A face mask can work wonders for the skin and is a lovely way to relax and pamper yourself at the same time. They are also really quick and easy to make at home with a few basic ingredients. So, not only do you spend less money but you also know exactly what's going in to your product (i.e. no nasty chemicals), and you can tailor it exactly to your own particular skin type and needs.

Depending on the ingredients that you choose, a face mask can help to:-

• eliminate impurities and dead skin cells
• refine the pores
• control excess oil
• treat blemishes
• soften, nourish and hydrate the skin
• tighten and tone the skin
• reduce the appearance of fine lines
• calm and soothe sensitive or irritated skin

Natural Clays

Natural cosmetic clays are a key 'base' ingredient in many face masks. We sell two types of clay here at Base Formula.

French Green Clay (Bentonite) has long been used for beauty treatments and is a now commonly used for therapeutic face masks. It is mined from bedrock quarries in France and is rich in phyto-nutrients and therapeutic minerals including magnesium, potassium, silica, calcium, selenium, aluminum, titanium, sodium and phosphorus. The clay is highly absorbent, helping to draw out toxins and impurities from the skin. It also helps to remove dead skin cells, tones the skin and refines the pores. It is particularly beneficial for oily and acne prone skin.

White Kaolin Clay (Kaolinite), also known as China or White Clay, is the mildest of all the natural clays. It is rich in calcium, silica, zinc and magnesium which help to promote healthier, younger looking skin. It has a gentle cleansing and exfoliating action and also helps to stimulate blood circulation to the skin – resulting in a softer, smoother, more radiant complexion.  It is suited to all skin types but is particularly recommended for dry or sensitive skin as it doesn't ‘strip’ the skin of its natural oils.

For a very simple face mask, both of the above clays can be mixed to a paste with a little water or can be blended with one of our Hydrolats or Aloe Vera Gels for additional therapeutic effects. 

Essential Oils

Adding essential oils to your face mask can really help boost the condition of your skin. Here are some of the most popular choices of oil by skin type:

• Normal Skin: German Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rose, Rosewood
• Dry Skin: German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwood
• Sensitive Skin: German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Helichrysum, Melissa, Neroli, Rose
• Mature Skin: Carrot Seed, Roman Chamomile, German Chamomile, Frankincense, Myrrh, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood
• Oily/Blemished Skin: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Cypress, Geranium, Grapefruit, Juniperberry, Lavender, Myrtle, Niaouli, Palmarosa, Tea Tree, Ylang Ylang

We would generally recommend using a maximum of different 3 oils in any one blend and adding a total of 1 drop for every 5ml of base product e.g. 10 drops total in 50ml of base.

Other popular face mask ingredients

There are a range of other 'kitchen' ingredients that can also be used to nurture your skin. These include avocados, cucumber, eggs, honey, lemons, milk, oats and yoghurt. 

Our consultant aromatherapist, Joannah Metcalfe, has suggested 3 recipes to get you started...

Clarifying Face Mask for Oily/Combination Skin

• 1 tsp plain live yoghurt (ideally organic).
• 2 tbsp pinhead oatmeal
• Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon (unwaxed and organic if possible)
• 1 tbsp Ultra Fine French Green Clay
• 2 drops Cypress, 2 Tea Tree and 4 Lavender

Grind the oatmeal to a powder in a mortar and pestle. Add the lemon zest, juice, yoghurt, green clay and mix to a paste. Yoghurt is used as the lactic acid content has an antibacterial action on the skin - it is a neutral ingredient so feel free to add as much as you need to achieve the right consistency. The mixture needs to be thick enough to be able to stick to your skin. Finally add your essential oils and mix thoroughly. Apply a layer to the face (avoiding the delicate eye area) and leave on for approx 10-15 minutes. Remove with a cloth and warm water, then splash the face with cold water. Tone and moisturise as normal.

You can watch Joannah make this mask in our You Tube clip below. 

Nourishing Mask for Mature / Dry Skin

• 1 tsp Jojoba Oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Coconut Butter
• ½ v ripe avocado mashed
  
• 3 drops Neroli and 2 Frankincense

Melt the Extra Virgin Coconut Butter and combine with the Jojoba Oil and honey. Then mix in your mashed avocado with a hand whisk, and give it a good whisk up to create light mousse like texture, adding the essential oils towards the end of the mixing process. Apply to the face (avoiding eye area). Leave for 10-15 mins then remove with a cloth and warm water. Splash your face with cold water and tone and moisturise as normal.

This mask is great for skin that looks tired, where fine lines are starting to appear and where the skin needs plumping up/ stimulating. Honey is an amazing tonic for the skin, as it is antibacterial and contains many helpful nutrients. It is also an excellent emollient and lubricant for the skin, helping it to stay hydrated.

In addition to the mask, make sure that you drink more water and increase your intake of essential fatty acids (found in oily fish, nuts and seeds). Cook with coconut oil as this is more tolerant to heat and doesn't change its nature and become bad for your health like other oils, which can contain a lot of hydrogenated fats.

General Complexion Booster for Normal Skin

• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp Kaolin Clay
• 1 whipped egg yolk
• 1 tsp Jojoba Oil
• 1 tsp Vitamin E Oil
• 3 drops Geranium and 1 Rosemary

Whip the egg yolk for a few minutes and add the honey, Jojoba and Vitamin E. Then gradually mix in the Kaolin Clay with hand whisk. Add the essential oils at the end, mix thoroughly and gently massage the mixture onto face and neck (avoiding the eye area). Leave on for a minimum of 10 minutes, although this mask can be left on for up to half an hour. Remove with warm water and a flannel and then splash the face with cold water. Tone and moisturise as normal.

This is a fantastic natural tonic that smoothes the skin and stimulates flood flow to create a healthy glow. It smells divine and is great to use before a night! Not only will it boost your complexion but Geranium and Rosemary are both stimulants, which will also help to boost your energy for the night ahead!

We hope you enjoy these recipes.

Joannah Metcalfe
Consultant Aromatherapist

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