DIY BEAUTY CARE RECIPES DIY Recipes for Natural Skincare So You Can Pamper Yourself In A Truly Healthy, Safe, and Non-Toxic Way! By Lara Adler Holistic Health Coach www.laraadler.com ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com WHY DIY?? When I talk about DIY beauty care products, two questions seem to present themselves: First: “There are 14 gazillion (rough estimate) personal care products available on the market right now... why on earth would I want to make my own?” Second: “Will making my own potions turn me into a witch or otherwise strange hippy?” Answering the first question is easy. Yes there are literally hundreds and hundreds of choices when it comes to personal care products - entire isles dedicated to shampoos and conditioners, body washes, lotions, self-tanners... wrinkle creams, acne creams, exfoliating scrubs and so on. But if you want to avoid toxic chemicals like phthalates, parabens, and sodium laurel sulfates, to name a few, you don’t really have much choice after all. Doesn’t matter of your face cream costs $4 from the drug store, or $40 from the department store - it’s likely still chock full of hormone disrupting chemicals that can mess with your metabolism, thyroid, and development. Not cool. Suddenly making your own sounds like a better option, because it puts you in control of what ingredients go onto your skin! Answering the second question is a little harder. Technically, you won’t turn into a which or otherwise strange hippy (unless you are already one - no offense meant!), but it is possible that your friends and family will raise an eyebrow or two at your new hobby. But you can easily win them over, by giving them skin and body healthy samples of the potions you whip up! It’s not about being a hippy, it’s about being selfsufficient, being an action taker, being informed, and being pretty damn cool if you ask me! So check out the recipes below to get started on making some simple DIY preparations at home to pamper yourself while avoiding so many of those super nasty toxins that have no business in your body! Once you’ve comfortable with these, you can graduate on to more complicated and involved concoctions if you’d like - or seek out a local DIY crafter in your neighborhood who does this kind of hippy witchery for a living! (just kidding of course. I love hippies and witches!) ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com What To Avoid: There are a lot of synthetic, unhealthy, and unsafe ingredients in the personal care products we use every single day - making sure we reduce or eliminate the worst offenders can have a huge impact on our exposure levels, and our health! The top three offenders that show up in most personal care products are Phthalates, Parabens, and Sulfates. Phthalates often appear in our cosmetics and personal care products by way of fragrance, or parfume. Phthalates are a class of chemical that play different roles in different products, but are primarily used to hold scent to the skin and/or hair. The word ‘phthalates’ may never actually appear on the label, but instead will be one of the ingredients that make up “fragrance” or “parfum/perfume”. Phthalates are a synthetic estrogen, linked to hormone disruption, infertility, and even weight gain. Buying products that are scented only with natural essential oils is a safer choice. Parabens are used as an preserving agent used to prevent the growth of bacteria and microbes, and are more common in products that are more liquid - like shampoo and lotion. Parabens are linked to cancer, hormonal disruption, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation, and have been shown to increase the rates at which cancer cells grow in the body. Look for words like methylparaben, ethylparabens, or anything else ending in -paraben. Sulfates are surfactant agents - they are what make your shampoo later, and your bubble bath bubble and they help cary dirt and oils away. Sulfates - appearing on labels as Sodium Laurel Sulfate or SLS, and Sodium Laureth Sulfate or SLES, these chemicals are known skin irritants and SLES in particular is often contaminated with a chemical called 1,4 dioxane which is a probable human carcinogen. This chemical will never be listed on the label because it’s a by-product, not an ingredient, but recent studies have shown that it’s present in many personal care products, even those meant for babies! Better to limit exposure to sulfates all together! ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Simple DIY Recipes For Body Care! Shampoo: Regular store bought shampoo contains all kinds of nasty ingredients like phthalates, parabens, and sodium laureth sulfate... all things that do no belong in, on, or around our bodies! Experiment with some of the recipes below - they may seem strange, but they’ve been used for hundreds of years and have a pretty solid following. Everyone’s hair is a little different - some is naturally more dry, while others more oily. Not all of these recipes will work for your hair type, but experiment to find one that does. Note that conventional shampoos often leave residues on your hair that may take a few days to wash away - If you find that your hair is a bit stringy on the first or second day of these more natural treatments, know that’s likely because of those residues. If after 3 or 4 days your hair isn’t feeling clean and fresh, then it just may not be the ideal formula for your hair. “NO-POO” Shampoo DIY Baking Soda Shampoo (aka: “no-poo”) Take 1 Tablespoon of baking soda and dilute it in a large cup of water. Pour this over your hair. It won’t bubble or foam, but it will get rid of dirty, oily build up with stripping your hair ! Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse Mix 1-2 tablespoons of ACV and dilute it in a large cup of water. Pour over your hair, and rinse with water. I promise you won’t smell like a salad! Conditioner: Conditioners are designed to add back in the oils that your regular shampoo stripped out. If you’re using the baking soda/acv combo, you may find you don’t need additional conditioning... if you do, try one of these: ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Edible Conditioners Avocado Mask* Super rich in the types of oils your hair loves, this is a simple home treatment. Mash up 1/2 an avocado really well and smear it all over your head, making sure you rub it in to your scalp. Let it sit for 10 minutes then rinse it out. Coconut Milk* Open a can of coconut milk (or make your own) pour it over your hair, let it sit for a few minutes, and then rinse out. * There’s a little trial and error here. Everyone’s hair and skin is different. You may find these treatments are too strong, and leave your hair too oily. Adjust the amount if needed. Don’t be bummed out if not all of these work for you! Skin Exfoliators Most skin exfoliators are really harsh on the skin, and toxic ingredients aside, can actually cause more harm than good. When we use harsh chemicals exfoliators or even really scratchy natural ones, we are essentially scraping off the dead skin cells on our body. While this sounds like a good idea, we’re actually causing tiny microscopic cuts and tears in our skin which spreads bacteria and causes inflammation. Yuck. Generally a good wash cloth with your castile soap is best, but if you want to get fancy every once in a while, try one of these. You can also go product-less and dry brush your skin to keep it soft and smooth, as well as helping to keep your lymph fluid flowing - essential for good health. Find a stiff natural bristle body brush at your local natural market. Use on dry skin prior to taking a shower, starting from the feet and working your way up in short strokes. Brush in the direction of your heart - inwards toward the center of your body. Dry brushing is best done daily, and can help to keep your skin clear and bright. ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Salt Scrub Exfoliator Salt Scrub 1/2 cup fine sea salt (do not get coarse or flake sea salt 1 cups almond oil, or melted coconut oil 5-7 drops of essential oil of choice (optional, but a nice touch) Place all the ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a jar with a tight fitting lid. In the shower, with damp skin, gently rub the salt scrub all over your body starting with your feet and working your way up. Rinse off and towel dry. If you’re way into the DIY lifestyle and make your own nut milks at home, then this is the perfect thing to do with all that left over pulp! Nut Pulp Scrub Simply squeeze as much moisture out of the pulp as possible, and use the pulp to exfoliate your body. Rinse off and towel dry. If you have a lot a pulp, make sure you refrigerate it, as it will quickly go rancid, and that doesn’t smell nice! Brazil nut scrub is especially nice because the high oil content leaves your skin silky and buttery! Make sure you apply this in the shower before turning the water on and don’t use too much or it will clog up your drain! ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Face Treatments Ditch the really expensive, chemically laden stuff from the drug store or department store. You can get amazing results using stuff you probably already have on hand. Try these on for size! Honey Face Wash 1 tablespoon raw, unfiltered honey 1/2 tablespoon baking soda Mix these together in your hand and gently apply to damp skin in small circles. Rinse and pat dry. Yogurt and Honey are great ingredients to use on your skin! Yogurt has natural, gentle acids that refine pores and exfoliate skin. Honey is a humectant, which means it helps retain water, and is also has antimicrobial qualities. Like everything, quality matters aim for a rich, organic goats milk yogurt, or greek style yogurt, and organic honey. Calming Mask 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1 tablespoon aloe very gel or juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 drop chamomile oil (optional, but really nice!) Mix everything well in a small bowl. Apply to your face and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Strawberries are naturally high in salicylic acid, one of the main active ingredients in many over the counter acne creams. While not strong enough for severe acne, mild breakouts can be treated with a simple mashed (organic) strawberry mask. Strawberry Acne Mask 2 organic strawberries, mashed Smear all over your face. Don’t answer the door or take pictures or yourself as people will be scared of you! This mask isn’t pretty, but it smells yummy and if you happen to drop some strawberry in your mouth, it’s all good! The following recipes are a little more involved, but will yield some really fantastic, hoard worthy and gift worthy results! You’ll need to go on a special shopping trip and use the stove and blender, but that just lends more of a witchy feel to it anyway! Have fun! Rosemary Gladstar’s Body Lotion - Rosemary Gladstar is a highly revered herbalist and author who has a number of books on DIY beauty care. Most of her work definitely falls into the dedicated hippy category, i.e., they’re not for everyone, but I mean that with absolute love and respect! You’ll probably have to hunt down a few of these ingredients, but if your local health food store doesn’t sell them, you can always order online. ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Rosemary Gladstar’s Body Lotion WATERS 2/3 cup rosewater or orange flower water) 1/3 cup aloe vera gel 1 – 2 drops essential oil of choice Vitamins A and E as desired OILS 3/4 cup apricot, almond or grape seed oil 1/3 cup coconut oil or cocoa butter 1/2 – 1 oz grated beeswax Directions 1. Combine distilled or filtered water, aloe vera gel, essential oil and vitamins in a glass measuring cup. Set aside. 2. In a double boiler over low heat, combine remaining ingredients. Heat just enough to melt. 3. Pour oils into a blender and let cool to room temperature. The mixture should become thick, creamy, semisolid and cream colored. This cooling process can be hastened in the refrigerator, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too hard. 4. When cooled, turn blender on the highest speed. In a slow, thin drizzle pour the water mixture into the center vortex. 5. When most of the water mixture has been added to the oils, listen to the blender and watch the cream. When the blender coughs and chokes, and the cream looks thick and white like butter cream frosting, turn off the blender. The cream will thicken as it sets. Pour into into cream or lotion jars. Store in a cool place. ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com Deodorant: Deodorants are filled with lots of cruddy ingredients that can seep into your body, and stain your clothes. You don’t need to smell like “cool linen” or “everlasting sunshine” throughout the day. With this deodorant you can choose to leave it unscented, or add a few drops of essential oils to suit your fancy! Because everyone’s body chemistry is different, and some people are naturally more stinky than others, don’t be dismayed if this deodorant doesn’t cut it for you. There’s a natural one out there for you! Homemade Deodorant Ingredients: 3 tablespoons shea butter 3 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons corn starch 2 tablespoons cocoa butter 2 vitamin E gel caps (or about 8 drops) a few drops of essential oil (optional – for fragrance) Directions: In a glass bowl set over a small pot of simmering water place the shea butter and cocoa butter. Heat until just melted and then remove from the heat. Add the vit E and any essential oils and stir to combine. Mix together the baking soda and corn starch and add to the melted butters. Mix thoroughly and pour into a small jar to set. That’s it! It will take a few hours, depending on the temperature of your room, for this to set fully. To use it, scoop out a small amount of the paste (I use about half a pea sized amount) and apply it to your underarms. The heat of your skin will melt the butters, and make application smooth and easy. It absorbs into your skin pretty quickly so you don’t have to worry about having oily underarms ruining your clothes! ©Lara Adler 2012 www.laraadler.com