Tired of talking about natural products? Then why don’t you make one yourself? This way, you will

know exactly what goes into the jar. You will know why it works; and if it doesn’t, you can learn
from this experience and improve your formulation. Hundreds of brands, big and small, were
conceived in a kitchen, and the best thing is you don’t need a gift for cosmetic chemistry or a
professional degree to whip up a simple cucumber and clay mask. Once you come to grips with this
simple process, you will realize that your homemade cosmetic products are more effective and
pleasant to use than commercially available masks sold in pretty tubes and jars. Here are some other
benefits of making your own skin care:

1. Big savings.You will be able to save up to 80 percent on an advanced antiaging cream if you
   boost your existing moisturizer with active ingredients that are sold separately. Most scrubs and
   masks cost pennies when made at home.


2. Better value. To put it simply, you are getting the biggest bang for your buck. You are not
   spending 95 percent of your money on the packaging, labeling, and advertising—so you can get a
   much better product for a lower cost.


3. Unique combinations.You can try combinations that are impossible to find on the shelves.
   Brands are tied to specific active ingredients (Crème de la Mer uses fermented sea kelp, while
   RéVive is famous for the use of epidermal growth factor), so it is impossible to find products
   that have active ingredients marketed by two competing brands, but you can mix them at home
   very easily.


4. Custom-tailored strength. You can adjust the concentration of an active ingredient based on
   the condition of your skin. By making your own cosmetics, you can be sure that the blend works
   for you and was not designed to suit a large number of people. If you need a little less of an
   ingredient, you can more easily adjust the formulation. There is no need to compromise.


5. Freshness.You can eschew paraben and formaldehyde preservatives by making a fresh batch
   of a skin cream or a cleanser at home every month.


6. Simplicity. You can save yourself some time and hassle by buying organic base creams and
   lotions that already contain all the inactive ingredients mixed up in perfect proportions. Some
   cosmetic products can be whipped up from scratch, but good lotions and shampoos are more
   complicated to make at home.


7. Advanced formulas. By trying new active ingredients, you can enjoy the scientific findings
   sooner than people who use ready-made products. Conventional beauty lines need two years to
   introduce new ingredients to the market due to the expense and time to develop new packaging
   and labels.

EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS

So how do you get started? First, you need to stock up on the essential tools. To prepare a simple
mask, all you need is a stick blender and a glass beaker. To prepare facial oil, you will need more
tools, including droppers, beakers, and spatulas. Here’s what I use:

• Marble pestle and mortar (I’ve found that those made of china aren’t sturdy enough if I need to
  smash granules of brown sugar or sea salt for face and body scrubs)


• Enameled simmering pan (for melting waxes and butters)