Purr Mix-A-Lot: Semi-Homemade Skincare

Just call me Purr Mix-A-Lot! (I do like big butts…) Lately I’ve been enjoying mixing products together. It can boost the results, improve ease of use, and also speed up my routine (reducing multiple steps into 1).

I just put everything into one palm, stir roughly with my fingers, and then mush everything into my face.

Here’s how I’ve been mixing it up:

Cleanser + Exfoliator = Thorough Yet Gentle Cleanse

 

This isn’t a particularly original idea because the exfoliator in this case–adzuki bean (red bean) powder–instructs you to mix with cleanser or water.

To save a step, I like to mix it with cleanser. The cleanser adds cushiness and slip, and the physical exfoliation leaves skin feeling smooth, oil-free, and thoroughly clean. Customize the amount of exfoliation by varying the ratio of cleanser to exfoliator.

Side bonus: exfoliating powders and grains don’t expire and don’t count towards your TSA liquids when flying.

The one I’m using is long discontinued, but Bobbi Brown makes an identical product. Searching for “adzuki bean scrub” brings up cheaper options, and “buffing grains” brings up options beyond adzuki beans. At Anthropologie, I even spotted brown rice powder-based ones in rose and neroli scents by French Girl.

I’ve also read mentions of using flour or ground-up [insert food ingredient here] as exfoliators but haven’t tried them myself.

What’s important is that the mix-in be finely ground and retain its scrubbiness. There are many options nowadays for cleansing powders that boast exfoliation from enzymes (think Tosowoong, Papa Recipe, su:m37, and Tatcha), but a lot of them mostly or entirely dissolve and lather up once you begin mixing them into water. Great for mild chemical exfoliation, not so much for physical.

 

Hydrating Toner + Oil = Spreadable Light Moisture

 

As I mentioned in my review of Sonia Kashuk’s retinol oil, mixing a hydrating toner such as Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion with 2-3 drops of facial oil creates a runny, slippery, moisturizing liquid. Richer and glowier than the toner alone, more spreadable and less greasy than oil alone. Thanks to Kinseng for the idea.

This is my go-to neck and chest serum/daytime moisturizer because–as much as we’re told that our skin there should be cared for like our face–I hate the idea of spending as much money on them as I do for my face.

I’ve also mixed Gokujyun Lotion with a few drops of the very pricey Leejiham Vita Propolis Ampoule in order to conserve the ampoule. All of the glow but with a thinner consistency. Credit to Fiddy for that idea.

 

Moisturizer + Balm + Oil = Turbo-charged Moisturizer

 

I experimented with this mixture because I found the Beauty of Joseon Cream a little light for my dry skin. Beautiful smooth finish, but my skin wanted more moisture.

A small blob of Dotfree Collagen Resilience Oil in Balm Cream (link to my review) adds weight and, well, balminess. Then 2-3 drops of Andalou Naturals’ 1000 Roses Moroccan Beauty Oil (also previously reviewed) thins out the mixture a little–making it more spreadable–while adding a rose petal scent and some extra moisture.

The result? A moisturizer for the winter with a scent that I enjoy.

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What semi-homemade combos have you concocted?