Whipped Aquafaba Facemask

Have you heard of aquafaba? Well, I hadn’t until a couple weeks ago, but now I know what it is, I’m completely in love! Like seriously, it could not be cooler!

Aquafaba is simply a fancy word for the liquid that comes from a can of chickpeas. I know it sounds gross, but trust me, it’s really not that bad! It has a multitude of uses, but it’s main one is as a vegan substitute for egg whites. When whipped up, aquafaba closely mimics what whipped up egg whites would be like, and can therefore be used as a substitute for them in a number of baked goods, for example meringue or macarons.

Another thing that aquafaba can be used for is… wait for it… skin care! Okay, I know that sounds weird, but seriously, it’s true. Aquafaba is a great way to tighten your skin pores, especially if you have large skin pores which could lead to acne prone skin.

So anyway, in this post, I’m going to share with you how to make an aquafaba face mask to tighten and cleanse your skin!

The ingredients are simple- you literally just need a tin of chick peas and an essential oil (although this isn’t even completely necessary). And the only utensil you need it an electric whisk/beater!

The first thing to do is to drain your chick peas, collecting all the liquid from the tin in a bowl.

(Note: To avoid wasting the chickpeas, you could use them in another recipe, for example hummus or falafel.)

Once you’ve collected your aquafaba, it’s time to start whipping! I mixed in it in my KitchenAid mixer for about 6 minutes on maximum speed, however depending on the amount of aquafaba you have, or the speed of your mixer, yours may whip up a little quicker or take a little longer.

You will know that your aquafaba is fully whipped when it forms stiff peaks. It is important to be careful not to overwhip, otherwise the sturdy structure of the aquafaba will break down and it will no longer be frothy.

Once your aquafaba is fully mixed, you can add in a drop of your favourite essential oil just to make it smell nice. I like to use lavender because it has such a pretty and soothing scent. This step isn’t necessary though- the first time I made this I didn’t use any, however I did go to bed with a face smelling a little like chickpeas haha!  

After this, you’re done! Your aquafaba is ready to apply! To do this, it is best to wipe the aquafaba on to your face with a cloth. It will dry on your skin, just like how water does when you wipe your face with that. You can sleep with the aquafaba on your face, allowing it to do it’s work overnight.

That is basically it! Pretty simple, huh!? Before I end this post, here are a few more tips on how to use store your aquafaba (all taken from the first time I made it, when my results were certainly not-so-perfect).

• Don’t whip up a whole can’s worth of aquafaba at a time because you will be left with too much to use! If you do whip up too much, consider using some in a vegan baking product instead of wasting it because it won’t keep. Split your aquafaba before adding the essential oil to whatever you will apply to your skin, and use the part without the oils in a recipe as soon as possible.
• That brings me swiftly on to my second point… aquafaba won’t last. The first time I made it, I whipped it up in the morning and by evening it had almost completely deflated, and I was left wiping what was practically chickpea juice onto my skin!
• Finally, a word of warning. This isn’t a magical remedy for acne or dry skin (like I hoped it was) but rather a cleanser and skin-tightener. It does work though; withing minutes of applying it for the first time, I could actually feel my skin tightening! I would recommend using this regularly for best results!

I hope you enjoy this super easy but effective aquafaba facemask! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!