We have all been down the beauty isles. There are so many options, but they come at a price. Consider making these simple products at home. You will save money and know exactly what is in it.
Face Masks
You can make spa-style facial masks using common kitchen ingredients, many you will have on hand. Options for bases include egg, milk, avocado, honey, and oatmeal. There are plenty of recipes that allow you to make a customized mask for your skin, dry, oily or combination skin.
Hair Masks
Topical remedies for common scalp issues can come with steep price tags at most health and beauty stores. Luckily, the active ingredients are easy to find and needed in only small quantities. Good Housekeeping suggests basic ingredients ranging from apple cider vinegar to coconut oil to fix a list of problems ranging from flakes to dullness.
Lip Balm
Try to save the tube to store your own homemade concoction instead. Just melt and combine equal parts sweet oil (e.g., almond, coconut, or grapeseed), butter solids (e.g., cocoa butter or shea butter), and soy or beeswax. You can also add essential oils and/or powdered herbs for color and flavor before the mixture hardens.
Makeup Remover
By mixing 2 ounces of water with 1/4 teaspoon of tear-free baby shampoo and 7 drops of your favorite oil like almond or vanilla, in a travel-size bottle. Shake before each use, and simply pour a few drops on a cotton ball or facial pad to clean your skin.
Shampoo
The simplicity of a scentless shampoo has great appeal. Unlike commercial products, here is a DIY Natural has a recipe that’s just baking soda and water. The baking soda clarifies the hair and cleans out other products without diminishing your hair’s natural scent and self-cleaning properties. It can be drying, so consider using it every other day or less just because of the drying factor.
DIY Natural recommends following up the two-ingredient homemade shampoo with a two-ingredient conditioner. Its water and you’ll need is raw apple cider vinegar, which smooths and de-greases the hair (surprisingly, without making it smell like pickling liquid). It’s safe for all hair types and balances pH without any of the waxy, adhesive chemicals found in cheap store-bought conditioners. Consider the cost savings on this one.
Lotion
To make your own lotion, there is only a few things you will need: cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax, which you can use to decrease oiliness. Blend equal parts of the first three ingredients before adding essential oils for scent, then refrigerate overnight to solidify. Store this lotion in a plastic tub. It will be thicker than store purchased lotion.
Body Wash
You may not have all the ingredients if you’re not already an avid DIYer in the kitchen and bathroom.You may need to buy a few components for organic body wash. The end result costs at least half the price of brand-name products. The recipe includes steel-cut oats, citric acid, coconut oil, raw honey, liquid Castile soap (a useful additive for many bath and cleaning products), and guar gum. You may need to refrigerate the unused portion if you don’t use it within a few days, but you will have a wonderful body wash that lathers, cleans and smells wonderful without the unwanted additives.
Hairspray
You can make an alternative hairspray with only four ingredients, with nothing harsher than rubbing alcohol. After boiling sugar and water together, add rubbing alcohol and essential oils while cooling. Store your natural hairspray in a pump bottle you can purchase nearly anywhere so you will be able to avoid the aerosol hazards.
Bath Salts
Bath salts are surprisingly simple to make, and a great way to indulge in some self-care. The only ingredients necessary are baking soda, salt, liquid oil (sweet almond, tea tree, avocado or your favorite), and essential oils plus jars to infuse and store them. Dress them up for gifts if you make a batch.
Do you have some great ideas to share? We just started our new DIY Section, we welcome all suggestions!
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