Posted by Les Mauvaises Herbes
Are you looking to make your own DIY body care products, are you intrigued by the DIY world, but not quite sure where to start?
We can help!
Here is our top 10 list of basic ingredients to include in your kit. Very versatile, they will allow you to create many of the recipes from our blog (and our books)!
1. Coconut oil
2. Vegetable oil
3. Shea butter
4. Beeswax
5. Baking soda
6. Arrowroot starch
7. Clay
8. Essential oils
9. Vitamin E
10. Castile soap
1. Coconut oil
There's a reason why coconut oil is so popular. It is a truly versatile ingredient, super good for both the skin and the teeth! This oil can be used in balms, deodorants, toothpaste, and soaps. It is very nourishing and soothing, and it even has foaming and whitening properties. Solid at 25°C or lower, it provides an interesting texture to recipes. Ideally, choose raw, organic coconut oil.
With this ingredient, you can make
Homemade deodorant (super simple recipe)
For years, I searched for the perfect (commercial) deodorant, without success. After a while, my body would get used to the product and it would stop working. So I had to change deodorants every 2 weeks and alternate. Ridiculous! This homemade deodorant has completely changed my life! Two weeks in Mexico without having to reapply during the day? It's a miracle.
- Mariane
Préparation
10 min
Conservation
12 mois et +
Rendement
120 ml
Seasonal lip balm
When autumn arrives, I need a lip balm with comforting scents. I get rushes of forest smells in the fall and winter, and I make sure everything smells like it. My shampoo smells like cedar, we put fir essential oil in the kettle on the wood stove, I put some in my bath salts... in short, with a fir-scented lip balm, I'm in heaven.
- Chantal
Préparation
10 min
Conservation
6-12 mois
Rendement
10,5 ml
2. Vegetable oil
We recommend choosing a stable oil, such as sunflower oil. Ideally, a high-quality, cold-pressed, organic oil. These oils will be useful in many recipes. You can also discover the wondrous world of maceration to add benefits to your creations.
With this ingredient, you can make
Rose and lavender eye make-up remover
This recipe is a super simple combination of hydrosol and vegetable oil, resulting in a bi-phase make-up remover. The oil's richness dislodges makeup and leaves a protective film on the skin, while the hydrosol hydrates and soothes it. The perfect cocktail, really!
Préparation
10 min
Conservation
6 mois
Rendement
60 ml
Silky repair oil
Vegetable oils and the fatty acids they contain are invaluable for nourishing and repairing the skin. This silky repairing oil can be customized with different vegetable oils and/or macerated oils and essential oils.
Préparation
5 min
Conservation
6-12 mois
Rendement
100 ml
3. Shea butter
Ideally raw and organic. Shea butter nourishes and protects the skin and hair. We love it for creating sublime body butters. It is used in our body butter recipes, but also in balms, deodorants, etc.
With this ingredient, you can make
"Crocodile skin" winter butter
Winter is a difficult season for the skin. If it's not the cold that damages and dries it out, the wind certainly takes care of the rest! This rosehip and chamomile recipe is ideal for the face and hands, and therefore perfect for winter sports enthusiasts!
Préparation
15 min
Conservation
6-12 mois
Rendement
env. 45 ml
Whipped Shea Body Butter
We love shea butter for its many properties: softening, healing, nourishing, perfect for baby bumps and irritated baby bottoms, fights against the harmful effects of the sun, non-comedogenic, etc.! We suggest transforming it into an all-purpose whipped meringue, with a luxurious texture and easy application.
Préparation
30 min
Conservation
12 mois
Rendement
250 ml
4. Beeswax (or sunflower wax)
Wax is a super practical thickening and stabilizing agent. It helps ensure and maintain hydration. We also love it for preventing ingredients from separating!
With this ingredient, you can make
Nourishing body pains
Here is our very simple and popular nourishing bars recipe. As this product is solid, simply rub it on your skin after your bath or shower. The bar melts slightly on contact, allowing for easy and quick application. Beautiful nourished skin ahead!
Préparation
10 min
Conservation
12 mois
Rendement
variable
DIY Menstrual Cramp Balm
There are DIY recipes you just want to shout from the rooftops and share with as many people as possible, aren't there? That was my reaction when I got the idea to make a soothing balm for menstrual cramps.
- Estelle
Préparation
30 min
Conservation
12 mois et +
Rendement
60 ml
5. Baking soda
The ultimate anti-odor solution, "Baking soda" is found in many deodorant recipes. It is also a very practical ingredient for oral health. You can also use it as an exfoliating agent and as a softener in bath milks.
With this ingredient, you can make
Anti-odor balm for smelly feet
The smell of stinky feet is mainly due to bacteria that survive on the epidermis by feeding on dead skin and sweat, creating a lovely cheesy smell. Yum. That's where my anti-odor balm comes in: it targets perspiration while being antibacterial. You're welcome!
- Audrey
Préparation
20 min
Conservation
12 mois et +
Rendement
180 ml
Blue pea bath bombs
Who hasn't enjoyed a relaxing moment in a nice bath? Okay, legend has it that some people don't like baths and are more of the "shower" type, but it's like those who don't like chocolate – you have to be wary of them! Haha!
To make a bath even more special, we've gotten into the habit of preparing bath bombs in advance and storing them in a jar so we always have some on hand for stressful days. It's like a chamomile infusion (or an aspirin), but for the body!
Préparation
25 min
Conservation
6-12 mois
Rendement
4 à 6 bombes
6. Arrowroot starch
The starch absorbs moisture and excess oil in many deodorant and body butter recipes. It is also a naturally mattifying powder: really practical for making loose powder or dry shampoo! Oh, and believe it or not, it's also the MAGIC ingredient in our glass cleaner recipe!
With this ingredient, you can make
Beetroot Blush
Want to add a little color to your beautiful cheeks? Here’s a simple, natural recipe you won’t want to live without.
Préparation
5 min
Conservation
illimitée
Rendement
env. 30 ml
DIY Cleaner for Sparkling, Streak-Free Windows!
A simple window cleaner recipe that REALLY works and leaves no streaks. Yes, yes! It's possible.
Our secret? Arrowroot powder!
Préparation
2 min
Conservation
6 mois
Rendement
environ 500 ml
7. Clay
There are many kinds: green, pink, white, and many others! We use it to prepare a fantastic purifying face mask, as a poultice on sore muscles, in the bath for a home spa session, or in a recipe for toothpaste, deodorant, exfoliator, anti-itch balm, etc.
For people who react to baking soda in deodorants, clay and diatomaceous earth are the perfect alternative!
With this ingredient, you can make
Deodorant without baking soda for underarms at rest
Did you sadly say goodbye to your baking soda deodorant because it irritated your armpits? Baking soda is the king of natural deodorant ingredients, but did you know that zinc oxide and clay are two ingredients that are great replacements? Discover your new favorite recipe!
Préparation
20 min
Conservation
6-12 mois
Rendement
125 ml
SOS Itching: DIY Calamine Lotion
I am THE person who comes back from camping with their legs devoured by mosquitoes, biting midges, and deer flies, while your friends only have 2-3 small bites... If this is also you, you'll love my calamine-style lotion recipe made with simple, medicinal, and effective ingredients!
- Mariane
Préparation
20 min
Conservation
1-6 mois
Rendement
125 ml
8. Essential oils
Having a few essential oils on hand, whether for their scent or their properties, is a must.
Because of their versatility, here are the ones we suggest to get you started.
- Ho Wood (Cinnamomum camphora ct linalool): the best friend of sensitive, mature, tired, irritated, damaged, and acne-prone skin.
- Rose Geranium (Pelargoniumgraveolens): adored by oily, irritated, and problem-prone skin, it soothes and tones the epidermis that needs a boost.
- True Lavender (Lavandula officinalis): a great classic for all skin types, including problematic, stressed, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.
- Palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii): a true must for mature and problematic skin, as well as our charming underarms.
- Petitgrain Bigarade (Citrus aurantium x amara): the ideal ally for both dry and oily skin.
9. Vitamin E
Vitamin E (tocopherol) is an antioxidant. It is used to slow down the rancidity of oils and extend the shelf life of products containing an oily phase. We find this ingredient in many of our recipes. We often indicate that it is optional, but if you intend to store your products for more than 6 months, we recommend adding some.
10. Castile soap
Well, it's not really an ingredient, but rather a product, but when you are starting out in the DIY world, liquid Castile soap is a very easy-to-use product. It is used in several recipes!
With this ingredient, you can make
Baby wipes for on the go
Are you a frequent traveler with a baby and find it inconvenient to carry your reusable wipes? Here's a quick tutorial on how to make your own compostable disposable wipes from 100% post-consumer paper. An eco-friendly and economical alternative to commercial disposable wipes for parents on the go.
Préparation
15 min
Conservation
1 semaine
Rendement
1/3 de rouleau
Natural shampoo for a spotless dog
Have you ever looked at the ingredients on dog shampoo bottles? Me neither. But when it says "cherry scent" on the bottle, it doesn't sound natural at all. Here's a super simple AND economical recipe!
- Justine
Préparation
5 min
Conservation
2 mois
Rendement
50 ml
Little extras
You've mastered the basics and you're looking for ingredients that could add that little something extra to your concoctions? Here are a few suggestions:
Medicinal plants
Because it's so simple and fun to make macerations and infusions, we couldn't help but suggest a few magical plants. We are stepping a little bit outside the basics, so if you don't have these, it's really not a big deal. Here are a few of our favorites nonetheless: calendula, marshmallow, plantain, nettle.
Fine vegetable oils
To develop a fancy face serum or to add interesting properties to your recipes, here are some vegetable oils we really like:
- jojoba oil (penetrates the skin easily and doesn't leave a greasy finish)
- argan oil (regenerating and healing)
- rosehip oil
Various vegetable butters
We suggested shea butter since it's pretty much the most commonly used and easiest butter to find. However, it is also possible to use cocoa butter (gives a firmer texture, I personally like to do half shea, half cocoa), mango butter, oat butter, or hemp butter. I love cocoa butter in baby products (diaper balm, liniment), since it naturally scents everything: no need to add fragrance or essential oils.
There you go! With all that, you're in business.
