OK, I'll admit it: I am very boujee. I like expensive things, especially my makeup β even more so when it comes to my skin care. But once I accidentallyΒ burned my skinΒ with a popular acne product, I decided it was time to give natural skin care a try.
And the best way to assure that your products are natural is to make them yourself β that's why I ditched my usual routine for an entire week and used stuff I made at home instead β and I mean everything, from my daily face wash to my weekly mask.Β
Sure, I saved some money in the process, but I'm not sure it was worth it. Here's what happened:
Every single night, I began my routine by removing my makeup. Instead of wipes, I opted for coconut oil.
All this one required was a quick stop to Whole Foods for this $8 jar.
This hardened oil worked just like a cleansing balm. I just warmed it up in my hands and spread away.
And it got the job done every single night without a hitch. Coconut oil, you're good in my book.
I put coconut oil on everything, so I had a hunch that I'd like this hack. I just had to be careful not to get it in my eyes.
I followed up the nightly coconut oil with a honey, blueberry, and raw sugar mixture that would replace my exfoliating cleanser.
My favorite Kat Somerville exfoliating cleanserΒ costs $38, whereas this DIY potion just required some rummaging through the kitchen. Added bonus: Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C; honey is a natural anti-inflammatory (great for acne), and the sugar scrubs away dead skin cells.
After a week of using this DIY cleanser, I hadn't developed any acne β but I doubt it would have the power to eliminate it in the case of a breakout.
This recipe made me feel like I was putting blueberry jam all over my face β in a good way. TBH, it couldn't resist licking it off my fingers and lips every night.
Blueberries + sugar = delicious.
Then, instead of my nightly toner, I used apple cider vinegar and green tea to banish oil.
For about $10, this combination costs the same as my usual Bioderma toner β but this DIY provides way more product. The green tea contains flavonoids, which protect from UV rays, and the apple cider vinegar is said to control oil production.
At first, this toner smelled putrid because I put way too much vinegar in it β but once I nailed the ratio, it became a game changer.
After a week and some trial and error, my skin felt nice and clean thanks to this DIY.
At the end of the week, I pampered myself with a face mask. Instead of picking one from my extensive collection, I made my own with egg whites and bananas.
Seeing as sheet masks only cost a few dollars a pop, this hack didn't save me much money, but I went for it anyway. The egg whites are supposed to help minimize pores and tighten the skin, while the banana's potassium hydrates.
This mask was the only thing that my skin actively hated. I'm not allergic to either of its ingredients, but it gave me a slight rash.
Also, having egg on your face doesn't provide the most pleasant feeling, smell, or anything for that matter.
This one's a no from me.
Lastly, I traded my occasional lip scrub for a DIY exfoliant made of olive oil and raw sugar.
This scrub definitely saved me a lot of money compared to the $22 Sara Happ lip scrub I always keep on hand. Plus, the olive oil is moisturizing and the sugar exfoliates. Simple enough.
The simple and cheap mixture exfoliated the shit out of my lips, but the taste was NOT worth it.
It was like being force fed a sugary salad dressing. Never doing that one again.
All in all, DIY skin care was not terrible at all. But it came with a more than a few downsides.
It was money-saving, but it was also SO time-consuming. Making all the products and storing them in my fridge was a huge hassle.
Additionally, DIY-ed skincare has a short lifespan. Sure, you may spend less money on the ingredients for an at-home cleanser… but you also have to re-make it after a week or two. Regular, store-bought cleanser lasts for three to six months.
I didn't get any horrific pimples after one week, but after one or two more, that probably wouldn't have been the case. And having to make all these products ALL over again fills me with dread.
Would I do it again? Nah.
I'm happy I tried it, but I'm even more happy to be back to my normal skin care routine. It might be expensive, but it's what works for me.
