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Kitchen beauty: Choosing fresh ingredients for your face mask

My favourite part about mixing up a face mask is when i get to choose which fresh ingredients to add to it. And although the Deity Skin Turmeric & Activated Charcoal Face Mask will work its magical anti-inflammatory and detoxifying wonders if you had to just mix it with water and smear it onto your face, there is so much more fun to be had if you were to conjure up a unique concoction personalized to your skin's specific needs in the comfort of your kitchenette. 

It's good to switch between different ingredients too, using them for their skin-nourishing benefits to better equipped your skin to look and feel its best all year round, no matter the weather. In winter I found masking was the only way to add intense hydration to my face. For summer, I expect it to be all about controlled oil production and a dewy glow. Here is a list of all the fresh ingredients you can - and should! - add to your face mask. Some aren't vegan, but most of them are! 


Seems obvious, right? But i bet you never thought about it. Cucumber is especially good for oily, inflamed or even sunburnt skin. Blend a quarter of a cucumber until mushy, then mix together with a spoonful of mask powder to help sooth and cool any inflammation. 


Apple Cider Vinegar is a powerful natural skin toner and pH balancer that's also anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. Just a drop mixed with water and a spoonful of mask powder will give you the healing benefits that ACV has been used for since the time of Helen of Troy. 


High in monounsaturated fatty acids, which maintains moisture in the epidermal layer of your skin, avocado can assist in keeping skin soft and hydrated after applied to skin. Just as if you were making guacamole, save a spoonful of avo to mix in with your face mask.


It's anti-bacterial, rich in anti-oxidants, and moisturizes your skin, making it great for dry and dehydrated skin types. Just a teaspoon mixed in with an equal amount of mask powder is enough. 

If you're buying your honey from a local bee farmer rather than the supermarket, then I approve. Remember, honey is an animal byproduct. So if the bees aren't producing, you aren't getting any.


It makes for a powerful acne and blemish treatment and a little goes a long way. Half a teaspoon mixed with your mask is enough to benefit from cinnamon's anti-bacterial properties. 

Green Tea 

The antioxidants present in green tea help to detox the skin and brighten your complexion. It's anti-inflammatory too, which will promote healing of blemishes and scars. I usually brew a cup and then measure out a few teaspoons to add into my face mask and drink the rest. 


Plain, full-fat yogurt contains lactic acid and hydrating lipids that work to gently exfoliate and soften the skin. Two spoonfuls will do the trick, mixed with some mask powder for added benefits, here is how to do it: with the back of a spoon apply a thick layer of the mask mixture to your face and wait 10-15 minutes before revealing the magic. 

Citrus Fruits - Grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime 

Squeeze the juice of any of these acidic fruits into your face mask to promote the growth of new skin cells. It makes for a good anti-aging treatment, since citrus fruits contain citric acid and vitamin C, which gently exfoliates, brightens complexion and dissolves dirt and excess oil. It's good for for oily, blemish prone skin, or if you have dark spots, scars or pigmentation.

Sweet Almond Oil 

Besides keeping your skin feeling soft and moisturized, almond oil will help to cleanse pores, by gently dislodging debris from deep within. Due to it's high vitamin A content, it can also help to keep acne away for good.

Coconut Water

Apart from its hydrating benefits, externally, coconut water is a great anti-aging treatment due to its high content of lauric acid that helps to protect skin from future infections. Replace any other liquids that you're mixing your mask with for coconut water instead help protect and heal the skin. 

Aloe Vera 

A natural humectant, meaning it can retain and preserve moisture in the skin, aloe vera will hydrate and calm dull, dry or irritated skin. 


Just a small amount of any of these ingredients will enhance your face mask ritual. Combining a few to treat your skin issues is a great way to connect with your body, understand what it needs and treat it accordingly. If you have sensitive skin, it's always a good idea to be cautious of strong ingredients like ACV and citrus. 

Which of these ingredients will you be adding to your next face mask?

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