Many of us obsess over what we put into out bodies, but give little or no thought to what goes onto our skin. Cosmetics and beauty lines of every stripe often contain questionable ingredients, including a few that are downright hazardous. Just try deciphering the label on any given bottle or jar in your bathroom and you'll get the idea. A handy app to simplify it all is Think Dirty, which allows you to scan a bar code and get a 'clean rating' out of 10 on cosmetic products. This includes all those everyday products we rarely consider, such as sunscreen, shampoo, makeup, and hand wash. Since it can be hard enough to figure out what to eat, Think Dirty is a handy cheat sheet to what you should be green-lighting for your skin.
Another green option is to do it yourself. This may sound like the land of granola and sing-a-longs, but it truly can be a fun and easy way to stock some of your own beauty products. I've chosen these four recipes because they're simple, have easy-to-find ingredients, and make great gifts. Bonus: they're all-natural - you won't find a toxic additive in the bunch. Most ingredients are available at your local health food store or grocery store. Use mason jars or recycled spray bottles to store your very own bespoke beauty line (funky labels optional).
Coconut Salt Scrub
What You Need:
1 cup organic coconut oil
1 cup Pink Himalayan or coarse sea salt
1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil
10 -15 drops of your favorite essential oil (nice blends include lavender and peppermint, geranium and peppermint, or lemon and cardamom)
Directions:
Melt coconut oil on stovetop (don't overheat, it will liquefy quickly).
Add Grapeseed Oil and Pink Himalayan Salt to melted coconut oil.
Stir until combined.
Add essential oils.
Let sit until coconut oil solidifies, stirring occasionally.
When it sets, store in an airtight container.
To use, rub on skin and rinse with warm water.
Nourishing Hair Mask
What You Need:
(make it on the spot for individual use or multiply this recipe and keep the rest handy for bad hair days)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 drops essential oils
a hand mixer
A few great essential oils for your hair include: Lavender, Peppermint, Rosemary, Geranium, and Clary Sage. You can use one or a combination of the ones that appeal to you.
Directions:
Put coconut oil, olive oil, and essential oils in a mixing bowl.
Mix on medium/high speed for 5 minutes or until ingredients are whipped to a thick and creamy consistency.
Once whipped, apply to dry hair.
Comb through with wide tooth comb to evenly distribute.
Let sit 15-20 minutes. Rinse, shampoo and style as desired.
Repeat once a week for maximum benefits.
Yoga Mat Spray
What You Need:
3/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup witch hazel
5 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops tea tree oil
spray bottle
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in spray bottle.
Shake until combined.
Spray on mat and wipe dry with towel.
Bubble Bath
What You Need:
1 cup unscented castile soap
1/2 cup vegetable glycerin
2 tablespoons water
15 drops of your favorite essential oil (peppermint peps you up, lavender relaxes, citrus makes you happy - or get creative and blend all three!)
Directions:
Combine castile soap, glycerin, and water into glass bowl.
Add essential oils.
Stir until well combined.
Pour into glass container. To use, add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of bubble bath mixture to warm, running bath water.
The sky's the limit when it comes to DIY beauty. Feel free to experiment! The essential oils in these recipes are only suggestions; go with the ones that make you swoon. For more ideas, check out this extensive list at Wellness Mama. Have fun mixing and mashing your signatureblends and watch your skin shine!
