DIY Self Care Products

By Brittney St.Amant, Aug 2, 2021

Self care is super important – it can be a great mood booster, help your mental health, and give you new confidence! Self care is not selfish; we need time to take care of ourselves even when life feels too busy. People often prioritize other tasks or other people before themselves, putting their own needs on the back burner. Doing this can lead to an unhealthy view of yourself or can lead to a burnout. It is essential to take care of yourself in order to have the energy to support others and take on the rest of the world!

Since many self care products come with a hefty price tag, this week’s blog will go through a few things you can make at home to stay on budget! Not to mention, homemade products are always better since you know exactly what goes into them! No mysterious ingredients or chemicals, just old-fashion ingredients you can find in the pantry. Not only can making your own products save you a lot of money but it can also be very sustainable as you save from using plastic packaging and containers. Listed below are a few easy recipes for some great at-home self-care products!

Body Scrub

Body scrubs are a great product when your skin is a bit dry and flaky. Exfoliation keeps your skin looking vibrant, healthy, and smooth. Exfoliation should be done every few weeks to remove any build up of dead skin cells and allows your skin to fully absorb lotions or creams. Over-exfoliating can lead to dry or irritated skin, but a healthy amount stimulates collagen production for radiant skin! There are a variety of body scrub recipes, but one of the most popular is a sugar scrub. All you need to do is combine the following ingredients:

• ½ cup of brown or white sugar
• ½ cup of oil (coconut, olive, jojoba)
• Few drops of essential oil (lavender, eucalyptus, citrus)

Apply the body scrub in the shower so that you can immediately rinse and let the sugar mixture run down the drain.

Face Mask

Face masks are a great way to make an at-home treatment feel like a full spa treatment. There are countless face mask recipes made with a variety of ingredients you can find in the kitchen! One easy recipe is for a very moisturizing oatmeal mask. All you need to do is combine:

• 1/2 of hot water
• 1/3 cup of oatmeal
• 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of honey

Apply a thin layer to face and neck and let sit for 10-15 minutes. You can slice a couple of fresh cucumbers for your eyes if you really want it to feel like you are at the spa! Rinse off your face to reveal fresh, smooth skin!

Lip Balm

Dry lips can be annoying and stubborn to get rid of until you find a deeply moisturizing lip balm. Skip the plastic tubes and make your own with a natural, plant-based recipe! All you will need is:

• 2 tbps of soy wax (or shea butter / cocoa butter)
• 1 tbsp oil (coconut, almond)
• 10 drops of essential oil (lavender, geranium)
• Optional colour add-in: beet powder, butterfly pea powder

All you need to do is melt the wax or butter then add all other ingredients, stir, and let harden! Opt in for a more sustainable container such as a mini glass mason jar!

Body Lotion

Body lotion is a handy product to make at home since it becomes a frequent purchase, especially during the drier seasons. It can be hard to find a good lotion that matches your skin’s needs. Some lotions may feel greasy and sit on the skin rather than moisturize. It can be nice to make your own body lotion with natural ingredients and find the perfect combination for your skin! Try the recipe below and tweak it to your preference.

• 1/3 cup shea butter or cacao butter
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp hemp seed oil
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 10-15 drops of essential oil (lavender, lemon, peppermint)

First, you will need to melt down the butter before adding all other ingredients. Mix everything together then place in the freezer to set. Once it is semi-solid you can then whip the mixture until it forms peaks. Transfer mixture into a mason jar and enjoy your fluffy soft lotion!

Hair Mask

Hair can be hard to maintain at times with frizz, dead ends, and dullness. After a long winter, your hair may need a little refresh with a moisturizing hair mask! Hair masks should be done at least once a month to lock in moisture and shine! Try the recipe below for a defrizzing, moisturizing hair mask:

• 1 ripe banana
• ½ avocado
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Fresh lemon juice

Mix ingredients all together and coat your stands, leaving it sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water for best results!

There are plenty of recipes for self care products but these are just a few to get you started. We also had some tips from talented Maker, Amanda Bosiak, on soap making – which you can find here!