Natural Eyelash Conditioner

    Thick, long, healthy eyelashes are a beautiful thing. So ingrained in our idea of beauty, in fact, that false eyelashes have seen a boom in popularity. Not only the temporary ones that you can apply in your daily makeup routine, but also extensions that require a professional and that last for a long time. However, most eyelash glues contain super harsh chemicals, and removing these “falsies” can rip out natural lashes. All in all, I'd much rather prefer to stick to my natural eyelashes. However, a friend of mine recently had her extensions removed and was asking for advice on helping her natural lashes get back to their healthy, former glory. So I shared with her a few recipes to help hydrate her lashes, and stimulate their growth. I also figured that you guys might be interested in this as well. These recipes are great, even if you don't wear false lashes, or even wear makeup at all. You can also use them on your eyebrows to help encourage their growth.

How to Use These Serums:

     After your long day, make sure to remove all of your makeup before applying (here's my recipe for a DIY makeup remover). Simply dip a cotton swab into the serum and massage it into the root of your lashes, both the top and bottom ones (you can also rub the serum onto your eyebrows). Don't put too much on or it may drip into your eyes. Leave it on over night and remove it in the morning. You can also use a clean mascara wand to apply the serum to cover your lashes for extra conditioning on your existing lashes.

   
A Word On Ingredients:

Coconut Oil- This oil is super full of healthy, fatty acids and vitamins. These bind to the protein in the lashes to protect both the roots and strands. Coconut Oil is also antifungal and antibacterial which helps protect your eyelashes from falling prey to infections that limit hair growth.

Olive Oil- This oil contains a great amount of Vitamins E and K, both of which are necessary for healthy skin and hair. It moisturizes the hair, hair follicle, and the skin around the follicle, helping to promote healthy growth.

Castor Oil- This oil is full of healthy proteins, Vitamin E, and fatty acids. Known to be readily absorbed by hair follicles, castor oil will help hydrate and nourish your lashes. It's also helpful in relieving dry, itchy eyes due to allergies.

Almond Oil- This oil is the perfect oil to mix with some of the more strongly smelling oils (such as Neem). It’s also full of health promoting fatty acids, Vitamin E, and even calcium. It’ll moisturize and deeply hydrate your lash hair follicles and prevent against them breaking off and falling out!

Argan Oil- This oil is full of antioxidants like Vitamin E as well as fatty acids which nourish, hydrate and promote healthy lash growth. Argan oil is especially great for reversing damage done through harsh chemicals, such as lash glue and mascara.

Jojoba Oil- This is not a true oil. It's a liquid wax and it has made its way to prominence in the cosmetic industry since the 1970's. Jojoba oil helps to unclog blocked follicles and stimulate healthy hair growth. It can also clear up quite a few skin irritations that lead to hair loss.

Neem Oil- This oil may smell awful, but it's worth putting up with the smell for the results. Neem oil is one of the best oils for eyelash growth, period. It’s rich in the fatty acids that deep condition and moisturize dry, brittle lashes. Plus it has regenerative properties that support healthy hair cells and stimulate hair follicle growth and function.

Vitamin E- Many vitamins are important to the health of both skin and hair. However, one of the most effective ones is Vitamin E. This vitamin is a great antioxidant that helps promote circulation to your hair follicles. This ensures that they receive proper nutrition and allows your lashes to grow to their full potential.

Lemon Peel- Lemon peels contain quite a few vitamins, including B, C, and folic acid. It's also full of other nutrients essential for promoting natural growth of eyelashes. Lemon peels also have the ability to stimulate the cleansing properties in castor oil, helping to repair damage done to the lashes by harsh chemicals.

Lavender- This herb helps eliminate free radicals and has been proven to boost hair growth, which makes it ideal for eyelash growth too. Lavender oil also has anti-parasitic and antibacterial properties, which help to keep your lashes clean and healthy. When lavender is applied around the roots of the eyelashes it stimulates blood flow, making sure that the eyelash hair follicles receive more nutrients while improving regeneration of the skin.

Rosemary- Rosemary is one of those herbs that always comes up when natural hair care is discussed. The herb is widely known for its ability to boost healthy circulation, cellular regeneration, and hair growth. Rosemary is not only good for hair growth, but also helps reverse signs of graying. All of these properties help keep the eyelashes looking more plump and healthy.

Why I don't recommend essential oils:

     Essential oils are wonderful for so many reasons. However they are strong, so strong that I advise caution while using them. Certain essential oils can be so strong that just the scent of them can trigger seizures in certain individuals. They are also quite irritating to mucus membranes. When you are dealing with any recipe that may be used around your eyes, I would recommend you leave out the essential oil and, instead, use the herb itself. It may require more patience to get the desired result, but it is much more gentile and has less of a chance to trigger an extreme reaction. While there are quite a few recipes, floating out there on the web, that include essential oils for use in eyelash serums, I am personally not comfortable using them. One of my rules as an herbalist is that if I am uncomfortable using something for myself, I won't recommend it for someone else.

On To The Recipes!:

Simply Conditioning

1 teaspoon Coconut Oil

2 teaspoons Olive Oil

1 Vitamin E Capsule

     Warm the coconut oil over a double boiler and add in olive oil. Break open the Vitamin E capsule and add the contents to the other oils. Mix well and remove from heat. Pour into an air-tight container. This recipe will keep for 6 months or more as long as you do not expose it to water or humidity.

Deeply Conditioning

1 teaspoon Coconut Oil

1 teaspoon Castor Oil

1 teaspoon Almond Oil

1 organic Lemon Peel, abut ¼ inch long

2 Vitamin E Capsules

     Warm the coconut oil over a double boiler. Once the coconut oil is melted, remove from heat and combine with castor oil, almond oil, and lemon peel in an air-tight container. Close and place in a cool, dark area for 3-4 days. Break open the Vitamin E capsules and add their contents to the mixture. You do not have to remove the peel before use. This recipe will keep for 6 months or more as long as you do not expose it to water or humidity.

A Little More Oomph

1 teaspoon Coconut Oil

1 teaspoon Jojoba Oil

1 teaspoon Argan Oil

¼ teaspoon Rosemary Leaves (fresh is preferred, but dried will work)

¼ teaspoon Lavender Flowers (fresh is preferred, but dried will work)

2 Vitamin E Capsules

    Warm the coconut oil over a double boiler. Once the coconut oil is melted, remove from heat and combine with jojoba oil, argan oil, rosemary, and lavender in an air-tight container. Close and place in a cool, dark area for 3-4 days. Break open the Vitamin E capsules and add their contents to the mixture. You do not have to remove the herbs before use. This recipe will keep for 6 months or more as long as you do not expose it to water or humidity.

Bring On The Growth

1 teaspoon Coconut Oil

½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon Neem Oil (depending on your tolerance of the smell

2 teaspoons Almond Oil

¼ teaspoon Rosemary Leaves (fresh is preferred, but dried will work)

¼ teaspoon Lavender Flowers (fresh is preferred, but dried will work)

2 Vitamin E Capsules

     Warm the coconut oil over a double boiler. Once the coconut oil is melted, remove from heat and combine with neem oil, almond oil, rosemary, and lavender in an air-tight container. Close and place in a cool, dark area for 3-4 days. Break open the Vitamin E capsules and add their contents to the mixture. You do not have to remove the herbs before use. This recipe will keep for 6 months or more as long as you do not expose it to water or humidity.




I hope you enjoy these eyelash conditioners. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Happy Pits!

     One of the worst things about living is Florida is that it's hot. Not just in the summer, but all year round, it's hot. Since moving to Central Florida 11 years ago, I have used my winter coat maybe 10 times. Last year I didn't even have to put it on once. This consistently high temperature is great for growing plants, but not so good for for the whole BO (body odor) situation. While having a good diet and being in moderately good health can go a long way to eliminating the stink of BO, sometimes you need a little extra boost. Enter, deodorant.

     Deodorant is part of my morning (and sometimes afternoon) routine. I wake up, brush my teeth, do a little dry brushing, take a shower, and apply my deodorant before I really get my day started. But I cannot justify using typical deodorants. There are so many ingredients, even in some of the “natural” deodorants, that are linked to health problems. Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's and breast cancer. Parabens have also been linked to cancer, as well as several hormone conditions. And there are many more of these nasty ingredients in most store-bought deodorants. This is why I decided to make my own.

     Making the switch to a homemade deodorant seems like an easy thing to do, but I just want to warn you that there is a detox period. Your body detoxes itself by sweating. Conventional deodorant and antiperspirant clog your pores. When you sweat, your body pushes out those toxins, but if you are using a typical deodorant, you're just putting those toxins right back. This is why pit stains occur. After you make the switch to natural deodorant, your body will push out all those toxins that have been clogging your pores, and after a few days your pits will be detoxed and much happier.

     Now, there are hundreds of recipes for homemade deodorant online now a days. They range from a liquid spray, to a cream, to powder, and all in between. This recipe is for my favorite application, deodorant bars. I tend to work in hot environments, moving around quite a bit. I wanted a deodorant that I could take with me and use when I felt I needed a touch up. So I worked on a few recipes, combining ideas and finally developed my deodorant bar. This recipe mashed together the concept of deodorant and lotion bars. You can use an old deodorant container if you want, but I like to use silicone molds for mine. It stays solid enough that I can leave a small bar in my bag during most of the Florida year (as long as I remember to not leave it in the car).

A Word on Ingredients:

Coconut Oil is super antibiotic, and when you're dealing with your pits, you want as much antibiotic action as possible. You can choose a different oil, but coconut oil is semi-solid at room temperature so if you decide to substitute, make sure you increase your beeswax to match it.

Almond Oil is full of amino acids and vitamins that your skin needs to stay healthy. It also helps the more solid oils, such as coconut oil, to penetrate deeply. You can choose a different oil here if you'd like. One of my other favorites is olive oil.

Cocoa Butter will help your deodorant to stay more creamy and less oily. It's also super packed full of nutrients that help to keep your skin happy. You can substitute Shea butter if you'd like, but cocoa butter is more dense and will help your deodorant bar stay more solid in those hot months.

Arrowroot Powder is a must for deodorants. Not only does it act as a thickener to help your deodorant bar stay solid. It also helps to draw toxins out of your body.

Beeswax helps to solidify these deodorant bars, but it also helps to provide a protective layer on your skin, without clogging your pores.

Vitamin E can be found in most oils you might use, but it's essential for healthy skin. This is why I like to add extra vitamin E to all of my skin products.

Tea Tree Oil may not be 100% necessary for a deodorant recipe, but I like to add it in to all of mine. The #1 reason? Because it is one of the most powerfully antibiotic essential oils I know of. Your pits are breeding grounds for bacteria, and bacteria is the leading cause of body odor. It just makes since to pack extra antibiotic power into your deodorant. Plus, it doesn't irritate most people's skin! If you don't like the scent, don't worry. This recipe only calls for 5 drops, you can overpower it easily by adding more of your favorite essential oils. However, I think it blends very well with lavender essential oil, which is one of my favorites.

Essential Oils are all antibiotic to a certain extent. However, the main reason for these is to make you happy. Add whatever essential oils you want, in order to make your deodorant smell pleasant. I personally like to do 5 drops Lavender, 5 drops Cedarwood, and 5 drops Lemongrass. A word of caution however, make sure to test your essential oils on the inside of your wrist first. That way you don't put irritating oils on such a sensitive area.

Happy Pits Deodorant Bars

¼ cup Coconut Oil

½ cup Almond Oil

½ cup Beeswax (grated or pellets)

¼ cup Cocoa Butter

8 tsp Arrowroot Powder

Vitamin E (2 capsules or ½ tsp)

5 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

15-20 drops Essential Oils of your choice

Combine first four ingredients in a glass jar and place in a pot half filled with water. Bring water to a boil and stir ingredients until melted. Remove jar from pan and slowly add arrowroot powder, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of clumps. Allow to rest until you are able to safely handle the jar (don't wait too long or the mixture will be mostly solid and hard to work with). Add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour liquid into molds (or deodorant containers), cover, and allow to cool overnight. You can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process if you want. Once completely cooled, remove from molds and wrap with wax paper. Store in a cool, dry place.

I hope you enjoy these deodorant bars. For more essential oil blend ideas, check out my previous entry, Herbal Home Fresheners for Spring. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below!

Resources:

Homemade DIY Deodorant Recipe: Pronounce Skincare: https://pronounceskincare.com/effective-easy-homemade-deodorant/

How to Make Natural Deodorant: Wellness Mama: https://wellnessmama.com/1523/natural-deodorant/

Luxurious Lotion Bars: Fabulous Farmgirl : https://fabulousfarmgirl.com/diy/lotion-bars/

Grapefruit Honey Hairspray

     I have difficult hair, to say the least.  Its crazy curly and throughout my early life I tried EVERYTHING to straighten it enough to be manageable.  Nothing ever worked.  I even practically destroyed my hair with a variety of chemical treatments.  Still not straight.  About 10 years ago, I finally gave up the fight and started down the road to loving my hair.  When I began learning about herbs and the natural way to do just about everything in life, I made it a point to learn about natural hair products.  I have now been making my own hair gel for about a year, but for some reason I never considered trying hairspray.  

     Early this month, when my husband and I were sick, we picked up a bag of organic oranges at the grocery store.  I took one with me to my day job and cut it open to find out that it was not an orange at all.  In fact, it was a grapefruit.  Gross!  I am not a big fan of grapefruit, in fact it’s pretty safe to say I detest the taste of them.  I do use the essential oil in a few oil blends, and I like grapefruit in some bitters that I use.  However, I was now the proud owner of an entire 5lb bag of grapefruit.  There’s only so much grapefruit bitters I can make, and I do not have the proper licensing to make my own essential oils.  So I started looking up alternative ways to use grapefruit and found a few recipes for hair products.  After looking at several recipes, some of which did not include grapefruit as an ingredient, I came up with a recipe to test out.  Let me tell you, this hairspray really works!  I washed my hair and left out my usual gel, instead I sprayed my hair with this homemade hairspray and let it dry.  No frizz, nice hold (without the usual crunch that gel leaves), and smells great!  So I’m sharing this wonderful recipe with all of you in hopes of spreading the joy of homemade, good for you, hair products!

A Quick Word on Ingredients

Grapefruit promotes hair growth, removes buildup, naturally lightens hair color (any citrus fruit does this, but it works best with just the juice, adding the grapefruit to your hair recipes do not lighten to the same degree), detangles, treats dandruff, and makes your hair shine.  It’s also great for those of you who have oily hair. 

Coconut Oil is an ingredient I added to the recipe because grapefruit can strip your hair of oils, and my hair is quite dry (like most curly hair is).  Small amounts of coconut oil can also help reduce, or even prevent, frizz.  But if coconut oil is not for you then you can substitute argan oil, avocado oil, or even olive oil.

Honey is great for your hair, it nourishes your hair to make it shine.  It also makes a great moisturizer because it attracts moisture.  So for my fellow Florida girls, honey is great because it uses the humidity to help your hair!

High Proof Alcohol is my preservative in this recipe.  However, small amounts of alcohol can also make your hairspray work better.  While larger amounts of alcohol can dry your hair and create frizz, small amounts of alcohol can help ensure an even spread of your hairspray for a better hold.  It can also decrease the time it takes for your hair to dry. 

Essential Oils not only make this hairspray smell great, but they can also help your hair needs.  Some good essential oils to look into include: lavender, geranium, vetiver, cedarwood, rosemary, sandalwood, chamomile, and clary sage.

Grapefruit Honey Hairspray

Ingredients:

4 cups Distilled Water

1 Grapefruit, quartered

4 tablespoons Raw Honey

2 tablespoons Coconut Oil

2 tablespoons High Proof Alcohol of your choice

10-15 drops essential oils of your choice (my favorite blend is 6-8 drops lavender, 3-5 drops vetiver, 3-5 drops rosemary)

Instructions:

Combine water and grapefruit into a pot and boil on medium-high heat until the liquid is reduced to half.  Reduce the heat to low.  Remove the grapefruit quarters, squeezing until all liquid is squeezed out.  Add in the honey and coconut oil.  Cook on low, and stir until coconut oil and honey are well incorporated.  Cover and remove from heat.  Let cool, but don’t let the solids form completely on top, if this happens, just heat up on the stove until melted.  Using a funnel, pour cooled liquid into container of your choice.  Add in the alcohol and essential oils.  Close up with a spray top.  Shake well, and shake before each use. 

 

    This recipe will last for several months, however if you think it is beginning to smell funky, throw it away and make some more!  I hope you enjoy making your own hairspray and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Resources:

Cosamo: Benefits of Using Grapefruit on Hair: http://cosamousa.com/Benefits-of-using-Grapefruit-on-your-Hair

DIY Natural: Homemade Hairspray: https://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-hairspray/

Hair Buddha: Top 5 Essential Oils for Hair and Scalp: http://www.hairbuddha.net/essential-oils-for-healthy-hair/

Honey Fanatic: Is Honey Good For Your Hair?: http://honeyfanatic.com/401/honey-good-hair/

How To Hair Girl:  Honey Silk and Shine: http://www.howtohairgirl.com/2013/07/honey-silk-and-shine/

Naturally Curly: Alcohols and your Hair: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/all-about-alcohols/

No Poo Method: Essential Oils for Hair: http://thenopoomethod.com/essential-oils-hair/

WebMD: Wave Bye-Bye to Damaged Hair: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/natural-oils

Wellness Mama: Coconut Oil for Hair: https://wellnessmama.com/2162/coconut-oil-for-hair/

Wellenss Mama: Homemade Natural Hairspray: https://wellnessmama.com/11624/natural-hairspray-recipe/

Golden Milk

     Winter has finally come to Florida.  In Central Florida, we’ve had nights in the 30’s with wind chill down to the 20’s.  For many people this means staying inside in an attempt to stay warm, but my husband and I are both very happy to start bonfires and cozy up next to them with the hot beverage of our choice.  For my husband, it’s always coffee, though I’ve never been a big fan myself.  Hot tea is good, but I’m picky about my teas (I’m a tea snob…what can I say?).  So my hot beverage of choice has almost always been hot chocolate.  However, I have been slowly switching over to something else (and dragging my husband with me).  The beverage I’ve been consuming can be served warm or cold (though I prefer it warm) and has amazing medicinal benefits. 

     Golden milk is not necessarily a “milk” at all.  The traditional recipes call for coconut milk, coconut oil, honey, and turmeric.  I like to spice mine up a little, with ginger and black pepper.  Other people like to add a touch of cinnamon and cayenne, or use maple instead of honey to sweeten it.  You can also choose to make it with regular milk, or any non-dairy milk of your choice.  I tend to jump between using coconut milk, cashew milk, or regular milk.  The basic recipes start off with adding a paste to your “milk” and cooking them together, so I’m including a basic turmeric past recipe, I usually just make it all at once without making the paste.  Keep in mind that turmeric can be very bitter if not cooked long enough.  Don’t be afraid to cook it a little extra if you feel you need to.  

A quick word about the 3 basic ingredients:

Turmeric is a close relative of ginger and has many of the same medicinal properties.  However, the most notable thing about turmeric is called curcumin.  Curcumin is most notorious for its anti-cancer properties.  It has been proven to actually prevent blood flow to tumors.  Without the blood flow, the tumors can’t grow.  Curcumin actually helps to modify the genetic code in cancer cells and destroy them, as well as helping to prevent healthy cells from mutating into cancer.

Coconut Milk contains lauric acid which is not commonly found in nature.  Lauric acid is used by your body to make monolaurin, which actually helps destroy certain, lipid-coated, viruses.  Some lipid-coated viruses include HIV, herpes, influenza, and measles.  So coconut milk actually helps your body fight off these diseases.

Coconut Oil is necessary for these recipes because turmeric is fat-soluble.  This means that the beneficial compounds in turmeric can only be used when certain fats are present.  Coconut oil contains the healthy fats needed for our bodies to be able to use turmeric. 

Basic Turmeric Paste

½ cup Turmeric Powder

1 cup Water

1 ½ teaspoons Black Pepper

5 tablespoons Coconut Oil (warmed up into a liquid)

Combine all ingredients, except the coconut oil, in a pot and cook, stirring, until they form a thick paste (about 7-10 minutes).  Remove from heat and whisk in the coconut oil until fully incorporated.  Refrigerate and hold up to 2 weeks.

Golden Milk from the Paste

1 teaspoon Turmeric Paste

2 cups Coconut Milk

Honey to taste

Combine all ingredients, stirring or whisking to combine.  Heat until just under boiling.  Once heated and combined, you can serve it hot or cold.

Golden Milk with Ginger

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 inch Turmeric, freshly grated or sliced (or 1 teaspoon dried powder)

1 inch Ginger, freshly grated or sliced (or 1 teaspoon dried powder)

1 pinch Black Pepper

2 cups Coconut Milk (or milk of your choice)

Honey to taste

Combine the coconut oil, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper in a pot on the stove.  Cook them together, on low-medium heat, about 7-10 minutes.  Add in the coconut milk and a little honey.  Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let sit 10-15 minutes.  If you need more honey, now is the time to taste and add it.  Strain and serve, warm or cold. 

Golden Milk with Cinnamon

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil

1 inch Turmeric, freshly grated or sliced (or 1 teaspoon dried powder)

1 inch Cinnamon Stick (or ½ teaspoon dried powder)

1 pinch dried Cayenne powder

2 cups Coconut Milk (or milk of your choice)

Honey to taste

Combine the coconut oil, turmeric, and cayenne in a pot on the stove.  Cook them together, on low-medium heat, about 7-10 minutes.  Add in the coconut milk, cinnamon stick, and a little honey.  Raise the heat to medium-high and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.  Remove from heat and cover.  Let sit 10-15 minutes.  If you need more honey, now is the time to taste and add it.  Strain and serve, warm or cold. 

     Like all of my recipes, these can be modified to suit your needs or taste buds.  Some options, instead of using milk and honey, use bone broth and serve warm.  This makes a savory beverage, or a great soup stock.  Try adding Chai spices like cardamom and clove, along with both cinnamon and ginger, to make a Golden Chai Milk.  Have fun!  Experiment!  And let me know what you think in the comments below!

Resources:

Epicurious: Golden Milk Turmeric Tea: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/golden-milk-turmeric-tea

Fresh Bites Daily: Golden Milk: http://www.freshbitesdaily.com/turmeric-milk/

Gimme Some Oven: Golden Milk (hot or iced): http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/golden-milk-turmeric-milk/

Mercola: What is Golden Milk?: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/09/21/golden-milk.aspx

Wellness Mama: Turmeric Tea: https://wellnessmama.com/223/turmeric-tea-recipe/

Scary-Good Makeup Remover

     With Halloween comes scary costumes and makeup.  With those scary costumes and makeup comes something even more terrifying…makeup removal.  I remember some of my best Halloween costumes.  Many of these included heavy application of makeup for just the perfect result.  I also remember that sometimes I’d be removing the makeup in stages.  The first stage would be just after the night of Halloween goodness, where I would be scrubbing my face before getting in the shower.  Then my usual shower routine including more facial scrubbing.  Then I’d give up and go to bed.  The next morning I’d wake up and spend yet another hour scrubbing my face before heading off to either school or work.  Hours and hours of Halloween makeup removal.  Eeek! 

     Now many of you might have heard of the wonders of Coconut Oil for makeup removal, and once I heard about Coconut Oil I began using it.  Coconut Oil does work amazingly!  However, if your skin is super sensitive, you don’t want to use it on a regular basis.  Over time it can cause some side effects such as breakouts and dryness.  It also leaves your face a little oily after cleaning, which is good if you have dry skin, but if you have normal or oily skin like me, you want to use something that takes care of the makeup without leaving so much oil in its place. 

A Quick Word on Ingredients

Witch Hazel has been used for centuries to fight swelling, sores, and infections on the skin.  It’s one of the best astringents used to help clear up acne, and recent studies have shown it to help protect your skin from cancer!  It helps to heal abrasions on the skin and is second only to isopropyl alcohol in wound cleansing properties.  You can find witch hazel in your local pharmacy, just be sure to get a natural one that does not have alcohol in it.  If you find a witch hazel that has vitamin E or aloe in it, feel free to use that one as both of those additions are great for your skin.

Coconut Oil is not in this recipe, but I wanted to mention how wonderful it can be if your skin is not sensitive to it.  Coconut oil is naturally antibacterial and antifungal.  It also has a natural SPF of around 4.  This makes it great to use on a daily basis, especially in sunny places such as Florida.  Coconut oil has many antiaging benefits and does not go rancid.  It really is a great oil and I encourage people to use it, just keep in mind that if you use it too often, your skin may need a bit of a break!

Jojoba Oil is actually not an oil at all.  It’s a wax, which is what makes it stand out when talking about skin care.  It absorbs into your skin and helps to keep the moisture locked in for up to 24 hours, without leaving your skin overtly oily.  It’s also great to protect your skin from annoyances such as razor burn.  It fights fungal and bacterial infections and since it is a wax, it does not go rancid as fast as oils do. 

Avocado Oil (cold pressed is best) is great to get rid of (and prevent) acne, blackheads, and eczema issues on the skin.  This is another natural oil that is readily absorbed by the skin and does not leave it oily.  It’s is believed to penetrate further than most oils, down into the dermis layer of our skin.  This makes it a super amazing oil to help with deep seeded problems.

Vitamin E helps to reduce wrinkles and keep the skin looking healthy and youthful.  It is included in this recipe mainly as a natural preservative, however it has quite a well-earned reputation for being great for the skin.

Calendula is a great herb/flower that has been used for hundreds of years to help with skin issues.  The uses range from first aid issues (cuts, scrapes, bruises, etc) to cosmetic issues (it’s even used to dye hair).  It’s anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, it’s full of antioxidants, brightens the skin, reduces the appearance of scars, and helps promote the regeneration of collagen which helps keep the skin youthful and minimizes wrinkles.  For this recipe, if you want to add calendula, you can either make a strong tea with this herb to use the tea in place of the purified water, or you can make calendula infused avocado oil to use.  For that, just fill a jar with calendula, leaving plenty of room at the top.  Pour avocado oil over the calendula, going about ¼ inch over the herb.  Seal the jar tightly and store it in a dark, cool place.  6 weeks later you have calendula infused avocado oil.

Scary-Good Makeup Remover

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons Witch Hazel (without alcohol)

3 tablespoons purified water (optional, strong Calendula tea)

2 tablespoons Jojoba oil

1 tablespoon Avocado oil (optional, Calendula infused avocado oil)

1 Vitamin E capsule

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a glass jar.  For the vitamin E, puncture the capsule and squeeze out the contents.  Shake well before using each time, separation is natural. 

 

Makeup Removal Pads

Take a pint-sized jar and fill it up with organic cotton pads (about 25).  Pour 1 cup of your makeup remover in (double the above recipe).  Press on the pads to help with even absorption, then close the jar and shake.  In a few moments the cotton pads will soak up all the makeup remover and you’ll have makeup removal pads. 

    This recipe will last for several months, however if you think it is beginning to smell funky, throw it away and make some more!  The witch hazel and vitamin E are both natural preservatives so you shouldn’t have to worry about it for a while.  You can also use this product daily as a cleanser and moisturizer.  I hope you enjoy making your own makeup remover and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Resources:

Annmarie: http://www.annmariegianni.com/ingredient-showcase-jojoba-oil-the-superfood-for-skin/

Astrid Naturals: https://www.astridanaturals.com/calendula-skin-care-benefits

Dr. Axe: https://draxe.com/homemade-makeup-remover/

                 https://draxe.com/witch-hazel/

Live Simply: http://livesimply.me/2015/05/17/diy-2-ingredient-makeup-remover-without-coconut-oil/

Organic Facts: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/coconut-oil-for-skin.html

Redefined Mom: http://redefinedmom.com/diy-homemade-makeup-remover-pads/

Superfood Profiles: http://superfoodprofiles.com/how-to-apply-avocado-oil-face-moisturizer

Sweet Pennies from Heaven: http://www.sweetpenniesfromheaven.com/diy-homemade-eye-makeup-remover/

Whole New Mom: http://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/best-homemade-eye-makeup-remover/

Pesky Eczema

    Ever since moving to Central Florida, I have been plagued by itchy, easily irritated skin.  It flares up during certain times of the year, and especially when I am experiencing a high volume of stress.  The constant itching and scratching combined with burning irritation makes sure that eczema is annoying at best.  The term eczema is actually a blanket term that is used to describe itchy, inflamed skin with occasional blisters and/or scales.  It’s often used interchangeably with the term dermatitis, which translates to “inflamed skin.” 

    Like most of the chronic problems in life, eczema is mostly due to dietary factors in combination with environmental ones.  In short, eczema is inflammation.  Eating inflammatory foods can trigger it, and being in stressful, inflammatory situations can trigger it.  I have noticed that mine flares up worse in the summer as well, because of the stress of heat and the moisture I loose through excessive perspiration.  

    Conventional treatments all work on the external side of things, mainly by just suppressing the symptoms.  Some of these include bleach baths (I cringe at this thought because bleach makes my eczema much worse) and steroid creams.  Neither of which address the actual cause of eczema.  Eczema starts in the gut.  Yup.  You heard me right.  An annoying skin condition is actually caused by inflammation in your intestines.  This means that diet is really the only true “cure” or preventative measure for this condition. 

    Inflammation in your gut, which leads to eczema, is caused by food allergens.  The most common allergens are cow’s milk, eggs, gluten, soy, peanuts, fish, beef, corn, citrus, and tomatoes.  In order to figure out which one is causing your particular symptoms, you should stop consuming all of them.  After a period of time where you are symptom free, begin re-introducing them into your diet, one at a time.  Wait a period of time before adding the next one in so that you can assess your possible symptoms.  If you encounter one that causes issues, that’s your allergen.  You may have more than one, so continue the process until you have eliminated all of those allergens.  Other things that cause inflammation in your gut include herbicides, pesticides, GMOs, and radiation.  Eliminating these toxins from your diet is a good idea even if you do not show signs of eczema or other inflammation.  Also, inflammation in your gut can happen when there is an imbalance of healthy gut flora.  Probiotics are great to help prevent and correct this, as well as fermented foods (yogurt, Kombucha, keifer, etc). 

    Now that we’ve addressed the root cause, what makes eczema worse?  If you have eczema, then your skin is not holding in moisture properly.  This means that any harsh soaps or excessive scrubbing can wash away too many of your natural oils that help to hold in moisture, making your eczema worsen.  Harsh chemicals can do the same.  I’ve heard, through the years, that bathing is bad for eczema, that bathing is good for eczema, that you should or should not use lotion, etc.  There are many contradicting thoughts out there for what makes eczema worse, and what helps.

    What actually helps?  Hydration is key.  Internal hydration, by drinking plenty of water, as well as external hydration, such as soaking in lukewarm (not hot) water.  But hydration is not just about water.  You can be dehydrated and drink your weight in water every day, simply by not having enough fats/oils in your diet.  Healthy fats are the real heroes of hydration because they help our bodies hold in moisture.  Making sure your diet has plenty of healthy fats (coconut oil and flaxseed are both great sources) is a great way to stop eczema before it starts.  However, when a flare up does occur look to lotions, salves, and ointments.  These can all help by adding healthy fats to our skin to help it hold in the moisture.

    One of my favorite things to use is coconut oil.  In more northern climates, people consider coconut oil an already made salve.  In Florida, however, it turns completely liquid at room temperature.  But it still provides a great amount of moisture for hair, skin, and internally as well.  It also makes a great makeup remover, just wet a cotton pad with coconut oil and remove away!  Jojoba oil is also amazing to use with eczema.  Just apply it externally when needed.  Also, when you are thinking about baths, adding chamomile or oats to your bath can help ease the itching and burning of eczema as well as lessen the inflammation.  Lavender essential oil is also something I use for my eczema, it helps to prevent infections in any open wounds and it’s a natural pain reliever, so it helps to minimize the burning that accompanies excessive scratching.

    I hope this brief introduction helps you out and gives you a good start on living an eczema free life. 

Resources:

Every Day Roots: http://everydayroots.com/eczema-remedies

Natural Healthy Concepts: http://blog.naturalhealthyconcepts.com/2013/05/09/5-natural-ways-to-manage-eczema/

Wellness Mama: http://wellnessmama.com/12065/natural-eczema-remedies/

Summer Sunburn Relief

    If living in Florida has taught me one thing, it’s how to care for sunburns.  Florida’s reputation as the “sunshine state” is well earned.  Even in the middle of a rainstorm, the sun can be out in full force.  With my pale skin, it doesn’t talk long for me to burn to a crisp.  Of course, the best thing to do is to protect yourself and prevent sunburn by applying sunblock, staying in the shade, and wearing protective clothing.  If you get caught out in the sun too long, however, here are some natural ways to help heal and relieve the pain of sunburn.

Aloe

    One of the best things for sunburns is aloe.  Aloe naturally relieves pain, reduces inflammation, repairs damaged skin cells, strengthens the immune system, accelerates the healing process, and fights off bacteria that can cause infection.  It also forms a protective layer over the skin which helps hold in moisture while adding extra hydration.  This basically means that aloe is a powerhouse for healing any burn.  The easiest way to use aloe is to cut a leaf and squeeze the gel onto the burn, or cut the leaf and scoop out the gel.  Apply the gel to the burn and leave it until it dries.  If it starts to get sticky wash it off.  However, this method can be difficult for sunburns that cover a large area, so I recommend harvesting the gel ahead of time and keeping it in your fridge.  You can also freeze it in icecube trays to have an extra bit of relief from the cold.  You can also add other things to your aloe gel, such as cucumbers which also help soothe the inflamed skin.  Just cut the aloe leaf, scoop out the gel, peel and dice the cucumber, put them into a blender and blend until smooth.  Leave this mixture on the burn for 30 min. 

Sunburn Tea

    Oddly enough, one of the best things you can use for sunburn is one of the staples in almost every southern home.  Iced tea.  Black tea has quite a few amazing qualities that help heal and soothe skin after a sunburn.  Adding in a mixture of other healing herbs can make for an amazing sunburn relief tea that you can then apply (either by blotting with a cloth or by spraying on) as often as you need.  My favorite mixture is black tea, lavender, rose petals, peppermint, yarrow, and apple cider vinegar. 

Black Tea- Earl grey tea seems to work best on sunburns, I suspect this is due to the bergamot that gives earl grey its distinctive taste.  Black tea is packed full of antioxidants which help to block the harmful effects of the sun, even after sun exposure.  It also is full of tannins which help to reduce post-sun inflammation.  Earl gray is black tea and bergamot oil.  Bergamot is full of more antioxidants.  But it is also from a citrus fruit and all citrus helps boost immune function, but bergamot is also a pain reliever. 

Lavender- Lavender is calming, and soothing to the nerves.  It also helps to tone the skin.  Essential oil of lavender is also a great topical pain reliever. 

Rose Petals- Rose petals are high in vitamin C which helps boost immune function.  They also have a great cooling effect on the skin. 

Peppermint- Peppermint has an amazing cooling effect and it helps to reduce inflammation. 

Yarrow- Yarrow speeds up the healing process for wounds and reduces inflammation.  It also prevents blistering and peeling.

Apple Cider Vinegar- Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is great for taking the sting out of burns.  It also is full of amazing nutrients that help to fight infection and heal the skin. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup water

2 bags of good quality Earl Grey

1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

1 teaspoon dried rose petals

1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves

1`teaspoon dried yarrow leaves and/or flowers

½ cup raw apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

Bring the water to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add in the tea and the herbs.  Let it steep for 30+ minutes.  Strain into a glass container.  Add in the apple cider vinegar.  If you want, you can add 5 drops of lavender essential oil for added relief.  Storing this is the refrigerator not only adds to the shelf life, but it also adds a bit more cooling relief upon application.

Sunburn Cream

    Creams are good to have premade.  This one is good to keep around for any kind of burn, it also works well for sores and razor burn. 

Witch Hazel- Witch hazel is great to heal all kinds of skin issues.  It will help prevent blisters and peeling as well as reduce inflammation.

Coconut Oil- Coconut oil is a great moisturizer and it helps to reduce the pain of sunburns. 

Cornstarch- Cornstarch helps relieve the pain of the sunburn and has a cooling effect.

Ingredients:

½ cup witch hazel

1 cup water

3 tablespoons aloe gel (fresh is best, but don’t use the green or blue stuff from the store)

About ½ cup cornstarch

3 teaspoons coconut oil

10 drops peppermint essential oil

10 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions:

Put the water, witch hazel and aloe gel in a glass container.  Mix these together, cover, and let sit for 2 hours.  After the two hours, add the remaining ingredients and mix together (you can use a blender or food processor if you want) until creamy.  You can add more cornstarch if it’s too watery or more water if it’s too thick.  The texture you are looking for is similar to a lotion.  Let it sit for 24 hours before use.  Store in a tightly lidded jar, in the fridge.  Will keep for several weeks.

Potato Paste

    Yes, this next recipe is essentially mashed, raw potatoes, but it really works.  Just like cornstarch, potato starch works wonders on sunburns.  It draws out the heat and toxins from the burn and alleviates the pain and has a cooling effect.  Some people slice raw potatoes and just apply them to the burns, but this paste is a little more effective and has better skin coverage for those pesky sunburns. 

Instructions:

Wash some potatoes, leave the skins on, and put them in the food processor.  Add a little water to moisten the paste.  Apply to your sunburn, but don’t rub it in, dab it on.  Keep it there for 30 minutes.  Discard the potato paste afterwards.

    I hope these tips and recipes help you with your sunburns, but don’t forget to protect your skin before you go out into the summer sun!

Resources:

DIY & Crafts: http://www.diyncrafts.com/6768/health/5-natural-sunburn-remedies-instantly-stop-pain-prevent-peeling

Home Remedies for Life: http://homeremediesforlife.com/aloe-vera-for-sunburn/

Love to Know: http://skincare.lovetoknow.com/Severe_Sunburn_Old-Fashioned_Remedy

Organic Facts: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-bergamot-essential-oil.html

Today in Dietzville: http://todayindietzville.com/2016/05/sunburn-tea-natural-sunburn-remedies/

Top 10 Grocery Secrets: http://www.top10grocerysecrets.com/2015-09-28-top-10-medicinal-plants-natural-sunburn-relief