Aging is inevitable. Whether you like it or not, you can’t turn back time and stay young forever. But, the main question arising here is: How do you want your aging process to look like? Do you want to maintain your physical health and keep your skin in good condition as you age?
Because with time, your skin will begin to reflect your experience, your wisdom, and the stories of your life. Your skin will change because aging has a direct effect on it. Aging along with other external factors, such as sun exposure, nutrition, pollution, cosmetics usage, and the stress and problems you’re faced with daily, causes your skin to become dry and thin and to lose fat and elasticity as well.
You’re probably wondering if there’s a way you can reverse the aging process and make sure your skin stays glowing and youthful for longer. Well, here’s some good news: There is a way you can do this. You can slow down a lot of aspects of aging and rejuvenate your skin by using organic skincare products that you can easily make at home.
There are many reasons why you should use homemade natural skincare products instead of cosmetic brands of products sold at drugstores and department stores. The latter are packed with hazardous synthetic chemicals, artificial colors, and toxic ingredients – things you wouldn’t want to apply on your skin for sure. Moreover, some of them can be ludicrously expensive.(1)
One more reason why you should use homemade organic skincare products is that such products abound with proteins, vitamins, essential oils, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds.
And if you think that making organic skincare products at home is difficult and requires a lot of money, you’re wrong. It’s pretty cheap and all you need are a couple of things that you already have in your kitchen, pantry, or bathroom. So, without further ado, let’s discuss a couple of types of skincare and some of the best homemade natural skincare products:
The word holistic means whole. So, if one takes a holistic approach to something, that means that they’re treating it or dealing with the whole of it, not only parts of it. So, taking a holistic approach to beauty or skincare refers to treating your skin both from the outside and the inside by using solely organic skincare products. In this way, your skin will remain healthy, hydrated, glowing, and nourished for longer.
But, a holistic approach to skincare includes other routines besides using organic products. Exercising, consuming healthy foods, lowering the level of stress you’re daily exposed to, and getting the right amount of sleep are all important routines you need to follow so that your skin remains beautiful and youthful for longer. So, let’s explain further each of these:
As we already said, such products are packed with many vitamins, antioxidants, and proteins. All of these play an important role in hydrating and nurturing your skin. They’re free of synthetic chemicals and parabens that can harm your skin.
Doing physical exercises positively affects both your skin and overall health as it helps bring nutrients and oxygen to the cells in your body and improves your immune system. Also, because exercising makes you sweat more, this helps your body eliminate toxins.
Skin reflects your diet, meaning if you consume foods that are rich in nutrients, this will reflect on your skin, i.e. make it healthy too. That said, make sure you consume raw fruits and vegetables as they’re loaded with all the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your skin need so as to stay hydrated and nourished. Consume, too, oily fish, since the omega-3 fatty acids present in them helps your skin stay moisturized.(2)
Then, you need to know that consuming dairy products is linked to the appearance of acne and skin rashes, so if you have this kind of problem, you should lower the amount of dairy you consume. In addition, consuming white sugar, processed foods, and white bread can increase your blood sugar levels and cause inflammation, thereby making your acne problem even worse. To prevent this, try to consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, or beans.
Experiencing stress for a long period of time can definitely show signs on your skin. Stress can cause many skin conditions, such as hives, hair loss, acne, and rashes and it can deteriorate existing psoriasis. You can lower your stress levels by exercising regularly, practicing a hobby, doing yoga, meditating, or deep breathing.
Having healthy sleep patterns and getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night helps your skin regenerate and rejuvenate. Whereas, lack of sleep leads to saggy skin and dark circles under your eyes. Lack of sleep can also increase the levels of your stress hormones, which can in turn deteriorate existing problems, such as psoriasis and eczema.
Those who practice Ayurveda believe that stress, lifestyle, and diet can have an influence on your skin. Ayurveda is a natural system of medicine that started in India in ancient times. This practice includes treatments for various skin conditions, facial skincare, and skincare formulations.
In the Ayurvedic practice, the skin is treated based on its type, and according to this practice there are three types of skin: vata, pitta, and kapha. Vata skin is cold, rough, dry, and ages fast. Pitta skin is oily and sensitive, and people having this type of skin are prone to rosacea, acne, and moles. And kapha is oily or normal, and smooth. It ages slowly and people having this type of skin are prone to whiteheads and pimples.
Ayurvedic practice includes homemade natural skincare remedies which can be used to treat various skin conditions. Thus, those who practice Ayurveda recommend using almond oil for pitta and vata skin types, and they recommend sesame oil for all three skin types. For facial massage, they recommend Manjistha (a herb) oil.
You can make a traditional Ayurvedic face mask at home too. To do this, you need flour and chickpea. Mix the two ingredients and add a pinch of milk and turmeric and rose water to the mixture. The end result will be a nourishing paste that will greatly benefit your skin.(3)
Forget about buying amazingly expensive face cleansers at your local drugstore. You can make an organic facial cleanser at home. To make this product, all you need is apple cider and ground oats. Why? Because they’re rich in alpha-hydroxy acids and saponins respectively which are natural cleansers.
So, to make this recipe, mix ¼ teaspoon of apple cider with 3 teaspoons of ground oats and stir the mixture until it becomes smooth. Then add ½ tablespoon of brown sugar and ¼ tablespoon of lemon juice and thoroughly stir the mixture. Apply the paste on a previously washed face and allow it to sit for around 10 minutes. Then rub making circular motions and in the end, rinse using warm water.
If the skin on your face is dry and you’re looking for a natural moisturizer that will hydrate your skin and make it smooth and that won’t clog your pores, search no more. Here’s one simple and yet effective recipe you can try making at home: Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil, 2 oz of argan oil, and 15 drops of frankincense essential oil to a glass dropper bottle. Close the bottle well and shake it before each use. Store it in a dry, cool spot.
This homemade natural moisturizer is very effective due to its ingredients. Lavender essential oil can greatly benefit your skin, especially when it’s exposed to the sun. Argan oil is packed with carotenes, vitamin E, and fatty acids and it hydrates your skin. And frankincense essential oil makes your skin look healthy, glowing, and youthful.
And here’s one more recipe for a homemade natural face moisturizer: Mix together 1 tablespoon of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, 1 egg white, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply the paste on your face and let it dry for about 10 minutes. In the end, rinse thoroughly. Not only will this moisturizer hydrate your skin, it’ll tighten it too.
Who said that you need to spend a lot of money on an organic eye cream? The eye cream presented here will help you get rid of dark circles under your eyes and it’ll revitalize skin cells, fight wrinkles around your eyes, and reduce puffiness. Here’s the recipe:
Grate one cucumber over a napkin. Then wrap the pieces of cucumber in the same way you wrap burritos and firmly press it. Apply the paste on closed eyes and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. You’ll be amazed to see how greatly it will soothe the skin around your eyes.
Sudden weight gain causes stretch marks to appear most commonly on the breasts and stomach, and women find them especially annoying. But, you can get rid of this problem by making a natural stretch mark cream at home. Here’s how you can prepare it:
Combine 2 tablespoons each of cocoa butter and shea butter with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Stir the mixture thoroughly and add 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil to it. Then stir the whole mixture again over low heat until it melts. Once it’s melted, add 1/2 teaspoon of lavender essential oil and thoroughly whip the mixture with a whisk. The cream should be stored in a glass jar. Regularly apply the cream on any spot where you want to treat or prevent stretch marks.
It seems like men nowadays take care of their skin more than ever. So, if you’re a guy and searching for face washes, cleansers, and moisturizers and after-shave balms that don’t smell like lavender, know that you can prepare these at home.
For instance, to make a soothing after-shave balm, combine 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin, 3 drops of sandalwood essential oil, 1 cup of witch hazel, and 6 drops of sweet orange oil. Stir the ingredients well and then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Apply it on your face after you shave.
And if you want to make a skin moisturizer, try making the following recipe: Combine 2 tablespoons of ground oats, ½ teaspoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of warm water, and ½ teaspoon of honey and stir the ingredients well until you form a smooth mixture. Apply the paste on your face and rub making circular motions. In the end, rinse using warm water.
