4 DIY Face Mask Ingredients Safe to Use at Home

by Jewel Keeter

Not all face masks are created equal and could damage the skin more than help. Assuming that because an ingredient is safe to eat also makes it safe to put on the skin has highlighted the issue with many DIY skincare recipes. An example of this is the use of lemon juice in DIY face masks. Recipes have claimed that lemon juice may help with dark spots and overall brightening. Even if these claims are accurate, this ingredient can also cause sensitivity and even a chemical burn, depending on your skin and its sensitivity level. Therefore, please be careful when following DIY skincare & always patch test ingredients to avoid adverse reactions. 


With this in mind, we went searching for the safest DIY ingredients to use in your face mask. 

Here are 4 DIY Face Mask ingredients that are safe to use at home:

honey face mask
  1. Raw, Organic Honey: Honey, in its most natural form, can be used to improve the moisture barrier of the skin and may act to calm inflammation due to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Due to these properties, honey has shown benefits for many skin conditions such as rashes, psoriasis, dandruff & wound dressing (1).
    avocado face mask
  2. Avocados: Avocados are a great source of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals in both your diet and possibly used topically. Avocados contain Biotin, a Vitamin B, which has shown benefits as a moisturizer. Additionally, avocados are a source of Vitamin C and Vitamin E, which play a part in skin integrity. 
    oatmeal face mask
  3. Colloidal Oatmeal: Although topical Oatmeal is an ancient medicinal practice, recent studies have supported the use of Oatmeal in current skincare. Colloidal Oatmeal has been observed to reduce dryness and improve skin integrity in normal to severe skin conditions, such as eczema (2). This ingredient may also act to promote the growth of healthy bacteria to repair the skin's moisture barrier (3). Colloidal Oatmeal can be purchased as a paste, powder or made from whole uncooked oats (rolled oats) by blending it into a powder. Overall, Colloidal Oatmeal can be used by adding water or in combination with honey or avocado for easy and safe application. 
    matcha face mask
  4. Green Tea/Matcha: Green tea or the more powerful counterpart, Matcha, are used for their antioxidant properties in both diets and topical agents. Adding this to a DIY face mask may help with inflammation and redness. Additionally, the caffeine present in green tea may temporarily shrink blood vessels that cause redness and awaken the skin. Green tea may also help inflammation that causes conditions such as rosacea and acne (4). Overall, Green tea or Matcha could be used in combination with honey or avocado to create a paste for easy and safe application. 

  1. Burlando, B., & Cornara, L. (2013). Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 12(4), 306-313.
  2. Michelle Garay, M. (2016). Colloidal oatmeal (Avena Sativa) improves skin barrier through multi-therapy activity. J Drugs Dermatol, 15(6), 684-690.
  3. Capone, K., Kirchner, F., Klein, S. L., & Tierney, N. K. (2020). Effects of Colloidal Oatmeal Topical Atopic Dermatitis Cream on Skin Microbiome and Skin Barrier Properties. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology: JDD, 19(5), 524-531.
  4. Fowler Jr, J. F., Woolery-Lloyd, H., Waldorf, H., & Saini, R. (2010). Innovations in natural ingredients and their use in skin care. Journal of drugs in dermatology: JDD, 9(6 Suppl), S72-81.
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