Should You Use A Face Mask For Acne?   by Charlice Kupfer

in Health / Skin Care    (submitted 2011-09-06)

Acne is probably one of the biggest skin problems we regularly face. It not only affects us as teenagers but also continues to plague our adult lives at times. People often buy many different types of expensive facial products in an attempt to clear up their acnes. Of course, one of the biggest problems is that not a lot of us have enough spare change to spend on these "extras" in life. They're not even guaranteed to work!

Meet do-it-yourself masks, cleansers, and toners! Not only are the ingredients everyday edible products around your home, but they are also less likely to be harmful to your skin because they are so natural. I won't vouch and say that they are as effective or even more effective than the store bought products--it's worth a try though and won't cost you an arm and a leg.

I should warn you ahead of time that the smell of some of these products is quite terrible. I tried some of them before and I couldn't wait to wash it off my face. But since its "natural," I guess that makes up for it? Or maybe I just have a more sensitive nose than most. Of course, you can decide whether you're up for it after I've introduced them.

First, many bloggers introduced this popular DIY mask that is said to solve a lot of acne woes. It is essentially made up of aspirin and honey. According to beauty guru Michelle Phan, aspirins basically contain salicylic acid--which is why they will be effective in clearing your acne. Salicylic acid helps dead skin shed a little easier, targets acne causing bacteria, and constrict pore size to prevent them from being clogged.

Does that term look familiar? If you've used your fair share of store bought acne products, you can probably remember that it's one of the two most common active ingredients in masks, cleansers, and healing gels. The other popular active ingredient is benzyol peroxide. Some people find one medication or the other product more effective on their skin so you'd have to experiment yourself about that.

The good thing about these DIY products is that you're using that same active ingredient for a fraction of the price. If it doesn't work out, I guess you can always put it back in the medicine cabinet.

Aside from aspirin and honey, Bubz of Buzbeauty proposes cider vinegar as a crucial ingredient for her version of face mask for acne and scar reducing mask and toner. Bubz notes that cider vinegar helps break up scar tissue, aids detoxification, and unclogs your pores. Sugar is another ingredient in this mask--it exfoliates the dead skin cells and makes your pores smaller. Honey helps the skin regenerate and green tea contains a lot of the properties of the other ingredients--its main purpose is to help dilute the mask so it's not as concentrated.
Bubz gives a detailed demonstration of how-to's and the storing of the mask and toner.

She also talks about using oatmeal as a cleanser for your skin. Although it seems like it's more for people with dry skin, those with oily skin have seen a positive result--so I think it really just depends on whether oatmeal is your cup of tea. Plus, it's a good excuse to use up that oatmeal I bought when I was sick and hadn't touched since.

While these masks are probably the most natural ones that you can put on your face, please remember any food allergies or medicine allergies that you might have. Keep this in mind when you're shopping for store bought acne clearing products too--it doesn't make sense to worsen a problem just because of carelessness. So be careful when you slap any product on your face!

About the Author

Have you tried any of these homemade face masks for acne or perhaps other DIY ones? What worked and didn't work for you? Share now and discover a more natural acne treatment at http://beauteclaire.com.