Effortless Additions – DIY Natural Beauty Products
Our skin is the largest organ on our body and absorbs the products we put on it right into our bloodstream. This can have a direct affect on our health and well-being and wreck havoc on our endocrine system when products are loaded with harmful substances. Our endocrine system controls all of our hormones and makes a huge impact on our health when it is not functioning properly – if you would like to know more, you can read about the function of the Endocrine System here. About a year ago I started to slowly experiment with different DIY beauty products to help eliminate putting toxic chemicals on my body and save money (as well as cut back on waste). I would like to share a few of the regular products I make and hope you will enjoy making and using these products as much as I do!
I would like to offer a few tips on cost before I get into the recipes:
- Buy second hand glass containers to store your lotions/products in and bowls and tools to prepare them in. Often you can find very interesting containers that can add to your decor and make your product feel extra special.
- Repurpose glass jars – I buy screw on lids and reuse jars. These can also make nice gifts to friends and family.
- Look for recipes that use a lot of the same ingredients so you can keep your shopping list minimal and not be stuck with a product you only use for one thing.
Sweet almond oil is a great multipurpose oil for beauty products
- If you would like to add essential oils to your products, look for scents such as Lavender that are inexpensive and can be used in many products – a quick google search will give you tons of other uses as well. Don’t feel that you have to buy an expensive scent just for a couple of drops in one product. You can always do a quick search to see what other essential oil scents are comparable to what you are looking for to find one one that fits your budget or use one you already have.
Lotion
This is where I started my DIY beauty products. My husband had dry skin on his feet and was slathering lotion on them every night which didn’t do much. I made this lotion and he was amazed at the results – he couldn’t believe homemade lotion could work like that!
This lotion includes magnesium so it is a nice lotion to rub onto sore muscles or legs before bed. The recipe uses peppermint essential oil. Instead of peppermint, I usually use a mix of lavender and chamomile since I like to use this lotion before bed and use it on my children.
Shaving Cream
An ongoing problem I have dealt with is dry, flaky sin, especially on my legs. Shaving always left them itchy and feeling worse. Since I started to make my own shaving cream about a year ago, the dry skin has been gone and hasn’t returned – even in the cold, dry winter months. This is the recipe that I use. To make it easier, I simmer some water in a pan and use a glass bowl on top to melt my ingredients. I let the bowl cool and put it in the fridge. This saves melting oil in a pan and having to wash that.
My favourite thing about this shaving cream is that the ingredients and preparation is very similar to the above lotion so I can use the ingredients for both products and found it pretty simple to make.
Tips:
A dropper bottle is a great investment for only a couple of dollars and can be used over and over again.
I like to add essential oils. The combination I prefer is 10 drops of Lavender and 10 drops of Peppermint. You can add more, less or other scents based on your personal preference or just leave it as is!
I have used Sweet Almond oil in place of jojoba oil and it turned out great. I always have a big bottle of Sweet Almond Oil as it has so many purposes. Jojoba I find can be pricey so I pick it up when I find it on sale but don’t sweat it if I don’t have any.
During the cooling process, if you leave it in the fridge too long, just place it on the counter and check after about twenty minutes and it should be good to whip.
I like to put my shaving cream in a glass jar and put it in the fridge over night. I find it’s much firmer and stays that way. After the first night I keep it in my shower with the lid screwed on tightly.
Moisturizing Face Serum
I love this serum. Oils are becoming more and more popular to use instead of creams. I used to always have dry skin on my face and once I switched to using this serum the skin on my face is soft and it’s never caused any irritation. There are so many different oils and combinations of oils you can use as well as essential oils. I like how flexible the recipe is so you can use what you already have and customize it to meet your need!
Hair Rinse
I decided to try out a hair rinse in place of conditioner as I was finding that conditioner was making my hair feel weighted down and greasy. When I tried out this rinse, my hair felt soft and dried with nice waves and no frizz. I started to use it a couple of times a week and over a year later I am still super happy with the results.
Tips:
The recipe calls for Lavender essential oil but you can try other essential oils that are suitable for your hair. My preference is geranium essential oil.
I keep a plastic container in my washroom for this rinse.
Since this has apple cider vinegar, be careful not to get it in your eyes (tilt your head back the you pour it on) and don’t worry about the smell – it goes away quickly and leaves fresh smelling hair.
There’s so many uses for apple cider vinegar that it should be a staple in everyone’s house.
I can honestly say that my skin feels better than ever since changing over to using more natural products. I know every ingredient being absorbed into my skin, I save money and reuse my containers so there is very minimal waste. I hope you and your family will enjoy making and using these products as much as we do!
~Angelina
p.s. If you are looking for tips or suggestions regarding introducing new foods or meals to your family, please check out my Family Consultation package that I offer. I would love to help your family on their journey!
