Nature’s Skincare: Three All-Natural Ingredients to Use for Healthy Skin (Recipes Included!)

Are you concerned with what's in your skin care products? It's an issue for a lot of people, and though we think we can trust what's on the label, common personal care products can strip the skin of healthy, necessary acids and oils, harming your skin in the long term.

Luckily, Mother Nature's here to help you out! Three natural, safe products - activated charcoal, apple cider vinegar, and seaweed - are the perfect ingredients for some DIY skin care. They're cost-effective, easy to make, and full of skin-friendly nutrients that can help you tackle many different skin issues. Read on and see what you could use!

Activated Charcoal

How it works: It's not what you're cooking with, so don’t go to your BBQ and smear charcoal dust all over your face. Activated charcoal is made from heating a substance like coconut shell, wood, or peat at high temperatures and expanding its surface area with an activating agent. It’s very effective at absorption, binding and ridding your body of unwanted toxins or other substances. Activated charcoal powder is a safe, effective way of eliminating toxins from the body, making it a great ingredient for any deep cleanser.

Skin type: Activated charcoal is perfect for oily skin – its absorbability can draw excess oil from your skin. Don’t overuse it, or you could dry out your skin; once or twice a week should be more than enough.

Recipe: DIY Charcoal Face Mask

This face mask recipe comes from Wellness Mama; it makes two face masks.

• 1 tsp Bentonite Clay.
• 1 tsp Activated Charcoal Powder.
• 2 tsp Water.
• ½ tsp Raw Honey.
• 1 drop each tea tree and lavender essential oils (optional). Try this lavender oil and this tea tree oil!

Add water and essential oils to a small glass bowl. Sprinkle the bentonite clay on the water and allow it to soak in for ten seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, and mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula until smooth (the clay will want to get all clumpy, but keep at it!). After mixing, apply it liberally to your face, and allow it to dry for at least ten minutes before washing off with soap and warm water.

Because it does not contain preservatives, the mask doesn't store well, so use it as soon as possible.

Apple Cider Vinegar

How it works: Apple cider vinegar is the key to an effective, natural toner because it can return your skin’s acidity (called the acid mantle) that is often stripped by harsh soaps and cleansers. Stripping the acid mantle can cause bacteria and dirt to get at the sensitive skin, causing acne, infections, and future wrinkles. A toner, applied after washing, can restore the natural pH of your skin, and a natural ingredient like apple cider vinegar is the perfect element for it (so good even Scarlett Johansson swears by it!).

Skin type: This is a great ingredient to use on oily and acne-prone skin; by replenishing your skin’s acidity, it can make it healthier, kill bacteria, and remove excess oils and dead skin cells.

Recipe: DIY Apple Cider Vinegar Toner

This recipe comes from Coconuts and Kettlebells. For the recipe, try using Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar!

• For sensitive skin: 1 part apple cider vinegar, 4 parts filtered water
• For normal-to-dry skin: 1 part apple cider vinegar, 2 parts filtered water
• For oily skin: 1 part apple cider vinegar, 1 part filtered water.

Apply using a cotton square after washing face and neck; lightly rub the mixture on your face and neck. Always start with a patch test to see how your skin will respond.

Seaweed

How it works: Don't worry, we're not going to ask you to head down to your local beach and slap whatever's there on your face. Seaweed, which comes in various powdered forms for you convenience, is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in vitamins and minerals that are not only easily absorbed into the skin, but also support healthy collagen production. These vitamins will give your skin a firmness and elasticity

Skin type: It's great for just about every skin type. The nutritional content of seaweed makes it a natural inflammatory, great for reducing acne and the colour of red, inflamed skin. If you are suffering from atopic dermatitis or psoriasis on the face, it can soothe the skin and help repair any damage done by scratching.

Seaweed is also great for balancing oily skin.

Recipe: Seaweed Mask with Kelp and Chlorella

This recipe comes from Mommypotamus.

• ½ teaspoon Kelp Powder.
• ½ teaspoon Chlorella Powder. 
• 1 tablespoon full-fat yogurt OR Aloe Vera gel OR 2 teaspoons of a skin nourishing oil (such as coconut oil). 
• 1 drop of a skin-nourishing essential oil (optional). 

Combine the kelp powder and chlorella powder with the essential oil (if desired). Add the yogurt/oil/Aloe Vera gel and mix thoroughly into a smooth, spreadable consistency (adding more liquid if necessary).

Scoop your seaweed mask out with a spoon and apply it to your face and neck with your fingertips, using a circular rubbing motion to exfoliate. Let it sit for 15 - 30 minutes and rinse. Apply a moisturizer.