Homemade Solutions: Complete Skincare Makeover!
So after struggling to both find products for my acne/eczema prone skin and products which are natural but not too high a cost, I have come back to something I actually mentioned back in 2011 when I began this blog…..DIY products! Now for me one of the reasons I never got into it is because well where do you begin? There is just so much to take in! A face mask I can do….but cleansers, toners, serums etc….hmmmm
But here I am, getting help from a lot of fellow bloggers, Google and YouTube. I will post about where to begin with DIY products once I figure it out myself and post all their blogs for reference. But first I thought I should try and make a start so I can steer you in the right direction from my own experiences!
Like most homemade and DIY solutions, it involves a lot of trial and error, but I hope that my journey through it can help you if you have considered this and also not taken the plunge before and also if you make your own products, you can also help me (all the help I can get is so great!).
Current Skin Complaints
Now my skin is currently just wreaking havoc…and I mean havoc! I have never (even before my eczema became really bad at 16) got acne to the extent I have it now. It is shocking to me and new territory because it is so unfamiliar next to eczema and dryness. Currenlty this acne has been quite bad for the past couple months around my cheeks, chin jaw and forehead…(ugh!) . Before that a couple spots but now it appears that my skin is just feeling too congested. I’m just failing to find suitable products and remedies. Obviously the swap from one skin problem to another hasn’t helped….I have a sensitive and dry neck area to contend with and an oily and congested face…..so what to do?
I began to read about the Oil Cleansing Method….now I have come across this before and tried it with Organic Extra virgin olive oil but didn’t like it…but now after reading into it more I’ve realised it may be the properties of olive oil rather than the method that didn’t work. As a start to my skincare makeover to all DIY products I thought the first step of the routine, i.e. a cleanser is the best place to start 🙂
I have been doing a lot of research and I mean a lot…..but a quick update for now….I’m thinking of using :
Castor oil (25%) with black seed oil (70%) and camelina oil (5%). For my skin type I thought these oils may be a great place to start. (i’ll post about them more in my next DIY post).
Coconut oil clogs pores and olive oil has a high rating for this too hence I steered clear…..other options I have thought about are pumpkin seed oil, hemp seed oil, tamanu oil and sunflower oil.
What are your thoughts on these oils? Have you ever used the oil cleansing method before?
I hand in an assignment on Monday and after this, I cannot wait to start trying things out!
My Eczema Tales 
I can do this with hemp oil. I’ve got a bottle in my fridge. Nix on the castor oil for me. I’ve also got avocado oil. I’ll check into the black seed oil as well. I’ve had no problems with olive or coconut oil but I’m fine with using the others mentioned.
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You don’t have to use the same oils as me. That’s the great thing about OCM. If coconut and olive oil work well for you I would stick with them, for me their comodegenic rating is a tad high for my skin so I’ve looked into oils to try which had the properties I would most benefit from. I think this is a trial and error method of finding what your skin likes best… so at first I may by small amounts of each oil to try before I find what my skin likes. My skin may hate the oils I try so we’ll see…I think the important thing is to start small and work up 🙂
I read somewhere though that eczema and acne are suited to oils with a higher linoleic acid to oleic acid ratio so perhaps keep that in mind when choosing oils. That’s what I did.
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Glad to hear you went with black seed and camelina! Great choices, look foward to hearing how you get on. EVO doesn’t work as a cleanser for me either but is fine for removing makeup, pre cleanse. Good luck with your assignment 🙂 Dana@HeartyHabits x
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I really like the sound of those oils so thought I’d start there as there is just so much choice when it comes to carrier oils. Baby steps I think toward DIY skincare… One product at a time.
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Totally, and if it doesn’t work for you just try another combo! Fingers crossed though, look forward to seeing your finished result 🙂
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I realise with the OCM trial and error is key, thats why I have tried to choose oils which are not comedogenic to avoid clogging of my pores since that seems to be an issue and those which are high in linoleic acid…lets hope its a good place to start 🙂
I’m going to purchase from the Soap Kitchen and Mystic Moments, I just cannot seem to see if certain oils are cold pressed or organic on each site which is a bit frustrating!
I’m going to purchase the Castor, black cumin seed and camelina but also mango and shea butter for the body (perhaps grapeseed for a lighter one on non dry areas?).
I love tamanu oil so after my Skin Rescue Oil is finishing from the Organic Pharmacy I may attempt it DIY…..
I know if my face doesn’t like the black cumin seed it can be ingested for good health so thats a good use!
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Oh that’s strange, it usually says the kind of extraction? Mango is great for wound care, so should be fan for acne 🙂 Tamanu oil is fab, never ingested black cumin seed, could be interesting! 😉 Hopefully your skin will love it x
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Thanks for all of your help by the way, it has really been so helpful! Do you make a lot of your skincare products yourself?
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No problem! Yes, nearly went into business, but was scuppered by illness, recuperation and going back to work lol. Make for myself and family now, still as fun as ever. Would love more time to create! The paperwork’s all still there so who knows 🙂 x
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It’s trying to find the time whilst you work etc….I would love to create a range of products…I brought the skincare book in 2012 I think when I was really into it…but then life got in the way of me really getting into it. I hope now I can at least make myself a home range….this natural/organic route is great but some of the prices of ready made products is just too much now when I’m a student!
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Exactly, not enough time in the day! I’d love to dedicate more time to it but was off work for two years, so need to be employed at the moment. Go for it, it’s a great journey and learning curve. I have a dilutions PDF that I could send you if that’s any help at all? PM me on twitter if you want anymore info 🙂 x
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I always try and get my family into natural skincare and good health but its been hard lol! I finally got my sister to take probiotics and she was just raving about them today…I was like finally!
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Lol, same at my end! Husband loves radox and head & shoulders, but he has gradually taken to natural toothpaste, the odd essential oils bath blend, and one meat free meal a week 🙂
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