This is a guest post by Jeanine, an Etsy shop owner who handcrafts organic skin care products. I’ve really been into finding organic alternatives for my face without busting my budget. I’ve also been concerned about DIY face products because I’m not an expert in skin care. Jeanine helped me understand when it is a good time to buy and when it is a good time to make your own products. Enjoy!
Awareness has caused so many of us to want better and safer products for ourselves, especially when it comes to our skin and our bodies. If you knew what was in your face cream you would probably freak. Long lists of carcinogenic and
toxic chemicals are slathered on our bodies daily. Many of these chemicals make their way into our bodies through our skin and if you imagine the build up over time, it’s pretty scary.
I started making my own bath and body products because it was one way to reduce exposure for my family. With a background in science and medicine, I started formulating my own line of products that do exactly what I wanted them to do, but without artificial dyes, flavors, chemicals, preservatives and a long list of synthetic substances linked to cancer and auto-immune disease.
Most natural skin care products are homemade and come from small business owners who are enthusiastic about the safety and high quality of their products. So anyone can make these products at home then, right?
Well, there are two things to consider: cost effectiveness and formulation. There are dozens of recipes that can be found online for making DIY products. Most of them will yield something useable and surely better and safer than what you can buy in a drug store. If you plan on following the recipe over and over again, then it may also be cost effective for you. But if you find that you don’t like the outcome or if it doesn’t work as well as you hoped, you are stuck with an arsenal of expensive ingredients. If you find a way to use your ingredients to their maximum potential, then you can save considerably over frequent drug store purchases.
You may be wondering what the difference is between stuff you can make at home and natural skin care that you can purchase from a business owner. Sometimes there is no difference other than the fact that you
don’t have to make an investment to purchase the expensive raw materials. A bottle of Bulgarian Rose essential oil or
absolute can cost over $300 for 1/8 of an ounce, and Neroli essential oil can cost nearly the same. Many carrier oils and butters can be costly, especially when organic, or if it ends up in the garbage because of a faulty recipe.
Formulation is an art and a science. I have thrown hundreds of dollars down the drain trying to perfect a formula. It involves chemistry, math, knowledge of ingredients and skin anatomy and physiology. Yes, you can follow a recipe online and it may work great for you, but in order to sell a product, it needs to be stability tested, soundly formulated and safe. Bacteria and mold will grow in a homemade product without a preservative. Oil based formulas and emulsions can both turn rancid and cause skin infections or complications. For this reason, it is sometimes best to purchase more complex skin care creams for the face and body from a reputable
person or business. There are also many essential oils that are not safe for pregnant women, babies or those with
sensitive skin. An experienced person will be able to help you with deciding on what products may be safer for your situation.
So what can you make at home that is simple, safe and only requires a few ingredients to keep the costs down? Lip balm, body butter, face wash, body wash, to name a few. Here is a super easy formula for a DIY face or body wash.
DIY Face and Body Wash
We know that oil and water don’t normally mix, but in this face wash, we are going to mix them and they will separate over time. All that is needed for this to be effective though, is a good shake before use.
Add water to soap. Add all ingredients together and
stir.
60 grams distilled water
30 grams Castille liquid soap
6 grams oil of your choice ( olive, apricot kernel, avocado, jojoba)
3 grams vegetable glycerin
1 gram of essential oil of your choice ( I used lemon and pine)
This will yield 100 grams. Just multiply to make the amount that you need. This formula is non-comodegenic and gentle for all skin types. If your soap changes color or odor, it’s time to discard. There is no preservative in
this formula.
Here are some of the ways you can follow Jeanine:
www.solsticehandcrafted.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/solsticehandcrafted
Instagram: www.instagram.com/solsticehandcrafted
Facebook: www.facebook.com/solsticehandcrafted
Instagram: www.instagram.com/solsticehandcrafted
Now for the giveaway! One lucky reader will win this sample pack. I personally have tried 2 of the 3 samples and love them. They are the perfect size for travel.
What are your favorite organic face care lines? What about handcrafted? I love learning about new products!
I used to make my own while back and just got busy with life and quit. Thanks for posting, makes me want to get back at it.
#ibabloggers
We are currently in transition to a chemical free household while still trying to keep it frugal. I am currently using Norwex for cleaning purposes. It is a rather large initial investment…but I LOVE the products.
I am a professional Biochemist and I work for a small company that makes the emulsions and nanodispersions you briefly mentioned. We can essentially make oil and water stay together without separating — I think what you’re doing is great and I will check out your Etsy site!
I’ll have to check out Norwex!