These Food-Based Face Masks Will Satiate Your Appetite for Good Skin

Papaya, avocado, watermelon…this is our weekly grocery list for beauty on the inside and out.

by Kames Narayanan | September 7, 2020

Growing up in an Indian household, a mixture of turmeric and yoghurt was my mother’s Patronus Charm equivalent. It was an all-powerful defensive charm against any peril that could befall her skin. Calming acne breakouts, fading the scars it leaves in its wake, moisturising the skin, reducing fine lines…she swore her concoction would expecto patronum the heck out of it all.

Just as I wasn’t that much of a Potterhead, I was not a fan of my mother’s DIY face masks. Slathering a thick layer of yoghurt tinted yellow with turmeric on my face was a less than appealing remedy. For one, it was a dripping mess. Two, the pungent scent of yoghurt I thought to be revolting. Three, I never really felt like it did much for my skin. And four, it’s such a waste of food. Eventually, I sought professional help from the dermatologist for my acne flare-ups.

But with au natural skincare being the talk about town, food has increasingly found its way into skincare. Not just the homemade sort but even the face masks you buy off shelves. The benefits your skin can reap from fruits, honey, tea yada, yada have been discussed ad nauseam. Honey does wonders to brighten the complexion. Avocado, when not on your sandwich, can moisturise your skin. Yoghurt is a fine lines and wrinkles buster.

I don’t deny the facts. Homemade concoctions, however, are debatable. There are too many factors that come into play with DIY face masks. The quality of your ingredients; the shelf life of the face masks; how long do you leave it on for; there are far too many open-ended questions with rather iffy answers. I’d rather not take the chances and leave it to the professionals to come up with formulas proven safe for the skin.

My fellow sensitive skin sufferers fret not, there are plenty of off-the-shelf alternatives. From watermelon to avocado face masks, here’s a lineup of our trusted food-based face masks.