Spring is the season of new beginnings! Flowers are gloriously blooming, animals are being born and luscious green fields are making a comeback. This not only has a good impact on all our moods, but it also creates a whole range of natural ingredients perfect for use in caring for our face and bodies, inside and out.

Spring is the perfect time to refresh your self-care system, recommit to daily practices and restore your health and wellness.

So, as you leave behind the cold and dark days of winter and enter into the lighter, slightly warmer and longer days of spring, here are 5 DIY skincare and beauty experiments for you to try. Whether you are looking to make small changes to your current routine or create something new from scratch—these can help you get started.

DIY hand cream for gardeners – An Oregon Cottage

1. Homemade Balm To Alleviate Dry Gardener’s Hands

On a lovely warm spring day, I’m often out in my garden, digging my bare hands into the soil. Throw coronavirus into the mix, and I’m sure I wash my hands about ten times a day or more. Needless to say, I need a fantastic hand balm to alleviate dry hands and cracked cuticles. Painful and annoying, but I have a solution for you.

A dash of coconut or olive oil mixed in with a hand lotion works tremendously well to deeply moisturize your skin, but as much as I love this option, it often leaves behind a greasy feel. Another solution is to make your own soothing hand balm by mixing your choice of oil (be it olive or coconut oil) with some grated beeswax and essential oils, and that’s all there is to it. It’s so simple and yet so effective.

Get creative, and try different essential oils to suit your mood—I really like lavender oil for its calming qualities, but I also use vanilla oil because I love the fragrance. Try this balm recipe from An Oregon Cottage for a foolproof moisturizing balm.

2. Healing Detox Green Smoothie To Up Your Energy

Detox smoothie – recipe by the Gluten-Free Homestead

There are so many fantastic recipes out there for smoothies, let alone detox smoothies—where to begin?! It all depends on your own personal version of health and what suits you best. Some people like mixed-fruit smoothies with honey; some like kale, almond butter and banana smoothies; others prefer sweet potato smoothies. The choices seem endless, but this green smoothie will help give you a big boost of energy.

This healing detox smoothie from the Gluten-Free Homestead is an exceptional way to start your day—it’s loaded with delicious green veggies and fruit, providing a chockful of vitamins and energy. It tastes great and it will undoubtedly brighten your mood and your skin, as you sip in all those health-boosting nutrients and antioxidants. Plus, half of an avocado gives you a bit of healthy fat to fill you up and carry you over till your next meal.

Whatever you choose, have fun with it—and don’t go overboard. You might find if you start ingesting too many smoothies that you might suffer from slight digestive problems. Spring is a time to be outside enjoying the warmer weather, not inside in the bathroom!

3. Manuka Honey Face-Mask Moisturizer to Make Your Skin Glow

DIY honey face masks at Don’t Mess with Mama

Women (especially) spend millions on face moisturizers when, with minimal effort, you could whip up your own face cream from your own kitchen. Olive oil, for instance, mixed in the palm of your hand with a bit of your current face cream, makes for a more moisturizing emollient that will definitely bring out your shine.

Manuka honey, on the other hand, makes a superb face mask if you leave it on your skin for about 15 minutes. Simply apply and then wash off with warm water. “Don’t Mess with Mama” has a whole series of DIY honey face mask recipes – check them out here.

Coconot oil is another oil that can be used to moisturize not only your face, but your hair and body as well. It’s anti-inflammatory and incredibly hydrating—at bedtime, try applying some mixed (with or without a bit of Manuka Honey) to your heels and then stick on some socks and wake up in the morning with soft, moisturized feet.

Ideas abound, so have fun looking around for remedies or applications that suit your needs.

4. Salt Scrub for Super Smooth Skin

DIY body scrubs need look no further than salt or sugar, and nearly everyone has these in their home. In the spring, you’re undoubtedly going to be showing off more skin, and what’s better than smooth, glowing skin.

Rather than spending a lot of money on a body scrub, why not try your hand at a homemade one. Table sugar is less abrasive than salt, so depending on your needs, you can substitute one for the other. Salt, however, has the added benefit of easing inflammation and pulling toxins away from the skin.

This super easy recipe from Savory Lotus uses three ingredients: salt, olive or coconut oil and an essential oil.

If you want a bit more variety, have a look at these 8 salt scrub recipes—we particularly like the Rosemary Lemon Salt Scrub and the Vanilla Coconut Brown Sugar Scrub—they sound so mouth-wateringly good that I could almost eat them.

5. Soothing Salve for Those Darned Cracked Heels

Last but definitely not least—cracked heels are such a common problem for women in the spring and summer months. As mentioned above, rubbing some coconut oil on your feet at nighttime, and then sealing it in with a pair of cosy socks will result in softer feet by morning. But there are also other ways to fix cracked heels that don’t require spending tons of money.

You might try soaking your feet in warm water for 15 minutes doused with some oats, calendula oil (or any kind of oil, for that matter) or baking soda (known for its anti-inflammatory qualities). Then use a natural luffah or pumice stone to gently exfoliate your heels, and lastly, moisturize. If it’s before bed, then go straight to the coconut oil and socks. You’ll see a noticeable difference by morning.

If you’re up to making your own cracked-heel soothing salve, definitely try this fantastic salve recipe from Wellness Mama. I use it in the springtime to make my heels buttery soft—I just swap the peppermint oil for lavender oil for a more relaxing, soothing sleepytime feel.

What’s your go-to recipe for keeping you look & feel good in spring? Did you try one of the recipes mentioned in this article? Let us know in the comments!