DIY Honey & Cinnamon Mask

A few weeks ago I my skin started breaking out like crazy.  That’s what happens when you start using a bunch of new products at once and you have sensitive, acne-prone skin.  Not smart on my part and I should know better.  Now I’m working through a process of elimination, trying to figure out which product(s) caused my skin to freak out which is annoying and time consuming.

Trying to deal with those breakouts was tough.  The worst part was my job requires me to meet with people in person on a regular basis and when my skin sucks, my confidence goes way down and I find it difficult to do my job well.  That may seem silly to anyone who doesn’t suffer from acne but unless you’ve been there it’s hard to understand.

Thankfully I’ve got my skin back to normal now but that was a tough couple of weeks.  One of the things I found that really helped was this homemade honey and cinnamon mask.  This was so simple to do and I had both of the ingredients right in my pantry!  I initially came across this on Michelle Phan’s website but I’ve modified her recipe to suit my skin type.

What you need:

– 2 tablespoons honey (use Organic Unpasterized if possible)

– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

– Small microwave safe bowl

– Clean makeup brush (I like to use my flat foundation brush)

Mix the honey and cinnamon together in the bowl and microwave for 15-20 seconds.  Let it cool just enough so it’s still warm but not hot (you don’t want to burn your face!).  If you wait too long it will thicken too much and will be difficult and gluey to apply.  Apply the mask to your face (avoiding the eye area) and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Remove using a warm washcloth.

Things to note:
– This does tend to drip so just be careful about what you’re wearing while using this.  My favourite thing to do is to actually put this on and then take a bath.  Any drips end up in the bathtub so the rest of me gets the benefits from it too!

– This did make my face quite red after I removed it but I have sensitive skin so that didn’t surprise me.  It’s also why I toned down the cinnamon as I felt that 1 tablespoon was way too much for me.  I’ve played around with the mix of honey and cinnamon quite a bit and I find this combination works best for me and my skin.  You may need to adjust accordingly to suit yours.  If your skin is super sensitive, you may want to patch test this prior to using.  

– My skin gets a tinge dry after using this so post-mask I like to use a moisturizing face wash and thicker moisturizer to combat the dryness.

I found this really helped with clearing up my skin and healing my blemishes.  Honey is often said to be anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, and cinnamon is a great gentle exfoliant so that explains why this works so well.  When I was breaking out I was using this mask a couple of times a week.  Now that my skin has cleared, I’ve started using this once a week, usually on Sundays so I start my week off with clear and refreshed skin.

Have a great week!