It’s probably no surprise to hear recent reports suggesting that in 2020 there’s been a dramatic decrease in makeup and perfume sales. I’m almost embarrassed to admit how many days I’ve gone without makeup! Instead, people seem to be searching the web for skincare solutions and spending their money on skincare, hair products, and overall self-care products.
With mandatory mask-wearing mandates in effect across the country and never-ending stay-at-home orders in place, most of us are adapting a whole new approach to self-grooming and self-care in 2021.
With natural skin care products and a few easy-to-find natural ingredients you might already have in your kitchen or bathroom, you can easily do a rejuvenating DIY facial at home by yourself using only natural ingredients.
Benefits of Facials and Facial Treatments
The primary benefit of doing regular facial treatments is to promote a healthy skin barrier. Regular facial treatments can help maintain your skin’s look and feel by clearing any clogged pores of dirt or oil, sloughing off dead skin cells, and toning and hydrating the skin.
Facial massages are often involved in facials treatments and can help reduce stress when focused on pressure points. Massaging the skin can also improve blood circulation and promote collagen production in the area. Stress reduction plays a very important role in our general wellness and appearance.
Since we’ve all been quarantining at home for most of the year, exploring new ways to treat and take care of ourselves is becoming increasingly more important each day.
Keep reading to find out simple the steps and natural skin care recipes for DIY facials at home using natural ingredients.
How to Do DIY Facial at Home Using Natural Ingredients in 6 Steps
Step 1: Cleanse
The first step in any facial treatment is to make sure your skin is nice and clean.
Based on your skin type, pick a natural cleanser that works for you, and wash away any makeup, dirt, and grime.
Double cleansing is recommended as the extra cleanse ensures any residue or grime will be washed off of your skin.
Start your cleanse with a natural cleansing oil like Mamonde Micro Deep Cleansing Oil or a micellar water like Bioderma – Hydrabio H2O – Micellar Water to breakdown and remove makeup and impurities on the skin.
Next, double cleanse with a natural cleanser like Youth To The People – Kale Superfood Cleanser then use a facial cleansing brush for a final deep cleanse.
The Foreo Luna 3 – Smart Facial Cleansing Brush is a popular facial cleansing brush that comes in a variety of different sizes and is available for different skin types.
In addition to the basic cleansing mode common with facial cleansing brushes, the Foreo Luna 3 has an anti-aging mode specially designed to target fine lines and wrinkles- making it our favorite facial cleansing brush.
Note: If you have a skin condition like eczema or severe acne or if you’ve had any skin treatments like botox, please consult your dermatologist before using a facial cleansing brush.
Step 2: Facial Steam
Once your skin is cleansed, the next step in your DIY facial is facial steam.
Facial steaming loosens any remaining dirt or oil under the surface of the skin to allow nutrient-rich skincare ingredients to penetrate your skin deeper and be more effective.
DIY Facial Steam Method
What You'll Need:
- pot (or bowl) of boiling water
- (optional) 2-4 drops essential oil
Instructions:
- 1. Carefully lean over the pot of boiling water with a towel over your head, trapping the steam inside
- 2. Steam for 3-5 minutes
Facial steaming machines are great to use as well. I use the NanoSteamer PRO Facial Steam at home. I love this particular facial steamer because it’s a 3-in-1 beauty device- facial steamer, humidifier, and towel warmer (never thought I’d use a towel warmer at home til I had this!)
Step 3: Exfoliate
The next step is to exfoliate your skin to remove old and dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, revealing new, fresh skin.
Our skin cells regenerate naturally, and while they do so every 30 days on average when we’re young, this process takes longer as we age.
Exfoliation speeds up the process.
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Physical Exfoliation
To physically exfoliate your skin, you can use exfoliating beauty tools, such as derma rollers, dry brushes, loofahs, as well as exfoliating scrubs.
You can easily make a natural exfoliating scrub for a DIY facial with natural ingredients you might already have around the house.
Natural Exfoliating Scrub Recipe
Ingredients:
- ½ cup coffee grounds
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions:
- 1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until well combined
- 2. Wet your face
- 3. Scoop as much as you need and gently scrub your face in a circular motion
- 4. Do this for 3-4 minutes and then rinse
The DERMAFLASH – LUXE Device Exfoliating + Hair Removal Beauty Tool is a useful dermaplaning beauty tool you can use to remove dead skin cells and peach-fuzz from the surface of your skin.
Chemical Exfoliation
Chemical exfoliation uses chemicals and natural acids like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs), and retinoids to remove dead cells from the skin and bring new, healthy skin to the surface.
AHAs are natural plant or animal-derived acids that are proven to help reduce the signs of hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone.
The most popular AHAs are glycolic acid, lactic acid, and mandelic acid, with glycolic being the strongest and mandelic being mild.
If you are new to chemical exfoliation, go with a mild concentration and slowly work your way up as stronger ones may be too harsh and cause over-exfoliation.
BHAs are oil-soluble acids that reach deep down into your pores, unclogging them by drying out excess sebum, dirt, and bacteria. BHAs are generally used to treat acne and enlarged pores.
Salicylic acid is the most popular BHA and is available in various strengths.
Retinoids are a form of Vitamin A used to treat aging skin and acne by keeping free radicals away and increasing collagen production. The most common and well-known form of retinoids is retinol.
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Step 4: Face Mask
After your facial steaming session, apply a facial mask that’s suitable for your skin type to soothe and hydrate.
To learn more about what type of face mask is best for your skin type, check out this informative article at paulaschoice.com.
Basic rules of thumb for face masks:
- If you have dry or dehydrated skin, go for a hydrating mask or sheet masks. For mature skin, I’ve been loving the Talika Bio Enzymes Anti-Aging Mask
- If you have oily or acne-prone skin, choose something to control oil production and calm or soothe irritated, angry skin like the New York Biology Dead Sea Mud Mask for Face and Body
Natural Face Mask Recipe for Dry or Dehydrated Skin
Ingredients:
- ½ an avocado
- 1 tablespoon honey
- a handful of oats or oat bran
Instructions:
- 1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until well combined
- 2. Apply mask to your face
- 3. Leave mask on for 15-30 minutes then rinse off with warm water
Natural Face Mask Recipe for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon manuka honey
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon dead sea salt
Instructions:
- 1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until well combined
- 2. Apply mask to your face
- 3. Leave mask on for 15-30 minutes then rinse off with warm water
Natural Face Mask Recipe for Oily, Enlarged Pores
Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions:
- 1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until well combined
- 2. Apply mask to your face
- 3. Leave mask on for 15-30 minutes then rinse off with warm water
Step 5: Tone
Use a natural facial toner to balance your skin’s pH level after washing off your facial mask.
Dampen a cotton pad with a natural toner, dab it gently all over your face, and then let your skin air dry.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Facial Toner
Another natural way to tone your face is to use a beauty tool like the NuFACE Advanced Facial Toning Kit.
This handheld beauty tool is a microcurrent facial toning device used to improve facial contour, tone facial muscles, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by using microcurrent energy to stimulate areas of your face.
Essentially, this facial toning device gives your face muscles a workout- resulting in tighter skin and toned face.
NuFACE makes a NuFACE Facial Hydrating Leave-On-Formula Gel Primer to apply on your face before using the device, but you can use any toner you choose to get better penetration while using the NuFACE device.
Step 6: Moisturize
The last step of your facial at home is to moisturize your skin and seal in all the natural and nourishing ingredients you’ve applied as well as provide your skin with necessary hydration.
Natural Honey and Glycerin Moisturizer Recipe for Dry Skin
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons glycerin
- 2 teaspoons green tea
Instructions:
- 1. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until well combined
- 2. Massage moisturizer all over your face and neck
- 3. Enjoy!
Notes:
* Use this homemade natural moisturizer as a face mask. To do this, apply an even, thin layer on your face and leave on for 30-60 min (or overnight).
* Honey and glycerin moisturize your skin while lemon is added to brighten it. Green tea soothes and calms your skin while keeping away bacteria or infection.
Natural Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- 1. Melt shea butter (in microwave or double-boil on stovetop) to a liquid and add the jojoba oil
- 2. Add jojoba oil to melted shea butter
- 3. Mix the 2 together well and keep it in the fridge for about an hour until it solidifies
- 4. After the mixture turns to a solid, apply to your face and enjoy
Notes:
* Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil and whip it to a creamy texture
* Store in a mason jar in a cool, dry place
* You could replace jojoba oil with hemp seed oil if you prefer
* Shea butter is non-comedogenic, which means it won’t clog pores or cause breakouts- which makes it suitable for most people with oily and acne-prone skin
*PRO TIP: After your DIY facial at home, make sure to use a high SPF sunscreen when going outside as your skin will be more sensitive than usual due to the exfoliation. A good sunscreen will prevent any damage that can be caused by harmful UV rays.
ONE MORE NATURAL SKIN CARE RECIPE BEFORE YOU GO!
Check out this YouTube video from ModaMob below and watch how to easily combine coconut oil and loose green tea for a super hydrating DIY natural moisturizer at home.
