DIY Beauty Care!

I love Swift's blog for home made beauty products. I now make my own conditioner, lotion, deodorant, hair gel, body wash and sugar scrub.



I highly recommend spending time on her site if you are interested in making your own. It's more than add this and pour that.

Before you get started repeat after me: PRESERVATIVES ARE A MUST! I will not explain what is/isn't a preservative but direct you to Swift's post linked above. 

Here is a post on frizzy hair. There are many misconceptions and Swift clarifies a few.
http://swiftcraftymonkey.blogspot.com/2012/09/question-is-frizzy-hair-always-dry-hair.html

I have discovered my hair loves oats and carrot extract. Since I started making my own conditioner my curls have become ringlets. LOVE! My frizz caused by dry hair. Sunflower oil keeps the frizz away with a some amount of Panthenol.

Using a sugar scrub daily has eliminated some form of dermatitis on my arms and upper thighs. I vary the recipe but it's basically white sugar, Glycerin, sunflower oil, Phenonip preservative and Essential oils like tea tree, sage and lavender. Heat the oil and then add preservative.

My absolute favorite recipe is for hair gel. It's a super light hold with 4 ingredients.
-Water
-Glycerin (humectant)
-Cosmetic grade Xanthan gum (thickener)
-Preservative
-Optional Fragrance.

Is making my own products cheaper than commercial? Honestly I am not sure. The start up cost is more. You have to tweak the recipes for your skin/hair type.

I do love customizing products for my needs. The commercial brands I used in the past kept changing their recipe and the results were not desirable.  I developed sensitive skin shortly after having my son. I tried several different products that claimed they would "cure" my issues. That's when I started researching the ingredients in my products. I spent MONTHS reading article after article. I found Swift's blog near the end of my research. I sure wish I had found it sooner. I love her scientific approach and how easy she breaks things down.

I hope my story will inspire some of you to take this journey. Feel free to leave questions or comments.