Skim Milk Face Wash

Milk is often an ingredient used in beauty products since it contains lactic acid which hydrates your skin and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) which serves as a light and gentle exfoliant.

For all the reasons stated above, I was excited to try this DIY milk face wash recipe.

The process is simple: Take a little bit of water (say 1/16 cup) and add milk powder (teaspoon by teaspoon) until you get a consistency you're comfortable with. Then simply apply a generous layer on your skin--you should feel a tightening feeling immediately or within a few minutes. Once dried, rinse off with lukewarm water.

The results? My skin definitely felt softer upon first use and looked fresh. But I really didn't like the sticky after-feeling. I had to rinse my face twice because of the residue. After trying this mask on for two nights straight, I have to admit I'm torn. I think it is effective...but I'm not so convinced of its cleansing properties.

Egg White Face Mask

I'm a little hesitant to apply egg anywhere because the scent really turns me off. But this recipe is awesome because it has citrus zest which totally hijacks the scent of eggs.

This mask is really easy to make--mainly because I always have the ingredients on hand--but I think it's a wee bit tough to apply. But that's because of the consistency of the eggs.

So can a two-ingredient face mask really make a difference? The alleged benefits of egg white on your skin are the following: firmer looking skin, reduced breakouts and reduced redness and inflammation. Additionally, the lactic acid in the yogurt serves as a non-abrasive exfoliating agent.

Ingredients

2 eggs; whites only

2 tablespoons plain yogurt (no flavors; preferably organic)

1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest; for scent

Directions

Separate the whites of two eggs and place in a bowl. Beat the whites using a fork. Add yogurt and mix well. Add zest and mix well. Apply on face and leave it on for a few minutes. If the mask dries off, then apply a second layer. Wash with warm wet clothe.

Indian Turmeric Face Mask

I call it Indian, but this is really a common face mask used all over South Asia. I have a friend who swears by this mask; she claims she diligently applied this to her arms and legs for a year and managed to fade her tan and get rid of hyper pigmentation.

There are 3 key ingredients for this mask: Turmeric, Lemon Juice and Gram Flour. And lucky for us, two of the three ingredients are known for their own beauty enhancing abilities.

For starters, turmeric has antioxidants. You know them. The stuff that is found in pomegranate juice and green tea that prevents heart disease and cancer, and more superficially speaking, the stuff that fights aging. The second ingredient, yogurt, is packed with zinc and lactic acid which battles acne, hyperpigmentation and exfoliates your skin.

If that's not reason enough, then consider what the American Cancer Society has to say:

In India and Malaysia, there is a custom of making turmeric paste to apply directly onto the skin, a practice now under study for the possibility that it may prevent skin cancer.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 cup Gram Flour

1/3 cup Yogurt

DIRECTIONS

Mix all the ingredients together until a thick paste is formed. Apply yogurt until a creamy texture is formed (approximately 1/3 cup; could require more). Apply generously to your face (or skin/arms/etc) and allow it to dry.