DIY Cinnamon Orange Body Oil

I'm going to come right out and say it: I'm not that great at moisturizing.  Sure, I do a fine job moisturizing my face, but when it comes to my body, it's a step I often skip.  Lotions and butters can take too long to absorb and often need to be reapplied frequently to reap the benefits.  There are tons of body oils on the market too and I've often wondered if an oil might be more effective.  That said, the frugalista in me has always scoffed at buying something that would be cheaper and, at least in theory, very simple to make myself.  I'm happy to report, after finally trying my hand at concocting my own, it really is just as easy as I was hoping! 

Ingredients 
1/8 cup sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon argan oil
4 Vitamin E capsules, punctured and drained
5 drops orange essential oil
2 drops cassia essential oil
3 drops copaiba essential oil

I mixed the sunflower oil, argan oil, and Vitamin E together until well combined.  Then I played around with the essential oils until I was happy with the scent.  Can't get much easier than that!


My Thoughts
I'm happy to report that this works amazingly.  I've been much better about moisturizing and have been using it every other day after I shower.  I towel off just a little and then quickly apply the oil all over, avoiding any sensitive bits.  The slight dampness left on my skin helps the oil to soak right in without leaving any greasy residue.  It does such a good job moisturizing that I don't find I need to reapply between showers.  If you do want to use it on completely dry skin, it takes a little longer to absorb, but it still works great.

The smell is perfect for this time of year too.  I shower at night and I can smell the oil on me, at least through the next morning.  It also works great as a perfume oil.  Once the smell wears off, I've been dabbing a little on my pulse points so I can luxuriate even longer in the warm, cinnamony goodness. 

Other Tips 
  • Make sure you are using high quality essential oils.  My choice is still Young Living, since I know they are free of any additives and processed without chemicals.
  • You can scent your oil however you like, but take into consideration the individual properties of any essential oils you are using.  For example:
    • Orange oil is photosensitive, meaning it increases sun sensitivity.  I use the oil at night, so I'm not overly concerned, but if you are planning to use it during the day, you might want to avoid citrus oils.
    • Cassia is a hot oil.  Keep hot oils to a minimum or you risk discomfort or burning on application. 
  • You can vary the base oils too.  I used mainly sunflower oil and boosted it with argan oil and Vitamin E, since I already had those on hand, but other oils like jojoba, grapeseed, sesame, or a mix of more than one of these, would also be effective.
  • Store in a glass container.  Essential oils can eat through plastic, which aside from being potentially messy, means that the toxins in the plastic can leech into your oil.  Not good!

What's your favorite moisturizer?  Ever tried making your own body oil?



        

5 comments

  1. I'm really bad about using lotions on my body too. It just seems like too much trouble sometimes! This oil sounds nice though.

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  2. I've never tried making my own body oil but it sounds like a great idea! I also like that you used a drink pourer on your bottle. My favorite oil is jojoba because it absorbs really fast, but I haven't tried sunflower.

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  3. @Amethyst
    I find it a lot quicker than applying lotion, which is nice. Also, haven't needed to reapply much!

    @mary
    I like jojoba too. The sunflower absorbs quickly too though. It's also my favorite for removing eye makeup! :)

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  4. I love using body oil right before stepping out of the shower, especially in the winter when my skin is super dry. I particularly like rice bran oil as a body oil base as its not too expensive and it's great for maturing skin. I make a lot of my own bath and beauty products and share the diy's on my blog as well!

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  5. I haven't tried rice bran oil before...maybe next time! Thanks for linking your blog - I already found a couple recipe I'll have to try out! :)

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