Today we’re creating a lovely Lavender Aloe Foaming Hand Wash—a cheery purple liquid that transforms into mounds of rich, lavender-scented lather when you run it through a foamer top bottle. It comes together in a flash and is easy to scale up so you can always have hand wash on hand (ha). Let’s make some bubbles!
Today we’re creating an ultra-lightweight hair oil that’s designed for hair that’s really not very tolerant of oils (like mine). Some of my favourite-for-hair oils are blended into a silky, fast-evaporating base to create a water-free hair oil that smooths and nourishes hair while leaving it smelling fabulous!
‘Tis the season for heaps of hydration! This DIY was initially inspired by a popular lavender witch hazel toner product, but I decided to really amp up the hydrating/humectant-y goodness in the spirit of Asian-style hydrating toners (rather than Western astringent-y toners) and that amping has led us off into new territory. The final product is rich in humectants and skin-soothing goodies—perfect skincare things for ultra-dry January!
Welcome to our first formulation of 2020—a beautiful Moisturizing Repair Cream! I am so excited about this rich, nourishing hand cream. It’s positively perfect for this time of year, helping protect skin against the winter dry and cold. Our two power ingredients are deeply moisturizing and inexpensive vegetable glycerin and niacinamide, AKA vitamin B3, which helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and boost ceramide production. The finished cream has a rich, decadent texture and delivers a long-lasting immediate hydration boost. Booyah!
We’re kicking off 2020 with a bit of a multi-part guide on how to research your ingredients—a super important skill! I often hear from people who have bought something but they don’t remember what for, so they’re left with an ingredient with no defined purpose or use. I want to empower you to be able to figure out what to do with that ingredient on your own—you shouldn’t need a blogger for that sort of thing when there are so many wonderful resources out there!
Welcome to my annual “things I learned” post—and the last one of this decade (the first one was in 2012)! This piece of introspection and sharing is one of my favourite posts each year. The affection is not only for the reflection and distillation this post allows me, but also (equally) for the discussion in the comments, where you share the things that you’ve learned this year and offer further lessons. It’s wonderful. This year has been full of changes; another (unexpected) move; new friendships; wonderful music discovered; many books read; a few mountains climbed; loves found, lost, and grown; and many days and nights of great food and drink with wonderful company. I’ve learned a lot and grown a lot in the face of some very painful and surprising upsets and challenges. It’s been a doozy. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Make it Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup and Skin Care is now available at booksellers all over the world!