As with cooking, there are some who enjoy it and others who perform the task out of sheer necessity alone. The same may ring true with do-it-yourself beauty products. For those who love to whip it up, these tips are for you. And for those who don’t…you may become surprisingly interested.
The idea of creating your own skin care products may seem, at first, rather old fashioned. But once you try it you’ll be a firm believer. It is somehow very satisfying to blend and concoct on your own. The ingredients are fresh and pure and the simplicity feels virtuous. Skin also seems happy to get a break from “too many” ingredients. Even if the homemade variety skin care products are not a long term solution for you, it is a nice treat now and then. Or maybe you will discover certain combinations to incorporate into your daily routine.
My advice: Start small. Don’t go straight into producing your own shampoo if you’ve never whipped up a facial mask. There are some terrific books out there on DIY beauty and below are listed some recipes to get you started.
I must credit Julie Gabriel, author of The Green Beauty Guide for getting me started with DIY skin care. She includes recipes for all skin types and issues, from acne to whitening. Definitely worth a read.
My personal at home DIY staples:
Olive oil – Yep, straight up. Pure olive oil is a fabulous cleanser and one I use year-round. Though it may be too heavy for those with very oily skin or prone to acne, olive oil is the perfect cleanser for those on the dry side. Oil binds to dirt, makeup and the skin’s natural oils perfectly (remember the old oil and water don’t mix adage?) and leaves skin fresh and supple. You can follow up with a toner for additional cleansing, though I just splash with cold water. If you have normal to dry skin, try this and let me know what you think.
Green tea – This is my toner of choice, honestly, over anything else I could purchase. My skin seems to be best behaved when I use this daily as a morning post-shower cleanser/toner. Brew up a strong batch and keep in the fridge for up to a week (this is the recommended time, but I keep mine longer if it lasts. It just gets a little stronger). Pour yourself a glass after showering, apply some to face with a cotton pad and slurp back the rest. Cool, refreshing, smells good and skin loves it. And you are fueling up on healthy antioxidants.
Sugar scrub – out of all the facial and body scrubs I have tried, this one is my favorite. It works best, skin is left silky smooth and can even be used on sensitive skin. Just be sure to be gentle and never exfoliate skin that is broken out or irritated. Another bonus – you are sure to always have the ingredients on hand.
Sugar Milk Face and Body Scrub
¼ cup organic granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of organic milk
Mix the two ingredients together, hop in the shower and gently exfoliate face and body. Rinse with warm water. May be used weekly. Be sure not to forget your feet!
Don’t be afraid to sample with ingredients. Sweet almond oil is fantastic for repairing dry cuticles and Julie Gabriel recommends a swipe of raw potato for lightening up sun spots.
Have any green beauty recipes of your own? If you would like to send them in, I will post them on the OBS site.
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Image: churl at Flickr.com under Creative Commons license.
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