DIY Nourishing Coconut Milk Facial Cleanser

A dusting of fresh snow makes a landscape look like a winter wonderland. But on our faces, flaky white stuff isn’t nearly as pretty.

Enter coconut milk. By now you’re probably familiar with coconut milk’s beauty-boosting cousin, coconut oil. But as emollient and luxurious as coconut oil is, it’s not always the best for cleansing your face—that’s where coconut milk shines.

A bit thicker than dairy milk, coconut milk has the same skin-saving lauric acid that makes coconut oil so good at getting rid of acne. It also has proteins and healthy fats to strengthen skin cells, and vitamin C, which brightens and helps diminish the appearance of spots and discoloration.

A lot of bottled face washes, especially those formulated for acne-prone skin, tend to be too drying and aggravating. This all-natural coconut milk cleanser takes off makeup and dirt and softens and nourishes dull winter skin.

We used avocado oil here, but you can easily sub in coconut oil or another carrier oil if you prefer. The combination of lavender and coconut together adds a dreamy, subtle scent.

Coconut Milk Facial Cleanser

¼ cup coconut milk, unsweetened
⅓ cup liquid Castile soap
½ teaspoon avocado oil
2 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin
5 drops of lavender essential oil

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Transfer to a mason jar or sealable glass jar and store at room temperature. Tip: If you want to make a morning version with a pick-me-up, try sweet and citrusy bergamot oil instead of lavender.

Photo credit: Alicia Cho