Salty Hibiscus Face Mask

I’ve been playing around with all sorts of recipes involving salt lately! Perhaps because I’m craving summer and time on the beach? So this is my way of feeling like I’m soaking up the sun somewhere.

Did you know that hibiscus is incredibly delightful for face care? I had no idea until recently. And lucky me, I just happened to have a whole bunch of dried hibiscus for another recipe or two I’m working on. So I played a little and came up with this very lovely face mask. Not only does it make your skin all love-er-ly like, but it also is a really pretty pinky/purple color. Quite fun to have such a brightly colored face mask.

This mask is ideal for those with normal to dry skin. I formulated it especially for others like me with dry and mature skin.

I created this to be a “dry” face mask, meaning you will be creating a dry powder that will keep for months! When you’re ready to actually make the mask, you will measure out about 1-2 teaspoons of the powder and add either water or a hydrosol to moisten it. This is a great way of making face masks in bulk without having to use a preservative.

Salty Hibiscus Face Mask

Ingredients

36 grams kaolin clay
10 grams dried hibiscus (powdered)
10 grams Himalayan salt (or salt of choice)
4 grams of jojoba oil
3-4 drops sweet orange essential oil (optional)

Directions

Begin by weighing out your hibiscus. Most likely it came in large dried petals, so turn it into a powder by pulsing it in either a magic bullet or a coffee grinder used solely for herbs.
Once the hibiscus is finely ground, go ahead and mix all the dry ingredients in with the hibiscus.
Once the dry ingredients have been well combined, drop in the jojoba oil and essential oil. Mix thoroughly. You may even want to pulse it briefly in the grinder again, to make it nice and uniform.
Place the powder in a glass jar, label it with the name and date, and store it for about 6-9 months. Just be sure to never introduce any water into the powder, or you will have to throw it away because it will begin to grow mold and bacteria quite quickly.

How to use the hibiscus salt face mask

When you’re ready to give yourself a wonderfully delicious at-home facial here are the proper steps:

Cleanse
Steam
Exfoliate
Face mask
Tone
Moisturize

Once you have thoroughly washed/cleansed your face, go ahead and do a little facial steam, followed by a little exfoliation. Then you’re ready for the mask.

Measure out about 1 teaspoon of the mask powder and place it in a small dish.
Begin by mixing in 1 teaspoon of either purified water or the hydrosol of your choice. Personally I love using rose hydrosol in my mask. It’s amazing and smells so lovely with the sweet orange. I have a whole mini series on making hydrosols at home.
Mix the powder and liquid together, slowly stirring in more liquid until you get a smooth mask-like consistency.
Apply the now moistened mask to your face with either your fingers or a paintbrush.
Allow the mask to work its magic for about 10-15 minutes.
Don’t leave the mask on to completely solidify—all that drying and pulling can be harsh on your face. Once it starts feeling a bit taught go ahead and remove the mask. I find it most relaxing to get a washcloth nice and warm, lay it on my face for a few seconds, and then slowly massage the mask off.
Be sure to follow up with a good toner and moisturizer!

Benefits of the the ingredients

Kaolin Clay

Kaolin clay is a very gentle clay which makes it ideal for sensitive and dry skin. It increases circulation while gently exfoliating. Unlike most other clays, it does not draw out oils from the skin which is what makes it ideal for dry skin types.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus naturally contains alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) which helps exfoliate, control oil, increase moisture and help firm and tone the skin. Hibiscus also contains antioxidants which help fight free radicals and prevent aging.

HIMALAYAN salt

Yes, salt is drying, but when used appropriately, it can be very balancing and beneficial to the skin. Himalayan salt contains many minerals that can be absorbed through the skin. It is also antiinflammatory which helps fight any inflammation. The texture helps to gently exfoliate the skin, and its antimicrobial properties help kill the bacteria from acne.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is actually a liquid wax that closely mimics human sebum. It is a balancing face oil which helps soothe eczema, psoriasis, inflamed skin, acne, wrinkles, helps brighten dark spots, and minimizes the appearance of pores. Adding the oil to this mask helps balance the drying effect of the salt.

Sweet Orange essential oil

Sweet orange essential oil is gentle and soothing to the skin. It is ideal for mature and sensitive skin as it helps in wrinkle prevention. It is also wonderful for toning the skin and promoting a glowing complexion.

**Sweet orange essential oil does contain coumarins, which are the constituents that make essential oils phototoxic. Although oddly, there is no evidence that points to sweet orange as actually being phototoxic. If you plan on being out in the sun after using this face mask, you may want to omit or substitute for a different oil. I use masks at night so this is not an issue for me.

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