No money for skin care? Easy homemade skin care recipes!

Wouldn't it be nice to create your own skin care products specific to your skin type? Common skin care ingredients such as aloe vera, vitamin E, vitamin C, and essential oils such as jojoba, almond oil and herbs such as chamomile and lavender can do so much to nourish the skin. Additionally, kitchen ingredients such green tea, black tea, whole milk and oatmeal are also commonly found in skin care products.

Here are a few skin care recipes to get you started:

Toner(s):

Soothing Toner Recipe
2 TBl. dried or 1 TBl. fresh herb depending on your skin type (see chart below)
2/3 cup milk
Boil milk and pour over herb. Cover and refrigerate. Strain through cheesecloth or muslin. Apply to skin with cotton balls. Do not rinse. Apply moisturizer. The recipe should be stored in a sterilized bottle and will keep for approximately 5 days in your refrigerator.

Anti-Aging Toner
1/2 cup pure spring water or distilled water
2 teaspoons green tea leaves (or 1 green tea bag)
Bring water to a boil. Place the tea leaves or tea bag in a glass or bowl. Pour the boiling water over the leaves or bag and steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the green tea into a bottle, and let it cool. Apply to skin with cotton balls. Do not rinse. Apply moisturizer.

Herbs used to make common toners are as follows:
Dry skin: Elderflower, linden flowers and marigold
Normal skin: chamomile - especially good for antiseptic values, fennel, lemon balm, parsley and rosemary.
Oily Skin: Chamomile-especially good for antiseptic values, fennel, lemon balm, parsley, rosemary, and peppermint and sage-especially good for antiseptic values.
Any of these herbs can be mixed with milk for soothing and nourishing dry skin as well as for sunburned or sensitive skin. Whole milk should be used for normal to dry skin, and skim milk for oily skin.

Exfoliate

Gentle Oatmeal Almond Facial Cleansing
2 Cups Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Almonds
2 Tbl. Dried rose petals
2 Tbl. Dried lavender flowers
Finely grind all ingredients separately in a grinder (a coffee grinder works). Mix all ingredients together, cover and store in a cool dry place.

For Dry Skin:
Mix 1 heaping teaspoon of cleansing grains with warm water to make a creamy paste and add 1/2 teaspoon almond oil.

For Normal to Oily Skin:
Mix 1 heaping teaspoon of cleansing grains with warm water to make a creamy paste, omit the almond oil.

With your fingertips and in an upward circular motion, gently massage the cleansing grains into your skin. Rinse with warm water and then apply a toner and moisturizer. Naturally if you are allergic to nuts, substitute the almond oil with another.

Cleanser
Honey Cleanser (For Dry Skin)
*Castile soap
1 Teaspoon Honey

Wet face. Pour a little castile soap into the palm of your hand, add honey. Mix honey and soap into a lather, wash face.

*Castile soap is made from vegetable oil as opposed to animal fat like other soaps. Oils used in castile soap include olive, coconut, almond, hemp, and jojoba

Well I hope you enjoy the recipes. Just think - skin care products that are effective, low-cost, no animal testing or cruelty, fun to make, and not harmful to the environment.

Visit Complete Skin Care Therapy for more skin care recipes and skin articles.

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