Your skincare routine belongs to you. No two people have the same skin, so bear that in mind. These formulations are based on my own references but can be customized to suit your skin type.
There are several types of ingredients that allow you to make many natural skincare products:
- Waxes
- Nourishing oil(s)
- Butters
- Carrier oil(s)
- cleansing oils are less moisturizing and are used for cleansing
- carrier oils are general purpose oils that will be found in any oil-based
- nourishing oils are used in small amounts in oil-based recipes for their nutrients and skin benefits
| cleansing | carrier | nourishing |
|---|---|---|
| castor | olive | vitamin E |
| coconut | grapeseed | hempseed |
| almond | jojoba | |
| coconut | argan | |
| hempseed |
hemp
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Hempseed oil has a distinct odor which is stronger than that of olive oil, so keep that in mind if using it as a carrier. You'll likely want to dilute it with almond, coconut, or some other oil with a lighter scent. It also should be refrigerated, which will negatively impact the shelf life of your finished products. You may be able to find some that is processed to be shelf stable, but I have not tried this.
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Coconut oil: This oil solidifies at temperatures below 76 degrees Fahrenheit. If a formulation uses primarily coconut oil, you will likely need to store it in a jar rather than a bottle.
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Vitamin E oil: Many different varieties of vitamin E skin oils exist. I have noticed that the varieties in bases which contain sunflower oil tend to be much more viscous than those in bases of jojoba or blends of nourishing oils.
If I run out of almond oil, I grab grapeseed or olive, whatever is in my kitchen, and I keep making my formulations. This is why there are several options in every category.
I have experimented with more unique culinary oils such as hazelnut with success too, and I’m sure I’ll give a few others a try. You should experiment too, if you are able!
Here are my skincare essentials and how I use them.
- organic beeswax pastilles for salves, balms, and lotions
- raw organic shea butter for salves, balms, and lotions
- organic coconut oil for salves, balms, lotions, and carrier use
- vitamin E oil for everything! (❗️Vitamin E has preservative properties so it’s not a bad idea to add it to everything to lengthen shelf life, plus it’s great for skin!)
- organic jojoba oil for extra nourishment in everything
- organic almond or grapeseed oil for an all purpose carrier
- organic apple cider vinegar (ACV)
- organic aloe juice for nourishing base, makeup removal, body wash, and lip recovery
- organic castor oil for oil cleanse
- rose water for nourishing base, general spritzing, body wash, etc.
- various herbs for infusing into skincare oils*
I can't live without the stuff I mentioned above! But there are others not mentioned here that are used for more specialty formulations, such as witch hazel, herbal extracts, and vegetable glycerin.
I advise against making any formulation in a large amount for personal use, since these products don’t contain much in the way of preservatives. That being said, all of their shelf lives will benefit from added vitamin E and your skin will like it too! As a safe bet, consider the shelf life for your oil-based products to be about 6 months. Many formulations can and will last longer depending on their ingredients, preparation, and storage! Shelf life will be lower in recipes that contain water. You can improve shelf life by storing items in dark, dry, cool places.