Summer garden's burst with a bounty of tasty, nutritious vegetables and herbs. While you are reaping the harvest, consider reserving a small portion of the bounty to put toward skin care. Fresh herbs and veggies can be used to create simple, beneficial formulas to soothe, cleanse, or moisturize your skin. Pluck the ingredients in these recipes from your own garden, or visit a local farmer's market to take advantage of the best that nature has to offer during the summer months.
When you are working with fresh masks, it is important to keep the mixtures as clean and sterile as possible. Treat the masks with the same care that you would fresh food. Only touch the mixtures with clean utensils, never your fingers, and store any leftover mixture in your refrigerator for up to three days in a clean, labeled container.
Yogurt Mint Mask (Normal and Sensitive Skin)
This simple mask is made with pureed fresh mint, plain yogurt, and gentle Kaolin Clay. The lactic acids in yogurt gently exfoliate the skin while the Kaollin Clay draws out toxins and dirt that can clog pores and endanger your complexion. Fresh Mint gives this mask a cool, refreshing aroma that will leave you feeling blissfully refreshed.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Mint Leaves, rinsed, dried, and chopped
- 1 tbsp. Plain Yogurt
- 1 tbsp. White Kaolin Clay
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine Kaolin Clay and Plain Yogurt. Mix the ingredients until they become smooth, then transfer them to a blender or food processor. Add the mint leaves, and blend until the leaves have been finely minced. Remove the mixture and transfer it to a clean container. Refrigerate the mixture for up to three days, then discard it.
Usage
Apply a liberal amount of the mask to your clean face. Wait 15 – 20 minutes before rinsing with clean, tepid water. Follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer.
Cucumber Honey Mask (All Skin Types)
Cucumber is known for its abilities to cool and refresh the palate. It can do those things and more when used in skin care. Fresh Cucumber can help reduce puffiness and calm irritated skin. It also makes a nice cleanser. Mint and Cilantro are also great at cooling, refreshing, and increasing circulation in the skin. Honey Powder and Kaolin Clay increase the cleansing properties of this recipe by drawing out dirt, toxins, and excess oil.
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp. Fresh Cilantro Leaves, rinsed, dried, and chopped
- 1 tsp. Fresh Mint Leaves, rinsed, dried and chopped
- 1 tbsp. Honey Powder
- 1 tbsp. Yellow Kaolin Clay
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine Kaolin Clay, Honey Powder, and chopped Cucumber. Mix the ingredients until the powders dissolve, then transfer them to a blender or food processor. Add the Cilantro and Mint leaves, and blend until the leaves have been finely minced. Remove the mixture and transfer it to a clean container. Refrigerate the mixture for up to three days, then discard it.
Usage
Apply a liberal amount of the mask to your clean face. Wait 15 – 20 minutes before rinsing with clean, tepid water. Follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer.
Lemon Basil Mask (For Oily or Acne Prone Skin)
This recipe is great for acne prone skin. Basil, Honey and Lemon help to clean up excess oil and sebum, which can lead to breakouts. Gentle Kaolin Clay and soothing Chamomile Tea complete the recipe by drawing toxins from the skin and taking the edge off irritation.
Ingredients
- Fresh Basil, rinsed, dried, and chopped
- Honey Powder
- Multani Mitti Clay
- Fresh Lemon Juice (about one wedge)
- Chamomile Tea or Dried Chamomile Flowers
- Boiled Water
Directions
Begin by steeping the Chamomile in boiling water. Set the tea aside to steep and cool while you work on the rest of the recipe. Combine the chopped herbs in a blender,
In a small mixing bowl, combine Kaolin Clay, Honey Powder, and Chamomile Tea. Remove the mixture and transfer it to a clean container. Refrigerate the mixture for up to three days, then discard it.
Usage
Apply a liberal amount of the mask to your clean face. Wait 10 – 15 minutes before rinsing with clean, tepid water. Follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer.
How have you incorporated fresh herbs into your own soaps or skin care products? 
If i want to keep my facial mixture for more than three days can i just add a preservative? I want to create a lasting facial or body products that will last longer than a few days to gift & sale.
Hi Hope. These kinds of recipes are very fragile in nature, due to the presence of water, and fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, with this specific type of formula, preservation can be very difficult. In order to preserve a complex formulation like these recipes, you would definitely need a preservative, and it would be highly advisable to have the formulation lab tested if you intend to sell the product. Choosing the right preservative, or combination of preservatives might be more complicated than usual, due to the presence of fresh, untreated plant matter. I would recommend consulting a lab for this particular type of formula, rather than trying to find the right preservative on your own.
If you want to avoid all of that complicated business, consider taking a different approach to your masks. Creating dry mask formulas is a great alternative to dealing with preservatives. You can create a very nice mask with dry clay, powdered herbs, and even powdered milks or yogurt. Essential Oils can be added to Baking Soda, then included in a dry mask as well. The user would add water when it was time to use the mask, but as it would be stored dry, the potential for contamination or bacterial issues is much much lower.
I have dry combination skin but sometimes I feel that my skin products so much oil and easily breakout. I would like to try the treatment masks. Can I use these masks everyday? Or how many times per week should I use the masks?
Hi Lizzy. Most facials can be used about once a week for most skin types. If you are using a particularly gentle mask than it can be used more often. If you want a mask that can be used more than once a week, use only gentle clays, such as White Kaolin or Rose Clay.