Since we're all abuzz about bathrooms this month, let's talk skin care for just a minute. Now here's a market that involves large amounts of processing, packaging, and shipping. Not to mention, natural cleansers can cost upwards of $6 a bottle, and that's on the low end. So what about eliminating the need for a couple of cleansing products and turning to something that most of us have in our refrigerators?
The skin thrives on vitamins A, D, and E--commonly found in milk and yogurt. Yep, it's easy to make your own milk and honey facial soap, or even an oatmeal facial scrub, with things from the cupboard.
When you consider the barrage of greenwashing in the skin care realm (think of how many products tout themselves as natural and have changed their packaging, when upon further inspection there's very little nature involved in the ingredient lists), it's easy to be swept up in buying "all-natural" or "95% natural" skin care products.
After spending more than $30 at the check-out counter last night on natural cosmetics, cleansers, and lotions alone, we had the idea to see if we could make our own. Once those products are all used up, we'll be delving into the recipes on this natural skin care site.
As for how much to make, it's unlikely to find us in the kitchen before every face washing whipping up a new recipe of the cleansers. So we're guessing that if you make a batch that will last a few days or weeks, it would be best kept in the refrigerator and might expire around the time your milk (or yogurt) does.
Have any tips for homemade skin care products? Do share!
Photo by Zsuzsanna Kilián.
i make a lot of my own skincare products.
i make vitamin c serum which is very easy. it's vitamin c crystals which i buy from my local natural foods store, glycerin and distilled water. recipes can be found if you just google it.
also, i use a facial mask of aspirin (which is essentially salicylic acid) and honey and it really works great.
view andrennabird's profile
Have you used any recipes from the natural skin care website?
view andrennabird's profile
my dry skin loves an oatmeal and honey mask (or sometimes just honey)!
another great trick: if you see a zit coming in (especially if it's red or swollen), mash up an aspirin with a few drops of water. pat the paste onto your skin (don't scrub) and let it dry. then brush away the crumbs and moisturize. the aspirin reduces redness and less swelling means it's easier to cover with makeup, if necessary.
as for moisturizers, make sure you're buying one that works! I used to get a cheaper brand, but I'd have to use quite a bit a reapply it fairly often. I switched to an expensive brand and now I get away with a tiny dab (and my skin is happier). a jar lasts me up to a year. sometimes it really is better to get the pricier product...
view foodefafa's profile
Plain yogurt does make a great face mask, as do honey, eggs, powdered milk, etc., but this over-emphasis on "natural" cleansers and products is a bit over the top. Simply because something is natural doesn't make it beneficial; anthrax is all-natural, and not all synthetics are bad. Did no one who writes for this site ever take a chemistry class?
view Sydney's profile
I use a thick, plain yogurt mixed with a tiny bit of either A) Almond oil (sensitive & dry skin - plus it smells great) B) Sunflower Oil (regenerates & conditions skin) or C) Soybean oil (tons of Vitamin E) with baking soda. The vitamins in the yogurt are EXCELLENT, as well as moisturizing properties of the oils and the baking soda is a wonderful, mild daily exfoliant.
Another thing I use on occasion is lemon juice, egg white & baking soda as a mask. Mix into a paste, smooth onto skin and let set. It leaves the skin like porcelain. (don't do this more than once every couple of weeks)
view M@'s profile
Check out our ideas for homemade beauty products at http://www.organicfoodee.com/lifestyle/diybeauty/
Enjoy!
view Ysanne Spevack's profile
I frequently use baking powder to exfoliate. Shake a little into the palm of your hand, add a dribble of water to make a wet paste, then massage onto your face. Rinse. Simple and cheap. (Note that this only exfoliates, not cleanses. If you want to do both steps once, add a drop or two of cleanser to the paste.)
view suggymom's profile
Pepto Bismol makes a perfect salicylic acid mask (there's aspirin in it). I got that recommendation from a dermatologist. Making your own aspirin mask is a little dangerous because you absorb some of the medication through your skin, and you can actually overdose. In Pepto Bismol the aspirin is suspended in the solution and is buffered. It works really well.
Also, the Body Shop used to carry an overpriced exfoliation scrub that was ground-up azuki beans. I buy the dried beans and grid them in a spice grinder. Sprinkle some into the cup of your hand, blend with water (or whatever else you wish), and gently scrub the face. It's a very gentle scrub.
view Forestdweller's profile
Oh, and as for baking soda -- it makes a great poultice for poison oak. Mix up a thick paste of it and dribble that onto the affected area. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, wash it off, pat it dry. It dries up the seeping and calms the itch.
view Forestdweller's profile
Forgot to add -- olive oil is a perfect face moisturizer. Rub it in, tissue off the excess.
view Forestdweller's profile
I'm two days late to this party, but if anyone is still reading, plain milk of magnesia is a great substitution for a clay mask.
view Brandyjane's profile