Natural Beauty; Hand Made Spring/Summer Face Oil

I have a dream in mind for my perfect bathroom. It includes an oversized roll-top bathtub with brass claw feet. It has a black and white chequered floor and a large window with soft, silk voiles. Upon my tiles stand an antique dresser with glass pane doors and inside bundles of fluffy towels and apothecary jars & bottles full of hand made bath and beauty products. I may not have the bathroom dream quite yet, but the hand made products I am well on my way with! I like to keep things simple and I value knowing exactly what is in my products, I adore the scents and textures and of course with my love of rituals, I enjoy them for the making process itself as well as really being able to indulge in using them.

You're probably familiar with the idea of skincare or beauty routines taking on a pampering, self care quality or being performed as a ritual in themselves. When viewed like this, removing the day's makeup isn't a chore, it's an opportunity to care for yourself or a moment to check in. There's something about making and then using your own products that feels incredibly special and reminds yourself just how special you are.

I think face oils are a really wonderful place to start making you're own products, they're easy, they smell amazing and they feel luxurious. They've been used and referenced throughout history from ancient Egypt to Greek Godesses so when using yours, know that you're in good company. They work by adding a protective barrier to your skin which helps you retain you own natural hydration rather than adding moisture to the surface and they make the perfect product around which to build your own bedtime or evening ritual.

For this face oil, i've chosen organic rosehip oil which is high in vitamins A & C and has a reparative quality for the always exposed skin of the face. Sweet almond oil which is not too heavy for Spring/Summer time and is wonderfully soothing with Vitamin E. And to complete the base, avocado oil which is nourishing if your skin is a little dry. My essential oils are rose geranium which which is sweet & floral in scent and balancing for the skin. Lavender which is antibacterial, gentle and soothing. And it's all completed with sweet & aromatic ylang ylang which helps with wrinkles and is wonderful for a Spring/Summer skin glow.

What you'll need:

50ml amber glass dropper jar

glass measuring cylinder or jug

30ml organic rosehip oil

15ml sweet almond oil

5ml avocado oil

4 drops geranium essential oil

3 drops ylang ylang essential oil

3 drops of lavender essential oil

Put It Together:

The directions here are pretty simple, measure out your base oils and pour into an amber or other dark coloured glass bottle, add your drops of essential oils and shake the bottle gently to mix. There are a couple of important things to note though;

Essential oils, especially when being used on the face need to be diluted correctly. If you're making a volume different to my measurements then you can use the following as a guide; As a general rule, I work on a 1% dilution for my own skincare so for my 50 ml bottle, I need 0.5ml of essential oil. Unless you're in a lab, it's unlikely you'll have something to measure that precisely, but 1 ml contains about 20 drops (when using an essential oil with a dropper).
The amber or dark coloured glass is important for storing your face oil in, as light can degenerate the quality of essential oils and plastic containers can deteriorate too.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on any mediation, check the suitability of use of essential oils first.

Make It Special:

I believe the difference between ritual and routine is intention and awareness. You can bring some ritual magic to your beauty routine simply by shifting the intentions - instead of needing to moisturise before bed, take 5 minutes to create some space and dedicated time for your self, oils throughout history have been used to annoint and you can do the same for yourself here.

You can make a herbal tea, light a candle, put on a play list or a pair of pajamas that feel just lovely to you. - absolutely anything that resonates with you works here, the important thing is to pay attention and have intention. Take the time to warm your oil in your hands noticing the texture and colour. Take a moment to inhale the aromas from your essential oils as you bring your hands closer to your face. This can be a moment to give yourself a little massage and nurturing whilst you acknowledge your day and anything that you have encountered in it.

If it feels a little strange to be paying that much attention to yourself or a moment, know that that's ok. It takes time to cultivate your own rituals and time to discover what you like and what you don't. You can't get it wrong, so take what works for you and leave the rest.