DIY: honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg face mask

We're doing it a little differently here on PLB today! I have a cool face mask recipe that I found on Pinterest to show you! If you have been following me on Pinterest, you'll notice I've been pinning DIY stuff non-stop lately...I seriously can't get enough!

Anyways, last week when I found this, I went to the website where it originated from so that I could get the recipe and learn more about what it does before I tried it myself. The website that it came from is http://www.collegefashion.net and here's a direct link to the face mask info. on their site. This is what it claims to do (words taken directly from the website):

"This DIY mask, made of nutmeg, honey, and cinnamon, is calming and soothing for stressed-out skin – in addition, it smells absolutely amazing!
The secret? Nutmeg and honey act as natural anti-inflammatories, which can reduce swelling and redness in skin. They’re also great for soothing acne scars and preventing infection. In addition, the nutmeg and cinnamon also work to exfoliate your skin when you wash this mask off."

After I read that, I was sold; I had to try it. Not to mention, I actually happened to have all three ingredients in my house at the time, so that was definitely a bonus!

Here's what the recipe calls for (also taken directly from the site posted above):

"mix 2 tablespoons of honey with a teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon of nutmeg"

After it's all mixed, the website says the consistency should be like a thick paste. Well, the first time I made the mask and followed the recipe exactly, the consistency of my mask was not that thick at all. In fact, it kept dripping down my face and onto my chest lol! Some even got into my mouth, which was ok, becuase it actually tasted good!

When I made the mask again today, I added only one tablespoon of honey and that made the consistency perfect. I really think it has to do with the type of honey that you are using, because I know if you buy local organic honey it is way thicker than store bought honey like the one I used. So I would say you can use your own judgement on how much honey to add!

Here are the ingredients I used and what the mask looks like

 

Here's the pic I posted on Instagram the first time I tried it. You can see how thin and drippy it looks lol!

You are supposed to leave the mask on for 30 minutes and then wash it off with warm water while gently scrubbing in circular motions to let the cinnamon and nutmeg exfoliate your skin.

I washed mine off over my kitchen sink because it has a garbage disposal. I didn't want to do it in the bathroom sink or shower for fear it might clog the drains.

Now, I've only done this mask twice so far, so I still feel like I need to do it a few more times before I can really conclude if the mask will do what it claims. But, here's how I feel about it at this point in time:

PROS:
-Did not feel tight or stiff on my face like some other masks do
-Smells delicious
-Tastes delicious (if accidentally eaten)
-Once washed off, my face did not feel tight or dried out
-Left my face feeling soft and moisturized (kind of a miracle with my skin)

CONS:
-Kind of messy
-Did not see acne scars diminsh dramatically
-Did not see reduction of inflammation

All in all, I am going to continue to use this mask just because I love how it leaves my skin feeling. It's rare for my face to feel so moisturized that I don't need to put on lotion. I am hoping that the more I use it, the more I'll notice a change in the acne and acne scarring I've been having.

Before you guys try this at home, let me be clear that I am in no way a skin professional. Everything in this post is my opinion, and what works for me, may not work for you! If you have sensitive skin and are nervous about applying this to your entire face, the website suggests that you put the mask on an area of sensitive skin, like the inside of your wrist, to see how you react to the ingredients. Don't try this mask if you feel you may react badly to it!

Whew, that was kind of a lengthy post, but hopefully it was helpful and enjoyable! :)
If you try this mask, I want to know how you liked it!