It’s a lazy year-end day here in my sunny little room and as I was racking my brain trying to come up with a topic for today’s BY post just a few minutes ago, it occurred to me that I have a conglomerate of bulk oils, butters, and creams strewn about the bathroom waiting to be useful, so I thought I would provide some examples from my own cupboard of the many uses of such cost-effective organic stuff.

Pomegranate Seed Oil–Chock full of antioxidants, pomegranate seed oil is an instant revitalizer for dull or mature skin, improves elasticity, and smooths wrinkles. Also an excellent source of punicic and ellagic acids, it assists in soothing irritated skin, healing minor cuts and scrapes, and repairing dry, cracked skin. Pomegranate seed oil runs around $18 for a two ounce bottle, but will last you its entire shelf life–about 12 to 14 months–because it needs only to be used in miniscule quantities to gain the benefits. It can be used alone or mixed with other oils, essential oils, and lotions. I find that it works great alone as a nighttime facial moisturizer and a little applied to chapped lips will go a long way towards healing.

Illipe Butter–Pressed from illipe nuts grown in southeast Asia, illipe butter is hard and thus is commonly used as a base for cosmetic products. Known for its moisturizing and soothing properties, the butter is surprisingly inexpensive at about a dollar twenty an ounce when bought in bulk. When I first purchased illipe butter, I was at a loss as to what to do with it. It was too hard to use as a body butter and mixing it with oil only destroyed the consistency. I soon discovered, however, that alone or mixed with a few drops of essential oil, it makes the perfect chapstick. To use it for this purpose, all you have to do is melt it in a pot, mix in essential oils if you choose, and pour it into chapstick tubes. Stick it in the fridge to harden, and you’ll have enough chapstick to last years!

Hydrogen Peroxide–An oxidant naturally produced by the human body, hydrogen peroxide has as many uses as there are countries in the world, most of them medicinal. The weak acid has a great track record for treating skin infections as it is antimicrobial. A common application of this is acne and boils, which are usually caused by bacteria or fungi. Hydrogen peroxide can be applied at any strength necessary–from the 3% formula found in drugstores to food grade peroxide (35%) which can be purchased online. It’s important to use caution when handling peroxide above a 10% concentration as it burns the skin. A 35% solution can be used for severe skin infections, just be aware that the skin will turn white and feel like it’s on fire, though it will not leave any scarring. At just 98¢ for a 16 oz. bottle of 3% at the drugstore or $8 for an 8 oz. bottle of 35% online (which can also be diluted to any percentage you want), hydrogen peroxide is also the cheapest cure for surface skin cancer when applied at full strength.

Lavender Essential Oil–Lavandula angustifolia, when in its pure essential oil form, is one of the most powerful all-purpose remedies in existence. World renowned for its uncanny ability to heal burns quickly, lavender is soothing and healing to the skin–a must-have ingredient in any cosmetic recipe! Its calming scent, effectiveness against headaches, and incredible anti-toxic properties make it worth its weight in gold, yet it is one of the most inexpensive essential oils out there. Its medicinal and cosmetic value is incomparable.

Aloe Vera Gel–Though called a gel, and often artificially thickened into one by manufacturers, aloe vera is actually a relatively thin liquid in its purest state. It is soothing to the skin and excellent for treating sunburn and minor cuts and bruises. A great all-purpose ingredient in cosmetic recipes, aloe vera is antifungal, minimizes scarring, and nourishes the skin with essential vitamins E and C. At less than 60¢ an ounce, it’s also a real bargain, and even more so if you choose to grow your own aloe plant.

Witch Hazel Extract–An astringent, witch hazel is useful as an acne remedy, and can also be applied to the skin neat to remove makeup, excess oil, eliminate under eye bags, reduce pore size and shrink varicose veins. Dirt cheap and indispensable, witch hazel is a necessity for anyone’s medicine cabinet.

Tea Tree Essential Oil–Often used in face washes and anti-acne formulations, tea tree is fungicidal, antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic. It’s perfect for the acne-prone as an addition to face soaps, creams, oils, and butters. At about $10.50 an ounce, it’s a valuable oil to have on hand.

Rose Water–A byproduct of the essential oil making process, floral waters, also known as hydrosols or hydroflorates, have many cosmetic applications and can be used in lotions, jellies, and perfumes to add a refreshing chemical-free scent. Rose water in particular is useful as a body splash, aftershave, or bath water. I also find that when sprayed in small quantities on hair, it helps smooth out frizzy spots and ads a nice sheen.

Neem Oil–Besides its use as an insect repellant, neem oil is also useful for treating skin infections and eczema, while simultaneously performing such abstract functions as boosting the immune system, lowering blood pressure, and preventing ulcers. Also useful for killing lice and getting rid of dandruff, neem oil is an all-purpose cure and a useful ingredient in skin care products.

Bentonite Clay–Extremely useful as a chelator when taken internally, bentonite clay is also perfect for use as a mud pack, cleaning out pores and reducing their size. Bentonite mud packs also increase skin elasticity, while simultaneously tightening skin to make it appear younger and healthier.

Having just a few basic bulk ingredients on hand can save you big bucks that you would normally be spending on skin care products that are twice as expensive and don’t work as well!

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