Natural Living: Cosmetics & Body Care

You may have noticed that beauty products often contain oats. The grocery stores are full of oatmeal scrubs, masks and lotions. So, what is so magical about oats? Oats can do a multitude of things for your beauty regimen, including exfoliating, cleansing, moisturizing and acting as an anti-inflammatory. And they do all of it naturally. So if you want to save some money and make your own natural beauty treatments using oats, here are some quick and easy solutions to try.

Making your own facial masks and scrubs is really easy, really fun, and really inexpensive. Many of the ingredients that make up a scrub or facial you probably already have in your kitchen or bathroom, but you may find yourself visiting bulk stores and natural food stores to find new ingredients to experiment with. Less than a month after switching from commercial soaps, scrubs, masks and moisturizers, my face has gone from being acne and dry skin prone to being smooth and small-pored.

Your hands and nails can really take a beating! Daily they are exposed to rough weather, immersed in cleaning solutions, caked with dirt from the garden, and who knows what else! Before long, you find yourself with broken fingernails and skin that rivals an alligator's. Store-bought products aren't always the best remedy. They contain dyes, fragrances, and chemicals that may leave you worse off in the long run. And boy, can they be expensive! Try these homemade natural products for your hands instead.

Cosmetics and medicinal products have been made from herbs for many years, but beauty and well being don't have to come out of a bottle. Getting out in the garden, yours or a green fingered friend's, will bring a glow to the skin and fresh air in the lungs.

Natural Spa Cosmetics photo from Shutterstock

"Is there a company that sells raw materials (ingredients) for making natural cosmetics and soaps, including preservatives, at a low price and small quantities?"

TDS readers share their tips and recipes for making all-natural homemade facial masks. You'll find a lot of these natural products in your kitchen!

You're sure to find the perfect hand lotion amongst these D-I-Y recipes from our TDS readers. Most are easy and inexpensive.

Making your own natural cosmetics is not only a fun and rewarding experience, it is also a great way to save money and contribute to an earth-friendly environment. Homemade natural cosmetics can be placed in recycled containers, they do not contain harmful chemicals or preservatives which are often used in commercial products, and you can develop them to suit your own skin care needs. Homemade cosmetics also make great gifts for Christmas and other special occassions.

Body Care photo from Shutterstock

It's always fascinating to consider completely new and different ways to stretch your family income. One way you might not have considered is to make your own homemade cosmetics. Here are some tips for natural cosmetics and beauty products from a family who has been making their own for generations.

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