Been a while since you last visited an esthetician? Well, you don’t always need a professional to pamper your skin. Instagram’s beauty gurus have a number of solutions up their sleeves — and they all rely on natural ingredients. Soak in the benefits of coffee with a four-step facial, go old school with a 20-minute Multani mitti mask or indulge in the goodness of an earthy clay face pack — either way, these organic ingredients will have your skin looking fresh in no time!
Here are six face masks, doled out by Instagram’s beauty gurus:
Multani ‘mitti’ mask
Multani mitti reduces pigmentation, brightens skin tone, fights acne and reduces oil secretion. “Multani Mitti is one of the best-kept secrets of the Indian subcontinent. It's like a tradition — our moms and grandmoms used it in various forms for improving the overall health of skin,” shares beauty influencer Shagun Khanna. Her go-to face pack combines the goodness of aloe vera, sandalwood and rose water along with Multani mitti in an attempt to fight oily skin and make the skin soft and dewy.
Aloe vera mask
If you’re looking for an anti-inflammatory face mask, this one is for you! It brings together ingredients that are rich in magnesium and zinc (chickpea) along with aloe vera and neem which helps significantly reduce inflammation. Dr Vanita Rattan — a cosmetic professional — gives this earthy medley her seal of approval.
Scar-fading mask
If you’ve experienced the odd joy of popping a pimple, you’re well-versed with the excruciating sorrow that follows — in the form of a scar! Skincare vlogger Ramsha Ahmed Khan has a breezy solution that fades facial scars effortlessly. Simply mix together a thick face mask of rice flour, gram flour and yoghurt, and you’ll see instant results. This mask is suitable for all skin types and works wonders to fight discolouration and lighting of scars.
Note: Use it no more than thrice a week.
Coffee facial
Beauty influencer Jass aka Jaspreet Kaur Kalsi’s refreshing four-step facial uses coffee which is known to have a host of benefits. It has anti-ageing properties, it can nourish skin with Vitamin B-3 (a vitamin that helps protect skin from external growths and harmful diseases) and can also be an efficient exfoliator.
This skincare routine begins with a cleanser, followed by a steaming session and an exfoliating scrub, followed by a nourishing face mask. The best part is that it works for all skin types!
Hibiscus and kaolin clay mask
Clay masks are the easiest solution if you want plumper skin. Hibiscus scores big in Vitamin C content and kaolin has anti-inflammatory properties — thus ensuring that the duo vitalises dry and dehydrated skin within minutes. The mask is known to protect skin from UV radiation, lessen hyperpigmentation, remove excess oils and exfoliate while retaining the skin’s natural moisture.
Facial hair remover mask
Tired of painful threading? Cult Cutter — a beauty and wellness initiative — has four combinations of face masks that remove facial hair without any pain! Try a medley of raw eggs and corn flour, turmeric and chickpea, lemon and honey or coffee and baking soda, and you’ll be left with soft, smooth skin without the hassle of threading or waxing.
Psssst: Always do a patch test to see how your skin reacts to the face packs.