My girls and I love making DIY skin care products, especially when they contain ingredients we already have around the house. We’ve done lip balms, face masks, hair masks, bath bombs, and even homemade bars of soap (made in a crockpot no less!).
So I thought it would be fun to put together a list of some of our very favorite recipes in case you wanted to try your hand at DIY skin care products, too.
LIP BALM
This is one of the very first things I ever made when I got into crafting way back when. I even thought about started a business selling lip balms and soaps. I never got around to it, mostly because of the super strict regulations surrounding selling skin care products and labeling. Oh, well. I still love making it for myself and find it way better at soothing my chapped and dry lips than any store bought brand I’ve ever tried.
My tried and true recipe:
- 3 tsp oil (olive, avocado, sweet almond, etc.)
- 2 tsp beeswax pellets
- 1 tsp cocoa butter (or shea, mango, kokum)
Instructions:
Warm all ingredients in a glass measuring cup or bowl in double boiler (or microwave in 30 second bursts) until everything is melted. Pour into lip balm tubes or cosmetic pots and let cool.
Note:
I prefer my lip balms to be unscented, but feel free to add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oils.
Looking for some other fun options for homemade lip balms? Give crayon lip gloss or chocolate lip gloss a try. And if you’re looking for something a little softer to go in those cosmetic pots, this homemade lip butter is lovely.
SUGAR SCRUBS
Sugar scrubs are a favorite for the kids to make because, a.) they are easy as all get out, b.) we always have the ingredients we need on hand, and c.) they love how their hands (and feet) feel after we use it. They also feel super fancy when they get to have a jar in their showers to use.
Our tried and true recipe:
- 1 cup sugar (white or brown)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup oil (olive, avocado, sweet almond)
- 5-10 drops essential oil (lavendar, peppermint, lemon, rose, etc.)
Instructions:
Combine sugar and 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl and mix to combine. The sugar and oil should just come together, so if you’re finding it to be a little too dry, add in more oil a tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
Note:
I have found that there is such a thing as too much oil when it comes to sugar scrubs and that less is often more. So go slow. You can always add more oil if need be.
BATH BOMBS
One of the best purchases I’ve made in the last 5 years is a bath bomb mold set that comes with the round molds and skin safe colors for making bath bombs. The kids have the best time making these and the color combinations that come as a result are pretty spectacular. There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to making bath bombs, so don’t give up if your first batch doesn’t turn out great.
Our tried and true recipe:
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 1/2 cup epsom salt
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 2 1/2 tbsp almond oil
- 3/4 tbs water
- OPTIONAL: 2 tsp essential oils
Instructions:
- Combine baking soda, citric acid, epsom salt, and corn starch in a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix it all together and then follow up with your hands to break up any major lumps.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the almond oil, water, and essential oils (if using) and stir.
- Add in wet ingredients into the dry 1/2 tbsp at a time. Mix together with your hands thoroughly before adding the next 1/2 tbs. Continue this process (slowly) until all of the wet ingredients are added in.
- Your mix should be ready when you can pack it together in your hand tightly and drop it back into the bowl without it crumbling. (Refer to the video from Cada Soapery for what I’m talking about here.)
- Separate the mixture into different bowls and add your colorant. Mix together with hands. We chose four different colors for our bath bombs and had fun mixing and matching them. (You may want gloves if you’re using food coloring. We didn’t use them and didn’t have any problems with getting dye on our hands.)
- Grab your molds and begin layering colors. Pack them into each half, but not too tightly if you’re using a round mold, and give yourself a little overflow. Bring them together and press firmly until the molds close down onto each other. I had to tap mine a few times with my knuckles to get them to release easily. If you’ve packed them tightly enough, you will be able to transfer them to a baking sheet without having it crumble in your hands. (Been there, done that.) This will make more sense once you start making them, I promise.
- Let cure for at least 24 hours before using in your bath.
What about you? Do you have a favorite DIY skin care product you love to make at home? I’d love to hear all about it.
Affiliate Link Disclaimer:
*This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you click a link and buy something as a result, I make a small commission on the sale (at not cost to you). Which is very much appreciated.
