Health

Herbal Body Scrub

This body scrub is so easy to make and smells amazing. It leaves your skin feeling refreshed but not too minty as the soft vanilla bean aroma lightly perfumes your skin. Honey is a luxurious ingredient that helps moisturize, nourish, and protect the skin with its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and humectant properties. In fact, I love to use honey alone as a face mask several times a month. If you’re collecting recipes for this year’s herbal handmade holiday gifts, this one will be perfect for the vanilla lovers out there!

Ingredients

1 cup fine sea salt or fine organic sugar

1/2 cup organic sunflower or sweet almond oil

1/4 cup raw organic honey

1 organic vanilla bean, split and scraped

10 drops organic peppermint essential oil

1 tsp organic vanilla extract (optional)

*********************************************************************************** Winter Blues Spray

This spray is like a burst of sunshine in your brain on a dreary gray day. For half the year here in Oregon we live under a blanket of glowy clouds and wander through a mist of cool rain. A rare slice of sunlight can weave rainbows into our skies, causing great celebration until the clouds creep back and gobble the rays up yet again.

Fruity and light, I formulated this blend with aromatherapeutic scents that uplift the spirit and deflect winter anxiety, grumpiness, and depression. Known to inspire happy bouts of giggling!

Ingredients

5 drops organic Sweet Orange essential oil

3 drops organic Petitgrain essential oil

2 drops organic Roman Chamomile essential oil

2 drops organic Nutmeg essential oil

1 oz organic Witch Hazel extract or vodka

Directions

Drip oils together in a glass spray bottle and mix by rolling the bottle between the palms of your hands. Pour witch hazel extract to the top of the bottle and shake well. Spray in the air or on the body when in need of a smile.

Enjoy!

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WildCraft Face Cream Recipe

Ingredients

¼ cup organic Olive Oil (or Calendula Herbal Oil)

¼ cup organic Sesame Oil

¼ cup organic Grapeseed Oil

1/16 cup organic Coconut Oil

1/16 cup Beeswax pastilles

1 cup organic Hydrosol of your choice

½ cup organic Aloe Vera Gel

¼ tsp Vitamin E Oil

8-15 drops of essential oil (lavender, rose, orange, chamomile, or sandalwood are all good choices)

Preparation

1. Blend oils together in a stainless steel saucepan. Place on very low heat, just enough to thoroughly warm.

2. In another pan, slowly melt beeswax just enough to liquefy.

3. In a separate bowl, blend hydrosol with aloe gel.

4. Pre-warm on low heat a double boiler or a Pyrex measuring jug set in a heat proof pan filled part way with water.

5. Have approximately twenty 1oz – or – ten 2oz clean glass jars and lids ready to go.

You are now ready to make two batches of cream

Directions

1. Pour ½ (3¼ oz) of your warmed oil blend into the top of the pre-warmed double boiler or pyrex jug that is set in hot water. Add ¼ oz of the melted beeswax. The combination of oil and wax should be liquid. If the wax begins to harden, the water under your Pyrex jug is not hot enough.

2. In a blender, combine 6oz of the hydrosol and aloe vera gel blend with ¼ teaspoon of vitamin E oil, and if desired, 8 to 15 total drops of essential oil (lavender, rose, sandalwood, rose geranium, etc.). With the lid on, blend for a few seconds to mix these first ingredients.

3. Remove the middle part of the lid in your blender. Turn the blender on low and very slowly pour the warm oil and wax combination into the center of the “whirling” waters in the blender. It’s critical that you pour in a very thin, slow stream. Be patient. The “cream” will look odd until it starts to emulsify and thicken. Listen……the sound will change as your cream thickens up. Turn off the blender. Using a spatula, scrape down the inside of the blender and around the blades, thereby thoroughly mixing the cream. Turn on the blender again and “pulse” for a final mixing.

4. Immediately pour your cream into jars. The spatula is helpful for getting all the cream out of the blender. Repeat for your second batch. Refrigerate your creams for 2 to 3 hours and label them. Enjoy!

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Vanilla Mint Honey Scrub
 
Ingredients
1 cup fine sea salt or fine organic sugar
1/2 cup organic sweet almond oil
1/4 cup raw organic honey
1 organic vanilla bean, split and scraped
10 drops organic peppermint essential oil
1 tsp organic vanilla extract (optional)
Directions
Mix the salt or sugar with the oil, scraped vanilla bean pulp, and honey. Add essential oil and stir. If too oily, add more salt or sugar until you reach the desired grainy paste consistency. Scoop into a jar with the split vanilla bean on the bottom for a decorative touch and screw the lid on tight. Use a tablespoon of scrub at a time and rub the paste in your palms until loosened. Gently massage into wet skin and rinse after 2-5 minutes. Your skin will feel exfoliated and moisturized!

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Homemade Laundry Detergent

5 oz bar of soap
4 cups borax
4 cups baking soda

Grate the bar of soap into a large container, add the other ingredients and mix well. Stir gently so you don’t breath in the fine powders. Store in a container and add 1/2 cup for each large load of laundry.

If you have a blender or food processor, just chunk up the bar of soap and add it along with the dry ingredients and process for a few seconds. This will make the laundry soap more of a powder, which I like better and easier to make.

I have also found that by using this laundry soap I don’t need to use fabric softener either. What a money saver.
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{How To} Homemade Deodorant

1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup corn starch or arrowroot powder
Coconut Oil (a little over a 1/4 cup was what worked for me)

Put the powders in a bowl and whisk with a fork. Add enough coconut oil to make the mixture come together. A fork is an easy way to mix in the coconut oil and I also used my hands at the end to break up any final lumps. Put in a jar and apply with fingertips or use a recycled deodorant container.

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To make Calendula Infused Oil:

Place dry Calendula leaves in a very clean, dry glass jar.

 Cover them completely with olive oil.

Cap tightly and place in a warm, sunny window and allow steeping for 2-4 weeks (the longer the better).

Give it a good shake once a day or so (or whenever you happen to think about it). When you are ready to use it, strain out the leaves.

Calendula is thought to have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties. It’s a favorite herbal treatment for healing minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.

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Liquid Hand Soap Recipe

1 8 oz. bar of soap, grated (or more - I'll explain below)
2 T. liquid glycerin
1 gallon water
favorite essential oil (optional)

Place the water in a large pot and begin to heat it on medium-high. Add the 2 T. of glycerin and the grated soap to the pot and stir. As it warms it may get a bit bubbly. Stir in several drops of your favorite essential oil if the soap is not scented and you want your hand soap to smell nice. (I just did this until it smelled like I wanted - sorry I didn't count drops!).

Continue to stir until all the bits of soap have dissolved. Then turn off the heat and let it sit over night or for about 10-12 hours. After sitting, mine seemed to separate and was very watery, so I followed Robyn's instructions and reheated it and added more soap shavings (believe me, I had plenty!). So in all, I guess I used about 16 oz., not 8 oz. But mine was a homemade soap. Robyn used an 8 oz. bar of Mrs. Meyer's and it got very thick after sitting.

After mine sat a second time overnight, it didn't look cloudy like Robyn's but it did look like a liquid version of my soap. And if I put my hand into it, the liquid was certainly soapy! This time it was still runny, but thicker than before, so I decided to call it done.

Using a funnel, I loaded up a couple of my very empty soap dispensers and stored the remaining soap in a couple of large canning jars.

And now, I have a lot of soap for literally a few pennies. I think I can live with it a bit runny at that price!

It the runny soup bothers you, perhaps these two tips will help:
• One reader on Roby's blog made a solution of 3 T. table salt and 8 oz. hot water, stirred until dissolved, then added it to her room temperature liquid soap. According to the reader, it instantly thickened it.
• Another reader suggested not adding as much water if your soap is high in oils (which mine was).

If your soap ends up being too thick:
• Try using an electric hand mixer and breaking it up a bit.
• Try adding a bit more glycerin.

So I hope this extra info helps because every bar of soap is going to produce different results. At least our hands should be clean for a long time!

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DIY All-Purpose Citrus Cleaner

You will need:

·         1 or 2 quart sized mason jars

·         A spray bottle (a repurposed one is just fine!)

·         White vinegar (around 1-2 quarts)

·         Orange, grapefruit, lemon, or lime peels (any combination of these will work, too)

·         3 -4 drops of lemon, grapefruit, or orange essential oil (optional)

Fill your quart jars about half full of citrus peels. Feel free to pack them in there if you need to. I used a combo of orange and grapefruit peels for this batch.

Fill the jars the rest of the way up with white vinegar. Cover tightly with a lid, give it a good shake, and then write the date on the top so you don’t forget!

Allow the peels and vinegar to steep for 2-3 weeks. (The longer it sits, the more potent it will get!)

After time has elapsed, remove the peels from the mixture and strain through a fine strainer to remove any bits of citrus that might be floating in your vinegar. Dilute 1:1 with water (one part citrus vinegar to one part water) and place in a spray bottle.

You may add 3-4 drops of your choice of essential oil if you wish at this point. It’s not absolutely necessary, but I like the extra citrusy-boost that the oils give the mixture, plus they also boost it’s cleaning power!

Use as you would your plain vinegar cleaner: on sinks, countertops, bathtubs, toilets, floors, etc!

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Hard Lotion Bar Recipe

Ingredients

1 part each

§  Cocoa butter or shea butter

§  Oil

§  Beeswax

Melt all ingredients together, pour in molds, let set until hard, unmold, and you’re done!

I used plantain infused olive oil, almond oil would probably work nicely as well. I made one batch with cocoa butter and one with shea butter, just to compare. For the wax, I used granules from Frontier, but will probably switch to some sort of unrefined beeswax in the future because it is more therapeutic.

Here’s a shot of all the ingredients as they begin to melt. In this batch, I used two ounces by weight or volume of each ingredient. I weighed the wax and cocoa butter, and used a liquid measure for the oil. 

When everything has melted completely, pour the liquid into molds of your choice. I had molds available that I used for melt and pour soap making. You could also use muffin tins or some other small container. 6 ounces of product filled two molds completely and one partial mold.

After several hours, the lotion will be firm and hard and should release easily from the mold.

Both the shea butter and cocoa butter work well for moisturizing. I find the shea butter bars to be a little tackier and take longer to absorb into the skin. They also smell a bit “planty”, not bad, just not as good (to me) as the cocoa butter.

It can be used  as a lip balm too. The next time pour some into smaller containers to use as lip balm.

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Some Interesting cleaning products made at home

Super Surface Spray• 16 oz. spray bottle
• 14 oz. – 1:1 solution of distilled white vinegar and water
• 7 drops of tea tree essential oil• 7 drops of lavender essential oil• 7 drops of lemon essential oil
Use this aromatic and disinfecting solution for cleaning kitchen counters, cabinets, refrigerator shelves, blinds, painted wood surfaces, painted walls, molding, fan blades, and more.

Herby Soft Scrub • 12 oz glass jar with lid
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup castille soap
• 15 drops of antimicrobial essential oils like rosemary and sage
Mix well until you have a nice consistency like cake frosting. If you have leftovers, add 1 tsp vegetable glycerin to keep the blend nice and moist.

Antibacterial Soap Spray • 16 oz spray bottle
• 14 oz. water or rosemary hydrosol
• 3 tbsp castille soap• 15 drops of tea tree essential oil• 15 drops of oregano essential oil
Use this cleaning spray to disinfect your bathroom surfaces. You can use the Super Surface Spray to rinse away any residue left behind by the castille soap.

Refreshing Linen Spray
• 16 oz. spray bottle
• 3 oz. unflavored vodka
• 12 drops lavender, ylang ylang, peppermint, orange or your favorite smelling essential oil
• 12 oz. organic hydrosol of your choice
Spray to refresh your mattress, pillows, bed linens, couches, and fabric covered chairs, or spritz clean winter blankets before storing for the year. Also makes a wonderful ironing spray!

Natural Lemon Furniture Polish
• 16 oz spray bottle
• 1 cup olive oil
• 25 drops pure lemon essential oil
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• fill remainder of the bottle with purified water
Shake well before each use. Spray onto your rag or directly onto furniture. Buff dry immediately.

Tropical Carpet Deodorizer
• 1 cup of baking soda
• 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil per cup
• 10 drops of sweet orange essential oil per cup
• 10 drops of ginger essential oil per cup
Mix together and sprinkle the aromatic blend onto your carpet, let sit for 30 minutes, and vacuum as normal. Wonderful mattress deodorizer, too!

Lemony Wood Floor Mop Formula• 20 oz. spray bottle
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tsp. vegetable glycerin
• 20 drops lemon essential oil
• Water
Spray, mop as usual, and quickly buff dry to protect your floors. They will be glossy and clean with a lovely lemon scent!

Mop-It-Up Formula
• small glass bottle
• 1/4 cup castille soap• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 20 drops of tea tree essential oil• 20 drops of sweet orange essential oil
This is the perfect liquid cleaner for tile floors, vinyl, or linoleum. Mix the solution with 2 gallons of hot water and mop away the dirt and grime.

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DIY Liquid laundry soap

Supplies

Empty Milk Jug (been using mine for 4 yrs now)
1 box washing soda (retails $3-$4)
1 box borax (retails $3-$4)
Measuring cups
Whisk
Stove
Pan
Large 5 gallon bucket with lid (retails $4-$5 or reuse one from another product). If you have glass it would make it even better!
1 bar of natural soap (fragrance free or scented)
Optional:Essential oils

Step 1
In a medium pan add 6 cups of water. Heat on medium heat with no boiling.

Step 2
While water is heating up grate about 1/3 your soap bar.

Step 3
Add your grated soap to the pan of hot water. Stir till completely dissolved. Once dissolved turn of heat and set aside.

Step 4
Pour 4 cups into the large bucket.

Step 5
Add 1/2 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda into your soap water mixture. Mix until dissolved.

Step 6
Pour your hot mixture into the bucket. Mix with a whisk until smooth.

Step 7
Fill your milk jug with hot water and pour into bucket. Whisk until smooth.

Step 8
Last step is to add 6 more cups of hot water into your bucket. Again whisk well. This is where you would add your optional essential oils. Mix well. DONE!!! This mixture will set up and thicken up. Every once in a while you can whisk it again to have a smooth consistency.

1/2 cup liquid for standard washers
1/3 cup for HE washers

Tip:Do not use a bar of soap with lumps. Oatmeal and lavender sometimes have chunks. All natural and non natural bars will work. Add 1/2 cup of oatmeal powder (simply put 1/2 cup oatmeal in blender & blend till a powder) to the mixture at the end of the process and you will not need to use a softener. Especially good for those with skin allergies.

Follow instructions or you will end up with lumpy laundry soap. No fear everyone even lumpy soap works the same. Make sure you store this with the lid on it so children do not try to play with it. Could result in drowning or getting sick so BE CAREFUL!!! have been using this for 4 years with my HE washers. I have had no issues what so ever. If you wish to use old liquid laundry soap bottles then you need to pour them while the mixture is hot. Then store in a cold place like your laundry room or garage.

Disclaimer: This is a recipe that Ive used for a year now with my energy efficient washer and have has no issues with anything. I am not responsible for anything that happens to your washer or clothes. I would test this before using it on your clothing. Again Ive yet to encounter anything at all going wrong with this soap. Use at your own risk. Please call poison control if eaten or gets into eyes.

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First-Aid Antiseptic Ointment

Ingredients
-1 1/2 ounces beeswax, grated
-1 cup olive, almond, or coconut oil
-1/4 teaspoon vitamin E oil
-1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil
-20 drops lavender essential oil
-10 drops lemon essential oil
Directions

1. Over very low heat, in a small pot or double boiler, melt oils and beeswax.

2. Remove from heat and add vitamin E oil and essential oils. Stir with a chopstick.

3. Pour mixture into small sterilized jars (or a mason jar). Allow to cool on counter.

4. Store in a cool, dark place. Use as needed on wounds. Will keep for 8-10 months.

Notes

-Antiseptic properties of the essential oils include:

• Tea tree oil: antibiotic, anti-fungal, antiviral, antibacterial
• Lavender: analgesic (pain relief), antibiotic, anti-fungal, antiviral, antibacterial
• Lemon: antibiotic, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial

-For those who do not like the smell of lavender…you may substitute chamomile essential oils for lavender and fir essential oils for lemon.
-I purchase the ingredients used in this recipe from a local health food store. Otherwise, I like to purchase from Mountain Rose Herbs or The Bulk Herb Store.
DISCLAIMER: The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

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Hair Tonic Blend

30 drops Basil, Ocimum basilicum

20 drops Cedarwood, Cedrus atlantica

20 drops Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis

I mixed the oils and applied three drops to the scalp for two weeks. I made the mistake by adding the oils to the scalp right at bed time, which was not a good idea since these oils kept me awake. I made sure I applied the blend earlier in the evening after that discovery.

I chose these oils because:

Cedarwood is a circulatory stimulant and assists in increasing the circulation to the scalp. This has historically made cedarwood an excellent oil for dandruff and hair loss. It's anti-fungal action is also beneficial since dandruff may be caused by fungal infections.

Rosemary is a calcefacient and a vasodilator. It's vasodilator action causes dilation of the blood vessels, and increases the circulation. The calcefacient action also increases the capillary circulation. This makes rosemary a powerful circulatory stimulant, and has traditionally been a perfect choice for hair loss and dandruff.

Basil has stimulant, tonic, and anti-fungal properties. As a stimulant basil will increase the energy and the functional activity in the body. Basil has historically been used for dandruff as well as hair loss. The tonic action has traditionally restored the luster to hair.

I applied three drops into the scalp at night and the aroma is very intense right after it is applied. You will most likely feel a tingling sensation for a short while as well.

I noticed that my hair looked shinier after a few days, and it had a different glow to it.

The essential oils of basil, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, geranium, yarrow, and sandalwood have historically been used for dry hair.

The essential oils of elemi, lemon, mandarin, orange, petitgrain, tangerine, rosemary, birch, lavender, cypress and yarrow have historically been used for oily hair.

Vinegar has been used in skin and hair care since the Victorian era and is historically known for removing oil and shampoo residue from the hair. Witch hazel can also be used in this way.

According to Valerie Ann Worwood you can mix 1 tbl of cider vinegar and 3 drops of essential oils to half a pint of water for dry hair. Add this blend to a bowl and run it through your final rinse when wash your hair.

Worwood also recommends to use 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar with 1 drop of essential oil for oily hair and to use the same way as the vinegar rinse above.

You can also use herbs to add high lights and shine to hair. If you want to hide gray hair you can use strong herbal infusions.

Use rosemary and sage herbs for dark hair as well as to cover gray hair.

Use calendula and madder rose for red and auburn hair.

Use chamomile and fresh lemon juice for light hair.

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Throat Spray

1/2 cup of Chamomile herbal tea
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon raw honey or sage honey - see below for instructions
3 drops of lemon
1 drop frankincense
1 drop of tea tree

Or use your own essential oils combination. Other oils traditionally used for sore throats are:
Geranium, pine, cypress, thyme, peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, cajuput, sandalwood, niaouli.

Make sure that you use high quality essential oils that has been recommended as dietary supplements.

Instructions:
Brew the herbal tea and strain it well. Add the vinegar to the herbal tea, mix the essential oils with the honey and add to the tea mix. Pour it into a glass spray bottle and shake well before each use. One to two spray is enough each time. Use wisely three times a day. Don't eat within 15 minutes after using the spray.

Honey
1 1/2 cups of raw honey
1/4 fresh sage leaves

Heat honey over low heat. Add the sage leaves and heat gently until the sage leaves become dry. Strain with a slotted spoon or sieve. Pour the honey into a clean glass jar. You can add a fresh sage leaf or two to the final honey. 

You can also use herbal teas as a base for a gargle when the lymph nodes are swollen.
1 cup thyme or sage herbal tea. Water will work too. You can also combine the thyme and sage.
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sage honey
1 drop geranium
1 drop pine
1 drop lemon

Brew the herbal tea and strain. Add apple cider vinegar. Mix the essential oils with the honey and then add to the warm herbal tea. Stir well and pour into a dark glass bottle. Shake the bottle before use and gargle three times a day. Don't eat right after you gargle. You can of also gargle with just the herbal tea and honey, and you can also choose your own essential oil combination.

Thyme and sage are antibacterial and astringent and apple cider vinegar is said to alleviate sore throats and colds. The essential oils in this blend are anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiphlogistic, astringent and antiviral.

Make sure that you look over the safety page.

References
Aromatherapy Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate, and Heal, Valeri Gennari Cooksley, R.N, Prentice Hall Press, 2002.
Essential Oils Intergrative Medical Guide, Gary Young, ND, Essential Science Publishing, 2006
The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, Salvatore Battaglia, The Perfect Potion Pty Ltd, 1997

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Body Health

Vit A

healthy teeth, gums, bones, soft tissues and skin

Beta carotene

antioxidant, prevents blindness, improves

asthma and bronchitis, may lower risk of cancers

Vit C

antioxidant helps absorb iron, promotes wound-healing

Calcium

bones & teeth, muscle contraction, heart health

Vit E

antioxidant forms red blood cells, reduces free radicals

and prevents blood clots from forming

Fiber

improves elimination, contributes to satiation

Folate

forms red blood cells, needed for DNA, cell function

Iron

allows red blood cells to transport oxygen

Vit K

helps with blood clotting, bone health

Lutein

protects eyes from oxidative stress and blindness

Magnesium

nerve impulses, energy production, body temp

regulation, detoxification, bones & teeth health

Omega 3

(small amounts) all cellular membranes, reduces

inflammation, heart disease and sticky platelets

Pantothenic acid

essential for metabolism of food, key in

production of hormones and cholesterol
Potassium fluid regulation, heart and kidney health

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Soothing Lotion Bars

A lotion bar is a great alternative to a liquid water-based body lotion. I make them for the whole family, and they make great gifts during the holidays. A body lotion bar contains oil and is solid, which makes it ideal for children to use.

Lotion bars are extremely cost effective since it melts on contact with skin. As a result, less of the bar is used. There is one draw back: the skin will become greasy if too much of the bar is used. You can use ingredients such as bees wax, Shea butter, cocoa butter, almond oil, and essential oils.

The original recipe I used calls for 6 ounces cocoa butter, 6 ounces Shea butter, and 1 ounce vegetable oil. I cut the recipe in half since I didn't need as many this time. I only needed a few for my gift baskets. 30 drops of lavender were also added, but not needed.

The butters have a strong aroma which may cancel out the essential oils. That is, if you decide to add them just for their fragrance. I decided to use my calendula and lavender infused relaxing oil instead of regular vegetable oil.

The Shea and cocoa butters were placed in a glass bowl and put on top of a pan full of hot water to melt. Shea butter is actually a wax in semi-solid form. It is made from the nuts of the Shea nut tree in South Africa. It is high in vitamin E, has a slightly sunscreen effect, and softens the skin.

Cocoa butter is a wax from the cocoa bean. It has emollient qualities and absorbs quickly into the skin. Good for all skin types, but avoid if prone to skin allergy reactions.

Once the butters were melted, I added the rest of the ingredients.

I mixed well.

Since these are meant as gifts I used small cupcake molds, but you can make them bigger.

The smaller sizes are also perfect for little hands.

Here are the bars a few hours later. I suggest that you use bees wax if you want them fairly hard since these bars are softer. I prefer them a little bit harder so I will use 1 part beeswax, 1 part oil, 1 part cocoa or Shea butter when I make my body bars next time. You make it the same way, melt it all together, add essential oils if desired, and place in molds.

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Calendula Salve

A soothing and healing salve. Rub into sore or inflamed muscles, apply to minor cuts, scrapes, insect bites, rashes, diaper rashes, stretch marks, chapped lips, chafed skin, bruises, and other skin irritations.

4 oz Calendula flower infused herbal oil (from above recipe)
½ oz Beeswax
20 drops organic Lavender essential oil (optional)

Coarsely chop the beeswax or use beeswax pastilles. Melt beeswax and Calendula oil over a double boiler. Once melted, remove from burner and stir in the Lavender essential oil. Pour into tins or glass jars. Allow to cool thoroughly before using or placing caps on the jars.

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Calendula & Shea Butter Lip Balm

This nourishing lip balm is made from healing ingredients which soothe dry and chapped lips.

1 Tablespoon Shea Butter
3 Tablespoons Calendula Herbal Oil (from above recipe)
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Beeswax
10-15 drops essential oil of choice
A few drops of Vitamin E Oil

Coarsely chop the beeswax or use beeswax pastilles. Place beeswax, butter, and oil in a small pot or glass Pyrex measuring cup and gently heat in the top of a double boiler until the beeswax and butters have melted. Once melted, remove from the stovetop and stir in the essential oil and Vitamin E Oil. Immediately pour the mixture into lip balm tubes or small containers. This recipe will make approximately 1.5 oz of lip balm, enough to fill 10 lip balm tubes, 6 of your 1/4 oz plastic jars, or 3 1/2 oz tins or plastic jars.

Calendula officinalis has been used for centuries to heal wounds and skin irritations.

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Healing Calendula Spray

A healing spray that can be misted on burns, insect bites, rashes, minor cuts and scrapes, bee stings, inflammations, bug bites, or used as a medicinal and soothing facial toner for acne or other skin irritations.

4 oz organic Calendula Flower Water (Hydrosol)
15 drops organic Lavender essential oil
10 drops Calendula Herbal Extract/Tincture (optional)

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 4 oz bottle with a mister top. Use as often as desired!

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Calendula Compress

A soothing and medicinal treatment that’s effective and simple to prepare. Calendula compresses can be applied to burns, cuts and scrapes, bee stings, bug bites, inflammations, and other skin irritations. They can even be used on animals with minor skin conditions or injured paws.

Pour 1 cup boiling water over fresh or dried Calendula flowers, cover, and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, strain out flowers and reserve the remaining liquid. Create a compress by soaking a clean cloth in the herbal infusion and placing it on the skin. This process is gentle and may be repeated several times a day.

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Natural Home Solutions: Removing Soap Scum from a Glass Shower Door

Many people, when asked, would define soap scum as that irritating, cloudy residue on their tub or shower door!

Soap scum is a white build-up consisting of minerals from the water, dirt, bacteria, and sloughed-off skin. The very best way to keep soap scum off glass shower doors is to prevent it from happening in the first place by wiping the glass completely dry after every shower.

But who has the time for that?

Soap scum forms quickly in my shower due to the extremely hard water that comes from the tap. But thankfully, there are several ways to get rid of it.

Instructions

Prevention

1. In a spray bottle, combine a mixture of 2 parts white vinegar and 1 part water.
2. Leave spray bottle in the shower and spray on the glass after every use.
3. Allow to air dry. (Note: It is best to use a squeegee if you have one available.)     

Solution

   Gather the following ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons borax
• 1 teaspoon castile soap
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cup hot water
• 10 drops tea tree oil
1. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.
2. Spray mixture on glass and allow to penetrate. Follow with a sponge or brush.
3. Rinse off. Dry.

Alternative

1. When the job calls for a more heavy duty scrub here's my favorite soft scrub alternative (Note: It's actually the same one I use to clean my toilets.):
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• Enough liquid castile soap to form a paste
• 5 drops tea tree oil
• 5 drops of lemon, lemongrass, or sweet orange oil (optional)
2. Add liquid castile soap to baking soda slowly until paste is formed. Then proceed to add tea tree oil and optional antiseptic essential oils.
3. Apply scrub to sponge for use on shower doors.
4. Allow paste to stay on glass for 5-10 minutes. Spray with vinegar and wipe off with sponge.
5. Rinse off. Dry.

The results of these cleaning methods really are remarkable. See the difference for yourself!

Tips and Notes

-The best time to clean soap scum is right after taking a warm shower. The heat and steam aid in loosening the scum and allow a bit more ease when scrubbing.
-Tea tree oil is a natural fungicide and carries many antiseptic properties. Tea tree oil will kill most of the bacteria found in the soap scum and help prevent growth.
-Dislike the smell of vinegar...fear not! The vinegar smell will fade within a few hours of cleaning.

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Homemade Probiotic Deodorant
-1 tbsp. cocoa butter
-1 tbsp. coconut oil
-1 tbsp. shea butter
-1 tbsp. beeswax
-2 1/2 tbsp. arrowroot powder
-1 tbsp. baking soda
-1/4 tsp. vitamin E oil (as a preservative)
-15 drops essential oil of your choice
-2 or 3 capsules powdered probiotics

Melt cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax over low heat.

Add arrowroot powder and baking soda. Whisk with chopsticks until all powders are dissolved and combined. Remove pot from heat. Add vitamin E oil and essential oils at this time. Allow mixture to cool in pan. Once it is cooled and the consistency of pudding, open capsules of probiotics and add powder to mixture. Stir with spatula quickly to combine.

Add mixture to clean, used deodorant container. Place in refrigerator to cool and harden. After this, product may be stored on counter (Note: Using a shelf stable probiotic such as Bio-Kult will prevent the need for refrigeration). This recipe will fill container and last for 3-4 months. Remember...a little goes a long way!