A few weeks ago my friend Kristin asked if I wanted to make a DIY face moisturizer using washed ghee.
I had no idea what “washed ghee” meant but whenever I hear the phrase “DIY” I’m already in. Then the more I read about this ancient beauty secret the more excited I got, and I really think you will be, too.
Benefits of Ghee for Beautiful Skin
(This post probably contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.)
First things first, what the heck is ghee?
Ghee is a very pure type of fat made from simmering butter until the fat, also known as clarified butter, separates from the milk solids. It has also been called the “most refined end product of milk.”
If you really want to get technical, ghee is slightly different from clarified butter in that is it taken one step further and simmered to bring out a nutty flavor.
Ghee originated in India around 3,000 years ago and is now frequently used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines for its high “smoke point” (no smoke detectors going off there) and basically because it lasts forever unrefrigerated. We’re talking decades. And here’s an extra fun fact, many people that can’t tolerate dairy can eat ghee just fine.
Ghee is also rich in Vitamins A, D, K, and E, making it excellent for both your health and beauty routine. I know people that make their own ghee and I hear it’s pretty simple. If this interests you, Wellness Mama can help you out.
BUT WHY ARE WE WASHING THE GHEE?
Washed ghee is an ancient beauty “secret” passed through the Indian culture, also known as Ayurvedic medicine, or Ayurveda for short. It’s considered a holistic, or whole-body, treatment. It is used in many traditional medicines to treat constipation and ulcers (quite a range.)
The Ayurvedics (PS – I might have just made that word up) believed that when you “wash” ghee 100 times it completely removes all purities from the butter, leaving a pure, non-greasy, light-as-whipped cream moisturizer that reaches all seven layers of your skin. Guys, I didn’t even know my skin had seven layers; but now I want to reach them!
BENEFITS OF WASHED GHEE
- Clears your Skin
- Reduces Wrinkles
- Clears Rosacea
- Soothes Burns
- Heals Scars
- Reduces Sunspots
- Clears Eczema
- And many more….
So how do you wash it? What will you need?
WASHED GHEE INGREDIENTS
- A cup of ghee (organic, please)
- Kitchen Aid or hand mixer
- Copper bowl *Optional, but there are extra benefits
- Purified water (3 or more gallons. We just used filtered water from my fridge dispenser)
STEPS TO MAKE WASHED GHEE
1.) Warm-up ghee first until it becomes a liquid.
2.) Place in either a Kitchen Aid bowl (jealous), copper bowl, or regular mixing bowl if you have neither.
3.) Add two cups of cool water – things will get splashy so wear a cute apron
4.) Mix for 3 -5 minutes.
5.) Pour out as much water as you can. We mixed it with a spatula to get out the excess water
6.) REPEAT 25 – 100 times
If you do some quick math you will wonder if that will take forever, and you will be correct. However, the more you wash, the more it removes impurities and the butter smell, as well as increases the copper benefits.
The end result will be an almost white (or completely white) whipped, light, airy product, much like whipped cream.
I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS…
So how does this process work? Why the copper bowl? Must I do it the 25 times?
First, I’m no chemist, but every time you “wash” the ghee, it infuses the product with water by fat-splitting (please real chemists, forgive me if I am explaining it wrong) creating that light and airy moisturizing and non-greasy texture.
Second, the copper bowl acts as a catalyst to speed up the fat-splitting process, as well as adds copper content to the product, which is known to help with inflammation.
And thirdly, my friends and I did it 16 times for 5 minutes each. Do it longer than that if you can (it makes it purer and gets rid of the butter smell!) However, the number of times we did it still was sufficient in creating a great product.
PRO TIP: START EARLY – it does take a loooooong time. Also, enlist the help of many friends unless you want the best arm work out of your life!
SHELF LIFE: 4-6 months in a clean and tight container. No refrigeration is necessary.
Now onto the fun stuff – how to use it!
Disclaimer: DO NOT stick your fingers straight into the pot because it will contaminate the product. Use a wooden flat spatula or even just a Q-tip, instead.
5 Benefits of Whipped Ghee (AKA USES!)
1. The WORLD’S BEST FACE MOISTURIZER
I already talked about the benefits so scroll up if you missed them. BUT for even more benefits you can add essential oils to customize the scent and extra goodness. I added rose & lavender essential oil to mine to fight both acne and wrinkles.
Tea tree oil and frankincense would also be great options.
Start with this DIY mask to deep clean your pores first!
So far it’s been beautiful on my skin. It absorbs fairly quickly (maybe a minute) and then my skin has just looked clear and bright all day. It also LOCKS moisture into my skin. I use it day and night.
2. Pre-shower moisturizer
Just slather on a good bit all over your body, or where you need extra moisture, wait 30 minutes, and shower as normal. Feel free to clean the bathroom while you wait.
3. Deep Conditioner
Apply to dry ends, wait 30 minutes to an hour, and shampoo as usual. The time on your hand depends on the ratio between how dry your hair is, and how patient you are. Again, cleaning the bathroom is an excellent option while you wait. Here is another DIY Deep conditioner if you prefer to use avocados.
4. Foot Moisturizer
Add peppermint oil to it and make a refreshing foot moisturizer. Not only will it reach the “seven layers” of your feet’s skin but the peppermint will fight any odors.
5. Cellulite Fighter
Add grapefruit essential oil to it, apply it on the back of the legs to fight cellulite. I’d combine it with dry brushing for even faster results. Of course, it makes a great hand moisturizer too.
I hope you try it not only because it’ll be such a treat for your skin, but also because it’s just a really fun experience. What’s the most unusual DIY you’ve ever made?
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How interesting! I have never heard of that before. It sounds like a beautiful product!
I have look up if we can get it here in Austria… Thanks for sharing! I love discovering new ideas 🙂
Love from Austria,
Theresa | http://www.primetimechaos.com
Oh Wow this is really cool! I am very into DIYs projects as well and this definitely seems like a fun project to try.
It was super fun!
This is so interesting. There are so many DIY options for beauty care.
What a neat product! If you can make a big batch at once, it would be well worth the effort. I’m glad it’s working so well for you.
This is so interesting and I love that it has so many uses! I’ll have to give this a try!
Wow, what an interesting idea!
How interesting! I’ve never heard of washed ghee either…interesting uses and sounds luxurious.
i love oil cleaning and there are many great ayurvedic oil massage techniques but i haven’t hard of using ghee in skincare. it totally makes sense and i can’t wait to try it out. thanks for the tip!
Very welcome, Jessica!
I knew what ghee was but had never heard of washed ghee. This is totally new to me and you bet I want to give it a go.
Candy – let me know how it goes! 🙂
Waitttt is the cellulite fighter legit?!? Like I need to try this ASAP!
Yes ma’am! Good stuff, right?
Seriously! Have you tried it for that? did you see results? I’m genetically cursed in the thigh department lol
I have! Combined with dry brushing and adding grapefruit essential oil to the ghee moisturizer I definitely see an improvement!
Okay, this is incredible. A definite pin worthy post. I had no idea what Ghee was, I had never heard of it before but now i’m kinda obsessed! Thank you for sharing.
Leslie, I put a lot of work into this so thank you so much! That means alot! And yes, ghee is some pretty awesome stuff.
I have never considered using this for my hair! Wow, I am quite amazed! I have dry hair and this might be my solution!
xo Debbie | http://www.tothineownstylebetrue.com
You know what’s so crazy about all these things like essential oils and ghee and all this holistic stuff that people are using nowadays? My grandma used to swear by this when we were younger. She used to cook with it, put it in our hair, do all sorts of crazy stuff with it. And we all rolled our eyes as teenagers and just said, “Silly grandma.”
Turns out, Grandma was right all along!
haha grandma always turns out right!
I have never heard of this before but it sounds really interesting…. Definitely am going to read more about it!
It’s very interesting!
Oh my god I’m totally pinning this. It looks amazing!!!
Woot woot!
How interesting! I’ve never heard of Ghee! Thanks for sharing this! I may just have to give it a try! 🙂
This is SO interesting! Who knew? Thanks for sharing! I am going to try it out!
Yay! I think you’ll love it !:)
Wow! So many great benefits! And sounds like a fun project to take on with a friend! Thanks Sarah!
Or several friends. haha!
This looks great! I need to try this while I’m on maternity leave (if there is time!).
This is fascinating! I’ve never heard of ghee before!
This is right up my alley. I love the idea of this and appreciate the article. Thank you.
Sarah, I just love this DIY so much. And a BIG thanks for the video. I know I would have seen the water and butter and gave up, thinking they would never mix. I’ve been trying to get back to basics by making my own products. Thanks for sharing this.
Glad the video helped! Yah it’s not supposed to mix cause you just pour the water out. I hope you get to try it!
Hi, I washed my ghee 25x. But I found when I apply the cream I can feel the water should it feel like that ? Also i feel like I can ever do slightly smell the ghee aroma, on my skin. Any tips on removing the odour and how to reduce the water? Also as it’s a time consuming procedure I was wondering is it ok to divide the task over several days or does it have to be completed from start to finish in one go ?
Thank you.
Hello! If the ghee still smells like “popcorn” you’ll want to continue washing it. When you’re done make sure you press out as much water as you can, use a spatula or whatever else you have to do so. And, yes I think this could be spaced out 2-3 days but I wouldn’t go over that.
This is so cool, Sarah! I’ve never heard of washed ghee, but now I’m totally fascinated by it!
This one seems a bit time consuming but those are incredible benefits!
haha time consuming is an understatement but it’s awesome!
I have never heard of this before but that’s so interesting ! So many amazing benefits, it’s the committing to all that long process haha
Wow, that does seem like a long process. I mean, it sounds cool AF but I doubt I’d ever get it done. Maybe a product idea for you. 😉
Yah i’m wondering about that… 🙂
Wow! I’ve never heard of that before. Thanks for sharing this cool process. I’ll have to try it out!
I have Rosacea so this is actually interesting to try. Although I’m not sure how to even begin to look for all the things I need for it in Amsterdam.
Victoria, I think all you’ll need is butter. You can make your own ghee from it.
I had never heard of using Ghee as a moisturiser before, but this sounds wonderful!!
Your DIY ideas are always so interesting! I have actually never heard of Ghee, so this entire post was fascinating! I am all for anything that fights cellulite, too!
Thank you so much, Erin! This is a fun one too
Hey Sarah, Is there such a product available on the shelves? If not, do you think it’s a marketable product as a business?
Hi Sheryl, people on places like Etsy are selling it but it is not anything being sold on regular shelves due to the “freshness.” I think it would be an awesome product if it’s sold similar to perishable items like Lush does.
Hey, that was a ton of information. Thank you. Can you please tell me how does the product looks like when it’s nearing expiry or already expired?
I’m in India and it is real hot summers, the smell of washed ghee has gone rancid. Please tell me if the product is still usable or not.
Hmm honestly I have used it up before then, although I think it has a long shelf life. I would say keep using until it either smells funny or turns an odd color.
Thanks for the recipe, how do things go for storing afterwards? Mine has so. much. water. It just keeps coming out and then the product ends up not creamy it gets dense and almost goes back to original ghee and reduces in size when the water is removed so I cant weight and jar up. I would like to sell/give this product but I don’t know how other people are doing it when it melts at room temp and becomes a oil and water just keeps coming out so it would leak everywhere unless kept in the fridge. So I don’t understand how they kept traditionally in India and I can’t find enough information online on what is normal afterwards.