How to Give Self a Food Facial

Save yourself from expensive salon facials and pamper yourself at home with a food facial. You don't have to go out to the salon; you can make masks at home by using products that are already in your kitchen. These masks improve the texture and appearance of your skin, relieve acne, increase moisture and combat aging. They help clean and maintain your skin's radiance for a healthy complexion.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Start Your Facial

1. Cleanse skin at the start of your facial and before applying your face mask. Rinse the masks off thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry.
2. Choose a mask for your skin type and needs. There are masks for oily and dry skin. If you have combination skin, use two masks on your face.
3. You can leave most masks on for 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the mask. Use most masks once a week.
4. There are numerous masks out there. Experiment with different ones and choose or adapt ones that are best for you.

Masks for Oily Skin

5. Blend oats to a fine powder and add 1 tbsp. honey and 3 big slices of chopped pineapple. Mix into a paste. Apply and leave on for 15 minutes. Oatmeal absorbs oil and exfoliates.
6. Beat an egg white and add a few drops of lemon. Spread on your face and after 15 minutes, rinse. This tightens your skin and helps eliminate blackheads.
7. Chill a cucumber and grate or blend and apply to face. Alternatively, combine the cucumber juice with milk powder and egg white to make a paste. Cucumbers lighten the skin, tone and prevent bags and dark circles.
8. Mix 1 tbsp. honey with one egg yolk. Add oatmeal to make a soft paste.
9. Puree a ripe tomato and rub on your skin. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This tightens skin and closes pores.
10. Mash eight cloves of garlic and apply to your face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and a cloth. Use a vinegar rinse. Garlic cleanses, has antibiotic properties and is a great facial for acne prone skin.

Masks for Dry Skin

11. Mix oatmeal, honey and yogurt to a paste. Spread over your skin and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse. Yogurt has lactic acid that can stimulate collagen production.
12. Combine egg yolk, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. olive oil. Add vitamin E and apply to face. Leave on 15 to 30 minutes and rinse. Vitamin E softens skin and helps eliminate scarring.
13. Blend 21/4 cup brown sugar and 1 to 2 tbsp. milk, not skim. Put on your face, neck, and then massage. Leave on for 15 minutes. This is a good moisturizing mask and scrub.
14. Mash an avocado, add almond oil and smooth on face. This softens and nourishes the skin.
15. Bathe and apply a thick layer of solid shortening to the dry skin. Sleep and be better by morning.

Anti-Aging Masks

16. Mash 1/4 cup of papaya and add 1 tsp. pineapple juice. Apply around eyes being careful to avoid the eyes themselves. Then spread the fruit over your face and neck and leave on 10 to 15 minutes. This loosens old cells on skin and helps with crow's feet.
17. Add 1 tbsp. dried rose hips to 1/2 cup boiling water, steep for 15 minutes and then cool. Pat the tea on the skin over your crow's feet. Leave on for 5 minutes then rinse. Apply olive oil to moisturize. The ascorbic acid in the rose hip tea peels away the skin cells.
18. Mix 2 tbsp. of oatmeal with 1/2 cup milk and cook. Stir in 2 tbsp. olive oil and heat. Cool and apply the mixture. This is good for blotchy wrinkled skin.

Tips & Warnings

• Most masks made of food don't keep very long. Add vitamin E to help preserve them for later use.
• Don't apply masks on the mouth on near the eyes because these areas have delicate skin. Apply the mask to the rest of the face and the neck.
• Check for allergies before using the ingredients in these masks.