Last week, I shared a few moisturizing DIY face masks which can help you get that fresh-from-the-spa glow. Today, I have some easy homemade face masks for acne and oily skin that can help clear up clogged pores, banish breakouts and nix greasiness without drying out or irritating your skin.
The problem with many DIY face masks for oily and acne-prone skin is that they tend to be filled with problematic natural ingredients that are harsh or irritating and actually end up doing more damage than good for your skin in the long-term.
Yes, these are lots of commonly used natural ingredients that have health benefits but they’re bad for skin (like lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil) when used topically in DIY skincare. They can actually irritate skin and damage the skin’s protective barrier, even if you don’t feel or see any adverse effects or reaction on your skin right away!
These irritating ingredients can cause significant skin sensitivities that build up over time which is really bad for any skin type. For oily and acne-prone skin, this kind of irritation triggers an excess production of oil, leading to larger pores and possibly even more acne breakouts over time (that’s definitely NOT what anyone wants!)
However, the good news is there are plenty of beneficial natural ingredients that give your skin only the positives and none of the negatives! Ahead, you’ll find 7 homemade face masks for acne and oily skin that’ll help control breakouts and clogged pores, curb excess oil (without any irritation) and revitalize dull skin for a smooth & clear complexion.
Not only are these DIY face masks easy to whip up in your kitchen, but they also feed your skin with healthy antioxidants and vitamins. Not to mention, these oil-busting elixirs are inexpensive with ingredients already available in your pantry.
1. Oatmeal and Honey Blemish-Buster Mask
This concotion calms skin with natural probiotics in yoghurt that help to balance bacteria and reduce inflammation while lactic acid exfoliates gently and unclogs pores. You can also add a probiotic capsule to this mask for an extra punch against acne! Honey is naturally anti-bacterial and moisturizing, plus oatmeal has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe irritated, itchy skin (acne is a sign of inflammation in the skin)
This DIY oatmeal face mask for acne is a great natural treatment to help combat breakouts and blemishes. It leaves your face smooth, soft and clear, without drying out your skin. Manuka honey contains higher antibacterial properties than regular honey, which makes it perfect for acne-prone skin. You can also use cooked oatmeal for this mask (not the instant oatmeal with flavors or other additives.)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp colloidal oatmeal (oatmeal ground to a fine flour)
1 tbsp plain yogurt (or Greek yoghurt)
1-2 tsp raw honey (Manuka honey is especially good for acne)
Directions: Stir all the ingredients together until well combined. Apply to clean face, massaging gently in circular motions. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with cool water.
2. Cucumber, Aloe and Avocado Soothing Face Mask
If you’re in need of soothing homemade face masks for acne with skin-balancing properties, then try this simple recipe! Besides being moisturizing, Avocados are packed full of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins, especially skin-brightening vitamin C.
Combined with skin-soothing cucumbers (their seeds are rich in vitamin E and potassium that help reduce blemishes), aloe vera that’s also soothing and reduces inflammation, plus egg whites which tone and tighten skin (thanks to vitamin A), you’ve got a refreshing face mask oily and acne-prone skin will love! This mask is also great to soothe sun-damaged skin.
Ingredients:
1/2 Avocado
1/2 cucumber, pureed in a food processor
1 egg white
2 tsp fresh aloe (or aloe vera gel)
Directions: In a small bowl, mash the avocado into a creamy pulp. Now add pureed cucumber (refrigerate for extra cooling effect), egg white and aloe vera gel and blend it all together to make a smooth paste. Apply a thick layer of the mask to clean face, relax for 20 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water. Finish with a splash of cool water, pat dry and use your favorite moisturizer.
3. Apple-Oatmeal Mask for Oily Skin
Apple has antioxidants to fight free radical damage and fruit acids (AHA’s) for gentle exfoliation while egg whites act as a natural astringent to absorb excess oil and the yolk moisturizes. The enzyme lysozyme in egg white is also known to kill acne-causing bacteria. Oatmeal is really good for soothing skin and reduces any redness.
Ingredients:
½ cup of cooked oatmeal, cooled
1 whipped egg
½-mashed apple
Rosewater
Directions: In a small bowl, mix the cooked oatmeal and egg together. Then add in apple puree and a few drops of rose water. Apply to clean face, massaging gently in circular motions. Let the mask sit for 15 minutes, rinse off with warm water and then moisturize skin.
4. Strawberry Yogurt Exfoliating Mask
The combination of lactic acid from Greek yogurt and salicylic acid from strawberries work together to gently exfoliate dead skin build-up and unclog pores for a bright & clear complexion. Plus, the brown sugar granules act like a scrub for extra smoothing. If you have sensitive skin, replace brown sugar with cocoa powder (rich in Flavanols with antioxidant properties)
Ingredients:
¼ cup Greek yogurt (or plain yoghurt)
1 tbsp brown sugar
5 ripe strawberries, organic
Directions: In a bowl, mash the strawberries with a fork until smooth. Then add in the Greek yogurt and brown sugar and mix together. Slather on the mixture, then kick back for 15-20 minutes. Wash it away with warm water, pat your face dry and follow up with your favorite moisturizer.
5. Turmeric Face Mask For Acne
This mask packs a big anti-acne punch with naturally anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial turmeric and Manuka honey, both of which soothe inflamed skin and acne. Turmeric calms irritation and help heal blemishes while egg whites tone skin and tighten pores. When you add in coconut milk and honey, you’ll also get hydrating and skin-soothing benefits. You can also swap coconut milk for plain yoghurt which is great for acne-prone skin as well.
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon organic turmeric powder
1 egg white
1 teaspoon of raw honey (Manuka honey is especially good for acne)
1 tablespoon coconut milk (organic, unsweetened)
Directions: Combine all ingredients together in a small bowl, and stir to mix. Apply the mask evenly all over your face, focusing more on any inflamed areas. Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water. If the turmeric leaves a slight yellowish tint on the skin, use a milk-soaked cotton round over it.
6. Honey and Squash Brightening Mask
This simple skin-brightening DIY face mask is a quick fix for dull, lackluster skin with blemishes. Butternut squash packs a punch of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants especially vitamins A and C that boost collagen production, brighten skin and also protect against free radicals that cause pre-mature aging. Eggs tone, tighten and firm skin, thanks to vitamin A. Combined with anti-inflammatory soothing and hydrating honey, you’ll notice smoother and supple skin right away after this mask! Apply it once a week for glowing and even complexion.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, pureed in a food processor
1 teaspoon raw, organic honey
1 whipped egg
Directions: Mix everything together in a glass bowl to make a smooth paste and apply all over your face. Leave it on for 15 minutes and then remove by rubbing in small circles for a bit of added exfoliation. Wash it away with warm water, pat dry and follow with your favorite moisturizer.
7. Matcha Green-Tea Face Mask
The magical ingredient in this super easy DIY face mask is matcha green tea, which is loaded with anti-aging antioxidants and it’s also anti-inflammatory and soothing. Acne is a sign of inflammation in the skin so this green tea mask is great to help clear up acne.
And when matcha is coupled with naturally calming and lightly moisturizing aloe, it’s a true skin-soothing treat for irritated or stressed skin. You can also add honey or yogurt (both are great for acne) or use them instead of aloe in this mask.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon matcha green tea powder
2 tablespoons fresh aloe (or aloe vera gel)
Directions: Take one scoop of green tea powder (1 tsp) and mix with aloe to make it into a mask-like consistency. Slather all over your clean face. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes before washing off with lukewarm water, then pat dry and moisturize.
Which of these DIY skincare recipes will you be trying first? Do you have any favorite homemade face masks for acne you swear by?
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I’ve started using homemade face masks once a week on top of the sea mud and exfoliating ones I buy, and these in particular have been really great! I have noticed that a lot of DIY face masks for people like me – oily, acne prone – tend to include things that can be harsh on the skin (like cinnamon, which I learned is a huge no-go much to my disappointment), so it’s nice to see recipes that avoid those kinds of ingredients.
A note on the turmeric mask in particular: Mine turned out super runny and difficult to apply, which meant I had to lean over the sink for a bit while it dripped. It did dry on after about 10 minutes though! To be honest, the one I mixed up could have been runnier than normal since the egg I used was from my chickens, so it was huge and had a LOT of white. Either way, I would highly recommend wearing a shirt you don’t mind potentially staining yellow (because oh boy does turmeric stain)!