Should You Make Your Own Beauty Products?

With the huge range of beauty products on the shelves, why do some people still make their own beauty products?

I started making my own skin care products years ago. I got a book about natural skin care. You can actually make masks out of mashed fruit. They are really messy though, but back then, I was really broke. Could not afford to spend on good skin care so I made do with what I could get.

I mashed watermelon and put in on my face. My face felt really clean, but there was a bit of a rash after that. I also read that papaya was used in spas for back exfoliating masks. In fact, the enzymes in papayas and pineapples are often used to exfoliate the skin. These can be rather harsh though, so I never tried that on my face.

One thing led to another. I moved on to make my own creams. I went through a period of time where every body lotion I tried from the stores, from the cheap ones to the $20 ones, made my skin itch. That prompted me to make my own body cream.

The cream recipes I found were mainly for cold cream. These were really heavy, oil based stuff. I wanted something lighter. A water based lotion.

A cream is basically droplets of water suspended in oil, kept in that state by an emulsifier. For my creams, I used beeswax as an emulsifier.

I experimented in the kitchen. After plenty of failed experiments. I finally came up with lotion in a texture I simply loved.

A lotion is made of droplets of oil suspended in water, kept together by an emulsifier. I used lecithin for my lotion. Here are some of the lotions I made.

By varying the water based part, using rosewater or tea instead of plain water, you can make all sorts of lotions. Likewise, you can play around with the oil part of the formula, with various infused oils, or a few drops of different essential oils, to change the lotion or cream. You can make tailor your beauty products to your personal tastes, and needs.

I had lots of fun with that. My skin loved these home made creams when they were fresh.

I even made a batch tailored specially for a cousin, using ingredients that she loves.

Yet, I have since stopped making them.

Why?

Laziness is the main reason. Lack of time is another reason.

So much care must go into making the lotions which don't keep. For me, even if I keep the lotions refrigerated, 2 days after making the lotion, if I use it on my face, my skin breaks out. 3 days later, if I use it on my body, my skin itches.

Preservatives are put in commercial skin care products to prevent these from spoiling. Without preservatives, bacteria, mould and all these nasty things multiply rapidly, spoiling the entire batch, causing nasty reactions on the skin. These home made beauty products don't have preservatives. That meant that I had to make new batches of skincare almost everyday.

Also, care must be taken to ensure all the equipment is sterile so the final product is safe to use. Carelessness could introduce lots of nasty germs into the beauty products you make. The water and oil component must be heated to the same temperature and drops of one are added to the other while mixing thoroughly or the batch might separate.

It is so much more convenient to buy beauty products from brands that agree with my skin condition, than to make them from scratch. That is what I have been doing lately. Plus the reknown skincare lines are way better than what I can make. I mean, with their R & D budgets, they can afford to do plenty of research on creating the most effective beauty products for virtually any beauty need.

At the end of the day, whether you make your beauty products or buy them off the shelf, it is a matter of your personal preference.

The writer is the writer of the articles in Beauty from A Woman's Heart.

---

Knowing Your Skin Type

People can spend years searching for their perfect skin care... Read More

Long Hair and Updo Hairstyles

You have long hair and you are ready for an... Read More

A Review of Popular Sunless Tanning Products

When the weather starts to warm up and the days... Read More

Buying Home Whitening Kits like Whitestrips

Tired of stained, yellow teeth? Want to give yourself a... Read More

Colored Contact Lenses Guide ? Picking The Right Color Every Time

Choosing the perfect colored contact lens can be a daunting... Read More

Facial Skin Care

Because of the exposure it receives, the skin on your... Read More

The Benefits of Discount Salon Equipment

Many suppliers of salon equipment offer products that are labeled... Read More

Vying for Those Desirable Cosmetics Patients

Dentists going for the "gold ring" of cosmetic dentistry practice... Read More

The Importance Of Moisturizing

The age of your skin has no bearing on whether... Read More

Tanning Bed Safety

The facts about tanning bed safety are some what convoluted.... Read More

The Cost of Dental Implants

As a form of elective surgery, the cost of dental... Read More

How Does Sunless Tanning Lotion Work?

Perhaps you want a suntanned look for just one occasion... Read More

Is Cosmetic Surgery Right For You?

For many of us, we go through most of our... Read More

Sunless Tanning Information & Methods

Tanning products, both sunless and sun, go to work on... Read More

A Crazy Life and Pimples

The factors contributing to acne breakouts are many. Hormonal influences,... Read More

Non Prescription Cats Eye Contact Lenses - Animal Attraction!

Long gone are the days when a set of contact... Read More

Chin Surgery ? Cosmetic Surgery Information

The chin is one of the most noticed features of... Read More

How to Achieve Younger Looking Skin

HEALTHY SKIN BEGINS WITH THE BASICS.Overexposure to the sun causes... Read More

Best Plastic Surgeons

Who can I trust to find me a best plastic... Read More

Lanolin for Dummies - Benefits of Lanolin

Lanolin n.Fatty substance obtained from wool. [German : from Latin... Read More

Beauty Tips for Luscious Lips

The last step in your makeup regime is lipstick application.... Read More

Natural Skin Care Tips: 10 Skin Care Tips Women Must Know (Part 2)

Right eating habits and the right natural care can do... Read More

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever! And that can be You!

It is said that a thing of beauty is a... Read More

Can You be TOO Feminine?

I have a client, I'll call Julie. She's a beautiful... Read More

Discover Why Tanning Beds Wed Technology With Cosmetics

Since a sun tan tan is in vogue, it has... Read More

Thinking About A Spray Tan For Your Wedding? Be Careful.. Be Very Very Careful...

Your wedding day is one of the most important days... Read More

Non Prescription Contact Lenses Are the Best Way to Alter Your Look Without Altering Your Sight

Today's world has a staggering 75 million contact lens wearers,... Read More

Lip Tips

Nice lips are every woman's wish but as we get... Read More

A Guide to Hair Extension Salons

It can be difficult to find a hair extension stylist... Read More

Buying A Wholesale Tanning Bed

The tanning industry is showing no signs of stopping. If... Read More

More Care Hair Myths - the Truth and the Lies

We all have a favourite myth about hair care ?... Read More

Hair Stylist - Record Holder

Have you ever seen hair stylist cutting hair with Fire... Read More

Natural Skin Care Tips: 10 Skin Care Tips Women Must Know (Part 1)

Right eating habits and the right natural care can do... Read More