I’m an egg fanatic. I hated them growing up, but now, I’d eat eggs at every meal if I could (team #breakfastfordinner). Runny, hard boiled, in a Benedict or an omelette or a sandwich—I’ll happily gobble them down. So upon discovering that my fave food is also great to use on skin, I practically drooled with delight. In the DIY beauty world, skin-care lovers praise egg whites as having a multitude of skin-boosting benefits, so I nabbed the recipe for an egg white mask to add to my regimen ASAP.

“The benefits of egg white masks have been touted as an at-home remedy for everything from acne to aging,” says Debbi Burnes, founder of Sumbody. “Egg whites contain a boatload of vitamin A and proteins, which are all vital for maintaining youthful, healthy skin.” She also points out that the breakfast ingredient’s helpful with reducing inflammation, and you’ll typically see that the visibility of your pores is reduced after applying it onto your skin.

“The benefits of egg white masks have been touted as an at-home remedy for everything from acne to aging.” —Debbi Burnes

Of course, you might cringe at the thought of using raw eggs on your face (just as you might when you think about gulping them down à la Rocky). But it’s only an issue if you’ve got allergies to eggs, or if you just aren’t handling them correctly. “If you’re allergic to eggs, you shouldn’t use them topically,” says Burnes. “Raw eggs could also have salmonella, so when handling raw eggs, you should be extremely mindful to not contaminate the surface areas.” So stick with pasteurized, hormone-free eggs (though, she says that the yolk is more commonly associated with salmonella than the whites, so you should be good).

When you’re prepping to use egg whites in a face mask—perhaps after a leisurely weekend brunch with your BFFs and perhaps a mimosa or two—Burnes says you’ve gotta whip them up first. “I suggest whipping the mask until it has a stiff peak—this makes it much easier to handle and easier to apply,” she says. As for the rest of the glow-inducing mask? Keep scrolling for Burnes’ original recipe that’ll perk up your complexion, shrink the appearance of your pores, and help combat breakouts, all in one kitchen-derived beauty blend.

Try this DIY egg white mask

Ingredients
2 tsp of whipped egg whites1/4 tsp honey1/4 tsp puréed avocado1/4 tsp yogurt1/4 tsp Brewer’s yeast

1. Purée the honey, yogurt, Brewer’s yeast, and avocado together until they’re silky smooth.2. Whip one egg white until it’s stiff, remove two teaspoons and place it in a small bowl.3. Add the puréed mixture to the whipped egg whites.4. Apply evenly from the neck up.5. Leave on for five to 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

If you’re in the mood to concoct other skin-care treatments at home, bookmark this DIY aloe face mask to fight inflammation, and this DIY watermelon face mask that celebrity facialist Ildi Pekar swears by for a glow.