How to Make Your Own Beauty Products

Co-authored by Lorena Barcal

Last Updated: September 5, 2022 References Approved

Are you interested in making makeup, hair, and skincare products for yourself or to start your own line of beauty products? You don't need to have fancy or expensive ingredients to make beauty products on your own. In fact, you probably have most of the necessary ingredients in your home already! Making your own beauty products at home is as simple as gathering the materials and mixing them together. Doing so will save you money and keep you looking your best!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creating Skincare Products

1
Create a body wash using honey, coconut oil, and castile soap. Use 3 fl oz (89 mL) of each ingredient. Stir them together in a glass or plastic container. Then, apply to a wet washcloth, pouf, or straight onto your body in the shower. Lather up, then rinse away the soap.^{[1]
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- If desired, you may also add a 10 to 15 drops of an essential oil to give your body wash a nice scent, such as lavender, peppermint, chamomile, or orange.
2
Make a body scrub with equal parts sugar and oil. Combine 1/2 cup (120 g) of sugar and 1/2 cup (120 mL) of olive or coconut oil in a glass or plastic container. Stir to combine the ingredients together. Apply the scrub to your skin in the shower and work it around to slough off dry, dead skin. Rinse thoroughly to remove the remaining scrub.^{[2]
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- Add 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) of vanilla extract to give your body scrub a pleasant scent.^{[3]
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3
Mix up some body oil using olive oil. Making your own lotion is a great way to ensure that only natural ingredients go into it, but if you don’t have the time or ingredients, just use olive as lotion!^{[4]
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- The best herbs for making lotions at home are chamomile and calendula. They can help with dry skin and promote anti-aging.^{[5]
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- You can use essential oils like rosemary and tea tree oil which have anti-inflammatory qualities.^{[6]
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- Cedarwood essential oil reduces irritation, ylang-ylang is an effective cleanser, and pomegranate seed oil has anti-aging properties.^{[7]
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- Try adding a few drops of peppermint, lavender, lemon, or clary sage essential oil to give the oil a nice scent.
Tip: Try using coconut oil instead of olive oil if you prefer. Though they will both moisturize your skin, coconut oil has a milder scent than olive oil.
4
Whip up a facial mask using ingredients in your kitchen. Facial masks come in many different varieties. You can make a facial mask using food from your kitchen and achieve the same results as a pre-made mask you’d find in a beauty supply store.^{[8]
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- Combine 1/2 of an avocado, 1 tbsp (15 mL) of yogurt, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of honey for a moisturizing mask.
- Whisk egg whites with orange juice and turmeric for a pore minimizing mask.
- Mix honey with cinnamon and lemon for a calming face mask.
- Stir raw oats into honey and mashed banana for a redness-reducing mask.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Haircare Products

1
Create a simple shampoo using equal parts castile soap and water. Pour 4 fl oz (120 mL) of castile soap and 4 fl oz (120 mL) of water into a plastic or glass container. Then, stir the soap and water together gently to combine them. Wet your hair and apply a quarter-sized amount (about 15 mL) to your hair. Work it in with your fingertips and then rinse it away.^{[9]
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- Mix in 1 tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil for a moisturizing shampoo.
- Add 2 to 3 drops of essential oil to create a scented shampoo.
Tip: Try adding lavender essential oil for a relaxing scent, peppermint for an invigorating scent, or lemon for a fresh, clean scent.
2
Mix up your own conditioner using ingredients from your kitchen. Mix 1 mashed banana or avocado, or 4 fl oz (120 mL) of plain, whole-milk yogurt with 1 tsp (5 mL) of coconut or olive oil, and 1 tsp (5 mL) of honey. Apply the conditioner to your hair after you shampoo it. Let it sit for about 3 minutes, then rinse your hair thoroughly to get all of the conditioner out.^{[10]
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- Keep in mind that this mixture won’t keep at room temperature. Put it in an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- If you want something you can spritz into your hair to help detangle it, make a leave-in conditioner.
3
Combine gelatin and water for a natural hairspray. Add 1 tsp (5 g) of gelatin to 8 fl oz (240 mL) of hot water. Stir the gelatin into the water until it dissolves. Let the water cool, and then transfer the gelatin hairspray to a spray bottle. Spritz it onto wet or dry hair as needed.^{[11]
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- You can store the hairspray at room temperature for about 6 months, but shake it before each use as the gelatin may separate from the water.
4
Make hair gel out of aloe vera gel. Purchase pure aloe vera gel from a store, measure out 1/2 cup (120 mL). Mix in about 20 drops of essential oil if desired to add scent to the hair gel.^{[12]
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- Store the hair gel in an air-tight container and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 months.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Mixing up Your Own Makeup

1
Combine beeswax, coconut oil, and cocoa butter for lip balm. Combine 1/4 cup (60 g) of grated beeswax, 2 tbsp (30 mL) of cocoa butter, 3 tbsp (45 mL) of coconut oil, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of almond oil in a glass or plastic container. Melt the ingredients by microwaving them for 15 seconds at a time and stirring.^{[13]
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- Transfer the lip balm to small containers or lip balm pots while it is still warm and let it cool. The lip balm will become solid when it is cool.
- Apply to your lips as needed.
Tip: If desired, you could add lip-safe pigment to the balm to create lipstick or tinted lip balm depending on how much pigment you add.
2
Make eye shadow using eye shadow pigments. You can purchase eye shadow pigments online and combine different colors to create your own custom eye shadow. Keep the powder loose, or mix about 1 tsp (5 g) of pigment with a few drops of isopropyl alcohol to form a paste that you can transfer to an eye shadow pan. Press the paste with a paper towel to remove the excess liquid.^{[14]
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- Make sure that the pigments you use to make eyeshadow are safe to use for eye makeup!
3
Create your own mascara. Making your own mascara is easy with a few special ingredients! Combine 2 tsp (10 mL) of coconut oil, 4 tsp (20 mL) of pure aloe vera, and 1 tsp (5 g) of grated beeswax in a small pan. Melt the ingredients over low heat on your stove, then remove them from the heat. Then, add about 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) of activated charcoal or cocoa powder to the mixture and stir to combine them. Transfer the liquid to a clean mascara tube.^{[15]
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- Charcoal will make your mascara black, while cocoa powder will make it brown.

Community Q&A

Question

Is there anything else I can do with olive, coconut, or avocado oil?

Community Answer

Coconut oil is amazing for your hair. It fills it with nutrients and makes you hair feel amazing. You can mix it with multiple products to get an amazing outcome.
Question

Is there anything that can help facial cuts that won't stop bleeding look a bit better?

Community Answer

Yes, there are many face masks that do just that. Also, I am unsure whether this is just in my country, but there is a cream called Cepan that helps.
Question

Is there anything else I can do with olive, coconut or avocado?

Community Answer

You could make an avocado face mask or you could use coconut oil on your hair and skin.

Warnings

Always read the instructions for use of essential oils very carefully as some may react with others and most should be used in very specific quantities only. Test for allergic reactions first (or ask the pharmacist for more information) and if pregnant, only use oils with a physician's agreement.

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Never use any of the above products if they contain an ingredient you are allergic to.

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If you are allergic to bee pollen, you may be allergic to honey. Do not use any of the above containing honey if you are at risk for allergic reaction.

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If any irritation occurs, discontinue use immediately. Individual skin sensitivity can include skin irritation, breathing problems, sneezing and rashes.

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If you choose to wash your hair with egg, be sure not to use water that is too hot, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs in your hair, literally!

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