We are often giving you ideas about creams, balms, toothpaste, scrubs, masks and other serums that you can make at home with natural ingredients. You can save money and be more reassured about what you are putting on your face as you know exactly what is inside. It is certainly not filled with synthetic perfumes. The only problem is there are certain rules that must be followed so that your homemade cosmetics are a success and will last longer without going off. This is important as naturally made products will have a shorter shelf-life as they are not filled with preservatives So, what are the main rules you shouldn’t ignore? Read on to find out more and then get started making your own cosmetics!
1) Choose quality ingredients
The choice of the ingredients which suit your skin type is the first thing you sure watch out for. When you buy your ingredients try and chose organic products and vegetable based products. Vegetable oils cost less than you might think on the cooking aisle rather than the aisle dedicated to beauty products.
2) Be aware of the precautions!
We have already discussed is some of our previous articles that there are dangers to look out for when using essential oils. Just because they are natural doesn’t necessarily mean that they are good for your health. Some essential oils can cause an allergic reaction or irritate the skin. Unless you are familiar with the ingredient, avoid changing the recipe and stick carefully to the recipe you are following including the correct dosages.
You can try out some of these ingredients in the crook of your elbow to see if you have an allergic reaction. You should wait at least 24 hours to be safe and also test the final product just in case you you are allergic.
Wearing a mask and protective gloves can be useful when following recipes as you could breath in some of the components inadvertently or contaminate the product.
3) Good hygiene is crucial!
Homemade products are often more fragile. You shouldn’t put them into unnecessary contact with bacteria or fungus which could increase the risk of the product going off or making it less effective. You should start first by making sure that you have clean hands. Containers, work surfaces and other appliances must be cleaned and disinfected with at least 70% alcohol. You can boil glass jars in water for around 10 minutes so that they are sterilised. Avoid using a wooden spoon as this utensil is full of microbes. You should instead choose a metal or plastic spoon.
4) If something keeps for a long time it is not as good
Homemade products keep for less time than industrial made products as they have less preservatives. This is why your products and ingredients should be protected from light, heat, moisture and air. You can even put your homemade products into the fridge. There are natural preservatives so that you can use to prevent your cosmetics from going off too quickly like grapefruit seed extract or even vitamin E.
You should make a small quantity initially so that you know that your cosmetic suits you. If you make a lot you can share it out and you can delight your friends and family with little gifts.
5) The label is not just a cheap sticker!
The label can identify the product so that it is not used for the wrong thing or accidentally thrown out. It is also very important to write the date it was made and even the best before date if it was mentioned in the recipe you found. Generally it is between 1, 3 or 6 months. If you can, note down the ingredients. It is always useful for when you want to remake the recipe or to compare two products.
It also adds an aesthetic aspect to your product as it makes it prettier, more colourful and professional! An attractive product makes you more inclined to use it!
6) Avoid wasting any!
For the ingredients, reuse, as much as you can, things you already have in the house such as oils and containers (yogurt pots, finished cosmetic bottles…).
If you can, you should choose ingredients that can be reused easily for other cosmetic or cleaning products and that can be used for cooking. Coconut oil is for example very common in a lot of homemade cosmetics but it can also replace cooking oil with you want to add this flavour. Aloe vera is also a basic ingredient that you can invest in without any worry. Some essential oils that you can use on your face you can also use on your face or your body. Some essential oils like tea tree oil can also be used for cleaning products. Find out all you can about the possible uses of your ingredients so that they don’t become dust collectors!
If you are buying ingredients and containers, try and buy glass and if possible buy tinted glass to protect the products better. You can also use metal pots which you can use again whereas plastic tubs can be eroded by some essential oils. If a product won’t be used again , think twice before buying it as you can’t always keep the product indefinitely!
Sources : MaCosmétiqueNaturelle ; ConsoGlobe ; LaDepêche