Facial Masks: Uncover the Benefits of Applying Masks to Your Face!

Facial masks are a great way to condition, clean or treat the skin. With the variety of facial masks you can apply to your skin, anyone can use them for a multitude of benefits. Making your own facial masks at home are great, saving money and using natural products to enhance skin's health.

The type of mask you can use depends on skin condition. Oily skin gets a great benefit out of mud or clay masks, because the ingredients cleanse impurities causing acne. Masks that contain alpha-hydroxy acids act to exfoliate, cleaning away dead skin cells, and hydrating masks are made with anything from glycerin to aromatherapy oils.

Masks from Green Tea help calm irritated skin, especially after a deep cleansing facial. Facial masks are usually left on for no more than 20 minutes, and rinsed off with warm water. After rinsing the facial mask off, apply a thin layer of moisturizer to your face that works best with your skin type.

There are a few basic types of mask you can find in your local beauty supply shop or drugstore. Since dead skin can prevent any type of beneficial treatment when it comes to face masks, a good choice is to use the Scrub-Mask combo. This mask allows you to 'polish' your face first with sugar crystals or fruit, and then the mask ingredients cleanse the new skin.

Cloth masks are a great way to cleanse and moisturize face because you apply the whole mask to your face, and the holes for your nose, mouth and eyes are already removed. By setting the cloth on your face, it allows all the moisture to be locked into the skin, giving it a better chance to really condition the skin.

The next best facial mask to look for is a Self-heating mask. These masks are usually made with clay, and heat up on the face after application. The heat penetrates the skin and pores, allowing them to open up for better cleansing and conditioning. Along with deep cleansing, these masks also help breakdown the amount of dead skin cells for better all around skin care.

If you don't prefer to go out to buy ready-made facial masks, you can make your own at home with leftover ingredients or natural foods. Since natural is always better, you can make these masks without all the chemicals or drying agents found in masks on the shelves. Most masks can be made with fruit, sugar or oatmeal, but added benefits can be made with the addition of aromatherapy oils. While they are not necessary in most cases, the aroma leads to a more relaxing facial mask, and some actually do wonders for the facial skin

Here are a few recipes for common skin types:

Mask for Dry Skin
(Fat from the Avocado is very hydrating, as well as natural honey)
½ avocado
¼ cup honey
Mix these ingredients together and apply to the face for about 20 minutes, and rinse off with a warm cloth.

Mask for Oily Skin
(Lemon and Strawberries both work as astringents, helping to remove extra oil from the skin.)
1 tsp lemon juice
2 egg whites
2 tsp honey
1 cup strawberries
Mix these ingredients and leave on for about 10 minutes, and then rinse off with a warm cloth

Mask for Aging Skin
(Since sugar is used to gently exfoliate, it works best with maturing skin, as well as softening the lines caused by aging.)
3 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp warm water
Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, and do not use until done. Sugar can be harsh for thinning skin, so make sure it is completely mixed in with the water. Apply the water to the face and massage to increase circulation for about 5 minutes. When you are done, rinse the face and pat dry.