Treat Yo Self: 4 DIY Face Masks

Oh Friday, you took a while to get here. Even though I was off on Monday (damn cough can get the better of me at times) it still felt like Friday would never arrive. Yesterday my head felt like it was ready to spin off my neck; my brain was fried and my body was tired. In spite of being ready for bed as soon as I woke up, I managed to take myself off to the gym after work but the world is cruel and I got stuck in the worst traffic I have experienced in months. It took me an hour and 10 minutes to travel 5 miles and when I arrived late to my PT session I nearly cried. Actually feel teary writing about it so yes, I am more than ready for the weekend.

This weekend I am ready to treat myself and so should you! A wee pamper session is great for the soul especially in this inbetween-y time of year when our skin can be a little more vulnerable to change. I notice my skin suffers in between the seasons, especially my face that seems to get dull and tired (and makes the need for make up that more necessary). Face masks are a great way to bring my skin back to life and it feels like such a treat when I'm in my PJ's on a Friday night with my fluffy socks on and a big fat glass of wine in my hand - yes I know I am a rockstar.

It's so easy to go straight to cosmetics when looking for a decent face mask but it can also mean spending more cash than we can afford. This week, instead of turning to my very shallow purse I thought I'd turn to my kitchen and research if anything in there would do me any good. I have tried introducing natural ingredients in to my routine before and I saw the benefits then so I thought creating my own face masks might do the trick. And they did!

If you're like me and have sensitive skin then give some of the below combinations a whirl. Reducing the amount of chemicals, artificial colours and fillers in our beauty regime will help relieve our skin of irritation and not only that, it will reduce the environmental impact we have on this lovely planet of ours - win win!!

Before you prepare for your cosy night in this Friday, I do have a few words of caution:

• Be prepared for mess - do not wear your posh PJ's because you will more than likely get drippage. Best to wear your old t-shirt and lie flat while the mask dries!
• Be careful with the turmeric - this stuff stains like a motherlover and you should definitely NOT wear white.
• Have a bath while it's drying - not just because it'll help you feel even more rejuvenated but also because of the drippage and you might get the odd bit of honey in your hair. I prescribe some bath salts, your favourite podcast and some candles because you're fabulous.
• Some of the masks serve as a handy snack while you're waiting for them to dry - you're welcome.

Enjoy your masks and let me know if you have any natural recipes your own - lots of room for inspiration over here!

And have a lovely weekend :)

4 DIY Face Masks

Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tbsp raw honey

Avocados are great in this transitioning time as they moisturise the skin and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids - fancy pants. Also, yoghurt is a gentle exfoliant and honey is a natural antibacterial so all of the good things are in here.

Mix the ingredients together, slap on your face for 10-15 mins and then wash off with warm water. Ta-da! Use this method for all your masks, there's no real science to it.

Oatmeal, Cucumber, Honey & Lemon Mask

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 tbsp ground oatmeal
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

This mask is full of goodness - oatmeal to exfoliate, cucumber to rehydrate, honey to kill off that pesky bacteria and lemon juice to brighten the skin. It might not look pretty but your skin will thank you for it.

Brown Sugar, Turmeric & Honey Mask

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp raw honey
• 1 tbsp turmeric

Another exfoliating gem that will brighten that skin right up along with a bit of turmeric thrown in to help with inflammation. This was my personal favourite because it made my skin feel silky smooth after - just watch the flippin' turmeric for stains!

Coconut Oil & Honey Mask

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp raw honey

Super simple yet super effective. Both ingredients act as antibacterial shield and the coconut oil moisturises the skin better than any artificial product. This mask is also great for your hair if you fancy a deep treatment!