Newest Deodorant

Slightly different than my other solid deodorant formula, this one has a slight green tint.  Do not worry, it goes away when applied to the skin.  This was an experimental deodorant for a friend who has not tried DIY deodorant before.  In addition to more traditional ingredients like baking soda, arrowroot powder, and coconut oil, I added shea butter, vitamin e, tea tree oil, lavender oil, lemon oil and bentonite clay.  The clay helps to whisk away sweat and moisture and pull toxins out of the skin.  The clay also provides the greenish tint to the final product.  There is a TINY amount of beeswax, too, to help keep the bar in a more solid form at room temperature.

I have several posts scheduled to post before this one does, so hopefully I can update a review from my friend about the time this post goes live.

Lip Balm

During my nephew's visit, we made several varieties of lip balm.  The base was the same: beeswax, coconut oil, honey, and vitamin e.  We made a cherry version, an unscented version, and a lemon-eucalyptus version.  This last version should be worn while you have a stuffy nose.  It is safe for your lips, but helps open up the nasal passages to ease breathing!  Perfect items for winter!

Ingredient Highlight

Shea Butter

I want to share with you another of my favorite butters, shea butter.  Shea butter is a natural fat obtained from the shea tree.  It protects the skin from dehydration, restores suppleness, increases the moisture of the skin, and improves the appearance of dry and irritated skin.

Shea butter is a great product to protect the skin and hair against sun and pollution damages.  It naturally contains a small amount of UV protection (usually an SPF between 4-6).  Used as an after-sun product, it helps heal peeling skin caused by sun exposure.

Speaking of healing, shea butter has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.  It restores skin elasticity, evens out skin tones, strengthens skin, and reduces and repairs fine lines and wrinkles.   This ingredient has been used alone, or with other ingredients, to help heal eczema, psoriasis, rashes, hives, insect bites, minor burns, minor cuts, and cracked skin.  Used on the hair, it helps to moisturize and protect the hair against environmental pollutants and UV rays.  Do not forget to rub it into your scalp as it soothes dry, itchy scalps.

At least one article I read while researching this product suggests that Queen Nefertiti of Egypt used shea butter in her beauty regimen.  If shea butter was good enough for the Queen, surely you should give it a try.

It is starting to smell like the Holidays

This is another one of those smells-so-good-I-want-to-eat-it posts.

I was trying to come up with something I could make for gifts for some of my female family members that I have not already given out a hundred other times.  If you know me, you probably have already been given at least one of the numerous body scrubs I have created over the years (vanilla, peppermint, citrus, margarita, coffee, and so on.)  

While continuing on the body scrub theme, I thought this new scent would appeal to most of the ladies I would be giving this to.  This time, I created a Chocolate-Covered-Peppermint Sugar Scrub.  If you remember, sugar scrubs exfoliate and moisturize the skin.  I love keeping mine in the shower and using it on my legs and arms.  Using a scrub like this always makes my skin feel soooo smooth.

This particular sugar scrub is made with granulated (white) sugar, cocoa powder, soybean oil, and peppermint oil.  Chocolate dipped candy canes, perfect for Christmas giving!  But I did not want to stop there.

I decided I wanted to make this a 2-for-1 gift.  I created this body butter to compliment the sugar scrub.  

Thicker than a regular body lotion, this body butter contains shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and peppermint oil.  It is thick, but absorbed relatively quickly, so it does not leave your skin feeling greasy.  The cocoa butter gives the product a wonderful chocolatey smell and the peppermint is energizing.  

I hope the ladies enjoy these products, if they can keep themselves from trying to eat them first!

Butter Rum Lubricating Oil

I wanted to try out some personal care products.  This is a latex safe lubricating oil.  It contains glycerin, vanilla, and butter rum flavoring.  It works and smells great!  Make some for yourself or to share with a special someone.  

Eucalyptus-Rosemary Salt Scrub

This Eucalyptus-Rosemary scented salt scrub is made with sea salt, olive oil, eucalyptus essential oil, and rosemary essential oil.  Oh, and I added a bit of glycerin for extra moisture.  This is another great heel scrub and makes a wonderful gift!

Spicy, Warming Sugar Scrub

This lovely sugar scrub is made from organic cane sugar, olive oil, cayenne pepper, ginger, glycerin, and orange essential oil.  This scrub is perfect for use on the feet and heels and should not be used on sensitive areas, especially near the eyes.  This is one that is better on the body and not on the face.  If you try making this for yourself or as a gift, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before touching your eyes or face after using this product.  The capsaicin provides a nice warmth to the sugar scrub, but is definitely something you do not want in your eyes!

Personally, I love this during the cool months.  It is moisturizing and warming!  

Banana Nut Exfoliating Mask

This face mask was created in October as part of a sample giveaway promotion.  It is made from bananas, oats, almonds, lemon juice, and glycerin.  To use:  apply to damp skin and leave on for up to 20 minutes.  If needed, a small amount of water can be added to the mask for a more paste like consistency.  For extra exfoliation, immediately before rinsing, wet your fingertips and rub on skin.  Rinse thoroughly, pat skin dry, and moisturize as usual.  Avoid using this product on very sensitive skin or if you have allergies to any of the ingredients.

Antiperspirants VS. Deodorants- What is the Difference?

People stink!  Yes, even you, most likely.  But did you know it is not your sweat doing the stinking?  Sweat is nearly odorless.  The smell emitting from your pits actually comes from bacteria that resides on your skin.  The bacteria reacts with and breaks down the sweat produced by your body, causing that musky odor.  Throughout history, most people lived with the smell or tried to cover it up with fragranced perfumes and oils.

It was not until 1888 that the first deodorant came out on the market.  If you have ever used a deodorant only product, you know that it does not stop you from sweating.  Instead, the deodorant deals with the direct cause of the stink.  It helps keep you stench-free by attacking and killing the bacteria found on your skin.  Most deodorants also help cover up any residual smells with a fragrance of their own.

Antiperspirant, while often found in products in conjunction with deodorant, is not the same as deodorant.  Antiperspirant actually helps keep you from sweating.  This feature is usually accomplished by the inclusion of ingredients that block and plug up your sweat glands.  Interestingly, the FDA only requires a product to reduce sweat by 20% to be labeled as an antiperspirant.  This means the antiperspirant typically contains ingredients designed to attack those bacteria on the skin or is a combination antiperspirant and deodorant in one.

Antiperspirants have received a bad rep in recent years due to claims that the ingredients found in antiperspirants can cause cancer or Alzheimer's disease such as aluminum and zirconium.  There have been numerous studies on the subject and currently there is no hard evidence that antiperspirants are responsible for these or any other diseases.  But speaking of antiperspirant chemicals, have you ever had a favorite outfit stained yellow on a hot day?  Your body is not sweating yellow!  Instead, when your sweat reacts with the aluminum found in antiperspirants, it causes the yellow staining frequently found on fabrics.

You can buy commercial products that are deodorants only.  It is natural for our body to sweat, so do not be ashamed to give up the antiperspirant and see how you do.  Of course, you can always try making your own using some simple ingredients you likely have in your house already.  Simple mixtures of baking soda, cornstarch, and coconut oil is an easy place to start with creating your own deodorant recipes.  This blog has featured a few of its own deodorants, so check the archives if you want something a little fancier.

Leave-in Conditioner and Hair Detangler

I love the scent of this one.  It was suggested by a friend and contains aloe, distilled water, rosemary, and peppermint.  It smells great!  To use, simply mist on damp hair.  

Contest ending 12/13

'Tis the Season for a Giveaway!  Interested in winning samples of products featured in the book and/or on the blog?  What about trying a product still in development?  Each day from December 2- December 13, I will be randomly giving away a sample pack.  It is easy to enter!  Your name will be entered in the daily drawing one time each if you:

1. Like the Natural Beauty Facebook Page (http://facebook.com/naturalbeautythebook.com)
2. Like this Post on Facebook and/or Google+
3. Share this Post with your friends or on your own Page on Facebook and/or Google+
4. Follow Natural Beauty on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/naturalbeautybk)
5. Follow Natural Beauty on Google+ (http://https://plus.google.com/+Naturalbeautythebook).
6. Comment on this Post on Facebook or Google+ -or-
7. Comment on any posts on the Natural Beauty Blog during the contest time period (http://www.naturalbeautythebook.com/blog.html)
8. Like the Natural Beauty Pinterest Page (http://pinterest.com/naturalbeautybk.com)

That means you can have multiple entries in each day's contest!  Shipping is limited to the 48 Contiguous States in the U.S. Contest winners will be contacted by December 20th, so be sure to watch your messages, including "other" or "spam" folders in case the message goes there.

Good Morning, Sunshine Roll-on Perfume

This sweet, energizing roll-on perfume is super easy to make.  It contains sweet almond oil, grapefruit essential oil, and peppermint essential oil.  That is it!  Roll on your pulse points and it will help wake you up and energize you throughout your day.  

This would make a great gift for anyone who could use a pick-me-up.