Natural Body Guru

If you read the last blog post and are ready to start your natural skin care regimen by making your own facial mask, this recipe is for a purifying, toning, soothing and rejuvenating mask. The basic mask recipe calls for 2 ounces of green clay and 3 teaspoons of cornflour. Mix the clay and cornflour together in a jar and keep it ready for combining into one of the mask formulas below. Or you can use 1 tablespoon of this basic formula with enough of one of the liquid ingredients below to form a paste and then add your chosen essential oils when you are ready. You will blend the ingredients together to form a smooth paste and leave it on your skin for fifteen minutes. Rinse it off with warm water and apply a facial treatment oil such as grapeseed or almond oil. Dab the face with a tissue after applying the oil.

Mask Formulas:

Normal skin

• 1 tablespoon basic mask
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon water
  Combine and use 1 drop
• 2 drops geranium essential oil
• 1 drop of rosewood essential oil

Dry skin

• 1 tablespoon basic mask
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon almond or evening primrose oil
• 2 drops carrot oil
• 2 teaspoons water
  Combine and use 1 drop
• 1 drop chamomile
• 1 drop rose

Oily Skin

• 1 tablespoon basic mask
• 1 tablespoon Brewer’s yeast
• 1 tablespoon water
  Combine and use 1 drop
• 1 drop rosemary
• 1 drop lavender

Revitalizing Mask for Dehydrated Skin

• 1 tablespoon basic mask
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon Brewer’s yeast
• 1 teaspoon jojoba oil
• 1 tablespoon water
  Combine and use 1 drop
• 1 drop chamomile
• 2 drops carrot

Acne

• 1 tablespoon basic mask
• 1 teaspoon water
  Combine and use 1 drop
• 1 drop chamomile
• 1 drop lavender
• 1 drop juniper
• 1 drop patchouli

Facial masks have beneficial effects for many skin types because they can nourish, rejuvenate, and stimulate; refine, cleanse, and peel off the outer skin layer; soothe and calm inflammation; clear acne, loosen blackheads; and act as an anti-wrinkle treatment and natural face-lift. For natural skin care, you can use practically any fruit or vegetable in your refrigerator and many other foodstuffs. You can purchase a flower water to blend your dry ingredients but I prefer to use plain spring water as the moisturizer with essential oils added for the properties they bring to the mixture.

Clay masks are wonderful because the clay has absorbed the sun and the plants and minerals of earth over thousands of years giving it rejuvenating and anti-aging benefits for our skin. Clays come in an assortment of colors from all over the world and can be found in health food stores and pharmacies. When we combine the clay with essential oils they complement each other with a synergistic effect providing natural skin care that is highly beneficial. White kaolin clay is best used on normal to oily skin because it has an astringent effect. It removes impurities from the skin as it cleanses and it improves lymphatic flow, increasing blood circulation to the area. Fuller’s earth is a stimulating clay that is a soft brown in color. It is a cleansing clay plus it removes dead skin cells. It is best used on oily to normal skin.

Green clay is the best of the clays and it can be used on all skin types. It is good for treating acne and other skin disturbances as well as providing an anti-aging effect for mature skin. Green clay balances combination skin, normalizes oily skin and revitalizes dry skin. It is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium and energizes connective tissue. It stimulates very gently and it is effective in increasing the lymph flow and circulation allowing oxygen to speed the elimination of waste products.

Of course, you can purchase a face mask that you squeeze from a tube providing an instant face mask but these products contain all kinds of unnecessary ingredients that may even be harmful to your skin. When I look at the expiration date on a product and it is a year or two away, I wonder how that product can be good for my skin and I want a natural alternative instead. That’s why I make my own facial masks and cleansers. A homemade mask takes only a few minutes to assemble and once you put your tailor made product in a jar you have your own instant face pack ready to use at any time and tailor-made for your own skin type.

Sagging skin causes wrinkles. Wrinkles cause us to look old. What woman wants to look old? Firm up your skin naturally and retain your youthful look.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this case you can prevent or delay additional sagging by avoiding too much exposure to damaging UV rays. Exercise also helps because it increases blood circulation which strengthens skin. For extra fighting power use skin tightening facial products, such as tightening masks and moisturizers before bed.

If your sebaceous glands are not producing enough oil to keep it healthy, your hair probably looks dry and flyaway. The protective oils produced by your hair are essential for protecting it from the elements but exposure to sun, wind, heat, and chemicals can damage hair, leaving it frizzy.  Split ends, broken shafts and a rough texture are all signs that your hair is lacking a sufficient sebum coating.

Ways to repair dry hair include:

• Using a very gentle natural shampoo followed by a cream conditioner that you leave on your hair (not your scalp) for several minutes
• Avoiding the use of chemical products such as hair dye and styling products because they can be very harsh on hair and wearing a hat if you’re going to be out in the sun, and a swimming cap if you’re going to be in chlorinated water
• Adding a few drops of oil (coconut, jojoba, olive oil, etc) will give protective moisture to hair if you simply place a few drops  in your hands, rub your hands together and then work through your hair to give it a light sheen
• Drying hair on the low or coolest setting if you must blow it dry
• Combing your hair in the shower with conditioner in it because this is the time your hair is at its smoothest and strongest; otherwise, use a boar bristle brush, which will be more gentle and less likely to tear hair, as well as helping to distribute oil through the hair
• Washing your hair less often and using a weekly deep conditioner
• Having your hair trimmed if you are experiencing split ends- at least 1/2 inch above the splits

Most men are not very concerned with their skin until there is a problem that needs solving. Whether you are male or female, the first thing people notice about you is your face so here are a few tips to ensure that your skin stays healthy and you look good.

• Cleanse by washing your face daily with a natural soap like Dudu-Osun Natural Black Soap. It not only cleans but also exfoliates so that you get a deep cleansing and your pores stay clear and your face looks healthy.
• Tone your skin with a natural astringent containing 1 ounce witch hazel, 3 ounces distilled water, 1 teaspoon cider vinegar and the following essential oils: 2 drops juniper berry, 1 drop lime, and 1 drop grapefruit. This mixture must be shaken each time you use it.
• Moisturize your face daily with a natural moisturizer that contains no alcohol or fragrances.
• Protect your skin by: avoiding overexposure to the sun, eating healthy, staying in shape with exercise, and steering clear of alcohol, smoking, fatigue and stress.

We put makeup on our faces and go to the gym to keep our bodies in shape but if we don’t take care of our hands all that is a waste of time. The first place that shows age spots is your hands and add that to loose wrinkled skin on the backs of your hands and your hands are telling everyone that you are older than your beautiful face looks! If you work with your hands a lot, this stretches the skin even more and everyone exposes their hands to dirt, grease, grime, heavy detergents, and dish soaps etc. everyday. We really should wear rubber gloves when we do this kind of work with our hands but I don’t bother with it, do you?

Essential oils can help you keep your hands looking their best. Couple your essential oils with a good hand cream and you’ll have the whole family using your hand cream very quickly. Use any of the following essential oils with your hand cream and your hands will look their best in no time: rosemary, geranium, sandalwood, patchouli, lavender, rose, lemon, lime, or carrot. You might want to price the essential oils first because you don’t have to use an expensive one.

You can also mix the hand cream as you use it by putting some cream in your hand and adding one or two drops of the essential oil of your choice as you go. I like to use geranium usually because it smells so nice but if I have a cut or scrape (I’m a klutz in the kitchen) I often use lavender essential oil. Any of the oils mentioned above will work to make your hands as beautiful as the rest of you.

Another name for shea butter is “women’s gold” because the job of  extracting the butter from shea nuts gives employment and income to many rural African village women. Shea butter is used in foods and cooking as well as soaps and beauty products because it is so safe and beneficial. It also contains natural ingredients that protect skin from the sun.

African women and healers have known about and used shea butter for thousands of years. Its properties are so amazing it is almost magical in its healing effects on burns, skin conditions, ulcerated skin, stretch marks, and dryness. The vegetable fats in shea butter promote cell regeneration and circulation making it a superb revitalizer for troubled or aging skin.

The face is by far the most common area for wrinkles to appear on your skin, and unfortunately, these wrinkles are also the most noticeable. To reduce the appearance of existing wrinkles and prevent future wrinkles, it’s best to use a skin tightening cream. This cream will work to firm and tighten the skin underneath and around the eyes and near the mouth (the most common areas wrinkles appear). It’s also a good idea to take precautions to prevent wrinkles by reducing your exposure to the sun, and ensuring that you wear sunscreen whenever outside.

It’s impossible to prevent and remove wrinkles forever, but by taking care of your skin, you will have more years of youthful radiance. It’s better to start when you’re younger than older. When you’re older, chances are the wrinkles have already appeared. You are no longer working just to prevent wrinkles, but also to reduce their appearance. The earlier you start using skin tightening cream and promoting safe practices, the better!

There are many skin care products out there that are best left to the professionals.   Salt and sugar scrubs, on the other hand, can be made quite easily in your kitchen. For those of you who enjoy homemade products and custom scents, here’s your opportunity.  Scrubs are a way to gently exfoliate your body and promote healthy skin. They can be used before or along with your bath or shower.

The first thing you need to decide is whether you prefer salt or sugar.  Those with sensitive skin often do better with sugar, which is more gentle and melts away faster in warm water.  Then, it’s time to collect your ingredients.

The basics of the recipe are sugar or salt, food grade oil (such as jojoba, grapeseed, or avocado), and essential oils.   You can use a variety of different oils depending on your skin’s needs. For example, grape seed oil is slightly astringent and great for oily skin, while sweet almond oil is great for dry skin that needs a lot of moisturizing.  You might also choose to use a bit of honey, especially in sugar scrubs, to help smooth out the texture of the scrub.  You can get creative with seasonal scents, or even add some coffee crystals for a little extra wake-up power in your shower.

Here’s a sample recipe:

8 cups salt OR sugar (raw or light brown)

2 cups jojoba oil

1/2 cup avocado oil

Your choice of essential oils (a few drops)

Honey for texture

Slowly mix the oils into the sugar or salt. You are aiming for a consistency that is wet, yet allows you to ball it up without it dripping back through your fingers.  Add honey and/or more oil as needed.  When you have achieved your desired texture, mix in your essential oils.

Note: be sure to use pure essential oils and not fragrance oils which are often synthetic and can be highly irritating.

Are you trying to shed the last of your flaky winter skin? Moisture is the key to healthy, comfortable skin. Start by upping the amount of water you drink on a daily basis. Your body needs water to function, including repairing damaged skin cells.

Next, try using a gentle body exfoliatant a few times a week to clear away dead, dry skin cells. Use less hot water when you shower, as hot water can deplete natural oils that your body produces. Finally, follow up with skin moisturizers. You may need to use different moisturizers for your body and facial skin, as facial skin tends to be more sensitive.