When it comes to skin care, nothing says L-O-V-E to your face better than a facial. With finals fast approaching and homework piling up during our last full week of classes, why not show yourself some love by indulging in a bit of self-pampering? Smoothing on a cleansing face mask and reclining as it sets with your eyes closed, listening to music or just lost in thought, is a wonderful way to wind down this week.
Now I know (from research, not experience) that a professional spa facial can cost upwards of $60-$80; that’s certainly not what I’m suggesting – though if you have the bills, I say enjoy the frills. For the majority of us surviving off a slender college-student budget, I’ve found four inexpensive, easy and effective D.I.Y. facials for you to try. My friends and I even tested them out this weekend to get you the low-down on each one.
1.The Banana Facial
Try this all-natural face mask to moisturize and soften your skin!
Need it: 1 banana
Buy it: For $0 (grab one from the Caf!)
Make it: Mash up a medium-sized ripe banana into a smooth paste and gently apply it to your face and neck. Let it set for 10-20 minutes, then rinse off with cold water.
Review: My friend Grace tried out this facial and reported that while the mask was drying, “It’s moisturizing and there’s a tingling feeling – like there’s something good going on!” Once she rinsed it off she said her skin felt “really nice” and in retrospect she even liked the feeling of “the squishy banana.” When asked if she would ever try this facial again, Grace said, “Of course! It was a fun one to do!”
2. The Milk Facial
Although the most expensive of our D.I.Y. facials, this recipe works the quickest (it sets, or dries, on skin very rapidly) and is odorless. Try it for fresh, rejuvenated skin!
Need it: 1/4 – 1/3 cup powdered milk
Buy it: For $4.95 at Cub Foods
Make it: Mix a mask by combining 1/4 cup powdered milk with enough water to form a thick paste. Thoroughly coat your face with the mixture and let dry completely. Rinse with warm water. (I found about 1/3 cup of powdered milk made the paste thicker than 1/4, but you can play around with measurements.)
Review: I tested this facial out and absolutely loved it! While it was applied to my skin, it felt cool and fresh and dried in less than 10 minutes. (It also dried incredibly rapidly, hence the photo – I couldn’t move my mouth to smile!) I also liked that there was no smell. After I rinsed it off, my skin honestly looked incredible – clear and clean. I felt very refreshed! I would definitely do it again (and luckily, I can; a pro of the rather pricey bag from Cub is that it provides enough powdered milk for about 8 facials.)
3. The Oatmeal Facial
This facial is perfect for normal to oily skin! It sooths skin and absorbs excess oil.
Need it: 1/3 cup oatmeal, 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
(*1 small egg white optional)
Buy it: For $0 (I had oatmeal and yogurt already; packets of honey are free at the Cage!)
Make it: Combine 1/2 cup hot – not boiling– water and 1/3 cup oatmeal. After the water and oatmeal have settled for two to three minutes, mix in 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1 small egg white. (We chose to leave out the egg white and it still worked!) Apply a thin layer of the mixture to your face, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse with warm water.
Review: My friend Emily tried this facial and reported: “It was nice when you put it on, it was creamy and warm.” After she rinsed it off she said her skin felt soft and smooth. She added, “It didn’t dry my skin out like a lot of face soaps do! And I feel like it absorbed a lot of oil. I like it!” Would she do it again? “I would!”
[Photo: Emily (left) with Oatmeal Facial; Lucy (right) with Yogurt Facial]
4. The Yogurt Facial
This cooling face mask cleanses skin and tightens pores!
Need it: 1 cup plain yogurt
Buy it: For $1 at Cub Foods, plain Greek yogurt
Make it: Slather some plain yogurt on your face and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.
Review: I also tried this facial which was cool and refreshing. Even though the Milk Facial was great, I like the Yogurt Facial even more! The best part: after I rinsed it off my pores were visibly reduced! Especially on my nose which I consider my trouble spot. I would definitely do this facial again!
Beauty Blooper:
Now that I’ve shared four great D.I.Y. facials, I also want to share one terrible D.I.Y. facial. Unfortunately for me, I found the Mayonnaise Facial from the same source as those above. Without reason to doubt, I gave this a try as well. I do NOT recommend it…
Don’t Try: The Mayonnaise Facial
This icky face mask does nothing but irritate your skin! Stay away from it!
Don’t need it: 1 jar whole-egg mayonnaise
Don’t buy it: For $2.89 at Cub Foods
Don’t make it…but here is how: Gently spread the mayonnaise over your face and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Then wipe it off and rinse with cool water.
Review: While trying out this facial, I told Emily and Grace “It feels like it’s burning. Maybe not in a bad way?” That should have been clue #1. I also told them, “The one bad thing would be the smell. It smells like a bad picnic.” That should have been clue #2. After 15 minutes (note that the directions say leave it on for 20 minutes) my face was looking unnaturally red and we noticed that the mayonnaise had disappeared from my skin! (The photo was taken once I noticed the mayo had dissappeared – notice how red my face is!) I rushed to the bathroom to wash it off and my face (somehow the mayo had sunk into my skin) was left all red! Luckily, a generous amount of face lotion rescued my day in the end.
I hope you enjoyed these D.I.Y. facials and my D.D.I.Y. (Don’t Do It Yourself) facial. I’d love to hear your reviews if you try any out, or if you have any D.I.Y. facials of your own to share, leave a comment below!
Remember, have fun with it!
xoxo Lucy
*Facial recipes from: http://www.rd.com/home/9-soothing-facial-masks-from-the-kitchen/