In the Land of Milk and Honey: DIY Mask

Ye olde yogurt-and-honey mask is pretty well known in the beauty blogosphere, which may make this post obsolete. But since many of my readers are personal friends and beauty newbies, I figured this write-up might be beneficial.

Well, that and I wanted to write about it. IT'S MY BLOG, WHATEVAH, I DO WHAT I WANT!

I use this mask primarily in the winter, when my skin is at its driest and most sensitive. The coolness of the yogurt is very soothing, and the lactic acid is a mild exfoliant. Honey is known for its antioxidants and moisturizing capabilities. I've also read about people using yogurt and honey masks to combat acne. As an added bonus, it's a cheap mask to make, as you're using two affordable items you might already have in your house (unless your one of those heathens who doesn't like plain yogurt or honey). I'm always amazed when I see how much "professional" yogurt masks cost. Why would I spend $50 for a little tub of your fragrance-laden junk when I can mix hundreds of applications for $10?

You can apply honey and yogurt to your face solo, but I prefer to mix them together: I want the benefits both provide, plus I want the honey to make the yogurt slightly "stickier" and less runny. I use roughly 2 parts Fage Total 0% Greek yogurt and 1 part real honey, mixing them well. Some people say you should use full fat Greek yogurt, but having used Fage's 0%, 2%, and full fat yogurts as masks, I have to say that there isn't much of a difference. Just make sure you use PLAIN yogurt, preferably Greek (for the thicker texture).

I apply a thick layer of the mask to my face (and sometimes my neck and chest) with my fingers. Again, the coolness of the yogurt is very soothing, and the whole mixture is thick enough that it won't slide all over the place. I will warn you, though, that while this mask feels truly beautiful on my face, it smells kind of icky.

It can also feel downright ugly on your face if you're sensitive to lactic acid. A friend of mine tried this once, not realizing she had that sensitivity, and described a painful burning sensation. Eeek! Always do a patch test.

Now, I've heard different opinions on how long you should keep this on. Some people say it's only effective for the first 10 minutes. Others claim it needs to sit on your skin for at least 30 minutes to let the antioxidants and acid do their work. I almost always go for a middle ground of about 20 minutes. By that point, the mask has dried up a bit and feels a little "tight" on my skin. It also turns somewhat translucent and starts to crack.

When it's time to remove my mask, I just step in to the shower, but if you're one of those people who showers in the morning, cleansing over the sink will do just as well. The yogurt goes slightly milky under the warm water (not surprising when you have a face full of dairy, I suppose), and even after it's been completely rinsed off, I feel like there's a slight film on my skin. Nothing painful or greasy or gross, just like an extra layer on top of my face. It disappears after I've cleansed. I leave the shower with skin that is brighter, smoother, and definitely glowier, and my moisturizer glides on like a dream.

 Some people will cover any extra yogurt-and-honey mixture and keep it in the fridge for their next mask. I personally prefer to sprinkle almonds on top and eat it. Trust me, it's delicious.

And there you have it! My secret to keeping my sensitive, combination-dry skin soft and glowy in the dead of winter. :)