According to the Environmental Working Group, “personal care products are manufactured with 10,500 unique chemical ingredients, some of which are known or suspected carcinogens, toxic to the reproductive system or known to disrupt the endocrine system.” Scary stuff. It’s no wonder so many people are turning to all-natural beauty regimens!
In addition to being gentle on both your body and the environment, homemade personal care products may even save you money in the long run. We’ve identified 10 ingredients to keep on hand at all times for safe, simple and effective DIY beauty recipes:
1. Essential oils. Made from natural plant ingredients, essential oils are soothing to skin and a wonderful way to add fragrance to your creations. Adding a few drops to a homemade toner or bath salts can even help boost your mood or provide relaxing benefits, depending on which oil you use. Try Vitacost Essential Oils 100% Pure Peppermint or Vitacost Essential Oils 100% Pure Lavender to start.
2. Aloe vera gel. Pure aloe vera gel doesn't contain added chemicals (unlike the green stuff they sell at the supermarket). It’s healing, moisturizing and pH balancing properties make it a natural choice (pun intended!) for a variety of DIY beauty products. Use aloe vera gel in DIY recipes for shampoos, body lotions and hand creams. It’s also great for treating acne and bug bites!
3. Baking soda. Baking soda is super absorbent. That’s why it’s often used to capture unpleasant odors in refrigerators. Well, that same principle can be applied to your skin and hair. Use ultra-absorbent baking soda to blot oil from your face, and sprinkle it on your scalp to help prevent a bad (i.e., greasy) hair day. Baking soda is also a key component in many DIY deodorants.
4. Beeswax. This natural thickening agent forms a protective, yet breathable, layer over your skin and has a light honey scent. Use beeswax beads to make lip balm, lotion and foot cream. It’s also effective for healing minor skin irritations, like bug bites.
5. Sweet almond oil. Derived solely from edible almonds, sweet almond oil has emollient properties that nourish the skin and hair. Use 100 percent pure, expeller-pressed Glonaturals Essentials Collection Sweet Almond Oil to make your own make-up remover, facial moisturizer, body lotion and hair mask. You can even use it on its own as massage oil or to protect your hair from heat (e.g. blow dryer, flat iron) when styling.
6. Coconut oil. This powerful, natural moisturizer can provide beauty benefits from head to toe. The multi-purpose oil can be used in recipes for shaving cream, eye cream, make-up remover, body scrub, hair masks and much more. .
7. Honey. In addition to being delicious, raw honey regulates and locks in your skin's natural moisture without clogging your pores, making it a great choice for those with acne-prone or sensitive skin. Use raw honey to make face wash, face masks, skin toners, hair masks and more!
8. Oatmeal. This popular grain isn’t just for breakfast anymore! Oatmeal also serves as a both a skin soother and an exfoliant. Use oatmeal to make acne treatment, face masks and body scrubs, or soak in a good, old-fashioned oatmeal bath to calm minor skin rashes and irritations.
9. Shea butter. Known for its ability to provide long-lasting moisture, versatile shea butter is a common ingredient in DIY beauty recipes ranging from diaper cream to face cream. Use Glonaturals Essentials Collection Certified Organic Shea Butter to make these as well as baby lotion, body lotion and deodorant.
10. Sugar. Even if you’ve sworn off sugar, you still might want to keep some of the sweet stuff on hand for DIY personal care produucts. Sugar is a key ingredient in many homemade body scrubs, and you can even use it to create budget-friendly wax for hair removal.
