7 festive DIY face masks for Christmas

Want to get in the festive spirit?

There’s no reason why your skin shouldn’t benefit from the magic of Christmas too.

We’ve got two perfect festive face masks to get you in the mood for Christmas and keep your skin looking at its best.

The benefits of using face masks

Before we share our best festive face mask recipes with you, it’s worth knowing what benefits they offer.

Fortunately, facial masks can be created to target different areas of skin health.

For example, some face masks can be used as an exfoliant, which the American Academy of Dermatology states can help your skin to look brighter and potentially improve the effectiveness of skin care products by enhancing absorption.¹

Face masks can also be designed to have a hydrating effect, by using moisturising, emollient ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, castor oil, argan oil and shea butter.

Who should use face masks?

Providing they contain natural, non-irritating ingredients, DIY face masks should be safe for most people to use.

Although those with sensitive, blemish-prone skin may wish to speak to a doctor before trying out any new facial mask recipes.

7 festive homemade face mask recipes

Read on for our favourite homemade face masks...

1. Cranberry and nutmeg Christmas face mask

Did you know that cranberries are a super fruit and contain impressive amounts of antioxidants?

We’ve picked this recipe because it looks and smells amazing.

Just like you can’t have turkey without some good cranberry sauce, a festive face mask wouldn’t be complete without these bright red berries.

This face mask also has a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, to make it smell extra festive and comforting.

Ingredients

• A cup of cranberries
• A cup of seedless grapes
• 1 teaspoon of plain yoghurt
• Four tablespoons of cranberry juice
• A dash of cinnamon
• A dash of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon of honey

2. Apple and cinnamon face mask

Next up we have a face mask that will remind you of a winter pudding.

What’s not to love?

It contains oatmeal, which is great for sensitive skin because it is gentle and has soothing properties.

It’s also super moisturising which is handy in the winter when your skin can feel a little dry and in need of moisture.

Ingredients:

• One peeled and grated apple
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of oatmeal
• A dash of cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons of plain yoghurt

3. Gingerbread face mask

Who said gingerbread was just for eating?

If this is one of your favourite treats during the festive period, this could be the perfect facemask for you.

As well as smelling great, the ginger in this face mask may be beneficial as gingerol, the main bioactive compound in ginger has powerful antioxidant effects.²

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of organic raw honey
• 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk

4. Spicy orange face mask

One of the most common ingredients used over the Christmas period is orange, but did you know you can use it on your face too?

Orange essential oil in particular has been found to have cleansing effects, which protects against certain forms of sport causing bacteria.^3,4,5,6

It may also be able to assist with blemish-prone skin.⁷

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon of raw honey
• 1½ tablespoons of plain yoghurt
• 4 drops of 100% pure orange essential oil

5. Peppermint face mask

Inspired by a childhood classic, this homemade face mask made using peppermint oil should take you back to Christmas as a kid eating all the candy canes.

Like orange oil, peppermint oil has also been found to have mild cleansing effects.⁸

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 4 drops of tea tree oil
• 4 drops of peppermint oil

6. Hazelnut oil face mask

Another popular ingredient used in many different foods and drinks at Christmas time is hazelnut!

Fortunately, it also makes for a great skincare ingredient.

The fatty acids and vitamin E found in hazelnut oil means it has a moisturising effect on skin.⁹

As well as this, the tannins found in hazelnut oil have astringent effects and can therefore help to dry oily skin, remove dirt and shrink pore-size.¹⁰

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of natural green clay
• ½ teaspoon of hazelnut oil
• ½ tablespoon of jojoba oil
• 2 drops of lemon essential oil

7. Chocolate face mask

There’s no better time than Christmas to indulge in a big mug of hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire.

But did you know that cacao has the potential to benefit your skin?

Studies show that applying cacao directly to the skin positively effects your skin’s elasticity and tone – who knew!¹¹

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon of plain yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon of raw honey
• ¼ of a banana

Last updated: 5 November 2021