You can spend money on a spa treatments or purchase cosmetic mask kits, or you can easily, safely and effectively make your own homemade skin tightening and brightening masks at home.
Commercial Product Dangers
According to a survey conducted by the Environmental Working Group, 25% of women use more than 15 products each day, including face masks, that contain over 126 different ingredients, with as many as one in five being carcinogenic.
The cosmetic industry is on its own to self-police using a Cosmetics Ingredient Review board. This board has only rejected 11 ingredients for being unsafe. This is in comparison to the European Union, which has banned hundreds of ingredients.
As of today, our government does not require health studies or any pre-market testing of the chemicals in personal care products, even though we are ‘eating’ them on a daily basis. According to the Office of Cosmetics and Colors at the FDA, a cosmetic manufacturer can use almost any raw material in the making of a product without approval.
Remember, feeding your face is much like feeding your body. The more natural and non-processed the ingredients the better. Try one of these healthy facial masks:
Avocado and Honey Mask
This mask only uses two simple and delicious ingredients, organic avocado and raw honey, both of which are rich in nutrients and healing properties. This mask is perfect for mature, wrinkled or dry skin and will hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate.
Simply mash the avocado in a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of raw honey. Apply to your skin and leave on for about 10 minutes. Wash the mask off with a cool washcloth. Repeat weekly for a smooth and supple finish.
Banana and Coconut Oil Mask
If you have dry and sensitive skin, this mask is for you. Bananas are rich in vitamins A, B and E and work as a great anti-aging ingredient to this mask recipe. People living in the tropics have beautiful, wrinkle-free skin and this is due, in part, to their use of coconut oil. This medium-chain fatty acid protects and heals the skin at the same time.
Oat Flour and Cream Mask
Because oatmeal is fibrous, it makes a great exfoliant. This mask is perfect for removing deeply embedded dirt and dead skin cells. Make a thick paste using some oat flour and heavy cream. This mask stays moist while on your face and penetrates pores to lift dirt and nourish.
-The Alternative Daily