One of the most important things we can do to keep our face looking young and healthy, is cleaning it properly. It is also a snap to create natural cleansers that not only lack the harsh and destructive chemicals that conventional cleansers use, but can also be customized to fit our skin type, and can even be adapted to different needs for each season. In addition to those wonderful benefits, it often costs much less to make our own products, as we aren’t paying for mass production and advertising.
The recipes below are all wonderful; simply give one that seems like a good fit a try. Just remember no two faces are the same; and what may work for someone else, might not work for you.
Oil-Based Cleansing Paste for All Skin Types
3 ounces Almond Oil
4 ounces Ground Almonds
2 ounces Cider Vinegar
2 ounces Spring Water (or Distilled)
6 drops of your choice of Essential Oil(s)
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix for a good two minutes until a smooth paste is obtained. Store in a jar, and use as a regular cleanser.
The Essential Oils of Clary Sage, Lemon, Lime, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Chamomile, Geranium, and Lavender are all good choices for this recipe and the one following it, because of their wonderful cleansing properties.
Multipurpose Cleansing Oil
2 ounces Grapeseed Oil
4 teaspoons Sunflower Oil
4 teaspoons Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon Wheatgerm Oil
5 drops of your choice of Essential Oil(s)
Blend all the oils together then add essential oils and blend again. This can be used as a cleanser and make-up remover.
Rich Cleansing Cream
This recipe is best for dehydrated skin
½ ounce Beeswax
1 ounce Lanolin Hydrous
2 ounces Almond Oil
1 ounce Avocado Oil
1 ounce Grapeseed Oil
3 ounces Pure Spring Water (or Distilled)
2 drops Clary Sage
2 drops Lemon
Using a double boiler, melt the beeswax, lanolin, vegetable oils and stir well. Then add the essential oils and take the pot off the heat and slowly add in the water. Mix in a blender or whisk until the mixture is cold. Use as a regular cleanser, and store in a jar.
Cocoa Butter Cleanser
3 ounces Cocoa Butter
1 ½ ounce warm Grapeseed Oil
1 ½ ounce warm Spring Water (or Distilled)
1 drop Rose Maroc
1 drop Sandalwood
Using a double boiler, melt the cocoa butter then add the spring water and the grapeseed oil. Mix in a blender or whisk until cold. When the mixture has cooled add the essential oils. Store in a jar, and use as a regular cleanser.
Almond Face Rinse
This recipe is suitable for all skin types
3 ounces Ground Almonds
3 ounces Cornflour
3 ounces grated Pure Vegetable Soap
2 drops Geranium
2 drops Lemon
1 drop Hyssop
Mix the almonds, cornflour, and soap in a blender. When well mixed add the essential oils and blend again. Store dry and use a small amount mixed with water in your palm to wash your face. Rinse well.
I know what you’re saying, “These recipes contain oil! They’ll clog my pores!” But when it comes to skin, not all oils are created equally. Vegetable oils do not clog your pores, and help moisturize your skin so well that your own sebaceous glands can cut back on producing your natural body oils. These oils can build up and clog your pores; therefore vegetable oils help to regulate acne, and other facial breakouts.
Trust me on this one. I have been using vegetable oils in skin care for three years now, and I am still a young adult with facial blemishes. My acne problems have significantly decreased since I’ve started using aromatherapy and vegetable oils to cleanse and hydrate my skin. Give them a try.
Recipes pulled from:
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood
Tagged: AromatherapyEssential Oilsnatural beautyfacial cleanserSkin Care
Source: whispersoftheearth.wordpress.com
(Sorry for the horrible quality. I had to take a picture of the cookbook page.)
Once you try this gluten-free Southwest quinoa pilaf with its rich nutty flavor, you may never go back to traditional rice. Quinoa is a complete protein, supplying all the essential amino acids in balanced form. The added beans and vegetables make this a one dish meal!
Ingredients:
- ½ poblano pepper
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 small crookneck squash
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 1 cup boiling water
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½-1 teaspoon New Mexico red chile powder (mild, medium, or hot)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fresh oregano (1/4 teaspoon dried)
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely sliced green onions
- 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed if canned
- ½ cup minced cilantro leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon salt (eliminate if there is salt in the chicken broth)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup piñon (pine nuts)
Roast the poblano and bell pepper, squash, and garlic, then peel and finely chop them (you don’t need to peel the squash). Pour the boiling water over the sun-dried tomatoes and soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain and finely chop after rehydrated.
Place the quinoa in a small bowl and add enough water to cover. Swish it around a bit, then drain. Repeat until the water runs clear. You may also put the quinoa in an ultra-fine strainer, but if the holes are too big the tiny grains will slip right through.
In a medium saucepan, mix together the quinoa, chicken broth, chile powder, cumin and oregano; bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the grain has absorbed all the broth. Remove from the burner and place in an appropriate bowl; toss with olive oil. Immediately add all the other ingredients, including the roasted vegetables, and toss. Serve warm.
Calories per serving: 238
Total Fat: 9g
This Recipe was Copied from The Healthy Southwest Table by Janet E. Taylor
Tagged: entreegluten-freequinoaSouthwestpilafhealthyvegetarian
Source: whispersoftheearth.wordpress.com
Increase your success in the garden and enhance your own attunement to the natural flow of the seasons by gardening in synchrony with the powers that be; the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon. These bodies determine when and where and how to plant your garden. Plants follow the rhythm of the earth and sun, their life cycle attuned to precisely to the length of the day and the temperature of the soil and air. Like tides, plants also naturally respond to the pull of the moon, as they contain so much water.
Again, keen observation leads to greater gardening success. Throughout the year, spend time outside each day and every evening to notice when and where the sun rises an sets, the shifting of the shadows, the freezing patterns. In spring watch the trees and bushes observing their time of sprouting and bloom. Take the temperature of your soil frequently in the spring or whenever you plan to plant; each plant has a preferred soil temperature for ideal germination.
Learn your last and first average dates of frost, found in the newspaper, online, or by contacting your local plant nursery or extension office. With this information, you will know when to start seeds indoors, when to move transplants into the garden or start seeds outdoors, and where your plants can use extra help like a cold frame (a box with a glass or fiberglass lid that provides protection from frost, snow, and wind during the cooler months).
Notice which parts of your garden might be a separate microclimate, a spot that is different than the prevailing climate. Microclimates might include reflected heat from a stone wall, the shade of a tree, or a cool and wet gully. Soil temperatures and water levels will differ in these areas. Look for warmer spots and reflected light for plants like tomatoes and peppers, and seek dappled light or moister soil for plants that crave cool, like spinach and peas. You can even create your own microclimate by incorporating small ponds to reflect light, building mounds to create areas of shade and sun, or removing and planting shrubs and trees. For a detailed discussion of microclimates, refer to Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden.
Observing shade, sun, water, and microclimates throughout the year throughput the year will help your garden year-round by allowing you to match plant’s needs to available resources. A greenhouse or a cold frame can further extend your planting and harvesting beyond frost. A simple winter greenhouse can be constructed out of a sturdy frame and plastic sheeting. Place your cold frame or greenhouse in an area that gets lots of winter sunlight and be sure to monitor for overheating or drying out. Plant seeds in your frame in the fall for winter greens and at the end of winter for an early spring harvest.
Due to lack of summer pests and weeds, a cold frame takes very little tending and provides for a splendid winter salad. Just a few of the vegetables suited to a cold frame include root veggies, salad greens, asparagus, parsley, and onions. You can also use your cold frame to get a jump on the warm season by using it as a nursery for plants like tomatoes.
An even easier way to grow cool season crops is with a row cover, a clear plastic or cloth draped over short supports along a row or part of a row. Inverted U-shaped medium-gauge wire, tall enough to clear the crops, makes a simple and inexpensive support. Secure ends of the plastic cover with rocks or by burying an inch or two. During the heat of the day, vent by pulling the edge of your cover back. Row covers and cold frames can be purchased at many garden stores, and even online at www.seedsofchange.com. For more information on winter gardening and a full list of cool-season vegetables, see Eliot Coleman’s Four-Season Harvest.
An even deeper relationship with the land can be explored through your inner knowing. A sacred gardener takes time to listen directly to his or her plants, sensing their individual light, warmth, and gravitational needs. All gardens have their own personality as well as their own microclimates, so listening to the garden itself is key in determining when to plant, harvest, and perform other tasks. Get to know your land’s rhythms and quirks by listening with your whole self.
To feel the rhythm of your land, place your hands on the largest tree in the yard, one on either side of the trunk. Feel into the tree and notice what you feel in your hands. You may also see energy or hear it as a rhythm or tone. You may feel two pulses, the spiral going around the tree sunwise and the spiral going between the earth and the tree.
When you get a sense of these rhythms and any other information, move to another plant. Ask the plants and the garden when to plant, prune, and fertilize. After you have checked in with a scattering of plants, you will have a good idea of when and where it will be best to plant, and the special needs of each plant or area.
This article was adapted from Sacred Land by Clea Danaan
Tagged: organicgardeningmicroclimatescold framepreparing soilsoil
Source: whispersoftheearth.wordpress.com
This little plant is very dear to my heart. It is one most people in America are familiar with under the name of Johnny-Jump-Up, and has been used for medicine and magic for centuries. I first learned of it when I was a very small child because it grew rampant around my great-grandmother’s house. Now that I live in this house, I was very saddened to learn that my grandfather had poisoned these beauties into oblivion.
To rectify the problem, I have recently started a new colony of these wonderful plants, and plan to spread the seeds all over my land. They are a dear friend, and they are very good medicine.
The Properties of Heartsease: (See Herbal Terminology Page for definitions of words)
Anodyne, Demulcent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant, Laxative, Vulnerary
Uses for Heartsease Include:
Medicinal: Helps with skin problems, diarrhea, urinary problems, jaundice, gout, rheumatic problems, arteriosclerosis, asthma, bedwetting, nervous complaints, hysteria, cramps, and wounds. The flowers are also edible, and contain many antioxidants.
Cosmetic: It is useful for clearing up rashes and acne, and it helps soften the skin.
Energetic and Spiritual: Pansy is an herb which belongs to the element of Water, and is ruled by the planet Saturn. When worn or carried, it attracts love. Likewise if planted in a heart shape and the flowers thrive, so too will your love.
Applications of Heartsease:
Infusion: Steep 1-2 teaspoons leaves and flowers in ½ cup hot water. Strain and take 1 cup a day, a mouthful at a time, or use the infusion to wash rashes. This method is useful for all problems listed above.
Cold Extract: Soak 2-4 teaspoons leaves and flowers in 1 cup cold water for 8 hours. Strain and take 1 cup a day, a mouthful at a time, or use to wash rashes. This method is useful for all problems listed above.
Contraindications: Excessive doses or prolonged, continuous use can lead to skin problems.
Information Pulled From:
The Herb Book by John Lust
Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham
The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl
Tagged: pansyjohnny-jump-upeczemarashesedible flowersherbs
Source: whispersoftheearth.wordpress.com
The wordpress blog has just reached 5,000 views!~ I’m so happy! Thanks to everyone here who reads! It really means a lot to me. <3
One of the most important things we can do to keep our face looking young and healthy, is cleaning it properly. It is also a snap to create natural cleansers that not only lack the harsh and destructive chemicals that conventional cleansers use, but can also be customized to fit our skin type, and can even be adapted to different needs for each season. In addition to those wonderful benefits, it often costs much less to make our own products, as we aren’t paying for mass production and advertising.
I know what you’re saying, “These recipes contain oil! They’ll clog my pores!” But when it comes to skin, not all oils are created equally. Vegetable oils do not clog your pores, and help moisturize your skin so well that your own sebaceous glands can cut back on producing your natural body oils. These oils can build up and clog your pores; therefore vegetable oils help to regulate acne, and other facial breakouts.
