DIY Face Mask: Honey + Cinnamon

It took 30 some odd years before I realized that my body seems confused. As I’m sure many women can relate, imperfections can transform into major irritations and the products that might help are usually expensive and difficult to sustain. Yes, of course, I appreciate my body for what it is and SUPER appreciate it functioning for me, but it seems to act like it checked random boxes on an à la carte menu. Case in point, I have straight hair underneath layers of curly, wavy hair. Thick in terms of volume, but “fine” in terms of behavior. Without a formal diagnosis from a dermatologist, I would estimate that my skin would be considered “combination” and sensitive. The contradictions make it difficult to figure out products and potions that will work for my entire face or all of my hair. Though it may have been a struggle to this point in my life, I am excited to renew my efforts to find what works, what doesn’t, and enjoy the journey. Enter, the DIY honey and cinnamon face mask. 

Admittedly, I need to do more to care for my hair and skin. To keep monthly costs down – and because I don’t always know what will work best – I’ve avoided adjusting my routine and experimenting with what will make my skin look brighter and my hair sleeker. Perhaps, through my journey, we can find some tips and tricks together or you can learn from my successes and mistakes.

In order to max out on affordability, I’ve recently started researching products that can do “double duty” and recently learned about the benefits of a honey and cinnamon DIY mask. Since masks are so effective at achieving that pampered feeling (in addition to their skincare benefits), I’m making an effort to treat myself on the ‘reg. That’s pretty easy to achieve given the fact I’ve done one every 10 years or so – no joke. Since the honey and cinnamon mask is supposed to be helpful for inflammation and its soothing properties as well as the fact it only requires two ingredients, I decided to give this one a try first. Here is what I thought:

Face Mask Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How It Worked

• It was easy to make. Of course, if you can use organic honey, that would be preferred.
• The mix was a little messy. After applying to my face, it did run a bit. Make sure to wrap a towel around your neck to cover your shirt. Next time, I will start with half the amount of mask (1 tablespoon honey and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon) and add more to my face, if necessary. This might mitigate the dripping. 
• I let it rest for about 20 minutes and washed off with a washcloth, starting with warm water and transitioning to cooler H20 to shrink pores and soothe the skin.
• Note that cinnamon is not water soluble. When removing the mask, cinnamon will not dissolve in the sink or on the cloth. Be prepared to toss it in the wash and let the spin cycle shake it loose. 
• My skin did look brighter and felt a little more firm. Pores appeared to be somewhat smaller and I felt like there was just enough gentle exfoliation to not irritate any sensitivities. It is recommended to follow up with a moisturizer or any additional nourishments you add to your skin in the morning or evening before bed. 
• Some people have allergic reactions to honey and cinnamon (the latter can be fairly abrasive), so test the mix on your hand before adding to your face. 

Skincare Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon

Honey

Basically, honey holds almost too many great properties to effectively summarize. From a chemical standpoint, the sugar properties (glucose and sucrose) lessens the ability for bacteria to grow and multiply. This also aided by the "acidic environment" the limits bacterial growth. Antimicrobial benefits are also active via the presence of propolis...used by bees to seal their hives.  

Cinnamon

Similar to its honey partner, cinnamon contains microbial properties, including the ability to kill or suppress E. Coli and other bacterial illnesses. What provides a nice aesthetic to the skin is rooted in cinnamon's astringency - helping shrink pores and make skin smooth. 

Learn more here. Note: You can find medicinal honey at health stores, if preferred. 

Do you have a DIY face mask to share? Looking for the next one to try, so leave thoughts in the below comments! Until next time, cheers!