by Orianna
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Ten years ago, there were not as many natural products on the market. Parabens and other harsh chemicals found in beauty products were not discussed openly. It has been exciting to see the evolution of the beauty industry as more and more consumers wake up to what they are putting in and on their bodies.
Before there were high-quality natural shampoos, deodorants, and toothpaste on the market, I made many of my products at home. I ordered loose herbs from suppliers like Mountain Rose Herbs and did facial steams. I used coconut oil as a base for lotions, deodorant, and toothpaste, and I added essential oils for their health benefits.
I recently shared a post about my favorite DIY beauty recipes from Natural Beauty at Home. There are several products listed in these recipes that I tend to have around the house, but that may not be the case for everyone.
I thought about the most-used items in my DIY self-care recipes and decided to share this list:
Organic Coconut Oil I have used coconut oil as a moisturizer and a base for toothpaste, deodorant, and scalp treatments. It possesses antimicrobial properties and may reduce inflammation. This Healthline article includes more information about the benefits of coconut oil for hair and skin.
Castile Soap I love Dr. Bronner's. It comes in multiple scents and offers an unscented option which is likely what you want to buy for DIY recipes.
Cocoa Butter Cocoa butter comes in chunks to be melted down. The butter is vegetable fat that comes from cacao beans. WebMD mentions that it is beneficial for getting Vitamin E, keeping skin moisturized, and healing skin conditions such as eczema. I have included a link for the Navitas Naturals product, one of my favorite brands.
Essential Oils I use essential oils sparingly due to concerns about sustainability. It takes a lot of material to produce a small amount of oil, so I try to cherish and appreciate it! I have quite a large collection, though if I were to select only a few, I would choose Lavender, Bergamot, Frankincense, Rose, and Ylang Ylang. Be sure to select a brand with quality control and ethical practices. DoTerra and Young Living are two popular choices. If you are interested in selecting oils for their therapeutic properties, this article is about using essential oils for their health benefits.
Almond Oil Almond oil is a wonderful carrier oil to use as a base for making your own scented moisturizer. I like this one from The Heritage Store.
Jojoba Oil Jojoba oil is perhaps the most common carrier oil and can be used as a substitute for many other oils when making DIY beauty recipes. For more information about carrier oils, check out this article called How to Use Carrier Oils.
Natural Baking Soda I have used baking soda for recipes like natural deodorant. It is also a key ingredient for homemade bath bombs (fun!). For more information about baking soda, including where it usually comes from, you can refer to this article.
Unscented White Lotion You can use this as a base to create your own lotion scents using essential oils. It's easy to just mix the lotion and oil in your hands so you can change it up as often as you like! Try this Ceramedx lotion, it's not only unscented, but it's also vegan and cruelty-free.
Cacao Powder My thought about including this one is that it is great for DIY self-tanners. If this interests you, there's a recipe here. (Spoiler alert: it only includes two ingredients - white lotion and cacao powder.)
Carrot Seed Oil Carrot seed oil is sometimes included in more complex DIY self-tanning recipes but is more commonly included in facial masks and exfoliants.
Apricot Kernel Oil This is perhaps a lesser-used carrier oil. I LOVE to use this as a base for homemade scent roll-ons. It is a thicker oil and does not blend as well as lighter oils like jojoba oil; however, the fragrance is amazing on its own.
If you are wondering about the quality and safety of your beauty products such as lotions, there are fourteen ingredients often asked about. The Canadian government lists them in this post. Many products advertise that they are "8-free," "10-free," or "14-free," and they are typically referring to the ingredients listed in the post. (FYI, I wrote an Instagram post about six 10-free+ nail polish brands if you are interested.)
Even if you find that your current products are mostly free of harmful ingredients, it is fun to create DIY self-care products. These 11 staples will set you up for many recipes you can make at home - from custom-scented perfume to scalp masks, or even cuticle treatments.
If you decide to make something, please let us know in the comments!
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