Saying I have the most fickle, sensitive skin would be an understatement. If I even look at a non-oil free moisturizer, smell fried foods or hear someone is hormonal, game over – my face breaks out. In my lifetime, I’ve tried everything from the gentlest facial cleaners to oral and topical prescription treatment and none of them did much for me. While a clean vegan diet and exercise always help, my skin is currently the clearest it’s been since my pre-pubescent years thanks to this new Coconut Oil Face Wash I’ve been using. I’m not even kidding – I don’t even use powder/foundation any more (except on those baby-sleep-schedule dark circles, of course)!

Let me preface this with the fact that I love coconut oil. It is a miracle product of nature that can be used both internally and externally to combat bacteria and candida/yeast (we’ll talk about that in the Coconut Oil 101). However, given my skin’s innate ability to ruin my day, I was terrified to use it on my face. Getting over that fear literally changed my life. This little concoction is now the ONLY thing I use on my face (excluding make-up). It’s a one-stop shop that replaces make-up remover, soaps, toners, moisturizers, wrinkle creams etc!

What You Need:

• Wide-mouth Mason Jars
• 1.5 lbs of Organic Turbanado Raw Cane Sugar (fairly large granules)
• 1 cup of smaller grain sugar (brown sugar will work)
• 7-10 oz of medium-high heat coconut oil (I buy a 14oz jar and pour more as needed. Be sure NOT to use raw oil- it can burn if not melted properly and makes a terrible mess. Trust me…)
• Lavender Oil
• Peppermint Oil

What You Do:

• Fill a large microwave safe bowl with hot water and place the opened jar of coconut oil in the middle (the water should go about half way up the jar).
• If you have time to spare, you can let the oil sit until melted. If not, microwave the water in 3-5 minute intervals until the oil is clear and almost all melted (be careful not to microwave for too long as you’ll need to be able to touch it).
• Use a towel or oven mitts to carefully remove the jar of oil, dump the water and fill the bowl with the sugar.
• Pour half of the 14oz jar of oil over the sugar and mix well. (You may need to add a little more, but it should be nearly completely absorbed by the sugar with very little liquid left).
• Add several drops (or big shakes) of lavender and peppermint oil to the bowl and continue to mix (You can adjust the amount to your preferences).
• Fill your mason jars with the contents, decorate with pretty ribbons or fabric scraps and share with friends!

To Use:

• Wet your face with a warm cloth
• Scoop out a nickel size finger(s) full portion of the scrub and apply to the skin until the sugar has dissolved.
• Rinse with warm water, massaging the oil into your face, paying close attention to any dry, wrinkled or breakout-prone spots (it will feel greasy at first).
• Dry with a clean towel.
• Repeat 1-2 times daily and enjoy your close-up-selfie-ready clear skin!

While I call it face wash, this scrub can really be used on your entire body (best used while taking a bath to really soak up the benefits – talk about soft skin)! I typically use it on my face 1-2 times per day (twice if I’m going out/wearing makeup) and the lavender + peppermint combo make it perfect for morning and night. It’s equally relaxing and refreshing. Technically, you could make a day version (peppermint) and night version (lavender), but I fancy the sensory overload provided by the combo.

What are some of your favorite DIY Aromatherapy or body care recipes? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Oh, and a baby-free drive today led to a windows down and volume up inspired Music Monday that brightened my day & I hope it makes you happy as well!

Tagged as: Aromatherapy, Coconut Oil, DIY, Face Wash, Mason Jar, Soap