Welcome to Humblebee & Me!
I’m Marie—the “me” in Humblebee & Me. I love to make things—cosmetics, soaps, lotions, lip balms, and most of all… messes. I’m on a journey to ditch shop-bought body products and cosmetics and swap them for homemade, high-quality alternatives. I post new projects twice a week (every Monday and Thursday), and I’ve already got over 1200 formulas up here for you to look at, plus an extensive FAQ and an Encyclopedia full of information on the ingredients I use. I’d love it if you DIYed with me!
As seen on…
New Projects
Super Simple Natural Lotion
If you've been wanting to make an all-natural lotion but haven't been sure where to start—start here! You'll need just six ingredients to make this Super Simple Natural Lotion. It's a lightweight, pumpable, moisturizing lotion that makes a great hand and body lotion....
Ten DIY Ingredients for Beginner Formulators: Part 1
There are literally thousands of cosmetic ingredients for sale, so it's no wonder that shopping for ingredients can be an overwhelming experience for new formulators! Between the sheer number of ingredients and the often fantastical claims made about them, it can be...
Natural Turmeric Foaming Face Wash
Gently cleanse your skin with this formulation for a sunshiney Natural Turmeric Foaming Face Wash. It stars anti-inflammatory turmeric extract + two of my favourite gentle surfactants, and it positively spews bright yellow bubbles when you pump it out 😄 Let's...
Why is my body butter greasy?
If you adore body butters but prefer lighter, non-greasy formulations, then this is the post for you! Today I'm sharing my top formulation strategies to create lightweight anhydrous body butters. Let's dive in! Want to watch this project instead of reading it? Watch...
Mocha Lip Scrub
In today's edition of "I promise that's not actually food even though it looks, smells (and tastes!) like it" I'm sharing a formulation for a simple six-ingredient Mocha Lip Scrub! This decadent coffee and chocolate scented scrub is perfect for gently buffing away...
DIY Pressed Shimmer Eyeshadow
It's been almost five years since my first book, Make it Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup and Skin Care, was released (!). I'm still really proud of it, but today I want to share an update to the eyeshadow formulation that I think is a pretty big upgrade. It's...
10 DIY Sheet Masks to brighten, hydrate, and soothe
One of the best superpowers you'll develop as you become a formulator is the ability to abstract a formulation—to think about it beyond what you are told it is and think about all the things it could be. Shampoo can be hand wash, conditioner can also be a creamy face...
Mango Rosehip Solid Facial Oil
You'll need just six ingredients to make this cheery all-natural Mango Rosehip Solid Facial Oil. It stars two stunning lightweight emollients and it is packaging-optional, so it's a great way to reduce your packaging needs a wee bit. Making this formulation is a...
De-Puffing Peppermint Aloe Facial Roller
The idea for this De-Puffing Peppermint Aloe Face Roller came to me as I was drifting off to sleep on a warm July night. It's part facial serum, part facial massage—designed to moisturize, soothe, de-puff, and cool your skin on hot summery days. A refreshing,...
Love making stuff?
Sign up for my emails for new DIY skincare & haircare projects 2x a week! Sign Up Here!
My Most Popular Posts
Pemberley Hand Lotion
I'm really excited to share this formula with you guys—this Pemberley Hand Lotion was my Formula Botanica final project, and I received a mark of 100% for it! The project was to create a product for a specific customer. I designed this gorgeous hand lotion for...
Soothing Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum
Today's recipe is kicking off a new soothing skin care series that is perfectly timed for the driest, darkest, and often coldest part of the winter here in Calgary. The formulas in this series star a beautiful selection of wonderful, effective ingredients that have...
Formulating and DIYing with Spreadsheets
Today I want to talk about something that really isn’t all that sexy or exciting, but it is super useful—using spreadsheets for your DIYing and formulating! Even if you don't formulate I'd recommend stepping away from online recipe calculators in favour of...
Sugar Plum Cleansing Conditioner
This Sugar Plum Cleansing Conditioner is a wonderful continuation to the fun I've been having making cleansing conditioners over the last few months. My aim with this one was to create something lighter that could work better for anyone with hair that can be easily...
Sugar Plum Conditioning Body Butter
I'm having a hard time deciding if I can give this Sugar Plum Conditioning Body Butter away. I mean... it's just so nice. I really want to keep it for myself. I really should give it away. I am a one-woman skin care stuff factory and I am not due to need another body...
Rose Witch Hazel Facial Toner
This sweetly fragrant, refreshing facial toner has become a fast favourite of mine. It smells deliciously of roses, features several soothing and lightly hydrating ingredients, and leaves my skin feeling revived and gently cleansed. It's also crazy easy to make (no...
Oil Cleansing Gel
When I was in Montreal last year I visited Coop Coco, a local DIY supplier, and poked around, looking for things I didn’t have that would fit in my suitcase. I ended up picking up a bottle of Sucragel, a cold-process emulsifier I’d never worked with before, brought it...
Creamy Stick Lip Tints
When it comes to makeup I actually wear on a regular basis I find I tend towards subtle, easy-to-apply stuff (read: stuff that goes on easily and lightly enough that it disguises my amateurish makeup application skills). These lip tints were born of my initial...
Coconut Massage Butter
Massage lovers everywhere: prepare to fall in love. This silky, glide-y Coconut Massage Butter gives you eons of working time on the skin for a luxurious, satiny massage. It isn't oily or greasy, but you'll find your hands gliding over skin with a wonderful, soft...