August 17, 2011: Liquid Facial Cleanser Recipe

I recently ran out of facial cleanser I’d bought at the store. But rather than replenish the store bought cleanser, I saved the dispenser, which was fitted with a foaming gel pump, and mixed up my own recipe. This one is great for aging or dry skin since it the ingredients are naturally moisturizing. The peppermint oil gives it a bit of a zing but you could also substitute other scents of your liking. It leaves your skin feeling amazing!

The beauty of this formula, unlike many others you’ll find online, is that it doesn’t require refrigeration. Who washes their face in the kitchen?

Liquid Facial Cleanser

3 ounces castile soap (I used 18 in 1 Hemp Lavender)

2 T. honey

1 t. almond oil

6 drops peppermint oil

Combine all ingredients. You don’t have to measure them exactly; instead you can look at the volume of your container and eyeball it to get an approximate ratio.

Shake well before using.

July 1, 2011: Mani-Pedi Recipe

Welcome to July! July means that we are now on the downswing of the year, headed to shorter days and winter. It may be hard to think about snow when it’s so hot right now, but it’s coming sooner rather than later!

July’s birthstone is the brilliant red ruby and the flower of the month is a water lily. Of course the big day is the holiday of Independence Day. Outside of the intense heat, I love the 4th of July – it’s a great time to spend with friends and family and eat, drink, and be merry!

Skin-baring clothing that beats the heat means that your hands and feet are going to be exposed and they need to look their best. But rather than shelling out big bucks and waiting for the next appointment at the beauty salon, why not take care of your mani-pedi at home?

Here’s what you’ll need for a Home Manicure and Pedicure:

Nail Polish Remover
Cotton balls or pads
Emery board
Cuticle remover cream (can substitute petroleum jelly)
A big bowl or pan or bucket (I use my dog’s water dish, washed, of course)
Dish soap
Almond or apricot oil
Old towel
Wooden cuticle stick
Buffer board
Nail polish

Set aside an hour to spend on yourself before getting started. If you rush, your polish is going to smear and then you’ll have to start all over again.

Remove any old polish from your nails and use the emery board to shape them. Rub cuticle remover into the base of your fingernails and toenails.

Fill a big bowl or container with warm water and add a drop of dish soap and a few drops of oil. Place the towel underneath the bowl (if indoors) and place your feet in it. Now sit back and relax for a while (this is a great time to read a book). After 5 to 10 minutes, immerse your hands and swish them around in the water. Take out one foot and push back the cuticles with your orangewood stick. Repeat with other foot. Immerse your hands again and push back the cuticles on your fingernails. Dry all your nails, pushing back your cuticles one more time with the damp towel.

Buff each of your nails. Wash with soap and water to remove any lingering residue, then apply colored polish topped with a clear coat. Sit back and read your book again until the polish is dry.

There now, all done! That didn’t take too long, did it? And it sure was a lot cheaper than going to the nail salon. Okay, it may feel better to have a professional mani-pedi, but if you use nicely scented oils and creams and pretty colors, it feels almost as good to do your own.

Tip: Use a pumice stone during your daily shower to keep those heels from cracking!

June 5, 2011: Recipes for Healing Bath Waters

As temperatures start to rise the closer it gets to the official first day of summer, the last thing you may be thinking of to cool off is taking a bath. But in all truthfulness, a lukewarm or tepid bath is a great way to refresh, reenergize, and cool down. Here are a few ingredients you can add to your bath water to address specific skin needs.

Milk

Whole milk is a good treatment for sunburn. While in the bath, use a washcloth dampened with whole milk to plaster on the burned areas of your skin. Or, you can add one cup of instant dry milk to the bathwater. Rinse well afterward so you don’t smell like sour milk!

Oil and Vinegar

Instead of bubble bath, which really dries out your skin, add a few tablespoons of any of these oils to your bath water: almond, sesame, vitamin E, baby, vegetable, olive or nut oil. Your skin will feel silky smooth when you get out of the tub and unlike taking a shower which rinses away the oil, the effect will last.

Adding a cup of cider vinegar to your bath water is a great way to relieve dry skin, too.

While you’re in the bathtub, use the time for a manicure and pedicure. Simply take the oil you are adding to your bath water and massage a small bit into the cuticles of your fingernails and toenails. After soaking a few minutes, use a wooden cuticle stick to gently push them back. Remove the oil with soap and water before polishing.

Herbs

Adding a handful of dried herbs to your bathwater turns your bath time into a spa treatment. This combines aromatherapy with healthful skin benefits. Try such herbs as dried lavender, sage, mint, or rosemary.

Summertime is a wonderful time to relax in a lukewarm bath and chill out. Try it with one of these additives and see how refreshing it feels!

May 23, 2011: At Home Spa Treatment Recipes

With the long Memorial Day holiday weekend coming up soon, you may want to indulge yourself with an “at home spa” day. This is a great way to refresh yourself, if you don’t have any travel plans, and get ready for the busy upcoming summer season. Here’s a few recipes sure to relax and rejuvenate you!

Body Scrub

¼ cup coffee grounds (go ahead and use the ones from this morning’s coffee)
¼ cup Epsom salts or Kosher salt
1 ripe avocado, mashed
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Almond oil

Mix all ingredients; add just enough oil to make a smooth paste. While in the shower, use this in place of soap. Just rinse off and towel dry.

Recipe (slightly modified by me!) courtesy of Redbook magazine.

Cornflower Eye Refresher

2 T. dried cornflowers
½ cup water

Make a tea with the cornflowers in boiling water. Cool. Dip two cotton balls into the cooled mixture and place over your closed eyelids for 15 minutes. On a really hot day, ice down the cornflower tea before using.

Tip: To find cornflowers, look at your local health food store. They’re easy to grow so you may want to include them in your garden this year.

Use either of the following rinses as a final rinse for your hair (don’t rinse it out), then sit out in the sun and let your hair dry naturally. Each of these formulas is mean to enhance your particular hair color.

Chamomile Hair Rinse (for fair hair)

3 ½ cups water
2 ounces chamomile flowers
2/3 cup cider vinegar
5 drops lemongrass oil

Make a tea by boiling the water and adding the chamomile flowers. Let it steep for half an hour, then strain and add the vinegar and oil.

Rosemary Hair Rinse (for dark hair)

Same recipe as above except substitute 2 ounces rosemary sprigs and 5 drops oil of bergamot.

The above 3 recipes are courtesy of The Country Store by Stephanie Donaldson and published by Lorenz Books.

These recipes should get your at home spa day started. You may also want to do a mani/pedi and rub some yummy scented lotion over your body after you step out of the shower. Enjoy!

March 9, 2011: Body Wash Recipe

Although I’ve dedicated the month of March to spring cleaning and natural cleaning products, I have to share a recipe I cooked up recently for a body wash (hey, that’s cleaning, too!).

I’d run out of the product I was using, which was made from olive oil. But rather than throw away the pump container, I kept it and refilled it with my own mixture. The result? This formula works great – it suds up nicely, smells good, and it’s gentle on the skin. Although I keep mine in the shower for a body wash, there’s no reason you couldn’t use this soap for your face or even your hair, in a pinch.

I used a base of castile soap, which is a staple you should always keep around the house for cleaning just about anything under the sun. I have a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s Hemp Lavender; although traditional castile soap is made from olive oil this hemp oil version is just as gentle and it doesn’t have an overpowering scent.

Homemade Body Wash

1 cup Castile soap (any type)
3 T. Emollient oil (I used almond oil but I imagine that any type of emollient, vegetable-based oil, such as coconut, olive, etc. would work just fine)
15 drops Essential oil (I used peppermint for its invigorating scent)

Pour all ingredients into your pump or squeeze container. Shake before using.

Although I like the peppermint scent, next time I’m going to try my favorite – lemongrass – along with an unscented castile soap formula.