Social media is all the rage about getting the ‘Korean glass skin’ – the fancy smhancy name for dewy, fair skin that seems as clear and luminous as glass. While this might be easy for those who were blessed with clear skin, some of us who are more endowed in the oil department scratch at our acne-filled face in frustration.

Lucky for those who struggle with skin problems and yet don’t have enough money to treat ourselves to a facial every month, there’s always the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) method to fall back on. Clear skin doesn’t have to come at the cost of emptying out your bank account. In fact, even the most ‘natural’ of skincare products can contain certain chemicals that are harmful to our skin. Here are 8 herbal face masks you can make from the comfort of your home!

1. Rosemary and Avocado Face Mask

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Image Credits: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

This flavourful herb isn’t only great for adding fragrance to your grilled chicken – its anti-inflammatory properties also work wonders in clearing up your skin. Rosemary also contains plenty of iron, calcium and phytonutrients, and together, they help to protect the skin from sun damage. When coupled with moisturising avocado, this mask will instantly moisturise your skin and leave it glowing.

Ingredients:

Half an avocado

2 tablespoons rosemary leaves

Directions

1. Smash the flesh of an avocado with a spoon to form a paste.
2. Grind rosemary leaves to form a fine powder, adding it into the avocado paste.
3. Mix well and apply to your face, leaving on for 15 minutes before washing off with water.

2. Lavender and Oats Face Mask

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The anti-inflammatory properties of lavender can help to fight the bacteria that causes acne, soothing the skin and reducing the risk of inflammation. Oatmeal, on the other hand, removes dirt and exfoliates dead skin away, leaving our complexion clear and glowing.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers

1 tablespoon rolled oats

Directions:

1. Pour hot water over the lavender flowers in a pan with low heat.
2. Let the mixture simmer for one minute.
3. Strain and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
4. Mix the liquid together with the rolled oats to form a paste.
5. Apply the paste to your face, leaving on for 15 minutes before rinsing off with water.

3. Chamomile and Banana Face Mask

Image Credits: Summa on Pixabay

Your favourite cup of tea to sip can actually work miracles for your skin – chamomile is packed with antioxidants, which helps to reduce signs of aging. Vitamin C and E found in bananas promotes clear and glowing skin. Glass skin? Here we come!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chamomile flowers

1 smashed banana

Directions:

1. Grind the chamomile flowers in a blender to form a fine powder.
2. Add to the smashed banana and apply to the face immediately.
3. Leave on for 20 minutes before rinsing off with water.

Not sure where to get organic chamomile flowers? Check out Nilufer Tea’s lemon and chamomile tea, which are packed with chamomile flowers and lemon slices.

4. Alginate Face Mask

With all the rage surrounding peel-off masks lately, alginate face masks are the next big thing. Alginate are natural polysaccharides extracted from seaweed, and helps to tighten skin and reduce the appearance of pores. It also intensely hydrates the face, giving a tremendous improvement to the skin to make it youthful, fresh and glowing.

Ingredients:

Sodium alginate powder (can be purchased online)

Warm water

Directions:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of warm water with 1 tablespoon of alginate powder – make sure that the water isn’t boiling hot.
2. Apply immediately to the face, avoiding the eyes and eyebrows, before the mask hardens.
3. Leave on for an hour before peeling off.

5. Charcoal and Turmeric Face Mask

Image Credits: Stevepb on Pixabay

Transport yourself to a mini-spa with this detoxifying face mask. Turmeric works wonders in lightening blemishes or freckles, and the charcoal helps to draw out toxins from the skin, leaving your face feeling fresh.

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon organic plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon activated charcoal

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients until the mixture is smooth.
2. Apply to the face, leaving on for 20 minutes before washing off.
   *Be careful not to leave the mask on for too long as it can actually draw moisture out of your face.

6. Rose Face Mask

Image Credits: Jamie Street on Unsplash

Roses help to fight skin dullness, which comes in handy given the amount of pollution we are exposed to today. Besides helping to brighten skin, roses also help to trap moisture in your skin, making it radiant and youthful.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh cream

1 tablespoon rose paste

Directions:

1. Wash a few roses properly. Smash them into a small bowl, adding a few drops of water to form a paste.
2. Add the cream and yogurt to the rose paste, mixing well until combined.
3. Apply onto your face and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing.

With these 8 herbal DIY face masks, not only will you save a ton of money, you can rest assured that all these ingredients are chemical and paraben-free. Best of all, they can be done from the comfort of your own home, while you are relaxing in bed or watching the television. Go forth and bless your skin with these 8 masks!

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