The Recipe Was Intentional, but the Business Was Accidental — How a Kitchen-Concocted Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Masque Changed My Life
When I first started making soap, I wasn’t actually intending to build a business at all—I was just trying to help my own very sensitive skin. I thought I was going to change the world through documentary filmmaking--the work I was doing when this little soap-and-skincare hobby quietly altered my course.
It began as something purely mercenary: just me, trying to solve my own struggles with eczema and sensitivity. The business was just a happy accident.
I’ve always been more artist than entrepreneur, more curious than corporate—driven by the creative puzzle, not a business plan.
At the time, there weren’t many natural skincare options available commercially. And everything I’d buy from the health food store that looked promising at first glance would turn out to be compromised—natural ingredients high on the list, but a synthetic fragrance tucked in somewhere, causing irritation and a lot of frustration.
Fed up, I fell back on one of my filmmaker skills: obsessive research. The internet was still sparse, and there were no books on DIY skincare that I could find.
What I found was that most ingredients in commercial products weren’t chosen for skin health—but for shelf life, consistency, scalability, and profit margins. So, like a mad scientist, I began mixing ingredients from the pantry and testing endlessly—first on myself, and later on willing friends and family.
My first skincare treatment was a recipe I made from fresh ingredients in my kitchen—literal food for the skin.
Soon, these kitchen experiments became part of my daily life. It wasn’t unusual for me to be wandering around the house with oatmeal and mashed fruit slathered across my cheeks. More than once, I opened the door mid-masque and gave the poor UPS guy a good scare. (He eventually got used to it.)
And yes—many times, I openly and unashamedly admit that I ate what didn’t end up on my skin. Why not? It tasted good! The cats clearly agreed; every time I mixed a batch, they’d appear out of nowhere and try to lick it off me.
I endured plenty of jokes from my family and was regarded as a bit of a weirdo, but I didn’t care. Because my skin improved. The eczema that used to flare up on either side of my nose—gone. My skin was soft and smooth. This “skin food” really worked.
And it worked for my friends and family, too.
Everyone I gave it to kept asking, “How do you make that again?” Eventually, I got a little tired of repeating the recipe, so I wondered: Could I make this in a form that was shelf-stable—something I could just make and give to them, but still remain true to its roots? Would it still be effective?
The answer was yes.
And that’s how my very first product—my Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Masque—was born. It’s a recipe suitable for just about every skin type, even sensitive skin, made from real ingredients that really work. And that same recipe? I still sell it today—over 25 years later.
I never set out to create a skincare business, but it turns out—it sort of created me. As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.” Right?
When I first began giving out my kitchen concoctions and creations—which had very rapidly expanded into cold process soap—as gifts, it was out of sheer delight and excitement. It made me so happy that the formulas I was creating helped not only my skin problems, but others’, too.
But it was when I started receiving requests for them, and friends offering to buy them—and then *their* friends placing orders to buy them, that it became a business. And a greater purpose. Maybe *I* could fill the gap in the marketplace for truly natural — 100% natural —skincare products that didn’t compromise.
The mission of WoodSprite has always been the same: to create the purest, most effective natural products possible, in the most sustainable way possible. That’s where the meaning is. That’s where the joy is. Even all these many years later.
Want to Make Your Own?
What began as me trying to solve my own skin problems accidentally turned into my life’s work. The business wasn’t the plan—it just turned out to be a happy side effect.
And because I’ve always believed that good things are meant to be shared, I’m including the original kitchen recipe here—the very one I used for myself and my friends all those years ago. It’s simple, nourishing, and still one of my favorites.
Do It Yourself: Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Face Masque
A soothing, skin-nourishing masque made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
This is the original kitchen recipe I created for myself over 25 years ago—and the same formula that inspired my first official product. It’s simple, nourishing, and still one of my favorites.
Why These Ingredients:
- Oats – A time-tested skin soother that calms irritation, reduces redness, hydrates and creates a gentle protective barrier.
- Almonds – Provide mild exfoliation, nourishing vitamin E and fatty acids to soften skin
- Milk – Offers lactic acid for gentle exfoliation and cell turnover.
- Raw honey – A natural humectant that draws in moisture and has antimicrobial, antibacterial and calming properties.
- Lemon juice or ACV – Balances pH and brightens skin.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup whole almonds
(This amount works well for grinders. If using oat or almond flour, you can use just 1–2 teaspoons of each.) - 1 tsp warm milk
- ½ tsp raw honey
- ¼ tsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
Instructions:
- Grind oats and almonds to a fine flour. Store extra dry mix in a jar.
- In a small bowl, stir together the milk, lemon juice, and honey until smooth.
- Add about 2 tsp of the dry mix. Stir into a thin paste. Adjust texture as needed.
To Use as a Masque:
- Apply 1–2 tsp to clean face, avoiding eyes.
- Leave on for 10–15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
- Follow with your favorite organic moisturizer.
To Use as a Scrub:
- Massage gently for 1–2 minutes, then rinse immediately.
- Or--the best of both--let massage into skin and then sit as a masque, then rinse.
Optional Tip: Add a bit more almond meal for stronger exfoliation.
Fair warning: Your pets may try to lick it off your face. Just sayin’.
If you'd rather skip the mixing and go straight to the good stuff, you can find the ready-made version here.
Thank you for being part of this journey—whether you’re here for the stories, the recipes, the skincare, or just the heart behind it all, I appreciate you.
P.S. If you decide to mix up this DIY masque at home, I’d love to see your creations! Share a photo and tag @WoodSprite on Instagram or @WoodSpriteOrganicBody on Facebook. I love to see your posts!