*~~~~~~~DIY skincare recipe & discussion thread~~~~~~~~*
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Thu Aug 25, 2005 11:06 am

Thanks so much for the advice, Carekate. How do you know these things? Actually, the psoriasis stuff is not for me. It's for a friend of mine. I'll encourage him to try your recipe since neither traditional nor alternative medicine has helped him.

I only discovered this forum a couple of days ago and I've spent quite a bit of time reading the posts. You girls have given me some great ideas. - Thanks again

Thu Aug 25, 2005 4:26 pm

Quote:

Would any of you girls happen to know of some miraculous DIY potion to help eliminate the symptoms of psoriasis?

My friend has excema on her arms and legs so i made her a moisturiser using avocado oil and added some hemp seed oil and rose hip oil. She says that her excema has never been better.

Thu Sep 01, 2005 9:28 pm

Hey, well I just wanted to say that I had been using the honey and conditioner combo for a while now, and was just wondering is it bad if you use it like that together every day? Thats what I had been doing lately, but when I stopped using it I noticed my hair was frizzy etc and just not as nice. Is it getting damaged or weaker? Confused

Just wondered if anyone knew about it...cause I really like it together with my conditioner. Should I just use it every other day?
thanks
Cool

Any and all help is appreciated Smile

free skin care · Sat Sep 03, 2005 8:05 am

I don't post a lot ... but in reading through this thread in particular, I saw several people asking where they could get distilled water.

Well ... here's a tip I didn't see.

If you have a de-humidifier in your home ... the water that collects in the basin is distilled water. The dehumidifier "condenses" the water from the air ... distilling it.

I save a large bottle of this every once in a while to use in my iron [for when I actually iron clothes!] and to clean my coffee maker.

**********

Now for my question ... anyone have a recipe for a good face spritzer? I noticed that with one brand of mineral makeup there was the suggestion to spritz your made up face with a spritzer to "settle" the makeup and give it a bit of a "natural" look.

Thanks

Mary

free skin care · Sun Sep 04, 2005 5:59 pm

lilome wrote:

Would any of you girls happen to know of some miraculous DIY potion to help eliminate the symptoms of psoriasis?

It would be much appreciated - thanks

I use equal amounts jojoba and almond oil, 1 teaspoon each and add a couple drops of chamomile oil for my psoriasis (scalp). Volatile essential oils can be irritating and make the itching worse. This is definitely my case. Good luck! It's so hard to find moisturizing anti-itch treatments for psoriasis. These oils I use don't cure it by any stretch, but the mixture helps with water retention and most importantly, does not irritate but soothes!! Good luck!

free skin care · Sun Sep 04, 2005 6:01 pm

Also wanted add that I use only say a half a dozen drops before bed, not the whole recipe mentioned above. I massage it in and shampoo it out in the morning.

Mon Sep 05, 2005 7:29 pm

Hi there, just wondering if anyone knew where to buy L-scorbic acid crystals in Canada?
I have the 100% pure ascorbic acid ones but I guess those are different...
anyways if anyone knows where they bought theirs from in Canada if you could let me know that would be awesome!
thanks
~glittergal

Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:11 pm

Hi,

I brewed up some green tea last nite to make the ACV toner and i forgot about it and left the green tea brewing all nite. This morning i didnt have time to add the vinegar or vit C to it so i just used the tea on my face as a toner and it feels great, took heaps of redness out of my skin too. Going to try the full recipe tonight, cant wait!! Very Happy

free skin care · Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:26 pm

I have been using the Auro Eardrops for whitening my teeth, as carrie suggested. And I wanted to give you all an update. I went to Eckerd Drugs & bought one of those boil & bite customizable mouthguards & have been using the drops in the mouth piece for about 2 weeks (not every day - I'm bad at routines). But anyway, I started out at 30 minutes twice a day, but for the last week have been leaving it on for 60 minutes twice a day. That's what was suggested on some dental whitening websites I went to.
Anyway, it works wonders! My teeth look like I had them zoomed. And all it cost was around $20. My teeth were not sensitive or anything. I think that the mouthpiece really made a difference b/c it kept the gel in contact with my teeth the whole time, without being diluted by saliva or getting swallowed. Well, anyway, there's my little tip. Wink

free skin care · Fri Sep 09, 2005 1:36 am

lilome wrote:

Would any of you girls happen to know of some miraculous DIY potion to help eliminate the symptoms of psoriasis?

It would be much appreciated - thanks

It's very difficult to treat. My mothers psoriasis clears up when she is in the sun/sea salt water seems to work well - however I know some peoples psoriasis flares up in the sun.

Stress is also a factor for many people so I've often used frankencense, benzion ,lavender, jojoba.

Diet can help Omega oils/EPO

It's hard to treat and I prefer to do it case by case.

free skin care · Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:30 am

so, my facialist's suggestion (who's suggestions, opinions & handmade products i absolutely love, love, love) for spot treatment for blemishes and just-picked over blemishes is a bit of straight lavender + tea tree e.o. on a q-tip, held in place for a few seconds over each spot. it kills kills bacteria and has really helped to calm down my occationl spot.

free skin care · Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:09 pm

I use the homemade cleansing cream and the aspirin mask both which are awesome and in my budget....thank you all!

Sometimes when my skin is oilier than normal I use finely ground oatmeal(the real stuff, not Quick Oats)mixed with buttermilk to form a paste. I use this in lieu of soap, or other cleanser. Really helps keep the oil in check and leaves my skin so soft.

I also sometimes use straight coconut oil to remove makeup. I tried using olive oil but my skin reacted to it very negatively. GOt a rash, basically Sad

free skin care · Tue Sep 13, 2005 12:32 pm

I have been using the Cleansing Oil Method for about 3.5 weeks now ... and love it. Since I learned about it here ... I thank all of you who have used this method before me!

I've also been using a mineral makeup ... another thing I learned about on this site. Wow ... you guys are great!

I was interested in a lip stain ... one that would last but wouldn't dry out my lips [like those two part deals you buy in the stores.] I wanted the "look" of lipstick ... without all the hassle of lipstick.

So ... I made my own.

It was very simple to make ... far simpler than I imagined ... but I'll spare you the "experiments" that led up to the "final" recipe.

Lip Stain Recipe

Food colouring
xanthan gum
oil of choice

Method:

Put an amount of food colouring into a small container or dish.

Add a minute amount of xanthan gum and stir until it begins to set up. If it doesn't set up enough ... add a tiny bit more.

Add a drop or two [literally] of whatever oil you want for "moisture". I used jojoba oil.
***************

Now, I have xanthan gum in my cupboard ... and I use it to make things like gravy etc. [I avoid carbs and this is a great way to get gravy without using flour] ... but it's pretty expensive to purchase if you have no other reason to have it in the house. I think I paid about $11 for a smallish bag of it over a year ago ... and there's still tons left.

You really only use a "smidge" of this stuff ... and it sets up in either cold or hot liquids. I can't think of a way to substitute gelatin for the xanthan gum ... but you might be able to. What's more, the xanthan gum is a good emulsifier for mixing the oil into the "water". I don't know if gelatin would work in the same way.

My "lip stain" ended up being an "almost gel" consistency ... and it brushes on really easily without migrating into any fine lines around my lips.

I let this dry ... which takes a second or two ... and voila ... my lips are stained. If I want a more vibrant colour ... I just reapply it.

I can apply any sort of lip balm/cream over top of the stain ... without a problem ... and the colour really lasts well ... but it can be reapplied whenever you want for a more "vibrant" look ... and, once dry, it never comes off onto cups, glasses etc.

I hope this helps someone else!

Mary

Edit: I meant to add that once mixed I put it into a small lip balm pot.

free skin care · Tue Sep 13, 2005 1:16 pm

hpjrt wrote:

I was interested in a lip stain ... one that would last but wouldn't dry out my lips [like those two part deals you buy in the stores.] I wanted the "look" of lipstick ... without all the hassle of lipstick...My "lip stain" ended up being an "almost gel" consistency ... and it brushes on really easily without migrating into any fine lines around my lips.

Woo-hoo – I know what I’ll be trying to make this weekend!! Very Happy

My fave “store-bought” lip stains are the ones from Vincent Longo (Cheek & Lip Gel Stain), but as you can surmise by the number of recipes I’ve posted in this thread, there’s nothing I like more than making stuff myself at home!

On a practical note, where does one acquire Xanthum Gum? Is this something I’ll be likely to find at my local Whole Foods (health food) store, or am I going to need to order it from someplace online?

TIA!

glittergal wrote:

Hey, well I just wanted to say that I had been using the honey and conditioner combo for a while now, and was just wondering is it bad if you use it like that together every day? Thats what I had been doing lately, but when I stopped using it I noticed my hair was frizzy etc and just not as nice. Is it getting damaged or weaker? Confused

I still do the honey + conditioner every morning and haven’t experienced the results that you’ve described. There’s no way that the honey is causing your hair to be frizzy because honey is actually an humectant which helps draw and retain moisture. Frizzy hair is caused by *lack* of moisture. What I suspect what’s happening is that on the days you do not use the honey, your hair is simply reverting back to it’s “natural” state. What I mean is, before you started using the honey, your hair was probably always frizzy and “just not as nice,” but you didn’t notice or realize it before now simply because you didn’t know that your hair could be any other way. But now that you’ve experienced how much of a difference the honey+cond combo really improves the health and texture of your hair when you stop using it, you are now able to really tell what a difference it has made! Does that make any sense? Embarassed

hpjrt wrote:

Now for my question ... anyone have a recipe for a good face spritzer?

This is the only one that I remember being posted: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3594&highlight=facial+spritzer

free skin care · Tue Sep 13, 2005 1:29 pm

Hi Carekate,

Thanks for the spritzer recipe.

Xanthan gum is used by a lot of Diabetics and Celiacs [?sp?] ... or anyone on a gluten free or wheat free diet. I got mine at my local grocery store ... but I know that the local health food store carries it as well.

On the other hand ... I'm in Canada ... so I can't say for sure what U.S. stores would carry it.

I would first check with in the "specialty foods" area of your grocery store to see if you can find it there.

Just remember ... when I say a "smidge" I really mean a smidge. A few "grains" of this stuff is all it needs. It takes a few minutes for it to "set up" ... but once that happens, you can even add more liquid without losing a lot of the gelling.

It's a bit tricky to work with initially ... but basically you want to scatter the "bits" onto the surface of the liquid ... and then almost "whip" it to get it incorporated into the liquid.

I have one of those "mini mixers" used for cocktails ... got it at the $ store ... uses batteries ... and that mixed it up perfectly.

Good luck

Mary

free skin care · Wed Sep 14, 2005 3:55 am

pbsadhaka wrote:

I have been using the Auro Eardrops for whitening my teeth, as carrie suggested.

Now, if I only I could convince Darren to try the infamous HA/collagen pills....

Wink

Thu Sep 15, 2005 2:51 pm

carekate wrote:

There’s no way that the honey is causing your hair to be frizzy because honey is actually an humectant which helps draw and retain moisture. Frizzy hair is caused by *lack* of moisture.

Hi folks ! Thought I'd just jump in with my first post, hope that's ok.

I remember reading an article by a doctor that said humectants can be a disaster. Yes, they draw in moisture, but they're not fussy where they take it from. Apparently if the atmosphere is dry (less than 70% humidity), they'll draw moisture from your skin/hair.

But having dome a quick google on it, the story is confusing. Some sites confirm the above, others say humectants are really good things. Who to believe ?

Anyway, just thought I'd throw it into the discussion. Smile

free skin care · Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:20 pm

hi Charlie! Welcome...

That is interesting actually. I am in a very humid place, so for me it wouldn't matter, but that might explain the problem glittergal is having.

free skin care · Fri Sep 16, 2005 7:28 am

I made myself a toner of acv, green tea and a few aspirin ... but I detested the bits of aspirin that didn't dissolve ... and hated having to turn the cotton pad over to use the other side.

Then I had a duh! moment ... because in my cupboard, I have White Willow Bark! White Willow Bark is the natural form of aspirin ... the form from which science created ASA [aspirin]. I have it in the cupboard because I use it for the dogs whenever they have something painful.

I figured that if I made a strong tea with the White Willow Bark ... that would provide me with salic acid ... and it wouldn't be gritty.

So now my toner is equal parts green tea, white willow bark tea and acv.

I have no idea what concentration of salic acid I have ... although I used about 1/2 cup of the bark and just covered the bark with boiling water. I'm hoping that I have the equivalent of 2 or 3 aspirins.

It makes a pleasant toner ... with no bits. Laughing

If someone else wants to go this route, I purchase the bark at the local health food store ... and it's quite cheap.

Mary

free skin care · Fri Sep 16, 2005 8:57 am

Hmmmmm.....can you get white willow bark as a tincture? I have to investigate the next time I go to the health food store. I suppose it will be in glycerin or alcohol, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

free skin care · Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:11 am

Well, I've never seen it in a tincture form ... but I also never looked for it in that form either! Laughing

I know that you can get it in "capsule" form as an extract ... which would be better than a tincture I would think ... at least for the purposes of mixing it into a toner.

I've never looked for a straight extract either ... I generally just add the bark to the food of whichever dog needs it.

Certainly the bark form is the least expensive.

Mary

free skin care · Fri Sep 16, 2005 8:11 pm

Does anyone have recipes for homemade shower gel? I love aromatheraphy shower gels but find them really expensive and usually not very moisturising for the skin. I hv v dry skin largely due to spending alomst 24hrs a day in an air conditioned room. I tried adding my own EOs to a pharmacy shower gel eg Johnsons/Dove but find that my EOs cant mask their original smells.

free skin care · Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:48 am

just tried some of the circle buster....not sure if im doing it right but i simply mixed hot water with the gelatine n apply it to the eye contour area. The paste was not smooth, still dicey and it really stiffened after just 10mins, almost like glue, i couldnt even blink!!! I felt like my lashes got stuck to the paste if i blinked too much, in fact i lost a couple of them in the process!! Can someone tell me if im doing it right? I just rinsed off after. Altho it hardened into a film which felt like it could be peeled away..except might be really painful!!!

free skin care · Sun Sep 18, 2005 7:03 am

Hi Mojocat,

Are you sure that you used only 1 teaspoon of the gelatin to 1 tablespoon of boiling water?

I found that I did have to stir quite a while before all of the gelatin dissolved ... but then I expected to. I know when you make Jello you have to stir for quite a long time to ensure that all of the gelatin dissolves.

That said ... the resultant emulsion was quite smooth ... and I was able to apply it easily with a brush.

It did begin to stiffen within a very short time ... but it did take the full 30 minutes for it to completely cure.

Now ... I didn't just apply this to my eye area ... I also applied it to my upper and lower lip area ... the skin around the lips where I have fine lines/wrinkles. I reasoned that since Vitamin K is useful for fighting wrinkles ... it might help. Laughing

I don't know if the biotin will help or not ... but I figured it wouldn't hurt ... and I may just try peeling that section off rather than rinsing off. We'll see. Confused

At any rate ... try stirring for a little longer ... and check that your proportions are correct.

Good luck

Mary

free skin care · Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:57 pm

My proportions are definitely right, so im gonna try stirring longer to ensure the paste is smooth. i did notice a slight difference..ive done it 2 days back to back now, and am hoping the results will come through more evidently thru repeated application. However, hv to admit its really uncomfortable as the paste hardens, it glues my eye lids together. Also find it difficult to wash off. Take about 10-15 mins to completely remove it, inclusive of rubbing n picking the stubborn bits which i feel might hurt the delicate skin around the eyes. Is there an easier way to remove it? U think its ok to add a drop of EO to it? Not hot on the smell!!

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.