Do It Yourself: Katey Denno’s Depuffing Face Mask

Tutorials

Celebrity makeup artist Katey Denno was 9 years old when her mother taught her how to steam her face over a bowl of hot water in their kitchen. “She would add a little eucalyptus oil to the water for me before mixing up a mask with oats, honey, and yogurt,” Denno recalls. “It was such a fun thing to do that I didn’t even realize we were doing good things for our skin.” As she got older, this curiosity led Denno to learn how to tighten her under-eye area with egg whites, exfoliate with sugar, and eventually to teach DIY beauty workshops at the Bowery Whole Foods in New York City.

Flash forward a few decades from that first DIY with her mother and Denno is one of the most in-demand beauty pros in Los Angeles. Nicknamed “Hollywood’s green makeup artist,” she’s cultivated a loyal following—Olivia Wilde, January Jones, and Olivia Munn are just a few of her A-list clients—for both her artistry and love of natural products and holistic treatments. “You never know what's going to happen on the road with a client,” Denno says. “I've whipped up a lot of solutions at the 11th hour on a press junket, from cold spoons on the eyes to a yogurt mask.”

This month, Rose Inc. has tapped Denno for something special: A mini series of four at-home beauty treatments. By utilizing natural fruit enzymes for exfoliation, the antibacterial properties of honey and apple cider vinegar, and more ingredient superfoods you probably already have on hand, she created easy weekly indulgences to keep our faces and scalps healthy while self-isolating—and yes, they’re great for making memories with family, too.

HER DIY INSPIRATION:

“I used to do this one when I was living in New York and working with a lot of models,” Denno says, noting that caffeinated teas can depuff in a hurry since they act as a diuretic, while caffeine-free botanical teas, like chamomile, are anti-inflammatory and natural antiseptics.

“Green tea is a super antioxidant, which is why it's the number one ingredient is tons of clean beauty products, especially face toners,” she says. “And of course, we should all be drinking it, too.”

BEHIND THE MASK:

Begin by selecting either green or chamomile tea—both have calming and antioxidant properties, but the former is best for reducing swelling and redness while the later fades dark spots and fights breakouts—or simply use both for maximum benefits.

“Boil just enough water to cover two organic tea bags in a mug and let it sit until cool,” Denno says. Once room temperature, squeeze the water out of the bags and place them in the freeze to further cool, then pour your concentrated tea into a small bowl.

‘‘ GREEN TEA IS A SUPER ANTIOXIDANT ’’

Stir one tablespoon of honey into your tea concentrate. (Raw or Manuka honey is best because their antibacterial properties are highest, but all honey is a humectant, so any will work in a pinch.) Add a splash of apple cider vinegar for an antibacterial boost, then mix in ¼ of an avocado or banana to thicken it up. Grab your cold tea bags and get ready to relax.

Apply a thick layer of the mask over your clean, dry face and decolletage before placing the cold tea bags over your eyes. Wait 15 minutes or longer before rinsing and applying serum and moisturizer.

Written by Lexy Lebsack.