7 easy homemade cosmetics and skin care recipes

I thought I'd take the time to share a few home made cosmetics recipes with you - all made with ingredients you've most likely got sitting in your fridge and pantry right now.

These recipes are quick and easy, and they work. (Some of them are also quite tasty too!)

These are the recipes as they stand in my recipe folder, but you might wish to halve or quarter them, as they are best used fresh. If stored properly, they will keep well.


Some of the ingredients used in these recipes - straight out of my pantry and fridge.


Cleanse

Cucumber cleansing milk.

This recipe is great for cleansing the face and neck, but not the eye area.

It's especially good for drier skin.

• Half a peeled and seeded cucumber.
  
• 1 cup of milk (full fat).
  
  
• Grate the cucumber into the milk, using a fine grater.
  
• Stir through, then simmer over a low heart for five minutes until well blended.
  
• Cool completely, then strain and store in a bottle. Keep in the fridge.
  

Tone

Rosemary toner.

This recipe is great for dry/sensitive skin.

• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary (straight out of your spice rack is fine)
  
• 1 tablespoon of brandy
  
• 1 cup of water (rainwater is best, or distilled water).
  
  
• Simmer all ingredients gently for 30 minutes over a low heat.
  
• Strain through muslin, a coffee strainer or a clean chux.
  
• Bottle.
  

Parsley toner.

A great toner for normal skin. This will cleanse and refresh your skin beautifully. I use it in summer. It works well stored in a spray bottle.

• A large bunch of fresh parsley (I use a good few tablespoons)
  
• 2 cups of water.
  
  
• Boil the parsley in the water for about five minutes.
  
• Cool, then strain and bottle.
  
• Store in the fridge.
  

Moisturise

First of all, unless you have dry skin (like me) you don't necessarily need to moisturise.

Moisturisers are the biggest con the cosmetics industry has ever done on women. (No, make that the second biggest - anti-aging creams are the biggest!)

Use moisturisers only when your skin is actually dry.

Olive and honey nourishing oil.
This works beautifully to re-balance and restore a natural level of oil to the skin.

I put it on, leave it on while doing the housework, then take it off after I'm done.

• 1 teaspoon honey (I use locally harvested manuka honey from the lady up the road, which has antiseptic properties.)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.
  
  
• Warm, then mix together well.
  
• Use on face and neck. Leave on for 20 minutes, then rinse off with a warm facecloth.
  

Peaches and cream moisturiser.

This tastes so good that you might want to eat it rather than use it. But it will work wonders on your skin.

• A very ripe peach, peeled, stone removed, and mashed up.
  
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream.
  
  
• Mix together well, and use sparingly as a moisturiser.
  

Sesame and olive moisturiser.

This is a great all-over body moisturiser. It also smells great. My body just absorbs it beautifully. I love to use it on summer evenings after a day out in the heat.

• 1 tablespoons of sesame oil
  
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
  
  
• Blend together well.
  
• Store in the fridge - it will feel lovely nice and cold on hot, dry skin.
  

Rosewater

Rosewater is a wonderful toner and very easy to make.

Sometimes I buy it, and sometimes I make it - it depends on how I'm feeling and whether I can be bothered. It also depends on how the roses are going.

Rosewater is also useful to have around the house as it is used in various recipes (turkish delight, anyone?) and in such hobbies as soap-making.

• 1 firm cup of fresh rose petals.
  
• 2 cups of rainwater or distilled water, boiled.
  
  
• If they're store-bought roses, wash the petals first to remove any chemicals that may still be on them.
  
• Place the roses in a saucepan.
  
• Pour the boiling water over the rose petals.
  Cover the saucepan and allow the rose petals to steep for half an hour.
  
• Strain with muslin, a chux or a coffee strainer.
  
• Cool, then bottle.
  

Why make your own cosmetics?

Firstly, it's cheaper. Much, much cheaper.

Second, all of these recipes can be produced organically, without the use of pesticides, if you choose. Even if you buy conventional ingredients, these recipes are safer for the planet, and for you, because you're buying safe food ingredients.

Also, these cosmetics are safe to keep around the home. None cause cancer, or are dangerous.

The worst that will happen is your toddler might feel vaguely ill if he or she gets hold of and eats one of the mixes!

Finally, its fun. I enjoy making my own cosmetics.

A quick lip tip

I thought I'd finish this post with a quick tip that I use to avoid chapped lips.

If you get dry lips every winter, and you know it, get into the habit of gently brushing your lips with your toothbrush every morning and night when you do your teeth.

Follow up with the Olive and Honey Nourishing Oil (above) used as a lip balm.

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