MAKE: 3 Products That Save Your Skin and Your Wallet

Aveda, Burt's Bees, Kiss My Face and California Baby may have all lined your shower shelf as you've made an effort to use more natural products. But, taking a walk down the beauty aisle can leave you with sticker shock. If you have been seeking out products that have fewer chemicals and are gentler on your skin, perhaps now is the time to make your own. Search "homemade lotion" and you'll find a flood of information, some of which is completely contradictory. I'll share what I found, so you won't need to wade through the swamp of information.

My son and I have extremely sensitive skin and we live in arid Colorado. That has led me on a quest to find the most sensitive, moisturizing and natural products I can. Recently, however, I have been discouraged by the cost of our skincare. After spending hours trying to Google the easiest and safest body cream I could make, I turned to Amazon. Sometimes a book is simply better than dozens of websites. I read countless reviews and descriptions and decided to purchase Natural Beauty at Home by Janice Cox. I practically camped out by my front door in anticipation of the book's arrival. Within an hour of receiving the book, I had sticky-noted about twenty beauty recipes that I wanted to try.



I started by making cocoa body butter, eye makeup remover, and honey soap. Please note that any products that you make out of your pantry or fridge will eventually expire due to the fact that they do not contain preservatives. I learned this the hard way when I just about dipped my fingers into my homemade soap that had been growing a lovely layer of mold. The other two items that I made seem to have a longer shelf-life, so I recommend those for certain. I found all of the ingredients that I needed at our local natural grocer.

1. Body Butter: Perfect for dry hands and feet (or your whole body if you have extremely dry skin).
I'm not sure about the shelf-life because this super-moisturizing cream was gone before I knew it. To make this product, you simply melt the ingredients together. I combined them in a pyrex measuring cup in a pot of water on the stove over a medium-low heat.

Ingredients

1/4 cup grated cocoa butter

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 tablespoon grated beeswax

2. Eye Make-up Remover: A gentle blend of oils that won't burn your eyes.
I have been using this combination of castor, olive and canola oils with great results. The makeup comes off with greater ease and my skin feels softer. A clean washcloth or a cotton square can be dipped into the oils. A gentle swipe across your eyelids and you're set.

Ingredients

Equal parts olive oil, castor oil, and canola oil

3. Shampoo: As I searched online, I found many mentions of using baking soda combined with water instead of shampoo. To be honest, I haven't tried this. It's next on my list, as some bloggers have claimed that straight hair becomes more voluminous over time.

A few things to keep in mind:
Just as we strive to purchase organic produce to put into our bodies, organic products would also be safer on our bodies.
Allergies can occur to natural products.
Your creations should be examined and smelled to ensure quality over time.
All jars and containers should be thoroughly washed prior to use.