Homemade masks to soothe your skin in summer

I love face masks. These days, because I’m working from home, I have all the time to experiment with this sort of stuff. So you’ll usually find me hunched in front of my computer furiously typing away with some sort of a gross concoction on my face. But even though these mixes look weird, they are very, very effective. I like a mask that can double up as an exfoliator. I guess in that sense I’m just a traditional Indian girl who loves her ubtans. But if you have acne, then only wash these masks. Don’t rub them to exfoliate as that could aggravate breakouts.

I just felt the need to do this post because I saw so many homemade face mask recipes that would literally burn your skin. I mean tomato and lemon juice? Who comes up with this stuff? 

The recipes below are cooling, soothing, clarifying and nourishing. Try to chill these masks in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before applying so they feel really refreshing. 

Oatmeal, rosewater & turmeric
Mix a couple of tbsp oatmeal with a spoon or two of rosewater till it turns into a paste. Add a just a pinch of turmeric to the mix. You can also mix a bit of yogurt or fresh cream if your skin is dry. Leave on your face till it’s about 60% dry and then rub the mask gently to exfoliate. Oatmeal, rosewater and turmeric are all known to soothe and heal the skin.

Cucumber, aloe & besan
If you skin feels hot and irritated look no further than this. Finely grate a quarter cucumber and drain most of the juice, mix the gel of a two-inch piece of aloe vera and then add a bit of gram flour to make a paste. Keep on your face till almost dry and then rub to exfoliate. 

Fuller’s earth, rosewater, sesame oil & orange peel
I love Fuller's earth (multani mitti) but find that it can be a bit drying on the skin. So mix about 2 tbsp of powdered multani mitti with a splash of sesame seed oil. Then add rosewater to make a paste along with powdered orange peel. This mask will soothe, heal, and add glow. If your skin is super, super oily then replace sesame seed oil with honey. Also don’t let the mask dry fully. Rub or wash off when it's about 70% dry.

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