August 30th is National Beach Day and what better way to end the season but with a beach body beauty kit with essential oils. There is still plenty of time for you to have your best ‘Beach Body Perfection’ moment of the Summer season. Bolster your self esteem with essential oils that feed and hydrate your skin. Strut your beach bod best with Rose, Amyris, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang and Grapefruit.
Capitalize on nourishing carrier oils like Jojoba, Argan and Rosehip oil to get your skin looking tip top. Prep your skin with a Sugar and Salt Exfoliator. Lock in nourishment with Mega Moisture Lotion and Delectable Dry Oil. Keep cool on even the hottest days with a Refreshing Spritz and worst case scenario, soothe with our blissful After Sun. After dark, our Shimmer Luxe Créme is sure to get you noticed.
Summer is fleeting. Before we know it, it will be giving way to Fall. So, how about one last hurrah at the beach. Get a fly, buffed and preened beach body, and knock them all sideways.
This Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils will have you looking tip top and uber glam in no time at all.
What Is A Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils?
A Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils is a small range of products to take you from morning to night at the beach and beyond. You know yourself and your routine better than anyone, so feel free to swap products in and out to suit yourself. It is your Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils, so make it your own!
Exfoliate! Exfoliate! (Sorry, I could not resist the Darlek).
Get ready for the beach by exfoliating your skin thoroughly and gently with a Salt and Sugar mix rich in luscious carrier oils and essential oils to clean and brighten the skin.
This is an absolutely necessary step if you are also using tanning products before you go.
Moisturize
Then you need to nourish your skin and bring in moisture. This makes the skin appear more plumped, smoother and therefore, younger looking. You could use a moisturizing Body Lotion high in floral water content and humectants like Glycerine for deep penetrating hydration.
Lock It In With Dry Oil
Lock in that precious moisture once it has fully absorbed with a dry body oil, rich in nourishing oils that will feed your skin and again make it look more plumptious and youthful.
Shimmer the Night Away
If you are off out into the sunset, nothing sets off tanned skin like a bit of shimmer. It gives your tan a healthy looking glow and makes your skin appear very youthful.
It can help to hide all manner of uneven skin tone when applied judiciously. It is something you don’t want to go overboard with.
I often use my shimmer luxe créme out of season, as a slick of highlighter across the top of my cheekbone. A line down the center of your shin bone at any time of the year elongates the appearance of your legs. Even under pantyhose.
After Sun Salvation
Now, sometimes we get carried away, or drop off to sleep and end up a little redder than intended, so a good After Sun is always a Godsend. I use mine routinely, anytime I have been exposed to the sun, even if I have not been sunburnt.
This After Sun thoroughly hydrates your skin and helps the skin to recover. While it is not a beauty product strictly speaking, it is still an absolute essential in your Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils. Mainly because looking like a cooked lobster is not your best beach look!
Fend Off The Bugs
I recently wrote Choosing The Best Essential Oils For Travel and you can find my recipes for both Mozzie Mace and Bug Bite Boo Boo. Take a pot of those with you if you think you might be fending off pesky bugs. You don’t want great wheals and hives of insect bites getting in the way of your ‘Beach Body Perfection’.
Why Make A Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils?
Well, I would have thought that was obvious. Isn’t it?
We are not all supermodels and some of us need a little extra help to reach that ‘Beach Body Perfection’. I know I need all the help I can get….. And then some!
Healthy Skin
The key here is always about how your skin appears.
If your skin looks soft, plump and smooth, it can also look younger. Now, I am conscious here that it sounds like I am saying that only younger skin looks beautiful.
I am most certainly NOT saying that.
I am saying HEALTHY and hydrated skin looks beautiful at any age.
Therefore, what we are attaining to here is healthier looking hydrated skin. We can do that by exfoliating off the dead and dry skin and feeding and hydrating it and then locking all that goodness in.
Please remember that any skin regime should also include a high SPF sunscreen.
Select essential oils can support the health of your skin, even out skin tone, reduce dryness and flaking skin. They can assist in helping to heal nicks and wounds and diminish the appearance of scarring. Select essential oils can also help to reduce inflammation, redness and swelling.
They can bring nourishment and hydration to the skin, plumping up the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and evening out the skin tone and refining pores.
We will have a look at some of our favorite essential oils at VINEVIDA for your Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils shortly.
Confidence
The beach very often means baring our body more than we normally might and for many of us, just the thought of it fills us with dread.
Nip that feeling in the bud and make sure your Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils includes those essential oils that support your confidence. Use them widely, to bolster your sense of self and your esteem.
Of course, many of the Citrus oils are perfect for this. However, any cold pressed Citrus essential oil may also have phototoxic contraindications. Meaning that it could create a skin rash or discolouration when exposed to sunlight. You need to avoid that happening.
If you want to include cold pressed citrus essential oils like Bergamot, keep the safety dilution rate under 0.4% and it should not be too much of an issue. Keep Sweet Orange, Mandarin and Grapefruit all under 1% as well.
Remember that the person who sneaks hurriedly onto the beach, with shoulders hunched and looking furtively around to see who's watching, is as conspicuous as those who flaunt almost everything!
Walk tall with confidence, with your head up and a smile on your face. You ARE beautiful just the way you are.
Control
I knew I was going to be writing this article this week and I happened to be in a large high street pharmacy at the weekend, so I took a look at some of the products on the shelf.
I was looking at products aimed at being at the beach or on holiday and I was disappointed at how few, if any, natural based products there were.
I will not name any names, I am not here to name and shame. Needless to say, I was disappointed to see such a huge array of ingredients that feature quite highly as potentially toxic chemicals.
Often people buy these products because they believe that they cannot make something as comparatively effective at home. That is NOT the case. You totally CAN!
Often, it can be more effective, because you are going to tailor it to yourself and your own needs. I always make sure my products are suitable for my very sensitive skin. Let’s face it, I couldn’t have used 95% of what was on that shelf anyway!
You can ditch all of those unnecessary chemicals.
If you are one of those people who believes that you cannot make something that rivals what you can store buy, then I beseech you, please try this!
Essential Oils For A Beach Body Beauty Kit
We are looking for essential oils that are going to really nurture your skin, feed it, hydrate it and coax it lovingly to life. We also want essential oils that will soothe, reduce inflammation and relax the skin should we encounter the need.
Don’t forget we are also looking for essential oils that make us feel great about ourselves and can support us through beach baring anxiety and allow us to relax more easily in social settings.
Rose Essential Oil (Rosa damascena)
Whenever we are looking for a skin ‘food’ then Rose essential oil is always going to be top of my list. Rose as a herb, has been used for millennia and so when it came to distilling it as an essential oil it took many years of perfecting. I’m glad they persevered because it is nothing short of sensational.
I use it for very dry and sensitive skin. It is wonderful for the mature complexions and those that experience broken capillaries from time to time. I find it suits most skin types and has positive actions and outcomes in improving the tone and appearance of the skin.
It’s also a truly wonderful oil when it comes to addressing nervous tension, anxiety and depression. It’s great ‘Soul Support’ and can help to feel more confident in our bodies. Especially for women. It can help make us feel safer in our own skin.
Safety: Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Amyris Essential Oil (Amyris Balsamifera)
I always call this Sandalwood Amyris because it has very similar actions on the skin to the real deal. This is a more affordable and much more sustainable alternative too. It’s so high in oil content that locals call it ‘Candle Wood’ because it can be used as a torch.
I find that it helps to regenerate skin and slow aging and that it can soften, soothe irritation of the skin. It can also help to alleviate dryness of the skin.
It’s a wonderful oil to use to alleviate stress and anxiety and has a way of transporting you to a ‘different’ place. Allowing you to leave some of your worries behind for a while. What more perfect essential oil could you have for your Beach Body Beauty Kit With essential oils.
Safety: Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia serrata)
This might not be the first essential oil that springs to mind when you think of a Beach Body Beauty KIt with essentials, but it is a well-considered choice.
Frankincense's anti-inflammatory actions are lovely for soothing tired and aching muscles after a long day flexing them at the beach. Yet, it’s real superpower is for your skin, especially if you are slightly older.
Frankincense restores elasticity, it is the perfect help if your skin is becoming saggy and wrinkly. It is wonderful for crevices and fine lines. I find it tremendous for rehydrating skin. Making it the perfect essential oil for more mature and elderly skins.
I’ve included it here because it's also lovely on sunburnt skin, bringing nourishment and hydration. Frankincense oil's combined antibacterial, antiseptic, and antioxidant components also protect the skin and reduce inflammation.
I think Frankincense is wonderful in the bath or in massage oils for the dry skin, that generally, comes with Eczema.
It is a beautiful choice if you are feeling stressed, as it slows and deepens your breath, helping to relieve nervous tension and anxiety. Lavender and Frankincense should be your go-to essential oils for travel if you are a nervous passenger.
Frankincense is simply perfect for your Beach Body Beauty Kit With essential oils.
Safety: Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Cananga odorata)
Ylang Ylang essential oil is my favorite ‘balancing’ essential oil and I turn to it time and time again where my skin needs a balancing act.
Ylang Ylang essential oil helps to regulate your sebum production by correcting the amount of oil your sebaceous glands produce. This helps to ensure your complexion has exactly the right amount of moisture.
Ylang Ylang essential oil also acts like a healing powerhouse. It helps by boosting the regenerative process of the skin’s epidermis. Combine that with Ylang Ylang’s powerful antioxidant properties, it can be used to fight off the free radicals. We want to eliminate those if we can help it because they are responsible for premature aging.
It is widely used in aromatherapy for reducing anxiety and stress and alleviating depression. I find inhaling this oil in short bursts really bolsters me and makes me feel a bit better about life. It is heady, so go easy, because it can give you a headache if you are not careful.
Safety: Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Grapefruit Essential Oil (Citrus paradisi)
Grapefruit essential oil is widely used in the beauty industry in products to target Cellulite. It is also used to target Stretch Marks and oily skin. This is likely because of the oil’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential antibacterial properties.
I’m not quite sure where this idea was formulated in my experience of using Grapefruit, but I always think of it as the ‘Street Sweeper’ essential oil. Odd, I am aware!
Grapefruit essential oil has the ability to clean and cleanse the skin and remove that dirt and debris that your skin collects over the day. It also has potential antibacterial properties to boot. Not to mention all those incredible antioxidant effects. It’s a perfect choice for the exfoliator in your Beach Body Beauty Kit With essential oils.
I love the fresh brightness it can bring to a blend and it is something that I like to use a great deal on my own skin. It’s very own ‘Street Sweeper’ diligently sweeping things clean and refreshing everything up nicely.
Safety:
- Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
- Grapefruit essential oil can be phototoxic and react with the sun, so be sure to stay within the recommended safety dilution AND wear proper sun protection.
- Grapefruit can interact with certain medications. This is because grapefruit can block the action of the enzyme CYP3A4, which is responsible for breaking down certain drugs in the body. When this enzyme is blocked, drug levels rise causing a negative interaction. Contraindicated medicines include both statins taken for cholesterol and contraceptives.
- Grapefruit Specific -Not suitable for use for people who have platelet disorders or are on blood thinning medication. It is suggested you cease use of grapefruit essential oil 48 hours before any planned surgery.
Carrier Oils For A Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils
Before we start, many carrier oils come from nuts. Therefore, if you have a nut allergy, please source alternative carrier oils.
Jojoba Carrier Oil
Jojoba carrier oil is a wax, but so well known as a carrier oil that I have included it where you would expect it to be. Jojoba oil's waxy composition is almost identical in texture to human sebum, secreted to moisturize the skin and create a barrier.
When we have dry skin, it can be because of an imbalance in sebum levels. The beauty of jojoba carrier oils is that they can replicate it. This forms a waxy barrier over the skin. In turn, this traps moisture below and hydrates it.
If you have oily skin, it will trick your skin into thinking it has produced enough sebum and helps to balance it out and bring equilibrium back to the skin. Because of its similar ph. to sebum, it also balances out the acidity on the skin. It makes Jojoba carrier oil an excellent choice for all skin types.
Argan Carrier Oil
Argan carrier oil contains Vitamin E, fatty acids, and linoleic acid. Vitamin E is a well-known, widely utilized, powerful antioxidant guarding against damage from free radicals. It can also repair the skin's lipid barrier, reducing skin breakouts and nourishing the skin deeply.
Argan oil benefits are anti-aging and anti-wrinkle as it nourishes dry skin, helping it look plumper, smoother, and, therefore, younger. It is restorative to the natural lipid barrier, so it is suited to all skin types and can even balance sebum production in oily skin.
Argan oil is such a beautifully delicate product, I find that it is so nurturing to sensitive and inflamed skin, and I have found it helpful for use with acne and rosacea.
Rosehip Carrier Oil
The rosehip carrier oil is one to use sparingly on your face - It is incredible but vibrant, and too much can block your pores, so we recommend keeping it to less than 10% of your overall ratio if you plan to use it on your face.
It is the one carrier oil I must admit I put in almost everything; even if it is the tiniest drop, it is like a small drop of molten gold. It is an emollient that smooths, softens, and soothes the skin.
Rosehips were the saving grace in the UK during WW2 because they contained around 20 times as much vitamin C as oranges, and they were made into syrups and given to kids to keep up their levels through winter. Topical vitamin C is often used for its anti-aging and anti-pigmentary potentials, and Rosehip is packed into the gunnels with it.
Fragrance Oils For A Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils
Fragrance oils don’t have the same active properties and qualities that essential oils do. However, it can be a way to get those delicious fragrances associated with those cold pressed citrus essential oils, without all the contraindications.
Remember, that if you are going to go with fragrance oils then it is worth thinking about layering all your products, so you are constantly building on your scent profile. Have a look at this article for more information on how to do that - Layering Perfumes With Essential Oils - The Body Edition.
These are some of my favorite Vinevida Fragrance Oil recommendations for your Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils.
Ocean Rain
Ocean Rain fragrance oil is a truly dreamy blend of wonderfully crisp and clean notes. The first note to hit you on that summer breeze is the unmistakable scent of Sea Salt. Orange cleans and freshens the whole scent profile. Rose lends that floral depth and swirls a final flourish. You only have to close your eyes and you can feel the sand between your toes and sea spray on your face.
Fragrance Notes
- Top: Crisp notes
- Mid: Sea salt, Orange
- Bottom: Rose
Hawaiian Sunrise
Imagine standing on the beach, squishing your toes into the warm sand. Softly lapping waves roll into the beach and draw back out as the sun rises behind the palm trees. The air is filled with tropical florals, citruses, fruits, Vanilla, and Coconut. It never hurts to dream!
Fragrance Notes
- Top: Citruses, Fruits
- Mid: Coconut
- Bottom: Vanilla, Tropical florals
Pina Colada
It’s sunset at the Beach Bar with sugared glass rims and tiny umbrellas on the beach. Pineapple, Coconut Milk, Banana, Vanilla. Bikinis and sunglasses are optional. Party vibe is guaranteed.
Fragrance Notes
- Top: Pineapple
- Mid: Coconut Milk
- Bottom: Banana, Vanilla
Other Key Ingredients For A Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils
Before we start, many cosmetic butters, like carrier oils, come from nuts. Therefore, please source alternative cosmetic butters if you have a nut allergy.
Unrefined Shea Butter
Shea is a nut butter usually made by indigenous communities. Seek out those made by these incredible and hardworking communities and choose those that are fair-trade to support their important work.
Being a natural product, its qualities can vary from place to place and community to community. Refining processes can also affect Shea Butters antioxidant levels and qualities.
Shea butter will boost the moisture in our skin, leaving it looking plump, renewed, and younger. Unrefined Shea Butter is full of antioxidants associated with anti-aging qualities.
Shea butter is extremely rich in nutritious fatty acids but has anti-inflammatory properties, making it ideal for damaged and irritated skin. It's also rich in vitamin E, generally used to combat the signs of aging by nourishing the skin.
Unrefined Shea Butter can have a solid and distinctive smell, so many prefer refined Shea Butter. However, choosing suitable essential oils can complement and cover the scent of Shea Butter, making it worthwhile sticking to the unrefined to harness all its many beautiful properties. I always use unrefined because I want the best from it, even if that means buying less.
Floral Waters And Hydrosols
Floral Waters and plant based Hydrosols are amazing for making spritzes to keep you cool and collected at the beach. I’ve included a bonus recipe today for a gorgeous Face and Body Spritz. If that doesn’t keep you looking cool, I’m not sure what will.
Rose water particularly, when mixed into lotions and creams helps to give it a refreshing finish on the skin. I find the same with Orange Flower Water and Melissa Hydrosol.
If you haven’t used floral waters or plant based hydrosols, then now is your chance. Give it a go!
Our Favorite Recipes For A Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils
A Note About Preservatives - Please feel free to add your own preservatives into these products. Given that instructions and amounts to add to recipes vary enormously between manufacturers, please always follow their individual guidelines and recommendations.
Salt and Sugar Exfoliator
This is just the best way to slough off all those dead and dry skin cells and reveal the inner beauty of the smooth, supple skin underneath.
If you have very sensitive skin, stick to just using a fine ground sugar and avoid the salt entirely.
Find more ideas and tips and tricks on making Salt and Sugar Scrubs in How To Make Bath Scrubs With Essential Oils.
You Will Need:
- Non-reactive mixing bowl
- Stainless steel spoon
- Jar with a non-reactive lid - Glass preserving jars with rubber seals are perfect.
- Label
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Fine ground Pink Himalayan Rock Salt
- ¼ cup Fine ground Dead Sea Salt
- ⅓ cup Jojoba Carrier Oil
- ⅓ cup Rosehip Carrier Oil
- ⅓ cup Argan Carrier Oil
Optional: ¼ cup of one or a mixture of these - Granulated Bamboo, Ground Walnut Shells, Ground Apricot Kernels, Ground Olive Pits.
- 8 drops of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Cananga odorata)
- 8 drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil (Citrus paradisi)
- 20 drops of Rose Geranium Essential Oil (Pelargonium asperum var roseum)
Safety:
- Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Method:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and sea salt with the carrier oils
- Mix thoroughly with a spoon, ensuring all the sugar and salt mix is finely covered in the oil.
- Once combined, carefully add your drops of essential oils and then thoroughly mix again.
- Lid tightly
- Label clearly with all the ingredients for safety reasons
- Carry out a 24-48 hour patch test before you hit the beach!
How To Use:
- I say again. Carry out a 24-48 hour patch test before you hit the beach!
- Take a liberal amount and massage it into the skin working in circular upward motions. Don’t be too rough in gentle places and give a good extra rub to knees, feet, ankles, hands and elbows.
- Rinse off in warm water with a clean soft cloth.
- Use once to twice a week at most.
- This recipe will store for at least six months if kept in the dark at a consistent and ambient temperature. The only thing that will go 'off' is if the carrier oil turns rancid, which you will smell as soon as you open the jar. If that happens, simply discard and make a new batch.
Mega Moisturizing Body Lotion
This is just what you want in a Body Lotion for your Beach Body Beauty Kit With essential oils. It is super hydrating, full of moisture and moisturizing properties.
Rich in the humectant Glycerin which is literally going to grab moisture from the air and stuff it into your skin cells for you. What a nice little friend Glycerine turns out to be!
While uber rich and nourishing it’s also light and will absorb into your skin quickly. No waiting around, wafting around the bathroom while the lotion sinks in. That means more time at the beach….. Or the bar, whatever takes your fancy.
You Will Need:
- Measuring scales
- Non-reactive mixing bowl
- Stainless steel spoon
- Measuring jug
- Measuring spoons
- Funnel
- 250ml bottle and lid
- Label
Ingredients:
- 100ml (3.38 fl oz) Water based cream base or Aqueous Cream
- 4 tbsp. Glycerin
- 1 tbsp. Jojoba Carrier Oil
- 1 tsp Witch Hazel
- 20 ml (0.85 FL Oz) Rose Water
- 50 ml (1.69 FL Oz) Spring Water (bottled or boiled)
- 20 drops of Rose Essential Oil (Rosa damascena)
- 10 drops of Amyris Essential Oil (Amyris Balsamifera)
- 10 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia serrata)
- 10 drops of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Cananga odorata)
Safety:
- Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Method:
- Weigh out your Aqueous Cream or water-based cream and place it into the mixing bowl.
- Add in your carrier oil and mix well until thoroughly combined.
- In your measuring jug, measure the Rose Water, add the spring water, and mix the fluids.
- Add the Witch Hazel and Glycerin into the water mixture, and mix well again.
- Slowly pour a small amount of the fluid mixture into the Aqueous Cream base in the mixing bowl, and combine well with a spoon. Then continue to add the fluid mixture in small amounts until the desired consistency is obtained.
- If you feel it is too thick at this stage, add more spring water, and combine well until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add in your essential oils carefully and stir well until thoroughly mixed.
- You may find pouring this mixture from the bowl into the cleaned measuring jug to fill your bottle easier. Use a funnel too to keep it clean.
- Lid immediately.
- Label and date your jars, including all ingredients for safety reasons
- Always do a 24 - 48 hour patch test on your inner elbow or wrist before applying it to your face.
How To Use:
- Do your patch test!
- Massage into your face, and body in upwards circular motions.
- Use up to three times a day, as needed.
- Avoid getting it in your eyes, if you do. Rinse well with clean, tepid water. If irritation persists, seek medical advice taking the labeled jar with you.
Delectable Dry Body Oil
I’ll admit, I’m going all out luxury for this one. There are some products that are WORTH splurging on, and this…. is most definitely one of them.
This is like a superfood for your skin, but also your soul. The benefits from the carrier oils and essential oils for your skin are extensive. Make this your most desired product for your Beach Body Beauty Kit With Essential Oils.
You will want to make this much because you will use it at the beach and beyond. In fact, once you start using this, you might have trouble stopping! Sorry, not sorry.
You will need:
- Measuring jug, cups and spoons
- Funnel
- 500ml /17 fl oz dark amber glass bottle with tight fitting cap
- Label
Ingredients:
- 300ml / 10.14 fl oz Argan Carrier Oil
- 150ml / 3.38 fl oz Jojoba Carrier Oil
- 50 ml /1.7 fl oz Rosehip Carrier Oil
- 50 drops of Helichrysum Essential Oil (Helichrysum splendida)
- 50 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil (Boswellia serrata)
- 50 drops of Patchouli Essential Oil (Pogostemon cablin)
- 50 drops of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Cananga odorata)
Safety:
- Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
- Helichrysum thins the blood, so this would not be suitable if you are already taking blood-thinning medication or have a platelet disorder.
Method:
- Combine all of the carrier oils in the measuring jug and mix well.
- Add the essential oils and combine well.
- Decant using a funnel into a dark amber glass bottle and lid tightly.
- Label clearly with all ingredients.
- Carry out a 24 hour patch test.
How to Use:
- Make sure you do a patch test first by applying some of the product to your inner elbow and observing over a 24-48 hour period.
- Apply a small amount into the palm of your hand and warm the oils gently and massage well into your skin. Massaging it in well, improves circulation and encourages cell renewal.
- Avoid any intimate areas and your eyes too please.
- Try applying this over wet skin to lock hydration in.
- You can also use it as a conditioning hair oil, just rinse it out well with shampoo.
- This dry oil can be used daily if you have super dry skin, but I suggest 3 times a week is more than enough.
NOTE: Because the Rosehip carrier oil is an intense orange color, this can sometimes transfer onto your bed linen or clothes. Let it dry thoroughly and then dab your skin with some tissue to absorb any excess. It generally does come out after pre-soaking in stain remover and then using a strong detergent on a hot wash - ask me how I know this! If you are worried, swap it out for more Argan oil.
Shimmer Luxe Créme
A brand new recipe, just for you gorgeous beach bods to shimmer your way beautifully into the night.
This is a very rich and nourishing Luxe Créme. It offers that wonderful shimmer effect that makes your skin literally, glow and look uber healthy. This is beautifully scented for a night on the town or at the Beach Bar. Go on…. Go!…Look fabulous darling!
Feel free to tinker with the recipe to suit yourself and have a look at this article for more ideas. Luxe Creams With Essential Oils Fit for Royalty.
Note On Using Mica Powder
They vary a LOT. Especially in intensity of color and the final finish. Try mixing some into a bit of base cream before you start this recipe to gauge how much you are likely to need. Always err on the side of less is more and add more if you need it. Turn it into a slurry paste with water or vodka first to get rid of any lumps before mixing it into your Luxe Créme mix.
If you have a paler skin tone, gold and rose gold colors work well.
If you have brown skin or a darker olive skin tone, antique gold and bronze colors look beautiful.
If you have very dark brown or very black skin, silver tones with a tinge of blue or purple can look absolutely amazing. Think supermodel Adut Akech on the cover of British Vogue February 2022.
You Will Need:
- Doubler boiler
- Hand or Electric Whisk
- Stainless steel stirrer or spoon
- Silicone spatula
- Large non reactive bowl
- Measuring jugs and spoons
- 150ml / 5.07 fl oz jar
- Labels
Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup Aqueous Cream Base (organic preferably)
- 1.5 tsp Shea Butter
- 1.5 tsp Mango Butter
- 2 tbsp Beeswax
- 1 tsp Coconut Oil (Solid)
- 1 tsp Jojoba Carrier Oil
- ½ tsp Rosehip Carrier Oil
- 1 tbsp Glycerine
- 2 tsp Very finely powdered Mica (Cosmetic Grade) in the color of your choice.
Optional: Up to 2 tbsp Kaolin Clay Powder.
Essential Oils:
- 10 drops of Rose Essential Oil (Rosa damascena)
- 10 drops of Amyris Essential Oil (Amyris Balsamifera)
- 10 drops of Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Cananga odorata)
Safety:
- Do not use it in the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Method: Please follow this precisely to avoid a lumpy outcome.
Part One
- Set a double boiler over a medium heat, making sure the base is not touching the water. You do not want to scorch or burn your precious butters. In fact you want to heat your butters as little as humanly possible.
- Add the beeswax to the double boiler and let it melt slowly.
- Then add the hard Mango butter first, once it has melted half way, add the softer Shea Butter.
- Once that is half melted, add the Coconut carrier oil, as soon as it is melted, remove from the heat and pour into a bowl that you can fit in the fridge.
- Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, so it is just starting to solidify again but is not solid.
Part Two
- Measure out the rest of your carrier oils and ingredients and have them ready to hand.
- Once the wax and butters have started to solidify, remove them from the fridge and decant into a large non reactive mixing bowl. Use a silicone spatula to help you get every last morsel out of the bowl.
- Slowly start to whisk the contents of the bowl adding the carrier oils in a slow stream. Allow them to become incorporated before adding another.
- Whisk in the Glycerine until combined well.
- Mix your powdered gold Mica to a slack paste with a little water or vodka. Make sure you have no lumps. Add this to the aqueous cream base and mix thoroughly.
- Now, very slowly start to add the aqueous cream base a good dollop at a time and whisk thoroughly.
- Give your base a good and thorough whisk to make sure that all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Check The Finish
- This is a good time to check the ‘skin feel’ of your Luxe Cream, try it out. Does it feel lumpy or grainy? That can be the waxes or butters and you can mix it more thoroughly, try a stronger whisk or machine. Tiny little lumps of butters or wax soon disappear as you rub them into your skin anyway, think of them like ‘magic pearls’ of nourishment!
- If the ‘skin feel’ is a bit too oily, add some Kaolin Clay Powder.
- Does it feel too thick? Add some more Rosewater, Hydrosol or Spring water
- If it feels too thin, try mixing in more hard butters.
- Now you are ready to add your chosen essential oil blend and mix in until completely combined and wonderfully fragrant.
Finishing
- Decant into jars and clean the rims carefully. Allow to cool fully (or it could go moldy - hear me on this) and then lid tightly.
- Label clearly with all ingredients accurately listed and date for safety reasons.
- Do a 24-48 hour patch test before you hit the beach!
How to Use:
- Remember! 24-48 hour patch test before you hit the beach.
- Work this into your skin liberally and pay particular attention to concentrating shimmer along the length of the shins and up the thighs and along the length of the arms.
- Also work gently into your décolletage.
- If the shimmer is very light, pop some on your face but avoid it if the shimmer is on the heavy side.
After Sun Salvation
I used to think my mom's After Sun was just the best and that there wasn't even much point in me trying to make my own because how would I ever be able to live up to it? But I did, and the key ingredient here is Helichrysum essential oil. It makes EVERY difference to the final result.
This is a super light and versatile base lotion because no one wants to be plastered in heavy cream in 30-degree heat, do they?
The versatile cream base is designed to hydrate the skin and has ingredients that will soothe and cool. Make one or two extra bottles so you can add your essential oils for travel emergencies as they arrive.
Check out Choosing The Best Essential Oils For Travel, as you can use this base to make a number of products designed especially for traveling.
You Will Need:
- Measuring jugs, cups, and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Stainless steel stirrer or spoon
- Funnel
- Good quality plastic bottles of your choice; I recommend 100ml/ 3.38flOz
- Labels
Ingredients:
This will make 3 x 100ml bottles of versatile base lotion
- 150 ml/5.07 fl oz of Aqueous Cream
- 40 ml/1.35 fl oz Spring Water
- 50ml/1.69 fl oz Rose Water
- 25ml/0.84 fl oz Glycerine
- 1 tsp Rosehip Carrier Oil
- 1 tbsp Argan Oil
Add the following 20 drops (1% dilution rate) of essential oils to 100ml of base lotion:
- 4 drops of Rose Geranium Essential Oil (Pelargonium asperum var roseum)
- 2 drops of Calendula Maceration Essential Oil (Calendula Officinalis)
- 2 drops of Yarrow Essential Oil (Achillea millefolium)
- 2 drops of Helichrysum Essential Oil (Helichrysum splendida)
- 5 drops of Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
Safety:
- Do not use this blend in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
- Not for Children under 6 - but you can reduce the overall dilution rate to 0.5% (10 drops) but still not use it on babies under 6 months.
- Always do a 48 hr patch test before use.
- Helichrysum thins the blood, so this would not be suitable if you are already taking blood-thinning medication or have a platelet disorder.
Method
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and thoroughly combine until well mixed. Make sure all of the essential oils are well incorporated.
- Top Tip: Resist using a handheld mixer, or you will have too much air in your lotion base, which will sink back into the bottle, ultimately giving you less product.
- Decant your mixture into bottles
- Label your ingredients clearly for safety reasons and date.
- Do a 24 -48 hour patch test.
How to use:
- Did you do a patch test?
- Always use good quality sunscreen when exposed to the Sun. Don't let cloudy days catch you out, either. Sunny, windy days at the beach can catch you unawares because the lovely breeze keeps you cool, and you don't realize you are burning.
- If you get burnt, dampen a cloth or towel in tepid water, not cold water; you don't want to shock yourself and lay it on your burnt skin for a few minutes. Replenish the water if necessary. This helps your skin regain much-needed hydration before applying any After Sun lotion.
- Very gently and carefully apply your After Sun; if you are very burnt or sore, don't rub it in thoroughly, let it sit on the skin, and it will sink in. After 30 minutes, apply another thin layer. Then use it every hour for eight applications in 24 hours.
- If your skin is so burnt that it is swelling up, that can indicate a more severe sunburn. You should seek professional medical advice immediately - do not delay seeking medical attention.
Bonus Recipe - Refreshing Face and Body Spritz
This bonus recipe is super simple but also incredibly effective and efficient at cooling you down quickly.
I mean you want to look HOT, but not that kind of drippy, sweaty hot, right!?
You simply spritz it over your face and body and let it get to work cooling you down. With its super crisp, fresh scent it’s sure to be a hit.
You Will Need:
- Measuring jug
- Funnel
- 100ml bottle, with spray nozzle and lid
- Label
Ingredients:
- 33 ml Orange Flower Water
- 33 ml Rose Water
- 33 ml Witch Hazel
- 10 drops of Spearmint Essential Oil (Mentha spicata)
- 7 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil (Eucalyptus globulus)
- 3 drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil (Citrus paradisi)
Safety:
- Do not use it in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.
- Not for children under 6 years of age.
- Grapefruit Specific -Not suitable for use for people who have platelet disorders or are on blood thinning medication. It is suggested you cease use of grapefruit essential oil 48 hours before any planned surgery.
Method:
- Mix together the Floral Waters and Witch Hazel in a measuring jug.
- Add the essential oils and stir well to combine.
- Decant into the bottle using a funnel.
- Prime the spray pump.
- Lid tightly.
- Label clearly with all ingredients for safety reasons. Include the instruction to ‘shake before each use’.
- Do a 24-48 hour patch test.
How To Use:
- Patch test!
- Shake well before each use.
- Spritz on your face and body - closing your eyes when you spray it.
- Avoid getting it in your eyes, if you do. Rinse well with clean, tepid water. If irritation persists, seek medical advice taking the labeled jar with you.
The Final Word
Having confidence on the beach is a sensitive thing for many people but trust me, when your skin is looking amazing, it helps you to feel better about yourself.
The key to Beach Body Perfection is not about not having any lumps or bumps because we all have those. It is to have beautifully hydrated and healthy looking skin at any age.
Part of keeping your skin looking hydrated is not just in using the products suggested here. Don’t forget to hydrate yourself and drink plenty of water, it will help to keep skin looking plump and healthier looking from the inside out.
Remember, if you are feeling a bit nervy about exposing that flesh, harness those metaphysical properties of essential oils like Rose, Frankincense and Grapefruit. They will help you strut your stuff more confidently on the beach in no time at all.
If you are using tanning products don’t forget to exfoliate thoroughly for the most even application.
Use a high factor SPF sunscreen to protect your precious skin from the damage of UVA and UVB rays. You’ll thank yourself when you reach your 50’s and 60’s! If you’re already there, it’s not too late to start.
It’s worth always using an application of After Sun as soon as you return from the beach, whether you have been sunburnt or not. Your skin will still need to be ‘renewed’ as it were.
Make the most of that shimmer cream in the evening to really highlight a healthy glow and get you noticed for all the right reasons.
Don’t Neglect Your Tootsies
Give your feet some attention in those strappy sandals too.
Try out our How To Make A Foot Care Kit With Essential Oils to get your feet in tip top condition for that Beach Body Perfection moment.
From head to toe you can have beautifully plumped, hydrated and healthy looking skin using your Beach Body Beauty Kit with essential oils. Enjoy every sun filled moment and a glorious end to the season.
