Face masks can be helpful for pulling oil out of the skin and making your face look and feel cleaner, but they can be expensive if you use them regularly. These DIY face mask recipes will save you money and give you peace of mind that you’re only putting safe ingredients on your face.
Why Oily Skin Happens?
The medical term for oily skin is seborrhea, and it’s caused by excess sebum, or skin oil, making your skin look greasy. Oily skin is often caused by hormones, which is why it often shows up during puberty.[1] An increase in androgen levels during that time of life boost oil production, and while it sometimes goes away once puberty is over, some people are stuck with oily skin. Having oily skin is genetic, and it can flare up during your period, when you’re stressed out, when it’s humid outside or when you’ve done things to produce more oil such as wearing heavy makeup regularly or spending too much time on a dirty cell phone.[2] If you’re too hard on your skin by using harsh cleaning tools, makeup or cleansers that aren’t for your skin type or using tanning beds (which dry out the skin, causing it to produce more oil) you can also see oily outbreaks even if you’re not genetically predisposed to oily skin.[3] Even some medications can cause your skin to be more oily than normal. Some of the things that are causing your oily skin might be within your control to change, but if you’re still having problems you can try a DIY face mask to help clear up the oil. These recipes use minimal, natural ingredients that won’t harm your skin or cause further problems.
Apple Cider Vinegar
A natural antibacterial and antiseptic substance, apple cider vinegar is a great choice for your skin, especially if you have acne as well as oily skin. Apple cider vinegar can be used alone on your skin; just put some on a cotton ball, apply to your face, let dry and rinse. You can also use it as a toner, or mix it with baking soda, which has exfoliating properties, to make a mask. Home Remedies for Life has that recipe as well as other DIY face mask ideas using apple cider vinegar and other ingredients such as sea salt, olive oil and aloe, to name a few.
Banana Face Masks
Another soothing ingredient you can get right at the grocery store that will help your oily skin is banana. You can simply mash banana and use it alone as a mask, or try one of the recipes from About Beauty. The recipe using banana and honey is the best for oily skin, but any of these would be great for giving your skin a boost. Really ripe bananas are best for this, and you can even freeze them for a cooling effect on your skin if you want.
Egg White Face Mask
Using egg white on your skin is a great idea because the protein in eggs helps with tissue repair for skin that has been damaged by acne. It’s also hydrating and moisturizing and can help slow down the aging process of the skin. A super simple DIY face mask with egg white is this one from Bellatory that also uses honey and lemon. Honey is antibacterial and lemon juice is an astringent that helps clear out the bacteria that causes acne as well as lightening the skin and evening skin tone.
Oatmeal Face Mask
Add oatmeal to your combination of egg white and honey for an additional exfoliating boost that is great for cleaning and clearing the skin. Check out the recipe at Homemade Masks; it’s great for wrinkles, too.
Clay and Witch Hazel
Using clay in a DIY face mask is a classic. You won’t find this special clay at your regular grocery store, but you can probably find it at a natural foods store or order it online from an herb supplier (or your favorite mega retailer). The reason bentonite clay is so great for your face is that it draws out impurities. Combine it with witch hazel, as in this recipe from Hello Glow, and you’ll have a great astringent, too, which is wonderful for getting the skin clean.
Orange Peel Powder Masks
Another ingredient that is great for the skin but a little harder to come by is orange peel powder. You may be able to find it in the spice section of your grocery store, but it will be less expensive if you buy it from an herbal supplier. You can even make your own orange peel powder by drying and grinding orange peels; check out the how-to from Bellatory. Whether you buy it or make it yourself, orange peel powder is a great cleanser, astringent and toner that improves circulation and is full of vitamins that encourage healthy skin tone. The SmartCooky site has a variety of DIY face mask recipes using orange peel powder. The one that includes multani mitti, or fuller’s earth, is perfect for oily skin. Multani mitti is a particular kind of clay that has been used in India for generations and is great for removing oil, clearing up acne, evening the skin tone and improving circulation, among other benefits.[4]
Rose Water Face Mask
Another ingredient found in many face mask recipes is rose water. Rose water is actually made from roses, and you can buy it or make your own — this simple tutorial from the Healthy Maven shows you how. It is cleansing, toning and soothing to skin all over the body and is a great addition to bath water as well as to face masks. My Beautiness has tips on making DIY face masks with rose water for different skin types. The ones for oily skin include our old friends honey and egg white, as well as one that uses barley flour for exfoliation (you could also grind up oatmeal if you don’t have barley handy).
Cornmeal and Yogurt Facial Scrub
A quick five-minute mask for oily skin that can be found at Homemade Masks uses yogurt, lemon juice and cornmeal. Cornmeal is great for exfoliating, while lemon is antiseptic and yogurt helps balance and nourish skin.
Tomato Face Mask Recipes
A surprise ingredient that’s actually great to use in homemade face masks is tomatoes. They’re as healthy for your skin as they are for the rest of your body. The vitamins in tomatoes can help fade blemishes and smooth out rough skin, build up collagen to maintain the skin’s elasticity and help moisturize your skin, among other things. Combine tomato with lemon, honey or cucumber depending on your skin’s needs with these recipes from Bellatory.
Turmeric Face Mask
Turmeric is the ingredient you want to use for clearing up acne and other skin irritations. It’s also great for smoothing out pigmentation irregularities and treating sunburn. And you probably already have some in your spice cabinet! To make a turmeric face mask like the one at Healthy and Natural World, all you need is turmeric, honey and yogurt. It’s a mask that’s good enough to eat but you’ll want to use it on your face for lots of great benefits.
