WOW!! Aspirin mask is phenomenal!!!
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:39 am

I only read about it on Tuesday morning and went out to get some regular aspirin and tea tree oil. I already had honey.

It works great! I've used it as a scrub every other day. My husband even commented on how soft my skin was.

BTW, I am 43 so not some young, dewey thing anyway. I went into menopause pretty early and am not on hormones so was afraid a reduction in estrogen was gonna cause poor skin. For awhile, it seemed to be.

I am so happy with this I think I may just chuck out all my Clinique!

Thanks for the recipe, CareKate.

Mary

free skin care · Fri Dec 16, 2005 2:42 pm

Well Mary

Now you see why we keep CareKate around ... and won't let her leave! Laughing

Mary

ps ... I use an aspirin mask every morning ... or at least 5 mornings out of 7 ... and love it! Be careful how you use it as a "scrub" though ... you should just very very gently move the aspirin in little circles ... it could be too rough if used as a "scrub". Very Happy

free skin care · Fri Dec 16, 2005 2:55 pm

I love what it did to my skin, but I puked after using it...I think I used too many aspirins Sad

...but definetly try it- it's amazing on your skin!
Very Happy

free skin care · Sun Dec 18, 2005 7:14 am

The DIY thread is so long...
Can someone paste the aspirin mask recipe here and instructions on how to use it?

thanks Smile

free skin care · Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:36 am

Hi Jadette,

The DIY thread is well worth your time to explore. There is a wealth of information in that thread!

As far as the aspirin mask is concerned, this isn't a phenomenon restricted to EDS. It's all over the Internet and a google search will get you lots of variations and adaptations as well as reviews.

However, here are the basics:

Quote:

Why does it work?

Aspirin is actually a form of Beta Hydroxy Acids or BHA’s, which are found in many skin creams and work by exfoliating the dull, dead layers of skin, revealing fresh new skin underneath. Over time, BHA’s can help clarify skin tone and promote healing of blemishes.

However, do not use the aspirin mask if you have a sensitivity to BHA’s or if you have very sensitive skin, or obviously if you are allergic to aspirin!

How do you make it?
The Aspirin mask must be made with uncoated, dissolvable tablets. Take two or three tablets and dissolve in a teaspoon/tablespoon of warm water.

To Apply

Spread the mixture on the face, avoiding the eye area and leave for a few minutes until it dries. Very gently rub the mask for about 10 seconds, to exfoliate the skin. Rinse off with tepid water. Remember to moisturise as BHA’s can be drying.

I find this an excellent mask to use once or twice a week. It makes your skin feel as soft as a baby’s bottom and helps to clarify skin tone and texture.

It’s also cheap as chips and you can make it yourself

Good luck! I use this at least 5 mornings out of 7!

Mary

free skin care · Sun Dec 18, 2005 11:16 am

My favoriate kind of asprin mask is as follow:

5-6 uncoated asprin
Melt in one wedge of lime juice
1 tablespoon of yogurt
I drop of honey

I leave it on for about 20 minutes and slowly dab water onto my face and slowly rub it off.

free skin care · Sun Dec 18, 2005 5:58 pm

Just want to remind everyone to add something to the aspirin mask like honey or aloe vera.. anything!! Just aspirin and water makes me sneeze like crazy, especially like it starts to dry Sad

Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:32 pm

The way I made my aspirin mask:

I ground about fifty aspirins in a pill grinder thingy I found at the drugstore.

Then I added honey...and a few drops of tea tree oil and lavender for scent.

I used a chopstick and mixed it all up and put it into a little jar I got at the dollar store.

Mary

free skin care · Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:37 am

BabyWatson -

If you think the plain aspirin mask is fabulous, you need to try the variation that includes alpha hydroxy acids like lactic acid or glycolic acid, as well. The variation of the homemade aspirin mask that WildCat posted above is a prime example, and here’s the low-down AHAs:

CareKate wrote:

Introduction to AHAs/BHAs, 101:

Glycolic Acid
----------------------
Glycolic acid is the most popular alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). It can exfoliate skin cells by breaking down the “glue” that holds skin cells together. Along with lactic acid, glycolic acid is an effective and well-researched AHA.

For your own quick, cheap and effective glycolic acid mask, mix a tablespoon of white (granulated) sugar or brown sugar with a bit of honey or your favorite oil (i.e.: grapeseed, jojoba, Vitamin-E, avocado, etc.) and apply to your face. Leave on 7-10 minutes, then wet fingertips and massage mask onto face, rewetting your fingertips frequently, then rinse face with lukewarm water.

Lactic Acid
---------------------
Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates cells on the surface of skin by breaking down the substance that holds skin cells together. It may irritate mucous membranes and/or cause irritation if used in concentrations that are too strong. It is also used to hydrate and smooth dry, flaking skin.

For your own quick, cheap and effective lactic acid mask, here is a recipe posted by “IndianT” on the Essential Day Spa forum:

• 1 tablespoon milk
• ½ tablespoon yogurt (or 5 drops of lemon juice)
• 2-3 drops of olive or almond oil
• ½ tablespoon of orange peel powder (or cornmeal)

Mix ingredients together and apply to freshly cleansed face. Leave mask on for no longer than five minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water.

Mary already posted the section on salicylic acid above, so I’m editing out that section in the interest of saving space....

CareKate wrote:

[i]Citric Acid
---------------------
Citric Acid is derived from citrus and used primarily to adjust the PH level of products to prevent them from being too alkaline or acid-alkai blance. It is also a mild preservative and sequestering agent.

The above recipe from IndianT also contains citric acid in the form of lemon juice and/or orange peel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Like nearly everyone who has tried the plain aspirin mask, I was completely astonished by the immediate results I saw and it has been a regular part of my skincare routine since that time. My personal version featured crushed aspirin mixed with a little water and some honey to “bind” it so the flakes wouldn’t rain down from my face while the mask was beginning to dry.

However, I was noticing that even after I used the aspirin mask, I had this stubborn patch of flaky skin near the top of my nose at the inner corner of my eye that for some reason just wasn’t coming off from the exfoliating action of the mask. I went into to research mode – hence the primer above on AHAs and BHAs – and discovered that while salicylic acid (aspirin) penetrate down into pores to de-gunk them, it didn’t really provide much in the way of removing the very top layer of dead cells in the skin’s surface. What I needed was either glycolic or lactic acid, which work to dissolve the “glue” that binds the skin cells together and that’s when inspiration struck!

Why not create a mask that combined the benefits of both AHAs and BHAs into one mask or treatment? And – behold – my newest creation was born! If you love what the ordinary aspirin mask does for your skin, this new one will absolutely blow your bloody mind....

Recipe for Dr. Holland’s Super Brightening Super-Sonic Facial Mask

What you’ll need:

• Large bottle of plain/generic, uncoated aspirin
• Clean, empty small jar or other similar container
• Granulated (i.e.: white) or brown sugar
• Lactic Acid Concentrate
• Aloe Vera juice (may substitute plain distilled water, or strongly-brewed green and/or chamomile tea *made* with distilled water)
• Aloe Vera Extract (may substitute Jojoba or any other oil of your choice)
• French Green Clay (optional)
• Honey (optional)

What you do:

• Fill jar with approximately 50 aspirin tablets;
• Add just enough aloe vera juice/water/tea to completely dissolve the aspirin tablets into a smooth powder;
• Stir in two teaspoons of sugar;
• Add one-eighth teaspoon of Lactic Acid Concentrate (available from the Personal Formulator website);
• Stir in one-fourth teaspoon of Aloe Vera Extract or oil and a splash of honey (if desired);
• If desired, gradually add a portion of French Green Clay to mixture. I like to include the clay in my version simply because I have serious oil control issues so I need all the oil-absorbing help I can get!
• Blend all ingredients by stirring thoroughly. If necessary, drizzle in a bit more oil or other liquid until your mask has reached your desired consistency.

Note: the above-recipe yields approximately enough mask for a one month supply, however you *can* make a ‘single-serving’ size of the mask fresh each day by doing the following:

Use only 2-3 aspirin, a pinch of sugar, a couple of drops of *whole milk* (this replaces the lactic acid concentrate above) in which to dissolve the aspirin, and one drop each of aloe vera extract or oil and honey. Mix it altogether in a small dish or the palm of your hand.

How you do it:

• Two to three times per week, apply thin layer of mask to entire face and neck, avoiding the eye contour area.
• Leave mask on for 10-15 minutes, then moisten fingertips and gently massage mask into skin, rewetting your fingers often.
• Rinse with lukewarn water, pat dry.
• Followup with ACV Toner, then any serums or moisturizers as desired.

Important Note: This mask can be drying for some users, so do not use more often than recommended, no matter how much you may be tempted by the miraculous reduction in red marks from previous breakouts!

Also, it is a good idea to followup this mask by applying a nice, rich facial moisturizer after rinsing mask off and applying ACV toner.

For extremely sensitive skin, you do not need to leave it on for as long as directed, or else you may cut back and use mask only 1-2 per week.

I now use my Super-Sonic mask to exfoliate my face every morning. However, I’ve got very-thick, very oily skin that is only sensitive to certain products or ingredients very infrequently, so if you’re skin is more reactive or sensitive, I would only use this mask 1-2 per week, or about as often is you are able to tolerate using the plain “vanilla” aspirin mask.

Next time you do your aspirin mask, try mixing it with a little yogurt or heavy cream, even whole milk will do the trick, for a combo AHA & BHA mask that will completely knock your socks off!

Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:51 am

Thank you Carekate!! My skin has never looked clearer. For the first time in my life, my face is pimple-free. The occasional flareup disappeared in record time. I swear the homemade Dr. Hauschka is the best mask & the cheapest mask ever.

free skin care · Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:25 am

Would you believe I have yet to try this and all the other DIY raves here. It is either laziness on my part or just not having the time to search out the ingredients.

free skin care · Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:41 am

Carekate is wonderful. I couldn't be happier with her receipes....now if only she would post a homemade copy for the Honey Ham companies secret. Their hams are delicious but much too pricey. Confused

I think her receipes are only for skincare....<SIGH>. Too bad! Hahaha! Razz

Have fun exploring the DIY thread!!

free skin care · Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:46 am

Do try the aspirin mask! It makes my skin all smooth and clear and it's so cheap to make. I got a 100 pill bottle of aspirin at walgreens for only a dollar. It lasts a long time!

free skin care · Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:18 am

sernx wrote:

I got a 100 pill bottle of aspirin at walgreens for only a dollar. It lasts a long time!

FYI - at WalMART you can get a bottle of 200 aspirin for 99¢! Smile

free skin care · Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:05 am

as far as I've been able to figure we don't even get aspirin in Scandinavia, let alone the uncoated type... Sad

free skin care · Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:15 am

Ruth wrote:

as far as I've been able to figure we don't even get aspirin in Scandinavia, let alone the uncoated type... Sad

Really? What do you guys take when you’ve got a headache?! An alternative to using aspirin would be to substitute “Black Willow Bark” powder, which is actually the plant from which aspirin is derived. Obviously I can’t speak for Scandinavia, but BWB can usually be found at health food stores. Alternatively, you can buy plain old salicylic acid from the Personal Formulator.

Ruth - if you really want to try the aspirin mask I’d be happy to buy a bottle for you and ship it to Denmark. Including S&H, it would probably be around $5.00USD. Just PM me if you decide to do this.

free skin care · Tue Jan 24, 2006 7:27 am

Thankyou for your offer Carekate...sorry it's taken me so long to respond, must have missed checking this post for some reason. One of out other international friends is being so kind as to send me some supplies from the US...

We take paracetamol for headaches and temperatures... Wink

Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:27 pm

thank you thank you thank you!

free skin care · Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:46 pm

Ruth, as a fellow Scandinavian I´ve been searching for aspirin, high and low. What I´ve found, is that there´s a similar product (Aspirin is a brand name, the ingredient is acetyl salicylic acid (sp?)) and at least in Norway there´s a product called Dispril. I´ve only found these as "fizzy tablets" though, but it seems to work to some extent. It may not be as great as the real deal, but worth a try.

HTH!

free skin care · Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:01 pm

carekate wrote:

Next time you do your aspirin mask, try mixing it with a little yogurt or heavy cream, even whole milk will do the trick, for a combo AHA & BHA mask that will completely knock your socks off!

carrie,

thought you'd get a kick out of this: i've been making mine with a french flair -- using creme fraiche! it's absolutely brilliant and stays on my face much better than mixing with honey ever did. (tried it mixed with both once, but i think i didn't use enough aspirin. i was sorely tempted the whole time to lick it off Laughing

)

free skin care · Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:09 pm

can people with dry skin use the asperin mask...........or is it too drying to the skin.

thanks for the info.........

Terri

free skin care · Wed Mar 22, 2006 3:12 am

tthagen1 wrote:

can people with dry skin use the asperin mask...........

even with dry skin you can use this mask as long as you're not allergic to the ingredients. go slowly at first and i wouldn't use it more than once or twice a week and not leaving it on for too long. you can start out buffering it somewhat by using a cream and make sure you moisturise after.

check out the reviews and different concoctions people have come up with. you're sure to find someone with your skin type in the 571 reviews....
http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemID=14129/Aspirin_Mask/Unlisted_Brand/Masks/

free skin care · Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:02 am

Sharkbait wrote:

Ruth, as a fellow Scandinavian I´ve been searching for aspirin, high and low. What I´ve found, is that there´s a similar product (Aspirin is a brand name, the ingredient is acetyl salicylic acid (sp?)) and at least in Norway there´s a product called Dispril. I´ve only found these as "fizzy tablets" though, but it seems to work to some extent. It may not be as great as the real deal, but worth a try.

HTH!

Thanx for the tip Sharkbait...when my 960 odd tablets are starting to run low I'll look into this again Laughing

I've tried quite a few different versions of the aspirin mask. Used milk, aloevera juice, lime, lemon, honey, water, full cream, yoghurt, sugar, different EO's. The best one for me has definitley been

2 aspirin + just enough water to dissolve + thick yoghurt

It's very plain and a bit wet, but my skin is so soft afterwards...

free skin care · Thu Mar 23, 2006 5:40 am

la vie en rose wrote:

carekate wrote:

Next time you do your aspirin mask, try mixing it with a little yogurt or heavy cream, even whole milk will do the trick, for a combo AHA & BHA mask that will completely knock your socks off!

carrie,

thought you'd get a kick out of this: i've been making mine with a french flair -- using creme fraiche! it's absolutely brilliant and stays on my face much better than mixing with honey ever did. (tried it mixed with both once, but i think i didn't use enough aspirin. i was sorely tempted the whole time to lick it off Laughing

)

Ooh la la! Wink

free skin care · Fri Mar 31, 2006 7:58 am

I tried the Aspirin mask just now Smile

I dissolved 2 uncoated Bayer (they dissolved quickly) however, is it supposed to be grainy?

Or should I really really mash the grains?

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