It’s really easy to make a DIY camu camu face mask.
If you already own camu camu powder, you can add it to a number of other natural remedies you may have in the house. For instance, you can use it with avocado oil, and a little clay, if you have dry skin. Or you can skip the avocado oil, if you want a more drying effect.
You can also mix camu camu with raw organic honey to make a healing face mask, one that contains natural wrinkle fighting agents.
I’ll let you in on a secret. It’s something I learned later in life. I wish I had this information earlier. Chemicals can ruin your skin. Yes, the same laboratory compounds found in many commercial “beauty” products aren’t good for your skin, a living organ. They contain toxins that clog your pores and irritate your skin. (They also encourage the formation of beauty-busting free radicals, which can damage collagen. It’s collagen that holds your skin together, and gives it a youthful appearance.)
Camu Camu for Your Skin
Natural collagen production wanes as we age. That’s why you see so many face creams on the market that promise to increase collagen. The high-end ones are made from plant-based ingredients that contain antioxidants, which fight free radical damage.
Camu camu is loaded with antioxidants. So it makes sense to put it directly oh your skin.
One thing I’ve realized about my skin. Natural plant-based ingredients are good for it. My complexion has improved so much since I ditched the chemicals and started using cosmetics made from plants. Plant-based cosmetics are now widely available online. Nowadays, you can even find them in the drugstore. But it’s also easy to make your own skin creams and face masks. In this post, I’ll tell you how to make several different kinds of camu camu face masks.
Can You Use Camu Camu On Your Face?
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What’s camu camu? It’s a berry harvested in the Amazon.
In recent years, camu camu berry powder has become extremely popular. Camu camu powder can now be found in health foods stores, both brick and mortar and online. There’s a reason for that. As I mentioned earlier, camu camu is loaded with antioxidants. It’s also one of the best sources of natural Vitamin C on the planet. (Natural Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant.)
Camu camu is primarily used as a dietary supplement and as a health tonic. It’s believed to contain powerful anti-inflamatory compounds. It also contains natural B-complex vitamins and trace minerals. So, in the past, I’ve used camu camu as a natural vitamin pill.
But camu camu also works on your face. In fact, I recently made a natural face mask with dried camu camu powder and a few others ingredients. I liked the fact I was delivering what my skin needed, right to my skin. It also made my skin feel really soft for a few days afterward.
I tried two different types of camu camu face masks. One would be good for dry more mature skin. The other I’d use if I had oily acne-prone skin.
DIY Camu Camu Face Mask
It’s been years since I’ve put chemicals anywhere near my face. This includes cosmetics, moisturizers, facial masks and soap.
I did this partly because I developed health problems, including nerve inflammation that was so severe I had difficulty walking.
I understood that environmental toxins promote inflammation. So it made sense to limit my exposure. Also, many cosmetics contain parabens and other endocrine disruptors. These work like extra estrogen. So it’s feared parabens can potentially promote breast cancer. The link has not yet been proven. But it raises a valid concern.
Given the problems with women’s cosmetics, I decided to buy only natural plant-based beauty products. Then, I realize how easy it is to make your own moisturizer, lip balm and deodorant. You can even make DIY mascara. So, in recent years, I’ve been making from scratch the ingredients I put on my face.
Trust me, I don’t even miss my old cosmetics. I’ve discovered that natural ingredients work much better on your skin.
How to Make a Face Mask With Camu Camu Berry Powder
The first face mask I made with camu camu powder was mixed with powdered volcanic clay, and a little bit of water. It was a little bit drying. But it left my skin feeling soft. Clay has natural exfoliating properties. It’s also believed to have a negative charge, which helps neutralize the positively charged free radicals. Adding a little camu camu powder to a clay mask may potentially enhance the benefits.
Camu Camu Face Mask With Clay
Clay masks alone can do good things for your skin. I always notice my skin is softer and smoother after I put clay on it. I do this weekly. Adding camu camu to the clay seemed to enhance the skin softening properties of the clay. Also, I’ve found that natural cosmetics work best if you rotate them. This means not using the same thing all the time. But adding camu camu powder to clay seems to make it a brand new beauty treatment. (At least that’s what I found.) I was using the same clay I always do, but adding something to the mix that seemed to help it work better.
However, I would probably not use camu camu powder if my skin was reddened, irritated or highly sensitive. That’s because camu camu a tart astringent berry. I’d probably want to use something more soothing, such as lavender essential oil or chamomile tea.
How to Make a Camu Camu Face Mask
But if you’re looking to soften and exfoliate your skin, here’s how to make a basic clay mask with camu camu berry powder.
1/4 teaspoon of natural volcanic clay (It’s available here)
1/4 teaspoon of camu camu berry powder (It’s available here)
Enough distilled water or natural spring water to make a paste.
I left this on my face for about 10 minutes. That’s about the time it took it to thoroughly dry. However, people with sensitive skin might want to remove a clay mask in less time. I’d wash it off immediately if it began to sting my skin. Some pulling and tightness as it dries, though, is to be expected.
Camu Camu Face Mask With Avocado Oil
If you have dryer skin, you can use the above recipe and add equal amounts of water and avocado oil to make a paste.
Avocado oil is an amazing skin remedy. It’s believed to contain natural wrinkle fighting and anti-aging compounds.
It makes so much sense to put avocado oil direction on your skin. (But I sometimes use it to cook as well. Also, avocados are a very healthy food.) But here’s why you may want to think about using avocado oil as a natural beauty remedy. There’s some evidence that it can help increase collagen production, at least in animals.
According to scientific findings published in 1991, rats that consumed avocado oil began had more collagen in their skin, compared to a control group of rats who didn’t eat avocado oil. You can read more about this research in an earlier post I wrote on avocado oil for your face.
Whether it can be proven that avocado oil can help human skin probably remains to be seen. Since more studies are needed. But I’m not waiting. I’m using avocado oil right now.
Honey Face Mask With Camu Camu Powder
Raw honey is also a soothing skin remedy. So if your skin isn’t irritated, and you’re looking for some extra antioxidants, consider adding camu camu powder to your honey face mask.
Honey, by itself, is a nutritional powerhouse. Like camu, it’s loaded with antioxidants. So it makes perfect sense to combine the two.
There’s no reason to not add camu powder to your honey face mask, unless your skin is irritated and inflamed. (In that case, you may want to consider adding chamomile essential oil to honey.)
You can add clay to your honey mask if you like. But it’s optional. Raw organic honey will also help exfoliate your skin. So I’d probably recommend using it separately. Actually, it may be a good idea to use a clay mask one week and a honey face mask the next.
Raw Honey Face Mask With Camu Camu
Anyway, here’s how to make a raw honey and camu camu powder face mask.
2 teaspoons of raw organic honey (You can find it here)
3/4 teaspoon of organic camu camu powder (You can find it here)
Mix these together and apply to your face. Leave on for about 10 or 15 minutes, unless the mixture stings your skin. In that case, remove it right away.
Manuka Honey and Camu Camu Face Mask
There’s a special type of honey that comes from New Zealand. It’s called Manuka honey, and it’s a popular skin remedy.
Compared to regular honey, Manuka contains more beneficial enzymes. Like regular honey, it’s also packed with antioxidants, as well as trace minerals. So if you own Manuka honey, you can use the recipe above and add it in place of regular raw organic honey. You may be able to find Manuka honey at your local grocery store. If not, you can order it online.
Not all Manuka honey is created equal. Its chemical composition varies widely, depending upon where it’s harvested. You’ll definitely want to buy a brand of Manuka that contains something called a Unique Manuka Factor greater than 10.
Banana Face Mask With Camu Camu Powder
You can eat ripe bananas. Or you can put them on your skin. Actually, bananas are often used in natural face mask. You simply mash a banana and apply it to your face and neck. Then you rinse it off after about 15 minutes. To make a banana and camu camu face mask, simply add about a teaspoon of camu camu powder to the mashed banana.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils.
