8 DIY Facial Treatments You Can Make With Things You Already Have

It’s been a rough year. (That’s the understatement of the century.)

If you’re like many people, you probably haven’t seen the inside of a spa in months — ironically during a time when we could use a little pampering the most.

But even though it may not be safe to step inside the spa just yet, you still deserve to treat yourself.

Fortunately, you can make your own scrubs, cleansers, masks and more using ingredients that are likely already in your fridge or pantry. These recipes will help you get that spa day glow without spending spa day dollars.

Give yourself a full spa day at home by pairing one or two of these DIY treatments with a few suggestions from this list.

Chocolate Orange Sugar Scrub

Good for: Dry, winter skin

This scrub will exfoliate away your dry skin cells, revealing the smooth, soft, fresh skin below. Use it once a week to keep your face full of moisture, according to Essie Button, a former esthetician and makeup artist.

This recipe will yield eight ounces, so you’ll have enough for one large jar or two smaller ones.  (And by the way, this recipe smells good enough to eat.)

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp finely grated orange peel
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Gently exfoliate your skin, then rinse.

Coconut Oil Hydrator

Good for: Dry cuticles

Dry cuticles can be annoying and unsightly, but a coat of coconut oil can soften them up nicely. The cuticles and skin absorb the fat in the coconut oil, which prevents the cuticles from looking and feeling dry, according to Kryz Uy, a beauty expert and writer.

Coconut oil also contains Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant with protective properties.

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• Plastic wrap

Directions Apply a small amount to your fingertips, then wrap the plastic around them. Leave for 10 minutes. Rub the oil into your skin and rinse off the surplus.

Honey and Lemon Mask

Good for: Acne and blackheads

Honey has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, while the lemon removes dead skin cells and clears acne and blackheads, according to Toby Dash, a blogger at Five Star Skin Care, focused on skincare, health and beauty.

Make sure to do a patch test before trying this one, as both lemon and honey have been found to irritate some skin types. (If you have sensitive skin, avoid this mask altogether.)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey

Directions: Squeeze the lemon into the honey and mix. Apply to your clean, dry face and leave it for up to five minutes. Wash it off with warm water.

Oatmeal Face Mask

Good for: Sensitive, reactive or redness-prone skin

Oats contain avenanthramides, which can have antihistamine-like benefits, says Cheryl Woodman, a scientist, skin expert and skincare formulator based in the United Kingdom. There’s also evidence that oats may help balance skin pH, which is vital for calm, happy skin.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oatmeal
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Water (just enough to make a paste)

How to use it: Blend the oatmeal, and add the baking soda. Add enough water to make the paste. Apply the paste to clean, dry skin. Leave it for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse off.

Directions: Mix the ingredients and apply to your face and neck. Leave for one minute before gently rinsing your face with water.

Tea Tree Oil Cleanser

Good for: Acne, inflammation and dermatitis

Tea tree oil is a popular ingredient for homemade facial cleansers, says James Morgan, editor at Get Rid of Things. You can get tea tree oil at any grocery store, health food store and most drug stores.

Ingredients: 

• 10 drops of tea tree oil
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• A few drops of coconut milk or coconut oil (skip this if acne is a concern for you)

Directions: Mix and apply once or twice a day to your face. Rinse off with warm water.

Turmeric Mask

Good for: Hyperpigmented skin

This mask helps brighten, tighten, condition and moisturize the skin, says Keione Gordon, a medical aesthetician and co-owner of Zenobia Skin.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp aloe vera gel

Directions: Mix the ingredients together and spread the mask on your clean, dry face. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Warm Milk Soak

Good for: Dry hands

This soak softens hard-working hands, says Uy. The fat in the milk (especially whole milk) softens the skin, while Vitamins A and E nourish it.

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of whole milk (you may need more if you have larger hands)

Directions: Heat the milk to room temperature — or you can pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it slightly warm. Soak your hands for at least 5 to 10 minutes, and then rinse them off.

Yogurt and Lemon Lotion

Good for: Dry skin

Yogurt is rich in lactic acid, which helps lighten and cleanse the skin, while the Vitamin C in lemon brightens your skin, according to Dash, who created this recipe.

However, as with our other recipe that includes lemon, you may want to skip this if you have sensitive skin. And be sure to try a patch test on your skin before going full throttle with this lotion.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 1 tsp of lemon

Directions: Mix the ingredients and apply them to your face and neck. Leave it on for 1 minute before gently rinsing it off with water.

Danielle Braff is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.

---

---