8 Drugstore and DIY Masks for Every Beauty Woe
De-puff under your eyes, fade sun spots, thicken your hair, and more!
Turn your bathroom into a spa with the the best masks for your face all the way down to your bottom that are guaranteed to leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated in no time.
To Reduce Redness: Honey and Oats
Honey’s anti-inflammatory properties can calm inflamed, irritated skin on contact, says dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, M.D. Compounds in oats, meanwhile, deeply moisturize to further soothe rashy skin. No time to make your own? Give this St. Ives Gentle Smoothing Oatmeal Scrub and Mask ($4.49, Target), a go.
To De-Puff Bags: Green Tea
The caffeine found in green tea will increase your circulation to help flush out the puffiness-causing fluids that can accumulate under the eyes. Dr. Zeichner’s pro tip? Look for an eye mask with a hydrogel formula, like Patchology’s Moodpatch Perk Up eye gels ($15, ULTA). The cooling sensation will constrict blood vessels to prevent blood from pooling, which shrinks bags and nixes dark circles.
To Thicken Hair: Sandalwood Oil
British researchers found that treating hair with sandalwood oil ($9.95, Amazon) keeps follicles in an active growth phase, increasing hair growth hormones in the scalp by 30 percent in just six days. Pairing it with castor oil ($12.99, Amazon), which is packed with hair-plumping fatty acids, gives tresses an instantly thicker and fuller appearance. To make your own mask with the two ingredients, mix four drops of sandalwood essential oil and 2 Tbs. of castor oil together. Rub into damp hair from roots to ends. Let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse.
To Fade Spots: Turmeric and Greek Yogurt
Turmeric’s high vitamin C content brightens skin and encourages cell turnover to even out discoloration. “Plus, the spice’s unique compound blocks the production of melanin — skin’s pigment — to prevent new spots from forming,” adds Dr. Zeichner.
Combining it with Greek yogurt, which gently sloughs off dead, dry skin cells, boosts results. In a bowl, combine 2 tsp. of both turmeric ($19.95, Amazon) and plain Greek yogurt, then apply the mixture to brown spots on your hands, chest, or face and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing.
To Heal Chapped Lips: Cucumber and Aloe
Soothing cucumber’s vitamin E heals cracks and restores hydration to a parched pout. Anti-inflammatory aloe, on the other hand, calms irritation to speed healing. Pair them together by pureeing half of a cucumber in a blender, then straining the juice into a bowl. Add 1 Tbs. of aloe vera gel; mix well. Swipe a thick layer of the resulting concoction onto your lips and let it sit for 5 minutes. Rub off any excess.
To Boost the Bust: Pomegranate Extract
Freeman’s Perky Bust Boosting and Toning Sheet Masks ($3.99, CVS) are infused with pomegranate extract to repair skin plus peptides to increase collagen production, allowing this mask to lift a saggy bosom.
To Slim the Belly: Guarana Extract
To a flatter stomach, try Yes To Tighter + Firmer Belly Up Paper Mask ($3.99, Target). It’s made with diuretic guarana extract that will reduce water retention and bloat by flushing out stagnant fluids for a trimmer-looking midsection.
To Firm the Butt: Collagen and Marine Algae
Want a firmer tush? Give Bawdy Beauty’s Shake It Mask ($9.95, Amazon) a go. Its combination of plant-based skin-firming collagen and hydrating marine algae will help to plump and tighten skin so your rear looks tauter.
This story originally appeared in our print magazine
