I'll be the first to say it: my skin and I have never been the best of friends. Bumps, lumps, and scars have been a constant fixture on my face since about the sixth grade. I've tried creams, pills, and commercial cleansers...well, the ones I wasn't allergic to, anyway.
As the years have gone on, it doesn't bother me nearly as much as it used to. I figure, if people can't see past a few zits, they're not worth my time. But, that said, I have noticed lately that my face has been more prone to breakouts.
I shopped around the Sephora and Ulta websites for something that would help, but to be honest, I couldn't justify spending crazy amounts of money for a cream I'd only use twice a day. Especially when I could buy a couple coffees with that same amount of cash.
So what's a girl to do? Like any enterprising college student, I decided that I'd steal some stuff from the dining hall to make my own face mask. Oatmeal, honey, and sugar. How hard could it be? I decided I'd try the face mask for three days and see if dining hall ingredients could hold their own against higher end masks.
Day 1
Just for the sake of context, here's what my skin looks like on a regular day. I don't really like to wear foundation, so everything is kind of "out in the open." Obviously, this isn't anything graphic or what not, but you can definitely see all of the bumps, scars, and clogged pores.
I mixed together the oatmeal, honey, and brown sugar. I didn't use exact measurements, but if I had to guess, I'd say I used about a cup and a half of oatmeal, a quarter cup of honey, and two tablespoons of sugar to make the face mask, and I had plenty left over for Days 2 and 3.
This face mask was a process, let me tell you. For starters, I very quickly realized that I hate the smell of honey. So having it all over my face was an ordeal. Additionally, the face mask was a weird combination of sticky and runny, so I was terrified that I'd get it all over my room.
I took the face mask off after 10 minutes, and my skin felt really soft, which was a plus. However, I ended up deleting all the pictures I took because, to be quite honest, this face mask was not a good look for me. Even my Mom, who is supposed to think I'm beautiful no matter what, wasn't feeling it...ouch.
Day 2
Call me crazy, but I woke up this morning with my skin looking a little better! Obviously, oatmeal won't take away any acne, but it does exfoliate your skin, and honey helps treat oiliness and redness.
I was just glad that my skin didn't look slick or grimy. I was really afraid that the honey would break me out. For something a little extra, I decided to heat up my face mask for fifteen seconds in my microwave. I felt like I was treating myself to a nice facial, instead of just running off to English class!
Day 3
Here we are folks, the final day! So, did I feel ridiculous rushing across the hall to my bathroom so no one would think that I dunked my face in a bowl of Quaker Oats? Absolutely. Would I do it again?
...you know, I probably would! Looking between the picture I took on the first day and the picture I took on Day 3, there is a small but noticeable difference. I'm still broken out, but my face definitely seems less red and it feels a lot smoother.
I was pleasantly surprised that ingredients from the dining hall created a face mask that provided tangible results. I mean, in all seriousness, I'd rather eat some oatmeal than smear it on my face, but it's nice to know that if I'm ever strapped for cash, I can get some skin treatments for free! All I need to do is spare a meal swipe.