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 1100 formulas up here for you to look at, plus an FAQ and an Encyclopedia. I’d love it if you DIYed with me!
As seen on…
New Projects
Argan Rose In-Shower Body Conditioner
Today we're revisiting a project I first shared in May 2014—a rich body lotion inspired by a popular LUSH product—as part of my Bee Better work. This six-years-later update features a new emulsifier, fully percentage-ified amounts, clearer instructions, and a hefty...
How to Research Your Ingredients: Part 2
Welcome to part two of "How to Research Your Ingredients"! Part one was all about what you should be finding out about your ingredients, and the nuance involved in some of those categories (make sure you've read it!). Part two is going to be about how and where to...
Glossy Lip Stain
Today's DIY was inspired by a lip gloss advert I saw some time last year. It was for the Glossier lip gloss, and for some reason, the ad caught my eye. I clicked through and took a look at the ingredients, and the first ingredient was "Hydrogenated Polyisobutene"—and...
Lavender Aloe Lotion
We're continuing our Lavender Aloe theme today with a dusty purple lotion with a gorgeous powdery finish. It smells softly of lavender and quickly vanishes into your skin, leaving it feeling richly moisturized with no greasiness. Featuring soothing aloe vera juice,...
Argan Rose Valentine Bath Bombs
Happy almost-Valentine's-Day! We're celebrating this year with some seasonal bath bombs, featuring some shimmery mica painting and lovely pink fizzing. They smell beautifully of rose and lemon, in keeping with the shampoo bars I shared last week, but you could...
Creamy French Green Clay Face Mask
Today we're whipping up a simple, creamy, oil-based face mask. A soft balm base is loaded with silky French green clay (my favourite clay for face masks!) to create an ultra velvety skin treat. This format is far less messy than blending clay and water, both for...
Argan Rose Pressed Shampoo Bars
These beautiful Argan Rose Pressed Shampoo Bars were inspired by a popular LUSH product, and I've had a ton of fun developing and testing this formulation. It is structured very differently from other shampoo bars I've shared, with no melted fatty hardeners like cocoa...
Watermelon Mint Cuticle & Lip Butter
Today we're whipping up a rich and creamy Watermelon Mint Lip & Cuticle Butter, designed to help pamper and protect the delicate skin around our nails and mouths. The base is just three simple, all-natural ingredients that come together to create a rich butter...
Lavender Aloe Soap
We're continuing our Lavender Aloe theme today with a batch of beautifully swoopy and swirled Lavender Aloe Soap. The top is decorated with a dusting of violet biodegradable glitter, and I had a lot of fun bevelling the edges of each bar with a vegetable peeler for a...
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My Most Popular Posts
Conditioning Super Nourishing Hair Balm
One of the first recipes I ever shared on Humblebee & Me was for a "Super Nourishing Hair Balm", all the way back in October of 2011. I'd actually made the balm months earlier, before I'd launched the blog, and had been testing it all summer and fall before I...
Soothing Oat Bath and Body Oil
This soothing oat bath and body oil was born from a recipe request from Claudia, who loves Aveeno's Skin Relief Shower and Bath Oil. She said that it was fantastic for dry winter skin and even helped with her son's eczema. Taking a look at the ingredients, first first...
Orange Abyssinian Overnight Balm
This juicy, honey-hued Orange Abyssinian Overnight Balm is utterly lovely. It has an almost unbelievable dry finish, leaving skin hydrated, but not greasy. It smells of pure, juicy oranges with the slightest hint of sweet, floral Tahitian gardenias. It's smooth and...
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lotion
To me, macadamia nuts will forever evoke memories of Hawaii. I was last there with my family when I was seventeen, and I remember picking up a bag of some chocolate covered macadamia nuts in the airport on our way home. Those nuggets of chocolatey goodness were...
Vegan Citrus Lip Butter
Ever since I made my Chocolate Lip Butter I've been completely smitten with it, so naturally I want more of it in all kinds of different variations. I've been wishing for a citrussy lip treat for ages, but since citrus essential oils are photosensitizing, I've never...
Rose Gold Facial Serum
Last week I was watching a makeup tutorial with Adele's makeup artist, Michael Ashton, and as he was prepping his beautiful model's skin, he used two products that really intrigued me. One was a fancy-sounding French facial serum; Decleor's Aromessence Rose D'Orient...
Luxury Facial Serum
The amount of money some shop-bought natural skincare products sell for never ceases to amaze me. You'd think I'd be used to seeing price tags north of $150 for a few tablespoons of something, but I'm not. I'm perpetually astonished to find a blend of oils or a simple...
Chocolate Lip Butter
Out of all the things I've made that I have to frequently remind myself not to eat, this Chocolate Lip Butter is pretty high up that list. It smells downright delicious, and leaves my lips oh-so wonderfully soft and hydrated. And did I mention that it smells exactly...
Pomegranate Primrose Summer Facial Serum
My new Pomegranate Primrose Summer Facial Serum is a fantastic way to lighten up your skin care routine for warmer days (I'm calling it my PrimPom Serum for short, ha!). It is silky and light, absorbing into your skin quickly and leaving it beautifully hydrated, and...