Notes by Nourish

As part of our beauty series, today we’re covering foodie facemasks!
In this blog, we’re about to uncover the beautifying qualities of a handful of ingredients you have right there in your kitchen. And there’s some real good’ns I tell ya!

So why are we raiding the kitchen cupboards?  I shall explain…

The quality of the ingredients you put on your skin is equally as important as the foods you eat. Since your skin is your biggest organ, anything you put on your skin is going to be absorbed by your body.

Around 70% of what you put on your skin will be absorbed straight into your bloodstream. And that includes those nasty toxins found in commercial cosmetics, face washes, lotions and potions.

You wouldn’t eat them, so why would you put them on your skin?

Using natural, chemical-free (delicious) ingredients on your skin is the best way to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise and detoxify your skin. This results in naturally brighter, glowing, radiant skin!

So, are you ready to break open the kitchen cupboards and smother yourself in their delicious contents? Good! Then let’s get messy!

Mask 1: Avocado and Honey Mask

Each of the ingredients within this mask has unique properties that work really well together to deliver an abundance of skin-loving nutrients directly to your skin.

Let’s delve in a little deeper and find out more:

Avocado 

Avocados are rich in skin-loving anti-ageing antioxidants including vitamin A, C, and E. Plus, they contain delicious healthy fatty acids that all work wonderfully to nourish your skin.
They also contain potassium which helps to keep your skin nicely moisturized and hydrated. Then we have glutathione which assists in the anti-ageing process – bring on the avocados people!

Apple cider vinegar 

I love what apple cider vinegar can do for the skin! 
It can help:

• restore your skin to its proper pH level
• reduce inflammation on the skin
• with its antibacterial properties, it can help remove excess dirt and grime from the skin that can clog pores and promote breakouts
• helps to make your face feel smoother and brighten your skin tone. 

Raw Honey

• Raw honey has natural antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. This is what makes it a helpful natural remedy to remove acne-causing bacteria from your skin and soothe inflamed bumps.
• Interestingly, honey can even help assist skin repair (especially Manuka honey). Manuka honey is also great for skin repair, promoting skin regeneration, repairing cellular damage and reducing scarring. Check out my blog on Manuka honey here.
• Honey helps as a natural spot treatment and can really brighten up your skin tone.

You can use raw honey in recipes like this one, or you can use it on its own as a natural face mask.

Uncooked Oatmeal 

Oats are amazing for your complexion as they have an abundance of antioxidants, great moisturising and anti-inflammatory properties, and contain a fantastic array of amino acids. As a result, it helps to heal blemishes and repair damaged skin. They are also a marvellous exfoliant to really help you to glow.

Lemon juice 

Lemons have great antibacterial properties and they reduce excess oil on the skin. This helps to keep pores from clogging, making lemons excellent acne fighters.
Lemon juice is also great for brightening the skin and has brilliant antioxidant properties.

Recipe from Nutrition Stripped

Ingredients

• Half an avocado
• ¼ cup uncooked oatmeal
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

Puree or mash-up everything all together and plop on to your face for 15-30 minutes and rinse off.
You may want to apply this over the sink to avoid oats dropping on the floor or in your bed!

Mask 2: Avocado and Orange Face Mask

If you want to make an avocado mask but you don’t have oats or honey, try this version instead by David Wolfe.

Hemp seed oil 

This oil is an amazing oil for the skin and can be consumed or applied externally (or both!) for excellent results.

Hemp oil helps:

• maintain moisture balance in the skin
• prevent skin premature ageing,
• in alleviating certain skin conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis. This is thanks to its nutrient profile and levels of essential fatty acids omega 3 and 6. These are both key components in skin health, helping to reduce inflammation. 

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• 6-7 drops of freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon hemp seed oil

Method

Puree one ripe avocado with 6-7 drops of a freshly squeezed orange and 1 tablespoon of hemp seed oil and massage into your face and neck. Lay down and get comfy and relaxed and let the goodness seep in! Leave on for about 20 minutes

Mask 3: Coconut and Spirulina Facemask

This mask comes from Deliciously Ella and really does leave your skin feeling well cleansed, nourished and moisturised.

The ingredients in this mask work so well together to really help:

• soothe your skin
• remove dead skin cells
• banish blemishes
• moisturise your face
• leave your skin radiant.

So what’s in it?

Spirulina 

Spirulina is a blue-green microscopic algae with a full spectrum of nutrients. It contains vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, chlorophyll and even some essential fatty acids.
Spirulina has high levels of chlorophyll which helps with cleansing thanks to its antibacterial properties, making it a good warrior against acne.

Chlorella 

Chlorella is loaded with skin essential antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a wonderful ingredient to take internally and externally to really get a healthy glow.

Coconut

When applied topically to the skin, a coconut yoghurt face mask will help:

• moisturize
• fight acne
• slow down premature skin aging
• relieve sunburn
• deliver a whack of skin-loving nutrients.
  
  What’s not to love? 

Makes 2 masks

Ingredients

• 1 heaped teaspoon of spirulina
• 1 teaspoon of chlorella
• 2 tablespoons of Coyo coconut yoghurt (or if you prefer, greek yoghurt or milk kefir)
• 2 tablespoons of raw honey
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Method

Place all the ingredients into a bowl and stir them together until they form a smooth mix. Then rub the mask over your face. Leave the mask on for about an hour, during which time it should harden. Finally, wash it off with warm water.

Deliciously Ella, the mastermind behind this recipe likes to wash the mask off with a handful of oats soaked in hot water to give her skin a little exfoliation. Then she finishes off by moisturising with a little coconut oil.

Mask 4: Simple Spirulina Mask

This one is a lot less complicated and requires just 2 ingredients, spirulina and water. 
It’s as easy as that!

Spirulina is a brilliant source of skin-loving nutrients and works well to tighten the skin, unclog and cleanse the pores too.

Simply mix 2 tsp of Spirulina powder with enough water to make a paste and spread over the face. Leave on for 15-30 minutes and rinse off. 

Mask 5 – Matcha Avocado Mask

This mask is somewhat of a mix of all the masks we’ve just covered. It’s got some amazing ingredients that your skin will love you for!

Ingredients

• 2 tsp of green tea powder (Matcha) or spirulina powder
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 tsp raw honey 
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• Half a ripe avocado 

Method

Combine all together in a small bowl and apply to your face. Leave anywhere between 15-45 minutes. Finally, rinse it off over the sink.

Mask 6: Porridge Face

So you might be wondering why I would suggest rubbing porridge all over your face, but trust me, this mask is amazing! And it does absolute wonders for your skin!

Oats are pretty darn amazing for your complexion thanks to their nutrient profile and their exfoliating qualities. They even have great moisturising, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties – all of which help you to glow!
Combined with antibacterial raw honey, and nutrient-rich, skin beautifying banana, this mask will help to:

• relieve tired skin
• soothe inflamed skin
• help combat any blemishes or spots

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of oats
• Half a ripe banana
• 1 teaspoon of raw honey

Method

Mash the banana with a fork and mix in the oats and honey. Generally, it’s recommended you do this by hand rather than doing it in a blender as it will become too runny and just slide off your face. Then you won’t really get a scrub or an exfoliation!

Standing over a sink, massage the scrub into your skin for a few minutes in circular motions, allowing the oats to naturally fall off your face and into the sink. Leave the rest of the mask on for about an hour, then wash off with warm water and pat dry.

Previously on the Beauty Blog Series

• Starting From The Inside Out: Why Skin Problems Are Often An Internal Issue | 1
• Starting From The Inside Out: Why Skin Problems Are Often An Internal Issue | 2
• 5 Natural Home Remedies for Acne

Have you tried any of these tips yourselves? Do you have any of your own natural beauty tips?

Emily Nöth

Any questions? Drop into your local Nourish store to chat with our expert team and explore our full range of foods, supplements and skincare. You can also find our full product range in our online store.

Follow (and chat with us) on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to our weekly Nourish newsletter.

*Please note that while we are knowledgeable about our products and nutrition, this blog should never be a substitute for medical advice and attention

Please remember that you should always obtain the all-clear from your doctor before starting any new supplement plan or diet if you’re on any medication