It never ceases to amaze me how many cosmetics you can make with ingredients from your kitchen.
This little ditty came as an inspiration from the DIY Portable Bronzer Compact at Planet Green. The recipe there contains simply cinnamon and powdered sugar.
However, I like my bronzer on the “contour” side. Any chance I get to highlight those fabulous cheekbones, I’ll take. So that’s what the majority of my bronzing powders have done.
(You can also use bronzing powder lightly under your chin to minimize the appearance of any “doubling” and chisel your jaw a bit.)
What I’m getting at is: I needed to find a way to make the bronzer less cinnamon and more shadowy.
However, I did try cinnamon straight as a bronzer on my forehead, nose, and chin, and loved it. For as irritating as cinnamon can be on the skin, I wore it all day yesterday and had no itches or uncomfortable feelings. Just a nice, light smell of cinnamon.
Here are two different ways you can utilize the ingredients in your kitchen as a fantastically natural bronzing powder.
(Can I get a yay!?!?)
Homemade Bronzing/Contour Powder
I’ve got to be honest, crunchistas, I didn’t do a lot of measuring when I made this. And I don’t think you should, either.
You know your skin tone better than anyone in the world, so choose your levels of ingredients accordingly.
I’m also not 100% sure the nutmeg was necessary, but I love the smell of nutmeg (and it’s GREAT for keeping away pimples).
And, before we get into the making of this, let’s talk about the application. Use a light hand. The first time I applied this, I did it very thickly – thinking that there’d be little color that stayed on my skin. Big mistake.
You know those war movies where they smudge dirt all over the soldiers faces to make them look more scary, intense, and slightly insane? That’s what this looks like if you don’t go VERY easy with the application. In addition, you might want to smooth it around with your fingers just a touch to even out the application, so you don’t have cocoa smudges anywhere.
Once you get all that done, it looks just like store-bought bronzing powder.
Here’s what you need:
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cocoa Powder
- Cornstarch or Powdered Sugar
- An empty compact or small jar with a lid
- Essential oil (lavender, rose, or rosemary would do)
You could do this without the essential oil and just leave it as a very light bronze dusting powder. The oil basically just makes it a little more thick and easy to tamp into an empty compact case. If you choose NOT to use the oil, you don’t need the compact case. Just use a small jar and apply it as you would dry mineral powder.
If you’re going the essential oil route, empty out your compact case and clean it well. Even better than the one pictured here:
Now, get all your ingredients together and get ready to mix ’em up. Here’s the approximate levels of what I used in mine:
Customizable Homemade Contour Powder
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg powder
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 15 drops rose otto, lavender, or rosemary essential oil
When you’re adjusting this recipe to your desired darkness, remember: Cinnamon adds glow, cocoa adds depth and darkness, and nutmeg adds a sunkissed brown. Cornstarch spreads it all out and lightens it. Essential oil keeps it together and thickens.
Adjust the levels of ingredients to your liking and mix well in a small bowl, making sure to break up any clumps with your fingers. Place the powder in your clean, empty compact and tamp down well with the back of a spoon.
Apply as you would a contour powder.
Now, the above recipe may be too dark to just use as a light bronzing powder, so if you just want that natural sunkissed look, here’s another option:
Homemade Bronzing Powder
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon powder
- 3 tsp cornstarch (adjusted down or up depending on how dark you want the powder)
Mix these ingredients together in a small bowl, adjusting the levels as you’d like. Add a few drops of essential oil (lavender or rose would be best). Mix well. Place into clean, empty compact or small jar with a lid. Apply VERY lightly over your forehead, nose, chin, and apples of your cheeks for that beautiful (and SO natural) glow.
I wanted to give you guys an idea of how it actually works, so I used both things and took a picture.
However, I used FAR more of the contouring powder than I normally would – just so it would show up in the picture. Keep that in mind.
Total cost?
Approximately $0.25.
Let’s see you pick up a store-bought bronzer for that amount.
Ah, isn’t crunchiness grand.
EDIT 8/26/2012: Never in a million years did I think THIS would be a post/idea that would go viral. Of all of the homemade beauty treatments and household recipes I’ve blogged about, this is one of my least favorite, very rarely used ideas. Let it be known that I do NOT use this on a daily basis, nor would I suggest anyone else do so. It was a simple experiment to see if I could make it happen in a way that was acceptable in a pinch. And I did. That being said, I would absolutely be careful about putting cinnamon on my face regularly. I beg of everyone who tries this to please use their own discretion. Do this for fun, not forever.
Moisturizing, Invigorating Sweet Potato Facial Mask
I looked on here to find some natural alternatives, and yes, there are some great ones. I am also trained in the beauty industry, but am horrified with the comments from the supposedly educated people here. The average person would have no idea what you are on about, and the most of us are just after ideas, which are here for us to utilise, if we choose too. Almost all of the available commercial brands of cosmetics, do contain chemicals/preservatives of some description, even the ones that claim to be organic or natural, and whilst these products may not effect everyone, they certainly do have adverse reactions on many, hence why individuals are seeking other alternatives, including myself. At the very least, we are aware of exactly what we are putting on ourselves, when it is homemade, and that makes it easier to isolate what our individual allergens are, and the rule of thumb, if it irritates, don’t use it. If natural products are so harmful, why then are many large companies using many of the natural ingredients mentioned on this site and several others I have found, in their products, to market them? My opinion is that these ideas, and the fact that their are reviews from those that have tried them, offer us an alternative to try, I doubt that anyone would be forced to continue using them if they are not happy, and many of the heavily chemically laced cosmetics, contain a hint of these ingredients anyway. Also, oils are the base for many salon treatments, moisturisers, balms and skin treatments, why or how can they suddenly be the enemy, especially in there natural form.
I offer thanks to those that take the time to share their ideas with us, after all, they don’t have to.
I’m having trouble getting cornflour powder to stay on my face. Any tips?
Can you use this recipe without the cinnamon? I’m allergic to it, but I’d love to be able to get rid of store bought makeup!
Ibet you will smell delish too!! Lol. I think this will make Mr hungry all day
Love it, Thank you….
omg this was sooo helpful thank you soo much. can you do a blog about making foundation?
I would not recommend using sugar as it feeds bacteria, you are better off using corn starch, it also give a nice matte finish. and absorbs oils off of your skin. 🙂 and everyone’s skin is different, PLEASE test this on the inside of your forearm (wrist side) before you put it on your face.
I’m sorry, just because something slightly tingles or burns your tongue, does NOT mean it will necessarily burn the skin if this agent is applied to the face. Please. You’ve given us no real facts here. Just because you say you were in the beauty industry and you think cinnamon is spicy means your right!?? Sorry, but you need to present a plausible argument here, and besides, if its is bad for you, why don’t you just not use it and leave those that want to alone instead of trying to prove that you’re right? I need some sources here. I’ve applied cinnamon to my face many, many times and its actually helped my acne. The only reason you believe these things to be bad for your skin us because now there will be less money spent on the actual beauty industry and company made products. Don’t sit here and act as if the rest of the cosmetics out there are so much better. I think these ladies can deal with a few spices on their faces and not some cancer causing ingredients like harsh parabens, dyes, and other chemicals that even you cant pronounce, Jenny. Sorry, but it seems to me like you need to present some actual research, and not just your own feelings or opinions.
@jenny danger, can you please tell me where you retrieved your information from about cinnamon being s bad for you? And I’m curious, how long we’re you in the beauty industry and what exactly did you do?
this ROCKS! thanks so much <3
I tried this, and it didn’t work, but I had to augment a bit, let me know what you gals think. So I used cornstarch and cocoa powder but I didn’t have cinnamon, but I did have pumpkin spice (main ingredient cinnamon) and used it in place of all the spices. The powder didn’t burn or anything, but it didn’t leave any color on my skin, just dusted right off. I do have fairly dry skin though (even with copious amounts of moisturizer). Maybe that was it?
Sigh…. so much rudeness going on in the comments… amazing what happens when we are on the internet and not face to face.
But in summery, yes cinnamon can burn. Instead you can buy mineral powders and tints (yes, pure/vegan/organic) and mix it with cornstarch, or arrowroot powder if you find cornstarch to drying. And yes you can use That forever if you want.
I’ve been using corn starch, cinnamon,and nutmeg mixed together for several months now and I love it for Florida’s humid temperatures. It sets my makeup and gives my face a bronze glow in the winter and in the summer it prevents my face from looking oily or sweaty, I love it and use it when I go out of the house. On my days at home I give my face a break and cleanse with baking soda and h2o or baking soda and coconut oil, rinse real well and leave my face without anything on it for the day.
Jenny Danger should change her name to Debbie Downer.
Stop with the cinnamon is bad for your skin comments! True cinnamon may make your skin a bit red and plump but it is good for it! If you read up about cinnamon and your skin you might figure this out, however you should always do your research before trying an at home beauty product. Heres a little about cinnamon: Cinnamon–in both grated and essential oil forms–is beneficial to the skin because it brings blood and nutrients to the skin surface while also helping to dry skin. An article at organicfacts.net reports that cinnamon can be used to help dry acne and relieve an itchy scalp, but works best when applied in a preparation with an oil or petroleum jelly, which can moderate some of the harsh effects of cinnamon. (yes cinnamon is very potent and can irritate your skin if applied in coats!) Cinnamon is a spice that brings blood to the surface of the skin, causing minor swelling and plumping. (this is why some of you complained about red swollen skin but its only helping and temporary ) A preparation of three drops of cinnamon essential oil mixed with a couple tablespoons of petroleum jelly or olive oil can be applied to fine lines to plump out the skin, making the lines less visible. It’s best to avoid the eye area as cinnamon can cause burning if it gets in your eyes. You may carefully apply it to the outside of crow’s feet, away from the eye. This mixture is also helpful in plumping lips and can be used in place of lip gloss. See Cinnamon isn’t as bad as some of you thought!! Maybe applying it in excess isn’t a great idea (along with anything else!) but a little here and there wont hurt. Be cautious if you have very sensitive skin though as it wont necessarily “hurt” your skin but may cause elongated redness and stinging.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/91597-benefits-ground-cinnamon-skin/#ixzz2AHJu34g5
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/91597-benefits-ground-cinnamon-skin/#ixzz2AHJUUB9w
Hi! To help out Katie, there is something called a mortar and pesle that is used for grinding herbs, coffee beans and other stuff. We have a stone set but you can also get wooden ones and i think theres glass ones to and they range in price from $20 to $50
When I was making body powders a few years back, I tried arrowroot powder in team with cornstarch. The feel was amazing! Arrowroot is much lighter than you might think and also very silky. I found myself using more and more arrowroot and less cornstarch.
I just use cocoa powder.. work perfectly. Other spices burn me 🙁
I was just about to go buy antoher Bare Minerals Brozer for $18. I didn’t have cocoa powder or oils. Used nutmeg, cinnamon and powdered sugar. I wasnt thrilled about the coarse-ness of the nutmeg or portoin of cinnamon (made me sneeze lol). I love the feel of it on though. I think i’ll try again with cocoa and less cinnamon.
Just made this! I made the cinnamon and cornstarch bronzing powder, and it gave my face a nice natural glow! Don’t think I’ll even need blush now!
As much as people are going crazy about what is in this, leading brands of make-up have disgusting and harmful things in them, including red box waste, and most woman let than sit on their skin all day.
i used baby powder instead of cornstarch or powdered sugar because i simply didnt want to go to the store to get some and it works wonderfully. the texture of baby powder makes the finished product light and soft.
Can you use coconut oil instead of essential oils
The two are completely different types of oils. I really wouldn’t use them interchangeably. Essential oils are very concentrated so you’d only use a tiny amount. Coconut oil is more of a lotion-skin softening type of oil
I think I’ll stick to my dermatologist tested bronzer instead of having a reaction to ingredients that do not belong on skin, thanks.
You would be very surprised what you are actually putting on your skin with the “detmatologist tested” brands!
The natural ingredients discussed here are not harmful. Check your sensitivities prior to using the ingredients to see if your system can tolerate them. Your dermatologist tested bronzers more than likely are full of chemicals. Check your labels…just because they are dermatologist tested or approved does not necessarily mean they are safe or toxic free!
That looks simply awful – as a makeup artist this is NOT the look you want – even as a contour – it is too low and too intense – awful – splurge for a bronzer – they last forever!
Did you read the post at all? “However, I used FAR more of the contouring powder than I normally would –
just so it would show up in the picture. Keep that in mind.”
Are you women crazy! I am all for natural ingredients, but you cannot simply mix a couple of things together and expect them to be good for you just because it all natural.
trust me, I have worked in the beauty industry for many years and I know that some of the products out there have some dangerous ingredients but please don’t put oil and cinnamon or powdered sugar on your face regularly.
oh relax. we’re just having some fun. it’s not like anyone’s going to keep putting powdered sugar or cinnamon on their faces forever if it makes them break out or whatever. give people some credit. we’re all just experimenting with a little silliness. gosh, it’s not like we’re experimenting with putting parabens on our faces and bodies three times a day every day for our whole lives. wait, most people do that already. yikes.
everyone getting all in a tizzy about this needs to chill out and stop taking life so seriously. it’s too short for that. let people have their fun.
“experimenting with silliness”? welp, guess you nailed it then…
im always amazed at the ridiculous DIY ideas i find on pinterest. but this one ranks right up there with using Pledge to clean your car exterior and the suggestion that ladies spritz fabric softener all around as a sub for Febreeze.
im very glad your disclaimer states that you dont know jack about cosmetics [not to mention the potential dangers of applying nutmeg and cinnamon to your face]. and to give the idea that sweeping powdered sugar on the face is… just plain dumb.
there are plenty of earth friendly/skin friendly cosmetics on the market to satisfy the need for responsible makeup. and there are plenty of affordable cosmetics on every drug store shelf. there is no need to put spices on your face.
Are you serious? What do you think women used for centuries before the cosmetics industry took over what you put on your face? I’m thankful for sites like this which are thinking outside the mainstream! If it’s good enough to eat, why can’t you experiment with putting it on your face or hair? In India, women use turmeric and chickpea flour as a scrub and it is tradition at weddings! Honey and sugar is a great scrub. Eggs whites in your hair promote growth and strength. Henna is used as a conditioner and natural colorant. I could go on and on but I have to go grind up some nutmeg to put on my face.
im well aware of ancient cosmetic practices. its one thing to scrub your face with something such as sugar,ground coarse meals, and the like, but to -wear- it as a cosmetic is -not- the same. nutmeg and cinnamon can burn the delicate skin on the face. it may be an anti inflammatory that aides digestion, but can be quite irritating on the skin.
your statement that “its good to eat so why not slap it on my face” shows your ignorance. ‘thinking outside the mainstream’ shouldnt be license for recklessness in suggesting ladies use cinnamon and nutmeg to bronze their faces.
the majority of the aging women see on their faces is due to irritation from environmental pollution, sun damage, etc. so to use something such as nutmeg and cinnamon, that may cause irritation, is a poor choice. im all for responsible use of homeopathic ideas, but even some -natural- things are not exactly the best for you.
BUT….you didn’t have to be so harsh as to say, “Hey, this is just plain dumb.” It was quite rude. (In my opinion.)
I totally agree with your point, but you still come off as a huge, crabby bitch.
What a wanker you are!
You should try dry brushing your skin. It strengthens it and improves overall appearance, as well as increasing circulation of the blood and lymphatic system to help your body naturally release toxins.
Great comment Sarah.
You are partially correct on the aging women and environmental pollutants, sun damage and so forth…however, the chemical invasion in our so called cosmetics, lotions and such add to the aging problem. The largest culprit is diet, lack of water, and a mineral or vitamin deficiency…there is more to the overall picture….so again, lets get educated before attacking ones character.
Actually, As an esthetician, who has done years of research on natural skincare while formulating my own line of skin care products, I have to disagree. Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, which stimulates cell renewal and increases the production of collagen and elastin. Some people may have sensitivities to it, like people have sensitivities to many cosmetic ingredients, but if it does not irritate your skin, it is in no way harmful to use even as a cosmetic that will sit on the surface of your skin for an extended period of time. Cornstarch works great as a mineral powder foundation or as a base ingredient for homemade cosmetics. It absorbs oil, and evens skin tone without clogging pores. (A layer of plain cornstarch over your skin before applying the bronzer will minimize or even prevent irritation in those with sensitivities). It doesn’t seem to me like you are trying to help anyone with your comments. Suggesting a patch test before using to ensure that it will not irritate your skin would have been intelligent and helpful, but calling people “ignorant” seems a little uncalled for.
also, the fact that cinnamon and nutmeg have a pungent and spicy taste on the tongue should be a pretty good indicator of how it will react if it gets into the pores, or heaven forbid, in your eye, as you dust it all over….
Naturalmama……Amen girl…amen!!!
Here’s an idea: don’t wear make up. What’s even more dumb than trying to think outside the box and avoid your corporate face chemicals, is the idea that you need make up in the first place.
Yeah but then you look old and tired.
Actually Jenny, I amazed at how non-informed you are. You are not only uneducated in the subject at hand, you are very arrogant as you continue to degrade and bully others with your comments.
I personally challenge you to do a bit of research on petrochemical toxicity and the effects it has after a lifetime of use. I deal with toxicity issues in 95% of my patients daily, these simple toxins can and are causing many illnesses along with the stress they cause on the body organs, as they become so overworked at trying to cleanse the body of the chemical invasion they can not filter the toxicity of all the chemicals consumed daily. Over exposure for long periods of time causes many diseases and sometimes death. Therefore, until you are educated on toxic insult, it would be wise of you to hold your degrading comments to yourself. As I posted earlier…it is not always the ingredients that are the culprit, many times more than not, it is all in what the individual body system can tolerate as a direct result of other underlying health issues.
I do suggest that anyone planning on using natural products to use with caution. That is just good practice. Plain and Simple.
I am a cosmetologist as well as being well educated on natural nutrition regarding internally and externally. My mother has a health education and has trained me very well… regarding your comment, there is some truth in your statements and some just cockiness. What you are missing is that everyone reacts to things differently. yes, some products such as these are too harsh on tender skin (so those with tender skin, i would not recommend using these ingredients). However, Jenny, i think you are power tripping and being a total bitch in rubbing your so called “knowledge in peoples faces” if you are actually wanting people to listen to you, you might consider being nice. the only reason i can even think that you are posting these ridiculous comments is because you want to sound smarter then all these girls on this post. well you don’t sound smart at all, you just sound rude and nobody is going to listen to you. people don’t fallow bitches, they just laugh at them.
Girls, if you want to use this product this is what needs to be done. – essential scented oil can be very harsh on your face, as well as burning your eyes if you get the wrong scent or too close (now some people is doesn’t bother)- this is what you can use….
[oily skin] mix with peroxide or witch hazel (its more sensitive then rubbing alcohol but wont leave oily residue on your face).
[regular skin] mix the powder with coconut oil. this will soak into your skin and yet not irritate it (this can also be done for sensitive skin).
[dry skin] mix dry with olive oil. make sure you don’t use too much because it can clog your pores.
For household powders that are made for internal use, the best thing to do is not just trust any post you read, research what each element does for your skin type and change the recipe to match your skin. the important thing is to match your skin color and not use harsh ingredients. every skin is different and what might work great for one girl will be terrible for another. this also applies to ‘in store products’. some products will make one girl break out or get rashes while a different girl finds it to be the best product ever. i’m not going to go into detail about each ingredient that is listed in this recipe. you are all smart girls and you are capable of using the internet (the biggest brain out there) to find trusting and SAFE, GENTLE ingredients to use. Just don’t trust any person who decides to post their personal opinion about products. the best to do is research each ingredient by itself and find the downfalls and benefits each one has.
Good luck girls. remember to always test out your finished product before putting it all over your face. treat your face like porcelain.
A few drops of rubbing alcohol instead of the oil will help powder join and press into compact. Once the alcohol evaporates, the powder will be formed solid in the compact.
Make sure you test the bronzer on a small patch of skin. I just tried the bronzer. The color was perfect so I bronzed my face and neck. All of a sudden I noticed everywhere I dusted was turning red and starting to burn. I immediatly washed it off – I look like I am sunburned instead of sun kissed 🙁
i hope everyone reads your feedback before trying this.
that was most definately the cinnamon! every cinnamon face mask ive ever tried ended up that way for me…
Hi saw this on Pinterest. Not good to use lavender, as it is cytotoxic – causes skin cell death. Natural, but hardly beneficial!
http://personalcaretruth.com/2011/09/lavender-oil-skin-savior-or-skin-irritant/ Has some good information about Lavender and what it does for your skin.
Actually lavender essential oils are really healing for the skin and beneficial! Every skin type is different and some of the ingredients may actually irritate the skin, not because the ingredients are bad but because of the toxicity in the individuals body system and what one can tolerate. Please get the facts before making comments that are misleading.
wow.. homemade always safe.. loved it
Amazing 🙂
I seriously love you for this post! TTTHHHHHAAAANNNNKKKKK YYYYYOOOOUUUUU!
Any suggestions for how to not have the color look so splotchy?
mix all the powders with a fork..then sift together!! Works perfectly..
Great hack Crunchies. I was looking fo something to replace my translucent loose powder and plain rice flour seemed a little well… stark. But I found brown rice flour at my local co-opt and mixed it with plain white rice flour. Blended it to just the right shade for my skin. Awesome! $0.08 instead of $18.00 is pretty amazing.
maybe the countour powder would work better? I tried the bronzer by itself and the cinnamon was much heavier than the cornstarch and fell out when i powdered it on my face, leaving me with a light powder of cornstarch on my face…
If you use some pure 100% aloe vera gel (directly from the plant) as a primer that might help a little bit.
I don’t have any of the oils you mentioned…any substitues I might have laying around the house? Vitamin E oil…?
LOVE IT! … and this is from someone who is a pretty durned pale delicate southern flower. I use a really light hand, but the powder gives me a nice glow … and the boyfriend likes kissing a girl who smells like pure deliciousness.
I am running low on my mineral foundation, I following your idea of replacing things with an all natural home-made version when I run out of something. I was just beginning to wonder if make-up could be home-made. I like the bronzer idea and want to try charcoal for the eyes but what about mineral foundation powder? Do you recommend spices that could mix a tint similiar to a foundation color?
I just made some foundation today that worked really well. It uses basically the same ingredients. I used tapioca flour (instead of corn starch) cinnamon and a little bit of cocoa powder. I used more tapioca flour than I would for bronzer and was able to nearly match my exact skin tone.
I’ve been struggling with finding an eco-friendly blush that’s the right shade of pink. I’ve never used bronzers before so I might just have to try this. Besides, I’ll only be out a whopping quarter and I already have everything in my kitchen. Love it!
I’ve heard that beet juice (either the stuff in the can, juiced, pureed, or left-over water from boiling beets) works well. Water it down because you’re fair and apply it with a cotton ball (:
If you have a dehydrator then you can also dehydrate beets and make them into a powder.
Okay! So I’m super pale and never use bronzer or contouring powder because it looks crazy on me BUT I made the contouring powder and used it as eye shadow instead. It was LOVELY!! Except… the nutmeg that I have is a really coarse grind and it kept falling into my eye.
So I washed that off and made the contouring powder again, used a heavy hand and it made really lovely eye shadow. A version more diluted with corn starch (and a bit of tumeric for a blond-ish colour) made for a really wonderful eyebrow filler. THANKKKKK YOU! I’m way too cheap to pay for mineral cosmetics (for now, at least), so this is the answer to my prayers.
Pixie — I took your suggestion and used rice powder/rice flour on my face just as a finishing powder and it was lovely – nice and light and it doesn’t cake on. Lovelovelove it! Now I’m trying to figure out how to make it just slightly pink for a blush. Any suggestions?
Oooh. I LOVE the sound of doing it as eye shadow. That was going to be my next “hack.” Although cinnamon around the eyes sounds like it could potentially irritate really sensitive eyes. Luckily, I don’t have those, so I’m going to try it. You can also use finely ground lavender buds for a purple hue.
And I have a few more eye tricks to share, but I’ll save ’em for later.
SO, for pink – Try grinding up some rosebuds or petals really finely. THAT would work for cheeks (and eyes, even). OH YEAH! OR! Ground hibiscus! That would be an absolutely lovely darker red shade (which, of course, you could lighten up with some corn starch or rice powder.
This is so much fun!
WONDERFUL! Thank you, lovely! What do you use to grind up your herbs? I’ve got an awesome coffee grinder that I use, but it doesn’t get things into a fine powder. Any suggestions?
also… beetroot. grate a bit and make a “tea” then mix with whatever… let it dry and crush any lumps or chunks or leave it as pressed pwder.
I am contemplating using black walnut hull powder as an eyebrow powder (i am eyebrow poor and have dark hair). Anyone know of a reason not to?
walnut juice can run from dark brown to yellow in color and permanently stain everything it touches, and some people are highly allergic to the oils of black walnut, it is toxic to almost every plant that grows near it. it is not worth the risk
I must agree with Madge.
I’m pale as well more out of choice because it takes work to be pale in Australia. If you are like me and get broken capillaries super easy then Vitamin E oil is the ticket.
Good to hear about the rice powder, I just ground up some rice to use as face powder so we will see if it can survive the dance floor tomorrow night.
Also it isn’t natural but you can use lipstick as blush (my mum’s make up trick from the sixties.) If you have leftover pink eyeshadow you could make lipgloss with it by mixing it with vaseline or paw paw ointment and then use it as blush as well.
Also Bourjois have a Highlighting powder that gives the illumination and sparkle of bronzer but its pale so it works well on a creamy complexion.
try mixing a bit of red or pink drink mix (unsweetened has a better textureau with talc, cornstarch, or powdered sugar to use as blush. Also drink mix and the end of an old chapstick melted together for lipstick. Could use vaseline or even essetial or veggie oil for a tinted gloss.
If you are trying to go all natural, why the drink mix that is full of chemicals? Also vaseline, vegetable oils and chapstick are all bi-products of petrochemicals which are extremely toxic! Just asking!
thinly slice a raw beet, then dehydrate. Grind in a coffee grinder until completely fine and mix w whatever you prefer for a nice blush 🙂 Good luck
dehydrated beet powder. You can put as much in there as you want and get the color just right. I read it on one other site while looking for natural colorants.
Mix the flour with a drop of Hibiscus flower’s juice.
I konw this is terrible but I like store brought make up in it’s container making promises about my apperance that it doesn’t keep.
However RICE POWDER, apparently Clara Bow used it as face powder. I want to have pale, pale skin so I’m thinking of trying it.
Haha – SO much rice powder to work with. I made a scrub with it today and am in absolute heaven.
Next time I wear makeup, I’ll try it as a powder too. Thanks for the ideas, lady!
You never cease to amaze me!
Now no pressure but will we ever get to see your commercially made Betty-approved make up products, I am in desperate need of eyeliner and mascara but would love to avoid putting some sort of deadly poison on me face…
Hehe. I keep wanting to make suggestions, but honestly, I have pretty limited experience with the different natural makeup lines. I have two that I use religiously and haven’t tried much else. I’m so happy with them, I just haven’t shopped around.
They’re: ZuZu and MyChelle. My two favorite cosmetic companies.
Maybe I should hit up a few more to send me some samples so I can do a review. Hmmmm …
have you ever heard of Lush? They are an all natural if not organic body line. Mostly solid perfumes, body washes, and bath bombs, but still worth checking out. Their prices don’t seem to terrible either.
http://www.lushusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Lush-Site/en_US/Home-Show?gclid=CNiy3b_itbECFeUBQAodFxMArQ
Actually, lush is neither all natural nor organic. They’re pretty savvy with the greenwashing, though. When I first started this journey, they had me hooked until I researched their ingredients, which include things like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, propylene glycol, parabens, synthetic fragrances out the wazoo, phenoxyethanol, and more.
They don’t actually claim to be all natural. They just make you think they do.
It’s pretty sad.
I’m terrible at contouring, but the idea of smelling like cinnamon all day is pretty tempting.
The cinnamon has been really fun. After doing this last night, my favorite scent combination at the moment is rose and cinnamon. I even put some in my ACV hair rinse.
Too bad fiance hates the smell of cinnamon. Poor thing.
Lori! Rice powder and rice flour are the same thing. Don’t confuse this with rice starch, which is different (and much more difficult to find).
I recently started making my own green tea and rice face scrub and it’s fantatic! I use sweet rice flour(which I have on hand because I use it in baking alllll the time), ground green tea leaves, milk powder and a bit of baking soda. It’s so lovely!
Holy moly, lady. I LOVE the sound of your scrub! I’m going to have to try my own version of it – and I’m SO going to blog it.
Thanks for sharing – everything!
Mwah!
Ooh yay! Thanks lovely lady!
I made a green tea toner to go with it — just green tea, witch hazel and some tea tree oil. It’s soooooo lovely! I’ve had puffy-face syndrome lately (too many late nights) so this has been super duper helpful!
Lori has some good questions. I’m very curious about her fancy rice powder scrub.
Haha. It’s cracking me up how this post is all about rice flour now!
A recipe is forthcoming. It has to be. I’m so, so, so curious to experiment with it now. Luckily, I ran out of scrub last week, so I’ve been waiting for a new recipe to just … present itself. And tada.
Is cinnamon powder the same as ground cinnamon, or is it finer?
Also, what do you know, wise-lady, of rice powder? I have a zillion dollar daily exfoliator that I love, but will probably never buy again owing to its price tag, that is principally rice powder.
Are rice powder and rice flour the same thing? Because I will happily make my own version of this wonderful scrub.
Rice powder and flour ARE the same thing. Katie down below gave a great idea for a scrub. You guys have teamed up to spread some inspiration. SOOOOO many thanks!
And cinnamon powder is the same as ground cinnamon. I wish I knew a way to grind it even finer than the ground stuff, because the extra fine powder at the bottom is the best.
Any chance you could tell me what else is in your zillion dollar daily exfoliator?
Let’s see…I’m looking at the ingredient list, and there are many long words that mean “chemical” to me. But the things I recognize are talc, oatmeal, rice bran, rice starch (and I see Katie’s distinction, below), salycilic acid, citrus peel oil, licorice root extract and tea tree oil. Oh, and titanium dioxide. Which sounds like a paint.
I always assumed rice powder (probably because that’s what my aesthetician called it) but the ingredient list says starch, not powder or flour. But maybe “rice bran” is actually rice flour? So perhaps it has both?
Hm. I wonder what the talc is for. THANK YOU for looking this up for me, though. I’d love to get my hands on some licorice root extract now. Apparently it’s really great for soothing inflamed, red skin. I’d like to try that out a little.
That’s one thing that irks me about cosmetics, though – there’s no way to know how much of any ingredient is actually in the formulation. In essence, they could put one tiny drop of something in a giant vat and say it’s in the ingredients.
Also, definitely try making your own with rice flour (or, I think I’m going to sell a batch of it here, if you’d like to try that … it’ll be somewhat less than a zillion dollars). Either way, I used it in a scrub earlier and was in heaven. Such a nice, light exfoliation.
Look at what you started! Just look at it.
This is the first time I’d seen your site–it is wonderful!! I’ve always had a hard time with make up–my skin says “Noooooooooo”! I’m going to try some of these great ideas. Love it. Thanks.
try an old fashion mortar and pestle