Embracing Him

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)

Many of my homemade homemade skin treats were nearly gone, so yesterday afternoon I took some time to make more of them. I like to mix up my own skin care recipes because I enjoy making them and homemade means I don’t have to spend money. In addition, I’m able to customize a recipe with ingredients that meet my skin’s needs. Most importantly, when I make things myself I’m well aware of the ingredients and don’t need to worry about having an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients.

Yesterday, one of the things I made was a wonderful oatmeal honey facial. I use it twice a week to help keep my face bright, soft, and well moisturized. The facial works just as well as the expensive product I used to buy and includes inexpensive ingredients I always have in my fridge and pantry.

If you plan to make and use this facial, there are a few things you should know. First, the mixture is quite thick and a bit sticky which makes it a little tricky to work with. Make sure your hair is completely pulled back before applying the mask, because you don’t want the mixture to end up in your hair. Also, wiping the mask off takes a bit more effort due to its thickness.  Be sure to treat your skin gently as you remove it; don’t rub or scrub too hard. In addition, I suggest letting the mix come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before applying it. Giving it time to warm makes it easier to apply.

This facial has many benefits. Oatmeal heals and soothes dry skin while helping to remove dead skin cells. Honey is a natural antibacterial that moisturizes the skin and encourages skin renewal, while the same yogurt we eat can be used an effective skin cleanser. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and is recognized for its anti-aging benefits.

Give the facial a try and then tweak it to suit your needs. Your skin will thank you!

Oatmeal Honey Facial

1/2 cup oatmeal, finely ground
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 Vitamin E tablet

Grind the oatmeal in a blender or food processor and set it aside. In a small bowl, stir together honey and yogurt, and then add the ground oatmeal. Pierce the Vitamin E capsule and the squeeze contents into mixture. Mix thoroughly until a smooth paste forms. Smooth over your face, leave on for ten minutes, and wipe off with warm water and a soft washcloth. Store in the refrigerator after use. This recipe makes enough to fill a 4 ounce container. Refrigerate after use.

Photo: Courtesy of bisckuit (Flickr)

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. (Proverbs 31:13)

At the bottom of the closet in our spare bedroom, there is a large Rubbermaid tub. The tub belongs to me and holds a variety of interesting items: vegetable glycerin, oatmeal, aloe vera jelly, brown sugar, joboba oil, olive oil, several essential oils, Epsom and Kosher salts, honey, as well as many measuring cups and spoons. I call these items the tools of my trade.

Whenever I bring my tub down to the kitchen JT usually says, “Hmm, I see my little alchemist is about to begin her work. I wonder what she’ll be making today.” I love to mix up heavenly-scented, skin pampering treats for me and my friends.

One of my favorite treats to make is a brown sugar body scrub. I found this simple recipe online a while ago, but I do not recall where I found it. It makes a thick, rich sugar scrub that leaves your skin soft, smooth, and smelling delicious!

Simple Brown Sugar Scrub
1 cup ground oatmeal (I use our blender to grind it.)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Epsom salt
½ cup scented body lotion
¼ cup baby oil

Combine oatmeal, white sugar, brown sugar, and Epsom salt in a large bowl. Add the baby oil and lotion and stir into a thick paste. This makes enough scrub to fill a 16 ounce container.

To use: Stir the scrub to redistribute the oils that have risen to the top. Apply the scrub in the shower after your skin has been cleansed. Place a bit of the scrub in your hand or onto a bath mitt and massage it into your skin (from your shoulders to your feet) using gentle circular motions. Do not rub too vigorously or you will scratch and damage your skin. Rinse with warm water, pat yourself dry, and apply lotion to your skin. When done, be sure to rinse out the tub and shower fully because the oils in the scrub will make it slippery.

Though this recipe is great as is, I’ve modified it to include more natural products such as aloe vera jelly and jojoba oil. Tinker with the recipe to customize it to your liking. Play with the ingredients to create a scrub that suits your skin type (dry or oily) and matches your scent preferences.

If you’re interested in creating more homemade scrubs, check these websites. They’re some of my favorite places to visit:

Belle City Soapworks
From Nature With Love
Robbie’s Recipes

Photo: Courtesy of memyselfandkai (Flickr)

Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. (Song of Solomon 4:3a)

I am obsessed with lip balm.

My husband, my mother, and my best friend Valerie can all testify about my pitiful dependency. Because I hate to be without lip balm, I have stashed my “lip love” tubes all around: in the car, in the van, in coat pockets, in nearly every bag or backpack I own, and in both girls’ bags as well. In spite of my preparedness, I still have had to make emergency trips to the drugstore in order replace precious tubes that have been lost. In dire situations, I have even bummed balm from JT.

After our MOPS group created homemade sugar scrubs, I was inspired to make my own lip balm. I figured if I made it at home, I would probably never have to be without it. I was surprised to discover that lip balm is easy to make and contains simple ingredients that don’t usually cost too much.

Lip balm recipes are posted all over the internet. Over the past several months I’ve collected and tried several, but this recipe is my favorite. Keep in mind that you may have to “play” with the recipe in order to create a balm you like. If your balm turns out too hard, melt it down and add a bit more oil. If it turns out too soft, melt it down and add more beeswax.

Creamy Cocoa Lip Balm

2 tablespoons cocoa butter
1 tablespoon beeswax
½ teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons jojoba oil
1 Vitamin E capsule
1 tube of lipstick (any color you choose)

Melt the cocoa butter, beeswax, and honey. Stir very well to prevent lumps from forming in the balm. Add vitamin E and oil. Stir very well. Add color to the balm by slicing off a small amount of the lipstick and stirring into the melted lip balm mixture. (This will not color the lips, but will just give your lip balm a pretty color.) Pour into small airtight containers.