8 DIY Herbal Face Mask Recipes for Holiday Gift Giving

The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it the desire to create unique and beautiful gifts for loved ones. If you’re a budding herbalist, combining your herbal passion with holiday gift giving is a great way to make recipients feel special while sharing the gifts of herbs at the same time. Creating herbal products that are good for the skin is one way to do just that! This holiday season, why not gift an herbal face mask to loved ones so they can treat themselves to self-care during the busiest season of the year? An herbal face mask can be a memorable and decadent gift.

8 DIY Herbal Face Mask Recipes for Holiday Gift Giving

The dry portion of these masks can be premixed, packaged up in a pretty jar for gift giving. Include information about the mask and instructions for how to prepare and use!

1. Anti-Acne Three-Herb Clay Mask

This herbal face mask includes a teaspoon each of arnica, calendula, and white willow bark. The willow bark contains salicin that offers up anti-inflammatory properties, and arnica and calendula are soothing and gentle herbs that combat stubborn acne.

Grind the herbs in a coffee grinder until powdered. Sift the powder using a fine mesh sieve, and add a teaspoon each of bentonite clay and French green clay with two teaspoons of zinc oxide. A little aloe vera juice adds hydration or use water instead. Apply to skin and let the mask dry, then rinse off with warm water. Argan oil is a nice moisturizer after the mask.

Get the complete recipe over at Humblebee & Me!

2. Thyme & More for Me Mask

Know anyone who needs more “me time?” Using a face mask requires a little break from business-as-usual! Thyme, lavender, and rosemary combine for this invigorating mask with antimicrobial and astringent properties.

Mix ¼ cup oatmeal with a tablespoon each of dried lavender leaves, rosemary leaves, and thyme leaves in a food processor. Add a small amount of fresh aloe vera gel. Seal the paste in an airtight container.

To use, mix the mask powder with enough water to moisten to a spreadable consistency, apply to face (avoiding eye area), and leave on for 15 minutes for a soothing and invigorating self-care ritual.

Get the complete recipe over at Mind Body Green!

3. Glow! Honey & Lemon Mask

Who fills the room with light when they enter? Your loved one deserves a honey and lemon mask that will treat them to glowing skin during the holidays.

This natural Ayurvedic herbal face mask has moisturizing and antioxidant properties. Mix a tablespoon of local honey with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice and apply to face, avoiding eye area. Wash away after 15 minutes for glowing skin.

Get the full recipe in this UMA Oils blog post!

4. Hydrating Goddess Mask

You swear your sister is a living goddess, and you want her to treat herself like one. This is a mask you can do with her, perhaps before you pamper her with freshly brewed cup of tea and a pedicure! Whisk together two tablespoons of regular thick yogurt, honey, and a few drops of olive or coconut oil to make a creamy herbal face mask to replenish dry skin. Apply and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Get the complete recipe over at Rodale’s Organic Life!

5. Golden Cream Mask

Know someone who has issues with acne or inflammation? This golden cream herbal face mask offers up a royal treatment centered around turmeric, yogurt, and honey.

Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory filled with antioxidants, while yogurt hydrates the skin. Honey provides nourishment and tones pores. Mix a tablespoon of turmeric with a tablespoon of honey. Then, add yogurt until a paste forms. Apply and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Get the full recipe in this Tea Garden blog post!

6. Skin Detox Mask

Have a shy friend who wants clearer skin and could use a stress-free detox? Make a skin detox herbal face mask by combining witch hazel, whole milk yogurt, turmeric, and activated charcoal. This mask buffs off the toxins and dead skin, especially in the dry winter. The activated charcoal absorbs toxins, while the yogurt hydrates and the turmeric gives a healthy glow and provides antioxidants to the skin. Witch hazel is an affordable, natural toner with astringent properties, that can reduce skin puffiness and lighten skin proteins (Top 10 uses, n.d.). Over application of witch hazel alone can make the skin very dry, but the yogurt will balance out the drying, detoxing ingredients.

You need a ½ teaspoon of each ingredient for one mask. Mix the activated charcoal, turmeric, and yogurt first, before slowly adding in the witch hazel. Apply and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.

Get the complete recipe over at Scratch Mommy!

7. Lemon and Light Mask

Is your mom sensitive about dark spots or old scars? This lemony mask will help soothe skin and lighten spots.

Combine two tablespoons of raw honey with ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Apply to skin and leave on for at least 20 minutes so the lemon juice can exfoliate the skin. The honey will moisturize and soothe skin as well. To remove, rinse with warm water.

Get the complete recipe on Living The Nourished Life!

8. Nutmeg Exfoliating Mask

Nutmeg is more than as a spice in holiday pie and cookies—it also has calming antibacterial properties best for sensitive skin and is a gentle exfoliant.

Make a nutmeg face mask by combining 1/2 tablespoon of ground nutmeg with a tablespoon of whole milk. Apply to skin and leave on for up to 10 minutes to soothe healing and sensitive skin before rinsing with warm water.

Get the complete recipe on New Beauty!

These recipes may be whipped up on the spot for an impromptu spa treatment or pre-package the dry portion and offer that as gifts; the wet ones need to be used immediately. Increase the ingredients ratio for a bigger size and surprise. A few drops of vitamin E oil can also provide additional antioxidants to the recipes as well.

During the holidays, surprise a loved one with a gift for self-care. Handmade herbal face masks make for a sweet gift that will make the recipient glow!

REFERENCES

Top 10 uses for witch hazel. (n.d.). [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/supplements-remedies/top-10-uses-for-witch-hazel/