How to Make Your Own Soothing Face Mist at Home, According to This Model and Herbalist
“The most important thing in my life is my garden,” says Courtney Coll, a model and self-taught herbalist, over the phone from her home in Los Angeles’s Venice neighborhood. It’s here that the 26-year-old Chicagoan, who grew up visiting her family’s farm in Northern California, tends to a flourishing plot of vegetables, fruit, and medicinal flowers, nearly all of which inevitably find their way into her food—and onto her face.
“I love knowing exactly what I’m putting on my skin,” says Coll, who began “messing around” with a copper distiller to create her own topical mixtures four years ago—a process, which she admits with a laugh, was largely “trial and error.” But after a number of successful concoctions—and nudges from friends—Coll decided to bottle her blends, and thus Potions n’ Motions, her three-year-old botanical beauty label, was born. Though the homeopathic lineup (think elderberry elixirs and herbal deodorants) often changes from season to season, one constant has always been hydrosols, for which she home brews her own anti-inflammatory and antioxidant witch hazel. “They’re amazing in summer, winter...whenever!” Coll says of the refreshing floral waters, which she spritzes onto her face throughout the day—and even uses to clean her cooking boards.
“My goal is to show people how we can live in a more organic, natural way,” adds Coll, which is why she’s breaking down how to create your own D.I.Y. face mist from the comfort of your home, below. All you need is an empty spray bottle, witch hazel, and a handful of essential oils, such as geranium, lavender, and grapefruit, which Coll loves for its “feel-good” summer smell. But, naturally, the possibilities are endless.
Summer Blend Spray
Fill a 2-ounce spray bottle with witch hazel
Add 6 drops of grapefruit essential oil
Add 4 drops of lavender essential oil
Add 3 drops of geranium essential oil
Add a drop of aloe vera gel
Add a little bit of fresh lavender or geranium, if available, to make it extra potent
Shake and spritz!
Originally Appeared on Vogue
