When you're struck with things like zit flare-ups, bug bites and puffy eyes, your knee-jerk reaction is to grab a product from your medicine cabinet (or wherever you keep that kind of stuff), right? But, have you considered that maybe the herbs, plants and flowers growing in your backyard (or the ones you bought at the store) could remedy some of your skin care woes with the same -- if not better -- results? In our busy, fast-paced lives, we know you're thinking, "Yeah, right. Like I'll ever have time to whip up a skin care recipe. Ever." Stick with us � while some of these skin care recipes are a bit more labor intensive, most of them only require a few easy-to-locate, purse-friendly ingredients.
We called on the expertise of Melinda Joy Miller, author of "Shamanic Gardening: Timeless Techniques for the Modern Sustainable Garden" and Janice Cox, author of "Natural Beauty for All Seasons: 250 Simple Recipes and Gift Giving Ideas for Year-Round Beauty". They share recipes for skin and eye remedies that'll help clear blemishes and zap zits; ones that'll help soothe facial irritation, bring pH balance to the skin, calm insect bites and sunburns, and soothe red, itchy skin; and ones that rejuvenate and condition tired-looking eyes.
In case you weren't blessed with a green thumb, Miller has a tip for you: "The best time of day to pick herbs or flowers is in the early morning just as the sun is coming up. The energy of the day is very high then and the plant is at a rested, healed-by-the-dew state." On the other hand, if you're not a morning person or don't have a garden, you can improvise by picking them up at your local market at your leisure.
This nighttime cream will help calm breakouts and clear up pimples by bringing pH balance to the skin. The key ingredient is aloe, a powerful healing plant.
Aloe Pimple Potion
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons or more aloe gel
3 ounces grape seed or almond oil
1 ounce liquid lanolin
2 ounces rosewater
Directions:
"I like to take a leaf of aloe, cut the edges off with a sharp knife, peel off one side of [the] leaf, and gently scrape out the gel," says Miller. Combine aloe with oil and beat together using a whisk, electric mixer, or blender. In a glass bowl over a pan of hot water, melt liquid lanolin into the mixture. Remove from heat and cool; then add in the rosewater. Store in a cream jar. Use at night as a body ointment or face cream on any blemishes, says Miller.
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Dry, Cracked Lips
This simple, but effective lip balm recipe will bring moisture to dry lips, keeping them feeling soft and smooth. When you use beeswax on your lips, you don't have to reapply it as often as name brand ointments, says Cox.
Directions:
In a double boiler or microwave, melt the beeswax and coconut oil together and stir well. Pour into clean lip balm container or small plastic box and allow to cool completely.
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Sunburn
This bath powder recipe is ideal for calming a bad sunburn or even insect bites. The oatmeal and baking soda, help soothe skin, and the lavender contains relaxing qualities, says Cox.
English Lavender Bath
Ingredients:
1 cup lavender flowers (fresh or dried)
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup baking soda
Directions:
Place ingredients inside a food processor or blender. Grind until you have a smooth, fine powder. The powder should have the consistency of whole grain flower. Pour into a clean, airtight container. To use, pour 1/2 cup into your bath as you fill the tub. Yields 28 ounces -- enough for seven baths.
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Inflamed Skin
Apples have been used for centuries in food and beauty recipes. They are 85 percent water, and high in potassium and Vitamins A and C. When used as a facial toner, apple pectin helps soothe skin, says Cox.
Apple Pectin Toner
Ingredients:
1 apple, cut up with peel, seeds removed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup witch hazel
Directions:
Place the cut-up apple in a small saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool completely, then strain out the apple chunks. Stir in the witch hazel and pour into a clean container. To use, spritz on your face or apply to skin using a clean cotton ball.
When you're struck with things like zit flare-ups, bug bites and puffy eyes, your knee-jerk reaction is to grab a product from your medicine cabinet (or wherever you keep that kind of stuff), right? But, have you considered that maybe the herbs, plants and flowers growing in your backyard (or the ones you bought at the store) could remedy some of your skin care woes with the same -- if not better -- results? In our busy, fast-paced lives, we know you're thinking, "Yeah, right. Like I'll ever have time to whip up a skin care recipe. Ever." Stick with us � while some of these skin care recipes are a bit more labor intensive, most of them only require a few easy-to-locate, purse-friendly ingredients.
We called on the expertise of Melinda Joy Miller, author of "Shamanic Gardening: Timeless Techniques for the Modern Sustainable Garden" and Janice Cox, author of "Natural Beauty for All Seasons: 250 Simple Recipes and Gift Giving Ideas for Year-Round Beauty". They share recipes for skin and eye remedies that'll help clear blemishes and zap zits; ones that'll help soothe facial irritation, bring pH balance to the skin, calm insect bites and sunburns, and soothe red, itchy skin; and ones that rejuvenate and condition tired-looking eyes.
In case you weren't blessed with a green thumb, Miller has a tip for you: "The best time of day to pick herbs or flowers is in the early morning just as the sun is coming up. The energy of the day is very high then and the plant is at a rested, healed-by-the-dew state." On the other hand, if you're not a morning person or don't have a garden, you can improvise by picking them up at your local market at your leisure.
