How To Make an Amazing Pore Shrinking Mask

Natural Pore Shrinking Mask with honey and oatmeal. Gentle, easy and affordable DIY mask for healthy and better looking skin! | saynotsweetanne.comOff and on I’ve lightly discussed my over-grooming tendencies. Essentially, I have a compulsion when dealing with stress where I over critique and “groom” my skin.  Usually by way of scratching/picking pimples and blackheads on my face. The official name is dermatillomania. Sometimes until it hurts. Its shameful, and I’m reminded of my own bad choice for days afterward as the redness and puffiness subsides.

Obviously, there’s a larger issue there. I’ve been seeing a psychologist for some time about it, and I’m happy to say I’m making progress. Today I’m going to share with you one of my “secret” tricks.

This all natural face mask is something I make up and use when I’m feeling particularly “groom”-y. I take a breath, go gather the ingredients for this, spend a minute making them and then apply it to my face. Usually the distraction is long enough for my want of “grooming” to subside, but if it’s not, the mask stays on for 15 minutes and by the time it’s done, I’m no longer interested in picking. I have a couple of other tricks, like my DIY Mineral Makeup that make me feel I’m helping – rather than hurting- my skin.

Also- it works. I feel so pretty and glowy after using this, that any over-critique of my face is obliterated. All of the ingredients are natural, so its gentle enough to use every day. For me it visibly reduces pore size, brightens and firms my skin. Not to mention it smells divine. Oh, and did I mention there are only 3 ingredients!? Here we go!

What You Need:

  • Oatmeal – According to my (rather limited) research, oatmeal contains healthy fats and polysacharides that help to moisturize and repair skin. Also, it contains cleansing saponins that help to remove dirt from pores.
  • Raw Honey- Honey is a natural antiseptic, and helps to kill bacteria on the skin. Raw honey promotes tissue growth and contains mild acides that help to remove dead skin and increase elasticity. (source) I use regular store bought honey in a pinch.
  • Grapefruit Essential Oil (optional) – I throw this in there specifically for acne. The disinfectant and oil balancing properties make it a prime choice for me!
    (NOTE: essential oils are powerful, and you might have an allergy. If you’ve never used Grapefruit essential oil before, be sure to mix 1 drop with a carrier oil such as olive oil and put it on the skin inside your elbow. Wait 24 and if no reaction occurs, you can use it on your face.)
    Natural Pore Shrinking Mask with honey and oatmeal. Gentle, easy and affordable DIY mask for healthy and better looking skin! | saynotsweetanne.com

How To Make It:

  1. Use a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or food processor to  create a flour like powder from the oatmeal. I usually run it through the food processor and then sift out the fine part, since I can never seem to make the whole lot of it a powder. This keeps for eons, so make a bit and store it for later!
  2. In a small jar combine oatmeal powder with enough honey to make a thick paste. In my experience, un-refrigerated, this lasts at least 2 weeks. So I usually make quite a bit. (I don’t know if it goes bad after 2 weeks, I’ve just never had any left by then!)
    Natural Pore Shrinking Mask with honey and oatmeal. Gentle, easy and affordable DIY mask for healthy and better looking skin! | saynotsweetanne.com
  3. If desired, add 2 drops of grapefruit essential oil and mix in.
  4. Wash and dry your face. Use steam or a hot towel to open your pores. (I usually sit on the couch with a hot towel over my face for about 3 minutes.)
  5. Apply the mask gently with your fingertips wherever you would like. Its sticky, so avoid your hairline and eyebrows as well as your eyes.
  6. Relax! Take 15-20 minutes to chill and have a spa moment.
  7. Rinse with warm water and pat dry!

Check out my other Beauty Related posts!

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Kayla Domeyer

My name is Kayla and I am a Graphic Designer. That means that I love pretty things, and also that I like to make free printables! I'm so happy that you've stopped by to visit my blog, and I hope you will follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest or Instagram!! (Yeah, and I'm totally addicted to the internet).

18 thoughts on “How To Make an Amazing Pore Shrinking Mask

  1. hi 🙂 I’ve Ben using oats on my face for a couple years now lol- I have tricks! I have mature skin. Ugh us but this masque make me look at least 5-0 yrs younger I’d only for a day, I also wash my face with cleansing grains which contain mostly oats :)..
    Why I do for May FAB masque is a couple spoons of ground oats about 1 inch smashed ripe banana AND! Whole warm milk to make a thin paste 🙂 the banana has wonderful moisturizing properties and the milk well we all know the goodness of its properties especially for dry skin , and the Firming and glow this achieves are INCREDIBLE! Leave on till dry then I use a warm cloth on my case to soften the masque, yes, it gets very dry! God thing! Wash off and splash like a loon with Cold Water and Wella! Hello beautiful skin! I kid you NOT! Please if u have the wonderful effects of gravity going on! Try this! ( Alays before u want to look your very best!)… I promise you’ll love it !( unless you are allergic to the ingredients but have never ha any complaints :))) Glow ON and try it! 🙂

  2. Hi! I’m just discovering DIY skin care and think I’m going to find your recipes helpful so, thank you! I also wanted to thank although for addressing the “over-gooming” issue. I’ve long suspected I do this as well (actually I know that I do, ever since I was a kid and picked bug bites or scratched itches until I bled) but I never knew it was actually “a thing.” Until recently, I thought that I was just…well, I don’t know what I thought. I’ve lately started to wonder if there was a connection to mental health for the bug bite and itching thing but had never even considered that the way I relentlessly pick at my face might be connected but it makes perfect sense. Anyway, I can’t tell you it felt like to read just a few words explaining that there might be a reasonable explanation and that it’s not just a me thing. It’s almost like relief. Thank you (and know that your post helped someone a lot today)…and I really can’t wait to try your recipes!

    1. I think that the grooming condition you’re referring to is actually called dermatillomania, and it still surprises me common it is. Ever since I found out what it’s called I’ve been seeing it pop up all over the place… It seems that everyone who has it feels kinda alone like it’s just some weird thing that just they have. It’s such a relief the first time you find out it’s actually a condition with an explanation and everything. Anyway, sorry for barging in and everything but I just wanted to say that you’re not at all the only one… 🙂

      1. Hey Marie,

        It is called Dermatillomania, and it is pretty common. The treatment methods are all over the place. I currently see someone who combines treatments. For the chemical addiction (from the feel-good chemicals released when picking) he uses techniques like those of other addictions, for the grooming addiction he uses steps from OCD treatments, and for the self-loathing cycle he uses treatments from pornography/sex addictions. So, I guess its like 3 neuroses in one? Lol. You are right though, there are options and we’re not alone!

  3. You might try Colloidal Oatmeal, which is basically all natural powdered oatmeal. This would save the time and trouble of grinding the oatmeal. Also makes a great bath treatment, and it is usually available in the supermarket. Love your site/blog!

      1. You could really add whatever you feel comfortable with. Keep in mind that essential oils are nothing to be trifled with. some will cause sun sensitivity, others might burn or itch, and there is always the possibility of allergy. Make sure to test in a small area of skin and wait 24-48 to see if you have a reaction before slathering all over your face. Also be sure to research your oils and know what they do in terms of sun sensitivity etc.

  4. Thank you for the receipe. I can’t wait to try it out. A little recommondation though: most honey you buy at the store isn’t raw and all the good stuff is filtered out! If it doesn’t say raw and unfiltered, it’s value is as good as regular sugar. I buy my honey from an organic store.

  5. I just had to tell you how much I LOVE this. I just made it – was bored & looking for SOME kind of trouble to get into (LOL). While I *did* put my oats in a food processor & created a super fine powder, I opted to stir in the leftover bits as well specifically for the purpose of exfoliation when applying. I loved putting it on my face – (and scaring the cats). Ha! 🙂

    This is also great for the backs of the hands as well!

    Thanks, Kayla!

  6. Does it matter if the oatmeal is not as fine? I’ve put mine through my coffee mill, so it’s about coffee grounds consistency. It’s on my face now, and it looks terrible, but will it work as well?

    1. Eve,

      It shouldn’t matter a bit! Breaking down the oats helps to make the beneficial elements more accessible. I’ve done everything from a rough chop on the cutting board, to a fine sifted powder. My results are always about the same (but the finer powder goes down the drain better in the rinse!)

  7. I’ve not tried a homemade oatmeal mask, but I do know that I’ve heard so many great things about them. This simple recipe sounds perfect. Have you ever tried a bentonite clay mask? Those are wonderful too, but you do those maybe once or twice a month so that your skin doesn’t dry out too much. I love those masks and my skin feels so great afterwards. 🙂 Here is the link to the bentonite mask: http://artisticexpressionsbyelisabeth.blogspot.com/2011/06/bentonite-clay-mask.html
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    1. Oh no! I’ve never tried that, I might have to put it on my “spa Day” list! I did try a DIY peel mask.. I’ll post that some time soon!

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