S.O.S. Save Our Skin: DIY Face Mask
To Face Mask, or not to Face Mask? That is the question. Whether it be for exfoliating or pore tightening, for moisturizing or pH balancing, to hydrate dry skin or dry oily skin, a face mask may be the answer.
I recommend homemade organic masks, whatever the type, because the extended shelf-life of store-bought products comes with a price. Added chemicals make them longer lasting, chemicals that have been banned by other countries; chemicals that disrupt your hormones; chemicals that cause cancer; chemicals that overload your detoxifying organs.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Despite its job to protect your insides from the outside, your skin becomes a portal when exposed to unnatural chemicals, like pesticides, herbicides, and preservatives. Your skin absorbs those toxins right into your body.
So, what’s a girl to do? No worries! The Environmental Working Group has taken the guesswork out of selecting a decent facial mask. All you have to do is enter the product in question into their cosmetics database search bar to produce an ingredients list. Each ingredient is rated for harmful effects on the body.
I looked up Freeman Feeling Beautiful Facial Clay Mask, Avocado & Oatmeal (sounds healthy, right?) in the EWG database and found it rated more than moderate as an overall hazard. In case you were wondering what more than moderate hazards are, here is a partial list for this product:
- Allergies/Immunotoxicity
- Skin, eye or lung irritation
- Endocrine disruption
- Developmental/reproductive toxicity
- Neurotoxicity
- Cancer
- Contamination Concerns with Formalhyde
From a face mask? What’s in there besides oatmeal and avocado?
- Diazolindinyl Urea
- Methylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Methylisothiazolinone
You know, you can make your own face mask and not have to worry about what’s in it. For a great Mother-Daughter Spa Night, try this simple DIY exfoliating mask.
DIY Face Mask Recipe
What you will need:
- 2 cups of organic oatmeal
- 2 cups of organic plain yogurt
- Mixing bowl
- 1 tween/teen daughter
- 2 hours of dedicated time (including clean up and conversation)
- 1 camera
- timer
- 2 avocados
Combine the organic oatmeal and organic plain yogurt into a mushy paste. Lovingly smear it across your face and neck. Take pictures of each other in all your glory. Leave the mask on for 20 minutes while you chat with your little darling. Then wash it off with water (or eat it with a little honey). That’s it. That’s all you have to do.
https://www.3fatchicks.com/risks-of-a-routine-beauty-face-mask/
If you don’t want the good times to end, why not enjoy the moisturizing benefits of avocado? Simply mash the yummy part instead of eating it, and spread it on your face and hair. Wrap your hair in a cloth to keep the avocado from making a bigger mess. Wait for 10-20 minutes, rinse… and voila! Shiny hair, softer skin, and no additional chemical load for your body to detoxify. As you clean up, make plans for your next spa date with your daughter.
Last S.O.S. Save Our Skin article discussed how to avoid dangerous chemicals common to lip products. Next week’s S.O.S. Save Our Skin article will explain how to increase your sun protection – safely.
Meanwhile, if you have any other homemade beauty tips, please send them along so we can all share them: info@AwesomeMomTribe.com.
