Hey friends!
I am beyond excited to share my latest DIY find with you, homemade all-natural translucent powder! I heard about this from a friend and thought it was worth a whirl…and it’s amazing. Can you tell I am RAVING about it!?!?! I have super oily skin and this stuff blots the oil right out, stays put all day AND looks and feels totally natural. Perfect right?
PLUS!! It’s SO cheap! I got all these ingredients at Whole Foods for less than $10 and it’s gonna last a lloooonnnnggg time!!
You will need organic cornstarch and French green clay.
You can also tint a little with organic cocoa ( I like it)
Cornstarch is sometimes used in makeup because it offers great oil absorption. It is not a drying agent, it just absorbs what’s there. So if you have dry skin, don’t be afraid It does have a shelf life, so make a note of that (1 year or longer). I’ve read a few places that it could possibly irritate skin or cause acne, but I’ve had no such problems…in fact, my acne is better.
French Green Clay is often used in resorts for facials and spa treatments. It’s pretty great at absorbing dirt, oil and bacteria while being gentle on pores.
I’ve added links to purchase these products at the end of the post:)
In a small bowl combine 1 part cornstarch, 1 part green clay and a bit of cocoa.
1 part in a 1 to 1 recipe depends on how much you are making. If you want a gallon, each part would be 2 quarts. If you want 1 cup, each part would be half a cup. If you are using a spice jar like I did, then about half a jar of each.
Mix together carefully, making sure to fully incorporate any lumps.
I used a spice jar as my makeup container. I prefer this one from Spice Islands because it’s glass with a metal screw on lid. Soak it to remove all the label…and the ground mustard, and let it FULLY dry.
Paint your lid if you want. I did, because it’s cute, and because I don’t want anyone mistaking this for some spice blend I whipped up.
EDIT: The silver paint I used is rubbing off a bit, but Amazon has some makeup containers that might be worth trying…link at the bottom of this post.
~
When everything is dry, funnel or scoop your powder in, and you’re all set!
I add a little to the cap, load my brush, tap excess off and apply. Like all loose powder, it can be a bit dusty, but it brushes right off my clothes. Also, it’s going to look a little green, but once you brush it on the color matches your skin tone.
*tip: I use an organic moisturizer with SPF before putting this on. Most makeup these days has SPF, but this doesn’t…so protect yourself friends!
*tip: If you have darker skin, you may want to add more green clay and cocoa, the cornstarch is the white that’s going to be too light for your skintone.
Have a great day everyone!!
You can purchase all these products through Amazon below. I’m not at all trying to make money off tutorials, I just find this to be an easy way to share and purchase products if you can’t find it local.
Thanks!!
UPDATE 8/16/13
Some updates from your comments are below. I haven’t tried all of these things, nor do I validate the truth of all of them, but I felt it would be good to answer some of the FAQ’s:
1. This color is green!!!??? This makeup DOES look greenish. It might even look a little green on your face for 3 minutes. Then it begins to blend.
2. Alternatives to cornstarch? You might try Bentonite Clay or Arrow Root powder in place of corn starch if you can’t find/have allergies.
3. Do the products need to be organic?
*Just an FYI, on the term “organic”. To be certified organic the corn and cocao to make the powders would have been grown without the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, and the like. It would also encompass any chemicals used in the processing of the product, which aren’t necessarily listed on the ingredient list. Go organic for your health and the health of the planet!
*A whole lot of food allergies COME from eating GMO foods which are grown with lots of chemical weed killers and fertilizers.
4. Other ways besides cocoa powder to color? Nutmeg and cinnamon blended to desired shade and used as a bronzer (in the product or on top), or other readers tried Moroccan Red Clay Powder and Brazilian Pink Clay, and carob powder.
5. What if I have dark skin? Remember this is translucent powder, not tinted powder, so it shouldn’t be the color of your skin. Also, I tested this on my bi-racial child who has pretty dark skin. It’s a little white at first, but in a couple minutes it fades into the skin. This is just how it acts on my skin. Try it, and if you’re not happy after a few minutes, add a little more color to darken it.
6. Will this dry out my skin? The products aren’t drying, they are oil absorbing. So if the oil isn’t there, it just won’t have anything to absorb.
7. What about sun protection? The ingredients listed do have naturally occurring SPF. In fact, some would argue that they are a better option than chemically created ingredients because they physically block the uv rays, instead of chemically absorbing them.
8. Can I add sunblock in just to be safe? There are two natural ways to add SPF via zinc oxide powder. If it is 20% of your mixture, it makes SPF 30. So, you can get the powder and mix it with this powder or you can add it to your under layer. I basically just mix coconut oil and the powder — and this is my normal under layer moisturizer. Once it’s soaked in, then I put on my powder.
9. What happens if your face gets wet…does the makeup harden like a mask? Nope, it acts like regular makeup/powder.
10. What about acne? There are loads of comments and tips on treating acne, I’m not going to copy them all here, since this post is about the makeup, but if that’s a problem for you, read on!
Thanks to all the comments, especially those whose tips are copied above! I do hope this makeup works for you! But I also know that if one thing worked for everyone…well…the makeup industry would look a lot different. For me this project is about saving money, and ridding myself of chemicals. If you feel the same, and it’s not working out, then try some alternatives until you get something that works for you! Thanks y’all!
And thanks Laurie for featuring me on Tip Me Tuesday:)
UPDATE 7/15/15
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Thank you for this awesome post! Was looking through the medicine cabinet the other day and it occured to me that Burt’s Bee’s Baby Bee Dusting Powder has cornstarch, sodium bicarbonate, french white clay, natural clay, powdered rosebuds, powdered myrrh, powdered slippery elm bark in it. All really good ingredients for the skin. Going to try adding a little bit of cocoa powder to it to see how it works!
Pretty! This was a really wonderful article.
Many thanks for providing this info.
Adding the zinc oxide powder worries me a bit. While spf is a great addition, you should never inhale the zinc oxide powder and I know all of us probably inhale a bit of our powder makeup when putting it on. Even when I make sunbock I wear a face mask to protect myself from inhaling the zinc. Very dangerous, not too great on the lungs either. Just a word of caution. Possibly try something with a higher natural spf rather than mess with zinc oxide powder.
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Love this site!! Just found it. I just starting using Bert’s Bees TALC FREE Powder for this purpose. Love how it feels on my skin and am saving a ton of money. Will def.. add cocoa powder. Great ideas here! Thanks for posting!! : )
This is a great idea! Can’t wait to try it out. This would be great for gifts! Do you think whipping coconut oil in with the powder would be a good idea? For something similar to a foundation?
Do we have to use Green clay?
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what it is green clay and where do find it? I never heard of it. Any particular brand?
thanks
what is green clay and where can i buy it?
thanks
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Oh, Aura…no, just straight up no. Please take off your anti-GMO tinfoil hat. The problem iare pesticides and fertilizers, *not* GMO fruits and vegetables.
The FDA also does not claim that Doritos are heart-healthy, but they do say that ketchup and tomato sauce are ‘vegetables’ for the purposes of being included in school lunch programs. It’s a method of classifying ingredients–including condiments–and doesn’t actually count them as ‘food.’
Your pseudoscience is horrible, incorrect and just plain full of stupid.
Stick to makeup!
You are correct that the pesticides and fertilizers are the problem. However, GMO plants were specifically created to withstand very high doses of pesticides and fertilizers, and the plants are indundated with those while growing, and again before harvest to dry out the plants…in particular, Roundup, which has been proven to cause all sorts of cancers and hormone-related diseases. So tell us again, why would we want to use GMO’s?
Aw, this was a very nice post. Taking a few
minutes and actual effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never manage to get nearly anything done.
Thank you Aura for you ACCURATE and informative comment. It is a fact that these “studies” are funded by the very parties that stand to make a lot of money off of it. It has become regular tv viewing to see this drug or that additive recalled because it’s now harmful, can cause cancer or death but that very same product was “approved” by the FDA and all the”studies” found it safe to use/consume. So thank you and I do hope other readers take heed and do the research for themselves.
Personally no amount of studies will convince me GMOs are safe. It’s just not logical. How can man possibly think they can change the natural world and not have unforseen consequences? All of the particular cells and organisms that make up food is there for a reason, whether scientist know what that is or not and our bodies are created to work in synergy with nature. That tells me that if science removes it, your body will have to work that much harder to replace our replicate it. Taking energy and resources from other bodily functions… Maybe from your heart or lungs or affecting the immune system.
The tiniest cell has a purpose. Every cell has a purpose.
Thank you to the blog, love this tip and can’t wait to try it. A possible flour type alternative, coconut flour? Coconut oil is amazing for the skin I wonder if the flour would be good for this?
Well said, Raquel. Stephanie, as someone with a degree in genetics and microbiology, I must point out you have flaws in your argument and don’t really understand how GMOs are made. If every cell has a purpose, then why do you take antibiotics to kill the bacteria cell when you get an infection? How is that working in synergy with nature? Also, as far as GMOs go, they are made by adding/removing DNA (which codes for an amino acid, which makes up a protein), not adding or removing cells. Using restriction enzymes, we can precisely cut the DNA, insert or remove a gene, and close it back up. Compare that to using radiation to cause random mutations (some advantageous, some detrimental) in seeds, which was done many years ago…and guess what? they are able to be labeled organic due to the time gap. I can only urge you to accept the fact that you may be wrong, as could I, but having that mentality is what kept explorers from going to the New World, for fear of falling off the side of the Earth. I’d also like to add that many times, companies will hire out a lab, giving them a grant or other funding, to study something for them. That explains some of the studies coming out of ‘their’ labs. While sometimes there can be pressure to get ‘certain’ results, it is becoming more common to have an agreement to publish the data no matter what the results are, hopefully eliminating the conflict of interest. It’s not perfect, but the best you can do is read multiple articles in PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS for different takes on it. Unfortunately, people can go online and post whatever ‘study’ they want, and others will believe them without checking the sources. That’s my $.02, believe what you will, but hopefully others will gain some insight from this.
P.S. Organic doesn’t mean pesticide free. They just use ‘organic’ pesticides, which they actually have to use more of because they are less effective.
Love your response. I also majored n microbiology & cannot believe how much $ is spent on “organic” items without any true knowledge what that actually means. To each his/her own beliefs, but I personally believe it’s one of the largest scams to date. Education is never a bad thing.
Stephanie,
While I understand why you worry about changing the natural world I wonder if you apply your logic to more than GMO products. Do you vaccinate? Small Pox, measels, rubella, mumps, etc., would kill far more if vaccines didn’t exist, yet this is altering the natural course of things. I don’t think that just because a company is the one funding research on their own product it automatically means they are trying to pull the wool over our eyes. It’s when they OMIT or withhold results that I become skeptical. So the integrity of the company is important, don’t you think?
GMO foods feed millions of people worldwide that would otherwise be starving. It can also be claimed that we have been genetically engineering crops and livestock for hundreds of years through selective and cross-breeding. I know that altering the DNA directly seems different, but it can be maintained that it is the same thing, just quicker.
Tried this, was pretty awful. It looked like I stuck my head into a bowl of flour. Did not look natural whatsoever. I mean, the cocoa looked basically like I rubbed myself down with cocoa.
I’m so sorry! That sounds like a nightmare! This doesn’t work for everyone, but I appreciate your feedback.
Where can I buy french green clay powder from?
Hi! You could try online at the links I mentioned, or a natural grocery store would probably have it…over in the beauty section.
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Just an aside: Penzeys Spices sells empty spice shaker/containers you can use. They are pretty cheap. You can get them from the store or online.
I hate when people bring politics into discussions like this.
Would it be okay to mix Arrowroot and Cornstarch together? Say I want 2 cups in total, I’d mix 1 cup green clay and 1/2 cup Arrowroot, 1/2 cup Cornstarch? Would that just be counterproductive?
No, that would work.
Wow…I thought this was a site sponsored by Al Gore until I actually found “mineral makeup” feedback…LOL!
So excited to try this! And as far as French Clay…they have it at Whole Foods in stores and Walgreens (online). I read up on French Clay and it has some great benefits on it’s own!!
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Great post.
It’s difficult to find knowledgeable people about this subject, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks
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I have very pale (Irish) skin, and I love the green tint of the clay. Foundation always looks too dark and obvious on me, and every little blemish or heat-related redness shows up like a motherfucker, so the green and white is perfect for a small percentage of white people. And I like to think the cocoa works to find the perfect gradient of skin tone for anyone else.
Ignore the “nay sayers.” Organic & non-Gmo are the ways to go. I can’t begin to imagine that so called food that contains its own built-in pesticide is healthy. When bugs take a bite of the GM plant, the toxin splits open their stomach and kills them! This is real. Read about it.
The reason it is certified organic is so you can be sure they do not use chemical pesticides in the growing process. A product labeled natural may or may not be organic, but certified organic is top of the line non treated.
u people are mean as duck. so what this lady has an opinion about gmos. big fuckin deal. u need to get over the fact that not everyone thinks the same things you do. y’all are a bunch of dicks
You REALLY need to tone it down, “Tiffany”. Jeezus. What’s wrong with all you people!
Thanks so much! Just prepared the second small box of this magic powder!!!
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Hi Christine, thank you for sharing this, I’ve tried it and I love it! I just wanted to double check is it okay to use metal utensils when mixing the clay? I’ve read that clay absorbs metal, and that it is better to use wooden, plastic or glass spoons/bowls etc. What do you think? Thanks.
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You put real effort into making it while taking photos as well. And great instructions. Cheers to this post! Love the secret!
I am so glad to find your blog. Thanks to Google! I have oily T zone and acne prone skin too. My solution is organic virgin coconut oil, organic 100% pure aloe vera gel and pearl powder. So far, I am happy. My sebum have reduced greatly so less shine on my T zone.
Why I am researching a natural face powder then? Pearl powder is quite expensive so I am looking for an alternative. The bonus for being a cheap ass is I have found more useful tips and a great blog.
While I am writing I have organic brown rice powder on my face. Lol!
Hi there!
I’m doing a round up of DIY natural beauty products. Would you be interested in this? Let me know. I’m at reagantherecipehoarder.com & Facebook.com/reagantherecipehoarder
thank you for your secrets and recipes. people should be kinder when making comments. i find all these complainers juvenile and inappropriate. i greatly respect the fact that you dont entertain their foolishness. and your page is lovely.
thanks again
Where can one find french green clay?
Well said…. SOLID!!! ;)
I’m wondering if both corn starch and french clay could be substituted with arrowroot powder and bentonite clay. I’m trying to save some $ and already have these items. Thoughts? I’d also like to say that people who come to blogs to troll the writers clearly have no life. There is already enough negativity in the world, please don’t spread more.
I think that saying that they have no life and then saying there is enough negativity is hypocritical. Bring negative to people that are negative does not make you positive.
I stopped using powder because I ran out and kept forgetting to buy more. My skin has balanced itself out on its own and it was oily before. Sure is nice to stop having a layer of ANYTHING on my face. Something to consider. Once in a while if it’s hot, I’ll use an oil blotting sheet.
That’s a great tip! Thanks Alex!