Making bath and beauty treatments from scratch is a great way to save money and cut back on potentially harmful chemicals found in some store-bought products.
There are many recipes and variations for making “DIY” bath and beauty products- everything from homemade deodorant, shampoo, conditioners, facial masks and scrubs or even cleansers.
But almost all of these items have certain ingredients in common, and most of the products used in the mixes are available right in the kitchen pantry or refrigerator.
Fruits in Homemade Beauty Treatments
Fruit is a popular ingredient in many natural facials, skin treatments and bath product recipes for a wide variety of reasons. Fruit is usually high in vitamins, especially C and A, which can nourish and moisturize the skin. Fruit also often has amino acids, healthy fats and oils or other components that seem to be beneficial for the skin or hair. These fruits are commonly seen in home beauty recipes.
- Avocado – High in healthy fats that build skin and nourish dry, wrinkle-prone skin. It’s no wonder this is a favorite choice for masks designed to moisturize the skin.
- Bananas – Bananas have lots of vitamins and minerals and are thought to help relax tense muscles as well as providing moisture to the skin. They are also less likely to cause irritation than some of the citrus fruits, and are easy to mash into a paste, so they are common for thick skin masks as well.
- Other fruits include citrus fruits like oranges and lemons; grapes; berries like blueberry, raspberry and strawberry; and tropical fruits like papaya and mango.
Vegetables for Making Bath and Beauty Products
How often is the picture of cucumber slices on the eyes associated with relaxation and beauty-enchancing spa treatments? There is a good reason for that since many homemade spa treatments include vegetables in them.
Cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and others are used to cool, tone and firm the skin as needed.
Mineral-Based Spa Treatment Ingredients
Many ingredients used in spa treatments and homemade recipes are naturally occurring minerals. These include salt, clay, muds and other sediments, usually in powder form. Each has unique properties and composition although all are thought to provide minerals to the body through absorption into the skin, often in heated masks, wraps, packs or baths.
Grains and Nuts for Homemade Powders
A variety of grains and nuts is often ground for use in homemade bath and body products. There are variations on how fine or coarse to grind the powders depending on desired effect.
Commonly used ingredients from the grains and nuts category include walnuts, pecans, corn, wheat, oats, rice, bran, barley and just about any other type of grain or nut you can imagine. Often they are mixed with liquids of some kind in order to create a paste or scrub, but sometimes they are left dry to create homemade body powders.
Read more details on commonly used ingredients, and basic tips for creating homemade bath and beauty products including allergy cautions.
Do you make any of your own homemade facials or scrubs? What are your favorite ingredients?
I love making my own beauty products! My face is quite sensitive and I prefer home made face masks and scrubs to store-bought ones that usually irritate my skin. I’ve used live yoghurt, oatmeal and honey for a scrub and I often do a cucumber mask. I didn’t know about bananas though, thanks for the tip!