DIY Recipes - safe home made cosmetics

Getting Started

The necessary ingredients are usually affordable and not hard to find in organic or natural form. The benefits of making your own cosmetics will be immediately evident: your new products will smell and feel good, and so will your skin.

There are no preservatives in these recipes so take a few precautions to avoid contamination by bacteria. Avoid touching products like lip gloss with your fingers – instead use a cotton swab to apply. Use products within two weeks, and consider storing them in your refrigerator. Also, exercise caution if you think you might be allergic to ingredients like nuts, avocados or other common food ingredients.
ALL SOURCES here
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Recipes


For Lips

Beet Red Lip Gloss

Ingredients:
¼ cup beeswax
¼ cup castor oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
beet juice

Instructions:
Melt beeswax, remove from heat and add oils. Add as much beet juice as desired for color. Store in jar.

Lip Balm

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons grated unbleached beeswax
5 teaspoons carrier oil (sunflower, castor or jojoba)
6 or 7 drops essential oil (such as lime, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit or peppermint)
1 teaspoon honey, for flavor

Instructions:
Melt the beeswax and carrier oil together in the top of a double boiler, stirring to combine. Remove from heat; add honey and essential oil. Mix thoroughly so the honey does not clump. To add a little color, stir in a tiny dab of lipstick with a coffee stirrer. Pour the mixture into containers; let sit 20 minutes before covering or moving. For glossier lip balm, use 2 teaspoons wax and 8 teaspoons carrier oil.

For Face

Chocolate Facial Mask

This decadent mask is actually an excellent moisturizer - it leaves your skin baby soft. Recommended for normal skin.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons cottage cheese
¼ cup honey
3 teaspoons oatmeal powder

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together and smooth onto face. Relax for 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

Frozen Egg & Honey Facial Mask

Recommended for dry skin, this is particularly soothing on sunburned skin.

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (but not hot)
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions:
- Beat the egg in a small bowl until frothy and well-mixed. Slowly add the liquid coconut oil and honey, beating until your mask is the consistency of mayonnaise.
- Take an empty toilet tissue roll and set it on end in a clean bowl. Spoon mixture into the cardboard toilet paper roll. Place tube, in the bowl, in the freezer overnight.
- To use, peel away just the top 1/4 inch of the cardboard roll and smooth the frozen stick over your face (think of it as a push-up pop). Leave your mask on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.
-Return the cream stick covered with plastic wrap and frozen between uses. Keeps indefinitely. Source

Avocado Carrot Cream Mask

This mask is rich in vitamin E, beta carotene, antioxidants, calcium and protein, ingredients that may help rebuild skin collagen, fade age spots and improve tone and texture.

Ingredients:
1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons honey

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Spread gently over your face and neck, and leave in place 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and follow with your favorite toner.

Cucumber Eye Gel

Ingredients:
1/4 large cucumber
1 ounce aloe vera gel

Instructions:
-Puree the cucumber in a blender (Ieave a little pulp), then strain the mixture into a glass bowl until you have at least 2 ounces. Spoon in just a tad of the pulp from the strainer. Add the aloe vera to the cucumber puree in the bowl and mix lightly. Pour into a clean, sterilized container.
- After cleansing face, stir mixture gently and apply with a cotton ball to under eye area. Avoid the eyeball. The shelf life of this product is very limited by the fresh cucumber. It should be used within a few days, and kept refrigerated between uses

Silky Clay Mask for All Skin Types

Ingredients:
1½ teaspoons green clay (French is preferred)
½ teaspoon kaolin clay
1½ tablespoons aloe vera gel
1 tablespoon rosewater
2 drops rose essential oil

Instructions:
Mix green and kaolin clays together. Add in the aloe vera gel, rosewater and oils. Refrigerate mixture for up to four weeks.

Skin Care for Acne-Prone Skin

Remember, not every cause of acne is the same, so you need to try different remedies and masks until you find the ones that work for you.


Herbal Acne Treatment

Instructions:
1. Steam your face for five to 10 minutes to clean the pores with hot infusions of lavender, camomile or thyme.
2. Rinse your face with honeywater, rosewater or a dilute infusion of marigold tea to tone and close the pores.
3. Do this every day until the skin starts to heal. Source


Baking Soda Mask to Fight Acne

This is so easy to make and can work wonders if your skin likes it.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon baking soda (NOT baking powder)
1-2 tablespoon water

Instructions:
Mix a little together in your hands after washing your face with a mild cleanser and apply gently to your skin. Once you've coated your face with the baking soda and water mix, let it sit while you do other things around the house, or relax and read a book. Rinse the baking soda film off your face and feel how soft and clear it feels. If your skin enjoys this recipe, and your acne improves, then you may try it several times a week to help clear your acne.

Egg Yolk Mask

Egg yolks contain vitamin A which is reported to reduce scarring.

Ingredient:
1 egg yolk

Instructions:
To attempt this method of acne treatment, whip up an egg yolk, apply it to your skin for 20 minutes and wash off

Acne Tonic with Basil

Ingredients:
2 to 3 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 cup boiling water

Instructions:
Steep basil leaves in water for 10 to 20 minutes. Cool, then apply to face with a white cotton ball.

Blackhead Remover Mask

Check availability of these unusual ingredients before you get started.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fuller's earth
1 teaspoon tincture of benzoin
distilled witch hazel

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients and stir thoroughly. Apply the mask to your skin. Let mask dry and harden, about 30 to 40 minutes. Soak a small hand towel in warm water and lay it across your face.

When the mask starts to soften up, gently rub it with the towel in a circular motion. Rinse with plenty of warm water

Banana Mask for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin

Ingredients:
1 banana, preferably ripe (You can keep ripe bananas in the freezer. Let it thaw before using.)
1 tablespoon honey
An orange or a lemon

Instructions:
Mix the banana and honey together. Add a few drops of juice from an orange or a lemon. Apply to face for 15 minutes before rinsing with a cool washcloth or a steaming warm washcloth

For Hands and Feet

Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant

Ingredients:
8-10 strawberries
2 tablespoons apricot oil (you may substitute olive oil)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt, such as Kosher salt or sea salt

Instructions:
Mix together all ingredients, massage into hands and feet, rinse and pat dry. Strawberries contain a natural fruit acid that aids in exfoliation

Orange Ginger Warming Foot Scrub

This warming foot scrub is great for the winter, and leaves your feet feeling soft and relaxed.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar (white or brown)
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
6 drops orange essential oil
2 drops ginger essential oil
1 level teaspoon powdered cayenne pepper

Instructions:
In a plastic bowl, mix together the sugar and almond oil. Add the essential oils and stir. Add the cayenne pepper last and stir well to mix. To use, sit comfortably in the tub or over a pan of water and/or a large towel to catch the sugar scrub as it is applied. Scoop up a handful of the scrub for each foot and massage vigorously yet with care over heels, ankles, toes, arches and the balls of your feet. Be sure to scrub any rough areas especially well. Don’t forget to rinse the tub well when you're finished; you don’t want to take a bath in cayenne pepper

For Body and Bath

Coffee Body Scrub

Ingredients:
2 cups coarsely ground coffee
1/2 cup raw sugar or sea salt
2-3 tablespoons massage oil

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together. Take a hot shower to moisten your skin and open your pores. Using wide, circular motions, rub the coffee exfoliant onto your skin with strong, even pressure. Shower off, pat skin dry and apply a thin layer of your favorite body lotion

Grapefruit Sugar Scrub

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups white table sugar
8 drops grapefruit essential oil
1/4 cup jojoba oil
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

Instructions:
Place sugar into a large bowl and stir to break up any clumps. Add the essential oil. Add the jojoba oil and castile soap next, a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Mix well and pour into clean container. To use, stand in the tub or shower and massage the sugar scrub onto your skin from head to toe. Rinse

Massage/Bath Oil

Try one of the following combinations of essential oils in a warm (not hot) bath or as a massage oil. Use therapeutic grade essential oils for the best results.

Ingredients:
For relaxing muscles/easing stress:
3 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
2 drops petitgrain (Citrus aurantium var. amara)
1-2 drops frankincense (Boswellia cateri) - optional

For a sensual experience:
3 drops ylang ylang
3 drops sandalwood

Instructions:
-Draw the bath first, add the essential oils, swirl them around with your foot, get in and relax. Allow yourself 10 to 20 minutes. Do not get the bath water in your eyes, as the oils will sting. Use this formula up to once a day for 3 days a week over a two- to three-week period.
-To create a massage blend, add the above oils to a tablespoon of carrier oil (like sweet almond oil or a “massage base” oil, which is usually a blend of sweet almond, grapeseed and jojoba oils). If you’d like to store the oil for later use or package it as a gift simply use the same ratio of carrier oil to essential oil, and pour carefully into a clean, dry glass jar

Softening Body Oil

Before taking a shower, brush your skin gently. This exfoliating will stimulate blood circulation and aid in skin absorption. For best absorption, apply the body oil while your skin is still moist. This combination is ideal for skin that has been exposed to too much sun or for extra-dry areas, such as heels and elbows.

Ingredients:
1 cup (237 ml) sweet almond oil
1/2 cup (118 ml) jojoba or hazelnut oil (or combination of the two)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apricot kernel oil
Essential oil (optional)

Instructions:
-Combine the oils in a sealed bottle and gently turn it several times to mix. Apply as needed.
-For an uplifting oil experience, try 3 drops of ylang ylang, 2 drops geranium and 3 drops orange or bergamot. For an exotic oil experience, try 3 drops ylang ylang, 2 drops rose, 1 drop patchouli and 1 drop geranium

Chocolate Bubble Bath 1

Ingredients:
1 cup of unscented bubble bath
1/3 cup of unsweetened soy milk
3 oz. of grated or powdered dark chocolate

Instructions:
Heat the soy milk and add the grated or powdered chocolate. Stir well until melted and blended, but do not boil. Allow to cool. Mix well again just before adding to your bath.


Chocolate Bubble Bath 2

1 cup of unscented bubble bath
1/2 cup of dried milk powder or soy milk
3 oz. of powdered unsweetened chocolate

Mix the powdered milk and chocolate well, until blended. Stir into bubble bath until well mixed. Add to your bath in the amount desired.

Red Wine and Honey Bath

The red wine and the honey together clarify and moisten. From the Spa at Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville, N.C.

Ingredients:
4 cups of the cheapest red wine available
1 cup of honey

Instructions:
Add wine and honey to bath

Herbal Spa Wrap

Ingredients:
1 cup corn oil
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions:
Combine ingredients and massage into skin. Wrap targeted areas of the body (arms, legs, back) with a towel to lock in body heat. Lay a heating pad over each treatment area for five minutes at a time.

Bath Bombs

This recipe makes 4 to 6 bath bombs. You can buy molds in craft stores or online. Do not oil the molds beforehand; just make sure they are clean and dry.

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid (do not substitute ascorbic acid)
1/2 cup corn starch
1/3 cup Epsom salts or coarse sea salt

Wet Ingredients:
2 1/2 tablespoons sunflower or other light oil (like sweet almond oil)
3/4 tablespoon water or rosewater (be careful not to start the fizzing action by adding too much water)
1/4 – 1 teaspoon essential oils
1/4 teaspoon borax as an emulsifier
vegetable or other natural colorant (optional)

Instructions:
Sieve the dry ingredients together until they are well blended. Measure and combine all the wet ingredients and borax in a clean jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously. Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, gently stirring to prevent the reaction from starting. Make sure you mix in all of the wet ingredients. Afterward, you’ll find that the mixture is dry and crumbly and has to be packed in the molds quite firmly to keep shape. The mixture should just start to hold together when pressed in your hand, like slightly moist fine sand. You can unmold the bombs after 30 minutes, and let them dry for a few days before using them. Store them in a dry place.

Bath Cookies

2 cups finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons light oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
2 eggs
5-6 drops essential oil of your choice

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Combine all the listed ingredients and form into a dough. Using a teaspoon or so of dough at a time, roll it gently in the palm of your hand until it forms a ball. Form all dough into one-teaspoon balls, and gently place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Consider sprinkling the bath balls with herbs, flower petals, cloves, citrus zest and similar aromatic ingredients. Bake your bath cookies for 10 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not over-bake. Allow the bath cookies to cool completely. To use, drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.

Deodorant

Many people react strongly to store-bought deodorant. What we need is a simple, home-made version!

Igredients:
8 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons liquid chlorophyll
4 tablespoons vodka
4 tablespoons distilled water
8 ounces beeswax
10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil

Instructions:
Melt wax over very low heat in a double boiler. Mix cornstarch, baking soda, vodka and distilled water well. Add to the melted beeswax and stir until well combined. Add chlorophyll and essential oils. Pour into mold and let it harden. Store in an airtight container.

Hair Care

Shampoo

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until well combined. Use like regular shampoo. Discard any leftovers