I recently started playing with essential oils to see if I could create my own DIY facial moisturizer at home. Why?

First, in a thrifty attempt to save some money, and second, because our skin is our biggest organ and it's just as important to put clean, nourishing products ONTO our skin as it is INTO our bodies with the foods we eat.

Jump to:

• Why I Make My Own Natural Face Moisturizer?
• DIY Facial Moisturizer with Essential Oils
• What Oils to Use?
• How To Use The Moisturizer
• DIY Facial Moisturizer

Why I Make My Own Natural Face Moisturizer?

I'm trying to live a more holistic lifestyle and as a result I am now working on transitioning all my beauty products to ones that are clean, nontoxic and cruelty free. The thing is though, trying to keep up a natural and inexpensive beauty regimen can sometimes feel quite overwhelming.

Many products labeled 'natural' still have chemicals in them, and the ones that don't can be quite costly. This has been my experience whenever I try to find natural face moisturizer in the store. Even the FDA's website says that "the FDA has not defined the term 'natural' and has not established a regulatory definition for this term in cosmetic labeling". Yikes! Am I the only one who finds that unsettling?!

So, what's a girl to do? Take matters into your own hands and made your products yourself, of course!

The result? Soft, smooth, healthy skin that smells good too! Plus, the essential oils are potent - a little goes a LONG way! So even though you spend some money up front, you won't have to restock your moisturizer bottles for quite awhile. I'm really excited about discovering how simple, enjoyable and affordable it is to play with and create DIY moisturizer recipes using essential oils.

Below is a guide to making your own facial moisturizer with essential oils at home!

DIY Facial Moisturizer with Essential Oils

Contrary to what you may be thinking, most oils are your friend - regardless of your skin type! Many beauty products used to use mineral oil, which we now know is a toxic ingredient for the skin that clogs pores and leads to breakouts.

However, most other oils out there actually help keep your skin balanced and fight bacteria.

Additionally, many standard face cleansers, soaps and moisturizers on the market have chemicals that actually strip your skin of its natural oil, so your skin either gets really dry or tries to compensate by producing extra oil.

Once you stop using those products and replace them with essential oils that naturally nourish, your skin will likely come into balance again and you'll get that luxurious, glowing skin you've always wanted!

What Oils to Use?

The main ingredient in this moisturizer recipe is called your 'base' or 'carrier' oil. Carrier oils come from the fatty portions of plants, nuts and seeds. There are many you can choose from, and you may want to experiment with a couple different ones and see what does well with your skin.

Regardless of which one you choose, it's important to know the various benefits of essential oils for the face. Here's some of the top oils to consider:

• Avocado oil: this is what I used in my recipe since I cook with it often and already had a huge bottle on hand (I often use avocado oil to lightly brush my baking pans to prevent sticking.
• Argan oil: This oil comes from trees found traditionally in Morocco. Argan oil is full of Vitamin E and fatty acid which makes it ideal for moisturizing the skin.
• Jojoba oil: This comes from the Simmondsia chinensis plant, or Jojoba shrub, which is found in southern Arizona, southern California, and northwestern Mexico. This oil is fully of vitamins A, E and D, plus antioxidants and fatty acids; all making it great for including in any skincare product.
• Grapeseed oil: Grapeseed oil has a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mostly omega-6 fatty acids, and Vitamin E which makes it very beneficial for including in your skincare regimen.
• Hempseed oil: Hempseed oil contains a lot of omega-6 fatty acids which can act as powerful anti-inflammatories. Hempseed oil has been shown to be effect at skin growth and new cell generation.
• Sweet almond oil: There are 2 types of almond oil- bitter and sweet. For skincare, you definitely want to use sweet almond oil because it's full of antioxidants including Vitamins A and E, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids.

You could just use your base oil on its own, but combining it with essential oils - which are derived from the leaves, petals, stems, bark and roots of plants - add lovely scents and have extra nurturing and healing properties of their own.

For the essential oils, there are so many different ones to choose from to add to the base oil that it would be impossible to cover them all. I used the Young Living brand of oils and specifically a combination of lavender and palmarosa.

Other popular scents are peppermint, chamomile, rosehip seed, geranium, frankincense, tea tree, lemongrass, clary sage and rosemary. You can start with just one scent or mix multiple ones together, but I recommend just starting with one or two so you know which oils caused what result and get to know what you like.

Finally, I add just a few drops of the Young Living carrot seed oil, which adds extra healing and nourishment to the skin. Carrot seed oil rejuvenates the cells, has high levels of antioxidants and a natural SPF of 35-40. This is completely optional and you can leave it out if you choose!

How To Use The Moisturizer

1) Always apply to clean skin, with clean hands! If you apply to an unwashed face, the oil will seal in dirt, dust and any makeup still on your face. You can do this at night before bed, or in the morning before you add makeup or other topical products.

2) Add about 3 - 5 drops of the oil blend to your fingertips or palms. Rub your hands together and gently dab onto your face until the oil is absorbed.

I hope you love this DIY facial moisturizer with essential oils as much as I do! If you're like me and don't want harmful chemicals on your skin or in your home, then try this DIY facial moisturizer and let me know what you think below!

If you are looking for more DIY skincare ideas, do check out our Whipped Sugar Scrub recipe!

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