Dry Skin

Pumpkin For Your Skin

Pumpkin is packed with skin-loving nutrients like antioxidants, zinc, vitamins A and C, fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids. Pumpkin flesh can help to nourish, brighten and smooth skin, as well as boost collagen and help tame the signs of aging, according to The International Dermal Institute.

You can use cooked fresh pumpkin puree, or canned if you have some. If you are using canned pumpkin, check the ingredients. There should be just one ingredient – pumpkin. If you have butternut squash on hand, it can be used as an alternative.

Here’s a simple recipe for pumpkin body butter:

Mix equal parts pumpkin puree and coconut oil and bring it in the shower with you. Slather all over and go about your shower business, then rinse off before you get out. Dry yourself gently, enjoy your soft skin.

Found at: Tree Hugger

A Delicious Milk Bath

A milk bath is a bath taken in milk instead of water. Often other scents such as lavender, honey, and essential oils are added. Cleopatra, Elizabeth I of England, Elisabeth of Bavaria, and others have historically acclaimed the beautifying benefits of these baths.

Cleopatra was definitely onto something when she indulged in daily beauty treatment milk baths. It turns out the natural lactic acid found in milk is a form of alpha-hydroxy-acid (an ingredient which can be found in some of the most expensive exfoliating products). This type of acid gently dissolves proteins to exfoliate dead skin cells, which reveal fresh, younger looking skin underneath.

The lactic acid found in milk is extremely mild, so don’t worry, it won’t strip or irritate the skin. In fact, milk is quite soothing on dry skin.

Milk is also rich in vitamins and minerals — most notably Vitamin E and zinc — which help slow the process of aging and retain skin’s natural elasticity.

Milk baths seem to be making a comeback in modern times as well. Many upscale spas in major cities offer a number of milk treatments such as hot milk and almond pedicures! That sounds divine!

But you don’t have to spend a lot of money at a fancy spa (or travel back in time) to reap the benefits of milk in your beauty routine. Milk bath recipes are some of the quickest, easiest homemade bath products you can make.

A Simple Scented Milk Bath

Here is a simple recipe that you can mix up in minutes and add your own scent to as well.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole powdered milk
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (soothes and relieves dry, itchy skin)
  • 1/2 cup baking soda (skin softener)
  • Essential oil of your choice (I put in about 10 drops of lavender)

Directions

Combine the powdered milk, cornstarch and baking soda in a large glass container. Put the lid on and shake the jar until the powders are completely mixed.

Remove the cap and add the essential oil. Re-cap the jar and shake to combine. Let sit for 24 hours before using, to let the ingredients and the essential oil completely combine. Store in a cool, dark place.

To use, pour 1 to 2 cups of your milk bath under hot running water. Lie back and relax!

A couple of tips:

  • This is one time when lowfat is NOT your best bet. The higher the fat content of the milk, the more nourishing it is for you skin.
  • Goat’s milk and cow’s milk have higher amounts of fat which provides more conditioning, but you can also use rice, soy or coconut milk (great alternatives for vegans.)
  • Also, lactose intolerant folks don’t have to worry about bathing in milk. The milk isn’t being drunk, so there won’t be any digestion problems.

Make up your own recipe:

It’s very simple to experiment with your own recipe, all you need is powdered or fresh milk. You could even experiment with a can or two of goats milk. From this base, you can branch out and add one or more of the following:

  • Honey
  • Oatmeal
  • Essential Oils
  • Herbs – fresh or dried
  • Spices – nutmeg, allspice, etc
  • Flowers – fresh or dried
  • Seaweed
  • Sea salt

Borrowed from: The Prosperity Project

Oatmeal Almond Facial Scrub

“If you wouldn’t eat it, then don’t put it on your face.” Skin is porous, and everything that goes onto it eventually makes its way inside. Since all conventional facial cleansers, scrubs, and moisturizers are full of toxic chemicals, it’s best to avoid them completely. By sticking with edible ingredients – items that you already have in your kitchen, or can buy easily – you’ll rest assured knowing that you are not harming your body over the long term.

Best of all, there are no nasty plastic microbeads to contaminate the local water supply.

This homemade facial scrub leaves your skin feeling refreshed and silky smooth. The oatmeal exfoliates, the almonds moisturize, and the lavender-chamomile combination is soothing.

Homemade Oatmeal Scrub with Almonds, Lavender, and Chamomile

  • 1/4 cup raw almonds (or 2 tbsp almond flour)
  • 4 tbsp oatmeal
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp chamomile flowers (I used the contents of chamomile tea packets)
  • 2 tsp sweet almond oil + 5 drops lavender extract — OR — 2 tsp lavender oil

Chop raw almonds in a spice grinder or food processor until they are a fine meal. Skip this step if using almond flour. Add remaining ingredients and blend well until mixture is a soft granular powder. To use each morning, put half a tablespoon of this mixture in your palm and add just a couple of drops of water. Rub hands together to make a paste.

Gently rub and massage it onto damp skin in circular motions to exfoliate. Wash off with warm water and a warm, damp washcloth; end with a splash of cold. Keep the scrub in a well-sealed glass jar and it will stay fresh for months.

Borrowed from: The Prosperity Project

Marsh Mallow Ointment

il_570xn-279755744Marshmallow Ointment, one of the principal ointments used in herbal medicine, has a considerable proportion of Slippery Elm bark in its composition. It is made as follows:

  • 3 oz. Marshmallow leaves
  • 2 oz. Slippery Elm bark powder
  • 3 oz. Beeswax
  • 16 oz. Lard

Boil the Marshmallow and Slippery Elm bark in 3 pints of water for 15 minutes. Express, strain and reduce the liquor to half a pint. Melt together the lard and wax by gentle heat, then add the extract while still warm, shake constantly till all are thoroughly incorporated and store in a cool place.

Use for chapped dry skin, burns and abrasions.

Source: A Modern Herbal
For information on individual herbs visit: The Encyclopedia of Herbology

Elderflower Cream

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Ingredients:

  • 2 level tablespoons dried Elder Flowers or sufficient fresh Elder Flowers to be just covered by the oil
  • 1/2 cup Almond oil (or other oil)
  • 4 teaspons Lanolin
  • 1 teaspoon Honey

Warm the oil and lanolin in the top of a double boiler. Add the flowers and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and stir in the honey. Cool, pot up and label this emollient cream.

From: The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices
For information about the individual herbs visit: The Encyclopedia of Herbology

A Simple Lotion

homemade-lotion-or-cream-to-help-leg-cramps-and-growing-painsIngredients:

  • A handful of fresh Chamomile, Meadowsweet, Elder, or Lime flowers
  • 2 1/2 ounces warm Milk, Cream, Buttermilk, or Whey
  • Honey
  • Oatmeal, Bran, or Wheatgerm (optional)

Soak the flowers in the liquid in a covered pan for 3 hours. Strain, reheat and dissolve a little honey in the liquid. A spoonful of oatmeal, bran or wheatgerm will thicken the lotion. Keep refrigerated and use within a week.

From: The Complete Book of Herbs and Spices
For information about the individual herbs visit: The Encyclopedia of Herbology

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