As a beauty editor, I’ve read time and time again about the skincare benefits of natural ingredients.
You just have to scroll through Pinterest to see the different ways people incorporate fresh food intoDIY face masks.
Then, I was ready to put all the food on my face.
Courtesy of Emily Rekstis
Keep reading to see my day-by-day DIY skincare diary.
“Rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and antioxidants, avocado is very hydrating,” explains Shah.
Yogurt, which contains the alpha hydroxy acid lactic acid, acts as a chemical exfoliant.
And finally, the honey adds an extra boost of hydration.
My experience:This mask was a goopy mess from start to finish.
I used a fork to mash all the ingredients together.
But when I tried to apply it, it was too chunky to smoothe on.
So I tried to put the avocado mix in a Ziploc bag and mashed it even more.
Unfortunately, it still felt like lumps of leftover breakfast on my face.
I left it on for 15 minutes and did not enjoy the smell of food on my face.
My skin felt nice after, but it wasn’t anything special.
Honey, cinnamon, and lemon juice
Benefits:This sweet blend targets inflammation and dark spots.
“Honey is antibacterial, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and an antioxidant,” says Shah.
But she recommends using the other two ingredients sparingly.
People can also develop allergic reactions to it."
And as for the lemon juice?
It also has antimicrobial and astringent properties.
Go light on the lemons and wear SPF.
My experience:The first thing I noticed about this mask was the delightful smell of it.
It smelled like a light dessert.
When I first put it on my face, it dripped a lot.
But after about five minutes, it settled a bit.
I kept it on for 15 minutes in total.
I think this was my favorite mask.
This exfoliation delivers smooth, bright skin.
It also has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties, explains Shah.
It was really abrasive as a scrub.
I left it on for about 10 minutes then rinsed.
After it was all gone, the oil left my face smooth and moisturized.
It was so nice, I asked my friend to feel.
Egg whites and orange juice
Benefits:This mask is meant to diminish acne and tone skin.
However, she cautions users to be aware of the rare possibility of salmonella.
Unfortunately there is no way to tell if the egg you are using contains salmonella, she explains.
TheCDCestimates that one in 10,000 eggs contains salmonella.
Generally, pasteurized eggs are safer.
If you do use an egg that contains salmonella, you could end up with a skin infection.
But the possibility is unlikely.
My experience:Making this mask was easier than expected.
I whipped up the mixture with a fork to give it that frothy texture.
But about five minutes in, the egg white hardened, which I actually liked.
It had a tightening effect just like a traditional clay mask.
However, I didnotlike the smell.
After a full 15 minutes, I rinsed it off.
Overall, my face felt smooth and (surprisingly) clean.
Oatmeal, yogurt, and honey
Benefits:This mask cleanses and exfoliates the skin.
“Oatmeal has anti-inflammatory and soothing properties and helps skin maintain its barrier function.”
Yogurt works as a gentle chemical exfoliant, and honey, once again, hydrates.
This one really felt like I was mixing up my breakfast, not a face mask.
Substitute the oatmeal with granola and it actually is a breakfast I eat regularly.
When I applied the mixture, I smoothed it around to get some exfoliation.
But to get the oats to stay put, I had to press them in place.
It worked but felt weirdand looked even weirder.
The oatmeal was a little difficult to rinse off (guess the yogurt had a good grip!).
But my skin did feel clean, and it was a less irritating than the brown sugar exfoliant.
But in the end, I didn’t notice much visible difference in my face.
And honey soothes inflammation.
That’s what wearing this mask was like.
If you left the mix out for even 10 minutes, it started to turn brown.
My roommate, who was helping me take pictures, told me it looked like vomit.
It also felt kind of like vomit.
It was chunky and didn’t spread easily.
I sat with the pungent banana smell for 15 minutes.
It did feel cooling, which was nice in the 90-degree heat.
It rinsed off easy enough, but I didn’t really notice a huge difference in my skin.
However, I did notice the pieces of banana in my hair afterwards (yuck!).
Strawberries and honey
Benefits:This combination exfoliates dead skin cells and helps acne breakouts.
The salicylic acid can help improve acne," explains Shah.
The honey, again, adds a moisturizing benefit.
My experience:This was my least favorite mask.
I thought I had thoroughly smashed up the berries, but the mix was incredibly stringy.
Looking back, I probably should’ve used a blender.
So I only wore it for about five minutes before I had to take it off.
I just felt kind of silly lying around with crushed strawberries on my face.
And I didnt really see any brightening effects.
My face felt slightly smoother thanks to the manual exfoliation, but it was nothing to write home about.
So would I try these masks again?
This DIY experiment wasn’t the relaxing experience you look for when doing a skincare treatment.
I like to mask when I can sit back with a glass of wine and unwind with someBachelorreruns.
But with these recipes, I had to spend time making them.
Which was fun at first, but then it became a hassle.
Plus, they all smelled like food…on my face.
However, the ingredients (like avocado and banana) go bad quickly.
So in my opinion, buying masks I can store and use multiple times feels like money better spent.
Simply put: I’m sticking to eating these ingredients instead of wearing them.
