The 8 Commandments of Natural Beauty

Commandment No. 5

Much like you would make guacamole or hummus from scratch for a fresh addition to a meal, you can mix up your own face lotions, cleansers and more with just a few ingredients for fresh, natural alternatives to commercial cosmetics.

For the ultimate green beauty kitchen, invest in a few essential tools you may not already own, including a stick blender, glass beaker and dropper. Some recipes call for more traditional kitchen supplies, like a coffee press, wooden spatula and eggbeater.

Thanks to added parabens, phthalates or formaldehyde preservatives, the shelf life of the average cosmetic or personal care product is up to two years. Green beauty products aren't as immortal, especially if you create them from scratch. To prevent waste, prepare small batches weekly. Or, invest in a natural preservative, like Tinosan or castor and wheat germ oils.

Be your own beautician with these 10 homemade beauty product recipes, or these 5 homemade natural facials and other skin creams from the Green Beauty Guide ($11.50 at amazon.com).