Category: DIY Potions

Enhance, customize, and personalize your DIY skin care recipes.

One of the most daunting aspects of diving into the DIY skin care movement is the unfamiliarity of the ingredients. When I cook, I have general notions of how using onions and peppers or adding herbs and sauces will impact my dish. Starting out, I was clueless when it came to why one essential or carrier oil might be preferable over another. As I splashed (flailed!) around in a virtual ocean of recipes and possibilities, my shopping list began to resemble the inventory list of a medieval apothecary.

My goal for this tri-part post is to simplify the jumping off point for others.

• Oily Pantry (Click here for Part 1, a list of oils and unguents to keep on hand.)
• Oily Starters (Click here to explore Part 2: four basic skin-care processes to help you get your toes wet oily.)
• Oily Personals (Part 3, which follows below, is a set of charts with information to help you customize your DIY skin-care venture.)

The Oily Personals are quick references or cheat sheets that will help you make purchase and blending decisions. The information was collected from close to 100 resources. When information was contradictory and I could not resolve the contradiction, I excluded it. This post includes fourteen charts focused on specific conditions, problems, or areas. This will be expanded later with two additional charts of that list the properties of essential and carrier oils that are popular for DIY skin care.

Oily Tips:

• Use cold-pressed, unrefined, organic oils.
• Lavender and tea tree oils can be applied neat (undiluted and directly to skin). But most other essential oils need to be diluted in a carrier oil. A 1% or 2% ratio (essential to carrier oil or total emulsion) is a good rule of thumb.
  • 1% = 6 drops of essential oil to 1 oz. carrier oil
  • 2% = 12 drops of essential oil to 1 oz. carrier oil
• Most essential oils have about a 2 year shelf life, but the shelf life of a carrier oil can be as brief as 3 months. Do not use rancid oils. Quinessence Aromatheray and Viva Woman offer information on why oils go rancid and tips on how to prevent that from happening.
  • Store oils in a cool place. They can be stored in a refrigerator, but a cool, dark pantry or cabinet is sufficient. Keep in mind some carrier oils become cloudy when refrigerated.
  • Keep bottles tightly closed.
• Always test oils on “tough” skin before applying them liberally elsewhere, especially if you have nut or other allergies.
• Avoid these citrus oils if you’re sensitive to the sun or will be exposed to it for a long period of time: bergamot,  grapefruit, lemon (cold pressed), lime (cold pressed), bitter orange (cold pressed).

Oily Personals Cheat Sheet List

These charts are provided for informational purposes only, not in lieu of professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

To jump to a cheat sheet, click on the title.

1. Improving Skin Appearance
2. Treating Skin Conditions
3. Treating Aging/Damaged Skin
4. Treating Acneic Skin
5. Treating Fungal Problems
6. Treating Injuries, Infections, Growths
7. Treating Diseases and Infestations
8. Treating Disorders and Inflammation
9. Treating Muscle, Joint, Nerve Problems
10. Treating Blood-Related Problems
11. Treating and Protecting Against Exposure and Bugs
12. Treating Feet
13. Treating Mouth Problems
14. Treating Hair

1. Improving Skin Appearance

Improve Elasticity	Regenerate Tissue	Rejuvenate Skin	Smooth Skin / Fine Lines	Tighten Skin	Tone Skin
Essential Oils Frankincense Geranium Lavender Myrrh Rose Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Argon Hazelnut Hemp Seed	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Chamomile Lavender Neroli Carrier Oils Hazelnut Jojoba Rose Hip Shea Butter	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Clary Sage Frankincense Geranium Lavender Lemon Myrrh Neroli Patchouli Rose Tea Tree Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Safflower Tamanu	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Rose Patchouli Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Argon Camellia Jojoba Rose Hip Shea Butter	Essential Oils Clary Sage Frankincense Neroli Patchouli Carrier Oils Grape Seed Hazelnut	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Carrot Seed Frankincense Geranium Lemon Neroli Rose Carrier Oils Evening Primrose Grape Seed Hazelnut

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2. Treating Skin Conditions

For normal skin, oils that nourish and regenerate are advisable, for example frankincense, geranium, chamomile, lavender, neroli, and rose essential oils with carrier oils such as sweet almond, hemp seed, and jojoba. The chart lists oils for other skin types and conditions.

 

Dry	Oily	Dull	Mature	Sensitive	Thin
Essential Oils Chamomile Frankincense Myrrh Neroli Patchouli Rose Rosemary Sandalwood Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Apricot Kernel Argon Avocado Camellia Carrot Seed Coconut Evening Primrose Hazelnut Hemp Seed Rose Hip Shea Butter Sunflower	Essential Oils Bergamot Frankincense Geranium Lavender Lemon Myrrh Neroli Niaouli Oregano Patchouli Sandalwood Tea Tree Thyme Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils   Camellia Coconut Grape Seed Hemp Seed Jojoba	Essential Oils   Basil (Sweet) Geranium Lemon Myrrh Niaouli Rosemary Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Camellia Jojoba Sunflower	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Neroli Patchouli Rose Carrier Oils Apricot Kernel Avocado Camellia Carrot Seed Cocoa Butter Coconut Hemp Seed Rose Hip Sunflower Tamanu	Essential Oils Sandalwood Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Argon Coconut Evening Primrose Grape Seed Neem Seed Sunflower	Essential Oils Lavender Carrier Oils Avocado Camellia

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3. Treating Aging/Damaged Skin

Age Spots / Discoloration	Cellulite	Sun Spots / Damage	Scars	Stretch Marks	Wrinkles
Essential Oils Clary Sage Geranium Lavender Lemon Myrrh Tea Tree Carrier Oils Avocado Carrot Seed Cocoa Butter	Essential Oils Geranium Juniper Berry Lemon Patchouli Rosemary Carrier Oils Coconut Hazelnut	Essential Oils Lavender Myrrh Carrier Oils Avocado Camellia Grape Seed Tamanu	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Frankincense Geranium Lavender Neroli Rose Sandalwood Carrier Oils Argon Avocado Camellia Jojoba Rose Hip Safflower Shea Butter Tamanu	Essential Oils Frankincense Lavender Neroli Sandalwood Carrier Oils Avocado Beeswax Coconut Jojoba Shea Butter Tamanu	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Clary Sage Frankincense Juniper Berry Lavender Neroli Patchouli Carrier Oils Apricot Kernel Argon Avocado Camellia Cocoa Butter Jojoba Rose Hip Shea Butter

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4. Treating Acneic Skin

Acne	Blemishes	Enlarged Pores
Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Bergamot Cedarwood Chamomile Eucalyptus Frankincense Geranium Juniper Berry Lavender Lemon Myrrh Neroli Niaouli Oregano Patchouli Rose Rosemary Tea Tree Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Argon Beeswax Camellia Carrot Seed Coconut Jojoba Neem Seed Rose Hip Safflower Tamanu	Essential Oils Myrrh Rosemary Carrier Oils Safflower Shea Butter	Essential Oils Clary Sage Lemon Neroli Patchouli Carrier Oils Hemp Seed

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5. Treating Fungal Problems

Athlete’s Foot	Candida (Yeast)	Jock Itch	Ringworm
Essential Oils Lavender Lemon Myrrh Oregano Patchouli Tea Tree Thyme Carrier Oils Neem Seed	Essential Oils Clove Geranium Tea Tree Carrier Oils Neem Seed	Essential Oils Lavender Myrrh Tea Tree Carrier Oils Neem Seed	Essential Oils Geranium Myrrh Oregano Tea Tree Carrier Oils Neem Seed

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6. Treating Injuries, Infections, Growths

Blisters, Boils, Burns	Cellulitis	Cuts, Wounds	Skin Infection	Sores, Abscess	Warts
Essential Oils Bergamot Carrot Seed Chamomile Lavender Niaouli Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Avocado Shea Butter Tamanu	Essential Oils Geranium Juniper Berry Lavender Oregano Tea Tree Thyme Carrier Oils Coconut	Essential Oils Bergamot Chamomile Eucalyptus Frankincense Geranium Lavender Lemon Niaouli Tea Tree Thyme Carrier Oils Avocado Beeswax Grape Seed Hazelnut Hemp Seed Shea Butter Tamanu	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Juniper Berry Lavender Lemon Myrrh Rosemary Carrier Oils Coconut	Essential Oils Bergamot Chamomile Lavender Patchouli Tea Tree Carrier Oils Tamanu	Essential Oils Clove Bud Frankincense Lemon Oregano Tea Tree Thyme

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7. Treating Diseases and Infestations

Chicken pox	Dermatitis	Eczema	Measles	Scabies	Insect / Spider Bites
Essential Oils Lavender Tea Tree Carrier Oil Neem Seed	Essential Oils Cedarwood Chamomile Geranium Lavender Patchouli Rose Thyme Carrier Oils Beeswax Jojoba Shea Butter	Essential Oils Bergamot Carrot Seed Chamomile Geranium Patchouli Rose Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Argon Avocado Beeswax Camellia Carrot Seed Cocoa Butter Evening Primrose Jojoba Neem Seed Rose Hip Shea Butter	Essential Oils Bergamot Geranium Chamomile Eucalyptus Lavender Niaouli Tea Tree	Essential Oils Lavender Peppermint Thyme Carrier Oil Neem Seed	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Chamomile Lavender Niaouli Oregano Thyme

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8. Treating Disorders and Inflammations

Hives / Inflammation	Itchy Skin	Rosacea	Psoriasis	Heat Rash
Essential Oils Chamomile Geranium Juniper Berry Lemon Myrrh Patchouli Peppermint Rosemary Sandalwood Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Apricot Kernel Argon Avocado Castor Cocoa Butter Jojoba EV Olive Shea Butter	Essential Oils Bergamot Chamomile Lavender Lemon Myrrh Neroli Patchouli Sandalwood Tea Tree Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Avocado Beeswax Carrot Seed Neem Seed Shea Butter	Essential Oils Chamomile Geranium Lavender Neroli Oregano Rosewood Tea Tree Carrier Oils Evening Primrose Jojoba Rose Hip Tamanu	Essential Oils Bergamot Carrot Seed Chamomile Eucalyptus Lavender Oregano Patchouli Rose Rosemary Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Camellia Carrot Seed Cocoa Butter Jojoba Neem Seed Rose Hip Shea Butter Tamanu	Essential Oils Chamomile Clove Eucalyptus Geranium Peppermint Sandalwood Carrier Oils Cocoa Butter Evening Primrose Neem Seed Shea Butter Sunflower

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9. Treating Muscle, Joint, Nerve Pain

Aches, Muscle Pain	Neuralgia	Sprains, Strains	Arthritis	Gout	Rheumatism
Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Clary Sage Niaouli Oregano Peppermint Rosemary Thyme Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Shea Butter	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Chamomile Clary Sage Clove Geranium Lavender Peppermint Rosemary Sandalwood	Essential Oils Chamomile Clove Bud Lavender Peppermint Rosemary Carrier Oils EV Olive	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Cedarwood Chamomile Clove Bud Eucalyptus Oregano Rosemary Thyme Carrier Oils Avocado Evening Primrose Tamanu	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Carrot Seed Chamomile Frankincense Geranium Juniper Berry Peppermint Rosemary Thyme	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Carrot Seed Cedarwood Chamomile Clove Bud Eucalyptus Frankincense Juniper Berry Lemon Rosemary

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10. Treating Blood-Related Problems

Broken Capillaries	Bruises	Chilblains	Nosebleed	Varicose Veins
Essential Oils Chamomile Cypress Geranium Lemon Neroli Rose Rosemary Carrier Oils Evening Primrose Hazelnut Rose Hip	Essential Oils Cypress Geranium Lavender Myrrh Rosemary Carrier Oils Evening Primrose Hazelnut EV Olive Rose Hip Sunflower Tamanu	Essential Oils Lemon Peppermint Rosemary Carrier Oils Evening Primrose Hazelnut Rose Hip	Essential Oils Cypress Geranium Lavender Lemon	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Cedarwood Frankincense Geranium Juniper Berry Lemon Myrrh Neroli Oregano Rose Rosemary Carrier Oils Evening Primrose Hazelnut Rose Hip

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11. Treating and Protecting Against Exposure and Bugs

Chapped Skin	Sunburn	Sunscreen	Windburn	Head Lice/Mites	Insect Repellent
Essential Oils Frankincense Myrrh Patchouli Sandalwood Carrier Oils EV Olive	Essential Oils Chamomile Eucalyptus Lavender Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Neem Seed Shea Butter	Essential Oils Carrot Seed Chamomile Frankincense Lavender Myrrh Sandalwood Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Avocado Camellia Coconut Grape Seed Jojoba Neem Seed EV Olive Shea Butter	Essential Oils Bergamot Chamomile Lavender Carrier Oils Coconut Shea Butter	Essential Oils Bergamot Geranium Peppermint Tea Tree Thyme Carrier Oil Neem Seed	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Cedarwood Clove Bud Eucalyptus Geranium Lavender Oregano Patchouli Peppermint Rosemary Sandalwood Tea Tree Carrier Oils Neem Seed

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12. Treating Feet

Athlete’s Foot	Corns	Sweaty Feet
Essential Oils Lavender Lemon Myrrh Oregano Patchouli Tea Tree	Essential Oils Lemon Tea Tree	Essential Oils Clary Sage Geranium

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13. Treating Mouth Problems

Bad Breath	Canker (Cold) Sores	Gum Disease	Mouth Infection	Sore Throat	Toothache
Essential Oils Bergamot Myrrh Peppermint Tea Tree Carrier Oils Coconut	Essential Oils Bergamot Clove Bud Eucalyptus Lavender Myrrh Oregano Peppermint Sandalwood Tea Tree	Essential Oils Lemon Myrrh Oregano Peppermint Tea Tree Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Coconut	Essential Oils Clove Bud Geranium Lavender Myrrh Tea Tree Carrier Oils Coconut	Essential Oils Clove Bud Eucalyptus Juniper Berry Lemon Oregano Peppermint Rosemary Sandalwood Tea Tree Thyme Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Coconut Jojoba	Essential Oils Chamomile Clove Bud Myrrh Oregano Peppermint

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14. Treating Hair

Oily	Normal	Dry/Damaged	Dandruff	Fine	Thinning
Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Cedarwood Clary Sage Lavender Lemon Patchouli Rosemary Tea Tree Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Avocado Grape Seed Jojoba	Essential Oils Chamomile Clary Sage Geranium Lavender Rosemary Carrier Oils Argon Avocado Jojoba	Essential Oils Chamomile Clary Sage Lavender Myrrh Peppermint Sandalwood Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Apricot Kernel Argon Avocado Camellia Coconut Grape Seed Hazelnut Hemp Seed Jojoba EV Olive Evening Primrose Shea Butter	Essential Oils Cedarwood Clary Sage Eucalyptus Lavender Lemon Oregano Patchouli Peppermint Rosemary Sage Tea Tree Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Aloe Vera Apricot Kernel Avocado Jojoba Neem Seed	Essential Oils Chamomile Clary Sage Geranium Lavender Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Avocado Grape Seed Jojoba Sesame	Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Carrot Cedarwood Clary Sage Lavender Peppermint Rosemary Thyme Ylang Ylang Carrier Oils Sweet Almond Avocado Camellia Coconut Cocoa Butter Jojoba Neem Seed

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Copyright © Pennie Nichols, 2016. All Rights Reserved.

Arm yourself for the DIY skin care revolution.

Introduction

Japanese Facial Massage at Ten Thousand Waves. Heaven. As I became aware that my therapist was finishing, I braced myself for her spiel: what my skin needed, the routine I should follow, the products I should use.

“Your skin looks great. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it,” she said as she wiped her products from her hands.

A bit baffled, I blurted. “Coconut oil!”

“Well, keep up the coconut oil!”

Middle-aged, pudgy, and far from fit, I take the compliments that come my way. This one was particularly pleasing. Coconut oil, however, wasn’t the whole story, not even the only story. For the last two and a half years, I have been dabbling in DIY ventures. At first I focused on laundry detergents, dish soaps, furniture oils, and other household products, but I eventually took a crack at DIY skin care.

I’m no expert and I credit other, mostly younger, women, who have explored, researched, and shared information and recipes for DIY cleaning and DIY skin care. Thanks to them, you can Google just about any condition or problem and find a DIY recipe for it. Most are good, some are great. A few, frankly, are hogwash.

Navigating the good versus bad recipes, however, wasn’t my biggest challenge. After a little exploring, I was drowning in new information and I compiled a $300 list of oils to buy. Not only had I never heard of some of the oils on my list, I also wasn’t sure why one oil versus another was necessary, except that it was in the recipe. I tumbled down the DIY rabbit hole.

This tri-part post is my effort to help others avoid slipping down that rabbit hole and arm themselves for their own DIY skin care revolutions.

• Oily Pantry: Presented below, Part 1 is a list of oils and unguents to keep on hand, with notes about equipment and safety.
• Oily Starters: Click here to explore Part 2: four basic skin-care processes to help you get your toes wet oily.
• Oily Personals. Click here for Part 3: charts with information to help you customize your DIY skin-care venture.

Oily Pantry

The list of products you should have on hand will vary based on your skin needs and personal preferences. You may be pleased to find out you already have some these in your kitchen pantry.

• The Staples are your starter kit or must haves for DIY skin care.
• The Complements are good to have.

They appear in alphabetical order, not in order of importance, because the hierarchy will vary depending on your needs. If you explore the Oily Personals, you may decide that some of my Complements are your Staples, and vice versa. Regardless, this list will allow you to try the Oily Starters.

Staples Beeswax flakes or granules Carrier Oils Castor Oil Coconut Oil 1-3 additional oils: Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Avocado, Sunflower, Grape Seed, Extra Virgin Olive) Liquid Castile Soap Essential Oils Geranium Lavender Lemon Tea Tree Raw Honey Shea Butter Vegetable Glycerin Vitamin E Oil Apple Cider Vinegar

Complements More Carrier Oils Argon Oil Camellia Oil Primrose Oil Rosehip Oil Cocoa Butter More Essential Oils Basil (Sweet) Bergamot Carrot Seed Cedarwood Chamomile Clary Sage Clove Bud Eucalyptus Frankincense Juniper Berry Myrrh Neroli (Orange Blossom) Niaouli Oregano Patchouli Peppermint Rose Rosemary Sandalwood Thyme Ylang Ylang

Online sources for buying oils are abundant and many provide useful descriptions. Take care when exploring sources because not all online offerings are equal. These are three of sites I visit that provide some of the most thoughtful, useful information about essential and carrier oils, as well as DIY ideas and health/beauty advice.

• Positive Health Wellness
• Wellness Mama
• Natural Living Ideas

Oily Safety and Equipment 

Shelf Life

• Most essential oils have two-year shelf life, so stocking up on these is fine. However, you should avoid overstocking your pantry with carrier oils, as their shelf life is more limited.
• Although some DIY concoctions will last much longer, you should only make amounts that you can use within six months. Including oils that extend shelf life (lemon essential oil and vitamin E oil, for example) is helpful. You can also refrigerate your lotions and creams, but this is not always convenient.
• Store in a cool, dark cabinet.
• Keep lids tight.

Sterilization

As with canning foods, cleaning and sterilizing your equipment and containers is important.

• Run containers through the sterilization cycle of your dishwasher.
• Microwave containers in a baby bottle sterilizer.
• Place containers on a canning rack in a pot of water and bring to boil. Boil 10 minutes.

Equipment

Although having dedicated equipment is not absolutely necessary, it is advisable. Oils and scents can be hard to remove. You will need some or all of the following to whip you your DIY concoctions.

• sauce pan
• double boiler or make-shift double boiler (sauce pan and heat-proof mixing bowl)
• plastic or metal spatulas: Do NOT use wooden spatulas.
• whisk
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixer
• containers and lids: I use re-purposed glass and plastic jars, food tubs, and bottles. Baby bottles are a great size for storing face and eye creams.

Part 2: Oily Starters

Part 3: Oily Personals

Copyright © Pennie Nichols, 2016. All Rights Reserved.