4 Amla Face Mask Recipes for Better Skin

Antioxidant rich amla powder is highly beneficial for your skin, not just as a supplement but also as a topical facial treatment.

Here are 4 homemade face mask recipes using powdered amla to improve your skin tone and brighten your complexion.

First some quick precautions. Along with its strong antioxidant and antibacterial properties, amla fruit powder can have an astringent effect.

This is generally a good thing for minimizing pores and firming up your facial skin but it may not be suitable for very dry skin.

While I haven’t read of any allergic reactions to amla powder applied topically, it would be advisable to do a patch test before using any of these face masks if you have sensitive skin.

It’s also important to use a high quality and organic amla powder, like this organic one I use (usually cheaper at iHerb than Amazon).

Once you have it here’s how to use amla for better skin with these 4 simple face mask recipes.

1. Avocado and Amla Nourishing Face Mask

This amla face pack is beneficial for dry to normal skin. Avocado’s benefits for the skin are well known and it’s one of the best fruits you can put on your face.

1. To start, mix 2 teaspoons of amla fruit extract with hot but not boiling water, into a similar consistency to yogurt. Wet and slightly flowing but not too runny.
2. Scoop out 2 teaspoons of fresh avocado. Mash the avocado into the amla with a fork and mix the two up well.
3. Take the amla avocado mixture to the bathroom and follow the directions in how to apply a face mask ahead.

2. Amla, Yogurt and Manuka Honey Facial Treatment

This facial pack is great for most skin types and should make your face feel really soft and clean.

1. Add hot water to 2 teaspoons of amla powder and stir it up into a smooth consistency.
2. Add a teaspoon of raw honey (ideally skin healing manuka like this if you have it) and blend it while the mixture is still warm.
3. Finally add a teaspoon of real, unflavored yogurt and mix them all together.

3. Papaya and Amla Skin Brightening Face Pack

Papaya is great for brightening the skin. Use one that is just turning from green to orange for extra papain enzymes for facial lightening.

1. Mix 2 teaspoons of powdered amla with hot water into a flowing paste. This fine organic powder I use is particularly good for this.
2. In a separate bowl mash up around 2 teaspoons of fresh papaya.
3. Add the mashed papaya to the warm amla paste and mix them together well and ready to use.

4. Amla, Parsley and Manuka Honey Facial Mask for Acne

Both manuka honey and parsley are great for acne problems and this skin treatment could be applied during a pimple outbreak to boost disinfection and healing.

Remember though that every person’s skin is different. While these ingredients have helped to clear up and dry out blemishes for others, they may not work as well for everyone.

Always stop applying the mask and wash off with warm water if there is excessive stinging or discomfort with any of these treatments.

1. To make this acne face mask start by chopping up finely a sprig of washed parsley.
2. Crush it up well in a mortar and pestle until the juice is coming out (the bottom of the clean jar on a chopping board can suffice if you don’t have a pestle).
3. Add 2 teaspoons of amla powder and hot water to make a wet paste with the crushed parsley.
4. Add a teaspoon of manuka honey to the still warm mixture and blend them all together well.

Naturally the crushed parsley won’t spread consistently but this doesn’t matter as the hot water will have dispersed its compounds into the treatment.

How to Apply an Amla Face Mask

Ideally you want your face mask to be roughly the consistency of yogurt — easy to spread but not too watery and runny.

It’s good to apply these amla powder facial packs while they still have a little warmth left in them from the hot water (though obviously not too hot).

1. To begin with take your treatment to the bathroom and wash your face with warm water and a facial cleanser. Unfortunately many of these contain chemicals that can irritate your skin and block pores. After a lot of research and testing I’ve settled on this chemical free cleanser and find it excellent for my skin.
2. With still damp skin, gently rub the face mask in with small circular motions. Not as heavily as you might with a scrub, but it can help to loosen a few dead skin cells and let the amla and other ingredients get to work.
3. Coat your face with the mixture, avoiding the eye area, but with a little extra for the nose and inner cheeks.
4. Go to your bedroom and lie down with a towel on your pillow. Relax for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off with warm water followed by a good moisturizer.

Other Natural Skin Treatments

I hope these natural face pack recipes work as well for you as they have for me and others I have given them to. I’d appreciate reading about your results and any feedback in the comments section below.

There’s more homemade treatments on Superfood Profiles for better skin to try, like this parsley facial treatment for blemishes, dark spots and discolored skin.

To really improve your skin over the long term it’s best to take Indian gooseberry powder as a supplement as well as using it regularly in one of these amla face mask treatments.