Home-made Cosmetics

Avocado Carrot Cream Mask This recipe is courtesy ofwww.Spaindex.com
This mask combines avocados, which are rich in Vitamin E, with carrots, which are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and cream, which is high in calcium and protein. These ingredients will rebuild skin collagen, improve tone and texture, and fade age spots.
1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons honey
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Spread gently over your face and neck, and leave in place 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and follow with your favorite toner.
Cucumber- Honey Toner
1 medium Cucumber, peeled and cut up into pieces
2 tsp. Honey
Puree cucumber in a blender. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set the sieve over a glass bowl or measuring cup. Pour the cucumber puree through the sieve and let it stand for 15 minutes for the juices to drip into the bowl. Pour the clear juice into a clean bottle and add honey.
To use, shake the bottle and saturate a cotton pad with the lotion. Sweep over face, neck and chest morning and night, and let it air dry (about 3 to 4 minutes). Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes about 1/2 cup.
Ginger Skin Creme
Ginger invigorates, and oil soothes. Try this double dose for dry skin.
2-inch piece of fresh ginger
2 teaspoons light sesame oil
2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil
2 teaspoons vitamin E oil
½ cup cocoa butter
Preheat oven on lowest setting. Finely grate the ginger just enough so that you have about an 1/8 teaspoon of ginger "juice." To obtain the juice, squeeze the freshly grated ginger over a small bowl. Place the ingredients (including the ginger) in a glass container and heat just until the cocoa butter is melted and the oils are blended. Pour into a clean, dry container and store in a cool dry place. You can add a few drops of orange or other essential oil for a nice twist.
Kiwi Facial Cleanser (for dry or oily skin)
1 kiwi fruit
2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
1 tablespoon orange water
1 tablespoon apricot or almond oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finely ground almonds
2 drops orange (or your favorite citrus) essential oil
Puree the kiwi fruit in a food processor until liquid. During processing, add yogurt, orange water, almond or apricot oil, and ground almonds. Process until thick and cream like. Add essential and stir to mix. To apply, massage gently over neck, face and décolleté to cleanse. Rinse well. Makes one application.
Night-Time Rose Creamy Lotion
20 fl. oz. Almond oil
16 fl. oz. Rosewater to which have been added 1 oz. dried red Rose petals, this soaked for 3 days, then strained out and removed
3 oz. Beeswax Essence of Rose, if desired
To make: Into a water bath or the top of a double boiler put the oil and the wax. Heat until the wax is dissolved and then remove pot from the fire. Add the Rosewater slowly, beating all the while, and beat until it is cool. At this point add the essence of Rose a drop at a time, if you like. Beat the creamy lotion until cold, pour into a bottle and store away for use.
To use: This lotion makes an excellent Rose Cold Cream to remove old grimy dirt or makeup. Simply apply with clean fingertips and remove with fine tissue. Then you might take a teaspoonful of cornmeal in each palm and rub the hands and face well with it. Rinse with warm water and then cold. Pat the remaining fine film of cream into the skin for night-time smoothing.
Why: Almond oil and Rosewater as we know is an excellent moisturizing lubricant for normal to dry to sensitive skin; cornmeal is a gentle tonic stimulating to the tissues and acts as a "beauty grain".
Tip: Whenever making fine cosmetics always use a porcelain or glass pot. Some beauty experts recommend stainless steel cooking pots but these often leach poisonous heavy metals into the enclosed liquids. Nonmetal is best for herbs.
Rose Cream for Day Use
6 fl. oz. Almond oil
2 oz. Beeswax
1 heaping tsp. anhydrous Lanolin
1 tsp. Borax dissolved in 4 fl. oz. Rosewater
2 tsp. Zinc Oxide rubbed into a smooth cream with 4 fl. oz. Almond oil
10-20 drops oil of Rose
Quantity: Makes enough for about three 4 oz. cream jars.
To Make: Heat the beeswax and the lanolin gently in a water bath. Do not let the wax simmer or burn. Remove from heat and add the Almond oil slowly. Add the zinc oxide-Almond oil cream beating the mixture continuously. Add the borax-Rosewater and beat until cool. Add enough oil of Rose to scent the mixture to your liking. Beat until cold with a small wooden spoon. Pour into three 4 oz. cram jars and let sit until solidified.
To Use: This makes an excellent everyday cream that can be used under makeup or as a moisturizer. Simply rub gently onto face, hands or throat. As a throat moisturizer the cream is excellent, especially when rubbed in with a large marble or small avocado pit. rub in gentle circular motions while looking up into the sky, thereby stretching and stimulating your neck muscles.
Why: Almond oil replaces necessary body oils; Rosewater is a gentle astringent and moisturizer replacing liquid to the cells and tightening the skin; lanolin is a potent emollient and very much like human oils; borax is a skin softener and will help to produce a very white cream while its disadvantage is that it often adds a grainy texture; zinc oxide is useful for healing reddened, sore or irritated skin.
SharAmbrosia Chamomile Lip Balm
1/2 tsp. Macadamia Nut oil
1/2 tsp. Jojoba oil
1 tsp. lanolin
1/2 tsp. Cocoa butter
1/2 tsp. Beeswax
1/2 tsp. Chamomile flowers (dried)
In a double-boiler, melt 1/2 tsp. Macadamia Nut oil, 1/2 tsp. jojoba oil, 1/2 tsp. lanolin and 1/2 tsp. Cocoa butter until it is liquefied. Add 1/2 tsp. of dried Chamomile flowers and stir gently for about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture with a very fine sieve into a small Pyrex ramekin and clean the area of the double boiler where you had the mixture (Dry the area well). Pour the new strained mixture back into the double boiler and reheat. Add another 1/2 tsp. of lanolin and 1/2 tsp. of beeswax shavings. Heat and stir until liquefied completely. Remove from the heat and pour into a 1/2 oz. amber or cobalt container. This is enough for personal use. To use on dry hands, or to give as gifts, you'll want to double or triple this recipe.
This is a very soothing formula that has real "staying" power.
SharAmbrosia Kelp Firming Masque
This mask treatment will help to soften and firm your skin at the same time.
3 T Yogurt
1 tsp. Organic Powdered Kelp
1 tsp. Honey
Place 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt into a small dish. Add the powdered Kelp, stir well. Add the honey and stir until all three ingredients are blended into a smooth consistency. To use: Cleanse face, apply the mask all over face, neck and shoulder area. Massage lightly (the Kelp acts as beauty grains to promote exfoliation). Leave on for about 5-10 minutes. Remove with a warm washcloth. Use a tonic or hydrosol on a cotton ball for complete removal. Apply your moisturizer as usual. Kelp contains iodine, so those with iodine allergies should not use this mask.
Spa Index Papaya Pumpkin Facial
If you have visited spas and resorts in exotic locales such as the Pacific Rim, Bali, Hawaii, and Tahiti, you've probably seen a facialist select and mash fresh fruit in front of you for a fresh-on-the spot enzyme mask. It's easy to recreate this mask at home -- we've found a Balinese mask for you which will leave your face fresh and glowing.
2/3 cup fresh papaya, mashed
15 oz. can pure pumpkin
1 egg, beaten
1. Prepare the mask. Cut the papaya in half and scoop out the seeds. Scoop out the papaya fruit and mash it well to eliminate lumps in the mask. Beat the egg until it is frothy. Combine that with the papaya. Add the pumpkin to the egg/papaya mixture and whip together. You can also mix the ingredients in the blender or a food processor for an extra smooth mask.
2. Prepare your face. Wash with your daily cleanser and remove all residual makeup on your skin. Rinse with warm water. It's very important to have clean skin to ensure you get maximum benefits from the facial.
3. Apply the Mask. Cover your entire face, being careful to avoid the immediate eye area. If you have sensitive skin, test the mixture on your hand before spreading it on your face. You'll feel some tingling as the enzymes in the pumpkin go to work immediately -- gently exfoliating your top layer of skin. It works like a scrub without being abrasive to your skin. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes.
4. Rinse Off Mask. After you've relaxed for ten minutes it's time to rinse. The mask is fairly thick -- head for the kitchen sink.
5. Apply Toner & Moisturizer.