Does DIY same money? Do they work?
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:45 pm

Am I alone? Several months ago I got on a kick to try making some of my own products. I purchased several oils, Oat Beta Glucan, Sea Kelp Bio, Pearl Powder. Of course I purchased large sizes of several of the above. I tend to do things big. Rolling Eyes

I have turned in my DIY apron. DIY has been a disaster for me. I find that it cost me more money to make most products then to purchase them. My brews do not come out very well and tend to do nothing for my skin.

It was fun messing around. For now I will leave skin care formulation to the experts.

free skin care · Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:52 pm

Hi Winnie,

DIY is definitely not for everyone! Laughing

Years ago, when I first got into aromatherapy, I made my own stuff ... sometimes with disasterous results. Confused

However, that was before I realized a few truths about my own skin. Laughing

Once I understood what my skin would and wouldn't tolerate, and I began to concentrate on some simple things that would/could help, the results were much better.

Unfortunately there's always a new ingredient that everyone raves about ... and one just has to have it!

The only reason I still pursue DIY is because my skin just doesn't like most commercial creams & lotions ... so for me, it's out of desperation. Laughing

I still find that for my skin ... simple is best. But that's just me ... and my skin.

Does it save money? Don't know ... because I'm always buying things to play with! Laughing

For me, however, DIY stuff really does help my skin. Very Happy

Who knows ... you may find yourself dabbling again some day ... Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:07 pm

Hi, Winnie!
DIY is just too much work for me, but every once in a while, I find something that saves me so much money it's worth it! For instance, I bought powdered hyaluronic acid, and I mix it with distilled water to make a week's worth at a time. I mix a fresh batch weekly, so I don't have to worry about adding preservatives. I bought a container of powdered HA for about $55, have been using it for about about a year now, and have barely made a dent in the container.

I was not really into making custom oil blends until I found this forum, but this is something I actually enjoy doing. I don't think I'm saving any money.

I really admire folks who invest the time and energy in DIY, but it's not for me. Like hpjrt, my skin seems to do best when I keep it simple. CP serum, HA, and emu oil are my staples. HA is the only one of these that I can mix myself.

free skin care · Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:23 pm

The only DIY I do is mask. I'm making White Mums / White Daisy mask lately.

free skin care · Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:14 am

Hi Winnie!

I think that DIY can work for everyone. I know at the beginning it's frustrating because everything seems hard (i had so many problems measuring and doing percentages!).

I botched a couple of recipes that used relatively expensive ingredients, and was ready to give it up but i found so much help on the GoW forum--Jen, Li and Markey were always at hand to answer my questions. Just last night, i had the darnest problem dissolving xanthan gum and i posted a message and Jen answered in like 5 minutes. It was amazing. So voila, i made my first cleanser that actually feels like a real cleanser (in a good way) and costs so little. cleanser is actually one of the easiest things to make and companies charge so much for it sometimes!

I always find great uses for ingredients that i have too much of. I have added castor oil into my parents's shampoos to help with hair growth as well as oat beta glucans and seamollient and seakelp bio.

I find it a lot of fun and i think if you stick with it and find the right guidance, you'll love creating your own skin products. it's also important to find ingredients/recipes that work for your skin. I know i get hyped up over a certain ingredient or recipe and am disappointed when it doesn't work for me.

not that i don't indulge myself in a few ready made products too--I just placed a huge order with Osea Wink

.

Hope you don't give up the apron entirely,

Kristen~

free skin care · Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:41 am

Thanks Kristen (my DD's name Smile

)for your response. Sounds like you are really excited by your creations. I do add SKP to my shampoo and use it with my exfoliant. If I ever want to get more creative I just might see you at a GOW. Wink

Winnie

free skin care · Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:54 am

Winnie - you're definitely not alone! Me too!

Although I do occasionally add the odd ingredient to ready made stuff.

free skin care · Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:21 am

majorb wrote:

Winnie - you're definitely not alone! Me too!

Although I do occasionally add the odd ingredient to ready made stuff.

Thanks majorb ... I was beginning to wonder about my creative abilities. Laughing

free skin care · Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:59 am

I haven't done any DIY yet. But if I do, I will simply add some actives,for example Idebenone to a regualr already made cream, that way I wouldn't have to shell out big bucks to buy Prevage in order to get the same actives, and at the same time is not too challenge for me to do either.

free skin care · Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:26 am

You're welcome Winnie!

free skin care · Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:36 pm

I hope I can make my own lip balm. Embarassed

free skin care · Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:00 pm

I love making my own formulas, although it has been trial and error I am making everything from conditioner, to moisturizers, vit C serum, Matrixyl and Dmae, the only thing I haven't been able to do is make a cleanser that isn;t runny or is able to take off my mascara in one clean sweep Crying or Very sad

It is great fun though, I get filthy dirty all week due to my job (6-7 days a week) and every week or two I set aside a Sunday and make all sorts of moisturizers and things it is so much fun, but I must admit I am having to give some away at the moment because I always make too much. I think once something turns out the way you want it to and works for your skin then you will be hooked. My skin has improved a great deal and I agree with keeping it simple.

free skin care · Sun Jul 22, 2007 7:10 pm

I have tried to make a few things and find I love so many of the professionally made products.
I am using my Vit C mix now,but that is only because of short funds.
It sounds like I might be able to make HA.
Now,I am craving GHK. Rolling Eyes

Linda

free skin care · Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:04 pm

I think miy saves money after the first flush of buying everything in sight.

I mix my own vitamin C serum (ascorbic acid + water) and make my own mmu. Over the long haul, that will save me a bundle.

There are tradeoffs - I have yet to see a home mixed cream with actives in it that doesn't smell bad or feel crummy on my skin. I mean crumby - everything rolls off, even though I follow directions.

free skin care · Thu Jul 26, 2007 2:22 pm

chinachatters wrote:

I think miy saves money after the first flush of buying everything in sight.

I mix my own vitamin C serum (ascorbic acid + water) and make my own mmu. Over the long haul, that will save me a bundle.

There are tradeoffs - I have yet to see a home mixed cream with actives in it that doesn't smell bad or feel crummy on my skin. I mean crumby - everything rolls off, even though I follow directions.

One question about my concern, can you finish all these products before their expiration date or you just throw some them away?

free skin care · Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:47 pm

[quote="blaziamm"][quote="chinachatters"]

One question about my concern, can you finish all these products before their expiration date or you just throw some them away?[/quote]

I don't know the answer to that because I tossed what I didn't use in my recipes.

The things I continue to use are proven to work: ascorbic acid, tocopherols, Retin-A. I replace them when I run out.

I save a mint on mineral makeup. My initial kit was about $50 and it's kept me going for nearly two years. I just mixed up another six months' supply of foundation and blush the other day. I have plenty of ingredients to make another couple of years worth.

free skin care · Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:28 pm

I used to DIY loooong ago (before I found EDS) and I gave it up after a year as it cost more than just buying what I needed. Everything was expensive and of course you have to use them up fairly promptly.. unless you are making for your entire circle of friends then I dont think it is worth it.

I do sometimes still make masks or hair packs or face scrubs - but just using things I would normally have on hand or that I can use up in other ways.

free skin care · Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:07 pm

I don't DIY to save money. In fact, it costs in time and money. I do it to guarantee the % of actives is really in the product and to guarantee the purity of the product. There are products I love and purchase and integrate into my routine. My DIY creams are just one more weapon in the arsenal.

free skin care · Fri Jul 27, 2007 3:22 pm

I was into the DIY stuff for a while, but I truly believe it does cost more money, especially when you just have to have the newest, greatest ingredient to add! Laughing

I wasted so much expensive ingredients due to botched recipes. I definitely find it cheaper for me to buy things already made! I also think DIY is very time consuming. I guess like everything else it is great for some, and not great for others!

free skin care · Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:50 am

I used to make my own HA serum and use that as a base to make DMAE serum and Vit. C serum. I always made very small batches and kept them in the fridge, so I never had to add any preservatives.
I think they all worked OK (for about a year), but I gave them all up when my face exploded in cystic acne last January (which, I think, had nothing to do with any of the serums I was using).
I am thinking about going back to my DIY Vit. C as I think that it was quite decent.
But this is where my DIY abilities stop. Anything with more than 2 ingredients is way too complicated for me Very Happy

.

free skin care · Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:38 pm

[quote="chinachatters"]

blaziamm wrote:

chinachatters wrote:

One question about my concern, can you finish all these products before their expiration date or you just throw some them away?

I don't know the answer to that because I tossed what I didn't use in my recipes.

The things I continue to use are proven to work: ascorbic acid, tocopherols, Retin-A. I replace them when I run out.

I save a mint on mineral makeup. My initial kit was about $50 and it's kept me going for nearly two years. I just mixed up another six months' supply of foundation and blush the other day. I have plenty of ingredients to make another couple of years worth.

I also used Retino-A, and it was prescription from the university hospital to cure my acne.

free skin care · Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:29 pm

Oh - right - my Retin_A and Renova (I have and use both) are prescriptions.

I've been thinking about the original question - does miy save money. I think it does because once you start reading in the miy forums, your attitude changes. AT least mine changed dramatically about a whole slew of products and services I had been buying. I buy next to nothing now and I don't look any worse for it.

free skin care · Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:07 pm

I've started my first DIY product by going for the easiest recipe - carekate's ACV toner! it's basically just add ACV + freshly brewed green tea + essential oil. my skin loves it and it's very economical!! Smile

free skin care · Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:59 am

There is an intermediate DIY angle that can definitely save money: purchasing from home-based business after knowing what actives on is interested in. Even if not, they often sell decent sized samples for multiple use. Regardless, lots of good and affordable things can be bought from them.

free skin care · Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:25 pm

The rest of the question was do miy potions work?

That answer is yes if they're fomulated correctly - they work as well as commercial products made with the same or comparable ingredients. The trick there is that not all ingredients deliver on their folklore and advertising promises.

Skincare is expensive and time-consuming. Nobody ever said it was free or cheap. The great thing about making your own or buying from a small boutique formulator is that you have choices about ingredients. Making your own also insures that you have fresh products.

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