Hello bee’s, I hope you find yourself well. I have had a quite a fun start to the week week, stuck in doors experimenting with new projects since the weather has been dreary. I’ve also started eating vegan which I’m really happy about and after a week have noticed the difference already!

Today’s post is a super exciting DIY that I wanted to share with you. Skincare is a massive deal to me and over the years I’ve learnt what ingredients work well with my skin and once I know what role those key ingredients play in my skincare routine then can go and make a cheaper more natural alternatives. I wanted to create a clay mask to target my oily areas of my combination skin and have found the perfect concoction using just 4 affordable ingredients. Let’s take a look at the benefits of each ingredient before we get into how to make it!

Activated Charcoal

We all have probably used or at least heard of activated charcoal to whiten and clean teeth but this is also superb in skincare. It is a great natural cleanser that unclogs pores, removes deeper impurities and any dead skin cells by attracting dirt, toxins, heavy metals and chemicals out of the skin. Charcoal is especially good for those with acne prone skin or general breakouts as this draws out any nasties and helps reduce excess oil.

Fullers Earth

Fullers earth has similar effects to the skin as charcoal, as it is known for its ability to absorb oil and unclog pores. This also improves the skin tone and complexion and makes the skin look and feel soft and smooth. The most beneficial effects of fullers earth is its antiseptic and astringent properties that regulates your skins PH level so not only cleanses the skin but nourishes it too!

Raw Honey

Raw honey is a great natural ingredient to use as it helps balance the oils in skin which makes it a great product for those with acne as it speeds up the cell healing process. Honey heals scars and evens out skin tone whilst being a natural moisturiser. Raw, unpasteurized honey is most beneficial for the skin for all the benefits mentioned above and if you have the money to spend I recommend treating yourself to some Manuka Honey.

What you will need:

• Activated Charcoal powder
• Fullers Earth Clay
• Raw Honey
• Water
• Glass Jar to store powders
• Small mixing bowl
• Face Brush
• Measuring spoons (optional)

How to make

To start I mix the dry ingredients together, taking the activated charcoal powder and the fullers earth and working on a one part charcoal to three part fullers earth clay ratio. You can mix this up every time you want to use a face mask but I find it easier to make a large batch of the dry mix in a glass jar and take a little out each time and then add the fresh liquid ingredients when I’m about to apply the mask. To make the mask ready to wear I use my 2.5ml measuring spoon and add the dry mix from above to a little bowl. I picked up this cute little mask tool set here with everything you need to mix and apply a face mask. Next I use that same spoon to add 2.5ml of honey and a slightly larger 5ml spoon to add the water. Then I mix well and apply generously to the skin. I’ve found this ratio makes just the right amount to cover your whole face well with a small amount left over.

This mask will start to dry and harden but doesn’t feel too tight or hurt the face and is easy to wash off with some warm water. Working with charcoal does get a little messy though so I recommend putting some tissue down whilst mixing and to use dark cloths if that’s what you prefer to use to remove products. All the ingredients I used for this DIY are super cheap and I have so much left for future masks. I am so pleased with how much this cleans my skin and shrinks my pores and I only need to use it once a week!

Have you ever used charcoal in skincare? Do you like to make your own masks? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading,