Overnight Face Masks To Make The Most Of Your Sleep

You already know sleep is the most important time for your body to relax, recharge, and rest up for the day ahead, but what else can you do to maximize your snooze? Your work day is long, you deserve to treat your skin to a little TLC and wake up even more refreshed than usual! These all-natural, DIY masks are a quick and easy way to get some life back into your skin before you face the day—most of the ingredients should be easy to find in your kitchen!

What better way to unwind and chill out before you hit the hay?

Any Skin Type: Oats & Honey

You probably have both of these hanging around in your pantry, and rightfully so! Honey is naturally antibacterial and can help keep your skin clear and soft. It also opens up pores and makes them easy to clean out in the morning! Oats soothe skin and can help treat dry patches and pack moisture into the skin’s barrier.

Combine a few teaspoons of equal parts honey and oats and let the mixture sit until the oats have softened. Mash the oats and apply to your skin in an even layer. Cover your pillow in a towel if you tend to sleep on your side or stomach and rinse thoroughly in the morning.

Acne Prone Skin: Green Tea & Potato Juice

Stay with us on this one. It sounds a little, okay a lot, like a weird soup your grandma threw together with whatever was in the pantry, but it’s not all bad. Green tea is known for its propensity for reducing inflammation and redness in the skin, and potatoes have a knack for purifying and detoxifying. But how does one juice a potato? Very carefully. Peel and grate a potato and place the gratings into a clean cloth. Squeeze over a bowl, and you’ve got potato juice!

Steep two green tea bags in a cup of water and while you wait for it to cool, wash your face normally. Combine the cooled tea and potato juice and apply with a cotton pad, leaving it on overnight to purify your skin. In the morning, rinse and continue with your typical routine. You should notice a calmer and smoother texture to your face.

Breakout-Busting Sheet Mask

This one definitely isn’t going to look the cutest in the process, but you’ll be thankful in the morning. You’ll just need some plastic wrap and to abandon your pride. Go ahead and measure out a square of plastic wrap big enough to fit over your face and cut a hole for each eye and your nose. Clean your face with warm water or, if you can, steam it for about 5 minutes to really open up your pores.

Mix a tablespoon of baking soda, lime juice, and honey in a bowl and apply with a makeup brush. Seal the mask in with the plastic wrap and leave for about twenty minutes before rinsing and applying your favorite moisturizer. You should feel brighter and wake up with noticeably smoother and healthier-looking skin.

Dry Skin: Green Tea & Gram Flour

We’ve covered why green tea can be such a great addition to your skin care routine, but what’s gram flour bringing to the table? It makes a great natural exfoliant as well as regulating oil production and keeping your skin clean and soft. Combined with the inflammation reduction from a cup cooled of green tea, this mask can work wonders once a week.

Brew a small cup of green tea (You can use two tea bags to strengthen the tea base!) and add enough gram flour to form a paste. Apply to your skin and allow it to dry. You can rinse it before bed or cover your pillow in a towel and wash it away in the morning.

Coconut Oil & Honey

You didn’t think we’d make it through this post without everyone’s favorite cure-all, coconut oil, did you? Virgin coconut oil is naturally antimicrobial and the saturated fat is great at nourishing your skin without leaving it greasy and clogged. Add in the moisture-locking benefits of raw honey and you’ve got a super mask on your hands.

Mix two tablespoons of coconut oil and 1/4 cup raw honey in a bowl. If you want to kick this duo up another notch, you can add a few drops of lavender essential oil to help reduce any inflammation. Apply with a makeup brush and let it sit for at least twenty minutes, or overnight. Once you’ve rinsed it away, apply a light moisturizer to keep your skin looking hydrated.

Oily Skin: Lemon & Yogurt

Yogurt has so many health benefits internally, but oily skin also stands to gain from the lactic acid it contains. The acid can help control oil secretion and even act as a natural exfoliant, sloughing off dead skin cells as you rinse. The citric acid in lemon acts as a brightener and neutralize excess oil production, decreasing blockages that might lead to breakouts.

Mix two tablespoons of each and apply evenly over the face. Leave on for at least ten minutes and rinse well before bed. Your skin should feel clean and renewed.

Milk & Essential Oil

Just like with yogurt, the lactic acid in milk can really help manage your skin’s needs. Adding 2-3 drops of an essential oil is an excellent way to customize a treatment for your individual issues. Try creating a recipe that works for you!

• Geranium Oil—regulates sebum production and tightens skin
• Tea Tree Oil—clears clogged pores and prevents breakout-causing bacteria from thriving on your skin
• Lavender Oil—calming and relaxing, but also antibacterial
• Myrrh Oil—great for treating wrinkles and firming up maturing skin
• Roman Chamomile Oil —eases inflammation and redness

Drop the oil into two teaspoons of milk and apply with a cotton ball, massaging the mixture into your skin. It should dry quickly and you can remove it after a few minutes or leave it on overnight for maximum treatment!