The best exfoliator in my arsenal- make your own Biore-type pore strips

When I was young, and idealistic, I decided I was going to grow old gracefully. I wasn't going to fight it, no hair dye, no anti-wrinkle cream, no poodle-perm, just accept myself, for who I am....ya right.
As I became "of a certain age" I found nothing graceful about it what..so..ever!
I noticed my skin becoming dull, and fine lines appearing... you know, the usual aging routine. I found out, quite by accident, that a lot of that is due to a thin layer of dry, skin. Not the flaky dry skin, but stuff that is really attached. I'd used all kinds of exfoliators, trying to remove it, loofa, pumice, expensive creams. Nothing really made a lot of difference. Then one day I found a recipe for homemade Biore-type gel. It works just as well as Biore, to remove stuff from your pores, by the way. But it had an added side effect, that really made my day, It peeled away, that dull layer of skin, I was left with bright, new, healthy, pink skin. A lot less lines, too. I use it about once a month.
Take that -Mother Nature! Now, if only I could do something, about those wiry grey hairs..

Ingredients:
1spoon unflavored gelatin
2 spoons water
Stir together, and microwave 10 seconds.Allow to cool 2-minutes, and spread onto skin.
Avoid getting any on your eyebrows or hairline. It will remove any hair it comes in contact with.
As a precaution, I wipe along my hairline and brows, with a wet cloth, just in case.
Let it dry, until your face feels really tight.
Peel away the dried gel. Splash water on you face to dissolve, any leftover particles. Pat dry, and follow with a light moisturizer, to protect the newly exposed skin.

In a microwave safe container, add 1spoon of unflavored gelatin.

Stir in, two spoons of water.

Microwave 10-seconds, and allow to cool 2-minutes, before applying it to your skin. make sure you put it on thick enough, that it will be easier to peel.

Peel.

Coconut Oil - Hand Cream

Coconut Oil - Hand Cream. You can find coconut oil, in the cooking oil section, of your grocer.

Spoon coconut oil into a jar. Heat it in the microwave, a few seconds, to melt.
Stir in a few drops of fragrance oil, if you like.
Allow to cool, until it becomes solid again.
To use it, just run your fingers across the oil, it melts at body temperature.
Rub onto your skin, it doesn't take much. A small container lasts a long time.

Make Your Own Vanilla Bean Parfum

Vanilla parfum and Madagascar Vanilla Parfum. You can get small spray bottles for about $1.00, or recycle an old one.

I make several different parfums, different scents for different moods, but vanilla is hands down, my favorite, to wear. I don't mean that fake-vanilla scent in many colognes, but the scent of real vanilla, like Pierre Montale-$130.00 a bottle, or Serge Lutens-$240.00 a bottle. I'm going to show you, how I make my favorite parfum, from vanilla beans, but first here's a little F.Y.I.
Did you know, Vanilla is considered one of the top aphrodisiacs? Musk and Jasmine are at the top of the list too.
Using high quality fragrance oils(synthetic), or essential oils, you can create high quality parfum, for less than a really cheap bottle of cologne.
In the parfum industry, there are universal measurement classifications, that are used. The fragrance is mixed with high quality, alcohol, a light neutral oil, (like jojoba, grape-seed, or fractionated-coconut oils.) and distilled water

Parfum is 20-30% scent, such as extracts, essential oils, or fragrance oils
Eau de Pafum is 15 % scent
Cologne is 5% scent
Splash is 1-2% scent

First extract the scent from vanilla beans by:
Put 3-5 vanilla beans in a jar, with a lid, and cover with vodka. Place the lid, and set it in a dark cool place. Shake once a week. Steep for 6 months. You can speed up the process, considerably, if you split the beans, cut them into small pieces, then cover with vodka. Steep for 2-3months, or until it has a strong vanilla aroma. Strain before using. I use a coffee filter, in a funnel.

Ingredients for the parfum:
2Tbl. oil - used to make the scent, cling to your skin
6Tbl. vodka (it's almost as pure as the alcohol used in parfumery)
2Tbl. distilled water
1/4cup of the vanilla, you extracted
Add all ingredients to a spray bottle. shake well. I let it blend for a couple of weeks, before I start using the fragrance, shaking once a day. Once you begin using the parfum, shake before each use.

Optional-( For a Madagascar Vanilla type parfum, I add a drop or two, each  of, Jasmine fragrance oil , Musk fagrance Oil , Lemon Sugar fragrance Oil , Amber Romace fragrance oil , I get from Natures Gardens.

Let the beans steep for 6 months.

As a perfume doth remain,
In the folds where it hath lain,
So the thought of you, remaining,
Deeply folded in my brain,
Will not leave me, all things leave me,
You remain.
From_'You Remain'- Aurthur Symons

Moisturizing, nourishing hair mask

My poor hair has been looking a bit rough lately, so I threw together my favorite hair mask. I've heard it said, that some people have had problems, with banana leaving particles (banana seeds) in their hair, after washing. This photo was taken after my hair dried. I only combed it once, right after I towel dried. I never see particles, and my hair feels so much softer and manageable, after just one use. It feels lighter than conditioner.
Any of these ingredients can be used on skin, too.

1 can coconut milk-(moisturizes, nourishes, helps with frizz)
3 bananas-(moisturizes, nourishes)
1 peeled avocado-(moisturizes, nourishes)
2Tbl. honey- (a humectant, and helps with frizz )
1tsp. almond oil-(moisturizes, helps with frizz, for shine)
1tsp. vinegar- (for shine)
1/2tsp almond extract-(fragrance)
1/2tsp vanilla extract-(fragrance)
Puree all ingredients, in a blender, for 5 minutes. Saturate dry hair, with the mask. (It will not be thick.) Wrap your hair in plastic wrap for one hour. Refrigerate remainder.
Give your family the 'Vulcan Salute' or say, "I come in peace", or "Nan-oo nan-oo" because you look like a bad sci-fi movie.
After 1-hour, rinse well, and wash hair. It's OK to use a conditioner too, if you hair is very dry.
I also use 1 cup, in my bath,  for a moisturizing, bath soak.  I use it, before each hair washing, until I have emptied the container. Makes 2 to 3 cups.

Here are some other ingredients that can be beneficial.

yogurt-(softens and makes hair manageable)
egg-( for splitting hair, nourishes)
cucumber-(moisturizes, nourishes)
lemon-(brightens blonde hair)
cocoa powder-(moisturizes and deepens dark hair)
strawberry-(shine, nourishes)
Kiwi-(moisturizes, nourishes)
milk-(moisturizes)

Bath Bomb Fizzies

            Handmade soap, soy fragrance tarts, perfume and bath bombs

Instead of baking today I decided to make a batch of bath bombs . A bath bomb in action. Drop one in the tub and inhale.
These are so easy, and you can make them in your favorite scents.
I made this batch using "OMG Olive" from Natures Garden. A soft citrus-vanilla-musk blend.

Recipe: and  Tutorial
3cups baking soda
1cup citric acid
1/2oz. fragrance oil
a few drops of food coloring
a spray bottle of water (I don't use witch hazel)
This made 17 -half sized -bombs
I get my fragrance oils from Natures Garden  and  Daystar
the citric acid from  http://stores.ebay.com/essentialdepot

Mix together baking soda and citric acid. Blend in fragrance and color. moisten with water until it begins to stick together, like wet sand.

Press into any mold (I Make mine into only 1/2 bombs) and dry overnight. Keep them in storage bags. You can use them the next day. 

Honey as a lipbalm

Honey -Some people are allergic to honey, and should not use this remedy.

Did you know honey is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial? It has been used for thousands of years to treat dry, cracked lips. Just dab a very tiny amount on your lips, several times a day. You'll notice the difference after the first application. You'll find, it's really hard to resist licking your lips, because of honey's delightful sweetness. I prefer to use undiluted honey but, if you want to make your own lip balm, here's a tried and true recipe. This can be made in the microwave

4Tbl. almond oil- found at pharmacies and health food stores
2Tbl. beeswax -found at craft stores
2tsp. honey
a small jar with a lid- found at craft stores and walmart

Heat the wax and oil, about 1 minute in the microwave, or until melted. Stir in the honey, and mix well to combine everything. Cool completely. Pour into a small jar, with a lid.

Exfoliating Honey-Sugar Scrub

                                             Sugar Scrub
 I add a little liquid soap or shower gel, so it leaves you skin moist, but not oily. Honey is a natural humectant, attracting moisture to your newly exfoliated skin.

Ingredients:
1Tbl. sugar
2tsp. honey
1/2tsp. shower gel
1/2tsp of light oil, like grape-seed, almond or soybean.

Combine all ingredients, it's ready to use. Apply it to you face, hands, feet, or body. Scrub 1 minute or less. I love to use this after a pedicure.