Beginner’s Guide to Homemade Natural Skincare Routine

Skincare sparks a lot of debate. When you read the ingredient list on many commercial lotions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—often 15–20 items you can’t pronounce. Even products marketed as “natural” can include questionable additives.

Conventional, store-bought skincare sometimes contains ingredients linked to serious health concerns. Studies and reports have associated certain chemicals found in cosmetics with increased allergies, cancer, birth defects, and reproductive or developmental issues.

Because skin absorbs a significant portion of what’s applied to it, switching to simpler, cleaner products reduces unnecessary exposure. I’m not perfect at natural skincare, but I’m learning and gradually making changes. I haven’t yet tried a homemade sunscreen, and with a vacation to the Bahamas coming up, I plan to test a natural recipe. I’m also revisiting homemade hair care—after trying the “no poo” method and then encountering product buildup, I’m motivated to experiment with a DIY shampoo recipe.

I enjoy developing skincare recipes and keep a small pantry of natural ingredients so I can make products as needed without excuses.

Natural Ingredients to Stock Your Pantry

• Coconut oil
• Shea butter
• Aloe vera gel
• Almond oil
• Jojoba oil
• Bentonite clay
• Vitamin E oil
• Essential oils – tea tree, lavender, orange, and peppermint are favorites for scent and targeted benefits
• Beeswax

With just these basics you can create a wide range of body and face products. I didn’t acquire everything at once; I started slowly, bought items as I could, and often purchased in bulk to save money while building a functional DIY skincare pantry.

Below are some of my favorite DIY skincare recipes I’ve made so far. They’re simple to adapt and expand as you learn what works best for your skin.

Other great homemade skincare recipes:

Homemade Vapor Rub

Homemade Hand Sanitizers

Homemade Antibacterial Cream {Neosporin}

Homemade Natural Sunscreen

This was part of the 30 Day Natural Living Challenge!

Check out other posts from the challenge:

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