11 Aesthetician-Approved “DIY” Face Masks

Celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy

Skin Brightening and Hydrating Mask
Ingredients:

Dry:

2 tablespoons of Fuller’s Earth Clay
½ teaspoon of lemon peel powder
½ teaspoon of licorice root powder
¼ teaspoon of vitamin C powder
¼ teaspoon of green tea extract powder

Liquid:

3 drops of lemon (or lime) essential oil
Aloe vera juice if you want your mask to be soothing and healing

OR

Greek yogurt for a mask that’s purifying and cleansing

OR

Raw honey if you need a mask that’s more nourishing and softening 

“Mix the dry ingredients in a glass bowl until combined. Next add the essential oil.  Slowly add in the rest of the liquid ingredients until the mixture becomes a smooth, thick paste. You only need enough to give the formulation a creamy, peanut butter-like texture. Apply the mask to your face and neck for approximately 15 minutes; just don’t let the mask fully dry. Remove the mask with a warm, wet washcloth. This can be done twice a week and leaves you with brighter and more hydrated skin.”

Kate Somerville, Founder of Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts

Flaxseed Mask
Ingredients:

½ cup of plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of ground flax seed meal

“Mix ingredients together in a bowl using a spoon and then apply the mask to your face with a facial brush. Massage in for 30 seconds and let it sit for up to two minutes. The naturally occurring Lactose in the yogurt will help dissolve dead skin cells. The honey works as a natural anti-microbial and hydrates the skin. The ground flaxseed meal acts as a physical exfoliant and gently lifts away dead skin cells.”

Beverly Hills celebrity aesthetician Gina Mari

Lemon and Oatmeal Mask
Ingredients:

½ cup of uncooked rolled oats
4 tablespoons of lemon juice

(Honey is optional and helps tighten oily skin) 

“Start off by blending these two ingredients together until you have a paste. Apply to skin and leave for about five to 10 minutes. This mask can be used one to two times per week.”

“This recipe is perfect for those with oily skin. Lemon will tighten and tone and will reduce the appearance of your pores to prevent a build up of dirt and oil. Lemon is also a brightening agent for pigmentation and acne scars. Add honey to any mask or mixture to tighten oily skin.”

New York City aesthetician Mandy Epley

The Cystic-Acne Fighter
Ingredients:

Organic apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon of Turmeric powder
1 tablespoon of organic, raw Manuka honey
Raw Milk

“First, use the vinegar as an astringent. Simply apply to a cotton ball and swipe all over the skin. Wait about five minutes before you apply the mask. Mix the Turmeric powder with the Manuka honey. Use your clean hands, a fan brush, or a large Popsicle stick to apply the mask. Leave on for 15 minutes. Use a baby washcloth to remove. If the turmeric powder leaves a yellowish tint on the skin, simply take a cotton ball soaked in raw milk and go over the stained areas”.

“This mask provides incredible relief of inflamed, cystic-type acne with all the antiseptic and antibacterial properties in the ingredients. This mask can be done twice a week.”

Celebrity aesthetician Susan Ciminelli 

Honey and Yogurt Mask
Ingredients:

½ cup full fat Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons of raw honey

“Mix the two ingredients, make sure to blend well. Apply to clean skin. Leave the mask on for 20 minutes. Remove with a warm, damp washcloth. This can be done three times a week. The lactic acid in this mask will naturally peel away dead cells and the honey will draw moisture into the skin while protecting it from bacterial growth. This mask leaves the skin soft, dewy and fresh!”

Celebrity aesthetician Ildi Pekar

Vitamin Bomb Face Mask
Ingredients:

½ of a Banana
1 Apricot
1 tablespoon of lukewarm water

“First prepare the mask by removing the skin and the seeds from the apricot and then cut it into small pieces. Peel the banana, and cut it into small pieces as well. Mix the two fruits with lukewarm water in a blender (or a mixing bowl with a smashing tool). Mix the ingredients together until there’s a creamy, fluffy texture. Apply the mask to your face, covering everything excluding your eyes, lips and nostrils. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse with cool water.“

“This mask contains vitamins that treat wrinkles, dehydration, and even skin tone and texture. Apricots contain vitamins A, B, and C, which heal damaged skin and help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Apricot is very nourishing and is great for maintaining skin elasticity. Banana is a natural moisturizer since 75 percent of the fruit is water weight. Vitamins C and B6 help with skin elasticity and deliver a healthy glow. Both fruits help fight against aging and improve skin tone and texture, not to mention, it’s very tasty!”

Joanna Vargas, celebrity facialist and founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skincare Collection 

Hydrating and Oxygenating Mask
Ingredients:

¼ cup of yogurt
½ of an avocado
2 tablespoons of Oat Grass Juice or Wheat Grass Juice

“Mix the ingredients and apply to a clean face. Leave it on for 15 minutes. The yogurt is especially good for exfoliation and really soothes the skin. Avocado is hydrating and chockfull of B vitamins. The oat (or wheat) grass juice detoxes and feeds the skin important nutrients. I love this mask because it stimulates your lymphatic system to get rid of toxins and hydrates and oxygenates the skin.”

Celebrity aesthetician Renée Rouleau

Nutmeg and Milk Exfoliating Mask
Ingredients:

½ tablespoon of ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon of whole milk

“Combine nutmeg and milk in a small bowl and stir well. Apply the mask to a freshly washed, makeup-free face. Massage the mixture into your face in small circles. You can also use it on the décolleté as well. Leave the mask on for five to 10 minutes. Rinse well with warm water and pat dry using facial sponges or a washcloth.  Apply moisturizer once you’ve removed the mask.”

“Nutmeg has natural antibacterial and calming properties so it’s good for healing sensitivity. Whole milk offers natural exfoliating, hydrating and soothing properties.”

Beverly Hills aesthetician J’ai Lone

Acne-prone Face Mask
Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of Zinc & Sulphur Masque by J’ai Lone
½ teaspoon of aloe vera
½ teaspoon of powder probiotic (or ½- 1 teaspoon if using low-fat yogurt instead) 
½ teaspoon of Neem powder (use 1 teaspoon if your skin is really broken out)

“Start with the Zinc & Sulphur Masque and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Once everything is blended, I recommend leaving the mask on for 10 to 20 minutes. If the skin is sensitive, leave on for 10 minutes and if the skin is severely acneic, leave it on for 20. If you want dramatic results, use this mask twice a week or as a spot treatment. This mask will help you work your way towards a more clear complexion.”

Jamie Ahn, owner of TownHouse Spa & Acqua Beauty Bar in New York City

Age-Defying Mask
Ingredients:

1/8 cup of probiotic powder
15 drops of red burdock root (in liquid form)
3 tablespoons and ionized acidic water

“Blend the ingredients together until you have a thick paste-like consistency. Add more ionized water if needed. Apply a thick layer to your face and leave on for 30 minutes before removing with a cold towel.”

“Probiotic powder hydrates the skin, repairs natural defenses and prevents collagen damage. Red burdock root helps prevent and heal age spots and reduces wrinkles. Ionized acidic water naturally tones and tightens the skin.”

Holly Byerly, senior aesthetician at VMV Hypoallergenics

Coco-Coconut and Yogurt Mask
Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of virgin coconut oil
¼ teaspoon of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of plain Greek yogurt

“Before making this mask, you should consider the ingredients need to be room temperature or slightly warmer in order to mix them easily. If the yogurt is too cold, the coconut oil will harden when they’re mixed. Once you’ve blended everything together, apply a thin layer of the mask over your full face, neck and chest area and leave on for 10 to 20 minutes. After, rinse with warm water with a washcloth, pat dry and then apply moisturizer.”

“I love this mask because it’s revitalizing, soothing and slightly exfoliating for all skin types. Cocoa powder is a wonderful antioxidant since it protects and frees the skin of free radicals that can cause damage to the skin. Greek yogurt has some exfoliation properties and breaks down dead, dull cells, leaving you with renewed and refreshed skin.”