Glow with Pure Plant Oils: DIY Recipes for Winter Self-Care

As winter slowly arrives, the atmosphere and environment change. Our skin can’t escape winter damage as it faces cold winds and low humidity, which strip away its natural moisture, leaving it dry, rough, dull, and dehydrated. Low humidity decreases the skin’s natural water content, and indoor heating increases dryness further, which disrupts the skin’s natural barrier function and damages the skin. In this condition, our skin needs hydration and moisturization. Instead of ready-made products, natural oil-based homemade DIY recipes can reduce the dry roughness of winter skin. Plant-based pure oils penetrate deeply and can replenish lipids, vitamins, and essential fatty acids that restore balance and radiance from underneath the skin. 

Since ancient times, natural ingredients have been used to treat skin concerns. Because of the many beneficial effects of plants, their oils have been used for moisturizing, anti-aging, antioxidants, anti-inflammation, skin cell regeneration, wound healing, and skin brightening. (Michalak, 2023) Egyptians used almond, castor, moringa, olive, and sesame oil in their cosmetic preparations. (McMullen, 2024).

Pure plant oils are an important renewable resource of nature. Research said there are mainly two types of “pure plant oils." The first is carrier or base plant oils; they naturally contain triglycerides and fatty acids. The other are essential oils, which are volatile plant secondary metabolites. (Butnariu and Sarac, 2018)

• Moisturizes

• Nourishes the skin

• Protects the skin from environmental damage

• Reduces dryness and flakiness

• Improves skin elasticity

• Antioxidants prevent oxidative damage 

• Makes skin glowing

• Makes skin soft, smooth, and supple

• Some essential oils have potential soothing effects

• Essential oils provide a pleasant natural fragrance.

(McMullen, 2024), (Reddy al., 2025) 

Mother Nature always wins! Pure plant oils provide benefits to our body in several ways. Our skin also benefits from them through application. During winter, natural pure oils are an important remedy. They help moisturize the skin, prevent dryness, and maintain its natural softness. When they are used in homemade recipes, they support the skin’s natural moisture barrier. 

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that can add aroma and specific properties to DIY skin care recipes. When properly diluted, some essential oils may support a refreshing skincare routine. But always do a patch test before trying them in new skincare recipes.

Now, let's explore how plant-based pure oils can be a part of your winter self-care routine and how you can use them in simple DIY skincare recipes to care for your skin during the colder months. 

Pure plant oils like carrier oils must be properly patch-tested on a small area to ensure safety, as improperly applied botanical oils can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.

Essential oils are highly concentrated and should not be applied directly without proper dilution. Always perform a patch test before use. Choose suitable oils according to your skin type.

During winter, cold weather, low humidity, and indoor heating can increase skin dryness. Incorporating pure plant oils into your winter self-care routine is an excellent way to maintain hydration, protect against dullness, dryness, and sensitivity, and support glowing skin. By shifting away from synthetic ingredients and making your own DIY recipes, you can support your skin barrier with exactly what it needs during these harsh months. Pure plant carrier oils are rich in fatty acids, deep hydration, and protection, and essential oils provide extra nourishment. Adjust your blends as the weather shifts, choosing heavier pure plant oils like avocado or argan during peak winter and lighter options like jojoba as spring approaches; add pure plant essential oils like lavender, rose, basil, etc., as per your skin type.

Michalak, M., 2023. Plant extracts as skin care and therapeutic agents. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(20), p.15444. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15444

Butnariu, M., & Sarac, I. 2018. Essential Oils from Plants. 1(4), 35-42. https://openaccesspub.org/biotechnology-and-biomedical-science/article/essential-oils-from-plants-940

McMullen, R.L., 2024. The benefits and challenges of treating skin with natural oils. International journal of cosmetic science, 46(4), pp.553-565. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ics.12960

Reddy, B.H.V., Hussain, S.M.S., Hussain, M.S., Kumar, R.N. and Gupta, J., 2025. Essential oils in cosmetics: Antioxidant properties and advancements through nanoformulations. Pharmacological Research-Natural Products, 6, p.100192. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2950199725000527