Do It Gorgeously: How to Make Less Toxic, Less Expensive, and More Beautiful Products (5 page)

1.
Heat the beeswax, cocoa butter, and base oils in a bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water, until the wax has dissolved. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Let it cool for 5 minutes.

2.
Heat the rose infusion and the emulsifying wax in a small bowl set over the same pan of boiling water, until the wax has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

3.
It’s vital that you make sure the oil mixture and the rosewater/emulsifying wax mixture are the same temperature. Dip the tip of your finger in both bowls to make sure. They should both be warm (you’ll know they’re getting too cool if they begin to thicken and become opaque). Very slowly add the infusion to the oil mixture, whisking vigorously.

4.
When the mixture cools down, add the essential oil, rosehip seed oil, and vitamin E oil.

5.
Spoon the mixture into your jar. Leave the cream to cool completely before screwing on the top.

Skincare Regime for Dry/Mature Skin

INSIDE OUT

As we age, it’s vitally important that we focus on good skin from the inside out. Make sure that you are eating plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which can be found in high amounts in salmon, sardines, trout, walnuts, and flaxseed. You could also take a fish oil supplement. I love every blend from Nordic Naturals (www.nordicnaturals.com).

Make sure you get as many antioxidants as you can through your diet. The foods containing the highest amounts of antioxidants include prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, kale, spinach, alfalfa, broccoli, and beets.

I highly recommend adding the anti-aging ingredients listed in Do It Beautifully to your skincare regime. You can add a small scoop of vitamin C crystals or Camu Camu powder (a scoop the size of your pinky fingernail) to any of my cream and lotion recipes. I also sometimes add a retinol powder to the next recipe.

It’s vital that you exfoliate at least twice a week. Dry skin brushing (see “Do It Beautifully“) will help exfoliate your body, and I recommend the following gentle recipe for your face. Remember, if you don’t exfoliate, you are just sticking dead skin cells back onto your face with lotion!

Gentle Facial Exfoliating Scrub

This is a very inexpensive scrub made from basic kitchen ingredients.

Yields:
approximately 16 oz. of scrub

Application:
use three times a week

Storage:
16-oz. plastic or glass container

Shelf life:
6 months

1.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

2.
Transfer to a container with a lid.

How to use:
Combine 1 tbsp. of your scrub with enough filtered water to form a thick paste. Gently massage in circular motions over your face and neck. Rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry.

India Rose Luxurious Oil for Dry/Mature Skin

This is the finest treatment oil for mature skin that you can find. It’s made with rose absolute and frankincense essential oils—both historically renowned for deeply nourishing dry skin. It also contains rosehip seed oil, which contains natural retinoic acid—perfect for gently resurfacing the skin.

Yields:
approximately 1 oz. of oil

Application:
use every evening after toning

Storage:
1-oz. dark glass bottle with dropper in cool, dark cupboard

Shelf life:
1 year

1.
Combine all the oils in a small glass measuring cup.

2.
Carefully use a funnel to pour the oils into your bottle. Shake gently and allow the oil to sit for a few hours before using.

Sunscreen

Many of you already have sunscreens that you know and love. Here are my favorite nontoxic brands for your face:

• Solar Rx from Keys (www.keys-soap.com)
  
• Reflect and Serious Protection, both by CosMedix (www.cosmedix.com)
  
• All Lavera sunscreens (www.lavera.com)
  

Although many of you may want to stick to commercial sunscreens, where you know the exact SPF, you can make your own by simply adding 2 tsp. of zinc oxide powder to 2 oz. of any of the face cream recipes in this chapter (so if you
have made a 4-oz. jar of cream, you’ll need 4 tsp. of zinc oxide). You could also try the following recipe.

Sesame Sunscreen

Coconut and sesame oils have been used as natural sunscreens for ages. This is a buttery sunscreen for your entire body. Coconut oil liquefies when it’s warm, so if you want a firmer butter, keep it in the fridge.

Yields:
approximately 2 oz. of butter

Application:
use half an hour before going in the sun

Storage:
2-oz. dark glass jar in the fridge

Shelf life:
6 months

1.
Place the oils and shea butter in a small bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water and heat until the shea butter has melted.

2.
Pour into a glass measuring cup and stir in the aloe vera gel and the zinc oxide.

3.
Pour into your jar.

Eyes

Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

I need something unscented and super-gentle to remove my makeup, especially if I’ve really gone to town with the mascara and eyeliner. This is perfect.

Yields:
approximately 4 oz. of lotion

Application:
use every evening to remove eye makeup

Storage:
4-oz. dark glass bottle with pump dispenser, in the fridge

Shelf life:
3 months

1.
Melt the beeswax, shea nut butter, cocoa butter, and almond oil in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water until the wax and butters have melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let it cool for 5 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat the emulsifying wax, aloe vera juice, and chamomile infusion. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

3.
Make sure the oil mixture and the emulsifying wax mixture are the same temperature by dipping the tip of your finger in the bowl and pan. Both should be warm, not hot.

4.
Mix the aloe and chamomile mixture into the oil mixture and whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds, or until well blended.

5.
Allow it to cool for 5 minutes and then, using a funnel, pour the lotion into the bottle.

Pomegranate Eye Serum

This deeply nourishing eye serum would cost you more than a pair of designer jeans at a department store. It’s packed with antioxidants. I always pop a bottle in my purse when traveling, as it helps combat unavoidably dehydrated skin.

Yields:
approximately 1 oz. of serum

Application:
use a few drops under your eyes, in the morning and evening after moisturizing

Storage:
1-oz. dark glass bottle with dropper

Shelf life:
1 year in a cool, dark cupboard

Simply pour the oils into your bottle, shake gently, and you’re ready to go.

Soothing Eye Gel

This is so easy and inexpensive to make, and works wonderfully for “morning-after” eyes.

Yields:
approximately 2 oz. of gel

Application:
shake gently before using

Storage:
2-oz. bottle with pump dispenser, in the fridge

Shelf life:
3 months

1.
Place the cucumber in your food processor or blender and blend until it’s liquid.

2.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup.

3.
Place the aloe gel in a small bowl and add 1 tbsp. of the cucumber juice. Blend well and use a funnel to pour into the bottle. Shake gently and place in the fridge to chill before using.

How to use:
Apply under and around eyes when needed.

Salon Alternatives

Having now made your basics, you may want to choose a treatment or two from the recipes that follow. These are all extremely inexpensive and easy to make. It always thrills me to think I can create treatments that are just as effective as salon treatments, in the comfort of my own kitchen.

DIY Salon-Style Facial

Salon facials not only are prohibitively expensive, but also often use products that aren’t in the least bit effective. It’s a win/win to learn to do it yourself in the comfort of your own home. The following is really fun to do with your partner or a good friend.

HOW TO

1.
Thoroughly cleanse your face of all makeup, dirt, and grime with one of the homemade cleansers in this chapter.

2.
Tone by dipping a cotton ball in fresh, chilled aloe vera juice and wiping across your face.

3.
Perform a facial steam with the Facial Steam Blend (below).

4.
Sit in front of a strong magnifying mirror. If you don’t have one, it’s worth borrowing a really strong one, ideally one with a light. Examine your skin, especially around your nose and the top of your upper lip. Check to see if there are blackheads that need removing. There are several ways in which you can attempt to remove blackheads/pimples; however, you need to be really careful not to damage the delicate tissue around the spot. Choose from a variety of blackhead-extracting implements from your local beauty supply store. (I have the Blackhead Remover kit from www.venusworldwide.com.) When your extracting session is done, pour 1 tbsp. of aloe vera juice into a small glass and add 4 drops of tea tree oil. Dip a cotton ball into the mixture and wipe over the infected area.

5.
Having de-clogged your pores, it’s now time for either a Clay (see “Do It Beautifully”) or AHA Skin-lightening Mask (Do It Beautifully).

6.
Rinse off your mask, then apply the vitamin C serum and leave it to soak in for 5 minutes.

7.
Massage in the Restorative Facial Oil (see “Do It Beautifully”).

8.
Perform the Acupressure Face Lift (see “Do It Beautifully”).

Facial Steam Blend

Prepare a small 1-oz. bottle of this extraordinary blend and use it as a facial steam once a week. If you have blackheads, acne, or problem skin, use it twice a week for 6 weeks.

Yields:
approximately 1 oz. of oil blend

Application:
see above

Storage:
1-oz. dark glass bottle in a cool, dark cupboard

Shelf life:
2 years

Drop each of the oils straight into the bottle and shake gently.

How to use:
For your facial steam, boil a teakettle of water and pour carefully into a large stainless steel or ceramic bowl. Add 4 or 5 drops of your blend and immediately cover with a small towel. When you are ready to steam, sit in front of the bowl, put the towel over your head, and breathe in the delicious aroma until the water stops steaming.

Gorgeously Green Purifying Clay Mask

This mask is made with green clay, which is high in chromium, copper, and nickel. It works well for oily skin, as it helps minimize sebum production, which can lead to clogged pores.

Yields:
enough for 1 application

Application:
use when your skin feels in need of a deep cleanse

1.
Mix the clay with the aloe vera juice until it forms a smooth paste.