As we move into the colder weather, our skin tends to become drier and flakier. Even if you’re great at hydrating internally, our skin reacts to the dry heat of heaters and overall changes in the seasons.
Here are some of my favorite DIY recipes for keeping your skin dewy and hydrated, using products found in your kitchen paired with essential oils.
These recipes are for single use. You can multiply the ingredients if you prefer to make a jar for more uses. The body butter recipe makes four-to eight ounces.
Sugar Scrub Recipe
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup granulated sugar (I like organic cane sugar)
5 – 10 drops of essential oils (my favs to use include lavender, orange, grapefruit, lemon, peppermint, eucalyptus, patchouli, cedarwood, frankincense, myrrh, and myrtle, just to name a bunch).
Choose one or consider blending two or three oils. Pro tip: before adding them to the mixture, smell the blend together in the bottles with tops off. If you like it, mix it! Start with 5 drops of each oil and mix well. Smell it/try it on your hands. You can always add more drops if you want a stronger scent. Use on dry skin.
All-natural Face Masks
Yogurt Honey Mask
1 Tbsp of natural plain yogurt
1 Tbsp of freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 Tsp of honey
4 drops of lavender essential oil
1 Tbsp rose water (if you have it)
Combine all ingredients into a bowl, and then apply on a clean face and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
Honey Lavender Mask
1 Tbsp of raw honey
2 or 3 drops of lavender essential oil
Mix honey and lavender essential oil together. Apply an even layer to your clean face. Let sit for 20 minutes Gently wash off with warm water and pat dry.
Body Butter
Small jar (four or eight oz.)
Unscented lotion (I like Aveeno fragrance-free)
10 – 15 drops of essential oil (my favs to use include lavender, grapefruit, lemon, orange, peppermint, sandalwood, roman chamomile, carrot seed, geranium, and frankincense).
Put lotion into the jar and fill almost to the top. If using just one essential oil, add 8-10 drops, mix well, and smell/try. You can always add more drops if you prefer a stronger scent. Before choosing a blend, make sure you like the pairing by holding the oils together and inhaling. If you do, start with 5 drops of each oil. Mix and try it. You can always add more – you can’t take any out. Please note peppermint tends to overpower other oils, and you will not need as much of it as you will of other scents. Add more essential oils as needed to get your desired scent. Mix and enjoy.
When you create any of these recipes or make up your own, be sure to write them down and save them to allow you to easily recreate them. Consider naming your recipe, too! Most of these recipes make great gifts in a decorative jar for the holidays!
Shari Vilchez-Blatt is the founder and creator of Karma Kids Yoga, an internationally-known kids’ yoga program. Shari is a master infant, kid, and teen yoga and mindfulness teacher and has trained thousands around the world.Shari lives to play and plays to live! You can find her on Sesame Street sharing yoga with the furry monsters and on iTunes and Spotify with her award-winning album, Come Play Yoga!
