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 been proven to soothe, moisturize, and repair the skin. We’re starting with this simple, super-hydrating serum for a serious hit of moisturizing, barrier-boosting skin care goodness.
This rich blue balm is a DIY version of a very popular and very expensive shop-bought balm. This particular balm is known for its striking dark blue hue that comes from a hefty dose of expensive blue tansy essential oil. I’ve created a more budget friendly version you can make at home with some lovely butters, silky oils, and gorgeous essential oils. It smells divine, has a delightful melty consistency, and can be easily tweaked to suit what you’ve got at home.
I have so been enjoying using this silky Raspberry Marula Facial Serum. Not only is it a joy to use thanks to its lightweight consistency and luxurious slip, it also leaves my skin dewy and glowing. Oil serums were one of my first DIY/natural beauty loves, but it’s been a while since I made one. A skincare sampler set I purchased in New York included an adorable wee bottle of some Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil (seriously, the bottle is beyond cute!), and playing with that reminded me of how much I love a good oil serum. It also helped remind me that I’ve got quite a bit of squalane and other fancy carrier oils that need to be put to good use, and I definitely think this serum qualifies!
This silky smooth, light-as-a-feather solid facial serum is really neat. It has all the satiny, lightweight loveliness of a liquid serum, but it’s easier to transport (no leaks!), and application is even easier thanks to the elimination of the dropper bottle. Lightweight, super-glidy cetyl alcohol transforms olive and evening primrose oils into an oh-so-cool solid facial serum, and I may be a dweeb, but I think this is super exciting.
Last autumn Angela wrote in asking for a DIY version of an expensive calendula-infused eye balm she was using in Portugal. The ingredient list was beautiful, and as usual, the price tag was a touch shocking. So, with her enthusiasm for the product I took that ingredients list and went for a bit of a run to create a smooth, lightweight balm. Angela’s Calendula Eye Balm is packed with anti-inflammatory calendula and lightweight oils designed to penetrate and moisturize the delicate skin around the eyes (but it’s also great on the rest of the face as well as on hands and lips).
If you’re looking for touchable, smooth, soft skin, this Sea Buckthorn Mattifying Moisturizer is right up your alley. It’s a creamy, orange-hued moisturizer features a few scoops of silky smooth arrowroot starch to give your hydrated skin a beautiful dry touch. It was inspired by a similar product sold by Lush for an unsurprising $40, with a few changes. The reviews on the original varied; some said it was amazing for their skin, others said it was a bit drying, so I thought we could bring some DIY magic to this to make it exactly what you need.
Make it Up: The Essential Guide to DIY Makeup and Skin Care is now available at booksellers all over the world!