Gel Oil Moisturizer

Hi people -

Last night we had a crazy storm with really loud thunder. It made me jump a few times. Have you had lots of rain too?

What are you reading? Anything interesting? I’d love to hear about it. I’m reading a book about amazon for authors.

Do you enjoy using oil gel moisturizers but don't care for all the unnatural ingredients with names you can't pronounce? Today we're going to make a simple 3 ingredient moisturizer. I like it because it helps my itchy dry skin and it's not as messy as just using oil.

You will need: a bottle with a pump, a funnel, aloe, glycerin, your favorite oil, and essential oils (optional). I like to use apricot oil, lavender, tea tree, and tangerine.

Fill the bottle 40 percent full of glycerin. Fill the other 60 percent with equal amounts of aloe and oil. Then drop in a few drops of essential oil if you wish. (See picture below.)

Aloe vera is safe for all skin types. It is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. It is cooling and soothing and good for many skin conditions including red skin, eczema, psoriasis, shingles, sunburn, windburn, dry skin, burns, and cuts. It has vitamins A, B, C,E, and amino acids. For eczema or inflamed skin, mix yarrow, neroli, and patchouli in your moisturizer. For sunburn, try lavender, rose Otto, and Roman chamomile.

Apricot oil is also good for all skin types; however, it is more comedogenic than other oils so it might clog pores. It contains vitamin A which is nourishing for your skin. It is also made up of between 60 and 70 percent oleic acid (omega 9) which helps make your skin texture nice and smooth. It also has between 20 and 25 percent linolic acid (omega 6). It helps regulate the normal function of the skin, helps the skin barrier, and helps eczema and psoriasis and inflamed, irritated skin.

Glycerin is a humectant which means it pulls water from the air into the top layer of your skin. It helps to retain moisture while helping to preserve the properties of the product. Research indicates that in concentrations under 50 percent, glycerin is able to soften rough, dry skin. Glycerin can help you get more youthful looking skin as it is able to temporarily plump skin and minimize fine lines and wrinkles. Studies show that glycerin is able to do this because it can penetrate the skin barrier and increase water volume between the cells. It is also able to bind with and stabilize collagen.

Below are some blends you might want to use in your moisturizer. I hope this helps you and you have a terrific weekend!

-Carrie