Beautifully Kohled Eyes

One of my favorite English proverb is -” Eyes are the mirror (mirrors) of the soul”. Our eyes reflect our thoughts and speak different languages of our emotions and feelings – Happiness, amazement, anger, sadness, and excitement. The most attractive part on a human’s face are the eyes. Applying kohl and other form of eye makeup like eye liner and mascara gives that extra elegance and sparkle to our eyes. 

Kohl goes by numerous names. It is called Kajal (in Hindi), Kanmai (in Tamil), Surma (in Turkish) Kuhl (in Arabic). Kohl is widely used in South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of West Africa to darken the eyelids and as mascara for the eyelashes. It is used mostly by women, and by some men and children as it is believed to keep eye infections and other ailments at bay in addition to its beauty profits. Even the ancient Egyptian beauty tips knew the real secret to beautiful eyes, as one young Egyptian girl noted in a sweet poem to her loved one:

"Like eye paint is my desire. When I see you, it makes my eyes sparkle."

Never use ordinary kohl/kajal available in the market made of sub-standard materials and which is prepared non-scientifically and unhygienic ally.  It may contain harmful ingredients like lead sulphide and other toxic chemicals harmful to women and small children. There is no way to tell if any given product is contaminated with lead or not. Buy 100% herbal kohl. In India, some reputed skin-care companies like Himalaya, Shahnaz Husain and Biotique makes kohl from pure herbal ingredients.

I made Kohl the traditional way at home borrowing the recipe from my mother passed on to by my grandmother. The final product – the kohl is pitch black in colour – darker than the night sky. It is totally different to commercially available kohl. Homemade kohl is so cooling to the eyes and very long lasting on the water line. I made only a tiny weenie bit to last me for a month.

Basically a wick is made from clean, white – preferably new – muslin cloth/ cotton. This is dipped into a container of castor oil and lit as a lamp. A rounded brass vessel or kadai is used over this lamp, leaving enough vent to let oxygen in and not extinguish the lamp. The soot thus collected for few hours on the brass vessel is mixed with a drop of castor oil /Almond oil to make homemade kajal. Use the homemade kohl after three to four hours of preparation.

Things you need:

*Clean cotton wick

*Lamp

*Rounded brass vessel/ brass plate

*Castor oil to light the lamp and a drop of either castor oil/almond oil to add in to the soot

*Equal size containers to balance the brass vessel

*Clean and dry spoon to scrape off the soot

*Mittens (to handle hot brass vessel and the lamp)

*Small container with lid to store your homemade kohl

Step by step procedure to make homemade Kajal:

1. Balance the brass vessel on top of the two containers as seen in the below photo. Place the lamp in-between the two containers and place it below the brass vessel.

Lighted lamp placed in-between two vessels balancing the vessel

2. The lighted lamp placed in-between the containers will produce soot on the bottom of the brass vessel as per the photo. Leave the lighted lamp under the brass vessel for one to two hours, occasionally monitoring the whole process.

                    Soot getting collected on the bottom of the vessel

3. Scrape off the collected soot from the brass container into a clean dry container.

4. Mix a drop of castor oil to the soot and mix it well. When adding castor oil, make sure you start with a drop and don’t make it too paste like consistency as it will smudge the water line when applied to the eyes. You can add almond oil instead of Castor oil. It has got similar soothing properties to the eyes.

Store your kohl in a small air-tight container. Homemade kohl has a long storage life. You can apply kohl with the help of a thin applicator like q-tip or with your clean finger tip.

                            Tiny weeny bit of my homemade kohl

See the difference between homemade kohl and almond kohl from Biotique. The first one is Biotique almond Kohl and the second one that is darker is homemade kohl!

I love homemade kohl and love using it on my eyes for that smoky effect. It brings fond memories of my grandmother too. 

Bye from PD – Nature’s nurture!

Decadent cream of coconut and coffee bean powder facial mask cum scrub

Hmmm...Yummy...I am tempted to eat what I have put on my face! As I write this, my face is enjoying the luxury of my newly discovered skin food - cream of coconut and coffee bean powder facial mask with a hint of pure Tasmanian cinnamon honey. Seriously I am in a bliss world. 

Coffee, coconut and cinnamon are my favorites and I thought - "why not use these lovely 3Cs to make a facial mask". And it works in both ways - Facial mask cum scrub! The aroma of the 3Cs combined together with honey is so inviting that I almost took a dollop on a spoon and tasted it and it was so bitterly good (coffee bean powder has a bitter taste). Some of you who are not a coffee fan, a good substitute for coffee is raw cacao powder (there will be a new DIY skin care recipe with raw cacao powder once I settle back in Melbourne!)

Store your facial mask in the fridge and use it within a week since it does not contain any preservative. It is quick and easy to make this facial mask in small batches.

This facial mask is suitable for normal, oily and dry skin. If you have a sensitive skin, don’t add cinnamon powder and use finely powdered oats instead of coffee powder as oats is less abrasive in nature.

Main Ingredients used in this recipe:

Coconut cream

 I extracted the coconut cream from the scrapings of the fresh coconut meat. Scrape the coconut with the help of a coconut scraper and blend the desiccated coconut in a blender with 2 tablespoons of warm water and blend it for few seconds. Squeeze the milk by pressing the blended coconut mixture in-between your hands.  I extracted one small cup of coconut milk from it. Put the freshly extracted coconut milk in your refrigerator’s freezer compartment for 15-25 minutes until you see a thick layer on the top of the coconut milk. Skim off the top thick layer which is the coconut cream. If fresh coconut is not available, you can use frozen fresh desiccated coconut to extract the milk. Thaw the frozen coconut before you blend it.

Benefits of coconut milk/coconut cream for your skin:

Coconut milk/ coconut cream is rich in lauric acid (exactly the same as that in human breast milk, which helps us ward off intrusive viruses and bacteria) and rich in medium chain fatty acids (Medium-chain breaks down easily and converts to energy (like carbohydrate) instantly). Coconut cream absorbs excess oil on the face, and makes the skin more brilliant. Coconut cream can be used to moisturize the skin. Natural moisturizer contained in it will make your skin soft. Besides it helps your skin to attain its natural elasticity. Coconut milk/ cream when used regularly on your skin will lighten your skin tone naturally.

 Coffee bean powder

Who doesn't love the aroma of freshly grounded coffee? For my facial mask, I used freshly ground coffee powder. There are numerous benefits of using coffee bean powder for your skin. It fights cellulite, acts as a good exfoliant, fights against signs of aging . 

Please read on the benefits of coffee bean powder here - http://www.livestrong.com/article/257722-what-are-the-benefits-of-coffee-scrub/. Coffee bean powder is abrasive so may not be suitable for sensitive skin. Because of its abrasive nature, it can be used as a scrub too.

Cinnamon powder

I love the aroma and the beneficial skin qualities of cinnamon powder. It is so addictive and energizing. I used a good brand of Tasmanian cinnamon infused honey. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon powder to plain honey and mix it well with other ingredients.

Benefits of cinnamon powder for your skin:

Cinnamon provides warmth to your skin. Cinnamon--in both grated and essential oil forms--is beneficial to the skin because it brings blood and nutrients to the skin surface. It's best to avoid the eye area as cinnamon can cause burning if it gets in your eyes. After you have applied the facial mask, you will feel a little tingle for few seconds. Don’t be alarmed. It is the cinnamon king that is stimulating your facial skin and bringing more blood flow to your skin.

Caution: Use not more than ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder to the recipe as cinnamon powder may irritate sensitive skin.

Recipe for Decadent cream of coconut and coffee bean powder facial mask:

*Coconut cream: 1 tablespoon

*Coffee powder: one to one and a half tablespoon

*Cinnamon powder: ½ teaspoon

*Honey: 2 teaspoon

Note: If your recipe turns runny add a bit more coffee powder. If it runs dry, add a bit more coconut cream.

How to make it:

In a dry bowl, mix all the above ingredients well. Cleanse your face and apply this facial mask. Leave it on for 30 to 35 minutes and wash it off with warm water. Is this not a delicious indulgence for your skin?            

When you can make a facial mask that is easy, aromatic and effective, why then visit a beauty parlor?

Did I miss – This facial mask is delicious too?

Bye for now. With love from PD – Nature’s nurture

Natural shaving foam lotion – for men and women

Shaving foam or shaving cream is used by men almost every day and I wanted to know what ingredients a typical branded shaving foam has got and I was shocked to find some harmful ingredients in them like -

Synthetic fragrance , Parabens , Petroleum or mineral oil , Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) , Propolene glycol , Triethanolamine (better known as TEA), Propane, Butane.

Look under http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to know more about the above harmful ingredients.

I got my husband to use a natural shaving cream made by LUSH (http://www.lushusa.com/Dirty-shaving-cream/03098,en_US,pd.html).

In addition to natural ingredients like Oat milk, Shea butter, Safflower oil, glycerin etc, Lush shaving cream has also got Methyl paraben as a preservative. I was not totally happy with it as Methyl Paraben is a possible human carcinogen.

I wanted to make a natural shaving foaming lotion at home that has got safe and natural ingredients and serves the same purpose as a commercially available shaving foam i.e. the razor should find easy to glide on the skin with the help of the foam/ cream, moisturize, soften and protect the skin from cuts and nicks.

Homemade natural shaving foam lotion can be used both by men and women:

Ingredients you need -

1. Calendula infused oil/ sweet almond oil - 5 tbsp (I used Calendula infused oil as is known for soothing properties and it is suitable for sensitive skin. You can use sweet almond oil as it is essential fatty acid-rich oil).

2. Mango butter/ cocoa butter - 2 tbsp (I used mango butter as it is rich in oleic and stearic acids and it has got wound healing property. Mango butter and cocoa butter are rich emollient too).

3. Distilled/filtered water - 1 and half cup.

4. Castile soap made from olive oil/ coconut oil/ Jojoba oil - 2 tbsp.

5. Kitchen grade Baking soda - 1 tsp (Optional).

6. Honey/ aloe Vera gel - suitable for sensitive skin - 1/2 cup (Optional).

7. Liquid Vitamin E (acts as natural preservative and good for the skin) - 4 drops.

8. Essential oil for natural fragrance: Sandalwood oil or citrus EO for Men/ Lavender or rose essential oil for women - 3 drops.

9. Wide mouth glass jar with lid to store the foamy lotion.

10. Electric hand mixer/ blender.

In India:

- You can buy mango butter from arjunanatural.com.

- If pure castile soap is not available, it is best to use shavings from pure glycerin vegetable soap available from Khadi shops.

How to make it:

1. First heat the oil and mango butter/cocoa butter over a double boiler at a low heat. Stir until the mixture is clear, then pour into a large bowl and let cool.

2. In another pan, heat the water, and then add the baking soda, and castile soap/ shavings of glycerin soap, stirring until completely diluted. Add honey/ aloe Vera gel to this solution and stir.

3. Pour the soap mixture into the bowl with the now room-temperature oil and mango butter.

4. Add liquid Vitamin E and essential oils if desired. Blend everything very well with a hand mixer, or throw into the blender. For best results, blend for two minutes, stop, and then blend again for another two minutes.

Store the foam lotion in an airtight glass container in a dry, cool location. This natural cream can be stored for about three months; none of the ingredients are perishable but oils such as sweet almond have a limited shelf life.

This shaving foam lotion is completely natural and it is my husband’s and my father’s favorite. I made this recipe around 7 pm in the night. My husband and my father were the lab mice to try it once it was made. They just loved it.

Tips and Lessons:

1. You can make a shaving cream by not adding distilled/filtered water to the existing recipe. Just add liquid castile soap to the room temperature melted oil-butter mixture and mix thoroughly to avoid the liquid separating from the oil-butter mixture and blend as per the recipe above. Allow it to set.
2. The same foam lotion is a good hair conditioner after shampooing. Apply this foam lotion after shampoo and leave it on for 2 to 3 minutes and wash your hair. This is good for dry hair.
3. If you don’t have liquid castile soap, you can melt the shavings from 100% pure glycerin soap in a Pyrex bowl over a double boiler and add it to the oil-butter mixture at room temperature.
4. You will notice that when blending, the quantity of the mixture will raise.
5. Store it in your refrigerator for extended shelf life. After 3 days you will notice that your shaving lotion has set into a smooth and delicate shaving cream which will be easy to apply on the skin.
6. If you use Calendula infused oil, the final product will have an yellow color. It wont stain your face.

Other natural alternative for shaving cream, if you don't want to try the above recipe is to use –

·         Herbal natural hair conditioner - Yes. Hair conditioner can be used as shaving lotion. Make sure, it is completely natural or 100% herbal.

I can understand that it is a hard work and time consuming to make natural products at home. You may question “Why bother, if I can buy it from the shop as there are variety of choices in front of my eyes?”  When buying something like body care/skin care/other toiletries, think whether a particular commercial product/brand is good for your health in the long run. Manufacturer making the products on a large scale is more concerned about his profits or consumers’ health?

Your choice-Your decision-Your Health.

Until then, bye for now – Love from PetalDew.

Exotic Aloe Vera and Saffron - Almond under Eye gel- cream

The skin around our eyes is very delicate and is prone to wrinkling and damage. It needs proper care to ward off signs of aging and also to keep it healthy and bright.

We have to be careful as to what we apply under our eyes. The skin under our eyes is very thin that whatever is applied under the eye area (makeup or any eye care product) gets easily absorbed under the skin. So it is best to go for a natural eye make up, natural under-eye gel/cream free of petro-chemicals and harmful preservatives. Eye gel or cream that contains soothing botanicals will moisturize your skin, replenish lost hydration and cut down on any puffiness or irritation.

I came across few branded eye creams/ gels that contains some natural botanicals. In addition to some natural ingredients, it had preservatives like Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Denatonium Benzoate etc. I am not comfortable in using eye gels with harmful chemicals and preservatives as whatever goes under our eyes gets abosorbed quickly. Also we dont want to pay about $20.00 for 15ml eye gel only to contain harmful preservatives.

So, I thought " Let me make an eye gel-cream at home that is natural yet effective as any other commercialy available eye gel in the market". The first ingredient that came to my mind was our garden grown aloe vera. Aloe vera gel that comes from the aloe plant soothes irritated and sensitive skin under our eyes. To that I added almond paste made with rose water and few pinches of saffron. Almond paste moisturize the delicate skin and removes fine wrinkles under our eyes with regular use. Rose water cools the eyes naturally and saffron lightens the skin area under the eyes.

Here is the recipe for the exotic eye gel-cream that can be used daily on the skin area under the eyes . Take a small amount of this Eye gel-cream with a clean spoon and dab the gel-cream under the eyes gently. Follow this routine before going to bed and wash the paste off with warm water after you wake up to give your eyes a naturally fresh and rejuvenated look.

Make it in small batches and store it in a refreigrator as it is made without preservatives. I store my eye gel-cream in a 10 g glass jar.

Ingredients you need:

* Pure Aloe vera gel - 2 tbsp (mash it well beforehand to have thinner and even consistency)
* Almond paste from 4 raw almonds soaked in hot water for few hours (soaking  it in hot water will help in removing the outer skin)
* Rose water to grind the almonds to a paste
* Few pinches of saffron strings
* A cup and spoon to mix
* A small glass jar with a lid

How to make it:
1. In a small cup add Aloe vera gel (pre-mashed up with a clean and dry fork) and almond paste made with four raw almonds.
2. To make almond paste - I made almond paste by grinding almond on a small stone slab with rose water.

3. Mix the aloe vera gel and almond paste together until they blend well without coming apart.

4. To the blend, add pinces of saffron strings and mix it well till the saffron releases its beautiful colour and aroma.

5. Store this exotic eye gel-cream in a glass jar, tightly closed wit lid. Put it in the fridge for regular use.

Hope you enjoy making this eye gel-cream at home as the ingredients to make this can be found in your kitchen pantry and in your garden (or your neighbour's garden).

Also feel free to write your comments and feedback.

Until then, bye from PetalDew - From Nature with Love.

Milk Bath - Oatmeal milk bath for Babies

                         

Cleopatra was famous for her beautiful skin. Her secret was that she soaked in baths of fresh milk.When we think of milk bath, we think of Cleopatra and imagine her beautiful skin soaking in gallons of milk everyday. It sounds expensive right to waste milk on milk bath? If we think that only Cleopatra can indulge in milk bath, it is wrong. Our skin deserves the best pampering treatment in a natural  and not so expensive way.

Milk bath helps to moisturize the skin particularly winter prone dry skin. The fats and proteins found in milk -- particularly whole milk -- may help to hydrate skin and retain moisture after you step out. Just be sure to rinse off in clean water after your soak so that you're left with a soft, milky glow instead of a sticky milk residue.

Some health experts suggest milk baths may be used to help improve symptoms of some skin problems. Because of the moisturizing fats in milk, it may help to calm redness from a sunburn or to reduce some of the dryness and itching caused by skin conditions such as xerosis or eczema [source: WebMD]. However, if you are concerned about a skin condition that isn't clearing up, you should consult your dermatologist before trying to treat yourself with a milk bath.

We dont need to use litres of milk for milk bath. All we need is one to two cups of Whole fat milk powder /finely ground oatmeal (not the instant oats)/  buttermilk powder which can be mixed to the bathwater to experience the benefit (or) Add 2 to 3 cups of fresh milk or buttermilk to the bathwater as the tub is filling. Soak for a good 20 minutes. Gently rub your skin with a washcloth or loofa to slough off the dead skin. Rinse your body thoroughly after soaking.

Another advice is, using cow's milk for milk bath may not be suitable for lactose intolerant. The alternative is to use finely ground Oatmeal (colloidal oatmeal).

Many baby moisturizing cream contains colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is a product that consists of oats that have been ground very fine for use as a home remedy for itchy or dry skin. People with eczema, chicken pox, bug bites, or poison ivy may find some relief from the itching and dryness with colloidal oatmeal home remedies. 

The ingredients in colloidal oatmeal may help in many ways. It contains avenacins compounds, which have anti-fungal properties; saponins, which can help in cleansing; and flavanoids, which may help with UVA absorption. It also includes vitamin E, which is an anti-inflammatory, along with phenols and starches to help in moisturizing.

Colloidal oatmeal is usually added to warm bath water. The oats do not sink due to the colloid action of the particles of grain dispersing through the water. This helps make it more effective against dry itchy skin and a good homemade remedy to any skin irritations or allergies.

To make colloidal oatmeal blend or process the oats on the highest setting until you have a very fine, consistent powder. To test the colloid property of the oatmeal, stir 1 tablespoon of the ground oats into a glass of warm water. If the oats readily absorb the water and give it a milky look and a silky feel, you've blended long enough.

Oatmeal milk bath for babies and children: (can be indulged by grownups too :)

1 cup of whole oats (not the instant ones!)

Whirl oats in a blender or food processor until they are reduced to fine particles.

Sprinkle the powder into the bath and swirl. You will be amazed at the softness of the water and of your baby's skin.

Take care assisting your baby/ child into the tub as the oatmeal will make the tub even more slippery than usual. Allow your newborns to soak for 3 to 5 minutes and young children to soak in the tub for 10 to 15 minutes and pat dry with a soft towel rather than rubbing. Also make sure that that oatmeal milk bath do not get into the eyes of the newborns.

Bye for now - Until then, with Love from PetalDew

Don't poison your pits

We all like to smell nice and we resort to using perfumes, deodorants and antiperspirants to remove the unpleasant body odour which is actually not caused by sweat like we think, but by the bacteria that break down the protein in sweat into certain acids. 

Sweating is not bad. It is a natural way to cool our body down. It is the body's way of getting rid of unwanted toxins and salt from our body. Sweat itself is virtually odorless to humans; it is the rapid multiplication of bacteria in the presence of sweat and what they do (break sweat down into acids) that eventually causes the unpleasant smell. The smell is perceived as unpleasant, many believe, because most of us have been brought up to dislike it.

To mask the body odor, there are many personal care products including deodorants and antiperspirants availalble on the shelves today. The trend is to make deodorants and antiperspirants that smell like perfume. Have you ever considered what makes up the gel or white colored paste we slather under our arms to stay fresh and sweat free? 

Deodorants and antiperspirants may leave the outside of the body smelling fresh and clean – but inside, the toxins that would have escaped the body in the sweat have nowhere to go. For this reason, deodarants and antiperspirants have been linked to problems with the sweat glands and lymph glands in and around the underarms.

Go to you toiletry cabinet and spend few minutes to read the ingredients label on your deodorant/ antiperspirant spray or stick. Key in the ingredients in the following website link http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ and you will know what I am talking about. The common active ingredients found on any deodorants and antiperspirants are: 

Aluminium compounds : The label may read as aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly, aluminium oxide or any aluminum compounds.
In 1993, the World Health Organization said, "There is a suspected link between Alzheimer's disease and the toxicity of aluminum." (1)
The Agency for Toxic Substances and & Disease Registry reports that "Exposure to high levels of aluminum may result in respiratory and neurological problems."

Aluminum Compounds in Deodorant and Antiperspirant – Locking Poisons In.
The problem with deodorants and antiperspirants is not only the aluminum, but how it works to reduce sweat and smelly odors. They are powerful astringents that close pores, stopping sweat and odor from escaping the body.

Despite arguments that aluminum exposure is anavoidable in air, food, and water sources, many doctors and holistic experts advise avoiding products known to contain additional aluminum – especially deodorants or antiperspirants in an aerosol spray, which can be absorbed through the nasal passages, into the bloodstream, and affect both the respiratory system and the brain.
Several studies have shown a link between increasing antiperspirant use and rising rates of female breast cancer and prostate cancer in men. However, the FDA has not committed to classifying it as a carcinogen. Their position remains one of "wait and see" as more definitive studies are released.

Other common harmful ingredients found are:

Parabens: Parabens are a family of synthetic preservatives that are often found in deodorants as well. In fact, parabens are contained in an alarming amount of our body care products. A random sampling of 100 human urine specimens performed by the CDC showed that all 100 contained parabens. This demonstrates the high absorption rate of chemicals we place on our skin. The label may have words like methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl. They are all toluene derivatives, which is a toxic petrochemical compound. If you swallow or you inhale it, you get intoxicated. 

Triclosan: This is a pesticide, as it is classified by FDA, and if it enters in contact with the skin, it kills all the bacteria, good or bad, that live on the skin. Contact with triclosan may cause dermatitis and it is also believed that it contains some carcinogenic contaminants. Usually, triclosan is stored in the body fat. It can be found in hand-sanitizer.

Propylene glycol : If it is carcinogenic or not, it is not yet known, but NIOSH established that propylene glycol is a neurotoxin and it may cause kidney or liver diseases. Exposure to propylene glycol may lead to allergies.

Phthalates: They are another class of chemicals that are often used in deodorants and antiperspirants that you may want to avoid. Phthalates are used in cosmetics, synthetic fragrances, plastics, body care products and medical goods. They help to dissolve other ingredients and to create a better consistency.The problem with phthalates is that they have been linked to a variety of health issues. High phthalate blood and urine levels in women of child bearing age have been linked to a higher risk of birth defects. This suggests that phthalates may disrupt hormone receptors as well as increase the likelihood of cell mutation.

Silica : It irritates the skin and it can have crystalline quartz in it, which is a carcinogen substance.

Pay attention if one of the ingredients is steareth-n, with n being any number. It can be obtain from vegetal sources, but it reacts with ethylene oxide, which is carcinogen.

It is best to go for deodorants that are made of vegetable glycerin, natural preservatives like bioflavanoids and lichen, herbs or herbal extracts, de-ionized water or distilled water, green tea, aloe vera,tea tree oil (anti-bacterial), baking soda and essential oils. There are deodorants made with natural rock salt called crystal deodorants. Natural rock salt deodorants, sold in dry crystal form, are an effective natural alternative to antiperspirants for those with allergies or sensitive skin.

Even if what you read on the label may not look dangerous and you do not see any of the ingredients listed above, still the product can contain some harmful elements. For instance, the plant extracts may already contain parabens and propylene glycol. If they are not extracted in vegetable glycerine, most vegetable extracts provided by deodorant manufacturers are exposed to parabens and other synthetic preservatives. If you want to make sure that the product you are buying is safe, you may call the manufacturer to ask for all the needed information.

Apart from going for natural deodorants/antiperspirants , the ways we can prevent body odor are:
1. Change in the diet: Avoid eating more spicy and fatty food.
2. Make your own deodorant at home which is simple and cost-effective. 

I made my own natural deodorant with the available ingredients in my kitchen pantry. All you need is-
- Pure coconut oil - 3 tablespoon (Coconut oil is a bit of a Swiss knife product, used in cooking but    also to nourish the skin and hair, and for medicinal purposes: the lauric acid it contains is deemed to have antibacterial qualities, which explains its role here)
- Arrowroot/ corn starch powder  - 2 tablespoon (used for keeping the skin dry and soft)
- Food grade baking soda - 1 teaspoon ( baking soda has got deodorizing properties)
- Skin safe essential oils like Lavender oil / tea-tree oil which has got anti-bacterial preoperties - 2 to 3 drops.
You don't need to add EO if you want your deodarant fragrance free.

How to make it:
In a small clean bowl, combine the baking soda and starch. Add the coconut oil, mash and stir it in until smooth and creamy. Then add your EO and mix it again .Transfer to a air -tight glass or plastic container with lid. 
You can apply the paste like deodarant with your clean fingers or with a  small wooden stick under your clean arm pits. It will leave no white mark.
Hope you try this recipe at home and feel free to write your feedback on how effective it is in removing the body odor. You may have to apply twice in a day if you want 24 hours of protection from body odor. 

Remember, good health is a result of choice – choose wisely!

Until then bye from PetalDew  - from nature with love.

Sources : 
(1) Network News and Publications, "Rub A Dub, Dub… Is Cancer in Your Tub?" Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 1999.

Humble sugar and Modest salt- For our skin (Part 2)

In my previous post on "Humble sugar and modest salt - for our skin Part 1" .
we saw the shocking truth of plastics and other harmful ingredients found in some of the scrubs. The safer options are -
1. Buy  scrubs made from 100%  skin safe natural and herbal ingredients (or)
2. Make your own scrubs at home with Sugar and salt.

My simple recipe for sugar scrub which is used to smoothen and exfoliate our skin is -
Sugar scrub-
Ingredients:
Fine sugar - 2 teaspoon
Olive oil - 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice - few drops
Add olive oil to the sugar and mix it.  then add lemon juice to it.
In a gentle circular motion apply the mixture gently on your hands/neck/elbows/knees/feet to smoothen the rough areas of the skin. Sugar removes the dead skin cells, Olive oil moisturize the skin and lemon acts as astringent and has got anti-bacterial properties.
Salt scrub -
Use finely grounded sea salt/epson salt/Himalayan salt for making the salt scrub. You can follow the same recipe as above or instead of Olive oil, you can also use extra virgin coconut oil. Adding skin safe essential oils like lavender oil, Rose otto oil will have added benefit to the skin.
The above scrubs can be used on the face provided the sugar and salt are in fine granules. Avoid the sensitive areas of the eye when applying the scrub. 

I made this exotic sugar scrub using pink rose petals from the garden, Coconut butter (Coconut oil in solid form) , Cane sugar, Sweet almond oil and 2 drops of lavender oil.

How to make it:
You’ll need: a glass jar, coconut oil/butter, raw cane sugar, almond and one fragrant rose (here I used pink roses because it is most fragrant roses ever)

Use a small  clear glass jar with a lid. Start by putting a large scoop of coconut oil in the bottom of the jar. It’s an “oil” but at room temp it’s more like a butter consistency and has a white paste texture.
Next, pluck your rose petals and put them into the jar on top of the coconut oil.
Add your raw sugar. If you can’t find raw cane sugar, brown sugar is a great option! 
Add your almond oil on top of the sugar. Almond oil is great because it doesn’t take away the scent in this jar.
Wait a minute for your oil to seep down to the flower petals and then top it off with a little more almond oil. Last but not least, put your lid on and let it sit so the oils can soak into the flower petals.
When you (or the person you’re giving this to as a gift) are ready to use it, take a spoon and mash it all up. The sugar will break up the rose petals and they’ll continue to break up as you rub the scrub on your skin. The smell is INCREDIBLE .Enjoy.
Store it in a dry cool place and it has got a shelf life of 6 months.

Until then Bye from PetalDew - From nature with love.

Humble Sugar and Modest Salt - For our skin (Part 1)

Modest Salt

As we all know, eating too much sugar and salt is bad for our health. But the humble salt and sugar plays an important role in removing the dead skin on our body accumulated over time when used as a skin scrub .It also helps to smoothen the  dry and hard skin on our elbow and knees. 

Dry skin is a year-round problem. The solution? A body scrub that sloughs off flakes and leaves skin hydrated. 

Humble sugar

When you are buying a body/ facial scrub sold commercially, make sure that it has got natural/ herbal ingredients which do not damage our skin and our environment. Some  of the scrubs available in the market contains harmful chemicals and skin- harming ingredients. I had a look at one of the sugar scrub sold in a shop and was shocked to find that the first ingredient on the ingredient list was POLYTHELENE. You don't need to be a scientist to know what Polythelene is. I straight away knew that it is a form of plastic. So the best selling scrubs use polythelene as one of their ingreidents? Can you imagine polythelene going into our skin, into the drains and washed into the ocean only to be eaten by aquatic living beings? 

Please read this write-up by a consumer on "microbead" facial scrub. I bet she had a similar experience to mine when she was looking for a scrub.
http://tinychoices.com/2008/05/06/microbead-facial-scrubs/
That is the reason why I am careful in reading the ingredient list on cosmetic products, tooth pastes, soaps,cleaning liquids etc, even though it may be a popular brand or a best selling cosmetic. I don't go by brands. 

I buy a product on the basis of the Ingredients list! Please read the ingredients list and think before you buy a cosmetic/ skin products for yourself or for your friends and family as a gift.

Now, back to Sugar and Salt scrub:
It is best to use fine grains of sugar and salt in the scrub to have a gentle exfoliating action to avoid micro abrasion of the skin.
Best fine grain sugar comes in the form of cane sugar and white sugar and caster sugar.There are other other exotic sugar that can be found in organic stores like Coconut sugar (It is expensive though).  If you dont have fine sugar, powder the sugar in the food processor to attain the desired fine grain consistency. Similarly good salt that can be used for exfoliating our skin are sea salt, epsom salt or pinkish himalayan salt which are fine and contains good trace minerals. I strongly discourage you to use store bought table salt to be used as scrub as it is mainy sodium chloride and lacks all the good trace minerals which is completely removed at the time of processing the salt.

Sugar and salt scrubs are easy to make at home with the available ingredients in our kitchen pantry.  Please follow my next post on recipes ( A simple as well as an exotic skin pampering recipe) for home made salt and sugar scrub.
Until then. Bye from PetalDew- From Nature with Love.

Aloe Vera gel and coconut oil skin mousse

Today morning I was greeted by the unforgiving blast of chilly wind here in Melbourne once I stepped outside to have morning fresh air. After few seconds of breathing in the fresh chilly air, I came to the sanctuary of warmth inside our home. Thanks to the ducted heating. My skin felt dry later because of the chilly wind and my mind automatically started to think about natural remedy to calm and restore my skin. Eureka! I spotted aloe Vera in the garden. Aloe Vera gel is good in soothing sun-burnt, extremely dry or sensitive skin. I decided to adapt the recipe by Jennie Harding - A highly respected aromatherapist and author of essential oils books in making this skin mousse.

Things you need:

1. Aloe Vera gel from Aloe leaves - 4 tsps
2. Coconut oil/ Jojoba oil - 1-2 tsps
3. Mixing bowl and spoon
4. Glass bottle to store the Mousse.

Method of Preparation:

1. Scrape off the Aloe gel from Aloe Vera leaves and add 3 tsps of it in a bowl.
2. Mix coconut oil at room temperature or add Jojoba oil to the gel.
3. Mix both the ingredients together with a dry spoon till the mixture becomes thick.
4. Again, add one tsp of aloe gel to the mixture and stir it fast until everything combines together well.
5. Store the mousse in a glass bottle.

This recipe will make approx 20 grams of  skin mousse.
Apply it on the dry and irritated areas of your skin for an instant relief.
You can add 1 to 2 drops of lavender essential oil, if you prefer it to be scented. Lavender essential oil has got skin enhancing properties to heal and soothe dry, irritated skin and skin affected by burns.
This skin mousse has got a shelf life of 3 to 4 weeks, when stored in a cool place.

Observation: Since Coconut oil solidifies quickly in winter, the solidified coconut oil seperates from the aloe gel. But this is not a big issue as Coconut oil has restorative and balancing qualities and suitable for all skin types.

                                         Photo of  Aloe gel- Coconut oil Skin Mousse

Hope you try this home remedy to get quick relief from the dryness in your skin. Until then bye from PetalDew -  with Love from Nature.

Home made Orange Peel powder - Face mask

I recently made home made orange peel powder. It can be used as 
face mask (see recipe below). Sometimes, I use it as topping on my green salads to give citrus fresh flavor. Play with your imagination as it is completely natural.

Face Mask using home made orange/ mandarin peel powder :

Homemade beauty tips can prove extremely beneficial because of the natural ingredients used. If you are uncomfortable about using cosmetic masks available in the market, try using natural beauty packs made at home.
An orange peel mask can be perfect for all skin types.
This orange peel face mask will help remove the tan, brighten your skin and balance the skin tone, giving you a younger and radiant look.

Orange Peel Face Mask Ingredients:
Orange Peel Powder
Milk/Water/Rose water/curd

To make a homemade orange mask, you need to follow the steps below:
1.Peel oranges and set the orange peels out to dry until they become hard.
2.Once the peel becomes hard, grind it to fine powder in a mixer.
3.Mix the orange peel powder with milk or water, as per choice. Use both orange peel powder and milk in equal measures. Blend the mixture till it becomes a smooth paste.

How to Apply Orange Peel Face Mask:
1.Apply the paste all over your face and keep it on for around 30 minutes till it dries completely.
2.Wash off the beauty mask with water after the stipulated period of time. Make sure not to scrub the facial area hard while washing off as this might do considerable damage to the skin.

Benefits of Orange Peel Face Mask:
Orange peel absorbs the oils from the open pores in your skin, thereby helping reduce the greasy shine that results on the face due to excess oil. It also helps to pick up dead and dry skin cells from the surface, making the face look brighter and cleaner.
Try using the natural orange peel mask to reveal a cool, glowing and blemish free skin that shines without being oily.

Bye for now. Until then PetalDew Signing off with Love from Nature.