Not long after I started my career in massage therapy, a client asked me if it was alright if I used plain olive oil instead of the usual out-of-the-gallon-jug moisturizer. He explained that he made it a habit to never use anything on his skin that he wouldn’t also consume.
I had never thought of that before. But, yeah. It made total sense. Our skin absorbs what we put on it, so in a way, we actually are consuming the lotions and creams and salves that we use. That’s a bit scary.
What are we actually putting on our skin?
Have you ever read the ingredients on the back of your skincare products? If you haven’t been making a conscious effort to avoid parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and an entire novel’s worth of words that are hard to pronounce, then I can 100% assure you that the products you have in your bathroom right now are full of them.
Chemicals and additives used in skincare products can cause skin irritations, hormonal imbalances, and some may even cause cancer. Combine those chemicals with those found in toothpaste, deodorant, and hair care products, then you have an even higher chance of having health issues down the road.
Make Your Own Moisturizer Instead.
Avoid all this nonsense by making your own whipped coconut oil moisturizer instead. It is super easy to throw together, amazing for your skin (yes, even your face), and can save you money to boot.
If you have a metal or glass bowl and a hand or stand mixer, then you can make your own whipped coconut oil moisturizer. Not sure if it is worth your time? Check out these great perks:
- It takes less than 5 minutes to whip up a batch.
- One batch can last about 6 months or more. Nice way to save money!
- You can make it smell any way you would like it to by adding your own blend of essential oils.
- With the addition of vitamin E, it is AMAZING for your skin. Vitamin E helps with fine lines and wrinkles, sun damage, improves eczema and psoriasis symptoms, minimizes the appearance of scars, and can prevent or reduce the formation of sunburns.
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant and helps extend the shelf life of preservative-free moisturizers.
- Coconut oil is antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal. This means that is can help with acne and certain skin infections.
What I used:
Here is how I made my fresh batch of whipped coconut oil moisturizer this morning:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut oil (I used organic, unrefined. It smells very coconut-y, so keep that in mind)
- About 1/4 tsp vitamin E oil
- 20 drops Lemon essential oil (Astringent and detoxifying. Has antiseptic properties useful for clearing skin. Reduces excessive oil secretion.)
- 15 drops Magnolia essential oil (shown to improve scars caused by acne, nourish dry skin, control oil secretion, useful in the repair of damaged skin cells and pigmentation resulting from sunburn.)
- 1-2 tbsp rose water (smooths and softens skin, prevents and treats acne, anti-inflammatory, soothes redness, minimizes signs of aging,)
Directions
Using a mixer with a metal or glass bowl (plastic will absorb the essential oils), whip all of the ingredients together until it is a light and smooth consistency.
And there you have it! Easy.
You can use any combination of essential oils that you wish. The above combination combined with the sweet scent of the coconut oil is absolutely divine. And you can’t go wrong with those amazing benefits for your skin.
****If you do end up using lemon essential oil in your mixture, be careful not to use directly before sun exposure, as lemon EO causes photosensitivity to direct sunlight. (I typically use my moisturizer at night before bed, so a little lemon doesn’t scare me. )
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