10 Natural DIY Skin Care Recipes

DIY skin care can feel intimidating, but thanks to these homemade skin care recipes you can ditch the store-bought skin care products for good. Not only are they loaded with chemicals but they can be downright expensive. Make these 10 homemade natural skin care recipes instead.

You don’t have to fork out big bucks for great skin care. In fact, many department-store and drugstore brands of skin care products are packed full of harsh chemicals, toxic ingredients, artificial colors and more. Even so-called natural skin care brands may contain questionable ingredients that you wouldn’t want on your face.

Want to look up the safety of your skin care products? Check out Environmental Working Group (EWG)’s Skin Deep database. It has the ingredients list and potential toxins of more than 68,000 personal care products.

I checked on a few products that I used to use for anti-wrinkle skin care and was floored to see the results. Most of the products ranged in the 5-6 range out of a total 10 (with 10 at the highest level of potential hazards and toxins). That’s troubling to consider.

Luckily, I’ve learned to make my own skin care products. It’s easy with products you already have in your bathroom and pantry. In fact, here are 10 natural skin care recipes that can replace an entire skin care regime you’d probably pay a fortune for at a department store.

DIY Skin Care Ingredients

Before I get into my favorite homemade skin care recipes, take note of this list. These are the most popular DIY skincare ingredients that I use over and over again in my recipes. Not only are they all natural and affordable but they are very easy to find in store or online. Better yet, having these items on hand means you can make homemade skincare products easily whether as gifts or for your next pampering session.

• Butters – I’ll start with one of my most used butters for DIY skin care, Shea butter. As it is high in vitamins A, E and F, it is wonderfully moisturizing for the skin. It is also packed with essential fatty acids which is beneficial to those with dry skin. From DIY sunscreen to homemade lotion bars, shea butter can be used in so many homemade skincare recipes. However, other popular butters include cocoa butter and mango butter.
• Carrier Oils – It is important to switch up your carrier oils for beauty and skincare depending on your skincare goals. Carrier oils serve two purposes – they help the skin absorb essential oils as well as help to replicate the consistency of our favorite skincare products, such as serums, lotions and creams when making them at home.  Carrier oils are made from fatty or nutty oils like coconut, almond, sesame, avocado, or even olive oil. I find jojoba oil one of the most used carrier oils in my homemade skin care routine.
• Essential Oils – Similar to carrier oils, essential oils each bring a different purpose and benefit to your homemade skin care routine. For example, Blue Tansy is part of the chamomile family which means it offers soothing benefits for redness and dry skin. Whereas, Patchouli is ideal for using in DIY skin care thanks to its anti-aging properties. I cover essential oils in more detail later.

10 DIY Skin Care Recipes Anyone Can Make

1. Facial Wash

An absolute staple in any homemade skin care routine – face wash. Forget the harsh cleansers and try this Foaming Face Wash instead. It’s gentle, yet effective in keeping skin clean and clear.

2. Facial Scrub

When it comes to natural skincare at home it couldn’t get easier than this DIY Facial Scrub. It’s similar to facial scrubs you’d get in a spa (with the same results), yet at a fraction of the price. Better yet you can exfoliate your skin naturally, without the abrasive ingredients that strip your skin of its natural oils.

3. Facial Mask

Whether you’re having a relaxing detox bath, or simply fancy a pamper, whip up one of these 8 Honey Facial Masks to rejuvenate the skin and give it a healthy glow.

4. Toner

Toner was one of my first and most beneficial natural DIY skin care swaps. I can’t believe how much I used to shell out for store bought toners that were deceivingly stripping my skin of its natural oils and causing more harm than good. This DIY Facial Toner will literally cost you pennies and it’s hydrating, pH balanced and excellent for blemish-prone and combination skin.

5. Eye Cream

Homemade eye cream is one of the DIY skin care products I make over and over again. Not only because it’s effective in hydrating the eye area and fighting wrinkles but because my DIY Eye Cream is so affordable and easy.

6. Moisturizer

Forget everything you know about moisturizers. Oil-free facial lotions can actually make the skin produce MORE oil than regular moisturizers or even facial oils. I have combination and blemish-prone skin, yet I absolutely LOVE this DIY Facial Oil Moisturizer with Sunscreen. It’s hydrating, but not oily – plus the addition of essential oils help to fight blemishes and fade sun spots. Here’s another Homemade Facial Lotion recipe.

7. Lip Balm

Whether it’s dry lips in Winter or sun damage in Summer, lip balm is vital all year round. Yet, think about how much you pay for lip balm, $2-4 for a tube? That price soon adds up especially when you can actually make your own Organic DIY Lip Balm for Just $0.24 a Tube. Pair with my homemade lip scrub for a perfect pout that costs pennies.

8. Facial Serum

Facial serums often feel like a luxury, especially when department-store brand facial serums can cost upwards of $50-$100 per bottle. However, they offer so many skin nourishing benefits, that I encourage you to add this DIY facial serum to your homemade skin care routine asap. It costs pennies to make and includes just a few simple ingredients that you likely already have.

9. Shave Gel

Not only are aerosol shaving creams packed with questionable ingredients, but the cans themselves are damaging to the environment. Switch to this super simple DIY Shave Gel. As well as being one of my favorite DIY gifts for men, it’s perfect for women too and can be used on legs, underarms and more.

10. DIY Charcoal Peel-Off Mask

This DIY Charcoal Peel-Off Mask removes all those blackheads and impurities from the pores… leaving behind glowing, gorgeous and clear skin. Learn about the benefits of activated charcoal – it’s great for skin care and so many other things.

How to Choose the Right Container for Your DIY Skin Care

Not only is it great fun to choose gorgeous packaging for your homemade skincare, but the right container can also help keep your formula safe and stable for longer. In fact, it’s important to store your homemade skincare in proper, hygienic containers. Luckily there are lots of great packaging suppliers online who will send you containers that are ready to use for your beautiful botanical formulations.

It is easier to contaminate a product that is in an open jar than one dispensed from an air-tight container. When possible, choose pump or spray valves that dispense your formula without the need to open the product container. If it isn’t practical to use a pump or spray, perhaps because of the viscosity of the product, then you might consider adding a drop dispenser or a spatula to help get the product out of its packaging – and help reduce the likelihood of introducing contamination.

How to Make Natural Skin Care Products Last Longer

As it’s almost impossible to know the likely expiration date of homemade skincare products, one of the best tips is to produce small amounts. Not only does this mean your cream, balm or butter will be the very freshest it can be, but you’ll also get to play around with different ingredients regularly to whip up a fresh batch.

When you’re making anhydrous (no water) products that are suitably packaged to minimize contamination, you can make bigger volumes, but always remember to add an antioxidant such as Vitamin E or Rosemary CO2 extract to slow down product degradation.

With unpreserved, water-based products, its is advised you make single-use doses only when you need them. Microbial growth happens fast, especially given the perfect growing conditions found in room temperature.

Tips For Switching To DIY Natural Skin Care Products

• Understand your skin type. Before switching to a homemade skin care routine, it’s important you understand your skin type to help you choose the best ingredients and to avoid any potential irritants.
• Use high quality DIY skin care ingredients. To maximize results, ideally use only organic, unrefined, raw or cold-pressed oils.
• The right containers. Make sure to choose the right containers for your products, open air jars are more prone to contamination.
• Make in small batches. At least in the beginning as it can be hard to gauge the shelf life. It also means if the product doesn’t work for you, you haven’t wasted a whole heap of ingredients creating a huge batch.
• Patch test. Even when creating natural skincare at home, it is important to patch test. There is still risk of irritation or allergies so always test in a small area before applying fully.
• Keep it slow and simple. When switching to homemade skin care, don’t change up your entire routine overnight. Try a few DIY skincare products to start and phase out your current products slowly. If you swap it all out in one go, it can be difficult to find a cause if you experience breakouts or irritation.

More DIY Recipes

• Homemade Bubble Bath
• 8 Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System
• 5 Health Benefits of Collagen Powder
• 14 Health Benefits of Infrared Saunas

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Photo credit: Bigstockphoto.com / okkijan