DIY

One Ingredient Facial Masks

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Giving yourself a home facial treatment is a great way to give yourself some extra love. There are a lot of options hanging out in your kitchen, and endless combining that can be done, but sometimes a simple one ingredient mask is all you really need to give your skin a little oomph, especially on days when even adding water and stirring sounds like to much effort.

Papaya can be used as an all natural chemical peel and it’s much gentler on your skin than a chemical peel at a spa. The enzymes in papaya help to get rid of the old layer of skin on top, and reveal the smoother, fresher, more vibrant skin beneath. Those enzymes are the same ones that help us digest our foods which is why you can buy papaya enzyme supplements, so mash some up for your face, then eat the rest. You only need to leave it on your face for 3-5 minutes, then use a warm, damp cloth to wipe off, preferably with upward, circular motions, starting with your chin. Enjoy the glow!

DA23CAE6-126C-4AF2-A146-2ADB531467A9 Honey can be used as both a mask and a natural cleanser. This is a great option for oily, sensitive, or acne prone skin. Honey has also been traditionally used to lighten and brighten skin and correct hyper-pigmentation as well as fight acne and oil. It combines well with other natural ingredients such as the ones below. Leave on for 5-20 minutes, the rinse with a warm, damp cloth.

WP_20180925_15_15_10_Pro Aloe is a great firming mask. Slice a fresh aloe leaf down the middle long ways, and rub the fresh juice on your skin. Leave on until the mask had dried, or until the firming and tightening feeling has subdued, then rinse off with warm water. Your skin will not only be firm, but moisturized as well.

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Plain yogurt and kefir are good for the face (I only have flavored ones right now for the pic)

Plain yogurt or kefir can be used directly on the skin for those same probiotic benefits that the gut enjoys. The lactic acid in dairy is a natural exfoliater too so even plain milk can be used as a mask, though yogurt and kefir have more to offer the skin. Leave on for 5-20 minutes, then rinse off with a warm, damp cloth. (I only had flavored yogurt and kefir for the pic, but use plain instead.)

3BA59B87-0361-43B1-A6BC-2843136F1B3B[1] Egg whites are firming and smoothing and are often found in retro face mask recipes. Add one to your face and let it dry before rinsing off with a warm, damp cloth for smoother, firmer skin.

20A39EE2-15D3-442C-8963-E972EC7E3C9C Just about any fruit can be mashed up and spread on the face for a quick mask, so if you have some fruit that is turning before you can eat it, just mash it up and use those nutrients for your skin. Fruit has natural enzymes (such as the papaya up at the top of the page) and also vitamins and minerals that the skin can soak up. Good options are avocados, bananas, mangos, and peaches.

WP_20180307_10_29_27_Pro If you are in the mood to mix a few ingredients together, any of the above can be combined for a more multi-dimensional mask, or you can add a clay like green, red, or white clay to create something a bit more solid, or even add a milk powder or ground oats. Ground herbs can also be used in a mask, such as rose petals, rose hips, or turmeric. Be careful with turmeric because it can temporarily stain skin, especially fair skin, and permanently stain things like clothing. If this happens to your skin, use an oil like sweet almond oil, combined with sugar over the stained area, rub gently, and know that it is temporary. Turmeric has been used in Asia and India for centuries in skin care for it’s brightening and healing qualities, so it has a long tradition of healing and beautifying behind it. A friend of mine from India told me it is even used by brides in the beautifying rituals before weddings.

If you have extra time, it’s nice to start with the papaya chemical peel, then use a mask that draws out impurities such as green clay, then put some great nutrients back in with a mask of more mashed fruit and an egg white, honey, or aloe.

Enjoy a little extra care once or twice a week. Even if it’s only for five minutes, the glow will last far longer. Please share this with anyone who needs a quick self-care pick-me-up, and please subscribe for weekly wellness posts like this one. Be well!

 

How to Make Vanilla Extract

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This is one of those things that’s so easy to make yourself that you’ll wonder why you never did it before. It’s basically the exact same thing as making an herbal tincture although you don’t need to pack it so tightly with the vanilla beans, and you might want to let it cure a bit longer than the average tincture.

Bulk Bin
Prepackaged

All you need are a few vanilla beans which you can buy in grocery store bulk bins, online, or packaged in jars or bags like above in a spice aisle, alcohol such as vodka, rum, bourbon, or brandy, a jar and time.

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I chose vodka because I want to use this extract in my DIY natural perfumes as well as in baking, and vodka has the most neutral scent. I’ll definitely be using the extract in the waffles that I make all the time, and these zucchini muffins too, so it’ll be versatile and well used with the vodka. As with all things herbal, there are plenty of variations with which to experiment, but basically you want at least 4 vanilla beans per cup of alcohol. First split the vanilla beans down the middle lengthwise with a sharp knife.

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It’s hard to tell, but the bean closest to the knife has a long slice down the middle. Next, put the beans in a clean glass jar, then pour the alcohol over them, making sure they are completely submerged.

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Cap the jar or bottle tightly, then shake it daily (or at least every other day after the first week) for at least four weeks.

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Four weeks

At this point the vanilla extract can be used, but you will probably still smell the alcohol, so it depends on whether you are baking with it or using it in a non-heated recipe like frosting if you taste just vanilla or the alcohol as well. (The heat in baking and cooking will get rid of the alcohol taste/scent.) After two to three months, the vanilla extract should smell only of pure, rich vanilla. That means, if you want to make holiday gifts of homemade vanilla extract, you will want to get this started by early October. (Yup, already thinking along those lines!) Also, the more beans you originally put into the mixture, the more vanilla-y it will be, so keep that in mind. You want at least four per cup, but you can definitely add more than that. Vanilla beans are the second most expensive spice, after saffron, due to the delicate harvesting and curing of the beans, so sticking with four per cup is perfectly fine.

You don’t have to ever take the beans out actually, though if you are giving some of yours as a gift, taking out the old beans and adding a fresh one to the container looks lovely and continues to add depth and richness to the extract. (You don’t even need to cut it down the middle at that point.) Vanilla extract lasts indefinitely if stored in a lidded container in a relatively cool, dark place.

Enjoy, and if you love making your own herbal concoctions, check out my latest course on the Art and Craft of Herbalism. Take care and enjoy the transition to cooler days, crisper nights, and crunchier walks. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

The Art and Craft of Herbalism

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If you have been visiting this blog for a while now, you may have noticed I’m a big proponent of self-advocacy. We all have the ability to make choices that impact our health, and our lives, in big ways and small ways, and the more we acknowledge our role in how we feel as we age and what options we have for our specific body types and health issues, the more we can then assist our bodies in our natural abilities to heal ourselves, instead of getting in its way. We all know that when we are sick, we are more fatigued, so we sleep more which gives the body time and energy to heal. If we do not rest when sick, the sickness continues and secondary issues are more apt to erupt. The body knows what it needs to heal, and furthermore, the body doesn’t just want to be disease free, we all want to thrive and feel our best for as long as possible. Observing our own health quirks and naturally adding in herbs and supplements that gently assist our body’s healing abilities, is a great way to stay in touch with our own personal needs and help correct imbalances before they turn into a diseases.

When I worked at health food stores, my best guess is that at least 75% of the customers who walked in the doors asked for help. They wanted to know about the latest thing on Oprah or Dr. Oz, or something their friend told them about, or they were searching for help with a new diagnosis whether it was a loved one’s or their own. These people were all of the mindset that there were things they could do to improve their lives or the lives of their loved ones, and they were willing to ask. I think this shows we naturally want to improve ourselves, and the feeling of powerlessness that can accompany a modern diagnosis is one of the most defeating feelings one can have. Nobody wants to be at the mercy of a corrupt pharmaceutical industry nor depending on doctors that can only spend ten minutes at a time with you because of insurance regulations. That might very well be part of your reality, but it doesn’t have to be the whole picture. Whether you are sick or thriving, have mild chronic issues or extreme sporadic ones, you can absolutely assist in reaching your optimal health.

This is why I wrote my latest course, The Art and Craft of Herbalism. Our ancestors knew how to work with medicinal herbs daily out of necessity, just as they knew how to cook out of necessity. This course isn’t for everyone. I understand many people would rather just buy what is on the shelf at their local store, or order something online, just as some people would rather buy their meals rather than cook them. But for those that want to create their own herbal medicines or even just have a better understanding of how it is done, then this course is for you. And for the record, I do a lot more buying off the shelf than making myself, but it is incredibly empowering to make my own herbal medicines when I want something specific that I can’t find, or I’m eager to save money. It’s far less expensive to grow your own herbs that you then use, but I don’t go that far back to basics in this particular course. There is still quite a bit of money to be saved by buying loose herbs instead of ones already boxed or bottled or tableted up for use. It’s incredibly easy to make tinctures, oils, balms, and other herbal concoctions, just as simple, natural ingredients can be put together to make beautiful, nutritious, and delicious meals. Herbal concocting is an art and a craft which lends itself beautifully to the cooking analogy I’ve been employing here, and considering the ‘home herbalist’ is also known as a ‘kitchen witch’, I’m certainly not the first to notice the similarities.

Here’s the promo: https://youtu.be/Iyy7e5fqZYM

If you are a maker, creator, artist, herbalist, or just plain curious, I’d like to invite you to take the course. Those of you who subscribe to this blog with your email address have already gotten a coupon code to take the course for free (let me know if you have not). If you follow this blog in the wordpress reader and would like to take the course for free and hopefully give me constructive feedback, (pretty please), I’d be happy to send you the code. Just send me your email address and let me know who you are in terms of wordpress-land and I’ll email you back with the code and my gratitude.

However you choose to live your life, I hope it is deeply fulfilling to your heart and soul, and blessing you with the thriving health you want. I’d love it if you shared this with anyone who might benefit from it and and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty.

Announcement for Subscribers

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Hello! I’ve been working on putting together an essential oil course and wanted to let you know that it is about finished, so please expect an email from me in the next day or two. I wanted to thank my subscribers for being here, and also was hoping for some feedback from you lovelies, so the email will include a discount code to view the course for free. There will be a limited number (because I assume not all of you will choose to take the course) so if you are definitely interested, please let me know so I can get you the information first. You can preview the course on my page “Courses” on this website.  Thank you for reading this blog and being part of this community!

DIY Bath Salts Mother’s Day Gift

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What mom doesn’t treasure her bath and beauty time? Whether you are making a gift basket for your mom as an adult, or helping little ones make gifts for your partner, natural DIY pampering gifts are easy to make and will actually be used and appreciated. If you are working with little ones, essential oils need to be handled with care because they are so potent they should not be put on the skin directly without a carrier, and also the scents can be overwhelming if you are using a lot all at once.

To make a custom jar of bath salts, you have some options. You can use sea salt, Epsom salts, pink, grey, or black salt depending on where you are and what you fancy. Epsom salts are best known for aches and pains, but pink and grey salts can help with those too, and they have a high mineral content. Sea salt and black salt are detoxifying, and all the salts are good for the skin. You can also blend different salts together if you can’t decide or want to make sure you cover all the salt benefits. Whatever salts you use, just fill a jar with them, and add the essential oils you want in a ratio of about 10-25 drops per cup, depending on how strong you want the smell. Mix with a chopstick and cap tightly.

To make it a moisturizing bath soak, you can almond oil or grapeseed oil to the salts slowly, mixing the blend as you pour. You will want about 1 3/4 cup salts, with 1/4 cup oil. When the oil and salts are all blended together, add your essential oils and stir some more to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Since this is a total of 2 cups, you can use 20-50 drops of essential oils.

If you are making this for someone who takes more showers than baths, then a salt scrub is another option. You want more oil than salt in that case~ 2 cups of almond or grapeseed oil, 1 cup of fine sea salt, and 20-50 drops of essential oils. You can always make an herbal oil first, then add that to the salts. Add the oil directly on top of the salt, then add the essential oils and stir well. You can use sugar instead of salt for a gentler body scrub. Prepare the exact same way as the salt but use brown sugar instead.

Another option is to add dried herbs to the salts. This of course looks lovely but can make a huge mess, so adding a large sized muslin bag or two to the jar of bath salts is a nice touch. The bather can spoon in however much they want into the muslin bag, then place it into the bath for a nice soak that they don’t have to worry about cleaning up later. Lovely herbs to add are rose petals, calendula flower tops, seaweed, and/or oats. The proportions are completely up to you, and in fact you can just use herbs for an herbal bath without any salts, or just add the salts and herbs together, or add essential oils to the mix as well. There are no hard and fast rules, so just follow your aesthetic sense or look to your (or her) favorite products to get an idea of what proportions might be most appreciated.

As always, be sure to label whatever you make and to write down the recipe. Here are some more DIY gift ideas if bathing isn’t the best treat for your gift recipient. Have fun with whatever you are making and Happy Mother’s Day to all the hard working mamas out there. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article.

Toner DIY with Infused Ingredients

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Toner is used to balance the skin’s pH after cleansing, and it can be made from a multitude of natural ingredients, which makes it especially easy to blend your own at home. You can even just simply use a hydrosol as a toner, or witch hazel, or even just make green tea, let it cool, then bottle it and spray it on your face/body. (That green tea toner needs to be kept in the fridge and should be used within three days.) I like making toners that have more ingredients in them because I enjoy getting as many benefits out of my products as possible, and infusing those ingredients with herbs makes them even more nutrient dense and beneficial. My first toner recipe is very similar to the one below, but this time I first infused vegetable glycerin (also spelled glycerine) with rose buds to get all those wonderful rosy healing attributes as well as the gorgeous color and scent. You certainly don’t have to do this, but adding glycerin to your toners or other products makes them more emollient and protective because it brings the moisture from the air into your skin and adds a protective layer to the skin as well. Food grade glycerin can be taken internally as well, and makes for a kid-friendly extract because it’s sweet and alcohol free. Aloe is a firming agent and can be used alone as a mask on your face for quick toning and firming action. Witch Hazel is astringent and pH balancing and can also be infused with herbs. I used Geranium essential oil because it is good for all kinds of skin, and Carrot Seed essential oil for the vitamin A. I added a drop of Turkish Rose essential oil to complement the rose infused glycerin. Use whatever essential oils you like best, no more than 10 drops in 4 oz. of liquid though, and less than that if your skin is sensitive. This actually smelled quite nice without the essential oils but I like the therapeutic effects of the ones I added, but do start with smaller amounts if you are new to making your own skin care.

Recipe for Rose infused Glycerin:

Fill a jar 1/2 to 3/4 full with rose petals or whatever herb you are using. If using buds like I did, bruise and chop them up a bit first.

Add a mixture of vegetable glycerine and distilled water in a proportion of 1/4 distilled water to 3/4 glycerin. If you are using fresh herbs, no distilled water is needed.

Make sure the herbs are covered completely, shake them up daily for two weeks, then strain. Glycerin is ready to use.

The rose buds I used went from dark pink to white in about 24 hours. I was so surprised! Keep both the marinating product and finished product out of heat and light.

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Toner:

4 oz. Bottle (dark glass preferable)

1/4 C Witch Hazel

1/8 C Aloe Vera gel 

1 teaspoon rose infused glycerin (or plain glycerin)

Distilled water (enough to almost fill the bottle, just leave room for the essential oils if using)

1-2 drops Turkish Rose essential oil

4 drops Geranium essential oil

4 drops Carrot Seed essential oil

Put the first four ingredients in a dark glass bottle and shake it up. Add the essential oils (if using) and roll the bottle in your hands to blend. Shake before using.

Be sure to label your bottle and write down your recipe.

Making your own toner is a great place to start with DIYing your natural beauty regimen because it can be as effortless as one ingredient, and it’s hard to go wrong. Start simple and add ingredients as you figure out what works best for your skin and your sense of smell. Most of all, have fun creating, and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article.

 

How to Make Rose Oil (Quick Method)

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There are two traditional ways to make an herbal oil. The first method is referred to as the Folk Method, the Cold Method, or even the Solar Method although you can do it in the winter without the sun’s help, it just means that no artificial heat is used. Letting the sun help with herbal infusion is recommended though when that is an option, but here in the Pacific Northwest, there are few months in the year when that is viable. The cold method is what I used in the video series one and two where I infused olive oil with Roses for about 4 weeks. This method that I’m sharing below is called the Quick Method or the Hot Method because it is done on the stove-top and you have your oil in a matter of hours instead of weeks. So you might be wondering why everyone just doesn’t use the hot method if it’s so much faster, and the answer to that is the Folk Method in herbalism is generally the preferred method for best preserving all the healing properties of an herb. With the artificial heat comes the chance of over-heating and ruining some of the herb’s beneficial attributes, as well as the oil’s beneficial attributes. Many aspects of herbalism have a Folk Method vs. a Quick Method, with even the microwave being employed at times in Quick Method recipes, such as melting wax for lip balm for example. If you are mindful of keeping the heat on low and using a double boiler approach, this method should give you fabulous, fragrant oil that you can use the same day on your skin or in a more extensive recipe. If you are not pressed for time though, using the Cold Method is actually simpler and offers less opportunities for damage to the herbs and oil.

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Herbal Infusion in Oil using Quick Method (Hot Method) 

Put your herb or herbs into the top of some kind of double boiler. I use a measuring glass in a pot of water. Add the oil of choice (olive oil is most common and what I use, but you can use something different such as sweet almond oil or grapeseed oil). The oil should more than cover the herbs, with plenty of room for movement.

Fill the bottom of the double boiler with water, then place it all on low heat. This mixture should stay on low heat until the oil takes on some of the color and fragrance of the herbs, so count on at least one hour, then let the mixture cool before straining and bottling. Some recipes have the oil on low low heat for up to 48 hours so don’t worry about letting it sit on heat for too long. Dried herbs are preferred because anytime you introduce water into an oil preparation, you also introduce the potential for bacteria. Fresh herbs are called for in certain cases, such as with St. John’s Wort which makes a fantastic massage oil since it eases aches and pains, in which case it is recommended to dry wilt the fresh herbs for 24-48 hours before placing them in oil. Stir the herbs while they are on the heat every once in a while with a wooden chopstick.

Because I have Rose buds instead of Rose petals, I bruised and chopped the buds a bit with the largest blade I have before adding them to the oil. The more surface area available on your herbs, the better, and bruising them starts the process of releasing their oils and fragrance.

This often gets people asking, why not use herbal powder then…? You can use herbal powders, but straining the finished oil is difficult, and you might not ever get it completely free of the powder. If you do use a powder, plan on straining with a clean coffee filter two or more times, instead of straining with a cheesecloth over a stainless steel strainer. Once the herbs are strained from the oil, store in a glass jar in a cool, dark place for up to six months and always check for rancidity before using (the smell will be ‘off’). If you can refrigerate your oils, they will last longer.

Use rose oil as a moisturizer or serum alone, or add essential oils to it for even more benefits, or use the oil in recipes for lip balm, healing salves, or body butters. Rose is known to be hydrating, softening, beautifying, and particularly good for mature and/or sun damaged skin. Other good herbs to infuse into oils are calendula, lavender, or peppermint which is particularly revitalizing for tired feet and legs. Get creative with whatever you have in your particular corner of the world.

Happy Spring to everyone in the Northern Hemisphere. I hope the change of seasons has infused everyone with lightness and loveliness. Enjoy and please subscribe (top right or down below if on mobile) for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share with anyone who might benefit from this article.

 

 

 

Cleaner and Greener Laundry

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It was recently my birthday and I was going to ask my friend for dryer balls because I knew she made them as gifts for others, but then it occurred to me to instead ask her to show me how to make them, and that maybe others would like the directions too. She is always up for a crafting date, even if it involves awkward videoing and way too many photos, (such a good sport!) so below is the tutorial of my multi-talented friend Lani teaching how to make the inevitable task of laundry a bit greener.

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Lani
Not everyone is ready to switch to a natural laundry detergent, but just about anyone can reduce their ecological imprint by cutting drying time with wool dryer balls. If you replace fabric softener completely with these balls, then that makes each load even more environmentally friendly, not to mention budget friendly. If you like the scent of fabric softener, you can add a couple of drops of essential oil to your dryer balls before throwing them in with a load and that gives you complete control over how your clothes smell, without unhealthy fragrances and such. Wool dryer balls are incredibly easy to make and there is hardly any packaging involved, plus no weird chemicals. You can buy them of course if you are not in the mood to roll wool, but trust me when I say, anyone can do this. Be aware of the kind of wool you buy because it needs to be able to felt. 100% Roving wool is what Lani told me to get and it worked well.

If you are perusing natural laundry detergents though, I have a fun fact for you. You know that brand Country Save? It was founded (in Washington state) by a guy named Elmer Pearson. Any ideas on what other product Mr. Pearson is behind…? The clue is in his name. Or should I have said glue, instead of clue? Yes! Elmer’s glue! He didn’t get rich off of that ubiquitous glue by the way because he never held the patent, but you can read more about him here if you are interested. Back to dryer balls, here’s what you need:

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Wool Dryer Balls

Roving Wool (One skein will make approximately 2 balls)

Pantyhose or nylon knee highs (that you aren’t going to wear anymore)

Scissors

A large eyed needle or crochet hook (There are two below the yarn, and together they look like tweezers, but they are just needles).

To start, wrap some yarn around three fingers about 10 times, then take it off your hand and wrap it the other way a few times. Here’s a video of Lani showing how to get the ball rolling (har har):

Continue wrapping up the ball into a round shape until the ball is around softball or baseball size.60CC06EA-3A85-42CD-B760-E6E47C36BC39[1]Once your ball is a good size, take a large-eyed needle or crochet hook to bury the end of the yarn into the ball. You can completely bury it, or cut off the end of the yarn after a few tucks if you prefer. Here’s Lani showing how it’s done:

Once the balls are complete with the loose yarn tucked in, they are put into nylon stockings, tied off with string that is not the same wool because you do not want it to felt, then thrown into the washing machine for a hot wash with any other items that are washed on hot. They are then dried on high heat. I have a big old top loader and it took two cycles of washing for mine to felt, and really I wasn’t sure if they had until after the high heat drying. Lani has a more modern front loader and says hers typically take 3 or 4 wash cycles before felting.

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To use these you need 3-5 balls so they are creating space in your load to allow for faster drying and they soften the fabric as they bounce around and pummel the clothes. You can add a drop or two of essential oils to the balls for scenting. I’d start small and add more the next time if it isn’t enough for you. I’m excited to use mine and to play with the scenting myself! Thank you Lani!!!

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What they look like after felting
Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

 

 

 

Bay Rum Aftershave and Toner

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Did you know you can make your own Bay Rum? That old school scent that men use as cologne and can be made into other things as well…? When I first ran across a recipe for it I had a small mental freak-out, along the lines of, “Wait, what? You mean Bay Rum is literally just bay leaves and rum? Of course!! Oh my gosh I have to make it!” So I did, adding cinnamon sticks and cloves along with the bay leaves, then finishing it with some vanilla extract. It smells manly and awesome, familiar in a nonspecific way. So far I’ve only made an aftershave/toner with it, but I intend to infuse more men’s inspired goodies because it’s such a traditional scent that even though it’s a tad old school, it is still so recognizable.

Making Bay Rum is the same as making any other herbal extract, just with Rum as the alcohol. As with all traditional herbal recipes, there are endless ways to do this. Here’s what I used:

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Bay Rum:

1/2 Cup Bay leaves

2 Cinnamon Sticks

4 Cloves

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After combining these into a glass jar, I shook them up daily or at least every other day for about four weeks. Then I poured the strained liquid into a glass jar and added 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

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1/4 Cup Bay Rum

1/8 Cup Witch Hazel

1/8 Cup Distilled Water

1 teaspoon Aloe Juice (or gel)

1 teaspoon Glycerine

8 drops Bergamot essential oil

8 drops Bay essential oil

Put all ingredients together into a glass bottle with either a spray top or just a screw lid. Shake before using each time and it’s best used right after cleansing and/or shaving. Can be used on face, neck, and body for its toner actions (balancing pH) and as cologne.

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It always amazes me how easy it is to make custom, small-batch, clean and green products. Looking at the old recipes of simpler times is so inspiring because they used ingredients they were surrounded by at any given time, such as the sailors who started using versions of bay rum to smell better after months at sea. Back then everyone seemed to have at least some knowledge of how to use herbs and what to do with other natural ingredients that surrounded them, and that knowledge connected them to the natural world and fostered respect and perhaps more than a little awe. This connection still exists, but the threads are thinning, and it concerns me that one day only a select few will carry on these traditions and this connection. I’d love to see an edible garden on every schoolyard and creative crafting of food and herbs in the classrooms. In a world of advancing technology and all the emphasis on STEM, it’s important to consider the role of nature, art, and creativity in the world we want to leave our kids.

Happy Creating and please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.

 

How to Make a Body Butter

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Making a body butter or cream is an especially magical process because the mere act of whipping the concoction creates the luxurious feel of the product and also the opaqueness. It’s really easy to do and there are so many ways to do it that I very rarely repeat the same process twice in the exact same way. That being said, I don’t always get the proportions exactly right for a proper whip to the recipe so do follow the ingredient recommendations closely of whatever recipe you choose at least for the first time or two. Even if the whipping doesn’t make your butter quite creamy, you will still end up with a soft balm that is just as good for moisturizing, and considering all these ingredients are natural, healthy, and non-toxic, you can use them on any part of your body that needs a little lotion-y love. Use whatever essential oils you like, but just know if you are using the recipe below the cocoa butter gives the finished product a decidedly chocolate-y scent, so figure that into your scent profile. For example, orange and chocolate might be good, cedarwood and chocolate though….maybe not.) I used vanilla absolute to round out the chocolate scent and the lavender to make sure it didn’t smell completely like food, plus lavender has so many skin benefits.

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Body Butter

1/2 C Cocoa Butter

1/4 C Coconut Oil

1/8 C Shea Butter

1/8 C Rose Oil (Olive Oil based)

20 drops Lavender

10 drops Vanilla Absolute

Put all the ingredients, except for the essential oils, into a measuring cup that can go into a pot of water that will heat up to a simmer. 3756C7C8-FDB6-4FEB-B5E5-051F1F1C9E5A[1]Let the solids completely melt, then take the measuring cup out of the water and let the liquid cool. You can put the measuring cup on ice, or put it in the fridge or freezer with a clean towel on top of it. It takes a while to cool, anywhere between a half hour to an hour depending on how it is cooling (freezer or on ice or just sitting out or whatnot). If you lose track of time and find the measuring cup hours later rock solid, don’t worry, just melt it again. When the liquid feels room temperature to the touch, add the essential oils and start whipping it with an electric mixer or in a blender until it turns creamy and opaque. This could take 5-10 minutes, depending on how cool the liquid is upon starting. Pour the butter into a clean jar and keep it out of heat and light for storage. This is a very emollient body butter, good for hand or foot cream, elbows, or any part of the body that is very dry. It isn’t recommended for the face though because those hard oils and butter can be pore clogging. It smells decadent and it is really fun to make something that starts off mostly solid, melts into a liquid, then whips into a totally new texture.

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Store in a clean glass jar with a tight fitting top, in a cool, dark place. Preferably a cool, dark place up out of nosey doggie territory. I was going to give this body butter to a friend so I had it down on the bottom of my shelf of herbal things where I knew I wouldn’t forget about it, but see that cork there…? My dog took the cork out of the jar (it does smell heavenly, and very much like food despite the lavender, I have to admit) and the jar hardened to a decidedly non-butter state. Definitely not gift-worthy anymore although I’ll still use it. Now it’s back to the stove top to make another batch, this time with a screw-lid jar.

This does harden a bit over a couple of days even with a properly closed container, so don’t be surprised if that happens. It still melts right onto (and into) your skin. We have all heard how skin is our largest organ and whatever we put on it goes into the body, so make sure you are only using the best, purest, products. You are worth it and your body will thank you. Please subscribe for weekly posts about herbs, natural health, and green beauty, and please share this with anyone who might be interested.