i’m sharing these potions now for folx stuck at home and looking for cheap easy clean skincare options, along with recipes for a face scrub, natural deodorant, and antimicrobial soap. if you’re looking for more herbal recipes like this, check out the creative coven community and sign up for my weekly newsletter.

did you know that a lot of the conventional “moisturizing lotions” on the market are full of toxins and actually dry out your skin? parabens, fragrances, dyes, weird chemical preservatives… no thanks.

simple oils can be really great alternatives, and the good news is that regardless of how sensitive your skin might be, there’s probably a carrier oil that will work for you. my personal favourite for body massage oils is apricot kernel oil, which is a bit lighter than olive oil and absorbs into the skin quicker. sweet almond oil and sesame also work well as carriers. jojoba is the closest oil to what our skin naturally creates, which is why i use it to moisturize my face in the warmer months, and once dry winter kicks into gear, i shift to thick olive oils blended with butters and some beeswax to thicken them up. coconut oil is moisturizing but does change form depending on temperature, so it’s best kept in a jar rather than a bottle.

this recipe is extremely customizable, and if you really want to up the nourishing factor, try infusing your carrier oil first with skin-loving plants like yarrow, calendula, rose, and lavender.

ingredients:

8 oz carrier oil
75ish drops of essential oils (adjust to personal preference and need - mix things up based on what your desires and uses are!)
1/2 tsp vitamin e oil

mix it all up in a glass bottle and store away from direct sunlight. i keep my jar on a shelf in my bathroom and use it after i get out of the shower. lavender is especially nice after a bath or shaving my legs (which happens about 3 times a year).

making: diy herbal massage oil