Health & Beauty Recipes > Skin Care Recipes

A selection of skin care recipes:

PLEASE NOTE:

Although all the ingredients in these beauty recipes are natural, remember that it is still possible to be allergic to anything applied to the skin. DO NOT USE ANYTHING NUT BASED ON YOUR SKIN IF YOU HAVE A NUT ALLERGY. To test other ingredients make up a very small amount of the recipe you intend to use. Wash and gently dry a small patch of skin inside your elbow. Apply a little of the mix to the skin and leave for 48 hours. If you experience any redness or swelling DO NOT USE THE BEAUTY RECIPE AT ALL.

Please read Herbal Safety Guidelines before trying any of these recipes, since some ingredients should be avoided by certain groups of people.

Many essential oils and herbs should always be avoided by pregnant/nursing ladies. Check with a qualified health advisor if in doubt.

Mountain Rose Herbs
Mountain Rose Herbs offers a wide range of dried herbs and spices and essential oils.


In order to get the most out of your skin care efforts you need to identify your skin type:

Combination Skin

Combination skin can be extremely difficult to deal with. The forehead, nose and chin are oily and prone to spots and blackheads whereas the cheeks and neck area tend to be dry and sensitive. It is best to use very mild products on the face and neck area and then moisturise the dry areas and use an antiseptic astringent on the oily areas.

Dry Skin

Skin can become drier as one gets older and sebaceous activity slows down. Dry skin can flake and feel tight and uncomfortable. It is also prone to wrinkles. The care of dry skin should aim to protect and nourish the skin and to prevent any further loss of moisture.

Normal skin

Normal skin is a well-balanced and healthy skin, producing just enough oil to keep lines and wrinkles at bay yet rarely producing too much. Spots are seldom a problem on normal skin. However, because this type of skin is so easy-going there is the temptation to neglect it. To keep normal skin healthy, a good cleansing, toning and nourishing routine is essential.

Oily Skin

Oily skin often occurs during the teenage years due to overactive sebaceous glands. Some people however can experience oily skin in their later years and be bothered by spots and blackheads which often accompany this condition. In older people the oily area is often confined to the centre of the forehead, the nose and the chin. The gentle cleansing and toning of oily skin can prevent the pores from becoming clogged with oil and dirt thus reducing the risk of infection.

Once you are happy that you have identified your skin type, always make sure that products you use are specifically formulated for your skin type. The three basic areas of skin care are Cleansing, Toning and Moisturising. Cleansing is the most important of the three. Here are a selection of lotions, face masks, scrubs and steam baths that you can try making yourself:

Cleansing Creams & Lotions

Cleanser (for oily skin)
Cold Cream Cleanser (for dry skin)
Cooling Cleansing Milk (for all skin types)
Cream for Dry Skin
Elderflower Cleansing Milk (for all skin types)
Elderflower Cleansing Lotion (for all skin types)

Face Packs/Face Masks

Avocado Face Pack
Cool Cucumber Face Mask
Egg White Face Pack
Face Pack (for dry skin)
Face Pack (for oily skin)
Face Pack (for oily skin) 2
Fennel Seed Face Pack (for normal skin)
Lemon Face Pack
Mositurising Face Mask (for normal/dry skin)
Oatmeal and Almond Face Pack (for normal skin)
Oatmeal and Rosewater Face Pack (for normal skin)
Oatmeal & Honey Face Pack
Oatmeal Face Pack (for normal skin)
Parsley Face Mask
Sage and Apple face pack (for oily skin)
Summer Exfoliator

Facial Scrub

Facial Scrub (for oily skin)
Grapefruit and Oatmeal Scrub (for greasy skin)

Facial Steam Baths

The gentle heat of the steam encourages the pores to open and to push out any impurities. Steam also has a healing effect on spots and blemishes. Various herbs added to the steam facial have different effects on the skin. Rosemary and Thyme are cleansing. Elderflower has an astringent action. Fennel helps to heal blemishes. Yarrow dries excess oil.

Steam Bath Cleanser (for all skin types)

Once you have cleansed your face, toning is the next stage of skin care to take. It refreshes the face and removes the last traces of cleanser and dirt from the skin.

Toners

A gentle toner (for all skin types)
Marigold toner (for oily skin)
Tonic to use after steaming (for dry skin)
Tonic to use after steaming (for oily skin)
Steam Cleanser for all skin types

Last, but not least is mositurising. This helps to seal moisture into the skin and forms a protective barrier against grime, weather and pollution.

Moisturising Lotions & Creams

Elderflower Moisturising Lotion - JUN 2007
Moisturising Cream (for dry skin)
Rosewater and Glycerine Moisturiser

Make-Up

Foundation
Concealers, Blushers and Powders
Makeup for Your Eyes
Lipsticks