DIY Lavender & Lemon Facial Cleanser

Greetings Everyone! Michelle here, the gal behind the blog, On A Wing And A Prayer. I feel especially honored to have been asked to guest post here with Paula. When I found Paula's blog I fell in love with her recipes for making your own bath products. And if you haven't tried her natural garden soaps, you're missing out!

One such gift I would like to share with Paula’s readers today is a facial cleanser you can make yourself with just 4 simple ingredients. I used a recipe originally posted by Aubrey @ Homegrown & Healthy.

DIY Lavender & Lemon Facial Cleanser

1 Cup of Distilled Water

1/2 Tablespoon of Unscented Glycerin Soap

5 Drops Lavender Essential Oil

5 Drops Lemon Essential Oil

1. Chop or shred the glycerin soap.

2. Using a double boiler, bring the water to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in soap chips until melted. Cool.

3. Add essential oils and stir until well blended.

What I love about DIY projects is you can tailor them to suit your needs. I used distilled water because all of the impurities have been removed. Glycerin soap helps the skin absorb the moisture in the air, causing it to stay softer. Lavender essential oil has antibiotic properties making it perfect to treat acne, blemishes and skin infections with a calming and relaxing effect. Lemon essential oil has astringent and antiseptic qualities. Plus it's loaded with Vitamin C, a necessary to healthy skin.

There is one thing I would like to point out. If you regularly use a commercial facial cleanser, you will be use to lathering up with lots of suds and/or foam. Foam is the result of chemicals such as sodium laureth sulphate in the product which actually strips your skin of all oils. When the oil is removed, your skin will actually produce more to replace what was lost.

Take control of your health. It's really pretty easy. Your body, and your wallet, will thank you!

Signing Off, Michelle

I hope that you will take a few minutes to visit Michelle online at the links below.

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Thank you so much for stopping by my blog.

Smiles, Paula

DIY Pink Clay Body Scrub

As many of you know I am obsessed with making homemade bath and beauty products.  One of my latest passions is working with natural clays.  I have been experimenting with french green clay, pink clay and bentonite clay.  I love using clays on my skin because of their super purifying qualities.  Natural clays draw out excess dirt from deep down in the skin plus they tighten and revitalize the skin.  Here is a recipe for my DIY Pink Clay Body Scrub.  Whip up this spa treatment at home and enjoy in the shower.  To use simply by  rubbing it all over your body in a circular motion and rinse with warm water.

This body scrub is suitable for all skin types from normal, sensitive and mature skin.  Caution!  This body scrub has the ability to revitalize your skin, promotes essence, firmness, elasticity, and many have a smoothing effect.  This homemade scrub is also wonderful to increase your circulation and repair sun damaged skin.

Pink clay is rich in minerals, iron, and trace elements that act in improving elasticity, decreasing sagging and the appearance of ageing.  If your scrub is a bit runny in consistency, feel free to add more sugar to thicken your scrub as desired.  I sometimes add dried and crushed rose petals or lavender buds.

I love the feeling of this body scrub because it is super foaming and bubbly with the castile liquid soap added.  It leaves my skin feeling super clean, soft and firm.

I hope you enjoy this blog post, thank you for checking it out.

Smiles, Paula

{ Follow Me on Pinterest } Paula Parrish

DIY Seaweed Facial Mask

I love sushi topped off with a slice of yummy ginger.

I often enjoy salmon, snow crab, and avocado wrapped

with seaweed and rice.

Seaweed is great to eat, and it is also wonderful for your skin

because it is packed full of rich vitamins and minerals.

The essential vitamins and antioxidants in seaweed include:

A1, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E, K, pantothenic acid,

folic acid, ascorbic acid, niacin, and beta-carotene.

This is why I add it to my handmade Mucky Seaweed Soap,

and other skin care recipes.

Seaweed is also known to help repair damaged skin cells,

helps protect the skin from free radical damage,

fight skin inflammation and irritation.

Because of its nutritional properties,

and the 54 trace elements found in seaweed,

this amazing ocean wonder has been said to

help slow down the aging process of the skin.

Seaweed also protects the skin from harsh everyday elements.

The minerals in seaweed help release toxins from the skin,

making it great for detoxifying, or as a natural exfoliant.

I am sure that you would love using rich seaweed on your skin

to rejuvenate, prevent wrinkles, hydrate, and brighten your skin.

I am sharing with you a simple rejuvenating facial mask recipe,

I hope that you will give it a try.

DIY Seaweed Facial Mask

1 Tablespoons of Sea Kelp Powder

2 Tablespoon of Warm Water

1 Tablespoon of Aloe Vera Gel

A Few Drops of Honey

5 Drops of Rosemary Essential Oil

Place the seaweed into a small bowl, add warm water and mix.  Add aloe vera gel, honey and stir until well mixed.  Mix in about 5 drops of Rosemary essential oil to cover up the fishy smell.  Feel free to add more water or clay, if needed, to reach your desired consistency.

Apply the seaweed mask to your face, leave on for up to 20 minutes, then rinse off with warm water and soft cloth.  Use this seaweed mask up to twice a month as part of your typical skin care routine.

My face feels SO soft and refreshed after I use this mask.

Beware, that you kind of look like a swamp monster with this mask on your face.

Do you use seaweed in your normal skin care routine?

Smiles, Paula

{ Follow Me On Pinterest  } Paula Parrish

DIY Pineapple Peel Body Scrub

I love to enjoy a yummy homemade smoothie for lunch.

Whenever I included fresh pineapple chunks in my smoothie,

I always save the pineapple peels to use as body scrubbers.

I use the inner part of the peel, not the outside which would be too harsh on my skin.

This yummy fruity smelling treatment leaves my skin soft, and refreshed.

DIY Pineapple Peel Body Scrub

• The Peels with ¼" of Fresh Pineapple, cut into 3 to 4 inch Wide Strips
• Sugar

Sprinkle the inside of the pineapple with sugar. To use, gently scrub your skin with the inside of the pineapple peel just like you’d use a washcloth. It will feed your skin with vitamins and gently exfoliate. Rinse well after treatment, use weekly.

Tips:

• I store the remaining pineapple peels in my refrigerator to use another time.
• Pineapple contains an enzyme called papain that stimulates the replacement of old skin cells with fresh new ones.
• Pineapple is rich in Alpha-Hydroxy Acids which slows down the aging process.
• Do not use on your face, as will be to harsh.
• Pineapple contains enzymes and the antioxidant vitamins A and C, which are good for your skin.

I hope that you find this post to be informative and helpful?

Thanks for dropping by my blog.

Smiles, Paula

DIY Refreshing Cooling Spray

Are you looking to Refresh and Cool Down?
As much as we enjoy the warm weather, the summer heat can leave your skin feeling sticking, dry and hot. This summer has started out especially hot in many states in the US. For a refreshing pick me up during the day, give this recipe a try. It is awesome to carry around with you, and mist lightly to cool and refresh your skin anytime. This spray can be used on your face, arms, and on the soles of your feet, whenever you’re feeling uncomfortably toasty.

Refreshing Cooling Spray

• 3 T. Aloe Vera Gel
• 3 T. Witch Hazel
• 3 T. Cranberry Juice
• 2 T. of Distilled Water
• 1 T. Vegetable Glycerin
• 2-3 Drops of Tangerine Essential Oil
• 1 Drop of Ginger Essential Oil

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Pour into a mist sprayer bottle and shake well before each use. Store in a cool, dark place.

Aloe Vera Gel is rich in antioxidants, to help soothe skin and fight sun damage.

Witch Hazel to support your skin’s natural protection against drying elements.
Cranberry Juice contains a lot of vitamins and minerals which are good for your skin.  It’s like a fruit cocktail for the skin, refreshing, healthy and perfect for the summertime.
Vegetable Glycerin is good for your skin because it has strong humectant properties, meaning it is able to retain and bring moisture to your skin.
Tangerine and Ginger Essential Oil aromatherapy blend is sure to stimulate your mind, body, and spirit and naturally change your mood.

Love IT! This natural homemade “Refreshing Cooling Spray” feels so good cooling on my skin and the kids like it too.

I’d love to keep in touch. ;o)
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If you would like to see more DIY recipes stop back by often. If you are not following along, please consider becoming a new follower. It would make me gloriously happy.
Smiles, Paula

DIY Bath Cookies

I know many people regularly take sea salt baths. It is amazing how sea salt makes your skin softer and firmer. This recipe is a new twist on traditional bath salts, using simple ingredients right from your kitchen. It includes three things that I love; cooking, lavender, and natural skin care.

Bath Cookie Recipe
2 cups Fine Sea Salt
1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoons Vitamin E Oil
2 Eggs
1 tablespoon of Dried Lavender Buds
5-6 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
Pink Soy Food Coloring {optional}
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, combine salt, cornstarch, and baking soda. Stir in crushed lavender. In a small bowl combine eggs, olive oil, Vitamin E, and lavender essential oil. Whip up the egg mixture, then add to the large bowl and mix well.

Step 3:
Form into a dough ball and roll to about ¾” thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters, or form into a teaspoon size balls, and gently place them on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkling with lavender buds.

Step 4:
Bake your bath cookies for ten minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not over bake.
When ready to use simply, drop 1 or 2 cookies into your warm bath as the water runs.

Skin benefits of the bath cookies natural ingredients.
Sea Salt is a natural detoxifier, as the salt absorbs the toxins from the skin. Sea salt will leave your skin feeling clean, refreshed and soft.
Cornstarch is wonderful additive to your bathwater to relieve skin irritations or a rash.
Baking Soda has a wonderful softening effect on the skin.
Eggs are super enriched with vitamin B2 to help your skin glow.
Vitamin E helps skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Olive Oil is a wonderful natural way to moisturize your skin. It is packed full of strong antioxidants, like Vitamins A and E that help repair your skin damaged from overexposure to sun, air pollution, and other toxins. Things like second hand cigarette smoke and harsh chemicals. These antioxidants have the natural ability to stimulate cells and return skin to a firmer, smoother, and healthier state.
Lavender is amazing. Aside from its soothing and relaxing aromatherapy properties, it also cleans and smoothes your skin.

I enjoyed making these wonderful cookies, which filled my home with a heavenly smell of lavender for days. I am planning to make another batch soon to give as gifts.
Smiles, Paula

{ Follow Me On Pinterest  } Paula Parrish

Skincare Benefits of Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil has a small molecular structure which allows it to be easily absorbed into your skin, giving it a soft, smooth texture. It is an ideal ointment for the relief of dry, rough and wrinkled skin. Eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis sufferers often see great improvements with coconut oil based soaps and coconut skin care products. Coconut oil has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties, so it is perfect for protecting and enhancing the skin’s natural life. It has wonderful antioxidant properties that protect the skin from free radical damage, has the ability to nourish and heal your skin. I love using coconut oil in my handmade soap because of all of these reasons, plus coconut oil gives my soap a big fluffy lather, which is simply luxurious cleansing experience.

Here are some other great tips on how to use coconut oil for everyday skincare.

Age Spots

Applying coconut oil directly to the age spot to help it fade in color. Love It!

Body Scrub

Mix coconut oil and sugar together, then rub all over your body in a circular motion. Rinse off and your skin will be super soft. You can add in a few drops of your favorite essential oil, for a wonderful smell.

Bruises

Applied directly to the bruise, coconut oil enhances the healing process, plus reduce swelling and redness.

Bug Bites

When applied directly to a nasty bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as quicken the healing process. Safe for the little ones. ;o)

Cradle Cap

To deal with dry skin on your baby’s scalp? Coconut oil will not only nourish your baby’s skin, it also helps get rid of cradle cap. Just rub about a pea size of coconut oil onto their scalp daily. Wha-La!

Dandruff

Coconut oil soaks into the scalp moisturizing dry skin and relieves symptoms of dandruff. It also helps to control oil secretion from the scalp, another leading cause of dandruff. Simply rub a small amount into your scalp.

Diaper Rash

Coconut oil is very comforting on a rashy bum with no unwanted harsh chemicals.

Eye Cream

Apply under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the evening.

Hair Conditioner

If your locks are looking more like straw than silk, massage coconut oil into dry to help strengthen and add luster. Use as a leave-in hair conditioner by applying a pea size amount of coconut oil to your ends and then running your fingers through your hair. Beauticians who are familiar with coconut swear by it. I do this at least once a week, you will love the results as much as I do.

Natural Lip Balm

Just rub a little into your lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 for a tad bit of sun protection.

Makeup Remover

This is one of my favorites. Simply, dab a small amount of coconut oil on your eyes to remove eye makeup. You will be amazed at how well it works!

Pre-Shave Treatment

Coconut oil will prepare your skin for the possible damage caused by shaving.

Prevent Breakouts

If you have acne-prone skin or get the occasional breakout, coconut oil can help. Coconut oil has antibacterial properties, so it will help to prevent spots. If you have a breakout, use a bit of oil on it as a spot treatment.

Stretch Mark Cream

Coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will definitely help.

Wrinkle Prevention and Reducer

Rubbing coconut oil on wrinkles and sagging skin helps strengthen the connective tissues to bring back that youthful look!

I would love to hear from you, so if you have any coconut oil skincare tips or a comment please post it below.

Smiles, Paula