Naturally Radiant Skin Care - Make Your Own Moisturizing Oil

Everybody knows that "moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty."  Name that movie.  Hint: mer-MAN! 

Now that you know how to naturally cleanse, tone, and deep clean your pores with an herbal steam, it's time to learn about the final step in a natural skin care system - moisturization.

When I first entered the world of homemade moisturizers, I tried lotions (or emulsions) and had pretty good success.  An emulsion is mixing two or more liquids together that don't like to be mixed together - like oil and water, for example.  Most emulsions are made with an emulsifier to make the process easier - commonly soy lecithin or even borax.  Emulsifiers aren't absolutely necessary, however, and I never used them. The process of emulsification is basically slowly pouring water into a combination of oils and melted beeswax while mixing with a blender or stick blender.  If you've ever tried to make homemade mayonnaise, it's like that.

The first homemade moisturizer I tried was a simple olive oil, beeswax, and water emulsion with some lavender essential oil so it didn't smell so olive-y.  It was simple and it worked well enough, but it tended to separate and left my skin feeling pretty greasy.

The second homemade moisturizer I tried was Frugally Sustainable's Non-Greasy Moisturizing Lotion.  It also worked quite well and didn't separate as much, but still left my skin feeling slightly greasy.  After I applied my translucent face powder, though, it balanced out and I felt like I had the perfect dewy glow.

Now after reading this blog post, I'm using moisturizing oil, and it's my favorite option so far!  It has several advantages over the emulsions.  First, you don't have to emulsify anything or worry about it separating later.  Second, you don't have to worry about refrigerating it or the water making the whole concoction go bad.  Third, I've actually found my skin to be less greasy after using only oil.  In fact, I think my skin feels like velvet after I use it, and once again, after I use my translucent face powder I have the perfect combination of velvety softness and dewy glow.

Moisturizing Oil is also great because it has several other uses.  It makes a great all natural eye makeup remover, a smoothing hair serum, and can even be added to homemade shampoo for extra moisturizing power. 

So, using oil as a moisturizer can be as simple as using one oil alone like grapeseed or jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba).  Both of these are lightweight, non-greasy, fast absorbing oils that mimic the sebum your skin naturally produces.  They are also both relatively inexpensive.  There are many other oils, however, that have extra age-fighting, dryness-combating, oil-cutting, or acne-busting properties, so I combined several oils to get the best of all worlds.

I used grapeseed and jojoba as a base and added in smaller amounts of several other oils.  Finally I added several drops of skin-loving essential oils.

Note: Never use oil on un-cleansed skin.  It can trap the dirt and oil in your pores, causing future unpleasantness.

Another note: A very little goes a long way.  If your skin feels greasy, you've used too much.  I keep mine in a dropper bottle, and about 4-5 drops is all you need.  This also means you get a lot of bang for your buck.


 Carrier oils good for dry or aging skin:

• Grapeseed
• Jojoba
• Argan
• Apricot Kernel (which smells scrumptious, by the way)
• Avocado
• Macadamia Nut
• Sweet Almond
• Hemp Seed
• Sea Buckthorn (can temporarily stain skin, so use in small amounts)
• Rosehip Seed (which goes rancid easily and should be kept refrigerated)
• Emu
• Vitamin E

 
Essential oils good for dry or aging skin:

• Frankincense
• Rose geranium
• Rose
• Cedarwood
• Palmarosa
• Roman Chamomile

 

 

Carrier oils good for oily or acne prone skin:

• Grapeseed
• Jojoba
• Argan
• Hazelnut
• Sunflower
• Tamanu
• Sweet Almond
• Hemp Seed
• Borage Seed
• Evening Primrose
• Neem
• Turmeric oil
• Vitamin E oil

 

Essential oils good for oily or acne prone skin:

• Lavender 
• Peppermint
• Lemongrass
• Rosemary
• Sweet basil
• Bergamot
• Tea Tree
• Lemon
• Juniper Berry
• Roman Chamomile
• Rose
• Palmarosa

 

Mountain Rose Herbs is a great resource to learn more about the individual properties of these oils.  It's also a great place to purchase ingredients. They sell high quality organic herbs and other products, and they are a fair trade company.  (Full disclosure, I do receive a small commission if you click the links on my blog and complete a purchase.)

If you're not a DIY-er, or you're not up for a another project right now, I do have moisturizing oils available for purchase in my store.

 

 

 

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

Naturally Radiant Skin Care - Deep Pore Cleansing Herbal Steam

At the end of a stressful week, pamper yourself with an herbal facial steam!  Facial steams are the best possible method for deep pore cleansing.  Moist heat hydrates skin, boosts circulation, brings oxygen to the facial area, and improves skin clarity.  Steam loosens debris and softens skin to help pores unclog and appear less prominent, and the herbs recommended below are rich in nutrients and aromatic oils that nourish and tone the skin.

  

Method:
 
After cleansing, boil 2-3 quarts of water in a large pot.  Add a handful or two of herb mixture, cover and simmer for a couple minutes, then remove from heat.  Place at a level you can comfortably sit and lean over the pot.  Cover your head and the pot with a towel, breathe in the delicious aroma, and let your pores open and drink in the nourishing plant oils for 5 - 8 minutes. Follow with a cold water rinse, then herbal toner, and finally moisturize.

Herbs for oily or acne prone skin

• chamomile
• comfrey
• calendula
• lemongrass
• lavender
• rosemary
• sage
• witch hazel leaves
• rose petals
• strawberry leaves
• raspberry leaves
• blackberry leaves
• eucalyptus leaves if you specifically want to address acne
• licorice herbs, which include anise seed, fennel or licorice root, help rid the skin of impurities   

Note:  If skin is severely broken out or inflamed avoid steaming, as steam may aggravate these symptoms.

Herbs for dry or aging skin

• fennel seeds
• rosemary leaves
• rose petals
• lavender
• peppermint leaves
• chamomile
• calendula
• comfrey root
• comfrey leaves
• comfrey flowers
• borage flowers
• dandelion root
• licorice root
• marshmallow root

Note: To prevent over-drying, don't steam your face for more than five minutes, and use the treatment no more than once a week.

If you're wondering where to get these ingredients, Mountain Rose Herbs sells high quality organic herbs and other products, and they are a fair trade company.  (Full disclosure, I do receive a small commission if you click the links on my blog and complete a purchase.)

If you're not a DIY-er, or you're not up for a another project right now, I do have herbal steams available for purchase in my store.

 

This post shared at Frugally Sustainable's Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #79, Tilly's Nest Down Home Blog Hop #44, and Sunny Simple Life's From the Farm Blog Hop #40

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

And now it's time for another good idea, bad idea.

Whew, December has been a busy month.  Along with the usual seasonal parties and concerts, etc., we got to work extra shifts at work.  So on the Saturdays I wasn't working I was playing catch-up, not blogging.  Things have started to slow down now, and we got a 4 day weekend for Christmas, so I'm back to share with you one idea I'm pretty proud of... and another that didn't turn out quite so well.  

Good idea:

This doesn't really have anything to do with sustainability or healthy living (except that TOMS sells organic shoes, which I like) but I just thought it was an idea worth sharing, regardless of its relevance to the theme of this blog.

I had been wrestling with one of the great questions of life: whether or not it's okay to wear socks with TOMS.   A classic catch 22 scenario - should I look like a dork or have smelly feet?  The answer is neither!  You can have your socks and eat them too!  ...You know what I mean.

Instead of putting socks on your feet, you can put the socks on the insoles!  I pulled out the original insoles and use orthotic inserts because I work on my feet all day, which is what originally inspired me with the idea, but I suspect you could do this just as easily with the original insoles.  

I prefer this to no-show socks, because those usually don't stay in place for me and I find them uncomfortable.

Here's a handy dandy step-by-step graphic for you.  I simply put the sock on the insole upside down, so the hole faces down.  Then I put the insoles back in and ta daa!  The look of no socks, with the advantage of wash-ability and absence of odor!



Bad idea:

I've recently been learning about the virtues of activated charcoal.  Not the stuff you find at the bottom of your grill or on your overcooked steak, but the stuff that's sold as a supplement and is commonly used in water filters and poison control situations.  Activated charcoal has been purified and it has a high amount of surface area and is very porous, so it is highly ADsorbent.  This means it acts more like a magnet attracting substances to it, rather than dissolving substances in it (absorbent).  You can use it to whiten teeth, in facial scrubs, and to make mascara. 

I had been wanting to purchase some black eyeliner from 100% Pure for evening makeup looks, but I hadn't gotten around to in time to have some for my work Christmas party.  The day of the party, it occurred to me that if you could make mascara with activated charcoal (which I haven't tried yet, but is on my list), maybe you could make eyeliner!  So I opened a capsule and mixed it with some of my homemade moisturizer.  I applied with an angle brush, my usual method, and was quite happy with the look of it.  I headed off to my work party feeling pleased and slightly apprehensive.  I knew it wasn't a great idea to wear something in public that I hadn't tested around the house first, so I periodically rubbed under my eyes hoping to avoid the dreaded "raccoon eyes" and was hopeful that any crisis would be thus averted.

Alas, not so.  When I arrived home and looked in the mirror: no raccoon eyes.  Whew.  Then I noticed black flakes on my CHIN!  My first instinct was to frantically brush them away, so there is no picture for your enjoyment.  Fortunately I sat in the back at the party, the lights were rather dim, and I didn't mingle with very many people so I can laugh about it rather than feel terribly embarrassed.  When I do get around to attempting homemade mascara, I'll be sure to wear it around the house for several hours before I venture out.  : )

You need to know about this cosmetics company!! (And a mini progress report.)

I'm in LOVE, I'm in LOVE, and I don't care who knows it!!!!!!!  ...With a cosmetics company.  

I usually experience a range of emotions when I realize something else in my life needs to change: a twinge of annoyance that effort will be required of me, a healthy dose of exasperation that I've been duped by the lure of marketing and the ease of convenience yet again, a bit of anticipation for the hunt (I like research),  and ultimately a cozy, satisfying feeling that I'm doing something better for my health.

So I realized that most of my makeup had to go.  Preservatives, synthetic chemicals, phthalates, parabens, petroleum, carcinogens...yuck.  The first change I made was a mineral veil/finishing powder replacement that I made myself and was very happy with.  You can read about that here.  Making everything else seemed a little out of my reach, though.  Maybe someday, when I have more time **scoff** I'll get into making my own cosmetics, but for now I need something ready made.  It took me several research attempts to find something that didn't disappoint when I read the list of ingredients.  I figured I'd just go with Bare Minerals...which I think is a good company and a good option.  But then I Googled one more time and found 100% Pure.  Not only was I not disappointed, I was ecstatic!!!  From their website:

100% Pure are the first and only cosmetics colored from antioxidant rich fruit and vegetable pigments. While other color cosmetics are colored with either synthetic dyes or minerals, only 100% Pure Cosmetics are colored with fruit and vegetable pigments (patents pending)! All the antioxidants and vitamins are in the pigments, so you will be applying all the healthy nutrients of the fruits directly on your skin.

Not only are there no harmful ingredients, but you get the benefit of antioxidants and quality moisturizers!!!  I can read the ingredients list and basically recognize and understand everything in it!  They offer a full range of makeup and skin and hair care products.  I recommend reading the FAQ page to learn more about why this company is awesome.  I was tempted to quote the entire thing, but I'll just link it.  You're welcome.

It was a gradual process, but I have now switched almost all of my makeup to this brand, and I couldn't be happier!  So far I have purchased eyebrow powder gel (huh? but I like it), eyeshadow, mascara, cheek tint and lip glaze.  Next on my list is eyeliner and lip gloss.  Another thing that makes this company awesome is their samples and gifts with purchase.  Because of this I have also gotten to try their body cream in several scents, a body scrub, face wash/mask, coffee bean eye cream, and super fruits reparative cream.    So far, I have pretty much loved every product I tried.  They almost all smell aMAZing...the body creams especially are fruity heavenliness!!  To me, the coffee bean eye cream smells exactly like buttered popcorn Jelly Bellies taste...weird, but kind of yummy.  Even the mascara smells good!  My sole product complaint is that the mascara tends to give me raccoon eyes, so I have to be vigilant against smudge.  It can also be tricky to pick out colors on a computer screen.  Finally, their products are not drugstore cheap, but you get what you pay for.  Their products are quality, and they're made in the US.  I'm happy to pay more for a product I'm this excited about.  In the future I may review individual items, but for now I just want you to know that this company exists!!

Now for the mini update.  We are still looking for land - with or without home, though not as intensely.  We are still seeking the Lord for where and when.  It's been almost a year.  This entire process started when we celebrated my mom's birthday last year, which we will do again on Sunday.  It has not been an easy process.  There are a lot of opinions, a lot of variables, and a lot of obstacles.  We've asked a lot of questions and had a lot of conversations.  "Did God really say...?"  "I'm running out of steam."  "I feel like I'm working harder than anyone else at this."  "I don't know if I want to do this anymore."  "I felt pushed out of the process."  "I'm considering just doing this on my own."  "Should we just wait until...?"  "But there will always be something to 'just wait until' for."  "Are we being too picky and delaying obedience because it's hard, or is it just not the right time?"  And so much more.  I believe all of that has been good practice, though.  Multi-generational living and working together is not easy, but we believe it's worth it.  The Lord continues to refine our vision as we continue to learn.  I'm grateful for His wisdom, His sovereignty, His leading and His timing.  And a little impatient sometimes.  But mostly just grateful.

Better Than Mineral Veil

It often goes something like this: Shoot.  I'm out of ________.  Do I have a coupon?  Can I get it cheaper online?  Wait a minute...can I make it?  Check Pinterest.  Do some research on Google.  Create.  Feel amazing because I just saved a ton of money.  Feel a sense of accomplishment that I made something from ingredients I can pronounce, that is good for me, and works as well or better as what I would have spent a lot more on at the store.

That is precisely what happened when I ran out of mineral veil several months back.  I almost dropped $20, figuring mineral based makeup was better than the alternative.  Then I was almost giddy with excitement when I realized that I could make a comparable alternative for pennies.

Here's what's in mineral veil according to the Bare Escentuals website:  

The main ingredient is cornstarch.  The other things I'm guessing are preservatives and color.  We don't keep cornstarch in the house, so I felt temporarily thwarted until I remembered the bag of arrowroot powder sitting in my cupboard, lonely and unused, since I switched to the deodorant stone (read about that here).  There are lots of cornstarch and baby powder mineral veil replacement recipes on Pinterest, but I preferred arrowroot to cornstarch and am not so interested in talc because of what I learned on my deodorant quest.  I Googled to see if anyone else had ever used arrowroot on their face, found one DIY makeup forum that mentioned it, and felt affirmed enough to forge ahead.

I washed out my used mineral veil container, filled it with arrowroot powder, and added cinnamon for color.  According to livestrong.com, "cinnamon--in both grated and essential oil forms--is beneficial to the skin because it brings blood and nutrients to the skin surface while also helping to dry skin."  I've also heard that it's antimicrobial and antibacterial.  Plus, it smells really yummy when you're putting it on!  I've been completely satisfied with it as a product...never missing the more expensive stuff for a moment.  My skin has even been significantly clearer since I stopped using commercial products on my face.  I still get an occasional blemish, but noticeably less than before.  I'm not always entirely thrilled with my homemade experiments, but I can't think of a single downside to this one!!  Yay!!!

Soon I'll tell you about how I've replaced all my makeup with healthy alternatives that I'm really excited about!!

 This post shared at frugallysustainable.com's Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #76