3 natural, homemade creams to moisturize your skin

Especially during winter, dry skin can make your face feel tight and look dull. Here are some easy, homemade beauty products using fresh and natural ingredients.

• 5 ml (1 tsp) dried chamomile
• 270 ml (1 1/8 c) boiling water
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) avocado oil
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) almond oil
• 10 ml (2 tsp) jojoba oil
• 30 g (1 ounce) shaved or grated beeswax
• 10 ml (2 tsp) glycerin
• 20 drops lemon essential oil

  1. Place the chamomile in a large cup and add the boiling water. Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid into another cup.
  2. In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, warm the avocado, almond and jojoba oils. Add the beeswax. Stir until melted. Remove from heat and beat in 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) of the warmed chamomile infusion, drop by drop until the mixture thickens and cools. Thoroughly mix in the glycerin and lemon essential oil.
  3. Spoon into a sterilized, wide-mouthed, 175 millilitre (six ounce) glass or ceramic jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark place.

• 1 ripe peach
• Heavy cream

  1. Mash the peach by hand or puree it in a food processor.
  2. Add enough cream to the pulp to give you a soft, creamy mixture. Spoon into a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator.
  3. Once a day, apply the mixture to your face and massage in.

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) beeswax, grated or shaved
• 75 g (1/3 c) light olive oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) distilled water or rose water
• 3 drops geranium essential oil

  1. In the top of a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the beeswax.
  2. In a small pot over low heat, heat the oil slightly and then pour it into the melted wax. Using a fork, beat this mixture until combined.
  3. Now heat the water or rose water in the pot and then stir it into the oil and wax mixture, one drop at a time. Remove from heat and stir until the mixture is cooled and thick. Stir in the essential oil.
  4. Using a wooden spoon, put the mixture into a clean 150 millilitre (five ounce) wide-mouthed jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark place for several months.

What is a cool, dark place?

• When you make home remedies and beauty products, you're usually told to store them in a cool, dark, dry place.
• Where is that? If you seal things in amber or opaque containers, that takes care of dark (most homemade potions are weakened by exposure to sunlight).
• A cool, dry place could be the linen closet or a shelf in a clothes closet that is not near any heat pipes, or a basement cupboard if the basement is dry.
• A safe last resort is the refrigerator.