DIY Aspirin Facial Mask

If you’re anything like me, the skin care aisle of the supermarket can seem like an overwhelming and endless row of products upon products, with each one claiming to cure your zits. Even though there are countless products to treat acne, for the most part, they all include one of two active ingredients: benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid.

Usually, benzoyl peroxide is a stronger treatment, and it can really irritate and dry skin out. Salicylic acid is the gentler of the two and is the most common active ingredient in store-bought acne treatments.

Salicylic acid is also an important ingredient in aspirin because it is an anti-inflammatory medicine. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid causes dead skin to shed more readily, opens up pores to kill bacteria, and constricts the pores to prevent them from clogging again. This aspirin mask is an easy to make and relatively inexpensive at-home acne treatment.

If you have dry or incredibly sensitive skin, I would suggest not using this mask, only because salicylic acid can dry and irritate skin if you use it too frequently. When your skin is too dry, your body tries to compensate by producing even more oil, which leads to breakouts. I have combination skin, so I only apply this mask to my forehead, nose, and chin. It can also be used as a spot treatment.

For this mask, you will need three ingredients: non-coated aspirin, baking soda, and lemon juice. Lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C and can help prevent sun damage, while the baking soda helps to neutralize the salicylic acid so that it won’t irritate the skin.

Step One

Crush six-to-twelve non-coated aspirins and mix them in a bowl containing lemon juice. The number of aspirins you use really depends on how much you need, and the amount of lemon juice corresponds to how many aspirins you use. Since I only coat my T-zone, I don’t use as many aspirins. You’ll know when you have enough lemon juice because as the aspirin dissolves, the mask will be a paste-like consistency.

Step Two

Apply the mask to problem areas of your skin and allow it to set for fifteen minutes.

Step Three

To remove the mask, apply baking soda and cool water to your skin using a cotton ball, tissue, sponge, or washcloth.

If you have normal skin, you would want to use this mask no more than once a week. If your skin is oily, you would want to use it no more than three times a week (if you use it too much, you’ll only make your breakouts worse because your skin will dry out and produce more oil to balance the dryness). Personally, I only use this on occasion when I have a really bad breakout. I find that with my skin, if I use it on a regular basis, it dries my skin out too much and makes it flaky and red.