self care recipes

 I really like taking good care of myself. It makes every part of my life more enjoyable. Sometimes when I am busy, I push it away thinking it a waste of time. But that is when I need to stick to it most so that I can feel sane and remind myself that I am h u m a n. I have become enthralled by making my own self-care products because, one, I can be 100% sure they are cruelty-free and vegan, two, they. work. so. well. I don't use natural deodorant or toothpaste because, well, they don't work. But these skincare and haircare concoctions are MAGIC. And, three, I spend a lottttttt less money than I would buying the finished products. I don't have a lot of money to put towards products, so this enables me to have what I need and I am so happy that I can at least do this. I thought I'd share my favorite discoveries and creations so far so that you too can benefit from them!

Face

Spiced Scrub

I came across this recipe years ago on Pinterest. (That one had specific measurements and was for the body. I forgot the measurements and use it on my face. oh well.) I have used it off and on ever since, but recently it has become the only exfoliant I use on my face. It tones, cleanses and exfoliates all in one. My skin loves this for some reason. I (should) use it every other day so as to not over scrub my skin.

Mix organic honey with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Measurements don't matter much here. If you add more cinnamon, you will definitely feel a tingling sensation on your skin. I have no idea if that's a good thing. I like to add more cloves because they are the best exfoliant out of the three. You just want to have enough spices in the honey that they can work their magic. Sometimes I make mine close to a paste and other times it is mainly honey. I store mine in the fridge because I like the cold. Spread on face, neck and decolletage (you can use this on your entire body if you so desire) and leave sit until skin begins to tingle orrrrrr as long as you feel like it. To remove, don't splash your face with water. Instead, wet your hands and fingertips and start rubbing in circular motions all over your face to exfoliate. Rinse face and always moisturize.

Coconut Oil Makeup Remover

Fairly simple. I use coconut oil to break down all of my makeup and then I go over with a regular remover. The best thing about this is the fact that the oil actually starts to disintegrate my mascara which WILL NOT come off of my eyelashes with a standard remover, and that you are moisturizing your face and especially your eyes when you use it.

Body

1/2 & 1/2 oil scrub

NO animal products involved, nor any milk for that matter. It is simply equal parts of oil and sugar. I would suggest olive, avocado or almond oil and a mixture of the large crystals of cane sugar and some finer ground coconut sugar. You can also add an essential oil of your choice. Use this to scrub your whole body.

Hair

As of right now, I haven't tried very many handmade hair masks besides blending avocado up with honey and oil. It was pretty good, but rubbing the ends of my hair with coconut oil about a half an hour before I shower seems to give me better results.

Those are my favorite recipes so far, but I hope to find many more. I want to use oranges, green tea, and shea butter in the future. I will update this post when I come across new favorites.

M.