Make Your Own Mask

Last week I wrote about the benefits of using of a mask in ‘Put on a Mask’. Although a mask is not an essential part of your beauty regime, some people enjoy relaxing with a mask on now and again… It’s just a pity that the quality of the masks quite often vary ( and that is putting it finely). Luckily you can make your own mask, it’s cheap and you know what has gone into it. And although I don’t want to go on too much, I also don’t want to hold back in sharing the following tips with you.

A mask for dry skin

With dry skin the most simple solution is to apply a richer cream more generously. Because believe me, apart from the fact that a mask is usually more oily, there is no difference between a cream mask and a regular moisturiser. It is better to apply the mask while your face is still a little wet; research has shown that certain water soluble active ingredients can absorb more easily into your skin. Furthermore you retain moisture better in this way. You can also mix your cream/moisturiser with some Vaseline. For really dry skin, applying a layer of vaseline onto your skin for a night can work wonders. It is a simple principle; definitely for damaged skin, where too much moisture evaporates. By temporarily sealing the skin off, the moisture in the skin can increase again and the barrier function can repair itself.

Getting to work on the oily skin

For oily skin with acne you need to use the kitchen; mash up a half of a green papaya well (this contains a higher concentration of papain, compared with ripe papayas) and mix with a dessert spoon of honey. This is easier to do in the blender. Then just spread it onto your face and leave for around 15 minutes. The other half you need to eat, as it doesn’t keep very well. The active substances actually become inactive in less than 3 hours.

Papain is a proteolytic enzyme and takes care of the removal of the dead skin cells and the excess sebum. Honey, just like papaya, has anti-inflammatory properties. And if you don’t believe me here are some links to scientific articles! (the abstract ‘How Honey Kills Bacteria‘ and the abstracts about papaya: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7)

A warning; do not use this mask if you have an allergy to latex, people with a latex allergy are also often allergic to papaya. Enjoy spreading!

Regards Jetske.

(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)

You can also read the blogs ‘Enlarge Pores Stay Enlarged Pores‘
‘Spots. Should I Go to the Doctor or Not?‘
Day and night cream: ‘The Moisturizer’
‘The Perfect Cream?‘