My 3-Ingredient Inflammation Soothing Face Mask
When it comes to skincare, I definitely consider myself a minimalist. Although my beauty regimen motto used to be “less is a bore”, I found that I was spending way too much money on skincare products that frankly seemed to not do too much for me. It also took waaaay too long!
These days, I only have a few products that I use religiously. In the evening I cleanse and apply a serum and in the morning I rinse my face with cold water and apply moisturizer (in the winter). I also exfoliate about once a week. So as far as my skincare routine goes, it’s not too exciting… except for my self-care Sunday ritual!
I’m a huge proponent of #SelfCareEveryday, but Sundays are a great day to spend a little more time pampering yourself. An hour or two dedicated to journaling, an extra long bath in the evening, an Ayurvedic post-bath massage with warm coconut oil, and of course, face masks. I’ve tried a ton of different face masks and I found that the ones I liked the best were actually the simplest ones!
There’s also something fun about creating your own concoction that totally fits into the self-care Sunday routine. My go-to face mask these days is a super inflammation-soothing masque made with only 3 ingredients: matcha tea powder, Manuka honey, and avocado! These three ingredients are nutrition powerhouses that work together to be anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and even anti-aging!
Let’s talk about the specific ingredients and why they work for this awesome DIY face masque:
avocado
Star nutrients: Vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin C, beta-carotene, chlorophyll, oleic acid
Benefits: The high vitamin E content helps reduce hyper-pigmentation and acne scarring and along with vitamin C, chlorophyll, and beta-carotene, which are also powerful antioxidants, helps fight free radical damage which keeps us looking young and fresh!
matcha
Star nutrients: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), chlorophyll, vitamin C
Benefits: Matcha provides the skin with more vitamin C and chlorophyll to fight redness and signs of aging, but the true superstar in matcha is the EGCG. EGCG is a powerful anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antibacterial antioxidant (say that five times fast) which means it’s incredibly helpful if you have acne-prone skin or any other redness like rosacea. The fine powder consistency also acts as a very gentle exfoliant, leaving you with a more even complexion!
Manuka honey
Star nutrients: methylgloxyl (okay, not a nutrient but definitely a skin superstar), vitamin B, vitamin C, live enzymes
Benefits: First of all, make note that substituting regular, raw, or organic honey in this masque will not give you the same benefits as Manuka honey. Manuka honey is another antioxidant-rich superfood that is great for soothing redness, signs of aging, acne-prone skin, etc. The methylgloxyl is a strong antibacterial compound which nourishes the skin’s microbiome and prevents acne. Manuka honey is also a humectant, which means it draws moisture from the environment and leaves your skin feeling soft and moisturized for hours after use. The live enzymes make your skin nice and soft by breaking down the dead skin cells on the outermost layer of your skin. For dewy and glowing skin, look no further than Manuka honey.
There you have it! Now that you’ve read that, you’re either hungry or ready to get started with your DIY face masque! The super simple recipe is just below. Enjoy!
ingredients:
1 tsp matcha powder
1 tsp Manuka honey (I like Wedderspoon’s brand because they sell 1 tsp honey packets that makes them so easy to measure out, but you can use any brand you like)
1 tbsp avocado, mashed into soft-butter consistency
Directions:
Simply mix the three ingredients into a paste. Apply to your face, massaging your skin as much as possible to stimulate blood flow. Leave on for 20 mins and wash off with warm water.
Do you love making your own face masks or other beauty products? Let us know what your favourites are in the comments section below!
