For when you need some self-care
Taking the time to focus on yourself is important right now. A quiet moment where you can be still and peaceful. Self-care, of course, is about more than just beauty treatments but it’s a nice reason to set aside time for yourself. There’s comfort in looking after yourself plus self-massage and grooming can be a good way to alleviate any touch deprivation you might be suffering from in isolation.
Alternatively, you can put a face mask on before your Zoom call and surprise your colleagues. Since access to shops is limited right now, we’ve put together a list of the best beauty mask recipes that you can DIY using ingredients that you already have in your kitchen cabinets and fridge from three queens of DIY skincare: Huda Kattan, make-up artist Mimi Quiquine and Dazed project manager, practicing crystal healer, witch and reiki practitioner Jade Mordente. You’re in good hands. Enjoy!
Please note, before you dive right into it, that it's important to be careful when doing treatments on your skin. We always recommend doing a patch test first particularly if you have sensitive skin.
FOR YOUR SKIN
Jade’s Avo Blend Face Mask
Benefits: Tightening, brightening, and filled with antioxidants.
Ingredients: Avocado, cucumber, yoghurt, lemon
How to: First blend all ingredients together, using just a squeeze of lemon or orange as a little goes a long way. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry.
Jade’s Anti-Inflammatory Oatmeal Face Mask
Benefits: Reduces redness, can prevent dry skin or irritated skin, and cure acne.
Ingredients: ½ cup of oatmeal, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp honey, egg (egg is optional, if vegan use coconut milk instead)
How to: Mix oats with 1 cup boiling water and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Stir in turmeric, honey and egg/coconut milk and make sure the honey and the egg completely dissolve in the blend. Cover the mixing bowl and leave in the fridge. When ready, use on face for 15-20 minutes before rinsing.
Jade’s Coffee Scrub
Benefits: Natural exfoliator for body or lips (be careful on face, a patch test is recommended).
Ingredients: Coconut oil/almond oil/olive oil, ground coffee
How to: Mix your choice of oil with the ground coffee. Massage in circular motion all over skin. Tip: It’s pretty messy so do this in the shower or bathroom. Wash off and then use a natural oil all over skin to moisturise.
Huda’s Gentle Acne Mask
Benefits: Soothes acne-prone skin and reduces inflammation.
Ingredients: ½ medium ripe tomato , 1 tbsp of organic kefir , 1 tsp of raw organic honey
How to: Cut the tomato in half and peel off the skin, then using a fork, mash it up. Mix kefir honey into the bowl until the mixture is well combined. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 10 minutes. Wash off with warm water and follow with your favourite moisturiser. We’d recommend doing this mask once a week to combat breakouts and restore your skin: the stronger your skin’s microbiome, the healthier it will be!
Huda’s Papaya and Honey Mask
Benefits: Brightens, hydrates, improves tone and texture.
Ingredients: 2 or 3 slices of papaya and 1 tablespoon of raw honey
How to: Blend the papaya until it creates a smooth mixture, then add the honey in a bowl and mix well. Apply the mask onto cleansed skin and leave it on for 10 minutes. Wash with warm water and follow with your favorite moisturiser.
Mimi’s Undereye Mask
Benefits: Brightening
Ingredients: Turmeric and rose water
How to: Mix equal parts powder to water and place the paste under eyes for 25 minutes. Wipe away residue with witch hazel and apply under eye cream or a thick natural oil.
Mimi’s Honey Mask
Benefits: Softness, hydration and brighteness
Ingredients: Honey and lemon
How to: Place 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of lemon and mix together. Apply paste on face and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Wash with cold water and then follow with serums and moisturiser.
FOR YOUR HAIR
Jade’s Deep Nourishment Hair Mask for Growth
Benefits: Deep nourishment and growth.
Ingredients: Coconut oil, raw organic honey, small amount of olive oil
How to: Heat ingredients in a saucepan until melted, then leave to cool. Massage all over the hair (especially on split ends) and into the scalp. This is a heavy mask so depending on your hair type anything from 10-40 minutes is ideal for this.
Huda’s Detoxifying Salt Scrub
Benefits: To maintain a healthy scalp, remove any product build-up, oil, and dead skin that’s blocking your pores, and stimulate blood circulation.
Ingredients: ¼ cup Himalayan ground pink salt (if you can’t find any, use coarse sea salt) , 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (preferably organic, you can use baking soda if you prefer), 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (melted) , 1 teaspoon honey, 5 drops of peppermint or tea tree oil (you can skip this if you don’t have any)
How to: Combine the ingredients in a bowl and stir. Apply a tablespoon onto damp hair, gently massaging it into your scalp. Leave the scrub on your hair for 5-10 minute before rinsing with warm water, followed by shampoo and conditioner.