Do you DIY?
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:21 am

I just thought it would be interesting to get a picture as to how often (if ever) people "create" their own skin care from home.

It could literally be anything:

- Steam with essential oils
- Home remedies
- Natural lotions
- Body scrubs
- etc. etc.

Personally I combine products with some remedies I make from home. I just wanted to see what the majority of people do as far as DIY skin care.

Just use the poll to submit your answer.

free skin care · Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:14 pm

So far today I've used 5 DIY creations; an epsom salt scrub on my body, OCM on my face & neck, a toner, a moisturizer, and a serum. Tonight I'll add some more to that list.

free skin care · Tue Jul 09, 2013 2:04 pm

I use oils I mix for OCM but that's the extent at the moment. I used to make a recipe for C-serum - actually my favorite was posted by Fawnie on another skincare forum, but I'm into other things at the moment (copper peptides).

I also made my own version of LUSH mint cacao lip scrub - rocks!!!
So my DIY varies from none to a few times a week.

free skin care · Tue Jul 09, 2013 10:50 pm

I play *kitchen magician* once a month at most.

- Antioxidant lotions & creams which I use head to toe

- Antioxidant Serum for the days I want something light

- Masks (assorted, depending on my mood)

- Vitamin/Mineral water based gels for use with an occasional gadget treatment

- Solid (decorative) body butters (great for gift giving too!)

Bottom line for me on the subject of DIY, it's absolutely the very best thing anybody can do for their skin. It's beyond effective, totally affordable, and best of all, you are in total control of it all. My skin is rocking, head to toe, with a healthy glow that I didn't have even 10 years ago.

And the BEST part about being an avid DIY'er... You'll have no need to follow the pack, or shell out hundreds (or thousands) of $$$'s, on jars and bottles filled with little more than empty promises.

You've got the power Very Happy

Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:06 am

Chlorophyll wrote:

So far today I've used 5 DIY creations; an epsom salt scrub on my body, OCM on my face & neck, a toner, a moisturizer, and a serum. Tonight I'll add some more to that list.

Wow so I'm presuming you only use DIY treatment then?

Is this something you have always done or just recently?

Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:07 am

sister sweets wrote:

I use oils I mix for OCM but that's the extent at the moment. I used to make a recipe for C-serum - actually my favorite was posted by Fawnie on another skincare forum, but I'm into other things at the moment (copper peptides).

I also made my own version of LUSH mint cacao lip scrub - rocks!!!
So my DIY varies from none to a few times a week.

I'd be mega interested in trying out the lip scrub you made. Was it easy and do you have a recipe?

Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:10 am

Kassy_A wrote:

And the BEST part about being an avid DIY'er... You'll have no need to follow the pack, or shell out hundreds (or thousands) of $$$'s, on jars and bottles filled with little more than empty promises.

You've got the power Very Happy

That's exactly my mindset. I'm not a 100% complete DIYer, but it certainly makes up the majority of my skin care routine.

Since I started down this path, I've seen nothing but positive results.

Thanks for sharing that Kassy Smile

Wed Jul 10, 2013 2:11 am

So far it's about a 50/50 split for those who DIY and those who don't.

Pretty interesting findings because if you went back 10 years ago, I doubt there would be that many people making their own skin care products.

free skin care · Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:21 pm

projectbeauty wrote:

Chlorophyll wrote:

So far today I've used 5 DIY creations; an epsom salt scrub on my body, OCM on my face & neck, a toner, a moisturizer, and a serum. Tonight I'll add some more to that list.

Wow so I'm presuming you only use DIY treatment then?

Is this something you have always done or just recently?

I've been DIYing for 5-6ish years. I'll use commercial products every now and then, but the ones that work well are far too expensive compared to DIY.

I'll never understand why people are so fascinated with brands like Burt's Bees and LUSH. Borax and beeswax emulsions? All oil serums? Meltable blocks that are mostly cocoa butter? Just read the ingredient list and make that stuff yourself! It's so much cheaper and you know exactly how much of what goes in!

free skin care · Wed Jul 10, 2013 1:15 pm

Yeah, I agree with Chlorophyll. Although if you're time crunched some of the pre-made alternatives may be more appealing.

My stock moisturizer for years has been 50/50 hyaluronic acid & emu oil emulsion mixed in my palm. Works like a charm, not too greasy but just enough moisture. Plus you can adjust for environmental conditions (less humidity = more emu, etc.). Sometimes I'll take a little dab of R-alpha lipoic acid powder and dissolve it into the HA before adding emu. I don't know if the ALA actually penetrates my skin when doing this, but it seems to. And I like it.

I do other things like C and water serum. I've also done some liposomal vitamin C serum that I really liked how it brightened my skin, but after a few days it builds up in your pores and you start smelling like a fish (probably from the choline in the lecithin base). So, sadly, no more DIY liposomal preparations.

By and large, nothing fancy. I believe in KISS. Very Happy

Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:27 am

Yubs wrote:

I do other things like C and water serum. I've also done some liposomal vitamin C serum that I really liked how it brightened my skin, but after a few days it builds up in your pores and you start smelling like a fish (probably from the choline in the lecithin base). So, sadly, no more DIY liposomal preparations.

By and large, nothing fancy. I believe in KISS. Very Happy

Wow I can't believe it started smelling like fish. I can't say I have come across that before. I wonder what caused that to happen?

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:55 am

There are so many good products in the world, why do you DIY? May be simple and safe, but may not be effective.

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:04 am

projectbeauty wrote:

Yubs wrote:

I do other things like C and water serum. I've also done some liposomal vitamin C serum that I really liked how it brightened my skin, but after a few days it builds up in your pores and you start smelling like a fish (probably from the choline in the lecithin base). So, sadly, no more DIY liposomal preparations.

By and large, nothing fancy. I believe in KISS. Very Happy

Wow I can't believe it started smelling like fish. I can't say I have come across that before. I wonder what caused that to happen?

Again...probably from the choline in the lecithin base. I used lecithin granules dissolved in water for the base, and then used an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner to mix that with l-ascorbic acid into liposomal solution (ultrasound waves vibrate the l-ascorbic into lecithin-based liposomes). The recipe is actually for cancer patients to cheaply high-dose themselves (like, 8000mg/day) on a very bio-available form of vitamin C (i.e., liposomal C, which is really expensive if you buy it already prepped).

Liposomes are also a good delivery method for topical preparations as they can effectively penetrate the skin. So I did this recipe and used it as a topical solution.

Lecithin is very high in choline, which is also one of the components that make fish so good for you. Hence the fishy smell over time. I think it just built up in my pores. It didn't happen right away, but after a couple of days I was like "What's that smell?" Think

Then I realized it was coming from *me*. Yikes! Shock

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 4:09 pm

luyan wrote:

There are so many good products in the world, why do you DIY? May be simple and safe, but may not be effective.

I can't speak for anybody else, but I do it because it is more effective, cheaper and fun. You have total control over the preservatives, extracts, % of ingredients, etc. Why would DIY be less effective? There are aa serums with a ph above 5 on the market! When you make most of your products yourself, you get quality control.

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 4:40 pm

Chlorophyll wrote:

luyan wrote:

There are so many good products in the world, why do you DIY? May be simple and safe, but may not be effective.

I can't speak for anybody else, but I do it because it is more effective, cheaper and fun. You have total control over the preservatives, extracts, % of ingredients, etc. Why would DIY be less effective? There are aa serums with a ph above 5 on the market! When you make most of your products yourself, you get quality control.

You are exactly right Chlorophyll! But I want to make a point about vitamin C serums (I assume 'aa' means ascorbic acid): Some forms of ascorbic acid can tolerate pH above 5, such as AA2G, ascorbyl lactoside and MAP. Or maybe thats what you meant too: that we dont have to settle for the irritating low-pH C serums if we DIY.

Part of the cache of dpt store brands is the preeeeetty packing tho:

$1 worth of ingredients in a $699 jar! Laughing

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:36 pm

$699? Seriously?

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:10 pm

I was talking about l-ascorbic acid specifically. 5 is too high of a ph for all of it to penetrate. Sometimes cosmetic chemists even....

TEH JARZ IS SO BEAUTIFULS!!!!!!

I firmly believe pretty packaging is the main cause of mark up. ^_^

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:23 pm

projectbeauty wrote:

sister sweets wrote:

I use oils I mix for OCM but that's the extent at the moment. I used to make a recipe for C-serum - actually my favorite was posted by Fawnie on another skincare forum, but I'm into other things at the moment (copper peptides).

I also made my own version of LUSH mint cacao lip scrub - rocks!!!
So my DIY varies from none to a few times a week.

I'd be mega interested in trying out the lip scrub you made. Was it easy and do you have a recipe?

I do and I'll dig it out and post it on this thread. It's so easy and a dead ringer.

free skin care · Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:26 pm

Yubs wrote:

$699? Seriously?

Oh But look at that Jar

free skin care · Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:32 pm

The Dior L'or de Vie Extrait is $700/15ml bottle, so yeh. $1 worth of product in a $699 bottle. All it contains is 2 kinds of ectoin and some grape vine extract. And the usual suspects as far as emollients, emulsifiers, silicones, stabilizers, fillers and preservatives... They're glamouring ya!

And that is why I DIY.

free skin care · Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:06 pm

Chlorophyll wrote:

I was talking about l-ascorbic acid specifically. 5 is too high of a ph for all of it to penetrate. Sometimes cosmetic chemists even....

TEH JARZ IS SO BEAUTIFULS!!!!!!

free skin care · Fri Jul 12, 2013 11:39 pm

Since we're talking DIY -
Here is a helpful, short VISUAL for helping put together DIY C serum (a forum favorite). I've used this one!!!
It's always a plus to see it in action.
I first saw this on fawnie's thread on another forum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwnMxRL7J5w

free skin care · Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:51 pm

I only do lotion masks during the summer. Disinfection is my top concern as a neat freak Embarassed

free skin care · Sun Jul 14, 2013 10:29 am

Im a germaphobe too! My DIY conditions are a lot cleaner than any factory I daresay, since I know who is touching what.

free skin care · Sun Jul 14, 2013 3:08 pm

I love to have the best of both worlds. Hence, I do both: I DIY and I buy ready-made products some of which are very expensive.

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