I have problems with breakouts and redness. My skin has just never behaved the way an adult's skin should. Apparently, no one told it that I was no longer a teenager, and it decided to just continue its adolescent rebellion indefinitely.
One day, a friend of mine mentioned that aspirin could work wonders on troublesome skin, so I set about experimenting with various ingredients and applications, and found this one that has helped my skin immensely.
Ingredients: Aspirin and Milk
Yep, that's it for the basic mask. You could use water if you haven't got any milk, but the lactic acid in the milk helps it work. Pulverize the aspirin and add just enough milk to make a gooey paste. This is easier if you've got a mortar and pestle, which I don't, but the bottom of a heavy coffee mug and a cutting board suffice.
Once the paste is made, spread it over washed skin. Allow the paste to dry for ten to fifteen minutes, then dampen with a washcloth. If you've got especially oily skin like I do, it may be a good idea to use the washcloth to make gentle circles over the hardened paste to exfoliate. Follow with a good rinse with warm water, and your moisturizer of choice.
I've also found several variations that each do their own great things:
- Visine: Add a few drops of anti-redness Visine to the aspirin in place of milk or water. For skin that is prone to redness, this can work wonders over time.
- Honey: Honey is great for skin. This will be more moisturizing than the standard aspirin mask, and will leave your skin nice and soft. However, it will also make it very sticky and difficult to apply. Keep your hair tied back! This won't dry or harden the way the others will, so you'll be more reliant on timing the ten to fifteen minutes.
- Mud mask: Mix some aspirin powder into a standard mud mask to give it an extra kick.
However, as with all skin care, don't go overboard. Once a week will be sufficient for most skin types, and even the most difficult (like mine), will be best with just two treatments per week. The effects are aggregate, meaning that you will see an improvement the first time you try it, but the best results show up after several weeks of regular use.
And I also feel the need to emphasize that while this has worked miracles for me (I usually use the Visine variation), different skin types will react in different ways.
All in all, this is a good trick to keep in mind when your skin is not behaving as it should.
