I have decided to add a great side business to our herbs.  Using them in natural skin care.  I have been reading so much about what each ingredient does and also the benefits of adding other ingredients to certain ones to attain the correct recipe.

Skin Care Basic Choices for Healthier Skin Our skin is the body’s largest organ, and its cells are continuously replaced as they are lost to normal wear & tear. The skin totals between 12-20 sq. ft. in area & accounts for 12% of body weight. It is responsible for ¼ of the body’s daily elimination, so good skin care maintenance is important. Skin care is almost a precise science nowadays. There are many products available to choose from, and the market is growing. Choosing the right methods to nourish your own skin is very important.

Loofah: It is the only plant known that can be used as a sponge. The sponges are very versatile. The Loofah is widely used for bathing to invigorate the skin through brushing. A distant cousin of the cucumber, Loofahs have been cultivated for bath time luxury for hundreds of years. Dry Skin Brushing: This helps the lymphatic system to clean itself of any toxins that can collect in the lymph glands. It is a simple technique of circular vigorous body brushing used to improve the surface circulation on the skin. It encourages your body's discharge of metabolic wastes. Cold Mitten Friction Rubs: The skin is rubbed vigorously with a towel or mitten dipped in cold water. This is used to increase circulation & strengthen the immune system. It is also a simple, invigorating way to banish fatigue. Herbal-based Soaps & Creams: These are the most effective & most gentle forms of skin care available. Visit your local health food store’s skin care section for selecting which products will work best for your skin type & your goals. Know you skin type. Are you dry, oily or combination? Homemade  Skin  Care  A quick invigorator:  try rubbing 1 slice of tomato on your face, leave for 20 minutes & rinse with lukewarm water. Pat to dry. Another: Mix avocado & honey together, smooth over skin & leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water & pat to dry. Water: Drinking lots of pure water daily will ensure healthy skin. Water flushes the skin, and ‘plumps up’ cells, giving vitality to our bodies, inside and out. It is recommended that at least 8 glasses of pure water be consumed daily. Healthy Diet & Exercise: A proper balanced diet & regular exercise will ensure good skin from the inside out. Eat more fresh vegetables, fruit, grains & legumes, and eat less refined sugars, white flour, salt, caffeine, sugar & fatty foods.

Homemade Facial

A basic facial must include at least 3 elements: (1) cleansing; (2) toning; and (3) moisturizing.  Additional steps might include steaming, exfoliating and masking. Each of these steps is outlined below, along with suggested recipes for you to try.

Home facial steamer

Before cleansing your skin with a gentle cleanser, it is wise to give yourself a light steam treatment to open your pores and prepare your face for cleaning. To do this, simply soak a soft towel in a bowl of comfortably warm herbal tea (chamomile is one of my favorites). Wring out the towel and place it over your face and neck area and relax until it cools slightly. You may repeat this process, as it is quite soothing.

Homemade facial cleanser

Cleanse your face with a gentle handmade cleanser such as Rose Cream Cleanser. Use upward, circular movements of the fingertips to gently stimulate the skin and help lift surface debris and excess oil. Rinse with warm water and gently pat excess moisture from face with a soft towel. If you wear heavy make-up, you might wish to repeat the cleansing process.

Skin Toner

After cleansing, it is important to tone the skin using ingredients that help balance the pH of the skin, which is typically disturbed during the cleansing process. The recipe for Tone Up Tea is excellent for most skin types, and contains aloe to soothe and green tea as an effective anti-oxidant. Apply the toner with a soft cotton pad, but do not rub the skin. Rather, saturate the pad and pat the toner over the face and neck area. Do not pat skin dry. If you sense the aroma of the cider vinegar, don't worry. It disappears quickly. Apple cider vinegar is the best natural ingredient to ensure optimal pH balance for the skin. Avoid eye area when using this toner. You skin is now ready for moisturizing.

Moisturize skin

Moisturize your skin using Aromatic Facial Oil, which contains a host of soothing ingredients to add moisture and nutrients to your skin. To seal in the moisture, be sure to apply the oil while skin remains damp from applying the toner. Gently apply the oil to your face and neck using patting motions. For oily areas of skin, one application of oil should suffice. Apply twice to dry areas of skin, waiting about 2-3 minutes between applications, and being sure to moisten the skin slightly with water or toner before the second application.

Exfoliation

On occasion, you may wish to add a gentle exfoliation and mask to your treatment. You can try the recipes here, or make up your own using ingredients you have in your own kitchen. Persons with oily skin may find exfoliation beneficial once or twice a week, while people with dry skin may wish to exfoliate only once a month.

Rose Cream Cleanser
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon rose hydrosol
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in the order shown, stirring well after each one. Apply cleanser to face and neck skin, using gentle, upward sweeping motions. Rinse well. This recipe should be used within 2 days and makes enough for two cleanings.

Tone Up Tea
1 cup distilled water
1 heaping tablespoon dried green tea leaves
1 heaping tablespoon dried chamomile flowers
1 tablespoon rose hydrosol
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 teaspoon lemon juice (optional addition for oily skin)

Heat distilled water until boiling. Remove from heat and add green tea and chamomile. Steep for 15 minutes and strain out plant material. Add rose hydrosol, aloe vera and vinegar (and lemon juice, if using) and stir well. Pour into a clean bottle and label. Shake well to ensure the mix. Store in refrigerator for best results and use within 3 weeks.

 
Aromatic Facial Oil - Cleanser
3 tablespoons jojoba oil
3 tablespoons rose hips seed oil (or 3 tbsp. hazelnut oil for oily skin)
2 drops rose essential oil
3 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops geranium essential oil
2 drops palmarosa essential oil

In a glass bowl or dish, combine oils with essential oils. Stir with a clean pop sickle stick or plastic utensil to combine. Pour into a clean bottle, preferably one with a medicine dropper so you can apply the oil using the dropper. After cleansing and toning, and while skin remains a bit damp, apply a bit of the moisturizer using gentle patting motions. Do not rub the oil into the skin. Rather, just gently pat it onto the skin and it will absorb readily within a few minutes.

 
Oats & Aloe Exfoliant
1 tablespoon finely ground oats
1 tablespoon finely ground almonds
1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir until well mixed. Apply to face and neck skin after cleansing and before toner is applied, using gentle circular motions. Rinse well with warm water and gently pat excess moisture from face. Follow with facial mask.

Facial Mask
2 tablespoons white clay
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon rose hydrosol

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and stir until a paste-like consistency is achieved. If mixture is too runny, add a bit more clay and stir. If mixture is not smooth enough, add a bit more hydrosol. Spread over clean face as the step immediately preceding application of facial toner, avoiding eye area and lips. Rest for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with warm, water and pat excess water from face.

Rejuvenate your skin with homemade facial cleansers

Making homemade beauty treatments can be fun. Using ingredients that are usually found in your kitchen, you can create homemade facial cleansers that will leave your skin feeling healthy, fresh and clean. Here are a few of our favorite homemade beauty recipes.

Honey and oats facial scrub

(for normal skin)

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp ground almonds
1 tsp ground walnuts

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and apply mixture liberally to moistened face.
2. Allow to dry for 10 minutes.
3. Remove with warm washcloth.
4. Rinse face with splash of cool water. This scrub will help exfoliate and revitalize skin.

Peppermint lavender facial scrub

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds
1 tsp dried lavender
1 tsp dried peppermint
1 cup white cosmetic clay
1/2 cup honey

Directions

1. Grind oats, almonds and dried herbs to a powder with a blender. Mix in clay and honey.
2. Store in sealed container in refrigerator.
3. To use, remove 1 Tbsp of mixture from container.
4. Mix with warm water to form a thick paste.
5. Apply generously over face and neck; massage well.
6. Rinse with warm water. This cleansing scrub will help to fight oily skin and pimples.


Cucumber yogurt facial cleanser

(for sensitive skin)

Ingredients

1 small cucumber (peeled)
1/2 cup yogurt
3 Tbsp beaten curbs

Directions

1. Grate cucumber into a bowl.
2. Add yogurt and beaten curbs and mix Here are some best natural Homemade Cleansinf creams and scrubs for face

A quick cleanse in the morning (to remove toxins that have reached the surface via the sweat glands) and a thorough cleanse at night are important for every skin type. Soap doesn't remove make-up and can be drying, so use soap-free cleansing bars, or wash-off or wipe-off cleansing creams instead.

Creamy Cucumber and Elderflower

Cucumber features in many commerical face cleansers, as is a tried and trused natural astringent and cleansing agent. Here, we use organic cucumber to create a fresh, natural cleanser, suitable for all skin types. Elder flowers are healing and astringent.                                  

Ingredients : 5 oz (150ml) cleasing lotion base, 1/2 of a fresh, organic cucumber, 7 drops elderflower tincture, 5 drops lemon essential oil.

Preparation :

Apricot Butter Cold Cream (For Dry Skin)

• 10 oz apricot kernel oil

• 2 oz cocoa butter

• 2 oz beeswax

Preparations: Heat all in the top of a double boiler until wax and butter are melted. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and cooled. Transfer to jars, cap and refrigerate.

 We will be offering a regular moisturizing cream and one formulated for acne with all natural ingredients.  We will put it up on the website as soon as our line of body products are ready.