Lavender & Honey Soapless Face Cleanser Recipe

Make this simple and natural soapless face cleanser recipe with almond meal, lavender, and honey. Based on the Angels on Bare Skin recipe from Lush

Skincare does not have to be expensive and this soapless facial cleanser recipe is a case in point. It’s gentle and cleansing, yet it doesn’t include soap or other harsh cleansers. Instead, you use the pulling powder of clay, the soft exfoliation of almond meal, and the hydrating action of honey. The addition of lavender makes it smell lovely and can also calm the skin.

Other than the simple and all-natural ingredients, this recipe is incredibly easy to make. It literally will take you a few minutes, and in the end, you’ll have enough cleanser to last two weeks. When you need more, simply raid your kitchen cupboard and make another small batch. This soapless cleanser recipe is based on Lush’s ‘Angels on Bare Skin’ and costs a tiny fraction of what their product does.

Lavender & Honey Soapless Facial Cleaner

Creates a two-week supply.

Learn how to grow your own lavender for use in skin care recipes

¼ cup (25g) ground almonds
¼ cup (20g) White Kaolin clay
1 tsp (10.5g) Honey (optionally infused with lavender)
20 drops Rosewater (or homemade rose infusion)
¼ tsp dried Lavender flowers
20 drops Lavender essential oil

Step 1: Create the infused honey

You can use ordinary raw honey for this soapless face cleanser recipe. Infusing the honey with skincare herbs like lavender takes it up a notch though. It’s commonly thought that the English word ‘Lavender’ derives from the French word lavandre and Latin word lavare – both meaning to wash. Just as in Roman times, we still use sweet lavender to scent our baths and toiletries. It has a pleasant scent but it also has properties that relax the mind and soothe the skin.

Homemade infused-honey can be used in many skin care recipes so you should make more than you’ll need for just this recipe. Fill a pint-sized jar with ½ cup dried lavender flowers or lavender buds. Fill the rest of the jar with honey and set it in a warm place in the house. Give it a daily shake and after 7-10 days, strain out the plant material and re-bottle the honey. Store in a cool, dark cupboard and use it in both beauty recipes and the kitchen. The shelf-life of honey is indefinite but to stay on the safe side, use it within a year.

Infusing the honey for this recipe is optional, and feel free to use the raw honey that you have in your cupboard. To make this recipe vegan, you can use vegetable glycerin in place of the honey.

Step 2: Make the facial cleanser recipe

Mix the lavender buds, clay, and almonds in a small bowl. Stir the essential oil into the honey and then spoon it onto the dry ingredients. Sprinkle on the rose water and then mash it together using a small fork. It’s a little like making pastry dough and you’ll need to work the small amount of wet ingredients into the dry until it’s a crumbly mixture. The honey should be incorporated fully and don’t be tempted to add more water – the mixture should be relatively dry.

Store the cleanser in a sealed glass or plastic container at room temperature and use it within two weeks. To use, place a pinch in the palm of your hand and mix it with a little water. Massage onto your face and rinse.