Eggs can be a great source of protein. You can use egg yolk to make homemade mayo and the egg white does magical things like meringue. Another way to harness the power of eggs is with this egg white face mask.

Egg Whites for Skin Care

It may seem a little strange to put an egg on your face, but maybe no stranger than avocado and chocolate. While egg yolks have lots of nourishing healthy fats, egg whites are mostly made of protein and water.

Thanks to their high water content they’re thought to be really hydrating for dry skin. Egg whites also have a unique protein structure. The proteins are folded up, but when heated, whipped, or beaten, they unfold or denature. This is what allows them to transform into fluffy marshmallows and meringue.

Benefits of Egg White

These proteins have some pretty amazing properties beyond food uses. About half of egg whites proteins are made up of something called ovalbumin. It’s known for having tumor fighting properties, as well as being antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antioxidant. It also helps prevent fats from breaking down and going rancid as quickly.

Ovalbumin is a little finicky though. Over time and at certain temperatures it converts into a different protein form. About half of it converts by the time someone picks it up on the grocery store shelf. The temperature it’s stored at has more of an effect than how old it is though.

Other egg white proteins play a key role in immune protection. Lactoferrin and ovotransferrin for example are both antimicrobial and antibacterial.

DIY Egg Face Mask

So how does this help your face? There aren’t any placebo controlled studies on egg white face masks (no surprise there). However, knowing what we already to about eggs, it makes sense how they can help in skin care products.

The proteins can temporarily tighten the skin. This reduces the appearance of fine lines for an anti-aging effect. They’re also thought to be helpful for oily skin which may reduce blackheads. While it won’t pull blackheads out, by keeping the face clean and nourished they’re less likely to develop. This also makes it great for reducing pimples, breakouts, and blemishes on acne-prone skin.

If you have a drier skin type, you may notice even more skin tightening. Mixing the egg with moisturizers like aloe vera can help with more sensitive skin. The tightening effect may also help reduce under eye puffiness.

Here are more ways an egg white face mask recipe can help your skin:

May improve skin elasticity
Absorbs excess oil
Improves skin tone

Who Should Not Use an Egg White Mask?

If you have skin conditions like eczema, rosacea, or similar irritated or dry skin health issues, you might find the egg white irritating. You can always do a patch test to check for allergies or irritation. Simply put a little egg white on your skin. After 15 minutes wash it off with warm water and check for redness, bumps, or irritation.

Also, be sure to use eggs from a healthy source you trust. Raw eggs, especially ones from large factory farms, can have salmonella bacteria.

How to Use an Egg White Face Mask

Step one is to gently exfoliate and get rid of the dead skin cells on the face. The mask won’t be able to really tighten and nourish the skin if there’s a lot of sebum and grime in the way.

Next, you can apply the egg white with a cotton round or cotton ball. Either use the egg white on its own or mix it with other skin friendly ingredients. I like to add different ingredients like yogurt or lemon juice.

Lemon juice on its own can irritate skin because it’s so acidic. If used in the right amount though it provides some vitamin C which can help boost collagen production. Lemon is also used as a skin conditioning agent and may help reduce dark spots.

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