Rosehip Seed Oil

I previously posted this on the book's Facebook page and Google+ page, but I wanted to include it here as well.

Let's talk about Rosehip Seed Oil. This is one of the ingredients used in my very popular anti-wrinkle skin serum recipe. It has been made popular recently due to a model endorsing its use as one of her beauty "secrets". 

The oil comes from the seeds of rose bushes and is full of vitamins (such as A and C), antioxidants, and fatty acids. It was used by Egyptians, Native Americans, and others for its healing properties. This oil is great for hydrating dry, itchy skin. It's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help reduce scars, fine lines, stretch marks, and it evens out skin tones and helps to fade age spots.

Personally, I love this oil because it's non-greasy and easily absorbed into the skin. It can be used by itself or in recipes for your skin, hair, and nails. This is definitely one you should try!

Honey Lip Balms

Honey Lip Balms.  Made with honey, beeswax, EVOO, Vitamin E and Flaxseed oil!  Flaxseed oil is used to moisturize and smooth skin.  

A big thanks to my nephew, Joey, for his help in making these sweet little balms!  

To-Be-Named Perfume

If you follow me elsewhere, you may have heard about my upcoming book.   There has been a Facebook contest going on since I created the above perfume, which had to sit two weeks.  The winner of my name the perfume contest gets roll-on perfume (and maybe some other goodies).  The winner will be announced here and there (and everywhere I'm pimping the upcoming book.)

This perfume is scented with rose water, grapefruit essential oil, and patchouli essential oil.  The full recipe is in the book.

Follow the book's pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.  I appreciate your support!

DIY Solid Deodorant

We all have heard the scary stories about chemical-laden antiperspirant.  I have attempted to make solid deodorant before with two problems.  The first is that coconut oil is great at staying a solid at temperatures below 76 degrees, but what if you live in a place like I do where the temperature frequently is much, much higher than that, inside and outside!

The other problem that made me give up DIY deodorant?  Well, I will get to that in a minute.

I love this particular recipe because it will actually stay in a solid form!  What do you need?

For this recipe I gathered together beeswax pellets, cornstarch, baking soda, coconut oil, an empty deodorant container, and some essential oils.  I am not endorsing any of the above products.  This is just what I happened to use.  If you have a favorite brand, feel free to use it instead.  I am all about budgets here, so use whatever you have on hand!

I started by melting together the oil and beeswax, stirring frequently until combined.

Then I added in the powders.  Making sure there are no lumps before adding will make things move a little faster.  I added the essential oils at the very end and stirred until everything was well combined.  

Though you want to make sure everything is mixed well, don't spend too much time making this as things will start to firm up fairly quickly as the beeswax cools.

Whoops!  This was a bit more than the container I originally planned for, so I ran to the craft room and grabbed a small container with a lid and put the rest of my mix there.  That one can be applied with my fingers.

That's all there is to it.  Let it cool and you're ready to use.  Now remember this is a deodorant.  It will not clog your pores and you will still sweat.  Don't sweat it (ha!); Sweating is good for you.  Really.

Oh, what's that?  You thought I forgot my second problem with solid DIY deodorant.  The first time I made this product, everything worked great.  (It may take some people a couple weeks to get used to not using the deodorant only but if you feel extra funky, give your body a little time.  It's worth it.)  But for me, and I think many other people, you may start to notice some irritation in your underarm area.  Mine took about 2 weeks to start and then my underarms were red and really dry.  Not good.  So I gave up on my DIY deodorant and thought all was lost.

But now I found the solution!  The problem has to do with the pH balance of the skin and lots of other science stuff you can look up if you really want to know all that.  Instead, I'm just going to tell you how to fix it.  Before you put on the deodorant, spray a small amount of apple cider vinegar to your pits.  No really.  I keep a tiny spray bottle nearby.  Hold those arms up, let it dry (it doesn't take long), and then put on the DIY deodorant and love that you are keeping those pores clear!  Please note:  DO NOT USE THE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RIGHT AFTER YOU HAVE SHAVED.  You're welcome.

Let me know if you give this one a try!

Avocado Hand Scrub

Okay, enough teasing!  Here's what to do with that lovely avocado we scooped out.

I put the guts in a bowl and gathered up my other ingredients.

For this recipe, I gathered up oats (which I ground into a coarse powder), lemon juice, and one egg.

After mixing everything together, rub all over your hands.  Cover with plastic gloves and let it sit on your hands for 20 minutes.  Then rinse off thoroughly.  Your hands will be soft and smooth.  Trust me, you will love this one!

How about having the girls over for a mani/pedi night?  I divided the scrub into individual containers.

Put the scrub container with a pair of gloves or plastic bags for each person.  Remember to keep the mixture in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

These would be cute little pampering gifts, alone or with a fingernail file and other manicure items, for your bridesmaids, too!

Give it a try this weekend and let me know what you think!

Moisturizer

Welcome back to avocado week!  Last post I mentioned not throwing away that pit.  But hang out, don't throw out that peel, either.

After you have scooped out the insides, turn that peel inside out.  Rub it on your face for an excellent moisturizer just the way it is.  Do not worry, it will not turn your skin green.  Here's the proof:

Yup, there's yours truly, freshly avocado moisturized.

Avocado Madness

The lovely avocado is a fruit, for those of you that like to know such things.  It has a creamy texture and rich taste and is healthy to use in a multitude of recipes.  In addition to being an excellent source of fiber and vitamins, this fruit may help to lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of diabetes and helps to promote lower body weight. But since this is a beauty blog, let's focus on the benefits for hair and skin.

Avocadoes moisturize the skin and help relieve dry and itchy places.  It helps treat skin conditions and can be used to heal wounds and minor burns.  It can increase the production of collagen, plumping the skin and decreasing the effects of aging.

So how do you get that all that goodness?

First cut the avocado in half, all the way around, leaving the pit in place for the moment.

Then stab that poor pit with your knife, sinking it into the pit.  If you've got it lodged in well, just lift your knife and the pit will come right out.

But do not throw that pit out!  Grow your own avocado tree following the instructions found here.  

Scoop out the insides from the peel and get ready to make some beauty products!  Check back for the upcoming recipes!