Doing it at Home

I have always been fortunate in finding ways to get around paying high prices for skincare, mainly because I want to get things from individuals who are most like me.  Small businesses with educated people striking out on their own.  They feel like my friends and not a method to control my behavior.  I am especially drawn to those that don't advertise, but quietly turn out their product, or write the recipes I can tweak for my own evil purposes.

If you are ready to do some mild experimenting there are some staples you should have on hand. These are basic and harmless, and help you evaluate how your skin will respond.

Oils

The oils you stock will reflect your skin type.  Heavier oils, like Avocado and Jojoba are great for dry skin and can also be used as warm oil treatments before shampooing.  Grape Seed Oil is great for mature skin that cannot bear the weight of a heavier oil.  Try blending it with a bit of  Jojoba if you need the extra moisture. Apricot Kernal oil is another choice for blends or to use alone.

Along with these base, or carrier oils, a few essential oils can be added.  Since science hasn't determined the exact effects of different essential oils, we all go by their reputations which have been passed down through the ages.  My favorite essential oils are Lavender, Lemon, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, and Rosemary.  Always mix the essential oils with another oil or cream and put no more than about 12 drops total in any blend, assuming your goal is to have about 8 ounces of finished product.  For me, 3 or 4 drops each of Lavender, Lemon, and Ylang Ylang is a great blend.  Adding a few drops of this blend to an inexpensive face cream or premade base is always nice.  Lavender is known for its healing properties, Lemon for its skin lightening properties.  Ylang Ylang has been touted as an aphrodesiac, but I use just two or three drops in my dreams because it creates a nutty under tone.  Any more than about 3 drops is overpowering.

Start with small amounts while you experiment, then reinvest in those ingredients that you use the most of.  An essential oil starter kit is a great way to sample the different possibilities.  Many kits will have a booklet listing the properties attributed to each essential oil making the "learn as you go" process much easier.

Why not make this project one of your New Year's resolutions.  Taking control of your skincare is your right.  In the long run, you save money by not paying for corporate advertising and creating your own, sustainable program of skincare.

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Beauty Market Buzz: Herbs and Skincare: Where Should You Begin?

Hyaluronic Acid: The key to Moisture

Herbs and Skincare: Where Should You Begin?

Herbs have always been a mainstay in treating illness. Even though western medicine requires a substance through a series of tests before getting the stamp of approval, allowing pharmaceutical companies billions in profits, there are those plants that have been accepted for their efficacies based on generations of experience.

Borage, WhiteWillow Bark, and Lavender are some of the most common ingredients blended with base oils or plant silicones to treat those little problems that vex our vanities. With the drive for more environmentally concious and toxin awareness, the potential client or customer struggles with labels and hearsay with little help, unless they devote their lives to researching and comparing laboratory names, INCI names, and proprietary blends to find out exactly what they are getting in the $50.00, 1 oz, bottle of eye cream or serum. Of course, research can be fun, but it takes time.

Greatskin borage leaf cleanser

Periodically I search for products using one ingredient as my guide rather than the product's focus. Instead of looking for general eye cream I will look for something that has Borage or Ginseng. Placing a sheet of paper in coat pocket with a list of other names the ingredient goes by, I like to call these their "stage names", helps. In the case of this eye cream, Borage seed oil smooths and softens, very good for fine lines. Ginseng is found in many skin care products that fight fluid retention so I will look for that if I am worried about puffiness under my eyes.

Bioelements Acneplex™ - Daytime Treatment Gel

Many acne products have Salycilic Acid which acts as an exfoliant. This makes a great anti-aging product as well!

White Willow Bark is something that my nature loving friends swear by, but won't recognize it by its lab name, Salycilic Acid. The arguments about this one are interesting to listen too, but its all natural, regardless of what it is called. In a pinch, a paste of aspirin placed directly on a pimple will send it packing before a full 48 hours passes, for most people.

Greatskin Age Defying Milky Cleanser Blended with Pure Essential Oils&Anti-Oxidants

Lavender Essential Oil is one of the best natural cleansers.

Lavender was used by the Roman Empire for personal cleansing, keeping their soldiers from developing nasty infections from reusing personal cleansing items. Remember, they didn't have toilet tissue! I love a bit of Lavender Essential oil in the spray on hair oil I create and use periodically. Lavandula Angustifolia sounds pretty scary but it's the same, wonderfully aromatic oil that the Romans used. It has a reputation that includes soothing nerves, facilitating healing, and toning and revitalizing the skin. Looking for products with this can be time consuming so adding a few drops to my favorite skin cream is great, especially during winter, as long as I don't use it near the eyes.

Don't be afraid to explore products when you need to focus on a specific problem. Sometimes the product that is less expensive and less well known has the perfect ingredient to suit your needs. Your can be realized by planning ahead. As with all skin related issues, analysis is the first step. The GreatSkin® Analysis Questionnaire is a good way to choose which of your personal goals to tackle first!

Enjoy!

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