11 Homemade Face Packs for Your Unique Skin Concern

When we say- ‘indulgent skincare’, one image that instantly comes to mind is that of a woman with her head resting on a massage chair, hair wrapped in a towel, face covered in a pink paste and two cucumber slices propped over her eyes. The pink paste? The coveted DIY face masque!

From ancient Egypt to India, women have been known to use various concoctions for their skin, some with miraculous natural ingredients and some with rather questionable ones, often whipped up by women themselves. Nevertheless, Masques have been synonymous with skincare and self-care since time immemorial.

Our Ayurvedic Expert, Doctor Taruna Yadav has curated a selection of her top tried and tested homemade face packs that will get you through the season mattified and breakout-free!

11 Homemade Face Packs For Your Skin

Face Pack For sensitive skin

You will need:

• 1tsp Rose Petal Powder
• 2 gms Turmeric Powder
• 1tsp finely milled Almond Seed Powder

Make a paste by adding Rosewater and apply over the face for 10-15 minutes and rinse it off. Use this homemade face pack twice a week.

• Rose Petals have natural oils that soothe the skin and help retain moisture. The natural sugars in rose petals benefit those with sensitive skin.
• Turmeric owes its highly beneficial properties to Curcumin- a bioactive component that has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Almond Seed Powder is a great source of Vitamin E, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids, and is known for its skin nourishing and healing properties.

Face Pack For oily skin

You will need:

• 1tsp Multani Mitti Powder
• ½tsp Nagkesar Powder
• 2-3tbsps Aloe Vera Juice

Mix all the ingredients to make a fine paste and apply on to the face for 10-15 minutes. Rinse it off with normal water. Use the masque 2-3 times a week.

• Mesua Ferra or Nagkesar with its drying qualities, makes it a very efficient herb for oily skin as it balances the oil production.
• Multani Mitti renowned as an anti-acne wonder herb, removes excess sebum and controls oil production in the skin.
• Aloe Vera juice acts as a natural astringent and helps also helps balance the excess oil production in the skin.

Face Pack For pigmentation

You will need:

• 1tsp Orange Peel
• ½tsp Kasturi Manjal
• ½tsp Manjishtha
• Saffron Water (soak 4-5 strands in 30-40 ml water and leave it overnight)

Make a paste by mixing the Saffron water with Kasturi Manjal, Manjishta & powdered Orange Peel. Mix well, apply on to the face for 10-15 minutes and rinse it off. This home made face pack must be applied 2-3 times a week for best results.

• Orange peel contains Citric Acid that helps brighten the skin naturally, giving it a healthy and natural glow.
• Manjishtha removes the discoloration with their skin lightening properties.
• Kasturi Manjal is a natural skin lightening and clarifying ingredient that effectively reduces any kind of skin pigmentation.
• Saffron is a Varnya herb, which is known to lend the skin a warm, glowing complexion.

Face Pack For signs of ageing

You will need:

• 1tsp Licorice Powder
• 1tsp Shatavari Powder
• 1tsp Ashwagandha Powder
• 1tsp Pure Cow’s Ghee
• 2-3tbsp Whole Milk

Make a paste by mixing all the ingredients and apply it on to the face for 10-15 minutes and rinse it off. Use it at least twice a week.

• Licorice is a natural rejuvenator which acts as a humectant and makes the skin smooth and well nourished.
• Shatavari Root reduces the free-radical skin damage that leads to wrinkles and fine lines. It also prevents collagen breakdown and maintains skin’s
• Ashwagandha helps in rapid cell regeneration and rejuvenation that in turn helps in delaying signs of ageing, especially pertaining to the skin.
• Cow’s ghee is ‘Vayasthapak’ meaning anti-ageing or age-restoring, ‘Ojovardhark’ meaning Ojas-building and vitalizing, and ‘Rasayana’ meaning rich in antioxidants.

Face Pack For acne-prone skin

You will need:

• 1tbsp Multani Mitti
• ½tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1tsp Fenugreek powder
• Neem Water (5-8 leaves boiled in a glass of water and cooled)

Make a paste by adding the Neem Water to the 3 powders and apply it on to the face or other acne-affected areas. Leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing it off. Use it at least twice a week for best results; you may also use the paste as a spot treatment on your breakouts.

• Multani Mitti removes excess sebum and controls oil production in the skin, whilst clearing out acne and breakouts.
• Neem has natural antiseptic, antimicrobial, and astringent properties, and is especially helpful in protecting and healing the skin.
• Fenugreek Seed Powder is enriched with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that help heal the skin. It also cools and soothes inflamed skin.

Face Pack For dry skin

You will need:

• 1tbsp Oatmeal
• 2tsp Honey
• 1-2tsp Rosewater

Combine Oatmeal, Rosewater and Honey into a paste. Apply on to the skin for 15-20 minutes before washing it off with water. Use this home made face pack once or twice a week depending on how dry your skin is.

• Oatmeal reinforces the skin’s barrier and helps retain moisture.
• Honey is an excellent humectant that seals moisture in the skin and makes it soft and supple
• Rosewater is a natural hydrator that provides moisture where the skin needs it most. It is perfect for dry skins it gives the skin cells a nourishing boost.

Face Pack For puffy and tired eyes

You will need:

• 1tbsp Rosewater
• 1tbsp Cucumber Juice

Mix fresh Cucumber juice with pure Rosewater and apply it on the undereye area using a cotton ball. You can either leave it for 20-30 minutes and rinse it off.

• Rosewater soothes and cools the skin and rehydrates the undereye area.
• Cucumber juice has Ascorbic and Caffeic Acid, which helps reduce the water retention, thereby diminishing the swelling and puffiness around the eyes.

Face Pack For dry and chapped lips

You will need:

• 5-6 drops of Olive/Coconut Oil
• 1tsp of Brown Sugar/Raw Cane Sugar
• 1tsp Raw Honey

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Apply this to your lips and gently massage for 2-3 minutes. Wait for 10 minutes before washing it off with lukewarm water. Finish with a hydrating lip balm to lock the moisture.

• Brown sugar is a natural humectant and a good source of Vitamin E, it gently exfoliates the lips without drying them out.
• Raw honey works as a natural humectant and keeps the lips moisturised for a long hours after the application.

Face Pack For Sun tan

You will need:

• 1tbsp Red Lentils Powder
• ½ tsp Sandalwood Powder
• 40-50 ml Tomato Juice

Combine the Red Lentil Powder and Gram Flour with a pinch of Turmeric and Tomato juice. Apply the paste on to the skin and keep it on for 15-20 minutes before washing it off with water. Use this face pack once or twice a week for best results.

• Red Lentils have natural exfoliating and lightening properties which help in de-tanning.
• Sandalwood due to its light and dry physical properties and cold potency works brilliantly to alleviate skin-related issues like pigmentation, sunburn, sun tan, and loss of luster.

Face Pack For sunburn

• 2tbsp Aloe Vera Gel
• 1tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1tbsp and Honey

Mix all the ingredients into a fine paste and apply on to the affected area, every day for atleast 2-3 weeks till the burn is completely healed.

Aloe Vera due to its ultra-cooling, healing and anti-inflammatory properties is considered as one of the best natural remedies for a sunburn. It creates a protective layer for the skin, and it also helps retain moisture.

Face Pack For open pores

• 1-2tsps Green Tea Powder
• 1tsp Lemon Juice
• 2-3tbsps. Rosewater

Combine all the ingredients and mix them well. When the paste is ready, apply it evenly on to your face and massage in circular motions for 2 minutes. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse it off.

• Green Tea is a rich source of antioxidants, it also contains enzymes that inhibit sebum secretion, which is associated with enlarged pores.
• Lemon Juice contains Citric Acid that exfoliates skin and minimises the appearance of open pores.
• Rosewater is a natural toner for the skin.