Our facial skin is exposed to many environmental stimuli every day: sun, air pollution, temperature fluctuations and make-up all affect it. Many people, therefore, regularly use face masks to intensively care for and regenerate their skin. Drugstores have products for different skin types, often in portion packs for one or two applications. However, these are not only questionable because of the large amount of packaging waste – the face masks from drugstores or online shops often also contain harmful ingredients. Some of these end up in the cosmetics during the production process. Very small amounts are only tolerated if they cannot be avoided despite appropriate measures in production – and the products do not endanger human health. Certain guideline values have been defined for this.
However, the Federal Centre for Consumer Protection and Food Safety has monitored cosmetic foods and shown that the guideline values for heavy metals—especially arsenic, lead, and cadmium—were significantly exceeded in more than half of all samples examined. Higher levels of barium, chromium, cobalt, and nickel were also found. The samples from online retailers performed worse than the face masks from the drugstore.
As a sustainable alternative, you can easily make your own face mask using household ingredients that are available in most kitchens. This way, you can tailor the mixture to your skin type or the desired effect.
Recipes: Make your own face masks easily with household remedies
Almost every household has foods that can be combined to make a face mask. Quark or yoghurt are suitable as a base and provide the skin with moisture. Depending on the skin type and how it works, different ingredients can be combined:
- Lemon: This citrus fruit contains a lot of vitamin C , which keeps the skin smooth and firm. But be careful: if you have very sensitive skin, the acid in lemons can be irritating. If you have sensitive skin, you should choose a better-tolerated source of vitamin C instead of lemon.
- Cucumber: The flesh of the cucumber consists mainly of water and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). It refines pores and reduces skin irritation and swelling . Cucumber can also relieve the symptoms of sunburn.
- Avocado: It is particularly suitable for damaged, cracked and dry skin because it contains the unsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid and vitamins A, C, D, and E. Avocado has been proven to accelerate the formation of collagen, a protein that gives the skin firmness.
- Honey: It has a moisturizing and soothing effect, delays the formation of wrinkles, regulates the pH value of the skin and prevents infections caused by pathogens. Important: Only use medical honey for application to the skin; it is sterilized. Normal household honey can contain germs.
- Egg yolk and egg white: Egg white refines the pores of oily skin. Egg yolk contains vitamins E and B2 and protects the skin from free radicals.
Tip: Always test beforehand whether you can tolerate the homemade face mask. To do this, apply a small amount of the mixture to the skin on your wrist or the crook of your arm. If no reactions such as redness or itching occur, you can apply the mask to your face without hesitation. If you are allergic to certain types of fruit or vegetables, you should never apply them to your skin in the form of a face mask.
Make your own face masks for all skin types and as a basis for your own mixtures
This recipe is ideal as a face mask for all skin types:
- 2 tablespoons quark or yoghurt
- if tolerated: 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
This mixture can also be used as a base to which other ingredients can be added – depending on the effect you want to achieve with the face mask.