Easy DIY Lavender Coconut Lip Balm

I love a good lip balm. In fact, I would actually say that I'm kind of addicted to lip balm. I have a tin in my purse, my desk, my bedside table and my coffee table and maybe a few other places, too! Okay, okay! So it's probably more like an obsession.

But buying a good lip balm can be expensive for a girl with a habit like mine, so I decided to make my own to try to save some money. And guess what?! It's not only cheap, but it's easy.  It literally takes 10 minutes to create an entire stash of lip balm for just a few dollars!

Sweet.

But what's really fantastic is that this Lavender Coconut Lip Balm is the perfect gift for holidays, birthdays or favors for a party. Why? Because it's inexpensive and super easy, but at the same time it's thoughtful and everybody loves them! I call that a win at life, my friend.

In this recipe, the lavender and coconut are subtle flavors, but the combination between the floral and tropical is sooo nice. It really makes me want to lay around on a caribbean beach with a giant pina colada and maybe a hot shirtless man. With a fan. And he can feed me fruit. Who doesn't like that?! 

Lavender Coconut Lip Balm

Makes ~5 oz of lip balm (enough for ~10 containers)

• 2 oz Beeswax, chopped (or grated) I use 100% Organic Hand Poured Beeswax or Organic beeswax Pellets (If you get white, some companies use chemicals to bleach them)
• 3 oz Coconut Oil (I use Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)- you can use more coconut oil if you want it softer-- this is a hard recipe which is good for lip balm tubes, too.
• 5 drops of Vitamin E (Vitamin E Oil)
• 10 drops of Therapeutic Grade Lavender Essential Oil (Find Quality Essential Oils)

Beauty and the Bees Oatmeal, Honey & Herb Scrub (or Mask)

Hello my huggable hippie friends! I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. I sure am! Why? Because I get to tell you about this great new product that I'm super excited about!

Beauty and the Bees is on a mission to truly understand sensitive skin (thank you!) by using high quality natural products like herbs, honey, and oils. They are still one of the few companies that still does things from scratch which is impressive and it makes me want to give them a big ole hug!

They also do not use artificial chemicals! You may have been hearing some talk about palm oil-- no fear! Beauty and the Bees is 100% non RSPO palm oil free! They also make a point to be 100% cruelty free and earth friendly as possible (they use glass or recycled paper-- no plastic!) which I really, really, really love.

I admit that I was really excited when I found Beauty and the Bees product line, and I kind of ordered one or two (or five) items to try out. Later, I contacted the company to ask a question about their shampoo bars and they offered to send me some extra gifts to tell you about!! YAY!! {jumps up and down in excitement} Expect more Beauty and the Bees posts soon! But today, I'm really happy to show off this great little product that I think you'll love!

Easy DIY Solution for Soft, Kissable Lips

I love winter, but my body revolts against it every year. My skin and hair gets dry, my evaporative dry eye acts up, and then my lips always get chapped. I can handle most things, but the chapped lips drive me absolutely crazy!

So now that winter is almost over, I found a simple no-brainer solution for perfectly kissable lips. Oh lala! And I think you're going to love this!

Chapped Lips Nightly Mask

• Coconut Oil
• Raw Honey

It's so simple! You just mix coconut oil and raw honey in a 50:50 mix and spread it on your chapped lips. If it's in a solid state-- that's fine because your body heat will make it melt as it just glides across your chops! {wink}

I suggest using this at night for maximum protection against chapped lips. You will want it to be a little thick because it's going to last all night. Plus, you'll undoubtably lick some of it off because it tastes so yummy! And, trust me, your man (or woman) won't mind it either. {wink wink}

You can make it as you need it or you can make a small batch and store it in a mason jar. It should stay good for quite some time, but be aware that the germs on your hands can transfer to the coconut oil and honey. Although the mix has antibacterial properties I still worry about bacterial growth so I never make more than a week's supply at a time (which is still a really small amount). If you want to make a larger batch, then you can use something (like a popsicle stick) to remove the ingredients instead of your fingers. 

Here's my chapped lips pictures:

And my after chapped lips picture:

You have to try this. It's totally Totes McGotes. 

Natural Moisturizers: DIY or Buy

By far the most popular questions that I am asked by readers are about moisturizers. Let's face it-- it's really, really hard to find a product that works and doesn't contain a bunch of crap-tastic chemical ingredients.

I'm really excited to talk to you about some of the products that I use, but first.. some housekeeping:

I'm sad to announce that I got yelled at by a reader recently about my qualifications about writing a blog ::insert sad face::

So, please, let me clarify-- I am NOT a dermatologist. I am a nurse. However, as a nurse, I cannot diagnose or give prescription treatments for skin conditions. So, I am giving you recommendations as a human being who happens to have some scientific knowledge and who has also been there and done that once or twice due to bad skin.

Whew! I'm so glad we got that out of the way. 

If you have any questions please comment or email me. I love hearing from you guys (just please don't yell at me)!

Clarifying Bentonite Clay Facial Mask

Do you have a skin goal? Maybe enlarged pores? Wrinkles? Would you like to have tighter skin? Of course, everyone does! Well, you're lucky because I have a fantastic solution for you!!

I have found that bentonite clay is a fabulous natural way to my improve skin! Now, you may think, "What a minute-- isn't that dirt?!" Sort of. It's super special dirt from God. Bentonite clay is pretty much His gift to us!

So please, don't go outside and just smear mud on your face. It has to be quality bentonite clay!

I buy loose clay and add water (or rose water) to make a fantastic mask, and I've bought a pre-packaged facial mask like this one from Redmond Clay. It's literally just clay and water, no chemicals no preservatives!

The Facial Mud claims to do the following:

• Clarify your skin
• Remove excess oil
• Shrink appearance of pores
• Draw out toxins
• Tone skin
• Remove impurities
• Deep cleanse your skin. 

It is safe for all skin types and it's so simple to use.

Essential Oils For Added Benefits
If you want added benefit you can even add a couple of drops of essential oils such as lavender to help combat bumps and smooth scars. Personally I love Frankincense because of it's ability to support healthy skin.

Make sure you know which essential oils to use because some may cause thicker hair growth or increase hair growth and I don't think you want that on your face!

How To Use It
If you are using powdered clay, use 3-4 tsp, add 2-3 drops of essential oil (optional) and enough water (or rose water) to make it like a paste. If you are using the Facial Mud, then just add 2-3 drops to the clay.

Apply the wet clay and let it dry for any time between 10-25 minutes (the more sensitive your skin- the less time is recommended).

You may experience some redness after the mask simply because of the process to draw out the impurities (aka pore gunk). I washed the clay off my face at the 15 minute mark and the first thing I noticed was how tight my skin felt. It wasn't uncomfortably tight, but rather pleasantly firm as if gravity has been reversed. Yay!!

The second thing I noticed was how soft my skin felt to the touch. I couldn't stop touching it! 

My skin is a little red after the mask, but I have very sensitive skin so I'm happy with that. It fades pretty quickly!

The first time I did this I noticed that my old facial scars were a bit more visible than usual, but slowly it faded and my skin looked back to normal. If you're worried about that, then you can always do it before bed! However, it really does make a difference in the long run! For me I've seen smaller pore sizes, tighter skin, less blemishes, and reduced wrinkles. 

If you're interested in the Facial Mud you can buy it here:

• Facial Mud Hydrated Clay 4 Ounces or the Powdered Clay: Redmond Clay
• Rose Water: Eau de Rose du Maroc Distillate Water
• Essential Oils: I recommend this brand 

If you've tried clay before I'd love to hear your experiences!

Disclaimer: Redmond clay provided the clay for this review, but it is only because I told them how much I loooovvvee their products and I wanted to write a bunch of posts. So, yeah, I loved them before they gave me free stuff. Now I love them more. 

The links for products are affiliate links. I will receive a small commission from anything purchased which I recommend. I am a Young Living distributor so I earn a commission from products sold. If you are interested in getting 24% off your order-- please email me. There is a gimmick, but it's actually a cool gimmick. I swear.

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The Man's Skin Moisturizer and Beard Conditioner

Ladies, let's not be selfish. Sometimes we need to think about our men and today I am devoting my beauty knowledge to the male sex.

Let me explain....

First you have to understand that men are simple creatures. They don't want a lotion for this and a cream for that and an oil for this other thing. No! They want ONE THING for EVERYTHING. "The Man" has dry skin and a lot of scuff so I thought I'd make him one product to take care of both! Tada!

DIY Beard Moisturizer

• Glass Mist Bottle or Dropper Bottle
• 2 TBSP Distilled Water 
• 2 TBSP Almond Oil (if allergic to nuts, use Jojoba oil)
• 3 TBSP Witch Hazel Toner (alcohol free)
• 1 tsp Vegetable Glycerin
• 5 drops Argan Oil (optional)
• Optional: 5-8 drops of Essential oils  (see below for ideas)

You simply mix it all up in the spray bottle and it's ready to go! If you're using essential oils, I recommend adding them to a pinch of salt before mixing them into the solution so that they better disperse through the mixture.

When he's ready to use it, just give it a little shake (oils can separate).

It's best to use after a normal face wash OR after the shower.

It can be used in one of two ways:

1. Lightly spray mixture a couple of times directly on your face and beard. You will need to massage it into your beard for just 15-30 seconds. If  you feel like you need to rinse then you can simply use water, but there is no reason that you would need to remove the mixture.
2. Use a dropper bottle. Depending on the beards length and density you will need to use between 3-8 drops of the conditioner for your beard. Massage it into the beard. Wash with water, if desired. For your skin, you can use as many drops as you feel necessary to moisturize your face. For my moisturizer, I use 3-5 drops daily. 

Essential Oils
If you want to have a scent or added benefits to your beard then you can add essential oils. I would recommend staying away from citrus as it can cause photosensitivity (more easily sunburned), but here are some ideas of what you can add:

• Peppermint: Oily skin or hair
• Cedarwood: Thinning hair
• Rosemary: Thickens hair
• Lavender: Dry skin or beard

As always, when using essential oils for skin or hair care, make sure you are using quality essential oils. Even if they say "pure" on the bottle, there may be added chemical or synthetic ingredients which can cause skin irritation. Please read this article about how to find Quality Essential Oils.

If you'd like to join my Natural Living Support Group on Facebook please fill out this form!

African Black Soap for Skin Care

Prepare to get your mind blown. Remember these words: African Black Soap is AWESOME. You can quote me on that. ;)

From the first time I used it I noticed a difference-- my skin glowed, and then my pores shrunk, and as I continue to use it my fine line and wrinkles continue to decrease. Uhhh... thank you, Africa!!


Seriously, I'm in love. So I decided that I needed to share my love with you all!

In this blog I talk about lot about beauty products and honestly I believe in them all. However, this product is something special. I don't even know if I can even convey to you in words how much I love it and the amazing results I have seen, but I'll try!

There is one con: it can be drying so always follow it up with a good moisturizer. You can read about some of the natural moisturizers I've used by clicking this link: Moisturizers.

I also recommend only using it once a day at first (either day or night) to make sure your skin isn't too dry. I actually only use it at night and my skin does fine with it because I realized that I got great results only using it once a day. Why change?!

I purchased Shea Terra Rose Hips Black Soap (which is 100% natural) mainly because I had a gift certificate, plus I LOVE most of SheaTerra Organics line and I've been thinking about black soap for quite a while! I'm so glad I did! However, if you want to use plain old African Black soap--- knock yourself out! You'll get very similar results to this product simply by using a good quality African Black Soap. I like Coastal Scents African Black Soap, 16 Ounce and (UPDATE) I use it more as the SheaTerra Brand, but only because it's much quicker.

The Dirty Truth: Coconut Oil as a Facial Cleanser

Okay, okay... I know. The idea of smearing oil all over your face is completely the opposite of what many of us grew up learning. I know. It's weird.

I mean most of us grew up with the idea that oil was the cause of our bad skin. I thought that the more I could get rid of oil, the better I would look and that belief lead me to years of buying prescription medication, cleansers, and lotions that said "oil reducing". I spent a ton of money and my skin only got worse! Eventually, I gave up all the expensive oil stripping products and things started to get better.

Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly that easy. But there was enough of an improvement that I began to wonder if oil wasn't so bad after all.

I did a lot of research, but part of me was still very hesitant to try it. I somehow just knew that if I used it, then I would wake up the next day with a face full of zits. I bet that's how you feel too, right?

Oh, the horror!! 

Seriously, it took me months to grow enough nerve to try it. Yes, I know. I'm a wimp.

I was such a wimp that I decided to start experimenting with coconut oil in other ways. I made deodorant with oil. I know. It's weird. But it worked! My pits smelled fabulous and there are no zits. Sweet!

I tried other beauty products with coconut oil and each one worked great. I didn't break out anywhere on my body, plus my skin was smoother and softer. I became a believer! It was time to start using coconut oil to clean my face.

Why Coconut Oil Is Good For Your Skin

• It has antibacterial and antifungal properties (goodbye acne and eczema)
• It won't change the pH of your face so it's not irritating
• Lots and lots of antioxidants to help diminish fine lines and wrinkles
• Great natural moisturizer
• It tricks skin into thinking it has enough oil to slow down oil production while locking in the moisture.
• It's been shown to work for all skin types although some people may be more prone to break outs using only coconut oil. If you break out then you can mix it with other oils like castor oil or jojoba oil.

Even celebrities use it! Heck yes, I want to look like Gisele Bundchen and Gwyneth Paltrow!!  If it's good enough for them, then it's definitely good enough for me! Also, I found out that ancient nobility (Pharaohs, Roman Emperors) used natural oils commonly for skin cleaning and moisturizing. If oil is good enough for models, celebrities, and ancient royalty, then I suppose it's good enough for me. {wink}

The one thing I will impart with you as IMPORTANT is that you buy a good quality coconut oil.

You should look for a coconut oil that is unrefined, 100% coconut oil, and preferably organic. Remember this stuff will be entering your pores and hydrating your skin-- this is a time to splurge a little! Get the good stuff!

Your face will smell like vacation.

What You Need:

• Coconut oil (organic is best) 
• I use these brands: Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• A warm, wet washcloth-- I use 100% 
• Organic Cotton Wipes Technically, they are baby wipes. I know. I know. But they are a nice size and softer than a wash cloth.
• Essential oils optional 

Step 1: gently massage the coconut oil to your face (~30 secs)

Step 2: apply warm towel onto your face (to open up the pores)

Step 3: wait 15-30 seconds or so and then lightly remove oil with washcloth-- no scrubbing!

Step 4: if you feel like you need it, splash some warm water to remove excess oil, but your skin should absorb most of it. 

Done! See-- not so hard, right?

The warm cloth will open up your pores and allow the coconut oil to go inside and push out all that dirt and yuck that's inside.

Overtime, coconut oil is supposed to help even skin tone and reduce the size of your pours. You can also use this in the shower, but I don't recommend washing it off right away. Let your skin absorb it for a few minutes before you try to remove any excess oil.

You can also add other oils into the coconut oil for additional benefits. I've seen multiple websites that recommends mixing the coconut oil with carrier oils, especially castor oil at a 1:1 ratio.

You can use carrier oils such as....

• Almond oil or Grapeseed oil for oily skin
• Sunflower oil or Aragan oil for regular skin
• Avocado oil or Apricot oil for dry skin
• Jojoba oil for all skin types, but especially acne prone skin
• Castor oil for all skin types (but is more likely to cause drying and sensitivity than other oils)

Don't be afraid to experiment!

Essential oils

You can add essential oils to your coconut oil to get added skin benefits. Just make sure to dilute them. You can use as little as 1 drop per tablespoon of coconut oil, but I like mine stronger by using 1-3 drops per teaspoon of coconut oil.

I recommend using therapeutic grade essential oils because other essential oils are more likely to cause a reaction because they are not meant to be applied directly to the skin. Did you know that only 10% of an essential oil actually needs to be 100% plant matter to have "pure" on the label! Blasphemy!

If you want to learn more about essential oils, you can check out this post about essential oils.

Trouble Shooting
There have been reports of increases acne with the use of coconut oil in some people. Other people have great results, so you'll have to see how your skin reacts to the coconut oil. If you do notice that you start to break out, then I've read that people will often replace the coconut oil with jojoba oil or mix it with castor oil which greatly improves the symptoms.

Storage

I recommend putting a little coconut oil in a container with a lid so you can freely dip your fingers or put a cotton ball into it.

It can be stored at room temperature. It does NOT need to be refrigerated. It will last years at room temperature, but since you will be introducing objects or fingers into the coconut oil, I recommend that you use your best judgement. Even though coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties remember that your fingers harbor bacteria so you probably don't want much more than a few weeks supply in your storage container at at time. Sorry, I'm a total germaphobe.

You should not store coconut oil in anything that doesn't have a lid that easily comes off or that you can  not stick your fingers into because it can be a liquid or a solid or something in between. Coconut oil has a melting point (anytime the temperature is above 75 degrees) so the consistency will change throughout the year. It's summer and I have seen it as both a liquid and a gel consistency, but I know from using coconut oil that it can become solid when it's colder. However, it easily melts when it comes in contact with heat (like your hands).

The Dirty Truth is...
I know that this isn't for everybody, but a lot of people really love cleansing with coconut oil and they have seen tremendous results. But it can cause comedogenic acne in quite a few people (which are tiny clusters of small, hard pimples) and if that happens you should change what you're doing! You can keep cleansing with oils, but you should either change oils or blend the oil with another carrier oil. Some other people have a tremendous about of acne with OCM and that doesn't mean that OCM isn't for you- it means you have to experiment more with different kinds of oils and ratios

HAVING TROUBLE WITH OCM?!  READ THIS: Blending Oils and Troubleshooting OCM. 

If you'd like to join my Natural Living Support Group on Facebook please fill out this form or you can read DIY Beauty Basics 101

I can NOT give personal recommendations or treatments because I am not a medical doctor. THANK YOU!!***

Just keep in mind that most people who try OCM can get great results, but they may need a little trial and error to find their perfect formula. Below this post there are some great comments from many of my awesome readers who shared their experience with OCM-- I really recommend browsing through them to get an idea of what kind of results you can expect. Please leave a comment or email me if you have a question, but please-- do not ask me for a blend specific to your skin type, you know your skin better than I do-- listen to it and it will tell you what it wants!

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DIY Avocado, Honey and Coconut Oil Facial Mask for Dry Skin

Okay, okay. I know this is shocking, but I got tired of looking for a recipe for a face mask so I just made one up. So unlike me, right?

This recipe was inspired by my love of avocado and honey and the fact that I believe that if you won't eat it-- then don't put it on your body. I seriously need to make a chocolate body wrap.... Mmm... chocolate...

Simple Facial Moisturizer with Aloe for Dry, Sensitive Skin

I thought there was a magic age where your skin suddenly started to behave. Maybe it would be 30?! Haha, nope, says the mighty facial bacteria. Apparently there is no age where you suddenly become beautiful. And if there was a magic age, then I'm almost positive that I would have already passed it. {insert really sad face here}

On my 30th birthday I was tragically disappointed with my skin. It was dry, super sensitive, bumpy, just red and puffy. On my birthday, I knew I had to do something different-- I was going to go green! 

Trust me, I had tried everything and at all price points but most things made my skin worse. I used to wear expensive makeup because my skin was bad! And God help me if I used a face scrub because I'd look like Sebastian from the Little Mermaid.

Eventually I gave up because spending a lot of money is stupid. My facial routine was clean with water and pray. Pray a lot. My skin actually improved a little by doing nothing which let me to think that maybe all the chemicals were causing my face to freak out.

Ahhh.. so what can I do?!!

I found out that if I avoid dairy products the redness seems to be a little better, but I decided that I can do more! When I switched to more natural DIY household products (like laundry detergent) I noticed that my skin was happier and my allergies improved. So, maybe a natural DIY moisturizer would make my face happier, too. Makes sense right?

I did a lot of online research. A LOT of research.

I didn't want to make my face look worse so I wanted to be very particular about what I used. I decided to make a product with Aloe Vera, Almond oil, Jojoba oil, and vegetable glycerin. Why? Well, let me tell you!