Make your own skin products

The Truth about "Natural" Skin Care

2012-01-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

Natural skin care doesn't exist.

Sorry to break it to you, but I don't see cleansers and moisturizers bubbling up from the ground, nor do flowers dripping skin astringents any time soon.

How can anything be natural when it doesn't come from nature?

Let's do a quick comparison:

A tomato that you forget about it for a week on the kitchen counter, it will not surprise you to find that it's rotten, squishy, and covered in mold. In only one week your perfectly ripe, sandwich ready tomato has become irreversibly reclaimed by nature.

Let's compare my tomato to the average bottle of "natural" face cleanser.

When you purchase said a cleanser bottle from a store, you have no idea how old this cleanser is. It could have been created and bottled years ago because, unlike food brands, skin care products don't come packaged with a "born-on" date stamped to the bottom.

So you bring home the bottle and set it just as proudly on your bathroom counter, and proceed to forget about this bottle for one year.

A year later, cleaning out your cabinets and you come across that dusty bottle of natural face cleanser and wonder how old it could possibly be. You open it, it smells fine, you guess you can use it.

But something feels wrong about this.

Deep down inside when we bring something into our home that's stuck around for a year (even though it could actually be much older), the idea of using it is just repulsive.

So this is a pretty good, general definition of something natural – it rots.

And as we all know, skin care products and cosmetics don't rot.

Why would they?

Companies fill them with so many preservatives they'll probably still be around even when we aren't. Extending shelf life is the cornerstone of our industrial age. Produce the product fast and cheap, then make sure it'll last long enough for someone to buy it.

And with skin care this can take a long time.

We're human beings: we like things that rot and distrust things that don't (or at least we should).

What is Real Natural Skin Care?

Now the one exception to my rule of "natural skin care doesn't exist" is homemade skin care.

Homemade skin care is very natural because it's a concoction you create yourself in the kitchen using natural and organic materials.

Skin can do funny things, and homemade skin care will be much more potent and concentrated than any products you buy in a store.

Just make sure you never use ingredients in your homemade products that you're allergic to. It's just not a good idea to be messing around with peanuts on your skin if you already have a known peanut allergy.

Use common sense with everything you try and if your skin doesn't seem to like it, try a different recipe.

I know many people are really intrigued by homemade skin care and eager to try something new. If totally, 100% natural skin care is what you want, then making your skin care products from scratch is going to be your only option.

Totally natural skin care can't come from a company in a bottle because they have to have some preservatives and stabilizers in them to extend shelf life.

I know homemade skin care might not appeal to everyone. Most of use just don't have the time to whip up a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer.

So for those of you that want natural skin care, but don't want to make it yourself, you're going to have to compromise. You need to start reading ingredient labels, comparing products, and purchasing skin care that is natural enough for you based on the concentrations of bad ingredients verses the good.

Soapconscious has many eBooks with

Real Natural Make-Up Recipes

and

Real Natural Skin Care Recipes

Happy Natural Cosmetics Making!

Save your skin and your money!

Marlene Daniels

How to Make Aphrodisiac love potion Fragrant Blends

2012-01-12T18:54:00.000-08:00

Marlene's new eBook; How to Make Aphrodisiac love potion Fragrant Blends

Discover the essential oils with the power to increase sexual desire and to enhance sexual performance.

Aromatherapy can be convenient, especially for busy people who need something quick.

These Aromatic Love Potions encourage to reach mental, physical and emotional harmony and awakens the body’s natural healing ability, and to enable to enjoy happiness, health and vitality!

By incorporating essential oils into the experience you can escape into a different state of mind.

You can use Aromatherapy to create a romantic retreat away from the rest of the world, without ever leaving the bedroom.

Aphrodisiacs are substances that are capable of enhancing sexual pleasure or sexual desire.

Aphrodisiacs have been around since time immemorial.Throughout history food was used as an aphrodisiac to energise the physical body and affect circulation, often producing a positive effect on the entire body, including the sexual organs and emotions.

Also introduced in the form of perfume, aphrodisiacs were used in the old days to affect the emotions directly and as a personal scent to attract romance and love.

Perfume is still used today for similar reasons, but Aromatherapy is more than perfume.

Essential oils have the potential to affect the circulatory, hormonal and nervous systems, all of which are involved in sexual desire and pleasure.

Essential oils are mood-enhancing substances that are capable of creating many different moods or feelings such as warmth, femininity, euphoria, romance or spirituality.

Aromatic Aphrodisiacs can be used to enhance feelings of self confidence, joy and a general feeling of well-being.

Marlene's new eBook; How to Make Aphrodisiac love potion Fragrant Blends

Celebrating 10 Years! Make Your Own Skin Care and Make Up with Only Natural Ingredients!

2012-01-07T19:55:00.000-08:00

Natural Cosmetic Training and Making; Courses, Workshops, Starter Kits and Recipe eBooks.
Soapconscious offers healthier alternative to the cosmetic industry, and has been teaching for the last 10 years, how to make quick and easy high quality plant preparation skin care and sharing healthy real natural recipes that does not break the bank.

Save your skin and your Money! Save now! Save later!
Learn to make your own Natural Skin Care and Make up from scratch!

Why, why, why.... Home Made Natural Skincare is Better?

Natural cosmetics are derived from nature. Herbs and plants have the ability to cleanse and heal. Don't you love to use nothing but the finest quality plant skin care on your body?
We are living in a fast paced environment which is full of stress, pollutant, unhealthy foods. Do you have sensitive skin, skin allergies or skin problems?
More and more people have ADH, skin allergies, cancer and many other health issue because of the chemical products that we have been used right from birth until now. Are you interested in knowing what you are applying to your skin?
Natural products are not only safer they also produce superior results. Many people have reactions to artificial ingredients which offset any positive effects of the products. Conditions like acne or rosacea can be helped by using natural products. Did you tried everything, nothing worked!

After using our natural skincare recipes, 94% of our clients agreed the look and feel of their skin was transformed. Their skin was softer, smoother and more supple at a fraction of the price of commercial products.

Why should I make my own make up and skin care?

While natural cosmetics and skin care products are a great alternative, they’re often hard to find and more expensive. Sure, you can’t seem to turn around in the store anymore without seeing a product marked “natural”, but that’s not guarantee that it contains 100 percent natural ingredients. Often these products are made with some natural ingredients, but also include some of the same artificial ingredients found in other products.

Large cosmetics companies are corporations that are designed to generate profit. Your skin's health is not their concern. The bottom line of these corporations is profit. l'Oreal belongs to Nestle. Yes! Food industry!

Today cosmetics, perfumes and skin care products constitute multimillion dollar industries, presenting a staggering array of choices to confuse the customer. Much of it is full of synthetic chemicals, mineral oils, preservatives, artificial fragrances and other junk food for the skin. This is due to the fact that mass produced cosmetics need to be relatively sterile in order to extend their otherwise short-lived shelf-life

Just as there are healthy and unhealthy foods, the same applies to skincare products.

The best natural cosmetics are home-made, using high quality vegetable oils and butters, such as coconut, avocado or almond oil, in combination with organic flower waters (hydrosols) and essential oils. Making home-made cosmetics, tailored exactly to your own needs is fun and not all that difficult.Natural cosmetics cost much more than cheap synthetic fillers and dyes.

Demystify the skincare industry by making your own luxurious cosmetic products at a fraction of commercial prices.

Natural skincare provides: quality, purity, and performance without chemicals. There is no need to add harmful chemicals to achieve a shelf live of several years!
Hand made skin care is free from artificial perfume, colour and preservative making it ideal for even some of the most sensitive skin
Hand made skin care is so good , it is good enough to eat! Your skin has pores that not only produce oil and sweat; they also take in chemicals as well. Even if it’s only a small amount, why take a chance by putting dangerous chemicals on your skin when there are quality natural product alternatives?

My Nana Rose could tell you, nature has a wonderful way of offering simple solutions to seemingly complex problems.

Designer beauty-industry ads try to convince us that only patented, scientifically formulated products and unpronounceable ingredients offer salvation for troubled skin, while effective and inexpensive alternative wait in your very own kitchen cupboard.

When you will have the skills to make your own cosmetics, you will never look back!

What causes sensitive skin?

Most of the skin care are actually petro-chemical based detergents which are harsh on the skin, damaging the skin 's natural layer of protectives oils, the sebum, leaving it dried and more open to infection.
Environmental factors such as stress, pollution, cold weather, drying winds and summer sun, as well as central heater and air conditioning and the quality of tap water can intensify the drying and the ageing of our skin. The repetition days after days of the use of soap with strong chemicals and detergents may result in skin problems or even skin allergies.

Why consider making natural skin care?
When we consider the vast array of cosmetic products available in supermarkets and stored in our homes, It is easy to see that we are living in an environment saturated by harsh and potentially damaging chemicals.

Some known environment impacts include:

Pollution to air and waterways (via waste water system) from non- biodegradable synthetic chemicals. Possibility of substances leading to gene/cell changes, cancer and interference with reproductive processes in organisms.
Bio-accumulation of toxic chemicals in fatty tissues leading to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), resulting with allergies and skin conditions and Resistance of ‘superbugs’

The easiest way to know which chemicals you are using on your skin is to choose natural ingredients and are safe enough to eat.

Everything you eat is put through stringent tests and inspections to make sure that it’s safe for you and your family. While different countries have different standards, they all have strict regulations which need to be met.

While cosmetics are usually monitored, they aren’t held to the same food standards. Many ingredients found commonly in cosmetics may even cause illness and health issues. In fact, many mainstream cosmetic products ingredient list read like a chemistry project!

And just because you’re not ingesting the chemicals found in these products, doesn’t mean they’re not getting into your system. Your skin has pores that not only produce oil and sweat; they also take in chemicals as well. Even if it’s only a small amount, why take a chance by putting dangerous chemicals on your skin when there are quality natural product alternatives?

Do You Read Skincare Labels?

The first ingredient of any product is what makes up the majority of that product. For example; the first ingredient of your cleanser and moisturizer is water, the majority of your cosmetics nothing but water.
Let's say you paid $100 your moisturiser made of 80% of water, you actually paid $80 for 50ml of water!
To get the appellation of “anti-wrinkles” cream, some night moisturisers can contain sunscreen,(usually titianium dioxide or Zinc dioxide). Why to use sunscreen at night?
To claim about effecting and penetrating the skin, cosmetics must have printed numbers on their labels, it means they have a license and have been animal tested. Cosmetics with no printed number, do not have a license and can not claim about effecting or penetrating the skin.
Read the small print. The media is trying to impress you and be aware the claims of the products can be misleading, because the law is on your side, they should claim only right information and you will find them in tiny print on the side of the advertised picture or the packaging.

The skin is the largest organ of our body - a barrier between us and the "outside", and our first line of defense against pollution, chemicals, and the germs and dirt of everyday life.

Our skin is also a delicate filtering system, allowing substances to enter our bodies and even our bloodstream (as an example, think of the many medications that are administered through the skin), and helps us eliminate toxins from our systems.

Many of us have dry skin, and most lotions, salves, and oils contain high percentages of mineral oil or other petroleum products.

Unfortunately, mineral oil does not absorb well into the skin, and in fact clogs pores and makes it difficult our skin to eliminate toxins. Mineral oil is also a non-renewable resource; it is a by-product of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. Given these facts, it's preferable to use natural vegetable oils as the base ingredient in natural lotions, salves, and moisturizing oils.
Many products also contain colorants, fillers, and fragrances that unfortunately do little except irritate sensitive, delicate skin. Synthetic fragrances and synthetic ingredients can also exacerbate eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne and allergies.

Why not learning to make the finest quality plant home made preparations with only pure ingredients. Simply natural and beautiful !

The ingredients used in herbal skin creams have long hiss of medicinal use.
Since ancient times fragrances from herbs and flowers have been thought to benefit the body,mind and emotions. Old manuscripts tell us that they were ingredients used in charms and ceremonies, as well as in remedies, cosmetics and food.

In the Middle Ages, in particular, monks cultivated herbs and discovered many of their restorative properties, carefully blending them into liqueurs to be administered to patients. Peppermint and anise oils are just two examples.
Until the First World War, lavender was used as a wound disinfectant.
Cleopatra is said to have used aloe vera gel to perpetuate her youth, and Alexander the Great used it to heal the wounds of his soldiers.
Rosemary stimulates blood flow and was once burned to kill germs in French hospitals.
Rose water has been used for centuries as an ingredient gentle, cleansing eyewashes.
Rose-scented geraniums were used through Europe in ointments and poultices.
Chamomile and calendula have been used to ease pain and swelling.

Herbal skin creams can go a long way towards healing, moisturising and protecting dry skin.

After years of collecting my favourite recipes, I feel I can pass on information that will not only save you time but also to save you from annoying trial-and-error procedures.

Soapconscious offers hundreds of recipes containing natural ingredients that soften and smooth the skin, such as beeswax and vegetable oils, herbs and essential oils.

If Skincare Ingredients are not growing in your backyard or are already stored in your kitchen cupboard, they may be purchased at a chemist or food store,you can make healthy real natural recipes that does not break the bank, in no time!

Be Green! Save you skin and your money!
Marlene Daniel

Last minute Making Christmas Gifts

2011-12-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

Easy recipes with natural ingredients

Last minute Making Christmas Gifts

Natural Home Made Gifts

We last-minute gift-givers don't really deserve pity.
Once in a while it's sort of fun to play the game, to see what you can make with only your household goods, the help of your eight-year-old, and the 7-Eleven closing in nine minutes.
We last-minute (I prefer "impromptu") thinkers come up with some beauties. Plus we're the ones who know you can make perfectly fabulous gift wrap out of street maps, tinfoil, the society page or Big Mac wrappers.
So most of my home-made Christmas presents have been very quick. From all the recipes, I thought that the body scrub seemed the most interesting (and the easiest!). With only four simple ingredients and about 30 seconds of work time, it doesn't get much easier than this:

Bye Bye Dead Skin Body Scrub

For a refreshing start or end to your day, try this invigorating scrub! Customise this recipe to suit your skin and your liking - this scrub leaves legs and elbows soft and supple. A simple but beautiful recipe, that again can be customised
Ingredients

1 cup raw brown sugar grounded
1 cup salt grounded
1 cup Olive oil **Adjust this quantity to suit
2 tablespoons castile liquid soap or liquid soap (optional)
20-40 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions:
This is recipe is really just a guide using yummy ingredients - you can customise by:

Change the olive oil with macadamia oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil etc.

Increasing or decreasing the amount of macadamia Oil (or your liquid soap) will make a firmer or sloppier scrub
For a finer blend, use a coffee grinder to make sugar and/or salt granules smaller
For a different style of scrub, use pure white Caster Sugar for a clean look
For a more crafty look, add some lemon myrtle, lavender flowers, rosemary leaves or rose petals very finely powdered to your preparation.
Change the Essential Oil for lemon essential oil, orange oil with cinnamon powder, lavender or Vanilla food flavour oil based. For men Lemon grass essential or cedar wood.

To Make: In a bowl add and mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Add essential oils to the olive oil and add them to the dry ingredients and mix until a thick paste. Store in a sterile jar. It can be kept for one year.
Apply to skin with hands and massage gently into the area. Leave on the skin for 10 minutes. Remove with face washer under the shower. Moisturise with a suitable lotion

Another two quick recipes for people who enjoys creating recipes that combine high nutrition with good flavour.

Salt Free Herbal Seasoning
It's easy because all of the Mediterranean herbs are high in healthful antioxidants. This tasty seasoning mix adds great flavour to food without adding salt. Toasted sesame seeds add beneficial calcium to this mix.
Ingredients and Supplies

I cup sesame seeds - Small cast-iron frying pan
2 tablespoons garlic powder
I tablespoon dried rosemary
I tablespoon dried marjoram
I tablespoon dried thyme
I tablespoon dried lemon zest
Blender or food processor
Airtight storage container

Directions

Toast sesame seeds in a cast-iron pan over medium heat until brown, but not burned.
Cool toasted seeds slightly, then blend them with remaining ingredients.
Store the mixture in an airtight container.

Perfect Pizza Seasoning
Home-made pizza is a quick-and-easy meal when you use ready-made pizza crust from the store.
You can buy pre-made pizza sauce too, but for a more authentic flavour, try using plain tomato sauce and this mix of dried herbs and vegetables.
Ingredients and Supplies

½ cup dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoons garlic powder
!/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Small bowl
Glass jar with airtight lid

Directions

Mix ingredients in the bowl.
Pour the mixture into the jar, seal it, and store it in a cool, dry place.
Sprinkle the mix on top of pizza as desired before baking, or mix 1 tablespoon into 1 quart of sauce before spreading the sauce on the pizza dough.

Have you suddenly remembered an event that you need a hostess gift for, had extra company decide to show up at the last minute, or simply forgotten to purchase a present for someone on your gift list?
Last minute homemade gifts do not have to require a lot of time or money to create. If you suddenly find yourself in need of a last minute gift idea, don't panic, these 3 simple yet beautiful homemade Christmas crafts can be created in mere minutes.
Happy Holidays!

eBook; Recipes, Uses and Storage Ideas for Home Grown Herbs Now That I've Grown It... What Do I Do With It? Sound familiar? Maybe we can help.

eBook Total exfoliant and scrub guide and 45 recipes. How to make beautiful natural scrubs for the face and the body

Happy Holidays!
Marlene Daniels

New at SoapConscious! Update!

2011-11-23T20:57:00.000-08:00

New at SoapConscious! Update!

It is hard to believe another year is nearly at its end! As the festive season approaches we plan to have good times with family and friends. We often seem to be caught up in a rush to spend as much as possible on commercial products which are not the least bit personal when in fact we could save money and make them ourselves!
When the gift is home made, it makes it all the more special!
Your friends will love that you have put your own time and effort into making the gifts and will treasure them even more. Making home-made crafts requires little time, but the finished product lasts for years.
Soapconscious has many ebooks to help you lovely quality herbal and natural gifts which are easy to make and will certainly not break the bank.

NEW EBOOKS!

How to make Body Butters, Balms, Bars and Custards & 40 Body Recipes . Want to make your own all natural Body Butter but don't know where to start, this e-Book will give you a great start.

D.I.Y. Skin Care Instructions For Normal to Dry Skin Man and Woman “Head to Toe” skincare Recipes . Written for beginner in skincare making, this e-book will show you how to make 22 different quality skin care products with few ingredients

D.I.Y. Skin Care Instructions For Mature Skin Head to Toe skincare Recipes. The purpose of skin care for Mature skin is to keep the skin moist and to make up for bad skin conditions by replenishing and holding in skin's moisture.The result is a more beautiful and healthy comfortable skin that heals more quickly.
Ebooks. Mineral Make up Natural Recipes
Beginner Mineral Make Up recipes E book This ebook is wonderful for beginners, you can make your perfect match foundation to your skin tone, the perfect matching concealers, shaders and correctors, blushes, bronzer and matte eye shadows.
Mineral Make up Eye shadow Recipe E book You can make eyeshadows in a few minutes with these easy eyeshadow ideas.

Lip stick recipes e-book Natural lip sticks provide: quality, purity, and performance without chemicals. Did you know you could make it at home? Making your own lipstick isn't as difficult as you think.

Ebooks. HERBAL CRAFTS

How to Make Glycerine Soaps and Shea Butter Soaps e-book All Recipes of this ebook use easy glycerin base bars, and/ or shea butter. Make your soaps in minutes!

GREAT GARDEN FORMULAS eBook on CD This will be a great source for crafters as well as for creative garden experimenters.

Easy Fragrant Herbal Gifts- E-Book . Most of us reach for commercial products when we need a disinfectant room spray, without stopping to think that the product contains ammonia, bleach, alcohol and other products that pollute the air in our homes.Natural herbal disinfectant room may provide safer alternatives.

VINTAGE CHRISTMAS 1900 IMAGES Scrapbooking Cards on CD Create the perfect gifts this Christmas with these absolutely gorgeous images.

How to make your own incense with many Recipes Incense making instructions. Rediscover how to make incense the way it's been made by virtually every civilization since before the Stone Age; with fine natural incense resins, woods and herbs.
Crafty selling eBook If you have ever wondered whether your creativity can convert to cash, now’s the time to find out! Cashing in your handcrafted items CAN create your own cash cow. Not to mention doing something you love and turning your passion into cash!

NEW PACKAGING!

Lip tube - Black shiny Reflective, shiny black with a thick double-line diamond trim along the outside and a silver interior finish.

	Round stack with 3 triangle cavities and 3 tins This round stackable container comes with 3 triangular pans and is great for pressed powders.
	Small palette rectangle 4 cavities One 4-cavity plastic palette
	Small palette rectangle 4 cavities with tins and brush One 4-cavity plastic palette with 4 tins and a double brush

NEW MAKE-UP KITS!
Foundation Mineral Makeup Made Easy Kit . Easy like One, Two, Three!

First you need choose the"Ready Base Mix" appropriate to your skin need

Two; Choose 2 of the "Ready Mix Matte Pigment Blend" matching your skin tone the most.
Three ; Mix them together....

NEW TOOLS!
LAB EQUIPMENT PORCELAIN EVAPORATING DISH .This quality porcelain evaporating dish from the laboratory is great for the make-up artist who are blending the powders.
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT - CLEAR GROUND WATCH GLASSS. Great for the make-up artist who are blending the powders in style!

NEW SKINCARE KITS! Only for Australia.

KIT Mature Skin "Head to Toe" skincare Recipes The purpose of skin care for Mature skin is to keep the skin moist and to make up for bad skin conditions by replenishing and holding in skin's moisture.The result is a more beautiful and healthy comfortable skin that heals more quickly. For the mature people who wants to stop hiding her ashy elbows and flaky legs, these natural recipes are must-have items in the medicine cabinet.

KIT Normal to Dry Skin “Head to Toe” skincare Recipes. Making your own at home is very easy and everyone can make a wonderful gift for mom, friend, teacher, sister or yourself fast and easy. Don't be afraid that something could go wrong with your products, because it's practically impossible.

Kit Easy Creams and Lotions Making. Want to make your own all natural moisturisers but don't know what to buy and how to make them, this easy kit will give you a great start.

Follow us on Facebook

SoapConscious; skin care good enough to eat!
The planet needs more greenies!

Save the planet, keep the planet clean

Save your health, not using harsh chemicals

Save your skin ,

Save your money,

Make your own!

Happy Natural Cosmetic Making!
Marlene Daniels

Supporting the movement “Occupy” Wall street

2011-11-12T22:59:00.000-08:00

I am one of the 99% and if you are reading this now, you are one too!

At Soapconscious we do believe the wealth of the world is imbalance and we support the movement Occupy Wall street

For many years, we have been working very hard to demystify the cosmetic industry, to stop animal cruelty in the process of making cosmetics and to stop toxic and cancerous ingredients in skincare and Make-up.

We are working very hard to make a living and we can not join the meetings or find some time to occupy Sydney streets. We are Australian based and certainly we don't have all the economic problems of the USA, but we really want to show our support and help the movement to grow.

We decided to make our own badges because we could not find one that express our message well.

I have clipped one of my creation on my hand bag for the last two weeks, and many people ask me about it.

Many of us understand the 1% of wealth and can see the injustice in the world and many agree something must be done.

Everyone has a different understanding of the situation, many had stories to share, some had another view and approach of the movement, making wearing this badge so interesting.

So I make some more for you to share the message too
I put them on E bay for $0.99 Hand made Button Badge

Buy one (or make your own) to awake awareness around you
because it is only the beginning

We are 99% , we are too big to fail!

Marlene Daniels

Simple Mineral Make Up Easy Beauty Tips -

2011-11-03T05:15:00.000-07:00

With the amount of importance given to make-up these days, many women just tend to do a bit too much.

Getting the right make-up for the particular occasion is the call of the entire womanhood, but beauty shouldn't be misinterpreted as just by carrying a beautiful face.

A overall healthy body reflects eternal beauty which one should be longing for.

The idea is to look younger and FEEL YOUNGER.

Here are some precious makeup Do's and Dont's which one should know very well before applying make-up

* Always apply make-up where there is adequate light on your face. Improper light can lead to horrible look. Yellow light compliments your skin the most.

* Exfoliate your skin once a week. Scrub your face gently to remove any excess dry skin and follow with a Beauty mask to nourish and smooth the skin. When your skin is flaky, your Mineral Makeup won't go on smooth.

* Cover your face with a very thin coat of the Mineral Make up primer instead of a moisturiser unless your skin is very very dry, to create a smooth setting for your Make up and will keep your skin smooth and comfortable throughout the day.

* Apply eyeliner close to the base of eyelashes so as to make them look thicker.

* Always test the colour of foundation or concealer on the inside of your wrist. That's the place which will give you a good idea of how it is going to look on your face.

* Concealer will give you more coverage than your foundation blend, it is ideal for camouflaging imperfections. It helps to neutralize the look of blemishes and dark under eye circles. Use a concealer that is at least two shades lighter than your foundation shade.

* Do apply concealer before applying eye-liner on dark circles under your eyes. Generally, women directly apply eye-liner which instead make their eyes look too dark.

* Find the formula that meets your skin's needs and your lifestyle. Though, it isn't that hard also to get it right. Generally, we apply make-up in a hurry and we tend to ignore this vital part.

* Women generally don't wash their brushes as they are always busy applying their makeup. Brushes should be washed properly regularly and allowed to be dried naturally.

* Special care should be taken, while applying and even after applying lipstick. Don't stain your teeth with lipstick. It really looks gross!

* Never use your mascara more than twice. It will definitely look clogged.

* Last but not the least, don't forget to take off all the make-up from your face once you go to bed specially from and near your eyes.

Happy Mineral Make Up
Marlene Daniels

Simple Beauty Tips - 10 Tips that are Free and Easy

2011-10-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

It is simple to look and feel more beautiful starting today.

You can even put away your pocket money because these tips are free.

1. Smile... it will brighten your day and others around you will feel your energy.

2. Stretch... cats know that total body stretch does wonders. Follow their example and roll up slowly out of bed and stretch gently.

3. Exercise... at least 20 mins of any continuous activity will boost your energy level and reduce bad stressors. You don't even to pay a membership fee. The key is continuous like a 20min walk or even mopping your floors. You will look and feel better.

4. Drink water. No other liquid is quite like it. Clear your system. 8 glasses are recommended daily. Your skin will radiate.

5. Rest... you need to take breaks during the day and sleep at night. Takes breaks away from work space to keep fresh and focused. Make sure you are getting sufficient sleep at night since your body regenerates while you are sleeping. If you are constantly letting your mind wonder make a conscious decision to put away thoughts till morning. It is amazing how good your subconscious mind listens to your conscious mind (so be careful what you tell yourself)

6. Do good. When you do something for someone else without expecting anything in return you benefit in ways unimaginable. (the key is don't expect anything in return)

7. Exchange... the money you spend on junk food for food that will enrich your body and soul. Start with a simple plan of exchange. Because some think healthy foods cost more, find out your spending pattern by making 2 lists:

. foods you like that are healthy that you normally don't buy

. foods you like that are "junk food" that you normally buy

calculate the cost of the 2nd list then use this amount to fund your "healthy" purchase. (of course you have to say bye-bye to the "junk food")

8. "Stop and smell the roses". Look for good in everything. This is a toughie because most of us are "trained" to look for faults, errors, shortcomings, defects, etc. Begin with yourself. List all your assets (not just physical). Then realize all the good in being you. Move on to other things around you. Work on this consciously every day till it becomes a habit. There is something good about everything and everyone. Once you realize this you will be finding good everywhere without even trying.

9. Learn... something new every day. Pick up a book. or search online. Learn to do something you have always wanted to do. You can even start for free by researching online. Search the subject and start stimulating and enriching your mind today.

10. Reward yourself. Set financial and personal goals and tag them with rewards for accomplishing them. (this one may be something special you have always wanted to do. and not necessarily a purchase.. But if you have done all the above maybe go ahead and splurge a little.

You deserve it! You are worth it!

How Purifying and Filtering Cooking Oil

2011-08-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

This procedure for filtering and purifying cooking oil for reuse is fairly simple. And making it a habit to reuse cooking oil can be your small step towards greener living.

To purify and reuse cooking oil you need just a few basic things;

Metal strainer
Cheese cloth
Paper towel
Ginger slices ( Ginger will absorb most of the odour and taste of the foods that were cooked in the oil., about 20 grams per 1 litre of cooking oil)
Airtight glass jars or bottles for storage

This process for filtering and reusing cooking oil requires the oil to be heated, so avoid using anything made of plastic throughout the procedure and make sure none of the things used during the procedure are moist or wet.

Strain the cooking oil once using a strainer to catch and remove any coarse food particles.
Heat the oil to a temperature of about 170 -200 degrees Fahrenheit, and put in the ginger slices.
Turn off the heat after about two or three minutes, and let the ginger slices remain in the cooking oil while the oil cools naturally.
When the cooking oil has cooled down to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit, which will be approximately 10-15 minutes after turning off the heat, it’s time to filter the oil.

To make the filter, line the conical strainer with the paper towel, making sure that there is no place from where the oil can leak out without passing through the towel. Next, line it with the cheese cloth in the same fashion. Since the filter we’ve made is really fine, it may take few minutes for one litre of oil to pass through it.

When the filtered oil reaches room temperature, you can transfer it to the storage jars. Close the lids tightly and store them in the refrigerator.

This procedure can be repeated three to four times before you finally need to discard the fryer oil, which means a little effort can save you some goodly amount of money too.

Alternatively if you are recycling small oil volume, you may boil it with equal parts water the let it cool. The water will collect the impurity's. Then all you have to do is remove the oil from the top of the water.

You should never throw it down the sink as that will only contaminate the environment.

Some places have recycling centres where you can dump your used oil, or you must put any oil left over from cooking in a jar and dispose the jar in your rubbish bin,

.....also to you can make soap cakes, and it will demonstrate it in a future blog.

Marlene Daniels

Olive oil skin care recipes

2011-08-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

We all know that olive oil is wonderful and healthy for us to cook with, but what about its other uses?

Truthfully, olive oil is a main ingredient in several beauty products you can buy on the shelf.

See for yourself how you can make your own skin cocktails and save a little money at the same time.

1. A mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, & 1/4 cup water used as a night cream will make your skin glow. The olive oil softens and moisturizes and the vinegar lightens discolorations, kills bacteria and loosens dead skin cells. Splash water on your face before applying.

2. Olive oil can be used as cleansing cream if your skin is dry.

3. For a facial, wet face thoroughly, then massage olive oil into your skin. Use about a half teaspoon of sugar and scrub your face with that, then wipe off gently with a warm, wet cloth until the sugar is all gone.

4. Use olive oil on your feet with clean white cotton socks. Helps to soften up you feet and it absorbs better than baby oil.

5. It seems when you pour olive oil out there is always a drip, so wipe it up with your hand and rub it in to your elbows. Wonderful softening properties.

6. Use olive oil as bath oil. Two to three tablespoons will do the trick.

7. Use olive oil for your hair. Not only does it condition, but it also gets rid of the frizz. Put a small drop into your palm & then rub both hands together & apply it to dry hair.

You may add some essential oils for the fragrance and for their proprieties, around 20 drops for 100ml.

Just a few of the many creative uses for olive oil in your skin care routine.

Not only is it cheap, but it will go a lot further than most products you can buy. Have fun and be creative.

Happy Natural Skin care making!

Marlene Daniels

Natural Facial Cream Lotion Recipe E book-

Learn to make your facial herbal skincare, make your facial creams and lotions. 54 pages e book with many recipes. 100% natural ingredients.

Save you skin and your money!

Protecting Your Skin in Winter with Home remedies under $10

2011-06-13T00:55:00.000-07:00

As the season changes, so does the effect it gives on our skin. Dry, cold winds of winter often chap the skin, the low humidity causes the skin to lose moisture and become seriously dry. Wearing thick clothes and additional layers of clothing worsens the situation as it prevents the skin to breathe, thus making the skin to look flaky, dull, and feel irritated.

To prevent your skin from too much dryness, try to follow these simple tips to help keep your skin healthy and protected all throughout the cold months of winter.

*Moisturise

Applying moisturisers on your face and body everyday is a must.
Try to opt for oil based moisturisers or even better ; make your own natural Treatment Oil as its great for retaining moisture on your skin for longer periods.

WINTER TREATMENT OIL. This special formulation will to help moisture work its way into the layers of skin on your face, protecting you from the drying affects of winter wind and central heating.

Mix well the following ingredients:

15ml avocado oil
10ml wheat germ oil
75ml macadamia oil
2 vitamin E capsules
Optional; 9 drops palmarosa essential oil, 6 drops cedar wood essential oil and 5 drops lavender essential oil.

Store in a dark glass bottle. It can be kept for 1 year.

It’s probably best to this after you shower as the skin tends to easily absorb moisture when its damp. Taking short warm baths before going to bed at nights and apply a generous amount of moisturising products on your face and body will work great as your body absorbs the moisture overnight.

Jojoba oil INCI = Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil . Jojoba has been used for skin and hair care for hundreds of years. It makes excellent facial oil because it is light , odourless and non-greasy. It is more a liquid wax rather than an oil, making Jojoba Oil a great lubricant that will keep your skin moisturised and protected from the harshness of cold air. Men usually really like this oil.

*Protect your lips.

It is very common to see people whose lips are sore and chapped especially during winter. This is caused by the harsh effects of cold dry winds on the skin – especially the lips which unlike the rest of our body, don’t have sebaceous glands to retain moisture in. Therefore, it is very important to apply lip moisturisers regularly to protect your lips from chapping and cracking.
Lip balms made with truly natural ingredients such as Shea butter will actually protect and heal your lips from looking chapped and sore as they are more likely to keep moisture from escaping.

Making lip balm

melt the beeswax with oils and butters in a double boiler
add your goodies (clay, honey) . Mix well.
once the mixture begin to cool stir in essential oils, vitamins.
Pour in small containers

HEALING LIP BALM. This lip balm is wonderful for healing dry cracked, sore lips.
Ingredients

5grs cocoa butter
15grs Shea butter
15grs jojoba oil
Optional 5grs honey, pink clay.

Store in small container or lip tubes. It can be kept for 6 months.
Stash a lip balm in your pocket, in your purse, in your desk and in your car's glove box. This essential product will prevent and heal chapped lips.

*Ex-foliate.

Skin ex-foliation is very important for maintaining a healthy skin during cold winters. Every time you ex-foliate, you scrub off dead skin cells making way for new skin cells to develop. Once a week gently ex-foliate your skin with this beautiful simple home recipe;

MILK & HONEY SCRUB A wonderful skin smoothing and hydrating ex-foliant for dehydrated skin with blocked pores.
Ingredients:

1 teaspoon finely powdered whole milk
4 teaspoons finely ground almond meal
4 teaspoons of white clay
1 teaspoon honey
1 vitamin E capsule

Instructions: In coffee grinder, whir almond meal and contents of the vitamin E capsule until finely blended. Add the finely powdered whole milk, clay and honey. Whir all ingredients for 10 seconds. Store in a sterile jar. It can be kept for 6 months.
To use, take 1-2 teaspoons of the mix and add enough WARM water to make paste. Massage a small quantity over a damp face and body then rinse of with warm water and then apply your treatment oil

*Protect your hands.

As we usually do almost everything with our hands, they are also the ones that probably gets easily damaged during the cold winter days. Frequent hand washing with soap and warm water may even cause more dryness leaving your hands drier, dull and withered.

To protect your hands from too much dryness, use hand-crafted soaps with glycerine when washing. These soaps can retain moisture for long periods. Most hand-crafted soaps which are made from all natural ingredients may contain higher glycerine levels than those of other regular highly commercialised soap products. Read product labels carefully and opt for soaps that contain high amounts of glycerine. They can be very beneficial for retaining moisture on your skin during the harsh cold winter season.

ROSE WATER HAND LOTION. After every wash, you can moisturise your hand with this hand lotion if your hands are looking quite dull and dry.

Mix well the following ingredients:

20grs Glycerine (vegetable glycerine can be found in grocery shops in the cake making area)
15grs Aloe vera gel
60 ml Rosewater floral water. (or orange water can be found in ethnic grocery shops)
5ml Vitamin E or 3 capsules
Optional ;10 drops Orange essential oil and 10 drops Sandalwood essential oil.

Store in a sterile glass bottle with a pump. It can be kept for 6 months.

*Sanitising

To avoid cross-contamination, we need to make an air sanitiser that acts on airborne microbiological organisms

SANITIZING SPRAY

Add your chosen essential oil blend to a sprits spray bottle. Fill up with Rose water, Orange water or rain water water. Use to create a stress-free environment and a sanitiser either at home or in the workplace. Add 50-100 drops (3 to 5ml) of essential oil to a 100ml water base.

Mix well the following ingredients:

100ml of rain water or rose water or orange water
40 drops of lavender essential oil
20 drops of Lemon Myrtle essential oil

Instructions; Shake well the bottle before use. Spray generously in the air. Caution; Don't spray directly on clothe or on wood.

Lemon Myrtle The essential oil of backhousia citriata is predominately citral (90-98%) with minor amounts of myrcene, methyl heptenone, linalool, citronellal and alpha and beta cyclocitral. More lemon than lemon is how enthusiasts are describing the essential oil of lemon myrtle. Some suggested uses:common cold, influenza, bronchitis and it has been found to be effective as relieving chest congestion. It also seems useful for improving concentration as well as being relaxing, uplifting emotionally and producing soothing sleep. Superb as air purifier.

SANITIZING HAND WASH To finish this special winter blog, I would like to share this last but very useful recipe.
If your hands are really DIRTY, then you will have to wash them first of course. But if they just need freshening up a bit during the day , then this is a good alternative.

Ingredients

1 cup aloe Vera gel
9 teaspoons rubbing alcohol
2 teaspoons glycerine (vegetable glycerine)
20 drops tea tree essential oil

Instructions; Mix all ingredients together and place into a squirt-type bottle. If the constancy needs to be thicker you can add more aloe Vera gel. Don't be scared by the rubbing alcohol, it is a powerful germ killer, and the tea tree oil is also very antiseptic, plus imparts a clean odour to it.

Tea Tree Melaleuca Altermifolia this oil is unusual in that it is active against all three varieties of infectious organisms: bacteria, fungus and viruses.- It is a very powerful immune-stimulant, so when the body is threatened by any of these organisms, tea tree increases its ability to respond. Caution: Toxic if taken internally.

Save your skin, save your money!

Happy natural skincare making!

Marlene Daniels

Learn about to make cosmetics with Australian native ingredients. Natural skincare recipes with Australian Natives- 45 pages Ebook

Natural Facial Cream Lotion Recipe E book- Learn to make your facial herbal skincare, make your facial creams and lotions. 54 pages e book with many recipes. 100% natural ingredients.

Cosmetic regulation- what regulation?

2011-05-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

There's NO requirement for cosmetics ingredients to be tested before products are put on the market
There's NO government-funded laboratory responsible for checking out that what we buy is safe.

It's entirely up to the manufacturers to decide what ingredients they put in the products they sell us. it is only after the product has been put on the market that any regulation kicks in.

Cosmetics are not subject to the same regulations as medicinal products such as drugs.
- Drugs are used to treat some medical ailment and they are intended to make changes to the body to treat the ailment. In the case of drugs, there are rigorous and lengthy trial and testing procedures which have to be completed before the regulatory bodies will approve the product for release on to the market.
- A cosmetic is a substance that is meant to be applied to the skin, hair, nails, lips, external genitals, teeth or mouth and whose function is to clean, perfume. change appearance, protect, condition or deodorise. In the case of cosmetics, there are no government requirements for testing cosmetic products before they are put on the market . A cosmetic manufacturer can put almost anything into their products. provided that the ingredient is not actually banned.

What regulation there is, is provided almost exclusively by the industry itself.
In the USA (followed by Australia), there is a Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel which is a voluntary organisation made up of representatives of the cosmetic manufacturers. This panel assesses the toxicity of ingredients that go into cosmetics and it decides for itself which ingredients to test and which hat to test.
In the European Union, the manufacture of cosmetics is regulated by the European Cosmetics Directive which again puts the safety testing on the manufacturers themselves. Government agencies on both sides of the Atlantic have powers to oversee this process, but in practice their role is mainly advisory and their powers are limited.

Repeated exposure to quite low levels of chemicals can cause the body's nervous system to be affected and the immune system to be compromised, resulting in susceptibility to an ever wider range of allergy triggers.
All these problems have emerged within the past fifty or so years, in line with the growth of the petrochemical industry. Petrochemicals are used in many materials and substances that we use every day, including plastics, detergents, medications, herbicides, pesticides, solvents, fuel oils, etc.
The personal care and cosmetics products that we use are often made from these industrially produced synthetic chemicals whose long-term effects are not known.

The weak regulation that is in place is failing to protect us. There are concerns that the allergies and sensitivities that we experience now may be the precursors to more serious problems such as cancer, reproductive disorders and birth defects.
And people who work in the beauty industry, such as hairdressers, manicurists and cosmetologists, may be exposed to much higher levels of potentially dangerous toxins.
For the sake of our own health and that of our children we should question the assurances we receive that chemical ingredients are 'safe,' and we should demand answers to the questions that an increasingly sceptical public are asking about the necessity of including untested chemicals in the products that we buy.

Cosmetic and personal care products manufacturers are required by law to print the product's ingredients on the packaging.
The ingredients have to be listed in descending order of weight: therefore the first ingredient of the list is the one which is the most present in weight or the product. Ingredients which are present in concentrations of less than 1% may be listed in any order after those in concentrations of 1% or more. Colouring agents may be listed after all the other ingredients.

Most cosmetics include 'aqua' (water) and 'parfum' (perfume) in their list of ingredients. In the case of perfumes, there is no requirement for the manufacturers to list the component ingredients of perfumes (many contain dozens of components), and so there is no way of knowing exactly what is in them.
The names of cosmetic ingredients appearing in ingredients lists are the standardised names which have been agreed between the EU Commission in Europe and the Food and Drug Administration in the USA. Using these common names has made it easier to import and export cosmetic products between markets which have similar regulations.

However, these chemical-sounding names are not very helpful in knowing what is in a product
-To most consumers, the list of Ingredients in a cosmetic product is incomprehensible.
-To a trained chemist, the list of ingredients is similarly meaningless because it does not convey the formal definition of the chemical compound. Chemicals have a precise and formal definition which can be much longer than a couple of words. So these ingredient lists, which are a type of shorthand notation agreed by those in the know, don't really serve a very useful function.

The packaging of the product is designed to sell the product, not to provide information to the consumer. When you buy the product, you are buying the dream — your decision to buy is based on hope and the manufacturers are betting on the probability that you don't really want to know what's in the bottle.
Save your Skin and your Money,
Make your own!
Marlene Daniels

Table Properties of Mineral Make-Up Base additives

2011-04-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

Detailed information on what our Mineral Make-Up Base Additives are used for and/or what they contain are already on our Web-page; SoapconsciousMineral Make Up Bases but you have to click on the link for each additive, which is very time consuming and confusing.

To make it a little easier and more fun, we created this table. Sorry we didn't do it sooner!

	Absorbent	Slip	Adhesion	Coverage	Tran-lucent	Bloom	Matte	Skin Healing	Wrinkle Fillers	Sun Protection	Dry Mature skin
Allantoin							X	X		X	X
Bismuth Oxychloride		X	X	X		X
Boron Nitride		X	X			X			X		X
Calcium carbonate	X		X	X			X	X
Corn powder	X	X			X		X	X
Kaolin or White clay	X	X	X		X		X	X		X
Magnesium Myristate		X	X		X		X		X		X
Magnesium silicate hydroxide (Talc)		X	X	X			X
Magnesium Stearate		X	X		X		X
Mica and Methicon		X	X		X	X			X		X
Rice Powder		X			X	X
Sericite Mica		X	X		X	X
Sericite with L-lysine		X	X		X	X			X		X
Sericite with Methicone	X	X	X	X		X
Sericite with Magnesium myristate		X	X		X	X
Sericite with Carnauba wax		X	X		X	X
Silica powder	X	X			X		X		X
Silk powder	X	X		X		X		X	X	X	X
Titanium dioxide	X		X	X			X			X
Titanium dioxide with Methicone	X		X	X			X		X	X	X
Zinc oxide			X	X			X	X		X
Zinc Stearate	X	X			X		X	X		X	X

Happy Natural Mineral Make Up Making.

Marlene Daniels

Arthritis in Dogs- Easy Dog Rubbing Remedy and Flea repellent.

2011-04-14T02:45:00.000-07:00

I have two dogs both 11 years old, I started to notice stiffness and to see them becoming unsteady as they try to get up, their movements may look awkward and they may yelp or whimper. All of these are signs of the onset of arthritis, and the condition should be checked out by a veterinarian in order to get a proper diagnosis.

Bozzo

Arthritis in Dogs is like in Humans- Controlling pain and maintaining function of affected joints:

Weight control - Arthritis problems can be greatly alleviated in pets carrying too much weight, simply losing some weight can reduce the stress placed on joints.

Exercise - It is important to keep joints moving, so regular moderate exercise is encouraged. Swimming can be an option so the joints can be manipulated with minimal pressure.

Diet supplements - such as glucosamine, cetyl myristoleate, chondroitin, andomega-3 fatty acids, provide precursors needed to repair damaged arthritic cartilage. (available in some veterinary prescribed diets)

Comfortable Bed - Keep your dog warm and comfortable, especially at night. Let them have a nap during the day (like old people)

Massage - can be a great way to relieve some of the discomfort of arthritis. Using your fingertips, rub firm circles into the muscle. Then progress to using the palm of your hand. Doing this daily will increase blood flow and make your pet less painful.

The Recipe Brandy and Salt Remedy can offer some relief from arthritis pain, muscle aches and skin irritation, and also to my surprise, works as flea repellent :O

Mr. Lee's recipe for making the "remedy "---FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY - - - instead of Brandy try Methylated Spirit and Salt mixed ;

· "Fill a bottle three quarters full with Methylated Spirit after which add as much salt as will fill the bottle for corking ;

· "shake it together for 10 minutes ; let the salt settle to the bottom, and be particularly careful to use it when clear—the clearer the better."

And he further adds, " BE SURE NOT TO SHAKE THE SALT UP WHEN YOU USE THE REMEDY “

Massage of the area can help break up muscle knots and improve circulation to the area, which helps get rid of lactic acid and helps the healing, but be gentle and do only what the dog will tolerate.

In geriatric dogs, massage can help maintain mobility, stimulate circulation, and reduce the pain of illnesses , allowing the dog to move more freely.

Massage is not beneficial for all situations. Dogs suffering from shock or open wounds, for example, will not find relief with massage.

Essential Oils

Essential oils of lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, palmarosa, rosemary, and ginger are used traditionally as herbal pain remedies.

Put 20 to 30 drops of any one of these essential oils or of a mixed blend in 100 ml of the remedy.

Shake well and then use the mixture as a massage oil for your dog. Rub it into the painful, swollen joints to alleviate arthritis pain and inflammation.

Timtam

I checked the internet if using alcohol on dogs was not dangerous for their health, and I found many recipes using Alcohol as flea killer, in our recipe the Alcohol is saturated with the salt, making it even more unfriendly for fleas. Luckily also the same essential oils are used as flea repellent, so the remedy is beneficial for the dogs in more than one way and saves money, because those commercial repellents, while effective, are SO expensive!

I have tried Washing them with several brands of flea shampoo, putting on flea collars treating them with over the counter frontline and several other brands of drops you rub in between the shoulders and the fleas are still there. I was getting worried the chemicals being so strong they can not be good for their health.

I tried some of this mixture yesterday on my sore back (after gardening) and on the dogs and we all loved it. They loved the massage and did not mind of the smell or even to get a little wet and it did alleviate some pain, some of mine anyway...

It certainly did kill all the fleas and probably helped clean the flea bites too, no ill effects other than the fumes which did not last long do it in a ventilated area with definitely no smoking or open flame.

Happy Old Natural Remedies Making!
Marlene Daniels

Brandy and salt body scrub recipe

2011-04-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

I made some Brandy and salt following the recipe Blog, I love it :)

I used it as skin disinfectant after scratching my legs during gardening, I must say the skin healed quickly. ( No germs, bacteria or viruses can resist to salt and alcohol!)

Maybe you already know, I dislike wasting quality ingredients and I often use the left overs to make another product.

When making the mixture and after letting the blend to rest for two day, I poured the Brandy (by then it is saturated of salt), in a clean bottle, to be ready to use.

I had a lot of salt left over, the salt was beautifully saturated of brandy, so it gave me an idea.

Brandy and salt body three layers scrub recipe.

- I rinsed the salt and the Brandy left over in my mixture bottle with some rose water, and poured it in a clean jar, I added a little more rose water to cover all the salt.

- I added then one teaspoon of Castile liquid soap (optional; to make the scrub easy to wash off),

- 4 tablespoons of avocado oil to nourish the skin ( also it is very green and it will float on top of the water giving the third layer a green colour),

- 20 drops of orange essential oil with 10 drops of cedar wood essential oil. (to make the fragrance interesting with the Brandy)

Et voila I made a beautiful fragrant Body scrub, that removes dry flakes, revitalises the skin's appearance and leaves the skin very smooth.

Happing Natural Skin Care Making!

Marlene

Brandy and Salt Remedy

2011-04-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

Brandy and Salt Recipe I would like to share with you a very old recipe indeed!
Copied from a brochure published with the Sydney Morning Herald in May 1868! This is a short copy of the original given to me by June Edmondson.

The late Mr. Lee, English gentleman, considered he had made a discovery, "for the whole human race," he said, had not its equal, he believed, "the most perfect medicine that was ever known for the interior, as well as the exterior. It is a powerful remedy for bruises, sprains, burns, scalds, &c., as well as a certain remedy against poisons arising from the bites of serpents, the stings of wasps, bees, mosquitos, gnats," &c. He had also found it eminently useful in cases.He said it had also l been applied with great success in bowel complaints, such as colic, cholera, violent purging and vomiting case it is necessary to dilute one or two tablespoonsful with twice or three times as much hot water, and drink it as hot as possible. Mr. Les " considered it to be the most powerful antidote known for inflammation. In the reduction of inflammation, for fractured limbs, he believed this remedy would be of great advantage and there are great numbers of miserable beings in the hospitals suffering from incurable wounds, who drag on their existence through sleepless nights to whom this remedy, he believed, would be a great relief" Mr. Lee said—" He had observed many persons in his neighbourhood with very sallow complexions, who ware among that who mere among that class of society who might be said not thrive but had become robust, fair, and florid after they had used his remedy in the manner he recommended it.

HOW TO MIX- HOW TO USE.
Mr. Lee's recipe for making the "remedy "---
· "Fill a bottle three-- quarters full with good brandy (I can recommend CHATEAU TANUNDA 14 (SPECIAL HOSPITAL) BRANDY, made from grapes grown in South, Australia, in my opinion it is the best for this purpose, having used it myself), after which add as much salt as will fill the bottle for corking ;
· "shake it together for 10 minutes ; let the salt settle to the bottom, and be particularly careful to use it when clear—the clearer the better."

And he further adds, " BE SURE NOT TO SHAKE THE SALT UP WHEN YOU USE THE REMEDY “

For outward applications it is always used pure ;but internally it should be diluted with double, treble, or " quadruple its quantity of hot water, and drunk as hot as possible.
The usual dose for adult males is two tablespoons- ful, but less for women and children.

WHEN MIXING FRESH QUANTITIES, BE SURE TO USE FRESH SALT

FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY (if you have not Brandy) try Methylated Spirit and Salt mixed as per instructions above ; I have used it for Piles and Sciatica with satisfactory results

"Burns and scalds," Mr Lee said, "are soon cured by this remedy. The part affected should be rubbed with pure liquid. Tile first application is painful, but not of long continuance, and each application is less painful. It is sometimes necessary, also to apply something of a softening nature, such as tallow, lard or castor oil in addition.
"Bruises require to berubbed with the "remedy until a cure is effected,
"Bites of poisonous reptiles are easily cured by rubbing the parts bitten with the remedy.
"Boils and abscesses should be covered with a piece of soft linen saturated in the `'remedy." Mr. Lee said, -That does not prevent or retard the bursting of the boil or abscess, but it very much relieves the pain by removing the- inflammation."
As a tincture for cuts or any external swellings he does not think there is anything equal to his "remedy." "It gives very it pain and effects a cure in a very short time. Whitlow may be cured by keeping a piece of soft linen, saturated in the 'remedy,' constantly wet, round the sore "

Mr. Lee said he had been asked how it was that his "remedy" would cure so many diseases ? He replied, "I can only account for its curing complaints which appear of an opposite character by the supposition that all complaints have their commencement, and are continued by inflammation, against which it is, I believe, the most powerful antidote at present known.

“IF YOU ARE WISE."
Keep a bottle (any size) ready mixed as a household remedy for emergencies.
Wishing you enjoyed this recipe, Brandy and salt mixed can not be wrong!
Please leave feed back :)

Happy Old Natural Remedies Making!
Marlene Daniels

Forgotten Secrets - Old Book Treasures –

2011-03-19T04:13:00.000-07:00

Cosmetic Recipe books published before 1923
When making my own skin care I like to stay away from modern chemicals, fragrances and preservatives as I am looking for healthier alternatives than the cosmetic industry.

So much of what we now buy in drug and hardware stores we made for ourselves in 1923.
Just how much, I hadn't realised until I found these offbeat old books with formulas for everything you can imagine. They have sections on The Household, The Druggist, Toilet Articles, The Chemist and more.
I'm powerfully struck by how in touch with physical processes our ancestors were!

Take the recipe for Cold creams. It's the same cream my Nana used to make for me, the same I teach during my workshops.
People really did do much of this stuff for themselves. That was just ending when I was a child. And today -- these little books seem to represent life on another planet with so many forgotten secrets.

To my special request, SoapConscious, just added to its e-books library a collection of these old book recipes about soap making, skin care and perfumery.
They are Real treasures of information for the expert crafter and will inspire the cosmetic artists!

These books are maybe not recommended for the beginners, they are quite technical, but the expert will find precious information about ingredients and many famous traditional recipes.

Some ingredients from these old recipes need to be replaced by more modern equivalents, but the technique will be the same. For example I am not sure if we can still buy the Spermaceti but it can be replaced by Palm oil or Coconut oil in soap making.

These e-books are EXACT reproductions of books published before 1923.
They may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, that were either part of the original artefacts, or were introduced by the scanning process.
These types of reproductions assure you are looking at the original information and not to modified or partial copy.
We believe these works are so culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. I appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and I know you will enjoy these valuable books.

These e-books are in PDF file format and are NOT hard copies. No physical books will be shipped. The e-book files being very big (sometime 700pages!), they can not be downloaded directly but you will received your copy printed on a CD.

Make sure your postal address is correct as the CD will be mailed to you. We offer free postage for Australia.

The Art of Perfumery and The Method of Obtaining the Odours of Plants by G.W. Septimus Piesse written 1857 (180 pages). With Instructions for the manufacture of perfumes for the handkerchief, scented powders, odorous vinegars, dentifrices, pomatums, cosmetics, perfumed soap, with and appendix on the colours of flowers, artificial fruit essences, etc.

A Practical Treatise on The Manufacture of Perfumery written by Dr. C Deite in 1892 (360 pages), Comprising Directions for Making All Kinds of Perfumes, Sachet Powders, Fumigating Material, Dentifrices, Cosmetics, etc. etc. With A Full Account of the Volatile Oils, Balsams, Resins, and Other Natural and Artificial Perfume-Substances, Including The Manufacture of Fruit Ethers, and Tests of Their Purity. "A Translation of the portion of the "Handbuch der Parfiimerie-und Toiletteseifen fabrikation," edited by Dr. C. Deite, relating to perfumery and cosmetics, is presented to the English reading public with the full confidence that it will not only fill a useful place in technical literature, but will also prove for what it is chiefly intended a ready book of reference and a practical help and guide for the perfumer's laboratory."

Perfumery and Kindred Arts by RS Cristiani (396 pages). Containing a History of perfumes, A Completed Detailed Description of The Raw Material and Apparatus Used In The Perfumer's Art; With Thorough Practical Instructions, Careful Formulae, Advice As To The Fabrication Of All The Best Preparations Of the Day: Including Essences, Tinctures, Extracts, Spirits, Waters, Cosmetics, Infusions, Pastils, Cachous, Oils, Hair Tooth Powders and Dyes, sachets, Flavouring, Washes, Essential Extracts, etc., and Full Details For Making and Manipulating Fancy Toilet Soaps, Shaving Creams., etc. by New and Improved Methods. The recipes and formulas given have been carefully revised, and are generally devoid of all substances which can be at all injurious ; and will be found to be the most pleasant and the most useful for their various purposes possible.

Happy Natural Skin care Making!
Marlene Daniels

Mineral Make Up Foundation Base Powder Additives.

2011-03-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

How to personalise your Mineral Make-Up Foundation Base Blend with Additives

There are some basic differences in the types of products you might want to make and how they differ. Here are several terms to describe the different powders:

* Absorbency- If you have oily oil, you will want that your raw ingredients absorbs that oil.

* For dry skin or for products around the eyes, you will want to avoid absorbent raw ingredients.

* Additives and pigments should preferably not absorb oil. When powders absorb oil they tend to collect in wrinkles and skin folds.

Oil Absorption: Fillers and pigments should preferably not absorb oil. When powders absorb oil they tend to collect in wrinkles and skin folds.

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE ABSORBENCY

· Kaolin clay

· Corn Powder

· Titanium dioxide

· Silica powder

· Silk powder

· Zinc Stearate

· Calcium Carbonate

* Slip – The product glides easily across the skin. Slip refers to how the product feels as it goes on the skin. It should feel lightweight and silky with minimal drag on the skin.

BASE ADDITIVES TO IMPROVE SLIP:

· Magnesium Stearate.

· Magnesium Myristate

· Talc

· Boron Nitride.

· Mica and Methicon

· Silica powder

· Sericite Mica

· Sericite with L-lysine

· Sericite with Methicone

· Sericite with Magnesium myristate

· Sericite with Carnauba wax

· Silk powder

· Corn Powder

· Rice Powder

· Kaolin clay

· Zinc Stearate

· Bismuth Oxychloride

* Adhesion – Your make up needs to adhere to the skin to be long lasting and does not need to reapplied again and again.

BASE ADDITIVES TO IMPROVE ADHESION

· Magnesium Stearate.

· Magnesium Myristate

· Talc

· Boron Nitride.

· Sericite

· Sericite with L-lysine

· Sericite with Methicone

· Sericite with Magnesium myristate

· Sericite with Carnauba wax

· Titanium dioxide

· Zinc oxide

· Kaolin clay

· Zinc Stearate

· Mica and Methicon

· Bismuth Oxychloride

· Calcium carbonate

* Coverage – This refers to how much the products cover the underlying skin.

*If you suffer from rosacea and hyper pigmentation you will want more coverage and less translucency in your foundation. You will also want more coverage in your concealer.

*If you want a more natural look or of you are making a blush, you will want more translucency in your products

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE WHITENESS OR OPACITY

· Titanium

· Zinc oxide

· Sericite with Methicone

· Silk Powder

· Calcium carbonate

· Talc

* Translucent – The product, once applied, is practically invisible. These powders are "see through". They provide you skin with colour and radiance but will not cover up flaws.

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE TRANSLUCENCY (virtually invisible once applied):

· Kaolin clay

· Corn powder

· Sericite Mica

· Sericite with Magnesium myristate

· Sericite with Carnauba wax

· Rice powder

· Zinc Stearate

· Silica powder

* Bloom – Refers if the product is completely matte, shiny or something in between.

* Older woman will prefer matte finishes, when younger woman will prefer more sheen.

*High Luster: these products have a pearl appearance and will tend to reflect the light.

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE BLOOM

· Sericite Mica

· Rice Powder

· Sericite with L-lysine

· Silica powder

· Silk Powder

· Bismuth Oxychloride

* Matte - This has a flat low luster appearance.

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE MATTE EFFECT

· Titanium dioxide

· Zinc oxide

· Magnesium Stearate

· Talc

· Kaolin clay

· Corn Powder

· Rice Powder

· Calcium Carbonate

· Allantoin

· Magnesium Myristate

* Skin Healing - Helps to calm and soothe irritated skin

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE SKIN HEALING

· Allantoin

· Titanium Dioxide

· Zinc oxide

· Kaolin clay

· Silk powder

· Zinc Stearate

· Calcium carbonate

· Corn Powder

* Wrinkle Fillers- Reduces the appearance of fine lines

BASE ADDITIVES FOR WRINKLE FILLERS

· Mica with Methicone

· Magnesium Myristate

· Sericite with L-lysine

· Sericite with Methicone

· Silica powder

· Silk powder

· Boron Nitride

* Sun Protection -

Reflects and blocks UV rays

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE SUN PROTECTION

· Zinc oxide

· Titanium Dioxide

· Allantoin

· Zinc Stearate

· Kaolin clay

· Silk powder

* Dry skin, Mature skin - Offers some lubrication and emolliency to your skin.

BASE ADDITIVES TO INCREASE EMOLLIENT PROTECTION

· Boron Nitride

· Mica with Methicone

· Magnesium Myristate

· Sericite with L-lysine

· Sericite with Magnesium myristate

· Sericite with Methicone

· Zinc Stearate

· Silk powder

With a little experimentation and understanding, soon you will have a superb product, personally made by you!

Want to know more? we have two e-Books on the subject;

E-Book Mineral Make-up Foundation Bases Recipes

E-Book Mineral Make-Up Raw Ingredient List

Happy Natural Make Up Making!

Marlene Daniels

How to make Herbal Vinegar Preparations for the Skin

2011-02-14T00:13:00.000-08:00

For Hundreds of years people have used vinegar for a whole range of purposes and these tips have been passed on from generation to generation. However, in today's hectic times many of these great uses for vinegar have been forgotten.

Marlene's new E-book sets out a broad range of vinegar usage tips that are both convenient to use for your skin and your body and more importantly they really work.

Home-made Vinegar; the lost art!

Did you ever wonder if it was possible to make your own vinegar?

Well, it is and it is easier than most people think. Making vinegar is an inexpensive project that results in a more flavorful product. Vinegar can be made from a variety of ingredients including rice, fruit, wine, champagne or any material containing sugar.

Homemade vinegar can be flavored and bottled and given for unique gifts.

Vinegar is one such liquid that has mingled with the history and folklore of man. It was first mentioned for its preservation and healing powers around 7,000 years ago in Babylon. It was thus that vinegar became known as an all-cure potion.

In Persia, physicians made a drink of vinegar and lime to help remove fat. It was also used by the Roman and Greek seafarers to treat scurvy whilst on long sea voyages.
Vinegar can be made from a variety of ingredients including rice, fruit, wine, champagne or any material containing sugar.

Vinegar for the skin- why?
Vinegar has acids that are very powerful in removing the dead skin cells off the skin’s surface. It un-glues the dead skin cells held together by the oils and sloughs them off easily. It is also an excellent way to regulate the pH of the skin.

Apple cider vinegar can be used for skin irritation from chicken pox, hives, poison ivy, poison oak, shingles, eczema, psoriasis and diaper rash can be minimized by soaking in an apple cider vinegar bath

Flavored vinegars also add an extra kick and delightful fragrance to skin toners and skin sprays.

You can make it from anything that contains sugar or a starch. Fruit, fruit juice, fruit peels, even carrot peelings, or grains.
Do not use commercial juices as the pasteurization process and additives interfere with the bacteria needed to make the vinegar.
For the frugal homesteader this is an excellent way to make peelings more useful than just livestock feed or compost.

Once you start using it as a replacement for the more expensive, harsh, and possibly toxic cleansers and beauty products in your home, you'll begin to see that vinegar's potential has almost no limits.

Vinegar is very effective in soothing dry and itchy skin.

Vinegar is a wonderful -- and inexpensive -- addition to your beauty regimen. Vinegar can help restore the natural acidity of your skin, which may clear up skin problems such as dryness, itching, flaking, and acne.

For gorgeous skin, head to the kitchen and grab some vinegar!

The use of vinegar with a variety of plants or essential oils for cosmetic purposes can be traced back to the Romans and was fashionable during the 19th century as vinegar de toilette.

Vinegar has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin. It is also antiseptic, preventing the proliferation of bacteria, viruses, or yeast that trigger infection.
It can dissolve excessive fatty deposits at the surface of the skin and reduce scaly or peeling conditions. Lastly, vinegar regulates the pH of the skin.

Vinegar is most effective when used with herbs and flowers, lavender, rosemary, rose, dandelion , mint, elder flower etc..
It is essential to use top-quality white wine or cider vinegar. Dry any fresh plant material for two days before using.

Measure and mix only dried plant material and then add the vinegar. Apple ciders composed entirely of liquids can be used at once.
Those containing plant material must be left to macerate. Prepare the latter in a screw-top jar and leave on a window sill for two weeks, strain, and then bottle.

To use, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider to a cup of bottled or spring water to wash your face or pour 3-4 tablespoons into a bath.

How to make Herbal Vinegar Preparations for the Skin
E-Book 46 pages

Is Drinking Wine Making you Sick during the Festive Season?

2010-12-27T00:35:00.000-08:00

Is Drinking Wine Making you Sick during the Festive Season?

The Use of Preservatives in Wine

Preservatives have been used in the production of wine for many decades. They serve three purposes:

Control undesirable microbial growth
Inhibit browning enzymes
Serve as an anti-oxidant

Grape juice behaves like any other fruit in that when it is exposed to air, it begins to deteriorate due to oxidation. To preserve the fresh fruit flavours of the grape (and also in the wine), preservatives are added immediately after the grape skin is broken. They are continuously used throughout the wine making process until bottling.

The use of preservatives throughout the food industry has been a concern for consumers for many years and many producers have removed them from their products.

Some winemakers have been aware of the harmful effects these preservatives have on consumers and have been trying to produce wines without their use for many years.

Largely this endeavour has been unsuccessful, particularly with white wine, as it is simply impossible to produce high quality wine without their use.

Most commonly the preservative is added either as a sulphur salt such as Potassium Metabisulphate (which releases sulphur dioxide gas) or sulphur dioxide gas.

Sulphur dioxide gas is well known as an undesirable pollutant. Exposure to sulphur dioxide gas is very unpleasant even at quite low concentrations.

Typical reactions to sulphur dioxide are headaches, shortness of breath, sneezing, watery eyes, weezing, sinus congestion and dizziness.

Asthmatics are particularly susceptible to sulphur dioxide.

The level of free sulphur dioxide in most wines at bottling is between 25-35ppm, depending on style. After the addition of 5 drops of pure wine the level is normally reduced to 5ppm or less. This is achieved despite the level of preservative varying for different wines.

The wine is kept fresh and vibrant for up to 24 hours after opening due to a slight increase in the preservative level due to a buffering effect.

Public authorities have been concerned with daily intake of sulphur dioxide and there are many cases of increased illness of residents in high sulphur dioxide regions such as near refineries.

There is also research indicating that preservatives are a significant contributor to the

after effects of alcohol (hangover)

Winemakers have known and used the chemistry behind removing preservatives for many years as it is often practiced in the winery to adjust sulphur levels.

This knowledge was critical in enabling the preservative to be removed immediately prior to consumption.

James developed several different methods for achieving this but believed the easiest and most effective is the Pure Wine system described on this web site .http://www.purewine.com.au/index.html

By adding 5 drops of neutralising agent (dilute hydrogen peroxide) from the dropper bottle almost all of the free sulphur dioxide is removed. This is achieved despite the level of preservatives in wines varying considerably.

This very special product has a unique action when used as directed. It is able to remove almost all the preservative in the wine but allow the wine to remain fresh and vibrant for up to 24 hours after opening. Another great feature is that you can treat individual glasses (150ml) by adding 1 drop.

Please take good note I copied these information from the Pure Wine website because I am so happy with the product.

I was reacting so strongly to the E220 or sulphur dioxide that I did not drink wine for the last two years.

(yes :( even the most expensive French Champagne has E220!)

Thanks to “Pure wine” I can drink again!

Happy New Year!

Marlene Daniels

Dandelion Vinegar Recipes; Is your front lawn looking like mine!

2010-12-25T23:01:00.000-08:00

While many people think of the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) as a pesky weed, herbalists consider it a valuable herb with many culinary and medicinal uses.

Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc.

I often used its leaves to add flavor to salads, sandwiches, and teas.

The roots can be found in some coffee substitutes, and the flowers are used to make certain wines.

This plant also goes by the French name, Pissenlit. Ironically enough when used in the tea form made by the leaves or the root has a tendency to act as a diuretic on the kidneys. Over the counter diuretics have a tendency to suck the potassium out of the body but not the Dandelion leaves. Dandelion root tea has helped some actually avoid surgery for urinary stones.

Dandelions are really just good for overall health and well being so just about anyone could benefit from a cup of dandelion tea.

Many herbalists will agree with Nana Rose that incorporated the Dandelion plant into dinner each night will assist in easier digestion.

When you take a Dandelion plant and break the stem you will find a milky white substance inside. This substance is great for removing warts, pimples, moles, calluses, soothing of bee stings, and blisters.

Some other things that Dandelion has been popular in the past for is making Dandelion jam and others use it for a coffee substitute when it is roasted and ground Dandelion root.

Many also drink Dandelion wine. Dandelion root is one of the safest and most popular herbal remedies on the market and is widely used today.

I would like to share an old recipe using Dandelion

* Nana Rose Healthy Dandelion Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe

Ingredients:

- 100g (4oz) fresh dandelion flowers

- 200g (8oz) Apple Cider Vinegar

Pick the Dandelion flowers and discard the stalks. Wash the flowers and pat dry.

Choose a jar that is clean and dry and has enough volume to fill with the flowers and the vinegar.

Push the flowers into the bottle until it is full, then pour the vinegar into the bottle so that it covers them.

Loosely cover the wine bottle and leave in a cool dark cupboard for at least seven days to allow the flowers to infuse then strain into a fresh clean bottle.

Seal the bottle until ready for use.

* Nana Rose Healthy Dandelion Apple Cider Vinegar Internal Detoxing

For some people, acne may be the body's response to exposure to toxins in food and in the environment. If that is the case for you, this recipe may help. It is a popular detox drink. It has been recommended since the time of Hypocrites and Galen as an aid to alleviate or cure arthritis. And as an aid to digestion and to relieve constipation.

* Try drinking 1-2 teaspoons of Nana Rose Dandelion Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe in a full glass of water once or twice a day. (like cordial)

* Nana Rose Healthy Dandelion Apple Cider Vinegar Internal Tonic

Sometimes we cannot overcome the desperate tiredness we feel in ourselves.

Try a pick-me-up with the followings.

Mix 1/2 cup of Nana Rose Dandelion Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe with 1/2 cup of honey.

- Take two teaspoons at night before going to bed.

- Try drinking 1-2 teaspoons in a full glass of water once or twice a day. ( like cordial)

Apple cider vinegar is so good for your health and well being because it contains the mineral potassium, which is necessary for the promotion of healthy cells and tissues.

The potassium is ingested into the body in an acid medium which makes it easier to assimilate.

* Apple Cider Dandelion Vinegar Skin Tonic

This easy toner uses apple cider vinegar and honey to kill germs, dry excess oil and clear pores. Apple cider vinegar contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which help skin renew itself more quickly.

These are the same acids used to help reduce acne, reduce signs of aging and reduce the appearance of acne scars. Honey soothes, moisturizes and also has antiseptic properties.

Ingredients for 100ml:

- 1 teaspoon honey

- 60ml orange blossom water OR rosewater OR distilled water

- 40ml Nana Rose Healthy Dandelion Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe

- A few drops lavender essential oil (optional)

How to Make

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl, then funnel into a clean bottle with spray. Spray your face after cleansing and every night before bed.

Use orange blossom water if you can find it - it is known for soothing skin and clearing up acne, and it makes the toner smell less...bracing. Look for it in a middle eastern supermarket near you.

Caution; Dandelion is generally considered safe. Some individuals, however, may develop an allergic reaction from touching dandelion. If you have an allergy to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigold, chamomile, yarrow, daisies, or iodine, you should avoid dandelion. In some people, dandelion can cause increased stomach acid and heartburn.

Coming soon! Marlene New book with many Vinegar recipes for the skin!

Happy Skin Care Making!

Marlene Daniels