Making your own beauty or skin care products does not mean your home has to look like a science experiment. You don’t need beakers of sweet almond oil, gallons of olive oil, tubs of shea butter, and essential oil dropper bottles around the house. A few simple ingredients can take you far on your journey toward a more natural skin care routine. The homemade facial moisturizer in this article is an easy entry point, provided you’ve been looking to get started.
Oils Moisturizing 101
To moisturize with oils may be counterintuitive for some people, especially if you have oily skin. Well, we are about to change your life. Your skin is most likely oily because it doesn’t get the moisture it requires. It likely over-produces oil to compensate for the lack of moisture. Before you just dunk your hand in a vat of oil, though, keep in mind that certain oils benefit facial skin, while others do not. That isn’t to say you cannot use them on your body, but facial skin is delicate and requires the right ingredients.
Start With Your Base Oil
Before we get started on your base oil, just keep in mind that you should never moisturize a dirty face. Always cleanse your face in some way before you moisturize. Your base oil is your carrier oil, which makes up two-thirds of the facial moisturizer. Great carrier oils for all skin types are argan oil and jojoba oil. Not only are both of these oils very light and nourishing, but they are easily absorbed by the skin, so they don’t leave a greasy residue. Other oils you can choose from include:
- Apricot kernel oil: Great for any skin type, especially dry, normal, or aging skin.
- Sweet almond oil: This is an all-around great oil for the skin, but it takes a little longer to sink in than others.
- Avocado oil: Great for dry or aging skin.
- Grapeseed oil: Great for oily, normal, or acne-prone skin.
Extra Nourishing Oils
For your second ingredient, you want to add a nourishing oil that builds on the benefits of your base oil. Some of these oils come with a hefty price tag, but they last a long time and have the benefits to boot. Here are some ideas for nourishing oils to add to your moisturizer:
- Rosehip seed oil: Known for its firming and anti-aging abilities, this oil is incredibly regenerating and great for dry and aging skin.
- Evening primrose oil: Whether you have acne-prone, normal, aging, or oily skin, this oil can help even out complexion and fight acne.
- Tamanu oil: This is a wonderful oil for oily or acne-prone skin, or even skin with lots of scars.
- Carrot seed oil: You don’t need a lot of this oil, which is superb for any skin type.
- Sea buckthorn oil: A powerfully nourishing that benefits people with aging or dry skin.
Add Your Essentials
Essential oils are potent, so a little goes a long way. There are so many essential oils with varying benefits, so it can be hard to choose which one to add to your DIY skin care products. Some are more intense, so always do a patch test on your arm and wait 24 hours to see if you develop a reaction before applying to the face. Never apply essential oils directly to the skin, as they require dilution to reduce intensity. Some great essential oils include:
- Chamomile essential oil: This is wonderfully soothing and great for all skin types, but it can be a bit expensive.
- Rose essential oil: A fairly inexpensive essential oil, rose is great for dry, normal, or aging skin. It is also possible to find this mixed with jojoba oil.
- Lavender essential oil: Great for acne-prone, oily, or dry skin, lavender is quite healing, but just remember that a little goes a long way.
- Peppermint essential oil: great for oily or acne-prone skin, peppermint is very astringent, so it may tingle the skin.
- Lemongrass essential oil: This oil may help brighten and tone the skin, and is beneficial for oily or normal skin.
Homemade Facial Moisturizer
Ingredients:
- Base oil (such as argan oil or jojoba oil)
- Nourishing oil (such as rosehip seed oil or tamanu oil)
- 4-7 drops essential oil of choice
Instructions:
- Fill a small four-ounce bottle two-thirds of the way full with your base oil.
- Add your bonus nourishing oil until the bottle is just about full. If you use carrot seed oil, just put a few drops in.
- Add four to seven drops of essential oil, screw on the cap, and shake well to combine. Make sure to shake the bottle before every use.
- Keep the moisturizer in an amber-glass bottle in a cool, dark place for eight to 12 months.
