DIY all-natural clarifying & toning foaming facewash

October 28, 2013

I made a lot of mistakes in my teens and early twenties…

I ate a lot of heavily-processed soy, skipped quite a few classes while nursing hangovers (sorry, Mom and Dad!), and spent a small fortune on harsh, chemical-laden skincare products that only contributed to my breakouts and my body burden. Oh, regrets!

Luckily, now I’m (a little) older and (a lot) wiser.

After struggling with breakouts for years, I was only able to achieve a clear complexion after totally overhauling my beauty routine.

By simplifying to a few natural and gentle skincare products, I was finally able to (ah, at long last!) get clear skin.
This foaming facial cleanser is an integral part of my super-simple all-natural skincare and beauty routine. It includes ingredients that help clarify and tone the skin, as well as ingredients that are extra-gentle and help maintain skin’s natural balance.

Ingredients

1 cup filtered or previously boiled (now room temp) water
1/4 cup liquid castile soap: an all-natural, extremely concentrated soap made from 100% plant oils.
5 teaspoons jojoba oil or another facial oil of choice (check out these 5 face oils for naturally clear, flawless skin for some alternatives)
2 tablespoons raw honey: a wonderful antibacterial that helps to gently eliminate breakout-causing bacterial, and also helps calm the skin. This gives the wash its honey color.
1 teaspoon tea tree oil: another great, all-natural antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal that will not only help kill acne causing bacteria on the skin, but also help preserve the wash.
15 drops lavender essential oil: great for all skin types, it helps calm inflammation and eliminate bacteria.
10 drops rosemary essential oil: another great, all-natural antibacterial.

Note: this is the combination of ingredients that works well for my skin and the combination can be adjusted depending on your skin-type. For example, if you have drier skin, you may need less castile/more water and/or oil. Everybody is different and DIYs can sometimes be a game of trial and error. Luckily, once you have a base such as this one, you can easily add ingredients if necessary!

Directions

Add the ingredients in the order listed (if you add the soap before the water, it will become a sudsy explosion!). Stir the mixture gently, mixing everything together. The castile soap and honey will cause the mixture to look cloudy. Put the mixture into your foaming soap dispenser and your facewash is complete!
1 or 2 pumps is all you need as the castile soap is very concentrated. Use once or twice daily (I use it once a day at night). Discard the contents after a month or if you notice any unfavorable changes. The mixture will separate, so give it a little shake before each use!
P.S Like my homemade mason jar foaming soap dispenser? Check out how easy it is to make your own!