Food-Based Face Masks and Their Benefits

Here are four face masks you can use at home to hydrate your skin and make it glow, as well as the science behind why these particular ingredients work.

Gram Flour Traditional Indian Mask

2 tablespoons gram flour

1 tablespoon organic plain yogurt

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

Mix the above ingredients together in a small bowl. While the mixture is still cool, apply it liberally to the face. Turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin have anti-inflammatory effects that help to soothe the skin and reduce redness from blemishes. (Boon 2004) The root is also a potent antioxidant that acts by inhibiting superoxide production. (Prasad 1970) There are benefits to using it to treat acne both internally as well as externally. Additionally, turmeric is wonderful at diminishing the appearance of dark spots. (Prasad 1970) Yogurt, in turn, helps remove the outer layer of the epidermis (by the action of lactic acid) while simultaneously moisturizing the remaining layers. The presence of zinc in yogurt also aids to reduce the visibility of acne scars, reduce sebum production and minimize the inflammation associated with acne. (Rostan 2002) Gram flour, or besan, is rich in vitamins and minerals --  particularly riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate, and the vitamin A precursor, beta-carotene. (Jukanti 2012) In addition to nourishing the skin, gram flour also provides exfoliation and mild surface cleansing. (Kalidini 2011)

Strawberry Honey Mask

1 tablespoon honey

3 organic strawberries, mashed

1 tablespoon hyaluronic acid powder with vitamin C 

First, mash the strawberries in a small bowl. Next, add the hyaluronic acid powder + vitamin C, which can be purchased at your local health food store in the cosmetics section. The hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant, bringing a thousandfold more moisture into the skin. (Miller 2007) Lastly, add another powerful humectant honey to amplify the effect further. The ellagic acid among many other compounds in strawberries is an antioxidant. (Maas 1991) Based on empirical evidence, the effects of the masks are immediately visible, reducing fine lines for up to three days. Keep the mask on for twenty minutes. The fruit does not stain the skin.

Green Tea Seaweed Mask

1 tablespoon fresh aloe vera gel

1 sheet of nori seaweed

1 cup of organic green tea

I recommend growing aloe vera at home, as it is useful in so many day-to-day circumstances. It is wonderful for soothing skin irritation such as sunburns. Retrieve some fresh aloe vera from the garden, minding its sharp edges, and squeeze out the gel from one large leaf. Alternatively, purchase aloe vera gel- one that is clear in color with minimal preservatives. First, brew a cup of organic green tea and pour the tea into a small bowl, allowing it to cool. Once the tea has cooled, apply the aloe vera gel as a base mask, covering all of the face. Next, dip strips of the seaweed, which can be purchased at most regular grocery stores, into the tea for about five seconds and apply them over the aloe vera to the face. Repeat this process until the whole face is covered in a mosaic of seaweed. Leave the seaweed on for about ten minutes or until it has hardened, and wash it off with lukewarm water. 

The algae are rich in fatty acids that reduce inflammation and leave the skin feeling soft and smooth. (Day 2008) Seaweeds also contain an array of vitamins and trace minerals in chelated, colloidal states that are optimally balanced and bioavailable, giving them the penetrating power to nourish the subcutaneous tissue and dermis. (Day 2008) They are also rich in free-radical fighting antioxidants, as well as the polysaccharide group referred to as “alguronic acid.” Alguronic acid increases cell regeneration, reduces the activity of enzymes that degrade hyaluronic acid, and promotes elastin synthesis. (Dhargalkar 2005)  Alginate, a compound also found in seaweed and used as an emulsifier, provides elasticity and firmness. (Dhargalkar 2005) The polysaccharides in aloe vera, particularly maloyl glucans, also reduce inflammation. (Dhargalkar 2005)  Meanwhile, the EGCG polyphenol in green tea helps repair sun damage. (Vayalil 2004) This mask is recommended weekly to promote youthful, even, and calm skin. 

Antioxidant Rich Tomato Mask

1 medium ripe organic tomato

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon organic cucumber juice

Add honey to reach desired thickness

Summertime is the perfect time to try an antioxidant-rich tomato mask. Combine a mashed tomato, medium in size (or approximately the size of two sugar cubes) with a teaspoon of yogurt, one teaspoon of turmeric, and a tablespoon of gram flour, or enough to thicken the mixture into a paste. You may wish to warm the tomato first with some avocado oil on medium to just before boiling to increase the amount of available lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. (Colle 2010) Once the tomato is off of the frying pan, and in a small mixing bowl, add the olive oil. Olive oil is rich in squalene (136-708 mg per 100g extra virgin olive oil) which provides emollient and moisturization properties. (Gutfinger 1974) Coenzyme Q10, which is naturally produced by the body and present in olive oil to a lesser extent, also plays an important role as an antioxidant and in reducing fine lines. (Kagan 2002) The body produces less CoQ10 after the age of 35, so it is important to supplement this antioxidant in the skincare regimen. (Kagan 2002) Add the cucumber juice last, leaving the skin of the cucumber on, to increase the vitamin and mineral content. Cucumber juice is wonderful for softening the skin as it contains the enzyme erepsin which has rehydrating properties. (100% Pure, 2016) Preparing the juice is easy too using a juicer, or alternatively, simply blending the cucumber using a blender.

Here’s to your optimal health!

References

100% Pure Skin Care. Organic A to Z Field Guide. 2016

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Coenzyme Q10. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dietary-factors/coenzyme-Q10. Accessed Online June 29, 2017. 

Colle, IJ. et al. Lycopene degradation and isomerization kinetics during thermal processing of an olive oil/tomato emulsion. J Agric Food Chem [online] 2010 Dec 22;58(24):12784-9.

Day, A. et al. ‘’Sustainable Skin Protective Exo-polysaccharides from Micro-Algae.” Society of Cosmetic Chemists Annual Scientific Meeting and Technology Showcase. 2008.

Dhargalkar, V. K. et al.  Seaweed, Promising Plant of the Millennium. Science and Culture. 2005, Vol. 71(3-4), 60-66p. 

Gutfinger, T. et al.  Studies of unsaponifiables in several vegetable oils. Lipids magazine. 1974, 9:658.

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Kagan VE, et al. Independent and concerted antioxidant functions of coenzyme Q. In: Kagan VE, Quinn PJ, eds. Coenzyme Q: Molecular Mechanisms in Health and Disease. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2001:119-130.

Kalidini, S. R. (Individual Patent). Personal care formulations with simultaneous exfoliant, cleansing and moisturizing properties. US Patent 8063005 B2. Nov 22, 2011.

Maas, J. et al. Ellagic acid, an anticarcinogen in fruits, especially in strawberries: A review. Hort Science [online] ,Vol 26 (1), January 1991. 

Miller C. (Individual patent). Nitric oxide gas (gO) as a cosmetic and wound healing agent

US Patent 20070065473 A1. Mar 22, 2007.

Prasad, S. “Turmeric, the Golden Spice.” Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 25 Jan. 2017.

Prasad, S. “Evaluation of the Nutritional and Metabolic Effects of Aloe Vera.” Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 28 June 2017.

Rostan, E. et al. Evidence supporting zinc as an important antioxidant for skin. International Journal of Dermatology. 2002, Volume: 41. Issue 9. 606-611.

Tripoli, E. (2005). The phenolic compounds of olive oil: Structure, biological activity and beneficial effects on human health. Nutrition Research Reviews. 2005. 18(1), 98-112. 

Vayalil, P. K et al. "Green tea polyphenols prevent ultraviolet light-induced oxidative damage and matrix metalloproteinases expression in mouse skin." J Invest Dermatol. 2004, Jun;122(6):1480-7.