Natural Skin Care Mask

Healthy skin is one of the most common health and beauty concerns for people today, and rightfully so. Our skin is our bodies largest organ, and when our skin doesn't look or feel good, it is exposed for the rest of the world to see.

Consequently, there are hundreds of companies selling thousands of products, all vying to have the best selling skin care product. Although this is not inherently bad, many of these companies charge an arm and a leg for products that are chemically based, pose a risk of skin irritation, and damage to the environment.

However, there are effective alternatives to chemical skin care. An all natural, home remedy can often achieve the same results as the chemically based products, but without any of the irritation or side effects.

One of the best forms of natural home skin care are masks. Masks can be made from a wide variety of ingredients at home to achieve whatever your skin care needs are. Furthermore, most of the ingredients are easy to find, and very affordable.

The most popular home made mask is an oatmeal mask It is a simple, completely safe mask, and it works perfectly for people with oily skin. The ingredients are as follows:

1/3 cup of fast cook oatmeal (1-3 minutes)

¼ cup of honey

½ cup of water

Mix the water and the oatmeal together, and cook. Then, set the oatmeal aside to cool and thicken. As it is cooling, mix in the ¼ cup of honey. Once the mask is well mixed and cool, apply a thin even layer to the skin.

Be careful when applying this mask around the eyes. Though completely safe, the oatmeal can cause slight eye irritation. Better yet, place a used tea bag over the eyelids to reduce any redness or eye irritation.

The way this mask works is simple. The oatmeal in the mask is the primary "active" ingredient. It works to absorb excess oil on the skin and in the pores. Oatmeal will also help remove excess skin cells, and exfoliate the skin. The honey is simply there to turn the oatmeal into a pasty, sticky consistency that will adhere to the skin.

Another all natural skin treatment is to use lemon juice to help exfoliate and freshen the skin.

Lemon juice is a fruit acid, AKA Alpha Hydroxy Acid. It works in a similar fashion to salicylic acid, except that it is 100% all natural. It will help exfoliate the skin by reducing the "glue" that causes dead skin cells to stick to the skin.

This is one the simplest masks you can make, and is actually more of a "rinse" than anything. The only ingredients needed are water and lemon juice. Mix 1 part water to 5 parts lemon juice, and massage the solution onto your face. Then, rinse your face with cool water. Make sure to rinse well, because it can cause skin irritation if left on too long.

Even though these are all natural, it is always best to consult a dermatologist before using any skin care treatment. When used properly, these masks are effective alternatives to many of the expensive, chemical products sold in stores.

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and the editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

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