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Natural Skin Care Options and Recipes

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homemade skin care recipe options Natural Skin Care Options and Recipes

It seems that (especially for women) switching from regular skin care products to natural versions is one of the tougher natural living steps to take.

It’s hard to break free of the age defying, wrinkle reversing, acne preventing claims of conventional products and switch to a natural option, even though the natural options are often cheaper and work better!

Below are some of my favorite natural skin-care recipes to help you make the switch more easily!

Natural Face Wash

I’ve been using the oil cleansing method for a couple of years, and I’d still highly recommend it, but I’ve recently switched to a faster, easier and even cheaper option: Microfiber. My favorite company makes a natural body cloth with silver wound into the thread so it is completely antibacterial. It takes off makeup, food(kids faces, not mine!), dirt, etc without any soap at all (which is great since soap strips the natural oils in the skin).  It is also completely safe to use on babies and kids (which would be especially helpful for any kids with eczema) and the cheapest/most environmentally friendly.(These are my favorite)

You can also use pure, organic Liquid Castille soap in water to naturally cleanse the face. A few drops on a wash cloth or in a sink full of water will naturally clean your face.

Natural Make-Up Remover

Microfiber actually works great for this too and removes even mascara without soap or oils.

Plain olive or coconut oil will also remove mascara (even waterproof) and will remove other make-up as well but isn’t as ideal if you have oily skin.

For oily skin- Liquid Castille soap in water will remove makeup without adding oils to the skin or stripping the natural ones.

Lotions and Moisturizers

For most people, pure coconut oil is all that is needed for moisturizing the face. It is naturally full of collagen supporting lauric acid and is easily absorbed by the skin. Even for oily and acne prone skin, coconut oil’s natural anti-bacterial properties make it a great option.

For those with dry skin or who want to prevent aging naturally, a homemade lotion bar is a great (and naturally SPF 5) option. You can even add zinc oxide to make a sunscreen bar if you need the extra protection, or alter into a natural deodorant.

Natural Exfoliators

A sugar/oil scrub is great for most skin types when extra exfoliation is needed. Just mix equal parts oil (coconut, olive, etc) and sugar (white or brown) and use as a whole body exfoliator.

For more oily skin, plain baking soda can be used to exfoliate skin and remove blackheads or dirt.

Natural Anti-Aging

There are a ton of anti-aging products available but the best options are the ones you take internally. All of the collagen products that are supposed to firm up skin don’t take into account that collagen must be produced internally and is too large to absorb through the skin.

To promote natural collagen production, I’d suggest using coconut oil as a moisturizer and taking Gelatin, Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Blend and Vitamin C to support natural Collagen production internally.

 

What is your skin care regime? Is it natural? Let me know below!

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About Wellness Mama

Wellness Mama is a full-time housewife with a background in nutrition, journalism and communications. Her passion is helping others achieve optimal health through a “Wellness Lifestyle.” She has helped hundreds of clients lose weight, increase athletic performance, improve fertility, and overcome numerous health problems and diseases. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, & Pinterest.

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DISCLAIMER: The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

  • http://www.facebook.com/debborah.a.jensen Debborah Ann Jensen

    This is excellent, going to try them.  Thank you!

  • Cathy

    Oil cleansing for me, with a mixture of olive and grapeseed oils and some castor oil (1 part castor to 3 parts other oils).  In the winter, I’ll add some avocado or jojoba oil to the mixture.  If skin is still dry, a drop of this massaged in works great, but I don’t need that in summer.  I do the oil cleansing at night and wash with plain water in the morning.  For the rest of the body, I use homemade soap and lotion. 

  • http://profiles.google.com/kdfgreene Kristina Greene

    Luckily I have found a local woman who makes natural (organic in some cases) skin care.  I love her products.  I use them for cleansing, toning and moisturizing my face.  I use coconut oil as an eye makeup remover/eye cream all in one!  It feels great on my eyes.  I also use the coconut oil as a body moisturizer and in my deodorant.

  • http://thismasterofnone.wordpress.com/ Lytlejoc

    I wash my face with honey. It sounds like it would be kind of gross… but it’s not at all! Not even a little bit sticky. And since I’ve been doing it I have eliminated the dry, flaky skin I used to get around my eyes and I never, ever have breakouts. It’s phenomenal!

  • Lindayoungaz

    Is regular cod liver oil okay too?

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    As long as it is high quality, it is fine, just won’t have quite as many benefits

  • ladycygnus

    I’ve always had constant acne (and I’m now in my 30s…sigh) – so I’ve tried a lot of conventional products and none of them worked. I started using witch hazel to clean my face a year or so ago and found my skin didn’t get as oily and it was so refreshing (and cheaper).  With the coconut oil as a lotion it does even better. Still have acne, but it’s not as painful, and I often get comments on how nice my skin is — of course I just think the person is being nice or blind by overlooking that large zit on my chin.

    I made the mistake of putting the coconut oil in a bottle instead of a dish and almost never use it because it’s solid.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=654730280 Janet Bucy White

    Thanks for the recommendations! I have been using coconut oil as a makeup remover and moisturizer for about 2 months and I haven’t had one blemish since I started – which is amazing!

  • Allison Nichols

    I’ve been gradually transitioning over to a more natural routine– I oil cleanse my face, and I use coconut oil as a moisturizer…and I make my own shampoo…I’ve been playing around with making my own make-up using your recipes! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • tina

    I use coconut for moisturizer.. add sea salt with coconut for facial and body scrub..coconut oil for hair…and baking soda to wash my hair…brings back natural oils…I use coconut oil for pulling ..and sea salt and peroxide and water to rinse mouth..Coconut oil in bath cures skin problems like psoriasis….and apply directly to skin..clears up acne…eat 2 tbsp coconut oil a day for thyroid and your general health…and of course its all i use to cook with,,:)

  • Whitneyfam2

    Do you use any particular type of honey? Do use enough to lather your face?

  • Rebecca

    I have tried oil cleansing and coconut oil as a moisturizer.  I love it for my body but I have bangs and they get so greasy looking that I sometimes wash then and blow them try mid-day.  This does not happen at all with other lotions.  Any suggestions anyone?  I would love to be able to do the oil cleansing etc. 

  • Holly

    You maybe using oils that are too moisturizing for your skin type. I also have bangs and oil cleanse and oil moisturize and do not have the problem with my bangs getting greasy. You may want to try using only a little bit of coconut oil along with some other oils that work better for your skin type. What is your skin type? Is it oily, dry, combo? I have combo skin and I use mostly sweet almond oil with some jojoba oil and olive oil mixed together along with essential oils that work well for my skin, like lavender, peppermint and tea tree.

  • Holly

    I went organic in my beauty regiment over a year ago and now make most of my products myself. I do the baking soda and apple cider vinegar regiment for my hair (plus a herbal rinse every now and again), I oil cleanse and oil moisturize, I use baking soda, corn starch and coconut oil as a deodorant and sometimes use Castile soap, baking soda and a little sugar as a toothpaste when I run out of my favorite natural toothpaste. I love doing this so much I will never go back.

  • tina

     corn starch works great to remove oil with out washing…just rub a bit in comb it out..:)

  • Theequilibriumproject

    Whenever I start to feel any build-up on my face, I make a mask with 1 part bentonite clay to two parts water. Completely natural and my skin feels great afterward. I just wash it off after 15-20 minutes and rub in some coconut oil.

  • Gissel112

    Very interesting tell us more

  • Jenny P

    I’m totally interested in hearing more about the microfiber cloths you use.  I checked out the website and it seems totally interesting!  On the face cloth, do you have to wash it after each use?  I know with the OCM you have to use a new wash cloth after each use and assume you’d have to do that with the microfiber as well??  Maybe not depending on how you fold it?  For what it’s worth, I’d love to see a post about your experience with microfiber and which ones you use and how you use it.  Thanks!

  • Elizabeth

    I tried the OCM in November of 2008. At first I loved it my face was smooth and life was good, that lasted about 2 weeks. Prior to OCM I would get maybe 1 or 2 pimples a month during my cycle. After I started the OCM I had 20+ zits on my face ALL THE TIME. It was painful and embarrasing. I never had acne that bad, not even during my teen years. I was 27 when I first tried OCM.
    Too bad I didn’t know the power of apple cider vinegar then. The only thing that totally got rid of the ance was a Mary Kay acne gel that’s supposed to be used for spot treatment. I rubbed it all over my face, especially my chin.
    Fast forward 3 years and I just stopped using it about 1 month ago when I discovered baking soda and ACV as a natural way to do it. Going natural had been on my mind but I didn’t have anywhere to start until I ran across a blog.I’m tempted to try OCM again but I’m too scared. I’m 100% Paleo/Primal now and I was not back then so I don’t know if I’d have different results.
    Now I clean w/ a rosemary olive oil bar from coastal classic creations then I use baking soda w/ water as a scrub then I rub organic ACV into my face and massage for about 1 minute. Since I’ve been doing this I’ve only had 1 pimple.

  • Teri

    Thank you for your empowering recipes.  I had run out of my facial cream, so I tried the coconut oil, and mixed in a capsule of vitamin c power.  It is awesome.
     

  • Jennifer

    I just came across your blog through pinterest, and I am sooooo thrilled that I did! I have now been on your site for over two hours, looking through everything, and also spending a lot of time on Mountain Rose Herbs, placing an order for everything needed to make the baby wipes and lotion. I am a licensed Esthetician, and I studied at the Aveda institute. I love natural products, but to be honest it’s so hard to find products that are in fact, NATURAL! I always thought making products at home would be so hard, and time consuming. I have two little ones under the age of 4, so natural products are very important to me. I am just so excited to get all the stuff in the mail and start taking better care of my family! :)  Also, I was so happy to learn that Mountain Rose herbs is located about 100 miles from me, so that’s an added bonus, shopping local! :) Thank you, thank you for such a wonderful site!   

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    You’re welcome! Thanks for reading! :-)

  • Greyhoosier

    So I don’t get the oil cleansing… Do you just put in on and rinse it off, use a washcloth, or what? I’m new to the “all natural” scene… :)

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    Basically, put it on, massage in gently and steam off with a really hot washcloth.

  • Erica

    I have been using the oil cleansing method for a month now. I love the way my face looks and feels but have developed little white bums under my eyes. I am using 20% castor oil and 80% sunflower oil. Do you have any suggestions on how to get rid of the bums? I would hate to have to stop using this method since the rest of my skin looks better than it has in a long time. Thank you in advance for any suggestions!!!

  • Beth

    I make my own lotions, deodorant, salves and such but can’t find a good recipe for gel body wash. The ones I’ve tried are watery it doesn’t thicken. Anyone know of a recipe for a gel body wash?

  • Renee

    I use pure filtered honey. I get mines at target. I add a little lemon to my honey. Love it

  • Renee

    Maybe avoid your eye area.

  • Renee

    I have acne and the OCM work great on me.

  • Renee

    I and few other did notice we broke out after starting the OCM. I came across a blog saying that normal because it loosing up all you plunged pores. I noticed after a while my face was getting better and I didnt have that problem again. i hope that helps :)

  • Renee

    I would cut back on the coconut oil. You need just a little bit

  • http://www.facebook.com/evolet0680 Erin McArdle

    Okay…after an hour or so of perusing your site, I am wondering– do you have this all in a book? If not, it should be! And I would be first in line to buy it. Until then, I am furiously scribbling down notes and coping recipes. =) Thanks Wellness Mama!

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    A book is on the never-ending to do list, but not yet…

  • http://www.facebook.com/amy.bower.370 Amy Bower

    Katie,
    I ordered some of the microfiber cloths with silver but my husband has some worries about them. He works with chemicals a lot and is very knowledgable in that area, he is worried about the silver because colloidal silver has been linked to health issues like infertility and birth defects. I know you deal with and treat fertility issues a lot so I was wondering what your thought is on that? Is it something I should worry about or are the microfibers made in a way to make it not an issue?

    Thanks so much!

  • http://www.facebook.com/marlowe.blackwell Marlowe Blackwell

    Hi, I have been using coconut oil as a facial wash/moisturizer. I went through the zit stage and my skin now looks great, but now find that my face is becoming super dry. Am I doing it wrong or do I need to use a different oil for a moisturizer?

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    From my understanding, the silver is actually woven in to the fiber and non-leeching so it doesn’t transfer to surfaces but just works within the cloth…

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    Coconut oil can be drying… try adding some almond, jajoba or olive oil to the mix…

  • http://www.thelifeandtimesofdrew.com/ Becky S.

    I tried the oil cleansing method for a month and my minor adult acne got worse. I added more castor oil even though my face was dry in spots, but it didn’t work. I was so hoping it would! I will try Dr. Bronner’s next. I am very active and I think I need a cleanser.

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  • justyna jurczykowska

    I don’t understand how the microfiber clothes work? How is it that they remove all this dirt without any products (like creams etc)? I imagine trying to remove makeup with this cloth and spending my time rubbing my eyes a lot. I am very curious and this is the first time that I have ever heard of this method….

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    They have tiny fibers that pull the dirt/makeup etc off… I was skeptical too but I love them!

  • http://www.facebook.com/evolet0680 Erin McArdle

    I had the same issue. I added Argan or Olive oil (whichever was on hand) and used small amounts of her face lotion recipe. It’s been 4 or so months, and now my skin is starting to balance– a strange and exciting sensation, and i am noticing I need less moisturizer on my face. Coconut oil now works 95% of the time. The other 5%, I use a little extra oil or her lotion recipe.Having small amounts on hand gives me options. I divided the recipes into a total of 4oz or less each. =) good luck!

  • http://www.facebook.com/lisa.frankdoherty Lisa Frank Doherty

    I’ve been using the OCM for a little while now and love it! I’m trying to replace my store bought beauty products with natural options. I usually wear a facial moisturizer with a 15 SPF during the day. With the weather getting warmer, I don’t want to use just coconut oil. My skin is very fair and burns easily. I looked at the sunscreen bar recipe, should I use that? Any suggestions would be really appreciated. Thanks!

  • http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

    I just use coconut oil… SPF 5 by itself…

  • H.M. Haskins

    Just found your website and am really enjoying reading your posts. I’ve been using coconut oil with a little vitamin e oil as a night time moisturizer for about 5 months now and have been very pleased with the results. My skin is usually so dry, but these oils have really changed the texture of my skin. Believe me, I have spent thousands of dollars on high-end skin care products. But I’ve never been able to achieve the results I have with coconut oil + vitamin e. I’m going to try your lotion bar recipe as soon as I can figure out what to use as a mold. Thanks!