Another myth debunked.
Recently we had a friend over for a few days and she shared with me that she makes her own moisturizer. I was a bit skeptical. I mean how can something made at home compete with the large manufacturing companies with their secret ingredients and years of experience?
So I tried it out. And now I’m hooked 😊
Obviously without all kinds of preserving agents, the shelf life of what you make at home may be limited, but if you make a batch at a time there shouldn’t be any issue.
It’s important to use organic products and also test out what works best for you with regards to consistency, fragrance and overall feel on your skin.
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What I like about this homemade moisturizer is that its consistency changes with the weather. In the winter when its cold it hardens more than in the summer when its smoother. In any case, even when its really cold out when you apply it to your body, your body heat melts it.
The basic recipe calls for equal parts of:
Organic Coconut Oil This one you can get directly from Costco if you’re a member. I kind of just eye ball it. I’ve since looked on the internet and saw people actually have scales and measure the ingredients, but I couldn’t be bothered.
Essential Oils – you need to add just a few drops for potency
I add Tea Tree Oil. I like tea tree oil for it anti-inflammatory qualities. It has a very strong smell so I don’t add too much and in any case, it needs to be diluted otherwise it could be harmful to the skin. I found this article to be informative.
I also tried Vitamin E Oil that is supposed to be good for your skin but found that to be irritant to my skin. Technically Vitamin E is considered a carrier oil and not an essential oil but it still something to add in drops and not the three main ingredients.
There are many others you can try such as Lavender, Rosemary, Rose Geranium, Eucalyptus. Just make sure you’re using a good pure product that’s safe for the skin.
You can also add Vanilla for fragrance
Most sites I looked at first melt the Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Coconut Oil in a double boiler. You know when you have a big pot with water and then a smaller pot immersed in the boiling water with the ingredients. This way you don’t heat the ingredients directly and risk scorching them.
Then they wait for it to cool, add essential oils and whip it with a hand mixer.
I found that its just as effective to use my Ninja blender directly. I put everything including a few drop of Tea Tree Oil in the 16 oz cups and just let the heat of the blending melt and whip it up.
The Ninja 16 oz cup makes enough for 2 100ml Bamboo Lid Frosted Glass Bottle Cream Jars.
Want to check out ready-made, eco-friendly skin moisturizers? Head on over to our recommended skin care products page.