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This is another favorite recipe for a super moisturizer. It is a bit more greasy than the lotion recipe I posted the other day but it a great night moisturizer for dry feet and hands especially. I only mention that it is a little more greasy because I do not use this as a hand cream personally. I know some who have skin that is more dry than mine and use it all day long. They rave about how it has helped their dry skin so it all depends on your skin/body. Another good thing about this recipe is that there are fewer ingredients... the beeswax and aloe vera are left out of this version, making it a more simple and cheaper option to start out making. The procedure for this body butter is almost identical to the lotion so if you thought that was a piece of cake then this one will be too. I typically make a batch of both the lotion and a batch of the body butter and keep them both around the house as I use them for different things... experiment a little and see what works best for you and your family.
NOTE: A single pound of these 'butters' will likely last you nearly a year's worth of lotion or body butter for one person or several months for a family so there is no need to over purchase. INGREDIENTS:
EQUIPMENT:
PROCEDURE: 1. Measure out your ingredients. You will likely need a knife to cut the cocoa butter. 2. Place the shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil in a small saucepan on LOW heat. You do not want the mixture to boil or smoke... it needs to be kept very low. The ingredients will melt fairly quickly even on low heat. 3. Once everything has melted, mix in the vitamin e oil and any essential oils you may want for added scent or aromatherapy needs then remove from heat immediately. I prefer peppermint as it smells delightful with the cocoa butter but sweet orange (think one of those chocolate oranges in scent), lavender (for calming, evening use especially), or citus work very well also. 4. Allow the mixture to cool until it has just begun to set up. You can just leave it on the counter for a few hours and go about your day or be like me and toss it into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process. 5. Once it has begun to set up you will use the electric mixer to beat the mixture into the creamy consistency we are looking for. This adds air to the mixture so that it isn't quite as dense. NOTE: If you let the mixture get to hard/cool then it is easy to apply a little heat and mix with a spoon for a minute or two to get back to the correct consistency. 6. Add it to a jar and allow to finish setting up for half an hour or so. Curious where I get my ingredients? I get my ingredients all over the metroplex, on Amazon and through Young Living as a distributor. Don't want to search out stores to pick them up? I'll make it easy! You can place an order through me for any oils you may need and there are quick links for the non-perishable ingredients and tools on Amazon should you wish to order online on this page... just click on the ingredient. For the past few months I have been experimenting with creating my own lotions, body butters, lip chaps and other moisturizers. To be honest, there have been so many batches of lovely smelling lotions in my kitchen recently that I couldn't possibly use all of it! Thankfully family and friends have been helping me try out the various versions I came up with and offering feedback. This one was one of the favorites as it isn't very greasy, helps to ease dry skin, and leaves skin silky soft. I also like it because I don't have to constantly re-apply to get the benefits, a single application can last me quite a long time even in a dry office building or out in the Texas sun. One thing to know about this lotion is that it set ups to be a thicker, creamy lotion than you may be used to. This means that you will end up taking a small amount out of the jar and using on quite a large area of skin rather than use a pump to dispense a large amount into your hand as it is not a thin liquid like you may be used to when you think of lotion.
NOTE: A single pound of these 'butters' will likely last you nearly a year's worth of lotion for one person or several months for a family so there is no need to over purchase. INGREDIENTS:
EQUIPMENT:
PROCEDURE: 1. Measure out your ingredients. You will likely need a knife to cut the cocoa butter. 2. Place the shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and olive oil in a small saucepan on LOW heat. You do not want the mixture to boil or smoke... it needs to be kept very low. The ingredients will melt fairly quickly even on low heat so watch carefully. 3. Once everything has melted, mix in the vitamin e oil and aloe vera gel and remove from heat. 4. Add in any essential oils you may want for added scent or aromatherapy needs. I prefer peppermint as it smells delightful with the cocoa butter but I have used sweet orange (think one of those chocolate oranges in scent), lavender (for calming, evening use especially), and a unique mixture of citrus (lemon and lime) and frankincense for one individual. You can be as creative as you want or stick with the plain version which smells slightly of chocolate from the cocoa butter. 5. Allow the lotion to cool until it has just begun to set up. You can just leave it on the counter for a few hours and go about your day or be like me and toss it into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to speed up the process. 6. Once it has begun to set up you will use the electric mixer to beat the lotion into the creamy consistency we are looking for. This adds air to the mixture so that it isn't quite as dense. NOTE: If you let the mixture get to hard/cool then it is easy to apply a little heat and mix with a spoon for a minute or two to get back to the correct consistency. 7. Add it to a jar and allow to finish setting up for half an hour or so. Curious where I get my ingredients? I get my ingredients all over the metroplex, on Amazon and through Young Living as a distributor. Don't want to search out stores to pick them up? I'll make it easy! You can place an order through me for any oils you may need and there are quick links for the non-perishable ingredients and tools on Amazon should you wish to order online on this page... just click on the ingredient.
Your facial skin is very sensitive and as such it is important to take good care of it. Most cleansers and exfoliation creams have harsh chemicals in them that can cause more harm than good, especially to sensitive skin. For this reason I have slowly moved to an all natural skin care regime myself. The best part? Well, other than the fact that my skin isn't being exposed to chemicals I mean... I can make everything from items already in my pantry which means its super inexpensive and I don't have any wasted 'products' expiring before I use them. How much does one teaspoon of baking soda cost? Less than a penny typically. A healthy pinch of coconut oil? Usually, less than $0.07... and a single teaspoon of apple cider vinegar costs less than 3 cents. So It costs me AT MOST $0.10/day or $3.00 a month to clean, exfoliate, tone, and remove make-up off of my face... and I don't need to do it every day! How much does your skincare routine cost you each month? A brand name pack of make-up removing cloths will run you $4.50... so that cost can add up very quickly.
Make-up Remover: Coconut oil is amazing! You will see it in most of my recipes used for moisturizing just to begin with (and not even touching on cooking!)... from lotions to pre-shave cream to make-up remover this is a very versatile substance. Simply rub a bit on your eye lids in a circular motion and then wipe it off with a soft cloth to remove makeup, including mascara! 
Exfoliator #1:
This is a simple mixture of baking soda and water and is ideal for occasional use rather than everyday use. Mix together 1 tsp baking soda, 1 drop lavender (optional) and 1 tsp water. Put mixture on a cleansing pad and rub in gentle circles on your face. Rinse with warm water, pat dry and follow up with toner
Exfoliator #2:
While sugar is not a good choice for your daily nutrition it is a good option to exfoliate your skin. Simply mix sugar and oil in a 1:1 ratio and rub gently on your face. Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing with warm water and pat your face dry. I have seen this type of recipe used in spas with some added oils as part of a massage or other treatment... you can even purchase sugar scrubs at beauty supply stores. Without fail they are far more expensive than they should be. It will cost you less than $1.00 to mix up a fairly generous amount of this concoction which leaves your skin smooth and glowing. Again, exfoliation isn't something you should do every day as once or twice a week should be plenty. Toner: Another super simple beauty item directly out of your pantry... apple cider vinegar. A mix of 4 parts water to 1 part ACV makes an effective toner. Simply pat a bit on after you exfoliate and this pantry staple is now a cheap but effective skin toner. It does, of course, smell like vinegar but the smell dissipates very quickly so should not be a deterrent. 
Cleanser:
Cleansing your face is something you do every day most likely so it needs to fairly gentle on your skin. Personally, I typically just cleanse with warm water most days but there are some days that I want something a bit more substantial... like if I get a breakout of acne. Usually acne isn't a problem for me anymore unless I fall off the wagon so to speak but there are indeed times where I eat something I shouldn't or don't realize that there is an ingredient that I shouldn't eat in a dish while I am out to eat. These are the times I rely on my cleanser and some do some extra TLC on my skin. Like all the other recipes on the list here I have the ingredients for my cleanser in my kitchen pantry. Simply mix 2 tsp of coconut oil with 1 tsp of baking soda and you have an effective but gentle cleanser. Rub in gentle circles on your face, wait a few minutes then rinse with warm water and pat dry. Follow up with toner for a complete skincare routine. One note about coconut oil: while it should be liquid at room temperature sometimes your room temperature is a bit cooler so it will be solid. If this is the case it is a little more difficult to mix together. Simply toss it in the microwave for 10 seconds and it is very easy to mix!
I will be discussing lotions and body butter in about a week so check back then for some all-natural but still simple recipes. What other diy all natural recipes would you like to show up in the blog? Until next time, have a healthful day!
Curious where I get my ingredients? I get my ingredients all over the metroplex, on Amazon and through Young Living as a distributor. Don't want to search out stores to pick them up? I'll make it easy! You can place an order through me for any oils you may need and here are some quick links for the rest of the ingredients on Amazon should you wish to order online: |
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