Being a full time working college student, I barely have enough time to sleep, let alone take care of my skin. And now that it’s winter, the season makes taking care of your skin one more worry to add to your list.
Skin care becomes a vicious cycle in college. Not having enough time to wash your face makes your skin break out. Then breaking out on top of all of the school work makes you stress, which causes more break outs. After a while, it can sometimes feel like you’re stuck in this cycle.
Most skin care products can be very pricey and as a college student, affording expensive washes and masks are simply out of the question. But there are ways you can take care of your skin with ingredients that you most likely have laying around your house.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is the cheapest, fastest, and most effective skin remedy I’ve tried. It sounds odd, but oatmeal is actually a popular base for most acne medications and lotions. It naturally moistens the skin as well as clearing blemishes and reducing redness in the face. It is also great for relieving any irritation your skin may be experiencing, which is why they recommend oatmeal baths for chicken pox. 
You can buy a big box of plain oatmeal at Walmart for a dollar and keep it strictly for washing your face with. You should pull the sink plug before doing this so the oatmeal doesn’t clog your drains. I like to put a towel down after pulling the sink plug so removing the oatmeal after is easier.
Take a small amount of oatmeal and grasp it in your palm. Run some warm water over your closed palm to slightly moisten the oatmeal. If it seems too dry, then try adding a little more water to the oatmeal, it should be soft on the skin, not exfoliating.
Then scrub your entire face with oatmeal. I won’t lie; you’re going to look ridiculous. As an added suggestion, using oatmeal with a hangover is a terrible idea. It will Likely to bring up bad memories and more, if you catch my drift.
Unlike most masks, I actually recommend washing off the mask after massaging thoroughly because it can make the skin tight and uncomfortable. I normally shake the towel into the trash and then wipe the minimal oatmeal pieces off with the same wet hand towel and shake again when done.
Strawberries and Yogurt
This mask is a bit more in-depth than the oatmeal mask, but if you’re living off campus you probably have some of the ingredients already at home. They can all be purchased at Walmart if you do not have access to the mask ingredients. This is absolutely one of my favorite masks to apply. It keeps the skin elastic, exfoliated, blemish, oil free, and bright.
What you’ll need:
4-5 strawberries
2 spoonful’s of plain, organic yogurt
1 teaspoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of honey
1 spoonful of oatmeal
Completely mash up the strawberries with a fork after removing the leaves. This is easier if it’s done on a plate, and then moved into a bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix after adding each one. Don’t worry
if it’s a bit watery, the oatmeal will help thicken it up.
I apply the mask with a cheap foundation brush, first creating a thin layer and thickening it gradually and evenly. Leave the mask on until it hardens, which should take about 20 minutes. Once you wash the mask off, you can immediately see and feel the difference in your skin.
This mask is one of my favorites because of how amazing and cool it feels when applied. It’s incredibly relaxing as well as beneficial for the skin. Refrigerate the left overs and repeat once a night! Don’t forget, the mask is made of natural ingredients that WILL go bad if not used within a week.
Green Tea
I find most of the do-it-yourself masks from the girl in this YouTube video below. The ingredients for the green tea mask are incredibly cheap and work wonders on your skin.
I find this a go-to mask because of how simple it is to make. I always refill my cup like the video says because I’m always drinking green tea. It’s not only great for your skin but your health, too!
Also, always moisturize after using a mask to lock in all of the goodness you’ve done for your skin!
Taking care of your skin can be expensive as well as time consuming. I’ve turned to some of these masks instead of acne cleansers because of the amazing results I’ve had from using them. I can’t afford to spend hours and hundreds of dollars on expensive store lotions and treatments like some others can. These masks are convenient enough for me and are honestly better for your skin because of the organic ingredients and don’t have the chemicals other treatments do.
Don’t think of taking care of your skin a chore, but more as a relaxing treat for it. It will make your skin look great so you can finally get some sleep, or whatever it is us college kids do.
