Hi !
Welcome to my first Everyday Alchemy post!
This is the first of many posts to come where I’ll be sharing my resources, rituals and recipes, along with the things I personally love and use to feel better and come home to myself during perimenopause.
One of my gifts is finding ways to optimize my life and feel my best. This has served me especially well during perimenopause because, as you probably know if you’re in this season too, feeling a little bit better can be a pretty big deal.
I enjoy experimenting and when I discover something I love, I get really excited to share it. If I can save you some time or introduce you to something you didn’t know you needed, even better.
Today, we’re starting with one of my favorites: the face and body oils I make at home.
You can find the exact products I use linked in the Everything I Use section at the end of this post.
If your skin has gotten drier during perimenopause and you’re noticing more fine lines or changes in your skin tone, I think you’re going to love these oils.
And if you simply want a beautiful ritual that helps love on your body instead of being angry for all the ways it might be inconveniencing you right now, I think you’ll love these oils even more.
Slowing down and taking the time to intentionally rub the oil into my skin makes caring for my body feel like a sacred ritual. Especially when I combine the time with looking at myself in the mirror and saying some loving affirmations that honor and express gratitude for this body I have.
And the smell. OMG.
I use a blend of frankincense, ylang-ylang and vanilla that smells absolutely divine. I get compliments on how I smell all the time, especially when I hug someone and they get close enough to really notice it. And because I’m sensitive to synthetic fragrances, I love knowing that the scent comes from natural essential oils.
The other thing I love about making my own oils is how simple it is. Once you have everything on hand, you can make a new bottle in less than 5 minutes.
Plus, you’ll know exactly what’s going on your skin because you’re using clean, high quality ingredients, all for a fraction of what you’d spend buying premade oils at the store.
A little note before we begin: This is the kind of in-depth Everyday Alchemy post that will eventually be part of my paid subscription. For now, I wanted to make this post available to everyone.
Ready to make your own? Here’s what I’m sharing:
My exact face and body oil recipes, with the base oil proportions and number of essential oil drops I use in each bottle
The skin benefits of each ingredient, along with the energetic qualities I associate with each oil
How to customize the recipes based on what your skin loves
Where applying face and body oil fits into your skincare routine, from when to use it to how to layer it with other products
My solution for letting the oil fully absorb without putting your day on hold or getting oil all over your clothes and house.
The exact products I use and love so you don’t have to spend time figuring out which versions to buy.
The Oils I love for this ritual
Before we get to the recipes, I want to introduce you to the oils I use and why I chose them.
Rosehip Seed Oil
Renewal • Regeneration • Radiance • Becoming
Rosehip is the star of my face oil. It’s rich in fatty acids and antioxidants that nourish dry skin and support a healthy skin barrier. It can also help soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve elasticity and even out skin tone, while calming the appearance of redness.
Jojoba Oil
Sacred balance • Harmonizing flow • Gentle resilience • Inner steadiness
Jojoba is light and nourishing, and it’s similar to the natural oils our skin produces. It helps soften the skin without making this already-rich blend feel too heavy, which is one reason I especially like it for the face.
Castor Oil
Grounding • Protective • Rooted • Deep release
Castor oil is one of my favorites for perimenopause skin because it’s super rich and moisturizing, which feels amazing when your skin suddenly seems drier and thinner than it used to.
It’s also packed with fatty acids and antioxidants, including vitamin E, and its high concentration of ricinoleic acid helps reduce inflammation. Plus, it can help soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve the look of dark spots and uneven pigmentation.
Apricot Kernel Oil
Heart-softening • Tender radiance • Emotional ease • Receptive grace
Apricot kernel oil helps dry skin feel softer and more supple. I love it in this body oil because its lighter texture balances out the thick castor oil and helps it absorb faster into my skin.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Sacred attunement • Soul clarity • Ancient wisdom • Divine presence
Frankincense feels like a little bit of magic for perimenopause skin. It supports cell regeneration and elasticity while helping calm inflammation and redness. Its antioxidant properties help protect the skin from environmental stress, and it can help skin hold onto moisture while improving uneven tone and texture.
Frankincense has been used in spiritual rituals and ceremonies across cultures for thousands of years. Its deep, earthy scent invites me inward and reminds me to listen more closely to myself. It feels like the perfect oil for this season of renewal and becoming.
Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil
Sensual awakening • Magnetism • Pleasure • Heart desire
Ylang-ylang has a lush floral scent. It helps balance the skin’s natural oil production while soothing inflammation and redness. And it also supports hydration, making it a beautiful addition when perimenopause skin is feeling dry or sensitive.
Energetically, ylang-ylang brings sensuality and pleasure to the ritual. I love its invitation to reconnect with my body and make caring for myself feel like an act of love.
Vanilla Oil
Sweet comfort • Warm abundance • Pleasure • Loving safety
Vanilla is a little different from the other essential oils in this recipe. I use NOW Vanilla Oil Blend, which is vanilla extract already blended with jojoba oil. I’ve tried other forms of vanilla “essential oils” that didn’t mix well with my oils, but this one blends beautifully and gives me the warm vanilla scent I love.
Vanilla brings such a comforting, sensual quality to the ritual. Its sweetness softens the deeper scent of frankincense and blends beautifully with the floral ylang-ylang.
Know a woman who could use a little extra love for the skin she’s in?
Send this post her way.
Sacred Glow Face Oil Recipe
I make my face oil in a 2 oz dark glass bottle.
Carrier oils
60% rosehip seed oil
20% jojoba oil
20% castor oil
Essential oils
6 drops frankincense
2 drops ylang-ylang
10 drops vanilla oil in jojoba
Rooted Within Body Oil Recipe
For my body oil, I use a 4 oz dark glass bottle.
Carrier oils
33% apricot kernel oil
33% sesame oil
33% castor oil
Essential oils
22 drops frankincense
6 drops ylang-ylang
12 drops vanilla oil in jojoba
Making your oils
Both oils are made exactly the same way. Once you have everything on hand, it only takes a few minutes.
Supplies:
2 oz dark glass bottle for the face oil or 4 oz dark glass bottle for the body oil
Small funnel
Cloth you don’t mind getting oily
Steps:
Gather your ingredients and supplies. You may want to put down an old cloth that you don’t mind getting oil on.
Add your essential oils to the bottle.
Add your carrier oils on top. You can eyeball the percentages. They don’t have to be exact.
If you’re using a bottle with a dropper, leave a little room at the top so the oil doesn’t overflow when you put the dropper in.
Tighten the lid and gently swirl or shake to combine everything.
How to store your oils
Store your finished oils in dark glass bottles somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight. I love keeping mine in a beautiful bottle on my bathroom counter so I remember to use it.
I make mine in small batches that I’ll use within about six months. If an oil starts to smell rancid, it’s time for a fresh batch.
If you have a large bottle of backup oil you plan to use in future recipes, keeping it in the fridge will help it last longer.
Customize your oils
The recipes above are the combinations I love, but part of the fun of making your own oils is discovering what your skin loves.
So feel free to try different combinations of carrier oils as well as different ratios.
For example, if the face oil feels heavier than you’d like, you can reduce the castor oil and increase the jojoba. A blend of 60% rosehip, 30% jojoba and 10% castor will feel lighter while still giving you some of the richness of castor oil.
Try a different essential oil blend
I love my combination of frankincense, ylang-ylang and vanilla, but scent is so personal. Below are some essential oil combinations you could try depending on what smells good to you and how you want your ritual to feel.
Just keep the overall amount of essential oil similar to the recipes above.
Essential oil combinations to try
Choose your blend based on what smells good to you and how you want to feel:
Ground and Come Back to Yourself | Frankincense + cedarwood + vanilla
Rest and Soften | Lavender + frankincense + vanilla
Balance and Renew | Geranium + frankincense + vanilla
Awaken and Energize | Sweet orange + frankincense + vanilla
Open and Receive | Rose + sandalwood + vanilla
Sensual and Alive | Ylang-ylang + sandalwood + sweet orange
A note on dilution: Essential oils are highly concentrated, so more isn’t better. A good everyday guideline is 0.5–1% for the face and 1–2% for the body, but always check the specific oil’s guidelines and patch test a new blend first.
I learned this one the hard way after putting an essential oil directly on my skin and ending up with an itchy rash. Always dilute and patch test!
How to use your face + body oils
One of the questions that comes up with face and body oils is: When and how am I supposed to use this?
I personally like using my face oil at night so it has time to soak into my skin while I sleep. It’s the last step in my skincare routine, after moisturizer.
For my body oil, there are two ways I like to use it.
✨ Massage the oil into damp skin after a shower, while your skin still has some moisture on it.
✨ Apply your favorite body lotion first and layer the oil on top.
The second option is usually how I do it in dry Colorado because lotion gives my skin the hydration it’s craving, and the oil helps keep all that moisture locked in.
If you find that body oil alone still leaves your skin feeling dry or prickly, try the lotion-first method and see how your skin responds.
While the body oil soaks in
Because the body oil recipe contains quite a bit of castor oil, it can take around 30 minutes to fully soak into my skin.
If I’m doing this after a shower, I usually let that happen while I finish getting ready. I’ll put my hair products in and diffuse my hair. Then I do my face routine and brush my teeth. By the time I’m ready to get dressed, most of the oil has usually soaked in.
But sometimes I’m ready to start working or or do chores around the house before my skin is ready for clothes.
And I have a solution for that.
I bought a beautiful full-length robe with long sleeves and a pair of washable slippers.
The robe covers my oily arms so I can sit at my desk without getting oil on everything. The slippers solve the same problem for my feet so I don’t track oily foot prints all over the floor. I can toss both the slippers and the robe into the washing machine when they need it. Links to both are below in the “Everything I use” section.
I actually love that the oil asks me to give it a little time to soak in. It gives me a reason to slow down and spend a few extra minutes caring for my body.
Everything I use
To save you time having to research which versions of everything in this ritual to buy, I’m linking exactly what I use below.
Some of these are affiliate links. At Alchemy & Ash, I plan to naturally share the things I use and love that have helped me through perimenopause, so I’ve decided to start experimenting with affiliate income to support my work.
I try to buy from small businesses and other retailers before Amazon whenever I can (especially when in comes to oils), but as an Amazon associate I do earn a small amount from qualifying purchases.
Thank you for supporting Alchemy & Ash!
Oils
Optional essential oils to try
Beautiful oil bottles
2 oz amber glass bottles with gold cap and dropper (paid link)
4 oz amber glass bottles with gold cap and dropper (paid link)
2-16 oz amber glass bottles with black lid (no dropper, which can be nice not having to deal with a dropper for body oil)
I love beautiful bottles because if I’m going to leave something sitting on my bathroom counter and use it every day, I want it to feel special. All of the bottles above make this very simple homemade recipe feel like something I’d buy from a beautiful skincare brand.
While the oil soaks in
Washable slippers (paid link)
If you could bottle a feeling for yourself right now, what would it be?
More peace? More confidence? More sensuality? More energy? More softness? Something else entirely?
I’d love to hear yours in the comments.
Hey , I’m Jessie May!
At 39, perimenopause turned my life upside down and eventually became an awakening I never saw coming. Now I guide women through the whole arc of this initiation, from sitting in the void of not knowing what’s next, to finding our voices as we emerge into who we’re becoming.
I love creating spaces where we can talk about what this time feels like with people who understand. Thanks for being here, I can’t wait to get to know you!
Ways I can help
✨ Substack Coaching - For women who want to turn the experiences they’ve lived through into a meaningful Substack publication that helps others feel less alone.
✨ Perimenopause Initiation Coaching - For women waking up to themselves through the initiation of perimenopause.
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A space for women unraveling and recreating their lives during the perimenopause years. Pivots, purpose, identity, patterns and turning our experiences into meaningful work … those are just some of the things we explore together here.
I love making my own blends too. I will create my own roller balls for "perfume" too. And I'm leaning into giving myself a weekly ritual extra love hydration moment and loving every minute. Great post!
This sounds incredible! Thanks for sharing