Botox costs around £350 in the UK, so not everyone can afford to have a treatment every three months.
That’s why beauty enthusiasts on TikTok are experimenting with different DIY options to mimic the effects of freezing injections.
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And there is one fibrous product that consistently ranks at the top.
According to some beauty enthusiasts, you can make a “natural Botox” face mask by mixing flaxseed and water and boiling it.
The two-ingredient masks have become hugely popular on TikTok for their purported anti-aging benefits, particularly their ability to temporarily mimic some of the effects of Botox.
Some people even consider it the most important step in their skin care routine, as it firms the skin while providing deep hydration.
Beauty content creator Jonathan Monroe shares his thoughts on the viral trend and shows how he makes the two-ingredient mask in his kitchen.
The 33-year-old adds 500 ml of water to four tablespoons of linseed and boils the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, creating a thick, jelly-like mask.
“Flaxseed contains healthy fats and vitamin E, so it’s a healthy skin care product that you can easily make at home,” he said.
“I put the gel in a syringe, which makes it much easier to apply… and it’s a bit like Botox.
“Then I rub it in and let it sit for about five minutes before washing it off.
“I always have a firm, radiant and healthy-looking skin.”
However, don’t expect your facial muscles to freeze from this homemade mask.
“This is not the same as Botox, but it can create a temporary firming effect, brighten your skin and help with inflammation,” says Jonathan.
But what is the scientific basis for this?
Flaxseed is rich in polysaccharides, which can form a gel-like substance when mixed with water.
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Biggest Beauty Flaws
Tara Ledden, beauty editor of Fabulous, shares the do’s and don’ts of beauty.
“No matter how much time and money you spend on your beauty routine, if you don’t get the basics right, everything else is wasted.
“There aren’t many things you can’t negotiate, but these are the biggest cosmetic mistakes that are sabotaging your regime.”
- Do not use SPF: Sun damage is the number one cause of premature skin aging, so if you want to keep your skin looking firm and radiant, sunscreen is essential.
- Use of products whose expiration date has passed: At best, they are ineffective and do not deliver the results they promise, at worst they cause irritation and infection. The shelf life of beauty products varies – for example, mascara is usually good for 3-6 months, while lipstick is good for 9-18 months. Check the ‘POA’ symbol on the packaging (it looks like a jar and has a number inside it for how many months it is safe after opening. If you can’t remember when you opened your product, throw it out and start over, marking the month and year on the packaging with a permanent marker.
- Not knowing your undertone: If you use makeup with the wrong undertones, it will never look natural, no matter how much you mix it! An easy trick to figure out if you have cool, warm, or neutral undertones is to check the veins on your wrist – if they look blue, you have cool undertones, if they look green, you have warm, and if they’re a mix, you have neutral.
- Skip heat protectant: It may seem unnecessary, but just like sun damage to the skin, excessive heat is the most common cause of hair damage. So if you want shiny, healthy hair, or if you want to grow it longer, using a heat protection product is essential.
- Not washing your face before bed: it’s as simple as this, if you don’t wash your face before you go to bed, whatever has been on your skin during the day will stay there longer, clogging your pores and drying out the surface. Any skincare you apply on top won’t be effective with a layer of dirt underneath, and you’ll probably end up with dirty pillows too – yuck!
The gel hydrates the skin, making it appear fuller and fine lines less visible.
It can also have a firming effect on the skin, temporarily smoothing fine lines and wrinkles.
And as Jonathan said, flaxseed is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
These have anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce redness and swelling, making the skin look more youthful.
