Simple DIY Beauty Recipes
I love the freedom of summer’s long days. The lingering daylight makes me feel like I can spend more time doing things I love and nurturing myself. It’s also a season that requires very little concern for clothing, as it’s almost always warm enough to wear a single layer and be done with it.
So instead of obsessing about the weather and the shopping that comes with it, I like to spend more time doing things with my hands, reading books, and experimenting with DIY projects. Annie Zhu’s all-natural beauty recipes, below, fit the bill.
This post originally appeared on Terumah. Illustrations by Elizabeth Stilwell.
It’s not hard to make your own beauty products at home. The few ingredients required are readily found at your local supermarket and health food store. Empty jars and containers are perfect to reuse for this. By making your own products, you’re guaranteed to end up with something that’s 100% natural.
Here are 3 super easy beauty recipes you can whip up in the kitchen:
Peppermint & Sea Salt Body Scrub
- 4 tbsp sea salt
- 4 tbsp almond or jojoba oil
- 1 tsp fresh mint
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 2 drops grapefruit essential oil
Mix sea salt, fresh mint and almond/jojoba oil in a bowl. Add essential oils. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Scrub can keep for up to 6 months.
Beet Lip & Cheek Stain
- beet juice
- 2-4 drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
- optional: coconut oil, almond oil or vitamin E oil
Make fresh beet juice with a juicer. If you don’t have a juicer, cut the beet into quarters after taking the top and root off. Toss into a blender with some water. Pour juice through a strainer into a small bowl. An eyedropper can help you get the juice from bowl to jar. An empty roll-on jar would work best. Be careful, as beet juice can stain.
Depending on how big your container is, add 2-4 drops of lemon juice. This helps preserve the color. Lemon juice can be drying, so add some oil for moisture.
Keep this in the fridge and it will last up to 2 weeks.
Face Powder
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp or more cocoa powder
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
Mix cocoa powder and arrowroot powder in a box. Stir in lemon essential oil until color is uniform. Add more cocoa powder to match your skin tone as needed.
Pour into a powder jar (an old mineral powder jar is perfect.) Use the powder to set foundation and to mattify skin.
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.