I have made so many homemade skincare recipes over the years. It’s very hard for me to choose my favorites for the summer season!

As our skin is our largest organ in the body, we need to protect it! Hydration, protection from UVA radiation, environmental factors…your skin changes all the time, so your routine needs to change with it. Each season requires our skin to be nourished in different ways. It's a bit like changing our diets so that we eat what's in season.

Here are some of my favorite recipes to care for your skin during the summer!

Post-Sun Aloe Honey Oat Mask

Aloe works as an anti-inflammatory on reddened skin and is the most effective ingredient for burns.

You can use prepared aloe gel, but using fresh gel from the plant is always better. Peel the leaf and put the raw gel in a blender to get a smooth consistency.

Honey heals the skin and gives it moisture. Your skin will repair in no time!

Mix 2 tablespoons of aloe gel and 1 tablespoon of honey. Add rolled oats to the mixture until it forms a thick porridge consistency. Apply the mixture on the face, neck, and decollete and leave on the skin for 20 minutes. Take off with a warm muslin cloth.

Sunburn-Soothing Oat Bath

Adding baking soda and oats to your bath eases sunburn pain, irritation, and inflammation!

Mix 1 cup ground oats and ½ cup baking soda in a container. Draw a warm bath and add ¼ of the baking soda oat mixture into the water, and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Relax in the bath no longer than 20 minutes.

Afterwards, apply a generous amount of Marula Seed Oil on damp skin. This will nourish the skin because this oil is full of antioxidants, minerals, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids, which protect you from free radicals caused by exposure to UV rays. Marula Seed Oil creates a protective layer on the skin and provides long lasting hydration.

Detox Body Exfoliator

This vigorous scrub will leave your skin revitalized and baby soft so you can have flawless skin on the beach or swimming pool! Juniper berry and geranium essential oil are detoxifying, which is perfect for reducing cellulite.The orange fragrance is also very uplifting which will improve your mood and give you that holiday feeling!

Add 1 cup of caster sugar, 10g of dried lavender flowers, 50ml of jojoba oil, 10 drops of orange essential oil, 5 drops of juniper berry essential oil, and 5 drops of geranium oil. Mix it all together and give it a good shake!

Massage the scrub onto your skin in circular motions, working toward the heart before you have a shower. Rinse off and notice how soft, smooth, and moisturized your skin feels. Dry skin off and apply Kalahari Melon Seed Oil, which is rich in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids and vitamin E, which are both highly nourishing for the skin. The body cannot produce these naturally, so it's important to make sure your skin and body are getting the nutrients they need to achieve healthier, glowing skin. Use this mixture 2-3 times per week.

Skin Brightening Parsley Mask

The vitamin C, chlorophyll, and vitamin K in parsley help lighten skin discoloration and reduce puffiness.
Chop one handful of parsley and add 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt. Apply to your face with your fingertips and leave on the skin for 10 minutes.

Apple Cider Vinegar Zit Treatment

Lavender, arnika, and vinegar make a great spot treatment!

Mix 20g of lavender flowers and 10g of arnica flowers. Put the flowers in a 1 liter bottle of apple cider vinegar. Leave the bottle in a sunny place for two weeks and give it a shake morning and night. Strain the flowers and put the mixture in a bottle. Dab the mixture onto zits with cotton wool.

Mosquito Bite Treatment

Apply a slice of any type of onion to the bite for a few minutes and rinse well after removing the onion from the area.

Yes, onion juice can relieve irritation and reduce the sting! Onions have a natural antifungal property, which can also reduce risk of infection.

Cooling Face Mist

This DIY mist is the ultimate rehydration for the skin! It feels cooling and soothing after sunburns and is great just to rehydrate your skin during the day in an air conditioned environment.

Cut half a cucumber into chunks and puree with a food processor until smooth. Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth into a bowl. Add ½ a teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel, and ½ a cup of Kat’s rose essential water into the bowl. Stir well and pour into a spray bottle.

Spritz on your skin if you get a sunburn or even if you just want a cooling, refreshing boost!

Decollete and Bust Lotion

In the summer we are showing our bust more, so we want to make sure our chest is looking its best!

Lemon juice is high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that may help reduce skin damage and premature aging. Avocado oil is packed with essential nutrients to support skin health. Aloe vera gel is highly moisturizing and great for irritation or sunburns

In a bottle, mix the juice of half a lemon, 30ml of Avocado oil, and 10ml aloe vera gel and give it a good shake. Massage the mixture into the decollete and bust area before bed.

Ivy Cellulite Treatment

What if you can make your own cellulite tincture from weeds?
Yes, you can make a cellulite potion from ivy. Ivy (hedera helix) is great to get your circulation going!

Put a handful of ivy leaves and 200ml of wheat germ oil in a glass and let it stand in a warm place for two weeks. Strain the leaves out and add 5 drops of rosemary oil and 5 drops of juniper berry oil to the infused wheat germ oil. Massage the mixture into the problem area in circular movements.

Repairing Hair Mask (that will also nourish your skin!)

The sun, chlorine, and salt will draw moisture out of your hair, leaving it dry and brittle. So freshening up your hair with a deeply nourishing hair mask will do you some good!

Honey gives your hair extra hydration and conditioning. Honey is moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and healing for the hair. Baobab oil is rich in vitamins A, D, and E, and the high content of poly-unsaturated fatty acids makes it highly valued for its anti-aging and moisturizing properties. It’s the perfect oil for dry, damaged hair and dandruff.

Heat 2 tablespoons of Baobab oil and 1 tablespoon of organic raw honey in a saucepan until warm enough to spread easily. Cool down the mixture, massage into the scalp, and put on a shower cap for 30 minutes to 1hour. Rinse well.

If your hair feels greasy after your hair mask treatment, use shampoo or sprinkle some baking soda on your scalp to get rid of any lingering oils and leave your hair soft and clean.

Making your own DIY skincare products can be rewarding. It reduces waste, you can control what goes into your product, and you can enjoy making your own products in the comfort of your own home!

Give it a try!