Best Homemade face cream!

First blog entry... hmm... What do I say? I'm creating this page because I have decided to use my time off after recently graduating from Nursing School by going DIY-natural-solutions-crazy. Seriously. Luckily my husband is out of town for the week or I would be getting strange looks every day. The only family members left to observe my new obsession are my two year old and my dogs. The dogs couldn't care less. They just sigh and find a quiet corner to curl up in. My two year old, however, has decided it is time to really step up in the role of Mommy's Little Helper. Unfortunately, some of these recipes are less than kid friendly so many have been created post-bedtime or during nap time. If you happen to also have a Little Helper at home, I will incorporate tips for what they can help with and what needs to be avoided :)

So without further adieu, here is my first recipe: Homemade face cream/face lotion (and basic skin care routine). I got this recipe from The Elliot Homestead. Usually I have to add or change recipes but let me tell you, this one is perfect. I suppose if you don't like the thickness you can change up the oils I little bit, but overall this cream has been a Godsend for me! I have combination skin with plenty of acne and acne scars. Since I started this routine a little over a month ago, my skin is a LOT clearer, a LOT smoother, and my scars are fading. It is magical. Truly. Here it is:

1 Tbs Coconut oil

3 Tbs Shea butter

2-3 drops essential oil. 

- Just mash the coconut oil and butter together using the back of a spoon and add the essential oil. Mix thoroughly and add to jar. It. is. that. simple. And wonderful. This one is pretty Little Helper friendly, I let my daughter help measure and mix :)

Essential oils: the original recipe calls for tea tree oil and this is how I made mine. And I love it. Tea tree oil has plenty of wonderful benefits for skin. It is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and great for treating acne. (you can read more about the benefits of tea tree oil here)

Great alternatives are lavender (calming, acne relief, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal), lemongrass (detoxifying, regenerative, and smells amazing), and Rose (good for dry skin and acne). A great chart I found has a longer list :)

One thing to note when using this cream, is that it is very thick and when you first use it you will probably put on too much. But guess what? It absorbs amazingly well and is non-comedegenic (doesn't clog pores). Just use a tiny bit and smooth it out over your skin with your fingertips. Your skin will never be smoother or softer! I promise! If you do not like the thickness, you can switch out one of the Tbs of shea butter for sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, or another Tbs of coconut oil. 

I use this cream morning and night after cleansing my face with a diluted Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castille Soap solution (1 part Dr Bronner's to 3 parts water. I use the Peppermint for my face because it feels so refreshing. More on Dr. Bronner's later!). In the morning, I use Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel as an astringent prior to applying the face cream. And at night, I have recently applying 2 drops of Rosehip seed oil to my face before putting on a small amount of the face cream (mostly because Rosehip seed oil smells awful and this face cream smells amazing). Click here for an article I found that gives the basics behind why Rosehip seed oil is amazing for your face. 

I will write another post with more information about my skin care (I haven't even gotten into my homemade scrubs and whipped body butter!) soon. I will also be posting my homemade recipes so check back soon!

Enjoy!