Spa Quality Facial Cleanser & Facial Mask

Most exfoliating scrubs use harsh abrasives that can tear the skin, making great little pockets for bacteria to settle in. That's how a well scrubbed face can still get pimples.



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oatmeal
1 tablespoon almonds
2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers
1 teaspoon french green clay
1/4 teaspoon matcha tea
5 drops lavender essential oil

Grind oats, almonds, and flowers in a clean coffee grinder until finely powdered. Sift through a mesh screen to remove larger pieces. Run the larger pieces through the coffee grinder a second time. Add clay, matcha, and essential oil to the powder and mix thoroughly. Store in a glass jar.

To use, mix a small amount with water, milk, cream, yogurt or hydrosol until a smooth paste forms. Apply to slightly damp skin and gently massage with fingertips, avoiding the sensitive areas around the eyes and lips.  When finished, rinse off with cool water.

To use as a mask, simply apply a light layer on the face, making sure to avoid the delicate skin area around the eyes and mouth. Leave on for 10 minutes or until the mask feels taught and dry, then rinse off with cool water. For dry or sensitive skin types, leave on for 5 minutes or less.

Customizable Herbal Castile Shampoo

Create a shampoo that is just for you, customized to your needs and wants without harmful chemicals, SLS, or other allergen triggers.

Ingredients:            
1/2 cup distilled water
1/2 tsp. olive or jojoba oil
1/2 cup pure liquid castile soap 
1 tsp. xanthan gum
10-40 drops of essential or therapeutic oil
dried herbs (optional)

If using herbs, bring the water to a boil, then remove from heat.   Put the loose herbs into a tea strainer and steep in the boiled water for 20 to 40 minutes.  Discard the herbs. Allow the herbal water to cool to room temperature. You need 1/2 cup liquid herbal water to add to the shampoo, so expect to add more in the beginning as it will evaporate or be lost to the herb dregs.

Place the (herbal or unaltered) water and oils (if using oils your combined total must be no more than 40 drops)in a blender and turn it on. With the motor running, add in the xanthan gum and mix until thickened, about 5 seconds.

Turn off the motor and add the castile soap. Replace the cover and quickly pulse 3-4 times to thoroughly emulsify. Don’t overdo it or you will have a gigantic sudsy mess.

Pour into a labeled bottle and store for up to a month without refrigeration.

Dried Herb Master List
If you see an herb listed multiple times, it is considered a balancer and can be used to treat the PH balance, therefore making it useful all around. Pick and choose as you will.

Normal hair: basil, calendula, chamomile, horsetail, lavender, linden flowers, nettle, parsley, rosemary, sage

Dry hair and scalp: calendula, chamomile, elder flowers, horsetail, lavender, marshmallow root, nettle, parsley, sage

Oily hair and scalp: bay leaf, calendula, chamomile, horsetail, lemon balm, lavender, lemon peel, lemongrass, nettle, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, witch hazel bark (not the liquid astringent), yarrow leaf and flower

Scalp conditions (dandruff, sensitive skin, inflammation, itchiness, dermatitis): burdock root, calendula, chamomile, eucalyptus, horsetail, lavender, marshmallow root, nettle, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme

Hair loss/thinning: basil, nettle, rosemary, sage

Golden highlights: calendula, chamomile, hops flowers, sunflower petals

Dark highlights: black tea, black walnut hulls (crushed or chopped), comfrey root, nettle, rosemary, sage

Red highlights: calendula, hibiscus flowers, red clover flowers, rose hips, red Rose petals

Essential Oils for Hair Care:
Before choosing an essential oil, be sure to test it for an allergic reaction before using on direct contact with your skin as it is a concentrate.

Normal hair: carrot seed, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, geranium, juniper, lavender, lemon, orange, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, thyme, ylang ylang

Dry hair: carrot seed, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, jasmine, lavender, orange, rosemary, sandalwood, ylang ylang

Oily Hair: basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, eucalyptus, geranium, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, orange, peppermint, rosemary, sage, tea tree, thyme, ylang ylang

Scalp conditions (dandruff, sensitive skin, itchiness, inflammation, dermatitis): cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, lavender, lemon, marjoram, orange, patchouli, rose, rosemary, sage, thyme, tea tree, ylang ylang

Hair loss/thinning: basil, cypress, lavender, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, ylang ylang

Beach Bunny Body Scrub

I'm not a sun tanning kind of gal. in fact, I moon tan more than I sun tan. I love the beach though and the smells of cocoa butter. This body scrub has a good bit of that.

Ingredients
brown sugar
3 oz coconut oil
15 drops sweet orange essential oil
1/2 teaspoon Vitamin E oil

Apply just enough oil to make a paste with brown sugar. Massage all over body. Rinse well.

Note: You can mix the oils ahead of time and store in a glass bottle. Add enough of the oil mixture to brown sugar right before using. Coconut oil has a great shelf life.

Coconut Moisturizing Shampoo For Dry Hair

Personally I don't have dry hair. I have hair that does what it wants when it wants and at different parts in hysterics at opposite spectrums. If you do, this may be helpful.

Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup castile soap
30 drops essential oil (If you get dandruff I suggest tea tree oil)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in an empty shampoo bottle or jar and shake.The mixture will keep in the shower for one to two months. Shake well before each use.

NOTE: If you find that your hair remains oily and still heavy use apple cider vinegar to rinse it out.

Fabulous Head to Toe Bar Soap

Use the crockpot soapmaking tutorial pages offered on this blog to make this soap. It's great for hair as well as cleaning your body. Most people that I know who use bar shampoo don't bother with liquid shampoos any more. All weights are gathered using a kitchen scale. If you eyeball it or go by liquid measurement, you will not get good results.

Ingredients
9 ounces coconut oil
9 ounces olive oil
5 ounces castor oil
3 ounces jojoba oil
2 ounces shea butter
2 ounces cocoa butter
1 ounce beeswax
4 ounces water
6 ounces coconut milk (or an herbal infusion of water)
4 ounces lye

Optional Essential Oils
Rosemary and peppermint for dark hair
Lavender and lemon for blonde hair
Lime and coconut for all types
*Use approximately 0.5-1 ounce of essential oils for this recipe.

Directions
Place the water and coconut milk into a large glass measuring cup. Measure out the lye by weight into a 1 cup measuring glass. Carefully add the lye into the liquid and stir to combine. (Adding the liquid to the lye could cause and eruption so be careful. The liquid is caustic.) The outside of the bowl will be extremely hot. Allow the lye mixture to stay under a vent and cool down while you prepare the oils.

Measure all oils, by using a kitchen scale, and pour into a pot. Warm oils and beeswax on low heat until all are melted. Pour melted oils into a crock pot. Be sure the crock pot is on the lowest setting.
 Add the lye/liquid mixture to the oils in the crock pot and stir. Note: Any equipment the lye touches needs to be neutralized in a mixture of vinegar, soap, and water. Vinegar will neutralize the lye. After a brief stir, grab your stick blender and get to work! Blend the oils, lye, and liquid in the crock pot for at least 3-5 minutes. We are working toward ”trace.” Blend until the mixture becomes a thick, pudding like consistency.

Once the mixture is pudding-like, cover the crock pot and “cook” the soap for approximately 1 hour. By the end, the mixture should have folded in on itself and it should be completely transparent. Turn off the crock pot. Prepare the molds. Add the essential oils (if using). Spoon soap mixture into molds.

Allow soap to cool and harden for 24 hours. Remove from mold on to cutting board and cut into 1 inch thick bars. Place bars on a tray with good airflow so that they can harden further.

Basic Body Wash and Hand Soap

Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a no-no in my house. Yes, it technically is natural, but I have an allergy to it, so I can't use just about all soap found on the market. In the case that I'm too lazy to make my deluxe body wash, this is my standby using goats milk castile bar soap.

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) bar of castile soap, any type
1 gallon distilled water
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerine
essential oils (optional)

Store unused soap in a cool, dark place. If you're a nervous Nelly type, you can store it in the refrigerator.

Bring the water to a boil in a large non-reactive pot (stainless steel or glass). Grate the bar of soap on a metal box grater. Add the soap shavings and vegetable glycerine to the boiling water, stirring frequently, until the soap shavings are completely dissolved into the water. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and let rest undisturbed overnight or for at least 8 hours. 

After it has rested, break up with an egg beater or with a hand mixer until smooth. If it is too solid, warm over the heat again, add a little distilled water and let cool again to test the consistency. Repeat until you reach the desired viscosity for your soap. 

Put a funnel into the now empty distilled water jug and ladle the soap into the jug. Ladle any extra soap into empty hand soap bottles or jars with tight fitting lids. 

Store any unused soap in a dark, cool place. It should have the consistency of snot (eww). If it is too thin, add more soap shavings. Too thick, add more water. Do not use typical bath bar soap as the extra additives in it will not come out correctly 9 out of 10 times.

Simple Herbal Castille Shampoos

Homemade shampoo is not as thick or lathering as store-bought varieties, but it will effectively clean hair with nourishing ingredients and botanicals. Because this shampoo is so much gentler, you can expect that your hair will not feel as squeaky-clean after washing. This is because it will not be stripped of its natural oils!

Ingredients:
8 oz water
3 oz liquid castille soap
1-2 tablespoons dried organic herbs of choice (see list below)
20-60 drops essential oil (see list below)
1/4 tsp  Jojoba or glycerine oil (adjust as needed – use more for dry hair or may omit for oily hair)

Make an herbal infusion by pouring boiling water over the herbs, cover, and allow them to steep for at least 4 hours. Strain the herbs out and pour the reserved liquid into a bottle, then add Castille soap and oils. Your herbal shampoo is now ready to use! Always shake well before use since the contents will naturally separate.

Herbs for Hair Care

Normal hair: basil, calendula, chamomile, horsetail, lavender, linden flowers, nettle, parsley leaf, rosemary, sage, watercress

Dry hair and scalp: burdock root, calendula, chamomile, comfrey leaf, elder flowers, horsetail, lavender, marshmallow root, nettle, parsley leaf, sage

Oily hair and scalp: bay leaf, burdock root, calendula, chamomile, horsetail, lemon balm, lavender, lemon peel, lemongrass, nettle, peppermint, rosemary, thyme, witch hazel bark, yarrow leaf and flower

Scalp conditions (dandruff, sensitive skin, inflammation, itchiness, dermatitis): burdock root, calendula, chamomile, comfrey leaf, eucalyptus, horsetail, lavender, marshmallow root, nettle, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme

Hair loss/thinning: basil, nettle, rosemary, sage

Golden highlights: calendula, chamomile, lemon, sunflower petals

Dark highlights: black Tea, black Walnut hulls (crushed or chopped), comfrey root, nettle, rosemary, sage

Red highlights: calendula, henna, hibiscus flowers, red clover flowers, rose hips, red rose petals

Essential Oils for Hair Care

Normal hair: carrot seed, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, geranium, juniper, lavender, lemon, orange, rosemary, sage, sandalwood, thyme, ylang ylang

Dry hair: carrot seed, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, geranium, jasmine, lavender, orange, rosemary, sandalwood, ylang ylang

Oily Hair: basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, eucalyptus, geranium, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, orange, peppermint, rosemary, sage, tea tree, thyme, ylang ylang.

Scalp Conditions (dandruff, sensitive skin, itchiness, inflammation, dermatitis): cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, lavender, lemon, marjoram, myrrh, orange, patchouli, rose, rosemary, sage, thyme, tea tree, ylang ylang.
  
Hair loss/thinning: basil, cypress, lavender, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, ylang ylang

Ginger Lemon Body Scrub

There's very little that makes me feel fresher and reinvigorated than fresh lemon. I've made this body scrub as a part of a gift basket several times, and it always gets a lot of rave comments.

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp freshly grated, peeled ginger
zest from one organic lemon

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well. In the shower or bath, scrub your body lightly with the mixture and rinse well. This should keep in the refrigerator (if necessary) for up to a week. But I highly recommend you use it immediately.

Rose and Calendula Body Wash

If you're like me, you hav amazingly sensitive, dry skin naturally. Most normal soap makes my skin dry out and crack, especially on my hands. I make my own body washes and soaps, or I use Bert's Bees or Johnson and Johnson's if I am really pressed for time. The ingredients in this body wash are so gentle and hydrating and healing that you're sure to see an improvement in your skin after a week. It's also safe for your face and mild enough for use on infants.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon calendula petals (pot marigold)
1 tablespoon rose petals
1/4 cup milliliters water
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
100 gram bar of castille or lye soap, finely grated
1 1/2 cups water
essential oil (optional)

Boil calendula, rose petals and 100 ml water. Remove from heat and steep for 15 minutes. Strain. Add glycerin oil. Set aside. In a separate pan melt grated soap and 400 ml of water, whisking until smooth. Add two mixes together with 15-20 drops of essential oil. Pour into a plastic bottle. Shake well before using.
Shelf life 1 year.

Liquified Soap

Typically I buy hand soap 4 bottles at a time once a year... For their bottle, of course. This is because I make my own liquid hand soap out of soap that I've made or a soap that I trust. Here's how you do it:

Ingredients:
8 oz. bar of soap, grated finely
2 Tablespoons glycerine
1 gallon distilled water, hot

Add the soap to the water and cook over a low heat until well mixed. If you need to whisk it, remove from heat first. Allow to cool. Refill your old soap bottles and still have a reserve for refills.


***If you want a antimicrobial hand soap, add 6 drops of tea tree oil to each soap container.