Body Care Recipes

Sugar Scrub
1 cup sugar
10 drops favourite essential oil
add crushed dried mint or lavender (optional)
olive oil

Instructions Mix essential oil with sugar. Add herbs. Apply olive oil to skin then add scrub. Gently massage and wash off.

Use this all over or just damaged areas like elbows and shoulders. This is also a good way to keep away ingrown hairs on your legs from shaving.

Apple Remedy for Flaky Skin
1/2 an apple
olive oil
sugar

Instructions Dip apple (inside) into shallow plate of olive oil. Then, dip apple in shallow plate of sugar. Gently massage over shoulders, legs, et cetera. Rinse off in the shower.

This is a cheap way to exfoliate dry skin. Can be done once a week.

Coconut Delight Lotion
1/2 cup distilled water
1/4 teaspoon borax
1/3 cup mineral oil
2 teaspoons cocoa butter
2 teaspoons beeswax
10 drops coconut fragrance oil

Instructions Boil the water and stir in borax until dissolved. Melt the cocoa butter and beeswax in the mineral oil. Slowly pour water minsture into oil mixture and stir with a whisk until room temperature. Stir in fragrance oil and pour into lotion bottle.

The lotion will continue to thicken slightly but use less water or more cocoa butter if you find it too thin.

Vitamin E Massage Bar
1/2 cup cocoa butter
10 capsules of vitamin E oil
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
10 drops rose oil
8 drops peppermint oil

Melt the cocoa butter and mix in remaining ingredients. Let cool slightly and pour into moulds to harden.

This massage bar will melt at body temperature. It is a nice substitute for massage oil that is drippy.

Massage Bar
2 ounces (56.7 grams) beeswax
1 ounce (28.35 grams) sweet almond oil
1 ounce (28.35 grams) cocoa butter
10 drops coconut fragrance oil

Melt the cocoa butter and beeswax in the microwave. Add the almond oil and fragrance. Stir thoroughly and pour into moulds to harden.

Use a recycled deodorant tube as a mould. Also, a greased muffin tin will result in a good hand held size bar.

Cocoa Butter Cream

150 grams cocoa butter
50 grams almond oil
100 grams distilled water

Melt the cocoa butter and mix in oil and water. Beat this mixture continually, away from heat source until cool.

Cucumber Body Lotion
1 cucumber (peel, remove seeds, and cut into chunks)
1/4 cup barely warm chamomile tea
2 tablespoons glycerin

Instructions Liquify cucumber in a blender. Add tea to the cucumber juice. Stir in glycerin. When cool, bottle and refrigerate. Apply to skin after shower or bath.

The cucumber gives a pleasant light scent. You can also add a few drops of cucumber fragrance oil.

Spray on Body Oil
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup scented water
3 tablespoons sweet almond oil

Instructions Pour all ingredients into a spray pump bottle and close. Shake the bottle until well mixed. Shake before each use.

To scent water;pour boiling water over herbs or zest, cool, and strain.

Coconut Butter
2 tablespoons beeswax
2 teaspoons distilled water
1/2 cup cocoa butter
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions Melt the beeswax over low heat with the water. Spoon in cocoa butter and blend. Gradually blend in oils. Pour into glass jar. The lotion will thicken as it cools.

This is a great body moisturizer. Excellent in winter and after too much sun in the summer.

Peppermint Oil for Legs
1/2 cup soy oil
4 drops peppermint essential oil

Instructions Combine oils and massage into legs. Store excess in a jar. Also great on tired feet.

Peppermint is an anti-inflammatory with decongesting and soothing properties. Soy oil is used because it absorbs more quickly into the skin. This recipe gives relief for tired and cramped legs. Also, try following treatment with a footbath.

Luscious body butter recipe
This rich body butter is particularly suited to dry skin and chapped, cracked hands and feet.
Yield: 500 grams

100g shea butter
75g virgin coconut oil
50g cocoa butter
50g mango butter
50g macadamia oil
35g avocado oil
35g jojoba oil
35g rice bran oil
35g sweet almond oil
35g macwax
6 drops rosemary oleoresin extract (optional)

Measure out all ingredients into a stainless steel or heat resistant glass container.
Place the container in a pot half full of hot water, and heat on the stove until all the ingredients are melted.
(Optional) Cool down to around 50ºC / 122º F before adding the desired essential oil blend.
Pour the body butter into your prepared storage containers.

LAVENDER BARRIER HAND CREAM
10g beeswax
25g cocoa butter, or Shea Butter
60ml almond oil, Evening Primrose, Apricot, or Peach Oil (or maybe 1/2 & 1/2 wheatgerm oil - that will make it very yellow, but won't stain your hands), or Olive oil if you don't have any of the others
15ml castor oil
15 drops lavender oil.
Perhaps a few drops of carrot oil in for good measure.
If you wanted to make it any thinner I would add some glycerine when you add the oils to the waxes.

Melt the beeswax & cocoa butter (either in the microwave gently or use a double boiler), then stir in the almond oil & castor oil. Allow to cool to lotion-type texture, then add the essential oil. Pour into sterilized, shallow screw top jars.

Other essential oils for dry skin would be Benzoin, Carrot, Chamomile, Rose Geranium, Neroli (too expensive), Rosemary, Rose (too expensive) or Sandalwood (also too expensive, unless you choose WA Sandalwood, which also has the advantage of being more environmentally friendly). I would probably go for the lavender or rose geranium E/O.

ROSE CLEANSING CREAM
(excellent for getting mascara & makeup off) - FOR ALL SKIN TYPES EXCEPT OILY
Will keep without refrigeration for about 1 month, so don't make up too much at once.
2 Steps:
Step 1

12g beeswax
15g emulsifying wax
1 tablespoon (thick) coconut oil,
100ml olive oil.

Melt in a double boiler, I use the microwave in a pyrex bowl, works fine. Remove from heat.
Step 2

2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon borax
1 tablespoon rosewater

Heat water mix slightly in a pyrex bowl till borax is dissolved. Add slowly to the melted oils from step 1 & stir constantly till almost cool. Doesn't take long (not like tracing). Mix well, when lukewarm, then add 5 drops essential oil, e.g.. rose geranium is good for general skin care.

If the E/O is added above 45°C it will vaporise & you will loose your therapeutic qualities as well as most of the fragrance. Pot into sterilized glass jar.


Creamy Marigold Cleanser
4 tablespoons olive or almond oil
2 tablespoons dried pot marigold flowers
few drops of violet, orange blossom or rose water

Warm the oil in a bowl placed over a saucepan of hot water. Stir in the dried flowers and continue to heat gently for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool, and stir in the flower water.

Chamomile Cleansing Milk
(Must be kept refrigerated. Good only for 2-4 days.)

Place 1 cup of warm milk in a bowl. The milk must be kept warm throughout, however it must never boil and a skin must not form on the milk. The easiest way to accomplish this is by placing the bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Add 3 tablespoons fresh chamomile flowers. Stir gently from time to time so as not to break up the flowers. Infuse until the milk smells strongly of chamomile. Strain into glass jars. Excellent for oily skin.

 

GENTLE LAVENDER EYE CREAM OR OIL
This is a soft & gentle eye cream that is far superior to a lot of /eye Creams on the market & easy to make. Lasts for ages without refrigeration. You will need liquid lecithin (squeezed from capsules), the powdered form is not suitable.
3 Steps:
Step 1

1 tablespoon lanolin
1 teaspoon liquid lecithin
2 teaspoons thick coconut oil
1 tablespoon almond or hazelnut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon avocado or jojoba oil.

Use cold pressed oils if possible.
Melt the hard waxes & coconut oil to a liquid form, but don't overheat, only enough to keep them liquid. Then add lanolin & liquid oils to the heated oils.
Step 2

2 tablespoons purified water or rosewater.

Heat till just warm & trickle the warmed water into the liquid oils, stirring constantly. If it solidifies, heat them all together in the bowl again until just melted.
Step 3

2 drops Lavender E/O

Add lavender E/O when just lukewarm, stirring in well. Pot into a sterilized glass jar.

GOLDEN CALENDULA LOTION OR CREAM
You will firstly need to make up a calendula infused oil. I do this each season when the calendulas are flowering in the garden. They self seed so you won't have to plant them each year & they are so useful. To do this, pick fresh calendula petals, as much as possible, (NOT MARIGOLDS) preferably straight from the garden. Place in a pyrex bowl & cover halfway with olive oil.

Boil this mixture until the oil has made the petals crisp like chips. I do mine in the microwave but you need to be extra careful getting boiling oil out without burning yourself. It works fine on the stove, using a stainless steel saucepan, but takes longer. When cool, place in a sterilized glass screw top glass jar. It will keep unrefrigerated for ages!
3 Steps:
Step 1

3/4 cup purified water or rosewater or other floral water, e.g. lavender, chamomile, orangeflower,(also called hydrosols)
2 teaspoons glycerine

Heat water or floral water to 60C, then add glycerine, stir thoroughly & heat again to 70C. (I don't measure the temp, I just go by feel, the temp is not critical).
Step 2

16g emulsifying wax for a lotion or 30g for a cream
2 tablespoons of calendula infused oil (see above for directions)

Heat the oils to 70C, then pour the hot water in a slow stream onto the oil, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the temp drops to 45C when you add the next step.
Step 3

20 drops carrot E/O
15 drops E/O according to skin type, can be a mixture of ones you like & are suitable(see above).

Add the E/O's & mix thoroughly.

If the cream is too thick, add a trickle of floral water, beating & adding until you get the consistency you like. Pot into sterilized glass jars.

ROSEWATER & WITCH HAZEL SKIN TONER
This has to be the easiest, cheapest & best toner you can make. It keeps for yonks.
According to skin type:
DRY

1/4 cup witch hazel 3/4 cup rosewater
1 teaspoon glycerine

NORMAL

1/2 cup witch hazel 1/2 cup rosewater
3/4 teaspoon glycerine

OILY

3/4 cup witch hazel 1/4 cup rosewater
1/2 teaspoon glycerine.

Add together & shake well into a sterilized glass bottle. The glycerine always rises to the top, so you will need to shake well each time you use it. If you want to add rose geranium oil to the mix for extra nourishment, add to the witch hazel first, then mix. Again the E/O is never really dispersed & needs shaking well each time you use it. Wipe it onto your skin with cotton balls, if you are always in a hurry like me, just shake first, splash some into your hands & gently apply to your face.

CAMPHOR LIP GLOSS
You will first need to make some camphorated oil. Real camphor is poisonous & is not sold commercially. Ask you local pharmacist for some. They usually have some hidden away. They may want to know what you are going to do with it. I have been using this cream for 10 years or so.
To make the oil, measure 80ml vegetable oil to 20g camphor. You can make more & store it, just use the same ratio, 80ml for each 20g. Melt the camphor in the vegetable oil until dissolved.
If you don't have cocoa butter increase the beeswax by half.
3 Steps:
Step 1

12g beeswax
6g cocoa butter

Melt the two together. Takes about 8 minutes in the microwave on high.
Step 2

1/4 cup camphorated oil
2 capsules vitamin E oil (stronger the better)

Add the camphorated oil & pierce the vit E capsules squeezing the oil into the hot oils.
Step 3

1/2 teaspoon glycerine
5 drops carrot E/O

Beat these ingredients in while still hot. Pour into sterilized glass jars

MENTHOL AFTERSHAVE
Stores well without refrigeration

3/4 teaspoon glycerine
pinch borax
tiny pinch menthol crystals
3/4 witch hazel
10 drops peppermint E/O
10 drops sandalwood E/O
2 drops lavender oil
2 drops rosemary oil

Put all ingredients in a 100 ml sterilized glass bottle. Shake well until the borax & menthol crystals completely dissolve.

 

BATH BOMBS
These bath bombs are a little different to some of the other recipes. They usually amalgamate quite well if the quantities are followed exactly. If they don't hold together, use them as Fizzy Bath Salts.

1 cup sodium bicarbonate (bicarb soda)
1/2 cup citric acid,
1/2 cup cornstarch
Plus or minus 1/3 cup Epsom salts (good for tired muscles) or sea salt (not too chunky).

Replace some of the dry ingredients with milk powder if wanted for someone with very dry skin.
Sieve these dry ingredients together.

2 & 1/2 tablespoon almond or apricot oil
3/4 teaspoon water
1-2 teaspoons E/O
1/4 teaspoon borax
Few drops of food colouring.

Mix the wet ingredients in a separate jar & shake vigorously. Drizzle this over the dry ingredients until the consistency is right to mould. Pack very tightly into moulds. Doesn't need to stay in moulds overnight, can come out fairly quickly if you've got the right consistency. Add extra wet ingredients in very small amounts if you add extra dry ingredients such as lavender flowers, rose petals, orange rind, spices etc.etc.etc.

Hulda Clark's Recipe for Personal Lubricant
excerpt from The Cure For All Diseases
© 1995 by Hulda Regehr Clark, Ph.D. N.D.

"Heat these together: 1 level tsp. sodium alginate and 1 cup water in a covered non-metal pan until completely dissolved. Use very low heat and stir with a wooden spoon handle. It takes a fairly long time to get it perfectly smooth. After cooling, pour into a small dispenser bottle. Keep the remainder refrigerated.

Or, mix and heat 4 tsp. cornstarch and 1 cup water until completely dissolved in a covered saucepan. Use non-metal dishes and a non-metal stirring spoon. Cool. Pour some into dispenser bottle. Refrigerate remainder. This is many persons' favourite recipe."

HERBAL TEA
1 tsp (5m1) dried camomile flowers 1 cup boiling water

Add the dried camomile flowers to a warmed teapot. Pour boiling water over the dried herbs and leave it for at least 10 minutes to infuse.

FOOT BATH
1 oz (25g) camomile
1/2 oz (10g) thyme
1/2 oz (10g) rosemary
1 oz (25g) peppermint
1 oz (25g) marjoram

Mix the dried herbs. Take two dessert spoons of the herbs and add to one litre of water. Boil for five minutes, then cool and pour into a bowl. Bathe your feet in it - you'll find it's very soothing for tired and aching feet.

FACE STEAM
3 tbsp (40g) dried camomile flowers
3 pints (1.5 litres) boiling water

Remove all your make-up and tie your hair back so it doesn't get in your way. Put the dried camomile flowers in a bowl and pour 1.5 litres of boiling water over the top, stirring with a wooden spoon as you do so. Drape a towel over your head and the bowl, and keep your face about 30cm above the water. Relax and inhale the steam for approximately ten minutes, then rinse your face with cool water. Steaming your face with camomile will help to soothe and cleanse your skin.

CAMOMILE CLEANSER
2 tbsp (25g) dried camomile flowers
1/4 pint (125m1) creamy milk

Heat the milk and camomile for half an hour but don't bring it up to the boil. Leave it to infuse for about two hours. Strain and throw away the flowers. Squeeze a little onto a ball of cotton wool and apply to your face. The cleanser will last for about a week if you keep it in the fridge.

Helpful Hints
• Camomile tea is particularly recommended after a course of antibiotics.
• For itchy skin and sunburn conditions, try dabbing the affected area with cotton wool which has been soaked in ice-cold camomile tea.

Cucumber
Skin care products containing cucumber are easy to make and very effective. You can buy the necessary ingredients from your local supermarket and chemist.

CUCUMBER TONIC
1/2 cucumber
2 lemons
1 orange
1 apple
2 tbsp (30ml) pure alcohol
2 tbsp (30 ml) rose-water

Peel the cucumber and apple, and then mash them thoroughly with a fork. Wrap the pulp in a square of fine gauze and squeeze the juice out into a bowl. Then squeeze the juice out of the lemons and orange and mix it with the cucumber and apple. Finally, add the alcohol and rose-water and mix well. Pour the tonic into a clean, labelled bottle and use twice a day after cleansing.

CUCUMBER CLEANSER
1/4 cucumber
1/4 pint (140m1) milk

Peel and mash the cucumber. Then wrap the pulp in a piece of gauze and squeeze out the juice. Mix the pulp, peel and milk together and shake well for five minutes. Leave for three hours. Then strain and pour into a labelled bottle and refrigerate. The cleanser will last for about two to three days.