My magnificent 7 for a face mask

Face masks are an ideal way to help care for your skin and its problems. Whether it is home made or store bought, there are certain ingredients I look for in my facial masks.

Now I love to whip up a face mask for myself in the kitchen using fresh ingredients but I know that that isn't everybody's cup of tea. So store bought is your alternative. With the store bought you can choose the dry mix. Personally for me this is another ideal way of customizing your mask. There are several mediums and a wide range of additives that can be used to mix your mask. Then there are the masks that are ready to use. While additives can still be added to these formulations It's best that they are not added to the container itself as it can disrupt the formulation leaving it open to contamination.

Ok. So I have not used a store bought face mask in a very long time but since I'm in the business of formulating my own skin care products I really don't need to. Not to mention I like knowing exactly what is going on my skin. But there are a few ingredients that I would look for in a facial mask that I would like to share with you.

1. Honey - Loaded with antioxidants helping in the removal of free radicals which damage the cells in our skin. It is a natural antiseptic and is an excellent humectant  meaning it has the capability to retain moisture.
   
2. Oats. Oatmeal is great for all skin types especially sensitive skin because of its anti inflammatory properties. It is both a natural exfoliant and moisturizer.
   
3. Avocado. Whether it is fresh off the tree, or in the form of an oil, butter or extract, I consider this to be a luxury pampering ingredient. It is a great source of antioxidant Carotenoids such as alpha carotene, beta carotene, beta-cryptoxanin, zeaxanthin and lutein. These compounds help fight free radicals to provide protection for the skin from environmental damage.
   
4. Cucumbers contain ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and caffeic acid of which both can help soothe skin irritations and reduce swellings. Which is probably why they work so well on puffy tired eyes. 
   
5. Vitamin E is not only a collagen and elastin booster but is also an antioxidant that works to block free radicals form the body that play a role in the ageing process.
   
6. Aloe vera is well know for its soothing qualities. It contains several different vitamins and minerals and is gentle enough to be used on all skin types
   
7. Clay- Natural clays have a cleansing and purifying properties and have been used on the skin for centuries. Knowing your skin type makes it easier to determine which clay is best suited for your skin. They are used to deep clean. Depending on which which ingredients are used with them, their properties may include - removing toxins, increasing circulation, exfoliating, tone and tighten pores, soften and smooth skin, hydrate and moisturize and absorbing excess oil.

Kaolin clay is fine grained with mild absorption properties. It is very gentle on the skin making it ideal for sensitive skin and those with dry to normal skin.It comes in several colours.

French Green Clay often referred to as Sea Clay  and Betonite clay are best suited for oily skin. It is great in cleansing masks with its powerful drawing properties and has the capability of really tightening pores. 

Rose clay is considered to be a type of kaolin clay and gently exfoliates and polishes the skin. This gentle cleansing action makes ideal for people with sensitive skin.

These are some of my go to ingredients in a face mask. Most of which can be found right in the kitchen or garden making it easy to pamper your skin.

 What are some of the ingredient you look for in a face mask?