Friday, December 24, 2010

He Knows Not What He Says.

It's a good thing I do

(for more adventures, click the above link to see our other blog.)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Never Measure Anything If You Can Help It

It's true. If you were to make a recipe of my life, it would consist of those eight words.

Herbapalooza!! - an Herbal Evenings Party in PA (photo by Scott P Yates)

I say that because the lovely Danica Zirkle (above, in green hat), recently asked me to share a few "recipes" from a recent Herbal Evenings Party with her friends - so here they are! Happy holidays, D - MUAH!!

I put "recipes" in quotes for a few reasons. First, the whole point of playing with herbs is to PLAY with them, and for these simple and safe blends, the only way you can do it wrong is by worrying that you're doing it wrong.

Second, I don't like following directions, so I see no reason to make them up for anyone else. One of my favorite pastimes is reading cookbooks and how-to books, but I don't view them as rules so much as success stories. So while I do take careful notes of my experiments and custom blends, I rarely follow them to a T - and neither should you! Having said that, essential oils are very concentrated, and a little goes a long way, especially when using them on skin.

Beloveds, life is open to interpretation. These are notes, and you're welcome to change them or follow them as you see fit.
If you have questions, feel free to call me at (802) 578-7931. I'm happy to help!


Facial Scrubs and Masques

Tips: Facial masques should always be applied to damp, freshly washed (and/or scrubbed) skin, and followed by the moisturizer or toner of your choice.

Basic Recipe
1 part organic powdered milk
2 parts oatmeal
1 part ground dried herbs (lavender, calendula, chamomile, rose, catnip, raspberry leaf, etc.)
essential oils of lavender, carrot seed, atlas cedar and/or chamomile

Directions:
In a clean coffee grinder, blend oatmeal until it becomes a coarse powder.
Blend large herbs separately, checking every few seconds to make sure they're not too fine - a few pulses should do it. If using chamomile, you may have to remove stems.
Mix dry ingredients and add essential oils a few drops at a time until you reach the desired scent, stirring frequently. Add sparingly.
Store in a small jar, tin, or baggie - if using essential oils, they will lose their scent more quickly if stored in plastic.

To Apply:

Mix one tablespoon dry ingredients with enough liquid to form a paste (see variations by skin type, below). For a scrub, rub gently into face and rinse. For a masque, let paste thicken for 1 minute, spread thinly onto face, let dry, and rinse.

Optional Exfoliating Additions for Scrubs:
ground almonds (don't grind them too fine, or you'll end up with almond butter!)
ground sunflower seeds (ditto)
cornmeal

Variations by Skin Type
For dry/aging skin: Apply with cream or milk. Don't use dried peppermint.
For oily skin: Add 1 part brewer’s yeast and/or 1 or 2 drops tea-tree oil. Apply with witch hazel, rosewater, or milk.
For sensitive skin: Apply with rosewater, water, or chamomile tea. Do not use cornmeal or peppermint leaf. Test on inner arm before using on face.

Again, have fun, let me know how they turn out, and consider treating yourself and your friends to a personalized class or Herbal Evenings Party - you'll love what you learn!

Copyright (c) 2009-2014 Jessica Bellantone. Please email me when reproducing content. Thank you!

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