Here’s What Happened When I Used an All-Natural DIY Face Wash for a Week

For years now, I've wanted to start making my own skincare products— whether that be scrubs, cleansers or masks.

But with so much information on the web about the perfect homemade products and which ingredients to use, I've always felt too overwhelmed to try any of them and reverted back to my lifelong habit of picking up an inexpensive product from the store.

But it's a new year, my friends, and I'm committed to following my goals. That, plus my mom gave me all the ingredients I would need for the DIY face wash that she recently discovered and adores. But let's pretend it was my willpower in action. After committing to using this face wash twice a day, every day, for a full week, this is what I found out:

Personal Preference

I've always been very particular about the type of face wash I prefer. Admittedly, I was the first of my friends to have pimples pop up and the last to see them go. After years of sensitive skin struggles, I've used every product on the market from over-the-counter to prescription. What I've found is that I love a face wash that provides a deep clean in the form of exfoliating scrubs.  The one major drawback to these scrubs? They really irritate your face when you wash it twice a day.

While I wash my face every morning like clockwork, I confess I'm not always great at doing my nighttime wash and taking off my makeup. Of course I know that not removing your makeup is awful for your skin, but hey, the scrubs really annoy my face and I never said I was proactive about my beauty regime anyway.

When my mom told me the ingredients—powdered milk, ground oatmeal, coconut oil, honey and a splash of water—I was apprehensive. Was this even soap? And would it provide the deep clean I need? She showed me the proportions and mixed it all together to create a goopy glob of face wash that smelled more like breakfast than soap. At least it would smell good unlike other homemade products that call for the super smelly, yet effective, apple cider vinegar.

 

First Impression

For the face wash, I use a teaspoon of powdered milk, a teaspoon of ground oatmeal, a drizzle of honey (I played with the amount through the week) and a heaping half-teaspoon of coconut oil. I used very little water because I wanted the consistency to be pasty. While I'm sure I could have made a week's worth of this wash at once and stored it in the refrigerator, I decided to make a fresh batch each time and actually discovered that I enjoyed the routine.

At first the texture gave me goosebumps… in a bad way. Like I said, I'm very particular about the textures that touch my skin. But I must admit that after a few washes it really grew on me. The oatmeal provided the perfect amount of gentle exfoliation. Because of its texture, the ground oats were rough enough to give me the scrub I need, but soft enough from the other ingredients to be gentle on my skin. Not once during my full week did I cringe at the thought of applying the scrub to my sensitive cheeks.

While the first use was a little difficult, I knew I was smitten after how baby smooth my skin felt after rinsing it off. Of course, any new skincare product is going to take more than a single use to show real lasting effects, but I was happy with the immediate smoothness and had high hopes for the rest of the week.

 

Mid-Week Progress

By midweek I was going strong. I made my face wash every morning and evening and scrubbed away the daily oil and dirt without a single complaint. I even began a routine of letting the scrub dry on my face during my morning use to act as a mask. After letting it sit for 10 or 15 minutes while I made my coffee, I rinsed it off with lukewarm water to unveil hydrated and baby soft skin.

It wasn't entirely uncommon for some of the wash to drip onto my lips but one of the best parts about going all natural is that it was pretty tasty and wouldn't subsequently send me to urgent care from swallowing harmful chemicals.

After only a few days of using this homemade face wash, I began to develop an obsession with all-natural products and at-home skin remedies. I was already researching DIY lotions and lip balms. By Wednesday I topped my morning face wash off with a coconut oil hair mask. I wanted to try this technique for ages, but always forgot before hopping into the shower. I smoothed a few tablespoons of coconut oil into my dry locks and let it sit for about 45 minutes. Little did I know that typical shampoos aren't great at breaking down oils and, well, let's just say it took a few washes to get that tropical-smelling situation under control. But I digress…

The biggest drawback I discovered was that the ground oatmeal clinged to my hairline. After rinsing off my face, I had to pick out little pieces of oatmeal that got stuck in my hair. Once, I embarrassingly made it all the way into the late afternoon before realizing that a single oat had taken up residence on my neck, just below my jaw. Yikes.

One Week Later

After a full week of using this DIY face wash, I definitely know I want to continue. Not only was this product way more cost-effective than store-bought scrubs, but I knew 100% of the (very few) ingredients that I was massaging into my skin. The benefits of the natural and organic ingredients deeply out weight the harsh chemicals that many skincare brands sneak into their products.

At the risk of sounding totally dramatic, I feel as though I've become a new me. Researching at-home, all natural products quickly became a hobby that I can't wait to explore further. If you've been on the fence about switching up your skincare lifestyle, I recommend you take the plunge like I did. Sure, you'll be saving a hunk of pocket change, but the skincare benefits are priceless.

 

In addition to testing out DIY skincare products, we also love trying new makeup trends. If you've been wondering about the new glossy eyelid statement, you need to check out what happened when we tried it HERE.