Introduction: Honey Oat Face Mask

Looking around, I've found recipes for homemade facials, often using honey and oats. The problem with the basic ones, to me, is that I don't like having bits of oats all over my face, and how messy that makes the process. So I've made my own version, still pretty simple. This has a consistency much closer to a normal face cream.

Sorry there are no pictures, I took some with my phone but I don't have the cord, so that was really no help.

Step 1: Ingredients

  • Oats - quick oats probably work the best, as the oaty goodness can diffuse out more quickly than less processed oats. Oats are pretty common in skin care, I forget the specifics on giving you softer skin, etc.
  • Honey - this adds stickiness which helps it stay on your face. Honey is also antibacterial (so it should combat acne a bit), and is supposed to help the healing process (should help with dry skin, cuts and irritations, I would think).
  • Water. 
This takes a bit of time, but it doesn't involve too much time actually working on it.

Step 2: Soak the Oats

I used one packet of oatmeal (individual serving size) and a bit more water than needed to cover the oats. Let this sit for a few hours. The oats will swell up, and the water will become opaque and beige.

Step 3: Strain the Oats

I used a clean dish cloth that has little holes in it. Cheese cloth would be better but I've never owned any; a metal mesh strainer would also work. Pour your mixture through the cloth into another bowl. Gather it up and squeeze out as much liquid as possible - the stuff that is hardest to get out is also the best, least watery.

Step 4: Separation

Let this sit again, say an hour or more. The liquid will settle into two phases. On the bottom is an opaque offwhite layer, which seems to be the part you want. On top is a clear, slightly yellow liquid. I pour most of this off - this time I poured until the bottom layer started coming out, so that left a little of the top layer.

Step 5: Add Honey

Add honey. Say a tablespoon, really however much you want. Its not exact, and its up to you.

Step 6: Heat to Thicken

Just a tiny bit. I microwave it for 10 seconds at a time, for a total of around thirty (this is variable). You want to heat it until it starts to thicken a bit (like oatmeal does), but not too much. Stir it in between to stop if from forming lumps, and to see how thick it is. At the end mine was about the consistency of gravy, on the thinner side. If you dip your finger in, it should come out with a layer on it.

Step 7: Refridgerate and Use

This will thicken it further. Oh - I found a little glass jar (formerly the home of pimentos) to store it in.  Honey keeps on the shelf, but sadly this does not. If you don't like putting it on your face cold, just take it out a couple hours before you use it. 

To use, just get some on your fingers and rub a thin layer on your face. Leave it on say ten minutes, and wash off.