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Blue Tansy Face Mask (DIY Recipe)

Inspired by the Herbivore Blue Tansy Mask, this DIY blue tansy face mask helps calm acne, alleviate redness, and soothe dry, irritated skin.

DIY blue tansy face mask

It can be hard to know what to do on those days when your skin just feels “off”. Maybe you’re afflicted by breakouts, redness, sensitivity, or dryness – or a combination of all of the above.

That’s where this soothing blue tansy face mask comes in. With hyaluronic acid, willow bark extract, and blue tansy essential oil, this multitasking, calming jelly mask can help soothe a variety of skin troubles.

Hyaluronic acid deeply hydrates, willow bark clarifies and calms, while blue tansy oil helps alleviate irritation. Combined, these ingredients make a wonderful homemade face mask for redness and acne, leaving your skin hydrated, soothed, and glowing.

This beautiful blue face mask formulation is also incredibly easy to make, even if you’ve never made your own skincare products before. I hope you’ll love its bouncy jelly texture, soothing blue color, and fruity blue tansy aroma.

So, let’s dive into the benefits of this DIY blue tansy face mask for glowing skin, plus how to make it!

Herbivore Blue Tansy Mask Dupe?

As I mentioned in my Glow Recipe-inspired watermelon face mask, I have an ultra-sensitive skin type that can’t tolerate 90% of store-bought skincare products. So I enjoy creating simplified, all-natural versions of popular products that I can actually use.

This DIY face mask is inspired by the Herbivore blue tansy mask (the Resurfacing Clarity Mask, otherwise known as the BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask). It also contains some of the same ingredients in the Acure Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Jelly Mask.

Blue tansy face mask dupe – Herbivore inspired

However, my homemade blue tansy mask isn’t meant to be a Herbivore dupe. It contains a few similar base ingredients (bolded), but it doesn’t quite compare to the original. Let’s take a look.

Herbivore Blue Tansy Mask ingredients:

Water, Aloe Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Papaya Fruit Extract, Papaya Leaf Extract, Pineapple Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Willow Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Phytate, Chinaberry Leaf Extract, Chinaberry Flower Extract, Coral Weed Extract, Ivy Gourd Fruit Extract, Eggplant Fruit Extract, Aloe Flower Extract, Holy Basil Leaf Extract, Basil Flower/Leaf Extract, Turmeric Root Extract, Blue Tansy Essential Oil, Jasminum Sambac Floral Extract.

To be clear, I’m not encouraging anyone to “dupe” a brand’s original idea instead of buying it. If you want to reap all the benefits of the Herbivore blue tansy mask, such as the exfoliating fruit acids and exotic plant extracts, you’ll have to purchase their product.

However, if you also have the kind of reactive, sensitive skin that benefits from simple homemade skincare products, I hope this homemade blue tansy face mask recipe can help you too.

More DIY face masks for glowing skin:

Blue tansy face mask benefits

If you’re looking for a DIY soothing face mask for acne, redness, or dry, irritated skin, give beautiful blue tansy essential oil a try.

Though it’s not yet well-researched, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to support blue tansy oil’s skin benefits. According to herbalist Peter Holmes, it’s used for a variety of inflammatory and allergic conditions in French and Chinese herbal medicine1.

DIY face mask with blue tansy essential oil

Blue tansy oil possesses anti-inflammatory, antipruritic (anti-redness), and antihistamine properties that make it ideal for soothing skin irritation and allergies1. It’s also very high in calming chamazulene, a potent antioxidant with anti-allergy and analgesic activity2.

So, in theory, a blue tansy face mask may help soothe a variety of inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema, dermatitis, and rosacea3. And since acne has an inflammatory component, a blue tansy mask can also help acne and blemishes.

Blue tansy face mask

As an added benefit, blue tansy oil’s sweet, refreshing, and slightly fruity scent is just as soothing to the senses as it is to the skin. Its potent aromatherapeutic properties help calm the mind, relax tension, and reduce anxiety1.

Finally, blue tansy oil lends a unique cooling sensation to this DIY face mask that’s incredibly soothing. It’s nothing like the tingling, irritating sting of peppermint oil – just a nice, cool feeling that helps soothe irritated or sensitive skin.

If your skin could benefit from extra soothing, take the day off with my blue tansy cleansing balm. And if allergies have got you down, try these soothing blue tansy shower bombs for allergies.

DIY blue tansy face mask ingredients

You’ll need only a handful of simple ingredients to make this soothing blue face mask:

If this seems like a long list of ingredients, don’t worry. I’ve also provided a simple jelly face mask recipe without blue tansy oil, which you can find below the main recipe.

Blue tansy face mask ingredients: blue tansy essential oil, hyaluronic acid, and willow bark extract.
DIY blue tansy face mask ingredients: blue spirulina, willow bark extract, distilled water, blue tansy essential oil, hyaluronic acid, and caprylyl/capryl glucoside.

You’ll also need a few pieces of DIY skincare equipment:

  • Cosmetic scale. I like this mini Jennings scale for making small batches of skincare products.
  • Lab beakers. A set of lab beakers in various sizes makes measuring easy (and keeps your homemade skincare products sanitary). I like this handy beaker set.
  • Mixing tools. Easily sanitized mixing tools are a must, such as high-quality stainless steel whisks or glass lab mixing rods.
  • Mini silicone spatula. A spatula lets you easily remove every last precious blob of jelly mask from your beaker.
  • Airtight jar. You’ll need an airtight jar to store your blue tansy face mask. I love these eco-friendly frosted glass and bamboo jars. You can also find more homemade beauty packaging ideas here.

Now, I’m about to get into some more detailed information about this face mask’s ingredients. So if you’re not interested in a long explanation, please feel free to skip straight to the recipe.

Distilled water

You’ll need plain distilled water for your jelly face mask base. Please do not use tap water, filtered water, or bottled water – only distilled water is safe for DIY skincare.

If plain water sounds boring, you can also use rosewater. Or, you could opt for aloe vera juice or gel to add aloe vera’s soothing and moisturizing benefits to your homemade face mask.

My sensitive skin can’t tolerate the additives in most store-bought aloe products. But most people aren’t as sensitive as me, so you might enjoy using aloe gel or aloe juice as your calming mask base.

But if you have reactive skin, distilled water is likely safer, as aloe gels can contain undisclosed additives. For instance, sodium benzoate is sometimes used to stabilize fresh aloe during processing, and it can be allergenic to some skin types (more on that in my aloe mask).

If your skin likes aloe, Simply Earth sells both liquid aloe and the natural essential oil solubilizer required for this face mask.

Blue tansy essential oil

We’ve already covered blue tansy oil’s skin benefits, but there are a couple other things to keep in mind before making this skin-soothing recipe.

For one, blue tansy oil is high in bright blue chamazulene, a volatile compound which is extremely delicate and prone to oxidation. That’s why blue tansy face masks and other skincare products have a tendency to turn green over time, especially when kept at room temperature.

So, blue tansy oil is best stored in the refrigerator to lengthen its shelf life, and the same goes for products that contain it.

Blue face mask for skin care
Keep an eye on your beautiful blue face mask’s color – it should be blue, not green!

If your blue tansy mask turns from blue to green or black, this is the sign of oxidized blue tansy essential oil. At this point it’s no longer safe to use, as oxidized essential oils are irritating and can cause skin reactions4.

For this reason, please store your blue tansy mask in the refrigerator and use it within 3-6 months.

Is blue tansy oil good for sensitive skin?

On the topic of skin reactions, it’s important to note that essential oil skincare isn’t safe for every skin type. Even gentle, soothing essential oils such as blue tansy oil can irritate very sensitive skin.

So, you should do a patch test with a diluted blue tansy oil (or a blue tansy face oil) before making this face mask recipe. And if you experience any irritation or discomfort (or a red face), you likely shouldn’t use a DIY face mask with essential oils.

If that’s the case for you, I’ve also provided a simple face mask recipe without essential oils, as willow bark extract is very effective on its own for soothing the skin.

That also brings the DIY face mask to only 4 simple ingredients without the blue tansy oil and solubilizer.

Willow bark extract

Moving onto this soothing mask’s next ingredient: white willow bark. A potent herbal remedy, willow bark has long been used for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-microbial properties5.

But it’s also a skincare powerhouse – in fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a skin ailment that couldn’t benefit from willow bark. So it synergies very well with the blue tansy oil i

White willow bark can benefit a long list of skin types, including oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin6. It helps reduce oil production, calm irritation, and even help prevent the signs of aging7.

Homemade blue tansy face mask

Because it’s simultaneously calming and clarifying, willow bark is a wonderful addition to a soothing face mask for redness and acne, further complementing blue tansy oil’s soothing effects.

And while it’s not quite the same as an exfoliating BHA toner, willow bark is very high in natural salicin, the precursor to salicylic acid (BHA).

So, willow bark is very similar to aspirin in its ability to quell inflammation. Plus, its gentle acidic properties help bring your skin’s pH back into balance, which is another reason why it can be so helpful for acne.

I used liquid white willow bark extract from Lotioncrafter. You can also use powdered willow bark extract, but it may give your mask a yellow tinge.

Hyaluronic acid powder

High molecular weight hyaluronic acid powder serves two key roles in this soothing face mask recipe.

For one, it helps hydrate dry, irritated skin. But it also thickens the mask to an incredibly viscous, bouncy jelly texture.

DIY jelly face mask with blue tansy oil, hyaluronic acid, and willow bark

I never understood why hyaluronic acid made my skin feel so dry and tight, until I learned the difference between sodium hyaluronate and hyaluronic acid.

So if you find that hyaluronic acid tends to dry out your skin, you might be pleasantly surprised by this hydrating mask.

Many skincare products contain low molecular weight sodium hyaluronate, the salt of hyaluronic acid. It’s a smaller molecule, so it readily penetrates the skin barrier8.

This sounds good in theory. Except, it’s not necessarily better, because there’s evidence that low molecular weight hyaluronic acid can actually cause skin inflammation9.

On the other hand, the larger, high molecular weight hyaluronic acid molecules don’t penetrate into the skin, but they effectively hydrate the surface. And in my personal experience, a hyaluronic acid mask actually leaves my skin hydrated, while sodium hyaluronate leaves my skin drier than before.

How to dissolve hyaluronic acid powder

Hyaluronic acid is a wonderful natural gelling agent for homemade face masks, but there’s a trick to using it: leaving it alone!

That’s the best part about using hyaluronic acid powder as a thickener – you don’t have to fuss with it. There’s no heating or high speed blending necessary. Just sprinkle it over water and allow it to hydrate.

There’s nothing more satisfying than leaving it alone to come back to a beautiful, thick, crystal clear gel.

So while this blue tansy face mask isn’t fast to make in the sense that it’s ready quickly, the overall process is very hands-off and only involves about 5 minutes or so of actual making time. At the most, you can give your mask a couple gentle shakes every few hours to evenly disperse the powder.

Hyaluronic acid powder thickens just as well as glucomannan (konjac) with less effort, so you can also make my watermelon jelly face mask using HA as well.

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Essential oils don’t mix with water, so you’ll need a small amount of natural solubilizer to evenly incorporate the blue tansy oil into the face mask.

I used caprylyl/capryl glucoside, a very mild, sensitive-skin friendly natural solubilizer, emulsifier, and surfactant. (I also realized later that it’s the same solubilizer in the Acure blue tansy mask.)

Linatural preservative

This calming jelly mask is meant to be kept in the refrigerator, which helps preserve it and add to its soothing, cooling properties. However, it’s still good practice to include a preservative in any water-containing DIY skincare products.

I used Linatural for this recipe, a broad-spectrum natural preservative containing propanediol, ethylhexylglycerin and potassium sorbate.

In my experience, Linatural is gentle and non-irritating, which is especially important when it comes to making skincare products for sensitive skin.

If you don’t have Linatural, other gentle natural preservatives include Leucidal Liquid SF and AMTicide Coconut.

Blue spirulina extract

There are only a couple drops of blue tansy essential oil in this face mask recipe. So you can use blue spirulina if you’d like to make your soothing blue face mask a more vibrant, beautiful blue.

I use this natural spirulina blue liquid food coloring (spirulina glycerite). The liquid format makes it easy to color a variety of skincare products.

If you don’t have the glycerite, you can also use a sprinkle of blue spirulina powder. Or you can omit the natural color all together as it’s not an imperative ingredient.

Seriously soothing blue tansy jelly face mask

Blue Tansy Face Mask Recipe

44.5ml distilled water
2.5g liquid willow bark extract
0.75g hyaluronic acid powder
0.5g / 2 drops blue tansy essential oil
1g caprylyl/capryl glucoside
0.75g Linatural preservative
~5 drops blue spirulina liquid for color

How to make blue tansy face mask

  1. As always, before making DIY skincare, begin by sanitizing all tools, equipment, and your storage container using your preferred method. I wash everything with hot, soapy water, then wipe it down with alcohol and allow to dry.
  2. To make your blue tansy mask, begin by measuring distilled water into your glass lab beaker. Since we’re making a 50g batch, I recommend using a beaker that’s at least 100g in size to make it easier to gently shake the mask (this helps incorporate the hyaluronic acid).
  3. Weigh in the willow bark extract and stir gently to incorporate. Repeat the process with the Linatural preservative, again stirring gently.
  4. In a separate beaker, weigh your hyaluronic acid powder (a tiny lab beaker is ideal). Weighing the hyaluronic acid before incorporating it into your face mask ensures you don’t accidentally add too much.
  5. Gently and evenly sprinkle the hyaluronic acid over the surface of the water. Try not to dump it in in big clumps, as this increases the likelihood it will clump in your face mask. But don’t worry if this happens, as it can be fixed later.
  6. Cover with plastic wrap and leave the hyaluronic acid to rehydrate for 24-48 hours in a cool, dark area. You can give the beaker a gentle shake or swirl every couple hours to help the process along, but for the most part, you won’t have to do much. You’ll know it’s ready when the substance changes from a gloopy mess into a clear, uniform gel.
  7. If after 24 hours the mask looks clumpy, you can give it a quick whirl with a high-powered milk frother to break up any lumps. Don’t worry if it looks like a frothy, bubbly mess – simple leave it alone until all the frothy bubbles dissipate.

    Tip: this milk frother is the only one I’ve found to be high powered enough to mix thick homemade face masks.
  8. Once your water has transformed into a beautiful hyaluronic acid jelly, it’s time to add the rest of the face mask ingredients.
  9. Carefully drop 0.5g blue tansy essential oil (approximately 2 drops using my Jennings scale) onto the surface of your soothing mask. Then, measure 1g caprylyl/capryl glucoside natural solubilizer (approximately 1 drop), dropping it directly on top of the blue tansy oil.

    Usually, we would combine the solubilizer and essential oil separately, then add them to the formula. But because we’re working with such tiny amounts, it makes more sense to add them directly to the mask.
  10. Mix gently to evenly incorporate the essential oil and solubilizer into your jelly face mask base. Don’t whisk or mix too hard to avoid creating bubbles in the mask. You’ll know the blue tansy oil is completely solubilized when the jelly is a clear, bright blue. A cloudy appearance means the oil is not fully solubilized. If your mask appears cloudy, you can add more solubilizer drop by drop until it turns clear.
  11. Your soothing blue tansy jelly face mask is finished! Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator when not in use.
DIY blue tansy face mask for glowing skin

DIY blue tansy mask formula notes

  • This recipe makes a small 50g batch containing 1% blue tansy oil.
  • Tested with my Apera PH60S, this face mask has a skin-friendly pH of approximately 5.77. Willow bark is gently acidic and helps lower the mask’s pH.
  • This blue tansy mask’s shelf life is approximately 3-6 months in the fridge, but will turn green and expire rapidly at room temperature.
  • To make a simple face mask with willow bark, combine 46ml distilled water, 2.5g willow bark extract, 0.75g hyaluronic acid powder, and 0.75g Linatural. No refrigeration necessary.

How to use the blue tansy face mask

Herbivore’s blue tansy mask instructions suggest applying a thin layer to dry skin for approximately 15-20 minutes, and this mask is similar.

There are many ways to use this recipe – use it as a DIY soothing face mask for irritated skin, a calming mask for redness, or an anti-inflammatory face mask for acne.

Soothing blue tansy face mask

Using a clean cosmetic spoon, scoop out a generous amount of jelly and apply it to bare skin. There’s no need to wash your face first, as the capryl/caprylyl glucoside is also a mild cleanser, but you should not be wearing any makeup or sunscreen.

Tip: hyaluronic acid is a thirsty little molecule, so please moisten your face liberally with a face mist before applying your mask (try my watermelon face mist or rosewater spray!). Also, the beautiful cosmetic spoons pictured in this post are tiny mother of pearl caviar spoons.

Leave your blue tansy face mask on for at least 10 minutes, or as long as you’d like. The longer you wear it, the more you’ll reap the soothing, anti-inflammatory benefits of blue tansy oil and willow bark for glowing skin. If the mask begins to dry or feel tight, simply spritz with more face mist to re-hydrate.

To remove, simply splash your face with lukewarm water and gently wipe off the mask using a soft washcloth. Enjoy your soft, smooth, hydrated skin.

DIY blue tansy face mask
Yield: 50ml

DIY Blue Tansy Face Mask

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 5 minutes

Inspired by the Herbivore blue tansy mask, this DIY blue tansy face mask recipe helps calm acne, alleviate redness, and soothe dry, irritated skin.

Instructions

    1. As always, before making DIY skincare, begin by sanitizing all tools, equipment, and your storage container using your preferred method. I wash everything with hot, soapy water, then wipe it down with alcohol and allow to dry.
    2. To make your blue tansy face mask, begin by measuring distilled water into your glass lab beaker. Since we're making a 50g batch, I recommend using a beaker that's at least 100g in size to make it easier to gently shake the mask (this helps incorporate the hyaluronic acid).
    3. Weigh in the willow bark extract and stir gently to incorporate. Repeat the process with the Linatural preservative, again stirring gently.
    4. In a separate beaker, weigh your hyaluronic acid powder (a tiny lab beaker is ideal). Weighing the hyaluronic acid before incorporating it into your face mask ensures you don't accidentally add too much.
    5. Gently and evenly sprinkle the hyaluronic acid over the surface of the water. Try not to dump it in in big clumps, as this increases the likelihood it will clump in your face mask. But don't worry if this happens, as it can be fixed later.
    6. Cover with plastic wrap and leave the hyaluronic acid to rehydrate for 24-48 hours in a cool, dark area. You can give the beaker a gentle shake or swirl every couple hours to help the process along, but for the most part, you won't have to do much. You'll know it's ready when the substance changes from a gloopy mess into a clear, uniform gel.
    7. If after 24 hours the mask looks clumpy, you can give it a quick whirl with a high-powered milk frother to break up any lumps. Don't worry if it looks like a frothy, bubbly mess – simple leave it alone until all the frothy bubbles dissipate.


    8. Once your water has transformed into a beautiful hyaluronic acid jelly, it's time to add the rest of the face mask ingredients.
    9. Carefully drop 0.5g blue tansy essential oil (approximately 2 drops using my Jennings scale) onto the surface of your jelly mask. Then, measure 1g caprylyl/capryl glucoside natural solubilizer (approximately 1 drop), dropping it directly on top of the blue tansy oil.



      Usually, we would combine the solubilizer and essential oil separately, then add them to the formula. But because we're working with such tiny amounts, it makes more sense to add them directly to the mask.
    10. Mix gently to evenly incorporate the essential oil and solubilizer into your blue tansy face mask base. Don't whisk or mix too hard to avoid creating bubbles in the mask. You'll know the blue tansy oil is completely solubilized when the jelly mask is a clear, bright blue. A cloudy appearance means the oil is not fully solubilized. If your mask appears cloudy, you can add more solubilizer drop by drop until it turns clear.
    11. Your soothing blue tansy jelly face mask is finished! Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator when not in use.

Notes

  • This recipe makes a small 50g batch containing 1% blue tansy oil.
  • This face mask has a skin-friendly pH of approximately 5.77. Willow bark is gently acidic and helps lower the mask's pH.
  • This blue tansy mask's shelf life is approximately 3-6 months in the fridge, but will turn green and expire rapidly at room temperature.
  • To make a simple face mask with willow bark, combine 46ml distilled water, 2.5g willow bark extract, 0.75g hyaluronic acid powder, and 0.75g Linatural. No refrigeration necessary.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

More homemade skincare recipes for glowing skin

If you liked this blue tansy mask DIY, you might also enjoy these other face masks:

Try these other natural skincare recipes to make your skin glow:

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Blue Tansy DIY Face Mask
  1. Holmes, Peter, et al. Aromatica: A Clinical Guide to Essential Oil Therapeutics. Singing Dragon, 2016.
  2. Clarke, Sue. “Families of Compounds That Occur in Essential Oils.” Essential Chemistry for Aromatherapy (Second Edition), Churchill Livingstone, 17 Nov. 2009, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780443104039000030.
  3. Cherry, Renee. “Blue Tansy Is the Pretty Skin-Care Ingredient You Need to Know About.” Shape, https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/beauty-style/blue-tansy-skin-care-ingredient-trend-products.
  4. “How to Avoid the Dangers of Expired Oils – American College of Healthcare Sciences.” American College of Healthcare Sciences – Empowering Change with Accredited Online Holistic Health Education, 6 Apr. 2021, https://achs.edu/blog/2018/03/20/do-essential-oils-have-a-shelf-life/.
  5. Di Caprio, Roberta et al. “The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of 1,2-decanediol and willow bark extract in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated keratinocytes.” Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : organo ufficiale, Societa italiana di dermatologia e sifilografia vol. 154,6 (2019): 624-631. doi:10.23736/S0392-0488.17.05592-4
  6. Bassino, Eleonora et al. “Pleiotropic Effects of White Willow Bark and 1,2-Decanediol on Human Adult Keratinocytes.” Skin pharmacology and physiology vol. 31,1 (2018): 10-18. doi:10.1159/000481690
  7. Gopaul, Remona et al. “An evaluation of the effect of a topical product containing salicin on the visible signs of human skin aging.” Journal of cosmetic dermatology vol. 9,3 (2010): 196-201. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2165.2010.00512.x
  8. Essendoubi, M et al. “Human skin penetration of hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights as probed by Raman spectroscopy.” Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI) vol. 22,1 (2016): 55-62. doi:10.1111/srt.12228
  9. Papakonstantinou, Eleni et al. “Hyaluronic acid: A key molecule in skin aging.” Dermato-endocrinology vol. 4,3 (2012): 253-8. doi:10.4161/derm.21923

Emily T.

Saturday 11th of March 2023

Hi Kim & Kyla ! This is truly an amazing recipe ! Feels very cooling and soothing on the skin. I wanted to ask : do you have a recipe for zits, like a spot treatment ? I have tried many, without really noticing a result…

Thanks for answering each comments ! Many bloggers aren’t… What you’re doing is amazing !

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