As summer winds down, take advantage of the fleeting bumper crop of berries and whip up some DIY masks to treat your skin. My favorite is a sweet-enough-to-eat concoction made with ingredients you’re likely to already have on hand: strawberries, honey, plain yogurt and rolled oats. I discovered this gem last week via Beauty Banter when searching for something to soothe my sunburned skin. (Oops.) The yogurt and honey repair and cool sun-damaged skin, while the strawberries pump in vitamin C and and bust patches of acne with naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acid. And the oatmeal? It’s one of the best natural exfoliators out there, and works wonders to calm itchy, inflamed or unhappy skin. But your complexion doesn’t have to be in distress to try this gently effective mask—this baby’s a nourishing treat for all skin types.  –Meghan
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Here’s what you’ll need:
1/4 c. dry rolled oats, blended to a powder-like consistency in a blender of food processor
3 T. organic plain yogurt (not sweetened!)
2 T. local honey (why local? Watch this and you’ll understand the importance of supporting your resident beekeepers!)
3 strawberries, mashed to a juicy pulp with a fork or food processor or blender

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Mix ingredients together and let stand for 10 minutes or so until it thickens up. I recommend popping the bowl in the fridge during this time so the mask feels extra cooling on the skin. (If it’s too runny, add a spoonful more of ground oatmeal.) Apply a thick coat to cleansed skin and sit back and relax. (No really, you gotta lay down with this mask on unless you want globs of it on the floor.) Recline and relax for 10 to 20 minutes and then rinse it off. For an extra boost of exfoliation, I prefer to scrub it off (gently!) with a wash cloth. Rinse well, tone and moisturize and then get to enjoying your glow-y, smooth complexion!

Variations: If you’re out of oats and yogurt, or simply a minimalist at heart, try mixing up four to five mashed strawberries with 1 T. honey. Apply immediately and relax with it on for 10 to 20 minutes. You’ll still reap the anti-aging benefits of strawberries and gain nourishment and hydration from the honey.
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Other DIY treats for the skin you can make with summery ingredients:
* Tomato toner
* Cucumber toner
* Avocado honey mask

Filed Under: DIY facial, honey face mask, honey facial, oatmeal face mask, strawberry face mask, yogurt face mask