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    11 one-ingredient DIY face masks

    By Megan, selected from Intent.com
    More from Care2 Green Living blog

    We're making healthy skin even easier for you with one-ingredient, all-natural, DIY facials made from common supplies you can easily find right in the refrigerator shelf or kitchen cabinet. Raiding your pantry is also a great way to save money and cut back on food waste and packaging.

    If you want pretty and healthy skin, don't skimp on the bare-bone basics. Be sure to always drink lots of water and wear sunscreen moisturizer.

    1. Honey -- A humectant, honey, attracts and retains moisture, so it's great for anyone who wants to combat dry skin. Use a cloth damp with warm water and pat skin to open pores. Smear honey onto skin and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then pat skin with a cloth dampened in cold water to close pores.

    2. Raw egg yolk -- Egg yolks are high in vitamin A, a common ingredient in acne-fighting products. Spread on face and neck and leave on skin for 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

    3. Raw egg white -- You'll get a lifting effect as the protein in egg whites dries on your skin. Beat egg white until frothy and spread on face. Wait until it dries and rinse off with warm water.

    4. Grapes -- They contain powerful antioxidants, called polyphenols, which help combat aging. Cut one grape in half and rub lightly all over face.

    5. Banana -- Bananas are one of the most nourishing fruits available because they contain magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, iodine, folic acid, and vitamins A, B, and E, all of which benefit the skin. Mash one overripe banana and spread onto face. Rinse off after 15 to 30 minutes with warm water.

    6. Plain yogurt -- Yogurt contains alpha-hydroxy acids, including lactic acid, which are commonly used to help reduce the appearance of fine wrinkles. It's also rich in B-complex vitamins, including B-5, or panthothenic acid, which is commonly used to promote skin healing. Apply on face after cleansing and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes.

    7. Apple cider vinegar -- It has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin. It's also antiseptic, preventing the proliferation of bacteria, viruses, or yeast that trigger infection. Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water and apply over face with a cotton ball as a toner after washing face every day and every night.

    8. Olive oil -- Olive oil is a source of squalene, a natural moisturizer used in many cosmetics. Natural antioxidants found in olive oil include A and E vitamins, as well as some polyphenols. Dab on lips at bedtime if chapped or leave on face overnight. It can also be used to de-frizz hair.

    9. Avocado -- The fruit is rich in vitamins, A, C, E, iron, potassium, niacin, and pantothenic acid and its natural emollients. Mash avocado, then leave on skin for 10 minutes. You can also use it to strengthen and condition your hair.

    10. Baking soda -- This pantry staple has a gentle abrasive action. Use as an exfoliant for face by adding to your regular cleanser. It also helps neutralize skin's pH.

    11. Milk -- Seriously? Yes, seriously. Like yogurt, it contains lactic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid that is often used to revitalize skin. Swab on face with cotton ball, leave on until your skin feels tight. Rinse off with warm water. Your skin will feel super-soft afterwards.

    By Yumi Sakugawa, Intent.com

    More from Care2 Green Living:

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    79 comments

    • Shonie  •  2 months ago
      im way late but this is a good article. ive been making an oatmeal mask w honey and chamomile. its been working well. still some acne but not as bad.
    • Hannah-Nicole  •  9 months ago
      Extra virgin olive oil can be used for eye-makeup removal as well! It removes all of your makeup while moisturizing your eye area! Definitely worth the few dollars.
    • Morgan  •  10 months ago
      Use it.....Love it....haha yea.
    • Maria  •  11 months ago
      Ive been eating healthy foods for yrs and still broke out once in a while, but when I read about this article I took it upon myself and tried spreading these foods on my face... its been over a week and I noticed that my skin looks amazingly beautiful, and did in FACT notice that my skin looks like it has more of an even tone...and did in FACT notice that my skin is soft =)
    • Maria  •  11 months ago
      ive used some of these foods and my skin is amazingly beautiful <3
    • Victoria  •  11 months ago
      WEll, I belive one should do both , meaning eating fruits and fresh vegetables and also apply topicaly , but as the say goes "you are what you eat"I also want to add that waching the face with cold water is also beneficial , for those leaving in cold climates where there is a tendency of using hot water during winter
    • LisaD  •  11 months ago
      Wow...finally a write-up that actually gives me information I can use! Complete with detailed instructions! I'm blown away. Thanks!
    • ahfclass  •  11 months ago
      And after olive oil in your hair, and cider vinegar on your skin, and egg on your face...how are you going to SMELL??? :D
    • Gottigirl  •  11 months ago
      I did quit smoking 2 weeks ago, and I noticed the change in my skin in a week!
    • Tina  •  11 months ago
      Don't forget the crushed aspirin and water facial mask
    • Alana  •  11 months ago
      my grandma is 70 and uses yogurt... her face is super youthful, hardly any wrinkles!! it's unbelievable, but it so works!
    • Alyssa  •  11 months ago
      HONEY WORKS!!! Follow with grapeseed oil....it's awesome!
    • Dan S  •  11 months ago
      I got a good facial idea
    • susana  •  11 months ago
      Where is the research behind these claims? Simply stating that particular foods, such as egg yolks or avocados, have certain vitamins doesn't mean your skin can obtain the benefits of those vitamins by using that food topically. Your skin can not absorb vitamins from food. Vitamins in food have to be extracted and absorbed into the body by enzymes during digestion.
      Isolated vitamins used in cosmetics are usually ineffective bc 1) their chemical compounds unstable and degrade almost immediately, and 2) bc their molecules are too large to be absorbed into the epidermis and so just sit there on top of the skin.
      Retinol is the only stable form of isolated Vitamin A that is scientifically shown to absorb into the skin and have any effect, and even that only at concentrations of 0.2% to 0.6%, making a lot of over the counter 'retinols' a waste of money.
    • Katherine  •  11 months ago
      If the men who are posting would bother to check the ingredients in most skin care products and medications, they all start with natural products. If you can bypass the products containing the stabilizers and the preservatives by reaching in your pantry, why not? The base is what is doing the work to begin with not the added products. So while eating healthy as someone stated is best for your skin, hair, nails and overall body, helping it by keeping moisture on top of the skin surely isn't going to hurt, not all skin types are the same and need some added help.

      Whole milk is needed, heavy cream works even better as it is contains more fat than even whole milk and that is what you are looking for.

      The basics everyone wants is clean and healthy skin. Use a very good cleanser then moisturize and if you suffer from break outs make sure not to use a drying agent. If your skin is oily be sure and use an oil base to clean with, you cut oil WITH oil, not drying out your skin making your sebaceous glands produce more oil. If you do, it becomes a vicious cycle.
    • Rachel  •  11 months ago
      Yes organic honey exists because the bee keepers grow organic flowers. You can find it in Fred Meyer's nutrition center if your on the west coast. If the east coast any orangic store should have it.
    • ptleader  •  11 months ago
      Heck,why not try any of these! Nothing artificial, so you know there won't be a "study" to show that the latest fad does more harm than good!
    • BS  •  11 months ago
      What exactly is organic honey??? Does it even exist?
    • BS  •  11 months ago
      Nice write-up :)
    • isa  •  11 months ago
      best info i've read in years soley because this all is chemial free as long as the foods organic.....buying anything at the rug store to put on your skin is not only stupid/whack but a wasate of $$$$$!