By including natural moisturizers, serums and masks infused with essential oils in your weekly routine, you can give your skin the TLC (tender loving care) it so dearly craves. Have a look below for tips on how to make and incorporate DIY skin treatments and remedies based on your skin type and needs.
Moisturizer
When it comes to topical natural remedies for your skin, avoid adding your favourite essential oils to your current store-bought moisturizing cream. Adding a high-quality essential oil to a personal care product that could be made with synthetic or petroleum-based ingredients could cause skin irritation. To make your own DIY moisturizer, you can choose from a wide assortment of natural base oils with amazing skin-protecting properties, including sweet almond, grapeseed, avocado and wheat germ.
Moisturizer recipes
Homemade nourishing lotion
Ingredients:
¼ cup sweet almond oil
3 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tbsp beeswax
1 tbsp shea butter
3–5 drops frankincense essential oil
3–5 drops lavender essential oil
3–5 drops peppermint essential oil
Directions:
Place the sweet almond oil, shea butter and beeswax in a glass bowl. Place the bowl in a pan of hot water—ideally, the water level should be around half the bowl's height. You can also use a double-boiler. Warm the ingredients while stirring until melted and well blended. Remove from heat. Add the essential oil and stir again until well blended. Let cool and check the consistency. For a thinner, creamier consistency, use a hand mixer (or electric mixer) for one or two minutes. Place in your favourite container. Apply as needed to face and body, avoiding the eyes.
Daily face moisturizer for dry skin
Ingredients:
2 tbsp shea butter
6 tbsp avocado oil
2 tbsp sweet almond oil
5 drops clary sage oil
5 drops lavender oil
5 drops geranium oil
Directions:
Start by placing a small heat-safe bowl in a pan of hot water, or use a double-boiler. Place the shea butter in the bowl and stir until it softens. Remove from the hot water bath and continue stirring until fully melted. Next, add the avocado oil and blend into the shea butter with a fork or small spatula. Blend in the remaining essential oils. Transfer the finished product to a small container or jar and store in the fridge. Apply as needed to face and body, avoiding the eyes.
Serums
Several remedies can help reduce skin problems, but making a DIY face serum is one of the best—it's incredibly easy to make and won't make a mess. I struggled with acne in my early adult years, but the homemade acne serum I created became my favourite and most successful remedy. Best of all, I didn't have to buy any of the conventional chemical acne treatments!
Serum recipes
Face serum for acne-prone skin
Ingredients:
4 tbsp grapeseed oil
5 drops tea tree essential oil
5 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops lavender oil
Combine all ingredients in a 100 ml glass bottle. Close the bottle and gently roll it between the palms of your hands for about 30 seconds to mix the essential oils into the carrier oil.
Directions:
Cleanse face, then apply a drop of serum to forehead, cheeks and chin. Gently massage it in using small, gentle, upward stroke. Rinse off or leave on.
Face serum oil for oily skin
Ingredients:
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 tbsp grapeseed oil
5 drops cypress essential oil
5 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a 100 ml glass bottle. Close the bottle and gently roll it between the palms of your hands for about 30 seconds to mix the essential oils with carrier oil.
Directions:
Cleanse face, then apply a drop of serum to your forehead, cheeks and chin. Gently massage it in using small, gentle, upward strokes. Rinse off or leave on.
Masks
Homemade face masks are one of my favourite ways to treat and pamper problem skin, especially since they're super easy to make and can be customized to fit your skin's needs, whether hydration, blemish treatment, reduced fine lines or oil control. Clay masks are a popular choice as they bind the bacteria and toxins living the surface of the skin, potentially helping to reduce outbreaks and blemishes, alleviate redness and fight allergic reactions from irritating lotions or face washes.
Mask recipes
Green Clay mask for oily and problem skin types
Ingredients:
2 tsp Green Clay
2 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 drop frankincense essential oil
1 drop of lavender oil
1 drop of tea tree essential oil
Directions:
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and apply on your face and neck. Leave on for 15 minutes or longer, until you feel a tight sensation, before rinsing off with warm water.
White Clay mask for sensitive skin types
Ingredients:
2 tbsp white clay
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp avocado oil
3–10 teaspoons distilled water
3 drops tea tree essential oil
2 drops lavender oil
Directions:
Mix the white clay with enough distilled water to form a soft paste. Add the grapeseed, avocado and essential oils. Mix again and apply to your face and neck in an even layer. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water and apply a calming serum or another moisturizer.
Note: If you want to personalize your skin care, choose your carrier oil based on your skin type and your essential oils based on your skin's needs. When preparing your own recipe, make sure to use the proper ratio of carrier oil to essential oils. You can combine different essential oils as long as you stick to the maximum total number of drops.
Making your own products with essential oils not only promotes health and wellness, but also helps reduce packaging waste and trips to the store, not to mention keeping harsh chemicals and toxins out of your home and off your body. And by properly sourcing your essential oils, you're also supporting the sustainable production of high-quality essential oils.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904249/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299230/
