When there’s food involved in masks or moisturisers, the brain automatically thinks “homemade” and “pantry”. It’s different when beauty brands do it, though, and it’s not just our inner beauty junkies talking. It’s much more than smashing a few spices, fruits and juices together in a bowl, but more of the extraction of nutrients and minerals from the superfoods that work both for your insides and outsides. Science stuff, you know?

Like how different foods do different things to your body, the same applies for the foods you put on your skin. It’s more than just novelty. Take ginger and turmeric, for instance, which is known to have detoxifying and anti-inflammation properties. On the skin, it reduces red bumps and restores suppleness.     Foods like sugar are the complete opposite. Not so good for your body, but excellent for smoothening out the skin. It’s all very intriguing.

With the rise of superfoods come the rise of superfood beauty products. We noticed a growing number of food-based beauty products and we just couldn’t help ourselves – they were asking to be tried and tested. So, to see what happens when food mixes with beauty, we rounded up 6 food-based beauty masks, some fresh from the metaphorical oven, some already with a massive cult following, that run the gamut from ginger to sugar.

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First Aid Beauty Ginger and Turmeric Vitamin C Jelly Mask

Ginger and turmeric, the two superfoods that health junkies swear by. Jelly-like with a distinct spicy scent, the mask feels tingly at first, then dries quickly with no residue, leaving the skin softer, smoother and a hint brighter, even after just one use. There’s Vitamin C and rose in it as well, two ingredients we swear by. While this mask sets out to soothe irritated skin, it should be noted that ginger and turmeric could be triggers for some sensitive skin types, so do test it out prior before going full face.

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First Aid Beauty Coconut Water Cream

Eurgh, that feeling when something looks and smells delicious, but it isn’t food. First Aid Beauty’s Coconut Water Cream smells like a vacation in a jar. With electrolytes, enzymes, antioxidants and amino acids, this oil-free gel-cream brings hydration to the skin whilst whisking you off mentally to the Maldives. It checks out in the hydration department, but if you need intense hydration, say, during winter months, best to go for something else or apply twice. Also, even though it smells divine, not everyone can take coconut on their skin, so, like the previous mask, test it out on a small patch of skin first.

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Mario Badescu Cucumber Tonic Mask

It doesn’t look like much when you’re staring at the watery, white paste in the continuer, but on closer inspection, the Mario Badescu Cucumber Tonic Mask smells very fresh and is not the least bit off-putting. After only one use over the whole face, pores seem slightly smaller, and the product softens and exfoliates without leaving the skin feeling overly tight. It works as a spot treatment for the T-zone as well. But, as it isn’t a hydration mask, it is best to double this with a moisturiser.

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Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask

It smells exactly like fall in bottle, like cinnamon rolls and pumpkin space rolled into one. With pumpkin enzyme, AHA and aluminium oxide powder as its key ingredients, this works to resurface the skin, going deep and lifting dead skin to reveal smooth, clearer skin underneath. We will say that as much as it smells good and it does work, go very, very easy as this is one strong product. If you have very sensitive skin, you may want to skip this.

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Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy Boosting Face Mask

Zesty and citrusy with a consistency like orange jam – apparently, half of it is made up of citrus peels – the Fresh Nectar Mask smooths over the skin so easily. We’re firm believers of what Vitamin C can do to the skin, and this power-packed mask is its poster child. Because of the fruit bits, this mask does require some effort to rinse off, but nothing too difficult. The result? Soothed and brighter skin.

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Fresh Sugar Face Polish

According to Fresh’s founders – and this tidbit, we got from the horse’s mouth – this exfoliant was inspired by rituals handed down by their grandmothers. Made mostly from brown sugar granules, strawberry seeds and grape seed and plum seed oils – that’s it, if you’d believe it – the Sugar Face Polish has earned legions of fans for being effective while being so gentle on the skin. Skin feels soft, smooth and it smells so good. The only thing you have to worry about? Not licking the scrub off your fingers.

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