Spring is right around the corner, and I’m so looking forward to the changing of seasons. I love the longer, warmer days spring brings. I breathe deep trying to catch the scent of spring flowers in the air. I challenge myself to keep an eye out for familiar plants as they poke their heads out of the dirt. I enjoy seeing the birds, bees, bugs, butterflies as they become more active as the weeks pass. Perhaps its the sun and warmth calling me, but I can’t wait for the Spring Equinox to get here! Next week, I’ll be sharing some interesting information about the Spring Equinox and how it applies to herbalists, so stay tuned.
This week, in my excitement for spring to get here, I’ve been thinking a lot about my skin. You see, as spring moves towards summer, I tend to spend more time outside in the sun which means my skin tans. And while I prefer to have a little bit of a tan, I also know that the process of tanning is damaging to the skin. As I get older, I can see the effects of the sun on my skin from my younger years, and it reminds me to do better at protecting my skin now so it looks nice as I continue to age.
With those thoughts in mind, I began thinking about my spring skincare routine. What do I want to focus on? What do I need to make or buy to prepare for warmer weather and more sun? I’ve shared my winter skincare routine before, but today, I’d like to share my plans for my spring skincare routine as well as some recipes for skin care products I plan to make and use.
My Spring Skincare Routine
Spring is a busy time, and I don’t like to add complications to my already hectic life so my skincare routine has to be minimal. Below are my plans for daily, weekly, and monthly skin care to-dos for spring. You’ll also find recipes for almost all of these handmade skin care DIYs below.
Daily
- Drink lots of water or herbal tea
- Daily collagen supplement in my morning Bulletproof Coffee
- Nourishing Face Serum
- Under-Eye Wrinkle Ointment
- Spring Fling Body Butter
Weekly
- Smoothing Powders Face Exfoliator
- Soft Lips Lip Scrub
- Floral Sugar Scrub
Monthly
- Pore Clearing Peel-Off Mask
- Deep Pore Face Steam
- pedicure/manicure
8 Natural Skin Care Recipes For Spring
Below are the recipes for the products I’m using my spring skincare routine. Each of the following recipes is designed to have shelf-lives of three months or longer so you don’t need to make them fresh each week.
1. Nourishing Face Serum
Makes 4-ounces
This Nourishing Face Serum is light and highly nourishing for the skin. It also features essential oils that have their own beneficial properties for the skin as well.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces rosehip seed oil
- 1-ounce pomegranate seed oil
- 1/2 ounce argan oil
- 1/2 ounce sweet almond oil
- 10-20 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil
- 5-10 drops carrot seed (Daucus carota ) essential oil
- 2-5 drops ylang ylang (Cananga odorata var. genuina) essential oil
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a 4-ounce glass bottle.
- Cap, label, and roll between your hands for 2-5 minutes to thoroughly mix the oils.
- Let your Nourishing Face Serum rest for 24 hours before using. This allows your oils to mix and mingle and create the final scent your skin serum will have.
2. Under-Eye Wrinkle Ointment
Makes 1-ounce
This Under-Eye Wrinkle Ointment is soft ointment made from the same base oils as the Nourishing Face Serum but with the addition of essential oils traditionally used to minimize wrinkles. As an ointment, this combination of nourishing oils sits on top of the skin under the eye, slowly absorbing. If you’re a side or stomach sleeper, simply apply this 30 minutes or so before bed.
You can find the recipe for this DIY in my Making Herbal Ointments, Salves, and Balms: The Ultimate How-To Guide along with several other first-aid and body care herbal recipes.
3. Spring Fling Body Butter
Makes 1-quart
This Spring Fling Body Butter is light and fluffy and feels so good going on the skin after a shower. Plus, it really nourishes the skin and awakes your senses for the day. The essential oil combination was blended using my Blending Essential Oils for Beginners Workbook.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup refined shea butter
- 1/2 cup kokum butter
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup rosehip seed oil
- 2 teaspoons vitamin E oil
- 66 drops sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) essential oil
- 44 drops spearmint (Mentha spicata) essential oil
- 22 drops lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) essential oil
Directions:
- Combine first five ingredients in a double boiler. Gently heat and stir until butters melt. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool a bit.
- When mixture starts to solidify, add essential oils and whip with a hand or stand mixer until butter is nice and fluffy.
- When stiff peaks have formed, transfer to glass jars.
4. Microdermabrasion Floral Face Scrub
Makes 4 ounces
This Microdermabrasion Floral Face Scrub has a light floral scent that is relaxing, it increases circulation to the face, and it’s a gentle way to exfoliate facial skin each week.
Ingredients:
- 8 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sweet almond carrier oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 6 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil
- 6 drops sea buckthorn oil (or rosehip seed oil)
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Spoon paste into a 4-ounce glass jar and store.
- To use, after washing your face, while your skin is still wet, apply a pea-sized amount of scrub to your face. Using small, circular motions, gently massage face and neck. Rinse with warm water and pat your face dry.
- Follow up with Nourishing Face Serum and Under-Eye Wrinkle Ointment above.
5. Soft Lips Lip Scrub
Makes 8-9 tubes
This Soft Lips Lip Scrub not only scrubs away dry skin on the lips, making them soft and supple for summer, but it tastes great! It has a light citrus mint flavor when you substitute steam-distilled bergamot mint (Mentha citrata) essential oil in place of the essential oil called for in the recipe, making it safe for your lips in the sun!
You can find the recipe for this DIY in my Making Herbal Ointments, Salves, and Balms: The Ultimate How-To Guide along with several other first-aid and body care herbal recipes.
6. Floral Sugar Scrub
Makes 1 cup
This Floral Sugar Scrub will gently buff dry, dead skin from your body, leaving your skin clean, nourished, and glowing!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons dried rose petals
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup sweet almond oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
- Finely grind rose petals in a coffee grinder or food processor.
- Combine all ingredients together in a glass bowl and mix well.
- Transfer to a storage container appropriate for the shower.
7. Deep Pore Face Steam
Makes roughly 1 quart
This Deep Pore Face Steam is so nice to do before the face peel below as it opens the pore, allowing the mask to penetrate deeper. Just be careful not that steam isn’t too hot as it can burn your face. Feel free to move your face out of the steam and back in as needed. This is also great for your lungs as well so breath deep!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup lavender buds
- 1 cup rose petals
- 1 cup eucalyptus leaves
- 1/2 cup chamomile flowers
- 1/2 cup calendula flowers
Directions:
- Mix all dry ingredients in a glass bowl and transfer to a labeled glass quart jar for storage.
- To use, bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Immediately remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup of the herb mixture and cover with a tight lid for 5-10 minutes. Remove lid and place face over steam. You can also use a towel to cover your head and the bowl which will trap the steam inside if you wish.
8. Pore Clearing Peel-Off Mask
Makes 1 mask
This Pore Clearing Peel-Off Mask is one of my favorites as it contains safe ingredients and really works to remove dead skin cells and debris from deep inside your pores. However, there is one caution I need to give you about using it. First, this masks is not for you if you have sensitive skin or can’t stand a little pain. It hurts to peel it off, and it will remove facial hair so don’t get the mask too close to your hairline, eyebrows, or under-eye area! This is why I only do this kind of mask once a month… if that!
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon activated charcoal
- 1/2 teaspoon white cosmetic clay
- 1 tablespoon gelatin
- 2 tablespoons hot water
Directions:
- Mix all dry ingredients in a glass bowl.
- Add hot water and quickly mix with a whisk until mixture is smooth.
- Check mixture temperature. When it’s not too hot, apply it evenly over your face. Remember thicker areas will take longer to dry so try to get it as even as you can.
- When the mask is dry and tight, peel it off as gently as you can. (Remember, it does hurt!) Use warm water to gently remove any mask that remains.
- Follow up with Nourishing Face Serum and Under-Eye Wrinkle Ointment above.
So there you have it. My spring skincare routine and a bunch of DIY skin care recipes to make and use.