Our Summer DIY Skin Care Workshop! August 4, 2016 15:33

The second to last weekend in July, we hosted an essential oil workshop at our store in Brooklyn! We all had a lot of fun making our own custom blends using essential oils and carrier oils that we hand-picked to suit our unique skin types. Essential oils are also used in the practice of aromatherapy, which can cater to a variety of physical and mental issues, so we took that into consideration when choosing our oils. We learned about ratios and how to dilute essential oils in making skin care products. In the end, everyone went home with a 2 oz. spray bottle of toner and a 1 oz. bottle of face oil that they made that day!

1. Carrier oils: A carrier oil is a mild vegetable-based oil that is often used in aromatherapy to dilute essential oils so that they can be applied to the skin. The photo above depicts the carrier oil options that we had available at our workshop!  

2. Essential oils: We had a wide array of essential oils available for use, ranging from the more pricey oils (sandalwood, rose, jasmine) to the more basic common oils (lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus). 

3. More Materials: In addition to our ingredients, we were also equipped with all of the necessary containers and tools for the workshop. This included dark-tinted glass bottles (to preserve the oil over time), droppers, and various types of beakers, funnels and pumps for distributing oil into the bottles.  

3. Studying! In addition to a verbal lecture/conversation about oils, there was also a ton of written reference material handy. Those involved in the workshop were encouraged to flip through our books about aromatherapy and skin care while formulating recipes for their oil blends. 

 

4. Lots of Smelling: As much reading as you may end up doing about essential oils, the decision really comes down to one of our most powerful senses: smell. 

5. Finalizing Our Recipes: After much studying and field research smelling the oils, we finally come to a decision about what to put in the face oil and toner. It is important to keep it simple and not choose too many ingredients for our blends, because that can get very complicated. Certain oils mix well together and some may not. It is all part of their chemistry.  

6. Samples! We first concocted small samples of our oil blends and toners, so that we could test them out and see if we liked them. It was important to see which scent was too strong or what the blend was lacking as a whole. The same proportions were used in the samples as used in the larger volumes. 

7. Finished Products: After mixing and adjusting oil blends and toners, we made sure that every bottle was labeled with its list of contents. Everyone had the pleasure of taking home the results of their hard work, their very own custom oil blends specifically tailored to their needs. How amazing is that! 

If you want to know more about our workshops, please email us at earthspeaksbrooklyn@gmail.com, or join our email list, which is at the bottom of the home page of our website (just to keep up with our workshop schedule and any other special offers-- we won't spam you!). Or you can always come talk to us in person at our shop on Atlantic Avenue. Our workshops are fun, affordable and educational!