How to Make Your Own Cleansers (DIY)

There’s been more and more talk about how store-bought drugstore products may not contribute to your health as much as the salespeople claim they do—even worse, they might present a health hazard. Go figure! And even though you can find a bajillion of ingredients written on the side of the box, you can never be sure whether that really is all that’s been used to develop these formulas. This goes especially for cleansers—most times you use them on your face, where the skin is incredibly delicate, and can be damaged pretty quickly. For this reason, a growing number of skin-care enthusiasts decide to make their own concoctions in the comfort of their kitchen! Lucky for you, there’s infinite simple recipes you can follow to make your very own in literal seconds.

The Basics

We’ll get to DIY-ing your own facial masks in a second. But first, it’s important to note that before using any kinds of skin products (especially those intended for your face), you must always make sure to properly clean your skin beforehand. This is the only way to make sure you’re not going through your skin-care ritual in vain.

Before applying, clean your face with warm (not hot!) water to get rid of any leftover makeup, creams, or dirt that might be hiding in your pores. It’s also important to do this with clean hands, to avoid spreading any kinds of dust particles. And besides, you know how many germs you pick up every day? Trust me, you don’t want that anywhere near your face. Whenever you decide to clean the mask off, do so with warm water and gently pat your skin (and never, ever rub it).

The Simplest of the Simplest

As I previously mentioned, a couple of seconds is all it takes to make a cleanser that will keep your skin glow all year round. I’m talking about a natural one-ingredient soap alternative.

Oil is the most widely recognizable ingredient that’s used both for cooking, and for cleaning off excess makeup. There’s plenty of reasons for its popularity, of course. It’s easy to use, for one, as you simply rub it into your skin in circular motion with your fingertips. And, naturally, it leaves your skin feeling soft like a baby’s bottom!

Another popular food item is honey. I know, you’d rather eat it with a spoon than put it all over your face, but trust me—there’s plenty of benefits on both ends. It cleans and refreshes your skin, making it glow. If your skin is rather dry, try mixing in a drop of milk. In addition, honey can also be used as a hair mask!

In the dairy section, we tend to grab a cup of regular yogurt and simply slab it onto our skin. As we should—with its cooling ability, yogurt is often used to treat light to mild sunburns. But it can be used outside that particular situation, as it both cleans and nourishes your skin. It makes for a perfect face mask, which you can enrich with a teaspoon of lemon juice or a drop of essential oil.

Now We’re Getting Serious

“Those recipes are boring and overdone,” I hear you say. “Show us something new!”

You want it, you got it. I searched the web for one of the wackiest cleanser recipes, and you best believe I found some. But I want to focus on my favourite, which I was dying to try out myself. It’s also incredibly easy to make at home, as it requires only two ingredients. What are they, you ask?

Well, the first one is pretty standard—a bunch of almonds. However, the second ingredient might turn you off. It’s mayonnaise, and before you unplug your computer to never turn it on again, please keep reading. I know, I know! I’ve gone mad. But hear me out! Mayonnaise is the perfect condiment, as it nourishes your skin, and helps keep it moisturised. It’s especially well-suited for dryer skin, but mayonnaise is not the only reason this cleanser works. (I’ve said mayonnaise one too many times, haven’t I?)

Recipe

Use a food processor to grind about 40 grams of almonds before mixing the powder with 1/8 of a teaspoon of mayonnaise (See? It’s not even that much!). Before using the scrub you’ve just made, consider washing your face with more than just water. Instead, mix in a half of teaspoon of red wine or cider vinegar. Once you put on the mask, let it sit there for 10-15 minutes before washing it off.

One of the recipes included yeast mixed with a little bit of lemon juice and water, while the other was a mixture of charcoal, honey, aloe vera gel, and tea tree essential oil. The first one you’d use as an antioxidant, while the latter would help your get rid of those annoying blackheads. Needless to say, each recipe has its own benefits, and there really exists an infinite number of them.

What about you? What are some of the ways you take care of your skin? Share your tips and tricks down below!