A Guest Post by Judith of Juicy Green Mom

DIY beauty is becoming increasingly popular as people discover that conventional beauty products are full of chemicals and toxins. Making your own can be much more cost-effective, and you know exactly what the ingredients are! I like easy DIY beauty recipes where you just pour the ingredients into a bottle and shake - so here's an easy DIY face wash I'm using now.

DIY Face Wash

• ⅓ cup rose water
• ½ tsp sweet almond oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, or hemp seed oil
• ½ teaspoon vegetable glycerine
• 2.5 tablespoon liquid castile soap
• 5 drops of Lavender essential oil
• 5 drops of Roman Chamomile or Melrose essential oil (I use Melrose)
• 3 drops of Frankincense or Elemi essential oil (I use either, whichever I have on hand)

Mix all the ingredients together in a glass bottle (glass is the safest container for anything made with essential oils). Shake well. I re-use glass Pellegrino bottles, and often an old liquid soap pump will fit perfectly. Shake before using and either use 2-3 pumps, or a capful for each use.

Here's a breakdown of the ingredients:

Rose water has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, and can help maintain skin's pH balance. It is calming and soothing for irritations like acne and eczema, and can help hydrate and smooth out your skin. It's also great for revitalizing aging skin.

You may want to consider the comedogenic rating of the oil you use - this rating describes whether or not an oil will clog pores and cause acne. A rating of 0 means it will not clog pores, and a rating of 5 (highest) means it has a high chance of clogging pores. All the oils I've listed have a rating of 2 or lower. I personally use sweet almond oil or avocado oil, both of which have ratings of 2.

Vegetable glycerine is a great moisturizer for the skin, helps to retain moisture, and helps to remove clogged impurities.

Castile soap is a wonderful mild and gentle cleanser made from vegetable oils, and provides a lathering quality to this mix.

When using essential oils for skin care, it's important to use high quality oils that are intended for therapeutic use. Many store-shelf brands have lower price tags because the oils are low quality, and/or have been mixed with something else or are otherwise adulterated. If lower quality oils are used, they could have a detrimental effect on your skin, so make sure you are using a brand that you trust! This is why I chose the brand I use.

Lavender essential oil is wonderful for all skin types, is soothing and calming for skin irritations, and well known for being able to reduce scarring on skin and combat acne. Roman Chamomile is also soothing for all skin types, especially for irritated and dry skin conditions. Melrose is a blend of melaleuca, naouli, rosemary, and clove oils, and provides a protective barrier against skin challenges. Frankincense is a powerhouse for evening out skin tone and decreasing the appearance of pores. It also helps to reduce wrinkles, tighten skin and reduce scars. Elemi is known as the "poor man's frankincense", as it is in the same botanical family, and also works to support skin and reduce lines and wrinkles.

I love how frugal this DIY face wash is to make - and how well it's working for my skin! I follow it up with my easy DIY face toner.

I'd love to hear about how you are liking it once you try it out!

Judith is an eco-mom who blogs about green living on a sensible budget. For tips on healthy non-toxic living, recipes, DIYs and parenting adventures, visit juicygreenmom.ca.

Check out my blog: http://www.juicygreenmom.ca