DIY Facemask for Pregnancy Cloasma Hyperpigmentation

If you've been following my weekly pregnancy updates you'll know I've been dealing with a serious dose of hyperpigmentation. Known as the mask of pregnancy because it tends to form around the eyes and forehead area, this delightful symptom is caused by a spike in estrogen levels and effects around 50-75% of pregnant women. 

Whilst I've been finding an extra layer or two of concealer enough to cover up some of the dark patches I have, I thought it wouldn't hurt to see if there were any natural remedies out there that might help to alleviate some of my skin's uneven tones... therein I discovered the Tumeric Facemask

Benefits

Tumeric has loads of benefits and has been used as a beauty product for centuries. Among it's many skin saving qualities, it is known to help clear acne and acne scarring due to it's antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It helps regenerate new skin cells when used topically because of it's antioxidant and exfoliant properties and of course, it can aid in the lightening and break down of age spots, sun spots and general hyper-pigmentation.

Want to read more about the benefits and uses of Tumeric? See here.

Ingredients

2 tbsp Rice Flour (or any if you don't have this)

1 tbsp Tumeric

1 tsp Runny Honey

2 tbsp Natural Yogurt (for oily skin) or Coconut Oil (for dry skin)

Method

Step 1. Bash all of the required ingredients in a bowl and mix together. 

Step 2. Apply a thin layer to your face with a brush. I bought this Primark Foundation Brush for £1.50 just for face masks but you can use your fingers if you want. 

Step 3. Leave for 20 minutes or until completely dry.

Step 4. Wash off with warm water and a flannel ~ you'll need something to encourage it off your face as it's just like a thick clay mask in consistency. 

**NB** This mask does not stain the skin yellow. 

I fully expected to come out looking like Sideshow Bob but this recipe in my experience does not turn you yellow! 

 Verdict

I didn't expect this mask to work like it did in terms of actually sticking to my face and feeling like a legit face mask. But it does and aside from the smell of tumeric, I really enjoyed the feel of this mask on my face. After I rinsed it off I noticed that the redness I normally have around my nose had been reduced and my skin felt a lot softer and more supple than it did before.

In terms of hyperpigmentation, it's too early to tell. This recipe makes a bowl full so I'm going to apply it three to four times a week for the foreseeable future to really give it a chance to get to work on my dark patches. I don't hold out much hope, but for it's ability to remedy some of my other skin concerns, I'm definitely pleased with the results of this so far.

If anyone else has tried this for remedying pregnancy skin complaints let me know how you found it :)

Kathy 

xx