You know what I’m not a big fan of? Spending tons of money on junk-filled products that don’t even work. For the longest time, I went through a pattern with my skin care that went a little like this:
- Becoming frustrated with my face
- Quickly googling the next amazing product I could try
- Coughing up a large sum of money
- Investing my skin faith in a new-found wonder product that ended up letting me down
- Putting the wasted product in my basket of forgotten skin care trinkets located in the back corner of my closet.
Between this issue, and the fact that I have very sensitive skin because I have perioral dermatitis, I honestly have no idea why I fought off the idea of tending my skin with natural remedies for so long.
Contrary to my totally unbacked assumptions, natural skin care actually simplified my skin care routine, allowed me to be gentle with my sensitive skin, and freed up some of my finances. For these reasons, I wanted to share my favorite staple skin care items. Oh, and don’t let me forget to mention that you can probably find these ingredients right in your kitchen. What do you have to lose? If you find yourself desperately clinging to a toxic beauty care regimen that just won’t produce results, please keep reading about these natural DIY skin care ingredients found in your kitchen.
Raw Honey
Raw honey was one of the first things I started playing with as I began to learn about DIY skin care ingredients. Overall, this was my biggest takeaway from my little experiments: raw honey is one of your skin’s best friends and your pimples’ worst enemy. In general, raw honey gets its medicinal properties from its high sugar content and natural ability to produce hydrogen peroxide. On top of this, raw honey also contains powerful antibacterial properties and creates a protective layer over open skin due to its thick consistency[i]. All in all, raw honey does a wonderful job of speeding up your skin’s healing process while keeping your pimples free from infection.
I use raw honey as one of my main kitchen ingredients for face acne whenever I have a stubborn pimple that won’t “come to a head” or an older blemish that I’m worried will leave a scar. In either case, I simply apply a dab of raw honey to my target pimple before going to bed. After covering the honied area with a small band aid, I go to sleep, wake up the next morning, and gently rinse the area with cool water.
P.S.- If you’re like me and have a bad habit of popping your pimples, raw honey is a must-try. You may even want to try adding three drops of Juniper Berry Essential Oil to one teaspoon of raw honey. After mixing well, applying this combination will give you even more antibacterial power.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil also serves as one of my favorite face care ingredients. In addition to its nourishing and moisturizing characteristics, coconut oil is super interesting because it comes in two unique forms: solid coconut oil and fractionated coconut oil
I personally cannot use mainstream makeup removing techniques because some ingredients found in big-brand makeup removers and wipes irritate my perioral dermatitis. For anyone who understands the pains of sensitive skin, fractionated coconut oil is such a helpful skin care ingredient as it can be used as a natural makeup remover[ii]. By simply applying this oil to your skin and gently wiping your face with a cotton pad, you can remove your makeup while giving your skin a little extra moisture.
Solid coconut oil, on the other hand, is the first thing I look for after a long day in the sun. While it has its own anti-inflammatory properties[iii], there’s something about the way solid coconut oil melts onto my skin that’s oh so soothing after accidentally getting a nasty sunburn. If I really let my skin get too toasty, I’ll carefully melt a teaspoon of this oil and add three drops of Lavender Essential Oil, because of its pain-relieving and soothing nature, before applying to my skin.
Tip- Be sure to rinse your skin well after using coconut oil (especially the solid form) on your face as an excess of coconut oil can clog your pores. No worries, you can leave coconut oil on your face after a sunburn for a few hours or overnight as long as you only apply when necessary and wash your face well afterwards
Eggs
I still remember the first time I incorporated eggs into my skin care routine. I felt so cool because I realized I discovered the secret to soft, even skin and small pores without having to pay for a high-end product with mystery ingredients. It only took one egg white mask for me to know that eggs are one of my favorite kitchen ingredients for skin care.
If you have oily skin or simply want to shrink your pores, grab an egg from your fridge and two small bowls from your cupboard. Crack the egg while being careful to keep the yolk intact. You’ll then want to collect half of the egg whites in your other bowl (you can set aside the egg yolk and remaining egg whites to use in a natural hair mask!) and whisk them until they start to bubble and foam. Apply your egg whites to your entire face and wait for the mask to become firm and dry to the touch, which usually takes around 15 minutes. Rinse away your mask with cool water and tada, your skin is smooth and refreshed.
I also recommend adding three drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil into this mask to help your skin balance oil production even after you’ve washed away your egg white mask!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Similar to eggs, I quickly figured out while experimenting with perioral dermatitis remedies that apple cider vinegar boosts your skin’s ability to minimize pore size and manage oil production. This comes to no surprise as the science behind this natural skin care ingredient reveals that apple cider vinegar is a toxin-free astringent, or pore-shrinking ingredient[iv], that helps balance your skin’s pH levels.
What does this mean for your DIY skin care routine? Apple cider vinegar can be easily used as an oil-balancing toner. Combine two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water to make a super simple toner that you can apply to your skin daily using a spray bottle or cotton ball. If the slight smell of this toner bothers you, you can add 15 drops of your favorite fruity-smelling essential oil (mine is the Citrus Burst Blend) to give your toner an uplifting aroma.
Plain Greek Yogurt
This kitchen ingredient you can use for skin care has a soft spot in my heart. While dealing with my last bout of perioral dermatitis, plain greek yogurt was one of only things I could use to sooth and calm my irritated and painful skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties and probiotics cool, soften, and even out your skin while encouraging moisture retention[v].
In case you thought this ingredient didn’t sound heavenly enough as is, plain greek yogurt could not be easier to use. Simply grab two teaspoons from your fridge, use your fingers to apply a layer across your entire face, wait 30 minutes to an hour, and rinse using room temperature water. Mixing in six drops of Copaiba Essential Oil, which has soothing skin-healing and anti-inflammatory properties of its own, boosts your yogurt masks’ ability to calm upset skin.
Please note: This post is a compilation of suggestions made by those that have extensively used essential oils and has not been verified scientifically with clinical tests nor reviewed by medical experts. It is anecdotal information and should be treated as such. For serious medical concerns, please consult your doctor.
Please Share Your Simple DIY Skin Care Ingredients
I know that dealing with unruly skin and cycling through disappointing expensive products is no fun—that’s why I wanted to share my DIY skin care ingredients care insight with you. If you’ve found your own natural skin care remedies using household ingredients, please reach out and share your tips on social media with @fromsimplyearth or by commenting below.
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