An Easy Homemade Face Mask You Have To Try

With all this self-isolation time, we can all put in a little extra for skincare. I know that for me, I love slapping on a facemask of any kind to nourish my skin. I’ve got a few different types at home that I use regularly but I wanted to try something different and also give you all a new easy one to try, in case you haven’t stocked up on sheet masks or you’re running low on your usual masks.

I headed to Pinterest, the land of inspiration and had a look through different homemade facemasks and I came across this one that intrigued me because of it’s ingredients: cocoa powder, coffee and coconut oil. I knew the minute that you put those ingredients together it would smell like a dream. Then I had to think about the practicality of these elements together as a facemask. Here’s what I found through research.

The Benefits of Cocoa Powder, Coffee and Coconut Oil for the Skin

Cocoa Powder was a new one for me and I didn't actually know if it had any skin benefits. All I thought of was chocolate if I'm honest and how good it is in my tummy. I mean it's Latin name literally means "Food of the Gods", so.... But after some research, I've found that it can be beneficial in reducing "redness and inflammation caused by acne... (and) the flavonoids in it nourish the skin, boost elasticity and help reduce blemishes" (Pulse).  Packed with antioxidants, nourishing vitamins and minerals, Cocoa be truly beneficial (HDB).

Coffee seems to have many benefits, not just on the body which I've written about before, but also for the skin. The caffeine substance is being used for many different skin applications. Through use of coffee on the skin allowing for the dilation of blood vessels under the surface of the skin and improving overall bloodflow, cellulite appearance can be seen as lifted (Healthline). It can also aid in the anti-aging signs such as sun spots, redness, fine lines as well as dark circles. As coffee contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties, it can also help fight acne, acne scarring and pigmentation by scrubbing away the dead skin cells and unclogging pores (MNT). According to Healthline, it can also help with the prevention of "non-melanoma skin cancers" due to it's high concentration of Vitamin B3 (niacin). A new benefit that I've learnt also is that coffee can be used for after-sun care when brewed fresh, diluted with cold water and applied to the skin (Healthline). 

Coconut Oil is one we've all heard about time and time again, I even wrote about it years ago. So I don't need to explain it far too much. Packed with antioxidants, fatty acids, lauric acid, it can be used from head to toe. Key component of coconut oil is Vitamin E, which is perfect for moisturising the skin (Byrdie). 

Recipe:

2 tbsp of fresh coffee grounds (I used instant coffee and ground it to a powder)

1 tbsp of cocoa powder

2 tbsp of coconut oil (I used virgin coconut oil)

I used this for Mum and I plus had leftovers, so if you’ve got a little container handy then save the rest for another few uses.

It’ll come together like a scrub style facemask so I massaged this into the skin and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Let mask soak in, relax and inhale the gorgeous smell. Honestly, it’s divine. Or even use it as a facial scrub if you're in need of a quicker fix! When removing the mask, I massaged the mask into get the full use of the coffee grounds and cocoa powder on the skin, then washed it off with warm water and pat dried with a face towel. 

 Your skin afterwards will feel super silky soft and it should aid any acne breakouts and pigmentation! Which is so beneficial for me right now with the few breakouts I’ve had – sigh. I actually noticed after one use (I know that sounds like utter rubbish but I did), that some of my pigmentation actually died down a little bit! If anything, this mask just left my face feeling soft and moisturised, plus the smell is like a chocolate cake which is soothing in any sense. This one is definitely one I'm going to continue to use and I'll update you on the benefits of it. It's so simple to make and use, so I recommend it!

What masks are you using right now to look after your skin? Are you making your own or have you got a stock of your favourites at home? If you've got any of your own recipes that you can't stop using, let me know because I'd love to try new ones. 

Sending you lots of love and hoping you're staying safe!

Emily xx