The natural skincare industry is growing, with many people choosing natural ingredients over chemicals when it comes to skin and haircare. At Cecily we use only the best ESPA skincare products or our own blend of skincare, but did you know that most of what goes into these products is entirely natural.
We’ve picked some of the most commonly found ingredients, looking at their properties and how you can use them in your skincare routine.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is the gel extracted from aloe plants. It’s known for its calming, soothing properties. It’s great for sensitive skin, and very moisturizing. If you have an aloe plant, you can harvest the gel yourself, or you can buy it online.
Here’s what you can do with aloe vera:
- Treat acne by mixing with lavender oil and tea tree oil
- Soothe sunburn
- Clear up rashes
- Combine with coconut oil and honey to create a super-nourishing hair mask
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a great multi-purpose ingredient. It’s cheap and can be used as a base for other ingredients. Even in its raw form, it’s a great moisturizer.
With coconut oil, you can:
- Use as a moisturizer for dry skin patches, like elbows
- Use as a gentle make-up remover
- Combine with brown sugar to create a moisturizing body scrub
- Mix with essential oils to use in massage
Lavender Oil
With its relaxing scent, lavender oil works really well in a diffuser to create a calm environment and to aid sleep. You can use it in skincare for a variety of purposes, but it needs to be used sparingly.
Here’s what you can make with lavender oil:
- Mix with aloe vera and tea tree oil to create a spot treatment
- Combine with a base oil, like grapeseed oil, and use in a roller to roll on pulse points to relax
- Add a drop to your regular moisturizer to help calm the skin
- Mix with coconut oil to create a relaxing body moisturizer
Oats
The cheapest ingredient on this list, oats are great for relaxing and calming the skin.
Here are just some of the things you can do with oats:
- Pour a handful of oats into an old, clean sock and place in the bath to calm rashes or irritation
- Mix with honey and natural yogurt for a calming face mask
- Use as a gentle exfoliator before shaving
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil works very well as an antiseptic for problem skin. You must use it sparingly to avoid irritating your skin.
Here are a few things you can do with tea tree:
- Mix with aloe vera and dab onto spots to help them heal quickly
- Pour a few drops into a bowl of warm water for an antiseptic foot bath
- Mix with coconut oil and lavender oil to create a calm lotion to treat eczema
If you want to dabble in creating your own skin care, these are great ones to start with, but there are so many natural ingredients out there – with endless combinations!
