Natural Beauty

Have been poorly for a few days - rotten virus. (Not a good soldier me). I don't think my mood has been enhanced by the woeful deterioration in the weather...since my last post, we have had heavy snow and more forecast for later in the week. I can't even get out to the garden so instead, I decided to make a few home made, natural beauty products....I've had a book from the library since January and had ordered the basics such as cocoa butter, beeswax, citric acid and various oils.

Feeling very smug - have made my own cleanser, face serum and mint choc chip lip balm!

Far easier than I thought, like most things. They were based upon recipes from this wonderful book - very easy to follow. I used the recipe for the cocoa butter lip balm sticks - beeswax, cocoa butter and jojoba oil but because I only had wee tins, not sticks, I added some organic extra virgin olive oil - the sticks have to be slightly harder to stand up. Then, I added a teaspoon of organic cocoa powder and a few drops of peppermint essential oil, stirring well through before it sets. Then pour into tins (saved from old lip balms but available online). The cocoa powder adds a hint of colour which I like.

The anti aging face serum - I only had half the ingredients so, like most things, I improvised - I used argan oil - found in southern Morocco - the latest greatest anti aging oil - just try not to think about the fact that, to extract the oil, the goats eat the fruit then poo the seeds - lovely! It makes it easier to extract apparently. Then I added jojoba oil as my skin is quite oily....it doesn't block pores.....and wrinkly so I added essential oils of frankincense, clary sage (not for ladies heavy with child) and cypress - you can tailor it to suit your skin. 

I tried it all out this evening and have a lovely glow (a face like a blood pudding according to the hubbie) but I've warned him not to be too shocked when he wakes in the morning to find himself beside a younger, fresher me! (I have no patience - have you noticed?).

Anyway, I'm getting carried away and decided to look up the natural botox alternative (bee venom face cream) as allegedly used by Kate and Camilla - it's 60 quid a jar and they electrocute the poor bees to release the venom - how awful. But I keep remembering my mother's kindly comments last week - "you could virtually climb into the wrinkles in your forehead!" Thanks mum. Well - what do you think of this? - apparently stinging nettles can have a similar effect - chopped, mixed in warm water with yoghurt and honey, and applied as a face mask (no pain, no gain)....roll on the spring weather til the nettle's start growing - WATCH THIS SPACE!