Kitchen Cosmetics
Kitchen Cosmetics – Fed up of all the chemicals in beauty and skincare? Try some of these homemade rememdies.
Many thanks to www.spaindex.com for some of their excellent recipes please check out their website if you are considering a spa holiday in the USA or Mexico.
Shopping List for cupboard stock..
Cucumber Pineapple Cup measures
Olive Oil (extra virgin) Plain yoghurt
Avocado Cream
Lemon
Honey
Almonds
Flour
Oats and oatmeal
Sources of ingredients
www.essentialoils.co.uk (every flavour of oil, plus all sorts of carrier oils)
http://natural-alternative-products.co.uk (for dead sea salts
Scrubs Toners Creams
Cleansers Moisture Boosts and Masques For Your Body
Hands and feet Bath Hair
Scrubs
Honey & Almond Scrub
2 Tbsp almonds
2 tsp milk
1/2 tsp flour
1/2 tsp honey
Grind almonds in a blender. Add milk, flour and honey, mixing until a thick paste is formed. Rub into skin, rinse with warm water and follow with a gentle toner.
Honey & Oats Scrub
1/2 cup uncooked porridge oats.
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp ground almonds
Moisten face with a warm washcloth then apply mixture to face avoiding the sensitive area around the eyes. Let mixture dry, then remove with a warm, damp washcloth.
Orange & Oats Scrubbing Grains
1 cup dried orange peel
1 cup cooked oats
1 cup almonds
Place peels, oats, and almonds in food processor, blend until mixture is a fine powder. Place some in the palm of your hand and moisten with a few drops of warm water. Rub paste onto face with a gentle circular motion. Rinse with warm water.
Cleansers
KIWI FACIAL CLEANSER FOR NORMAL OR DRY SKIN
1 kiwi fruit
2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
1 tablespoon orange water
1 tablespoon apricot or almond oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finely ground almonds
2 drops orange (or your favorite citrus) essential oil
Puree the kiwi fruit in a food processor until liquid. During processing, add yogurt, orange water, almond or apricot oil, and ground almonds. Process until thick and cream like. Add essential and stir to mix. To apply, massage gently over neck, face and décolleté to cleanse. Rinse well. Makes one application
Toners
Apple Toner
Combine 2/3 cup witch hazel,
1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar,
and several drops of Lavender Essential Oil (or essential oil of your choice).
Mix, and add to clean bottle. Shake bottle well before using, and then dampen a cotton ball or pad saturated with your toner, and swab over face. Witch hazel is a gentle astringent, apple cider vinegar will help restore your skin’s natural ph balance, and lavender soothes sensitive skin.
Watermelon Toner
2 Tablespoons fresh watermelon juice
1 Tablespoon vodka
2 Tablespoons witch hazel
2 Tablespoons distilled water
Strain the watermelon juice to get rid of seeds and fruit pieces. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir well. Pour into clean containers with tight-fitting lids. To use: pour a small amount on a clean cotton pad and apply to face. Store in fridge between uses to retain freshness. Will keep approximately one week.
Moisture Boosts and Masques
Satin Smooth Skin!
Powder the peel of two mangos Add 1 teaspoon milk powder and rub all over.
Wash off after 5 minutes for a satin finish!
For softer, glowing skin, you will need:
1/2 small or 1/4 large banana
1/4 avocado (remove the skin and stone)
1 tablespoon of acidophilus plain yoghurt
What you do:
Mash the banana, avocado and yoghurt into a smooth paste
Cleanse and rinse your face
Do not dry
Massage the paste onto your warm damp skin
(keep away from eyes)
Leave on for 10 minutes
Rinse off with warm water
Pat dry
(Use the mixture right away. Do not store)
Chocolate Facial Mask
This decadent mask is actually an excellent moisturizer — it leaves your skin baby soft. Recommended for normal skin.
1/3 cup cocoa
3 tbsp. double cream
2 tsp. cottage cheese
¼ cup honey
3 tsp. oatmeal powder
Mix all ingredients together and smooth onto face. Relax for ten 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.
PINEAPPLE OLIVE OIL MASK
In a blender, combine 4 large pineapple chunks or 1/2 cup canned, drained pineapple and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Blend until almost smooth. Apply mixture to face with fingertips and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse face with warm water and pat dry
Creams
Apple-Pear Anti-Wrinkle Cream
1 tsp apple juice
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lime juice
2 T buttermilk
1 T rosemary leaves
3 seedless grapes
1/4 pear
2 egg whites
Blend all ingredients in a blender on medium speed for 30 seconds. Using a cotton ball, dab mixture on areas around the eyes and wherever wrinkles have developed. Let dry, then rinse with warm water. Use no more than 3 times a week. Follow with a moisturizer. Cover and refrigerate immediately. Shelf life: 4 days
VITAMIN E CREAM
2 tsp. plain yoghurt
1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
3 capsules vitamin E (equivalent of 300 units)
Combine yoghurt, honey and lemon juice. Open the vitamin E capsules and fold contents into the mix. Gently massage into skin; Leave on skin for 15 minutes. Shelf life: 3-4 days.
For Your Body
COFFEE BODY SCRUB
2 cups of coarsely ground coffee
1/2 cup raw sugar or sea salt
2-3 T massage oil
Mix all ingredients together. Take a hot shower to moisten your skin and open your pores. Using wide, circular motions, rub the coffee exfoliant onto your skin with strong, even pressure. Shower off, pat skin dry, and apply a thin layer of your favorite body lotion
GINGER SKIN CREME
Ginger invigorates, and oil soothes. Try this double dose for dry skin.
2-inch piece of fresh ginger
2 teaspoons light sesame oil
2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil
2 teaspoons vitamin E oil
½ cup cocoa butter
Preheat oven on lowest setting. Finely grate the ginger just enough so that you have about an 1/8 teaspoon of ginger “juice.” To obtain the juice, squeeze the freshly grated ginger over a small bowl. Place the ingredients (including the ginger) in a glass container and heat just until the cocoa butter is melted and the oils are blended. Pour into a clean, dry container and store in a cool dry place. You can add a few drops of orange or other essential oil for a nice twist
Fruit Salad Body Mask
This may sound as if you’re pouring a smoothie for the skin — and you are — but for good reason. Pineapple contains bromeliad, a protein-digestive enzyme which helps rid the skin of dead cells and dirt. It also counteracts histamines, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is a mild astringent. Grapes are rich in PCOs which provide protection against harmful UV rays, and, are anti-oxidents. Bananas have loads of vitamins, calcium and essential nutrients which keep the skin smooth and soft. Kiwi is high in vitamin C and has enzymatic properties. Honeydew is both soothing and hydrating.
2 slices pineapple – rind removed
1/2 med. honeydew melon – rind removed
1 doz. green grapes
1 med. banana – peeled
1 med. kiwi fruit peeled
Puree all ingredients in food processor. Mixture will be slightly lumpy. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Smooth onto body and/or face, leaving on for half an hour. This is an ideal treatment to use poolside, where lounging is assuring. Rinse off with tepid water,
Grapefruit Spa Salt Glow
1 cup fine dead sea salts
8 oz Macadamia nut oil
40 drops grapefruit essential oil
20 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops ylang ylang essential oil
Stir essential oils into the macadamia nut oil. Add the salts and mix well. Pour into a hinged tight sealing jar. You can substitute the Macadamia nut “carrier oil” with other carrier oils (i.e. pistachio oil, sweet almond oil, hazelnut oil or a mixture of oils). To obtain radiant skin with intense moisturizing, swirl your salt glow with your fingertips or spoon to blend. Scoop out a generous amount and apply with hand, washcloth or loofah to entire body. Step into shower stream & watch your salt glow bead up and roll off your skin. For a comfortable shave, apply your salt glow prior to shaving, then rinse. Avoid any cuts or scrapes on your skin.
Hands and feet
Avocado Hand and Foot Treatment
1/4 to 1/2 mashed fresh avocado
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon rice bran
10 drops of oil of evening primrose.
Mix together and gently massage this treatment onto your hands and feet, and leave in place for 20 minutes. Rinse. This natural treatment will revive your dry, wrinkled and rough hands, feet, elbows and knees. The avocado and egg nourish the skin with proteins and oils; the rice bran exfoliates dead skin cells; the oil of evening primrose contains precious gamma linolenic acids, essential for healthy hair, skin and nails. Consider purchasing a small jar of Oil of Evening Primrose capsules from your health food store. Open one, and voila…you have the ingredient for this recipe.
SPA INDEX COCOA BUTTER HAND AND FOOT CREME
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup dry oatmeal
4 tablespoons cocoa butter
3 tablespoons honey
Cocoa Butter is pressed from the cocoa bean as a byproduct of the chocolate manufacturing process. Unaltered food-grade cocoa butter has a pleasant chocolate smell and is readily available online from handmade soap product suppliers. We’ve grated cocoa butter into our own bath water for soft winter skin, since cocoa butter is an excellent emollient, leaving your skin soft and smooth. Unlike other oils that penetrate into the skin, cocoa butter remains on top and lays down a protective layer, preventing the skin from drying out.
Process the almonds in a blender or coffee grinder until coarsely ground. In a bowl, combine oatmeal, cocoa butter, honey and ground nuts. Rub into your hands and feet, cover with cotton gloves and socks, and leave on overnight. The next morning, remove the gloves and socks and rinse. You’ll be delighted with your incredibly smooth skin. This remedy is ideal for soothing hard-working hands and feet because it gently exfoliates old, dead skin and nourishes new cells.
Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant
Strawberries contain a natural fruit acid which aids in exfoliation.
8-10 Strawberries
2 tablespoons Apricot Oil (you may substitute olive oil)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt, such as Kosher Salt, or Sea Salt
Mix together all ingredients into a paste, massage into hands and feet, rinse, and pat dry.
Bath
APHRODISIAC BATH BLEND
Whip up an Aphrodisiac Bath Blend to relax the mind, while the properties of the essential oils stimulate sexuality and euphoria.
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh cream
4 drops ylang ylang essential oil
3 drops neroli essential oil
2 drops bergamot essential oil
Combine all ingredients in warm bath water and soak.
Bath Cookies
2 cups finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 T light oil
1 tsp vitamin E oil
2 eggs
5-6 drops essential oil of your choice
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Combine all the listed ingredients and form into a dough. Using a teaspoon or so of dough at a time, roll it gently in the palm of your hand until it forms a ball. Form all dough into one teaspoon balls, and gently place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Consider sprinkling the bath balls with herbs, flower petals, cloves, citrus zest and similar aromatic ingredients. Bake your bath cookies for ten minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not over bake. Allow the bath cookies to cool completely.
To use, Drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve. Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths
Chamomile Milk Bath
A skin-softening treat for dry, winter skin
4 cups powdered milk
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup dried chamomile or 5 chamomile tea bags
Steep chamomile in water for 20 minutes Strain liquid. Mix liquid with powdered milk and add to running bath water.
RED WINE AND HONEY BATH
The red wine and the honey together clarify and moisten.
Add to bath:
4 cups of the cheapest red wine available
1 cup of honey
Hair
Cucumber Hair Drench
If you swim in a chlorinated pool for exercise on a regular basis, the same damage you’ve noticed happening to your skin and bathing suit, is happening to your hair, as well. Try this treatment at home to keep chlorine damage to a minimum.
1 egg
1 half-eggshell’s worth of olive oil (i.e., one portion of the eggshell you broke apart)
1 quarter of a peeled cucumber
Blend the egg, olive oil and peeled cucumber in a blender or food processor until smooth. Spread evenly through your hair, leave on for 10 minutes, then thoroughly rinse. For the best results year-round, continue this treatment monthly
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