and rosemarinic acid —is effective for many skin types and is found in skincare cleansers, soaps, face masks, toners, and creams. This herb is used widely in aromatherapy as its stimulant properties refresh, rejuvenate and help you feel energized.

Rosemary is a potent antioxidant; it protects the skin and prevents signs of premature aging. Aside from its anti-aging properties, it’s great for acne, dry skin, and eczema. Not to mention you can also use this mask as a hair mask. 

When massaged into the face, rosemary oil can help lightens dark spots and blemishes on the skin resulting in an improved skin complexion. The anti-inflammatory properties of rosemary extract help to reduce swelling and puffiness of the skin. It also helps to heal burns and soothe the skin.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 sprig of rosemary (finally putting my garden to use!)
  • 4-5 tbsp. Greek yogurt (more for a thicker consistency)
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • sugar (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Roughly chop rosemary
  2. Melt coconut oil in a small saucepan and mix in the rosemary
  3. Simmer this mixture for 8-10 minutes, rosemary will begin to lose its color
  4. Remove from heat and strain rosemary pieces from the mixture. Discard rosemary
  5. Add oil to a mixing bowl and let cool slightly
  6. Before oil has solidified but has had time to cool, mix in Greek yogurt + honey. The paste should be smooth so take your time mixing!
  7. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to ensure your mixture is cold
  8. Finally, mix in the sugar (use sugar if you are using it immediately, it will act as an exfoliant. if you are saving for later, don’t add until you are ready to use)
  9. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks (we’d recommend using this mask 1-2 times per week if you love it!)

* Makes 3-4 masks *

Why am I putting this on my face?

  • Rosemary oil helps stimulate cell renewal, promoting healthy healing, while moisturizing and improving skin circulation.
  • Greek yogurt is full of lactic acid that helps smooth dry, rough skin and dissolves dead skin that clogs pores. Its anti-bacterial properties are great for acne-prone skin.
  • Honey can almost do it all. It promotes collagen building, it’s moisturizing, and its antioxidants nourish the skin which can assist in the healing of acne scars.
  • Sugar, as explained above, will act as an exfoliant if you are using your mask right away. When applying, lightly massage the mask onto your skin. If you are saving your mask for later use, do not add the sugar as it will dissolve. You can add if you decide to right before use.
  • Coconut oil contains vitamin E and saturated fats which moisturize, repair, and restore quickly as it is rapidly absorbed into the epidermis.

How to use it?

After you have washed your face, remove the mask from the refrigerator. Apply a generous amount all over the face, avoiding the eye area. Wait about 30 minutes or until the mask feels dry and rinse. We recommend following up with your favorite serum and/or moisturizer.

How did it work for us?

After this mask, we noticed that our dark spots looked more faded and our skin looked even, vibrant, moisturized, and was glowing. The skin felt so soft that we thought we were in heaven. Didn’t even need to add any moisturizer because the skin was already soft and hydrated! It’s going to be a go-to for a quick weekday refresh!

Warning: Always do an allergy patch test before applying anything to the face. What works for us may not work for you!

Is a skincare refresh on your to-do list for the new year? What masks have you tried making at home?

How To Make a Honey Face Mask + 4 Extra Recipes for Clear, Glowing Skin

Published on by Crystal Lee3 Comments

If there’s one natural ingredient to stock on your beauty shelf, it is honey. You can find the bee sap in anything from a hair mask, face wash, even an all-natural moisturizer—is there nothing the golden goop can’t do?

Consider honey the ultimate DIY superstar, one that you can add to virtually any treatment. But let’s start with the simplest out there: a single-ingredient honey face mask. Easy to make, and the benefits are just as sweet.

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What is Honey?

Honey has centuries-long credibility as a respected ingredient beyond kitchen use. Chief among the benefits is the antimicrobial activity of many honey varieties—it kills bacteria living on the skin. This effect probably explains how honey came to be used traditionally as a wound-healing agent in many different cultures. The sweet substance is produced by plant matter, enzyme activity, and live bacteria. According to these research scientists Howe and Marisa Plescia, what honey contains will depend in large part on what plant source the bees who are making it are using.

Honey is what’s called a natural humectant (draws moisture into the skin). If your skin needs a hydrating boost, this is the perfect ingredient. It is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and acts as an anti-viral/anti-fungal.

Benefits of Honey for Skin

As Shamban describes, it is full of flavonoids, hydrogen peroxide, and phenolic acid dermal benefits. Raw, unpasteurized honey is one of Mother Nature’s power players you want to have on your A-team to get the job done when needed.

  • Cleanses pores: good news: Honey is naturally antibacterial, one of the reasons it makes for a great face wash. Remove dirt and debris with nothing more than a little raw honey—just add water.
  • Treat Acne: You can use honey as a cleanser to help prevent certain types of breakouts because of its anti-fungal properties. For a more potent effect, honey can be left on breakouts to help them heal faster.
  • Exfoliate Skin: Honey on its works better as a cleanser as opposed to an exfoliator because of its smooth consistency. You generally won’t find honey, even in its purest form, to be particularly granular.
  • Fade Scars: Honey contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide. This might give it mild lightning properties, which is particularly helpful when it comes to resolving pesky post-acne marks and hyperpigmentation.
  • Hydrates Skin: Honey draws moisture into the skin from the air. Applying honey on the face is a great way to keep your skin hydrated, glowing, fresh, and supple at all times.
  • Helps Skin Conditions: Howe shares, “One researcher has shown it to treat seborrheic dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis.” Raw honey can also soothe eczema.
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How to make a honey face mask

A honey face mask is as simple as it sounds: Snag some raw/unfiltered honey from your favorite grocery store, and you’ve got yourself a spa-grade mask in a snap. Using honey by itself is an effective skin clearing, nourishing, and revitalizing treatment. That’s because honey, especially of the Manuka variety, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that calm the skin and keep breakouts at bay.

With all the benefits honey has to offer, no surprise you can invest in a jar of the straight-up goop and slather on. Here’s how to do it right: 

  1. Apply an even layer of raw/unfiltered or Manuka honey on damp skin after your face wash routine.
  2. Leave on for 20 minutes, then rinse off with cold water. It rinses off much more easily than you might expect! It’s hardly sticky at all when you add water.
  3. After rinsing, apply warm water to face towel and gently dap the hot face towel on face for a minute. Then, follow with a cream or oil to seal in the moisture. 

Primp Tip: If you have a blemish you’d like to nix, try dabbing a little raw honey directly on as a spot treatment. “It can be particularly beneficial for acne or blemish-prone skin. There have been clinical studies proving positive results both in lessening size and duration of blemishes,” says Shamban.

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In terms of how often you should mask, we recommend sticking to a couple of times per week. While it certainly won’t hurt to slather on every single day, it’s not necessary to reap all the benefits mentioned above. Just 20 minutes 2x a week is plenty: It will still provide all those skin-boosting benefits.

With that being said, it’s also not necessary to leave the treatment on overnight; while you certainly can if you feel so inclined, know that you’re not providing your skin with any extra benefits. Remember, honey is thick and has a sticky texture so that might be messy when you wake up unless you’re able to sleep on your back through the night.

4 honey face masks for clear, glowing skin

Sure, a honey face mask is a simple, one-ingredient mask, but that’s not to say you can’t include some add-ons if you’re feeling fancy. Here are four ways to upgrade your honey mask, for any skincare concern you’ve got:

  • Brightening turmeric, honey, and lemon mask 

Turmeric and lemon are amazing for skin-brightening: Turmeric (and its active ingredient, curcumin) has antioxidant properties that can help protect the skin from free-radical damage, while lemon has a fair share of vitamin C—perfect for fading dark spots.

To make this mask, combine 1 tbsp. of raw or Manuka honey, 1 tsp. of ground turmeric, and ½ tsp. of lemon juice. Slather on and leave for 10 minutes or until the mask starts to harden, then wash off with warm water. 

  • Moisturizing honey and olive oil mask

This nourishing mask feels downright luxurious: Adding a natural oil to your honey mask can not only help with the stickiness and application of the honey, but natural oils are emollients that contain high levels of fatty acids, which moisturize and soothe the skin. The result? A lightweight mask chock-full of skin-healthy antioxidants. Feel free to choose any oil here (coconut, jojoba, argan—the list goes on.) We use olive oil because olive oil work wonders on dry skin and contains many antioxidants, such as vitamin E. Simply mix the two until combined, then leave on for 20 minutes. 

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  • Exfoliating yogurt and honey mask

Yogurt is jam-packed with lactic acid—a sensitive-skin-approved chemical exfoliator—which gently sloughs dead skin cells with ease. When you add honey to the mix, it becomes even more gentle and hydrating: Simply combine 1 tbsp. of finely ground oatmeal, 1 tsp. of raw or Manuka honey, and 1 tsp. of full-fat dairy or nondairy yogurt. Stir until it forms a paste, then slather on and leave for 15 minutes.

  • Skin-soothing mint, honey, and aloe mask 

If you’re looking for a fun, summery option reminiscent of a poolside cocktail, this refreshing mask is practically screaming your name. Both aloe and rosewater are great skin-soothing and -balancing ingredients, bound to tame any inflammation you’ve got (it feels especially lovely post-sun). Try this mixture during your next impromptu spa night: Mash 2 to 4 mint leaves, and mix with 2 parts honey, 2 parts aloe gel, and a few sprays of rosewater. Leave it on for up to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. 

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The takeaway. 

With all the skin-health benefits the goop has to offer, no surprise honey reigns supreme as a DIY-friendly ingredient. Of course, remember to do a patch test before applying honey to your face, especially if you’re new to DIY: Even if you consume honey all the time, your skin might have an unexpected reaction to it as a topical treatment. If you have any bee or pollen allergies, you may want to steer clear entirely, as raw honey might contain trace amounts of bee pollen or other tree pollens.

Other than that, feel free to slather on the star of DIY. A single jar of honey can have you glowing in no time.

BeautyLeeBar takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

This Mask Is Like a Virgin Mojito for Your Face

Published on by Crystal Lee2 Comments

Living in Florida feels like summer is here all year round especially when it is hot, humid, and cool like it has been lately. One of the best ways to enjoy summer, which is its own special season according to traditional Chinese medicine, is to embrace the mix of warm and cool weather that’s to come. If you find yourself wishing you were on vacation, use it as an excuse to give yourself an at-home spa day.

This mask was formulated for warmer days to bring a cool, calming energy to the skin. Use it on mild sunburns, as a weekly hydration treatment, and/or when it’s too damn hot to do anything else. Here is a simple beauty solution that can make your skin glow.

DIY Mint & Aloe Face Mask

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons raw local honey
  • 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
  • a spray or a few drops of a rosewater toner
  • organic fresh mint leaves (2 to 4 leaves is all you need)

Directions

  1. Bruise and mash up the mint with a mortar and pestle to release the essential oils.
  2. Stir everything together.
  3. Apply it all to your face.
  4. Leave the mask on for 10 to 20 minutes.

Disclaimer: This article is completely based on research, experiments and data available on the internet. However, it is always advised to consult a dermatologist before following any remedy or making changes in your regime.

5 Benefits of Using Milk and Honey for Face

Published on by Crystal Lee2 Comments

If you are looking for the ultimate home remedy to keep your skin hydrated and glowing, we have a solution. Try milk and honey. The DIY milk and honey mask benefit your skin in numerous ways.

Scroll through this article to understand how they may help and learn ways to use milk and honey to keep your skin happy.

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Milk And Honey for Face: What Are the Benefits?

Milk and honey can have age-defying effects on your skin. According to the legend, Cleopatra used to bathe in milk every day to keep her skin young, radiant, and clear. This combination can have certain benefits as stated below:

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  1. Help Moisturize Your Skin

Lactic acid is one of the naturals AHA (alpha-hydroxy acids) found in sour milk that acts as an excellent moisturizer. It is a part of the natural moisturizing complex of your skin (1). Honey is an emollient and a humectant that can bind moisture to your skin and keep it soft and moisturized (2). For these very reasons, most skincare products use milk and honey in their formulas.

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  1. Milk Keeps the Skin Firm and Smooth

A study found that 12% of topical lactic acid can help improve skin appearance by reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It also makes the skin firm and smooth (3). Milk has a mild exfoliating effect. Applying it to your face can have similar results.

  1. Honey Maintains Skin pH

Maintaining skin pH is crucial to prevent breakouts and rashes. An imbalance in skin pH disturbs the natural barrier of your skin. This can lead to skin irritation. Honey helps regulate skin pH levels (2).

  1. Honey Can Heal Wounds

Honey’s antimicrobial properties and methylglyoxal (one of the active compounds) can help heal your wounds effectively. It is also suitable for healing burn wounds and other skin issues such as psoriasis, dandruff, diaper rash, seborrhea, and tinea (2).

  1. Honey Treats Acne 

A study found that applying honey to acne lesions can promote faster healing. Honey can also inhibit the growth of both P. acnes and S. aureus bacteria (4).

Both milk and honey have a lot to offer to your skin. In the next section, we will explore the different ways you can use this combination on your face.

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How To Use Milk and Honey on Face

1. Milk and Honey as a Face Wash

Both honey and milk can moisturize the skin and inhibit acne-causing bacteria. This way, they can help keep your facial skin healthy and clear.

You Will Need

  • 1 tablespoon of raw honey (you may use Manuka honey)
  • 2 tablespoons of milk
  • 1 bowl
  • 1 cotton pad

Method

  1. Mix the two ingredients in the bowl till you achieve a cream-like consistency.
  2. Dip the cotton pad into the mixture and apply it to your face in circular motions.
  3. Let the mixture sit on your face for 10 minutes.
  4. Wash your face with cool water and massage gently.
  5. You may follow up with a gentle cleanser if desired.
  6. Pat your skin dry and follow up with a toner and a moisturizer.
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2. Milk and Honey as a Face Mask

This face mask helps soothe your skin. Both the ingredients have moisturizing properties, making this face mask especially beneficial for dry skin. However, the mask is suitable for all skin types.

You Will Need

  • 1 tablespoon of raw Honey
  • 1 tablespoon of milk
  • 1 microwave-safe bowl

Method

  1. Mix the honey and milk in the bowl until you have a thick consistency.
  2. Put the bowl into the microwave and heat for a few seconds. Ensure the mixture is warm to the touch and not too hot.
  3. Use a brush (or your fingers) to spread the mask on your skin.
  4. Let the mask stay for at least 15 minutes.
  5. Wash your face with cool water. You may use a gentle cleanser as well.
  6. Follow up with a toner and a moisturizer.
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3. Milk and Honey as a Scrub

Oats, Fuller’s earth and ground almonds have a coarse texture. These work excellently well in exfoliating your skin without causing damage. The milk and honey in the scrub keep your skin hydrated.

You Will Need

  • 1 teaspoon of raw honey
  • 1 teaspoon of milk
  • 1 tablespoon of ground oats/Fuller’s earth/ground almonds
  • 1 bowl

Note: If you have sensitive skin, use oats. If you have oily skin, use Fuller’s earth. If you have normal skin, you may use any of the three options.

Method

  1. Mix the milk and honey in the bowl.
  2. Add ground oats or Fuller’s earth or ground almonds.
  3. Adjust the quantity of milk (especially if you are using Fuller’s earth) to get a desired paste-like consistency.
  4. Apply the mixture to your face and gently massage, avoiding the area around your eyes.
  5. After massaging for 5 minutes, wash with cool water.
  6. Pat your skin dry and follow up with a toner and a moisturizer.
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These are some effective ways to use milk and honey for improving your skin health. If you already use DIY face masks, you can try introducing this combination as well. However, before using honey, do a patch test to check for any allergies. Raw honey may contain pollen and can cause allergic reactions in some individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is it good to drink milk with honey?

A: Yes, drinking milk with honey could promote health. The best way to do so is to let the milk cool down and then add honey to it. Ayurveda doesn’t recommend consuming warm honey (mixed in any warm beverage or food) as it is considered to harm health. However, studies in this regard are inconclusive.

Q: How long should I leave milk on my face?

A: You may leave milk on your face for 5-10 minutes.

Q: Can milk and honey be applied to the whole body?

A: Yes, you can apply the combination to your whole body. You may prepare a bathtub-soak with honey and milk. Soak in it for 15-20 minutes.

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Sources

Articles on BeautyLeeBar are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Check out our editorial policy for further details.