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Everybody loves chocolate, but its topical benefits are far less known. Cocoa, the main component of chocolate, is loaded with skin-healing micronutrients called polyphenols.
It is on account of this polyphenolic content that cocoa or unsweetened chocolate has been used in beauty remedies since time immemorial.
DIY Chocolate Face Mask: Ingredients and Their Benefits
Here’s the list of ingredients to be used in the chocolate face masks along with their individual skin benefits:
1. Chocolate
Chocolate is rich in plant compounds called polyphenols, which exhibit significant antioxidant activity that can help reduce the skin damage caused by free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that steal electrons from healthy cells and damage them in the process. Polyphenols can also protect your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun while simultaneously promoting skin repair.
Cocoa gets its bitter taste from an alkaloid called theobromine, which is known to prevent premature wrinkling or skin aging. (1) Moreover, topical use of cocoa or dark chocolate may help improve skin moisture and elasticity to keep it soft, supple, and tight. (2) It does so by maintaining the glycosaminoglycan (sugar molecules) and collagen content of the skin, strengthening its structural integrity. (3)
2. Honey
Honey contains various bioactive antioxidants and important sugars that can benefit the skin in multiple ways. Topical use of honey can help disinfect the skin, promote tissue repair and wound healing, protect the skin from sun damage that causes photoaging, and deeply hydrate the skin and then lock in the moisture, being a natural humectant. (4)
Many varieties of honey are available on the market, but manuka honey is considered to be of top quality. If you can’t get your hands on manuka honey, you can use any local, raw, organic variant. The color of the honey is indicative of its therapeutic potential – the darker the honey, the more beneficial it is.
3. Lactic acid
Lactic acid is a mild acid that helps loosen the dead skin cells for easier shedding and helps bleach the skin, but without disturbing the natural pH of the skin or causing burns. (5)
Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and milk cream, are some of the best sources of lactic acid that are widely used in beauty remedies, including this face mask. You have to adjust the lactic content of your mask according to your skin sensitivity. If you have highly sensitive skin, it’s best to avoid it altogether.
4. Plant oils
Healing plant oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, or shea butter can be added to this face mask as moisturizing agents. They are highly absorbent and help bind the moisture to the skin to keep it soft and hydrated for longer.
Additionally, they are full of other skin-healing compounds and antioxidants that can improve the texture and appearance of your skin. (6)
5. Colloidal oatmeal/sugar/fuller’s earth
Your skin keeps regenerating itself, wherein dead epidermal cells are shed from the surface and new cells form in their place.
However, this is a gradual process that gets slower as one ages, due to which the dead cells build up on the surface, making your skin appear dull and worn out. This is why it is recommended to use a gentle scrub to exfoliate your skin from time to time.
Ground oatmeal, sugar, and fuller’s earth are all great options for this purpose, and you can use any of them in your mask. Their tiny granules help slough away the dead cells to reveal the fresh skin underneath and stimulate blood circulation in your face to give you a natural glow.
6. Fruit
Fruits such as lemon and banana are loaded with antioxidants that can help fight free radical damage and promote skin repair. So, it may be a good idea to add a few drops of lemon or 2–3 pieces of banana into your face mask mix, but it is entirely optional.
Note: Don’t add lemon to your mask if you have sensitive skin or any wounds on your face because its acidic content can cause a lot of stinging and irritation.
DIY Chocolate Face Mask Recipes
Here are some simple ways to make a chocolate face mask at home.
Note: Make sure to do a patch test to rule out any adverse skin reaction. All you have to do is to apply a small amount of the paste on the underside of your arm and then wait for a few minutes to see if it causes any adverse symptoms.
Recipe 1
- Take 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder or melted dark chocolate in a clean bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt.
- Add 1 tablespoon of powdered oatmeal.
- Add 1 teaspoon of honey.
- Mix all the ingredients well to form a paste.
Recipe 2
- Add 1 bar of melted dark chocolate or 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder in a clean bowl.
- Add ½ tablespoon of sugar to it.
- Put 1 tablespoon of milk or milk cream in the bowl.
- Mix the ingredients well to form a thick paste.
Note:
- You can add hydrating plant oils or antioxidant-rich fruits to the mix for added skin benefits.
- Hot cocoa mix and chocolate milk mix are not suitable substitutes for cocoa powder since they have a lot of added sugar but not enough cocoa.
How to Use the Face Mask
- Wash your face and neck with lukewarm water and let it air dry or dab it with a clean towel.
- While the skin is still damp, apply the chocolate face mask all over your face and neck.
- Let it dry for 15–20 minutes.
- Use a moist paper towel or a soft washcloth to wipe the mask.
- Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry.
- Repeat once or twice a week.
Final Word
Chocolate contains many naturally occurring antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules that can help avert and repair a great deal of skin damage. But for any remedy to show visible results, it has to be used properly and frequently. And no matter how effective the remedy, it alone cannot undo all your skin problems.
To really improve the texture, appearance, and overall health of your skin, you must be consistent with your daily skin care regimen, stay active, eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet, and follow an overall healthy lifestyle.
Although these face masks only contain natural and skin-friendly ingredients, it is still wise to patch test the remedy to rule out the possibility of an allergic reaction.
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