Benefits of DIY

There are many advantages to making your own beauty treatments. Among the benefits, DIY treatments are:

• Wallet-friendly. DIY treatments are a fraction of the price you’d spend at a spa for a professional treatment.
  
• Customizable. Especially with treatments from scratch, you can tweak the ingredients — adding some or removing others — based on your skin type. You can also add fragrance oils to create whatever scents you want.
  
• Fresh. When making your own beauty treatments, you can be sure that the ingredients are fresh. Store-bought treatments and products are prepared months or even years in advance, so their ingredients can get old by the time you’ve made your purchase, writes G. Todorov, Ph.D., of the Web site, Smart Skin Care. If the ingredients have expired or decayed, according to Dr. Todorov, “a product loses its benefits and may even become harmful.”
  
• Fun. Crafting your own treatments lets you be creative. You can even make a day out of concocting skincare treatments with friends and family. Ask them to bring their favorite skin- or hair-boosting DIY recipe.

#1: Facial mask

• Make your own. For dry or damaged skin, Sara Novak of Planet Green, suggests a mask with blueberries. Blueberries are rich in antioxidant vitamins C and E, which can combat free radical damage from environmental stressors, pollution and UV exposure. This hydrating mask also removes dead, dull, dry skin:

• ¼ cup organic blueberries
• 1 tablespoon raw organic honey
• 1 tablespoon organic olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Try to find organic blueberries, because they’re fresher and boast “the most antioxidant power as they were just picked,” writes Novak. Use a blender to mix the ingredients. Smooth the mask onto your face, avoiding your eyes and lips. After five minutes, wipe off the mask with a moist cloth.

• Pre-made product pick. L’Occitane Immortelle Face Cream Mask contains vitamins and peptides to hydrate normal to dry skin.

#2: Hair mask

• Make your own. To treat dry or weak hair, here’s a simple conditioning treatment from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:
  
• 1 egg white
• 5 tablespoons plain yogurt

Whip up the egg white until it has a frothy texture, and add the plain yogurt. Put the mixture on your hair for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, rinse well using warm water.

If locks are especially dried-out and damaged, apply mayonnaise and olive oil. Wrap your hair in a towel or plastic wrap. Leave the mixture on for 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly, writes Megan K. Scott in the Waterbury Republican-American.

• Pre-made product pick. Rene Furterer Tonucia Toning and Densifying Mask repairs and moisturizes your hair without making it heavy or greasy. Use it after shampooing, leave it in for a few minutes and rinse well. The result? Hair that’s vibrant and voluminous.

#3: Hand treatment

• Make your own. On Planet Green, Elizabeth Seward suggests the following recipe for dry, rough hands:
  
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup vodka
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• Dried flower petals

Apply the mixture to your hands, and leave it on for a minute or two. Then rinse.

Got dehydrated, discolored hands? Try this overnight treatment from Kara DiCamillo on the Web site, Tree Hugger:

• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup sugar
• Lemon juice from one lemon

Combine the ingredients and rub the mixture onto your hands. Rub them together, as if you were washing them or applying lotion. Blot hands gently with a paper towel to remove excess sugar. Then, slip on a pair of cotton gloves overnight. You’ll find the sugar has an exfoliating effect, the coconut oil hydrates and the lemon juice targets uneven pigment.

Or, check out this treatment from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which also has exfoliating benefits:

• 8 to 10 strawberries
• 2 tablespoons apricot oil or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt

Massage the paste onto your hands for a deep exfoliation to remove rough, dead skin.

• Pre-made product pick. H2O Plus Natural Spring Hand and Nail Cream combines vitamins, proteins plus plant extracts to hydrate, protect and strengthen.

#4: Body oil

• Make your own. Dry winter air and cold temps can really suck the moisture out of your skin. Hot baths and showers make the drying effect even worse. A super-moisturizing body oil replenishes lost moisture. First, exfoliate your body gently by rubbing it with a body brush. This removes dead skin cells so the oil can penetrate better.

Here’s a body oil recipe from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

• 1 cup sweet almond oil
• ½ cup jojoba oil, hazelnut oil or both
• 2 tablespoons apricot kernel oil
• Optional: Add an essential oil of your choice, such as ylang ylang, patchouli, rose, orange or geranium.

Add the oils into a bottle, put the cap on and shake it gently to mix. Then, apply the oil to your skin while you’re still slightly damp from a shower or bath.

You can also slather olive oil directly on rough, flaky areas, like your feet. It’s ultra-moisturizing and high in vitamin E to repair skin, says Macrene Alexiades, M.D., dermatology professor at Yale University School of Medicine, in Glamour.

• Pre-made product pick. Sundari Neem and Triphala Body Oil features natural essential oils and botanical ingredients to moisturize and soften all skin types. In addition, it improves blood circulation and gives skin a firm, lifted appearance.

#5: Lip treatment

• Make your own. Dried, chapped and cracked lips often go hand-in-hand with cold winter weather. Thankfully, you can make a rich balm that’ll hydrate, soothe and soften your kisser.

Here’s a lip treatment recipe from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics:

• 3 tablespoons unbleached grated beeswax
• 5 teaspoons carrier oil, such as sunflower oil, castor oil or jojoba oil. For a glossier lip treatment, use 8 teaspoons.
• 6 to 7 drops essential oil for scent, like peppermint, lemon or grapefruit
• 1 teaspoon of honey to add flavor

In the top part of a double boiler, melt the beeswax and your carrier oil. Stir well to prevent clumping. Then, take it off the burner. At this point, add in the essential oil and honey, again stirring thoroughly. Let the mixture cool for at least 20 minutes before applying or pouring it into a container.

• Pre-made product pick. MD Skincare Serious Lip Treatment is a two-step product that addresses many lip concerns, like lines, wrinkles, dryness and volume loss. Special ingredients include hyaluronic spheres, peptides and vitamins to plump up your pout with mega moisture.

Safe storage

Keep in mind that the treatments you make from scratch contain no preservatives to prolong shelf life. Therefore, these treatments will go bad and expire quickly. Here are some tips to help your products last longer and stay safe:

• Make small batches for only a couple of uses.
  
• Store the mixtures in clean, airtight containers to prevent bacterial contamination.
  
• Keep them in a cool, dark place, as light and heat can hasten product breakdown.
  
• Apply the products using cotton balls or swabs — not fingers.

Don’t be discouraged by dry skin or hair this winter. Thankfully, you’ve got a variety of simple, affordable and effective DIY treatments to choose from. Soon winter skin and strands will no longer be part and parcel of this chilly, windy season.

See also:

12 Tips to Combat Winter’s Itchy Skin

Top 10 Articles on Sensitive Skin: Psoriasis, Eczema, Rosacea & More

A DIY Guide to Dyeing Your Hair

Top 100 Beauty Blogs