Maybe posting this a bit late for anyone in Philly (visiting my sister right now) but just came back not to long ago from a Burt's Bees skin care consultation in the Whole Foods on South Street. Though I had already previously been to a Burt's Bees workshop in VA a year or two ago, I wanted to attend this one because in the last year or so Burt's Bees has come out with a slew of new products and I wanted to learn about them. Though I mainly craft vegan products, I still buy and use products that are vegetarian and not necessarily vegan. But I got confused about the time of the workshop: the flyer had said 11:30 am but when I reserved on the phone, the Whole Foods employee who answered said that it looked like there were specific signup times but he didn't sound too sure. The one in VA had been a group workshop so I showed up at 11:30 because I thought maybe the flyer was right and the guy who answered the phone was wrong. Turns out the guy was right; it was not a group workshop but a one on one consultation (the flyer wasn't clear on this).
The Burt's Bees rep (I can't remember her name) was very nice about the mix up and consulted with me early since the person who was supposed to be at 11:30 never showed. She was very informative about their products (but refreshingly not pushy and did not try to sell me anything but only suggested stuff for me), and clearly passionate about the company and her job. We mainly talked about the new products (since I was already familiar with and have used most of the old products), and I really want to try them now! They have a new cleansing cream (with soapbark and chamomile) that is good for drier skin types, but (according to her) doesn't clog pores. They also have a peach and willowbark scrub that she said was gentle. She also told me about the new radiance creams that contain royal jelly and that are much lighter than their other creams. They also have a relatively new shampoo and conditioner with pomegranate and soy that sounded interesting.
But what was the most interesting to me was how Burt's Bees is becoming more active in being green. She told me that Burt's Bees is now a neutral carbon company, meaning that they compensate for all the carbon they produce (mainly by buying credits). Also they are working with Habitat for Humanity to build a green development in North Carolina (near Raleigh). Totally cool! :)
So what do I think about their products: overall I like their products and their company. Their older creams can be heavy (so be sure to apply only a little to very, very damp skin), but many of their formulations are very nice and contain a lot of beneficial herbals. Their newer formulations, I am not sure of them yet: they contain some of the borderline natural/synthetic ingredients that (depending on who you ask) is either natural, semi natural, or synthetic (but often naturally derived). It depends where you draw the line. For the most part (for the older formulations) the percentages that they list on their products on how natural it is are accurate; for the newer stuff (especially the shampoos) I do not think they are as accurate (or at least according to the ingredients I define as natural), but all of their formulas are (I estimate at least) 80-100% natural depending on the product (I would say most of their products are 90-100% natural). But the borderline ingredients are for the most part non-toxic, non-irritating (except for those who are allergic to synthetic fragrances), and biodegradable. (Sometimes I think I am just way too anal in defining what's natural and what's not ;) ) Favorite products of mine: blemish stick, marsh mellow vanishing cream, beeswax day cream, carrot lotion, repair serum (wonderful for the under eye area), almond milk cream (this smells so good)
Just saw their website; it looks like they also have new sunscreens and a lip balm with pomegranate oil in it (sounds yummy). According to the rep, they are coming out with new products every six months.
At the end of our talk, the rep gave me a sampler of the Burts Bees products (a natural weaved bag filled with their older, much loved products). Totally awesome! So if you are in Philly, you may still be able to catch her today! :) If you are elsewhere, ask your local natural food store if they are coming soon, or check their website to see where workshops are being held. To learn more about new products you can sign up for their email newsletter on the website.
Note: the lip shimmers are not vegetarian (contains carmine, a red colorant from beetles), and also they are going to discontinue their vanishing facial tissues (I need to stock up on these)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 5-22-07
What I've been crafting recently: eye shadows, vegan lip balm.
Eye shadows: I've been working on several new shades. I crafted a few of the usual: super pigmented/intense, multifacated sparkles and sheens. So far I've created over 30 colors, the majority of them being greens and golds, but I have crafted some blues and purples too. Also a couple pinkish shades that I've been using in lip glosses or as blush. Need to work on mattes, semi mattes, and also more lippie colors!
Vegan lip balm: crafted yet another one, this time for slightly dry lips. This was a remake of my original lip balm in a tin vegetarian one, but now I've made it vegan and it now comes in a tube. It took me three tries to get this right (to convert it to vegan); as much as I love cold pressed grapeseed it was throwing off this recipe, so I switched back to solvent extracted (most grapeseed oil on the market is solvent extracted, it is very hard to find cold pressed). I'll save the cold pressed for serums! :)
I am currently in Philly visiting my sister so while I still have access to a computer, won't be crafting as much for a few weeks (unless she actually lets me raid her garden!) ;P
Eye shadows: I've been working on several new shades. I crafted a few of the usual: super pigmented/intense, multifacated sparkles and sheens. So far I've created over 30 colors, the majority of them being greens and golds, but I have crafted some blues and purples too. Also a couple pinkish shades that I've been using in lip glosses or as blush. Need to work on mattes, semi mattes, and also more lippie colors!
Vegan lip balm: crafted yet another one, this time for slightly dry lips. This was a remake of my original lip balm in a tin vegetarian one, but now I've made it vegan and it now comes in a tube. It took me three tries to get this right (to convert it to vegan); as much as I love cold pressed grapeseed it was throwing off this recipe, so I switched back to solvent extracted (most grapeseed oil on the market is solvent extracted, it is very hard to find cold pressed). I'll save the cold pressed for serums! :)
I am currently in Philly visiting my sister so while I still have access to a computer, won't be crafting as much for a few weeks (unless she actually lets me raid her garden!) ;P
Friday, May 18, 2007
Soapnuts, Soapwort, Yucca: Skin Cleansers and All Natural/Eco-friendly Cleaning (Environmental Cleaning Information, All Natural Cosmetics)
Since I've recently discussed microfiber, I decided to blog about herbs that are be used to cleanse the skin, and also clean the house and laundry.
I've already blogged about soapwort (including a recipe), which is used in museums to clean ancient, delicate fabrics, is an awesome, very gentle skin cleanser, and can also be used to wash the hair.
So here are a couple of other great herbs and eco-friendly choices:
Soapnuts: I just got this herb recently. Apparently it can be used not only as a skin cleanser, but it has also become the environmental rage as a natural laundry detergent. I've only tried it as a facial cleanser (added a pinch to water, but may try a decoction in the near future) and will try to use it to clean my laundry (though I have the powder and not the whole nuts so not sure if that would make a mess or not. I think a decoction would be better rather than adding the nuts to my laundry as recommended by some web sites).
Yucca root: prepared similar to soapwort, but you have to crush the roots more before adding the water. But I do not believe the decoction has as long as a shelf life as soapwort decoction (only a few days, refrigerated). In the past, it was used to clean skin and hair by some Native American peoples. I am not sure about using it for the laundry but I may experiment with this. I've used this to wash my hair and it seems to do a pretty good job (but I love my soap based shampoos more).
I've already blogged about soapwort (including a recipe), which is used in museums to clean ancient, delicate fabrics, is an awesome, very gentle skin cleanser, and can also be used to wash the hair.
So here are a couple of other great herbs and eco-friendly choices:
Soapnuts: I just got this herb recently. Apparently it can be used not only as a skin cleanser, but it has also become the environmental rage as a natural laundry detergent. I've only tried it as a facial cleanser (added a pinch to water, but may try a decoction in the near future) and will try to use it to clean my laundry (though I have the powder and not the whole nuts so not sure if that would make a mess or not. I think a decoction would be better rather than adding the nuts to my laundry as recommended by some web sites).
Yucca root: prepared similar to soapwort, but you have to crush the roots more before adding the water. But I do not believe the decoction has as long as a shelf life as soapwort decoction (only a few days, refrigerated). In the past, it was used to clean skin and hair by some Native American peoples. I am not sure about using it for the laundry but I may experiment with this. I've used this to wash my hair and it seems to do a pretty good job (but I love my soap based shampoos more).
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Microfiber: Environmental House Cleaning and also Cosmetic Exfoliant! (Environmental Information/House Cleaning and Cosmetic Information)
One thing I have to blog about is microfiber. I've been hearing so much about it from many delphi forum members for a while, and also a few months ago from my sister. I finally used some and decided to blog about it because it has great cosmetic and environmental cleaning uses (so combining many of my interests) :)
How they work: the fibers of these seemingly soft cloths are textured, and the special fibers gently remove dirt and other substances from a variety of surfaces (the fibers are not treated with chemicals). They feel gentle to the touch but are tough on cleaning power, and you can use them dry or wet with only water--no chemicals or any cleansers! :) According to my sister: use wet for cleaning hard surfaces, dry to wipe stuff.
To clean them: Regular machine wash, but line dry them (or at least Costco brand).
Cosmetic use: many people have been using microfiber to exfoliate. This deceptively soft cloth effectively removes flaky skin, revealing smoother skin underneath. Several people on the delphi forums claim that the ones that are sold for the face are similar to the ones sold in the automobile section of stores, but others have claimed they are different grades and the auto ones shouldn't be used on the face. I've only use an auto one on my skin once, and even though I scrubbed gently and barely used it, I think it did too good of a job. I will probably try one of the ones made for the face sometime in the future, just to compare. But if you use microfiber facial cloths be careful: I've heard horror stories of people using them and scrubbing too hard that they ended up removing too much skin (which was why I was so cautious when using it) but personally I think my skin is just too sensitive for it, or at least the brand/kind that I used.
Cleaning uses: this was originally a best kept secret of hotels (in europe)--how to clean surfaces quickly and effectively without harsh chemicals. I personally think the cleaning uses are much more impressive than the cosmetic uses. I am an advocate of using more earth-friendly, more natural cleansers, and have even concocted some of my own recipes over the years, but microfiber is the ultimate environmental cleaner because you clean with only the cloth and water and maybe a little elbow grease! Microfiber works better on harder surfaces like counter and stove tops, floors, and faucets than more porous things such as walls.
Though it removes tough grime, it is gentle, and it doesn't scratch materials. You can buy a big bag in the automobile section of your local department store.
Now though I've heard about the cosmetic use on the forums for many months, I was amazed when my sister gave me some cloths and showed me how well they cleaned. I ended up cleaning part of her house, LOL! (It was part of her evil plan ;P ) Everything looked so nice, shiny, and new--within seconds of just scrubbing.
Now does this mean I'm going to stop using my natural cleaning supplies? No, because sometimes you need to use products with essential oils/herbs that will kill germs. But this definitely will replace much of my daily cleaning--especially since everything gets very clean and looks good, and I can clean more in less time.
The brand that she used is Swift Microfiber. They are more expensive than the ones in the auto department, but they seemed to be a nicer/higher quality, and also they are a small company. She also gave me a microfiber cleaning cloth for glasses from this company (different from the cleaning/auto cloths) and it is the best glass cleaning cloth I've ever used (I have like four glass cleaning cloths in a variety of materials from other companies and none of them seem to work very well). We also got a big bag at Costco. They didn't seem quite as nice as the ones from Swift, but they still are very good quality, very inexpensive, and clean extremely well.
How they work: the fibers of these seemingly soft cloths are textured, and the special fibers gently remove dirt and other substances from a variety of surfaces (the fibers are not treated with chemicals). They feel gentle to the touch but are tough on cleaning power, and you can use them dry or wet with only water--no chemicals or any cleansers! :) According to my sister: use wet for cleaning hard surfaces, dry to wipe stuff.
To clean them: Regular machine wash, but line dry them (or at least Costco brand).
Cosmetic use: many people have been using microfiber to exfoliate. This deceptively soft cloth effectively removes flaky skin, revealing smoother skin underneath. Several people on the delphi forums claim that the ones that are sold for the face are similar to the ones sold in the automobile section of stores, but others have claimed they are different grades and the auto ones shouldn't be used on the face. I've only use an auto one on my skin once, and even though I scrubbed gently and barely used it, I think it did too good of a job. I will probably try one of the ones made for the face sometime in the future, just to compare. But if you use microfiber facial cloths be careful: I've heard horror stories of people using them and scrubbing too hard that they ended up removing too much skin (which was why I was so cautious when using it) but personally I think my skin is just too sensitive for it, or at least the brand/kind that I used.
Cleaning uses: this was originally a best kept secret of hotels (in europe)--how to clean surfaces quickly and effectively without harsh chemicals. I personally think the cleaning uses are much more impressive than the cosmetic uses. I am an advocate of using more earth-friendly, more natural cleansers, and have even concocted some of my own recipes over the years, but microfiber is the ultimate environmental cleaner because you clean with only the cloth and water and maybe a little elbow grease! Microfiber works better on harder surfaces like counter and stove tops, floors, and faucets than more porous things such as walls.
Though it removes tough grime, it is gentle, and it doesn't scratch materials. You can buy a big bag in the automobile section of your local department store.
Now though I've heard about the cosmetic use on the forums for many months, I was amazed when my sister gave me some cloths and showed me how well they cleaned. I ended up cleaning part of her house, LOL! (It was part of her evil plan ;P ) Everything looked so nice, shiny, and new--within seconds of just scrubbing.
Now does this mean I'm going to stop using my natural cleaning supplies? No, because sometimes you need to use products with essential oils/herbs that will kill germs. But this definitely will replace much of my daily cleaning--especially since everything gets very clean and looks good, and I can clean more in less time.
The brand that she used is Swift Microfiber. They are more expensive than the ones in the auto department, but they seemed to be a nicer/higher quality, and also they are a small company. She also gave me a microfiber cleaning cloth for glasses from this company (different from the cleaning/auto cloths) and it is the best glass cleaning cloth I've ever used (I have like four glass cleaning cloths in a variety of materials from other companies and none of them seem to work very well). We also got a big bag at Costco. They didn't seem quite as nice as the ones from Swift, but they still are very good quality, very inexpensive, and clean extremely well.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 5-13-07
Though I've done some crafting, the last few days I've been focusing more on aromatherapy/herbal research. To better understand ingredients, I've been choosing topics, and then pouring through my library and writing down every natural ingredient that works for that skin/health ailment or condition, or everything about that one ingredient that I can. I had actually started this some time ago (a year or so ago?) but never did it on a regular basis. Things I've learned are this is no easy task (especially since I have like sixty to seventy books to pour through), it's been very time consuming, and that I am probably still missing some information since many indexes of books could be better! (And some like Tisserand's awesome classic, don't even have one and I can't reread all seventy books to make sure I'm not missing anything!). I think this will definitely help my crafting, since in the end I will have a master list of all things that work for any particular topic (instead of just what I can remember off the top of my head at the moment), and then I can use those ingredients in crafting a fantastic and very effective product for it!
So list of things I've actually crafted these last few days: body oils, eye shadow, serums, herbal tinctures, herbal infused oil, clay masks
Body oils:Been making them for years, but have recently been making single scent oils made with new essential oils and carrier oils, so I can become familiar with the scents, and also the properties of the oils (how fast absorbing it is, how effective a moisture barrier, for essential oils: whether it is a relaxing oil or stimulating etc)
Eye shadows: Started to make new shades, haven't done this in a while (though I've made lippie shades/glosses in the last few weeks). I need to work on making mattes sometime in the next few months, since all I've been making are shimmers, sparkly sheens, and sheens!
Serums: working on oil based serums for particular skin types. Starting with my own skin type of course (dehydrated which is water dry but produces enough oily, occasionally with blemishes). Though I won't be using the serums for other skin types on my face, I will be using them on my body, so I can really see how they work.
Tinctures/herbal extracts: I made green tea tincture (made with a blend of six kinds of green tea. Thanks E.K. for the tea!) and also red rooibos tincture. I intend to use these in making water based serums (the only water based serums I've made so far are those with aloe, but trying to learn to make different kinds). I may use them in creams too.
Herbal infused oils: I made calendula oil, which is a great skin care ingredient. Like the tinctures, this has to infuse for several weeks until ready. So I won't get to play for a while :( (I could've made it the fast way by applying heat but I prefer to make it the slow way so I don't have to heat up the oil any more than neccesary so all the vitamins don't get destroyed!)
Clay masks: just playing around with different ingredients. I need to post those recipes on all natural beauty portal website that I promised a while back :)
I am glad I am taking this time for all this research, since I want to craft products that actually work! (Instead of just using whatever herb is popular at the moment like many companies)
So list of things I've actually crafted these last few days: body oils, eye shadow, serums, herbal tinctures, herbal infused oil, clay masks
Body oils:Been making them for years, but have recently been making single scent oils made with new essential oils and carrier oils, so I can become familiar with the scents, and also the properties of the oils (how fast absorbing it is, how effective a moisture barrier, for essential oils: whether it is a relaxing oil or stimulating etc)
Eye shadows: Started to make new shades, haven't done this in a while (though I've made lippie shades/glosses in the last few weeks). I need to work on making mattes sometime in the next few months, since all I've been making are shimmers, sparkly sheens, and sheens!
Serums: working on oil based serums for particular skin types. Starting with my own skin type of course (dehydrated which is water dry but produces enough oily, occasionally with blemishes). Though I won't be using the serums for other skin types on my face, I will be using them on my body, so I can really see how they work.
Tinctures/herbal extracts: I made green tea tincture (made with a blend of six kinds of green tea. Thanks E.K. for the tea!) and also red rooibos tincture. I intend to use these in making water based serums (the only water based serums I've made so far are those with aloe, but trying to learn to make different kinds). I may use them in creams too.
Herbal infused oils: I made calendula oil, which is a great skin care ingredient. Like the tinctures, this has to infuse for several weeks until ready. So I won't get to play for a while :( (I could've made it the fast way by applying heat but I prefer to make it the slow way so I don't have to heat up the oil any more than neccesary so all the vitamins don't get destroyed!)
Clay masks: just playing around with different ingredients. I need to post those recipes on all natural beauty portal website that I promised a while back :)
I am glad I am taking this time for all this research, since I want to craft products that actually work! (Instead of just using whatever herb is popular at the moment like many companies)
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 5-4-07
The last couple of weeks I've crated several things, and I've also been organizing all my essential oils, herbs, and oils: taking stock of what I still need to get, what I need to use up in the next few months, and also rebottled a few of my essential oils. I don't think I've ever mentioned this on this blog, but in addition to keeping essential oils out of direct light and storing them in a cool and dark place (colored glass and refrigerator storage), after you use part of the bottle, it is good to rebottle your essential oils into smaller bottles. This will help prevent oxidation (less air space equals less air in the bottle that will degrade the essential oils).
Things I've crafted recently: body oils, butter balm, scented liquid soaps, yucca root shampoo, and complex perfume blends
Body oils: I crafted one when I was sick (with MQV/Niaouli oil) a couple weeks ago and also one to help with some of my stress related health symptoms.
Butter Balm: I made a 100% butter balm with a mix of several different butters (only with my regular stash of butters, but I just got the sampler pack from Camden Grey, and have even more butters to play with; many kinds that I haven't worked with yet. ;P Wicked grin. The only bad thing about the CG sampler was they included a refined shea. Yuck. Though LOL I am sure some other butters I have are partially refined, and I am just being anal about the shea). Anyways there are two important things that I learned in making this butter balm:
1) Do not attempt to pour a 100% butter balm into large tubes, since they will leak (I've made big lip balms with these tubes so oils/butters plus waxes don't leak because they harden and also cool down within minutes).
2) Suprapein (a natural lab tested blend of herbal extracts used to preserve products) has a very strong scent even at the low recommended concentration. Now I like herbal smells (I think tea tree and eucalyptus smell great!) but this was even a tad too much for me! Definitely needs to be blended with essential oils. I think I need to remelt it down and add something or else I won't be able to use it!
Scented Soaps: just scented some liquid soap with some essential oils.
Yucca root shampoo: made like soapwort decoction, except the roots need to be way more crushed, I will be using this to clean both my skin and hair. Seems to clean pretty well.
Perfumes: M. Green's book is definitely a superior blending recipe book to anything that's out there (I was writing a review for that book but never finished it, and now it's out of print! I need to blog and craft more!). I've made several of the recipes, and they all smell like heaven and all the essential oils blended beautifully together, unlike other blends in other books (when you can find perfume recipes). Though a couple other blending books are good too (for less complex blends). I can only one day hope to be as good as a master blender like Green. :)
Things I've crafted recently: body oils, butter balm, scented liquid soaps, yucca root shampoo, and complex perfume blends
Body oils: I crafted one when I was sick (with MQV/Niaouli oil) a couple weeks ago and also one to help with some of my stress related health symptoms.
Butter Balm: I made a 100% butter balm with a mix of several different butters (only with my regular stash of butters, but I just got the sampler pack from Camden Grey, and have even more butters to play with; many kinds that I haven't worked with yet. ;P Wicked grin. The only bad thing about the CG sampler was they included a refined shea. Yuck. Though LOL I am sure some other butters I have are partially refined, and I am just being anal about the shea). Anyways there are two important things that I learned in making this butter balm:
1) Do not attempt to pour a 100% butter balm into large tubes, since they will leak (I've made big lip balms with these tubes so oils/butters plus waxes don't leak because they harden and also cool down within minutes).
2) Suprapein (a natural lab tested blend of herbal extracts used to preserve products) has a very strong scent even at the low recommended concentration. Now I like herbal smells (I think tea tree and eucalyptus smell great!) but this was even a tad too much for me! Definitely needs to be blended with essential oils. I think I need to remelt it down and add something or else I won't be able to use it!
Scented Soaps: just scented some liquid soap with some essential oils.
Yucca root shampoo: made like soapwort decoction, except the roots need to be way more crushed, I will be using this to clean both my skin and hair. Seems to clean pretty well.
Perfumes: M. Green's book is definitely a superior blending recipe book to anything that's out there (I was writing a review for that book but never finished it, and now it's out of print! I need to blog and craft more!). I've made several of the recipes, and they all smell like heaven and all the essential oils blended beautifully together, unlike other blends in other books (when you can find perfume recipes). Though a couple other blending books are good too (for less complex blends). I can only one day hope to be as good as a master blender like Green. :)
Monday, April 30, 2007
Used book sales in Fairfax County (Library/Book Information)
In May there will be several book sales at different libraries in the county. This weekend there is a sale at the King's Park (Burke), Tysons-Pimmit, and Chantilly libraries. Last fall Jen, Ed, and I went to one and got a big box of books for only $5. Definitely will be going to a few this month. Books ;P
Sugarloaf Craft Festival in Chantilly (Craft Show Information)
Just a quick post to let those in the DC area know that this friday, saturday, and sunday, the Sugarloaf Craft Festival will be held at the Dulles Expo Center. I went a year and a half ago, and it was amazing! I got a lot of nice pottery pieces for my sister and Ed. They also have food vendors, jewelry, and a lot of craft demos. Some 350 vendors will be there, so it's a great place to get good deals on gifts. Cost is only $7 to get in for all three days, and kids are free. If you go to their website, you can get coupons for $1 off admission. I'm definitely going again (for mineral makeup addicts in the area this is a great chance to get 'swirly bowls' for your minerals. Ok, I'm such an enabler! ;P ).
Saturday, April 28, 2007
FAQ: All About Soap (All Natural Cosmetics)
Time for another FAQ since the stickies on my desktop are getting way over crowded. I guess this means I need to blog more! ;)
What is castile soap? And how is it different than conventional soap?
Castile (also spelled castille) originally meant a soap made with only olive oil (no other oils). Nowadays it usually means an olive oil soap or an olive oil blend soap (though I've seen soaps that call themselves castile that don't contain any olive oil, sometimes people just use this term to mean any natural soap). Castile soap can be liquid or in bar form.
Most commercial soaps are actually not soap, but either synthetic detergents or a blend of soap and synthetic detergents. The exception is Ivory (which is real soap but made with beef tallow, which I personally wouldn't use).
I can't seem to use soap on my face: why and also what can I use instead (my skin is really dry)?
While many people can use soap to cleanse their face, some people (especially with very dry skin) just finds that it removes too much of the skin's natural oils (sebum), and hence your skin's natural moisture barrier. It's also said to disrupt the natural acid barrier (however the acid barrier quickly re-establishes itself).
Though my skin is dehydrated (so water dry but can also get oily), I prefer using natural soap, but during colder/drier months, I like using soapwort or cold cream which cleans my skin but doesn't strip it as much as soap does.
For extra dry skin, you may prefer using a cleaning oil, cream cleanser/cold cream, or if you still want to use soap, try a liquid soap with things added like oils, aloe, hydrosols, glycerine, and other moisturizing ingredients. Liquid soap is usually less drying than bar soap because of all the added ingredients. Also some people like honey with or without clay (vegans may want to use agave; also for really dry skin, you may want to skip the clay).
I am allergic to all fragrances, including natural. Where can I get unscented soap?
Vermont Soap makes a nice unscented oats and aloe bar, and a butter bar. They are certified organic and are natural, and you can buy eco bricks of their soap (uncut block of soap, enough for 12 bars). Also check your local natural food store; many brands like Dr. Bronner's sell unscented soaps.
How do you color soap (in soap making)?
Well I haven't tried it myself but I know some people use things like titanium dioxide in soap (that what makes white melt and pour soap white) and I think I've read some people use micas etc. There might be more info about this is tkbtrading's website (a minerals, colorant supplier).
I've been hearing about shampoo bars, are they any good?
I love Heart of Iowa Soapworks. They also make my favorite facial soaps, and I love their shampoo bars.
Many people will need to use either a vinegar or herbal rinse with soap based shampoos. I personally prefer herbal rinses or cream conditioners, and after using shampoo bars and soap based shampoos for years no longer have funky hair syndrone, and sometimes don't even use hair rinses or conditioner (but I wash my hair every day).
The aloe fresh one is my favorite. I've tried other shampoo bars (from VT Soap and Burts Bees) and didn't like them because they left a film on my hair, but some people swear by them (and I like many of their other products).
What is castile soap? And how is it different than conventional soap?
Castile (also spelled castille) originally meant a soap made with only olive oil (no other oils). Nowadays it usually means an olive oil soap or an olive oil blend soap (though I've seen soaps that call themselves castile that don't contain any olive oil, sometimes people just use this term to mean any natural soap). Castile soap can be liquid or in bar form.
Most commercial soaps are actually not soap, but either synthetic detergents or a blend of soap and synthetic detergents. The exception is Ivory (which is real soap but made with beef tallow, which I personally wouldn't use).
I can't seem to use soap on my face: why and also what can I use instead (my skin is really dry)?
While many people can use soap to cleanse their face, some people (especially with very dry skin) just finds that it removes too much of the skin's natural oils (sebum), and hence your skin's natural moisture barrier. It's also said to disrupt the natural acid barrier (however the acid barrier quickly re-establishes itself).
Though my skin is dehydrated (so water dry but can also get oily), I prefer using natural soap, but during colder/drier months, I like using soapwort or cold cream which cleans my skin but doesn't strip it as much as soap does.
For extra dry skin, you may prefer using a cleaning oil, cream cleanser/cold cream, or if you still want to use soap, try a liquid soap with things added like oils, aloe, hydrosols, glycerine, and other moisturizing ingredients. Liquid soap is usually less drying than bar soap because of all the added ingredients. Also some people like honey with or without clay (vegans may want to use agave; also for really dry skin, you may want to skip the clay).
I am allergic to all fragrances, including natural. Where can I get unscented soap?
Vermont Soap makes a nice unscented oats and aloe bar, and a butter bar. They are certified organic and are natural, and you can buy eco bricks of their soap (uncut block of soap, enough for 12 bars). Also check your local natural food store; many brands like Dr. Bronner's sell unscented soaps.
How do you color soap (in soap making)?
Well I haven't tried it myself but I know some people use things like titanium dioxide in soap (that what makes white melt and pour soap white) and I think I've read some people use micas etc. There might be more info about this is tkbtrading's website (a minerals, colorant supplier).
I've been hearing about shampoo bars, are they any good?
I love Heart of Iowa Soapworks. They also make my favorite facial soaps, and I love their shampoo bars.
Many people will need to use either a vinegar or herbal rinse with soap based shampoos. I personally prefer herbal rinses or cream conditioners, and after using shampoo bars and soap based shampoos for years no longer have funky hair syndrone, and sometimes don't even use hair rinses or conditioner (but I wash my hair every day).
The aloe fresh one is my favorite. I've tried other shampoo bars (from VT Soap and Burts Bees) and didn't like them because they left a film on my hair, but some people swear by them (and I like many of their other products).
Friday, April 20, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 4-20-07
I've been on a crafting kick the last couple weeks. I've crafted hair conditioner, a bug bite oil/skin healing serum, lip gloss base, two different lip glosses using said base (including one brand new color), a new vegan cream formula, and five single note perfumes. Here is a quick overview of everything I made.
Hair conditioner: my first attempt making a conditioner using cetyl alcohol. I made it with almond oil and aloe juice. I think I used too little cetyl and almond oil and way too much aloe, so it ended up separating on me. LOL! Which in natural formulation isn't that bad of a mistake (it just needs to be shaken before use, so it forms this kind of thin almond milk rather than the rich thick conditioner I was hoping for). Though the formulation needs work, I have to say since I've started using it my hair looks great! :) (For the all natural purists, some people argue that there are natural and synthetic sources of this ingredient, others argue it is at best semi-natural or that it is definitely synthetic. I personally think it is like stearic acid, natural but it goes through so much processing so it is more semi-natural. However most waxes would coat the hair in conditioners and are hard to rinse off, and so far I haven't found a better alternative).
Bug bite oil/skin healing serum: I made this for my mom (after using a commercial brand which somehow burned and blistered her skin more). I used anti-inflammatory essential oils like helichrysum, and her skin is starting to heal. :)
Lip gloss base: finally used the castor wax I bought a while ago. It made a slightly gooey (but not too gooey, nearly the perfect texture for gloss) but very shiny base that wasn't as moisturizing as I'd hope (though when I use this gloss on top of my awesome lip balms, it's pretty good. I'll have to try different oils with this wax). I mixed this base with two mineral makeup blends that I made (one new and one that I had made a few months ago), using different amounts of minerals. For gloss, definitely less minerals are best because when you add too much, the gloss feels drying and the color just doesn't look as good.
Vegan cream: I am on a kick with making vegan creams, this one contained red raspberry oil which has a high spf!
Perfumes: nothing complicated. I had received five free essential oils samples when I recently ordered from AV-AT, so I made perfumes out of them (the samples were in these cute vials; each vial was not filled to the top, only about maybe 6 to 10 drops of oil in each vial so lots of room to add vodka and make perfume). The cocoa absolute from them smells divine.
I also have given several samples (full size really) away of vegan cream and a couple different lipbalms, and have received good reviews on all of my formulations. :)
Agenda for the next few days: I haven't crafted anything in the last few days because my damn cold came back :( I'll probably make some complex perfume blends, and I still have to strain my herbal infused oil that I made a few weeks ago.
Hair conditioner: my first attempt making a conditioner using cetyl alcohol. I made it with almond oil and aloe juice. I think I used too little cetyl and almond oil and way too much aloe, so it ended up separating on me. LOL! Which in natural formulation isn't that bad of a mistake (it just needs to be shaken before use, so it forms this kind of thin almond milk rather than the rich thick conditioner I was hoping for). Though the formulation needs work, I have to say since I've started using it my hair looks great! :) (For the all natural purists, some people argue that there are natural and synthetic sources of this ingredient, others argue it is at best semi-natural or that it is definitely synthetic. I personally think it is like stearic acid, natural but it goes through so much processing so it is more semi-natural. However most waxes would coat the hair in conditioners and are hard to rinse off, and so far I haven't found a better alternative).
Bug bite oil/skin healing serum: I made this for my mom (after using a commercial brand which somehow burned and blistered her skin more). I used anti-inflammatory essential oils like helichrysum, and her skin is starting to heal. :)
Lip gloss base: finally used the castor wax I bought a while ago. It made a slightly gooey (but not too gooey, nearly the perfect texture for gloss) but very shiny base that wasn't as moisturizing as I'd hope (though when I use this gloss on top of my awesome lip balms, it's pretty good. I'll have to try different oils with this wax). I mixed this base with two mineral makeup blends that I made (one new and one that I had made a few months ago), using different amounts of minerals. For gloss, definitely less minerals are best because when you add too much, the gloss feels drying and the color just doesn't look as good.
Vegan cream: I am on a kick with making vegan creams, this one contained red raspberry oil which has a high spf!
Perfumes: nothing complicated. I had received five free essential oils samples when I recently ordered from AV-AT, so I made perfumes out of them (the samples were in these cute vials; each vial was not filled to the top, only about maybe 6 to 10 drops of oil in each vial so lots of room to add vodka and make perfume). The cocoa absolute from them smells divine.
I also have given several samples (full size really) away of vegan cream and a couple different lipbalms, and have received good reviews on all of my formulations. :)
Agenda for the next few days: I haven't crafted anything in the last few days because my damn cold came back :( I'll probably make some complex perfume blends, and I still have to strain my herbal infused oil that I made a few weeks ago.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Happy Earth Day/week (Environmental Information/Events)
As many of you know, April 22nd is Earth Day, and many organizations are having Earth Day events this week.
This week George Mason University (my school :) ) is having many environmental related events. If you are in the area I highly recommend going to some of these events, especially tomorrow's screening of "An Inconvenient Truth". I finally just saw this documentary recently with my sister. I have studied global warming and climate change at GMU, and think that the film did an awesome job at presenting the issue in an easy to understand manner (translating the science into something the public can understand, which is often difficult to do). Best of all, tomorrow after the viewing of the film, Dr. Crate (who was trained by Al Gore on presenting his presentation) will be speaking on solutions (this will be a lecture on solutions and will not be a presentation of what was in the film). Dr. Crate's lectures are very thought provoking; she has studied the potential effects of climate change on indigenous peoples and the arctic region extensively. Also not to be missed: on Tuesday environmentalist Janisse Ray will speak three times on various environmental issues.
For those of you not in the DC/Northern VA area, check out your local community paper for events. Many universities, organizations, parks/nature areas, and local governments will be hosting activities.
I'm definitely going to some of GMU's events. I think Earth week/day activities are very informative-though as an environmentalist I think that every day should be Earth Day! :) Personally there are many things that I do to be more environmentally aware and also more environmentally friendly, however I realize that I can always do more. One thing I will definitely do is begin posting more environmental tips and issues on this blog (don't worry miy lovers, I will still post miy information, as my interest in aromatherapy/herbalism is part of my passion for the environment). Happy Earth Day! :)
This week George Mason University (my school :) ) is having many environmental related events. If you are in the area I highly recommend going to some of these events, especially tomorrow's screening of "An Inconvenient Truth". I finally just saw this documentary recently with my sister. I have studied global warming and climate change at GMU, and think that the film did an awesome job at presenting the issue in an easy to understand manner (translating the science into something the public can understand, which is often difficult to do). Best of all, tomorrow after the viewing of the film, Dr. Crate (who was trained by Al Gore on presenting his presentation) will be speaking on solutions (this will be a lecture on solutions and will not be a presentation of what was in the film). Dr. Crate's lectures are very thought provoking; she has studied the potential effects of climate change on indigenous peoples and the arctic region extensively. Also not to be missed: on Tuesday environmentalist Janisse Ray will speak three times on various environmental issues.
For those of you not in the DC/Northern VA area, check out your local community paper for events. Many universities, organizations, parks/nature areas, and local governments will be hosting activities.
I'm definitely going to some of GMU's events. I think Earth week/day activities are very informative-though as an environmentalist I think that every day should be Earth Day! :) Personally there are many things that I do to be more environmentally aware and also more environmentally friendly, however I realize that I can always do more. One thing I will definitely do is begin posting more environmental tips and issues on this blog (don't worry miy lovers, I will still post miy information, as my interest in aromatherapy/herbalism is part of my passion for the environment). Happy Earth Day! :)
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Tori Amos: American Doll Posse
I can not wait for Tori Amos's new album American Doll Posse to come out (it will be released May 1st). Tori's music has helped me get through a lot throughout the years, including now: there are about a dozen songs that I've been listening to over and over again recently. It's really strange but I've heard all of these songs hundreds of times and they've always meant something to me in a particular way, but listening to some of the songs now, I've been finding different meanings in the lyrics.
So far I've heard two songs from the album and clips from all the songs (links on undented.com), and I absolutely adore the song "Bouncing Off Clouds". This album is definitely more guitar driven than her previous works, but I really like the concept of how she takes on the personas of all of these different women, which are kind of parts of every woman. I think I've been each of these women throughout my life at particular/different times and sometimes all of them at the same time too, but I'm kind of identifying with the persona of Clyde right now, so maybe that's why I like Bouncing Off Clouds so much! :)
So far I've heard two songs from the album and clips from all the songs (links on undented.com), and I absolutely adore the song "Bouncing Off Clouds". This album is definitely more guitar driven than her previous works, but I really like the concept of how she takes on the personas of all of these different women, which are kind of parts of every woman. I think I've been each of these women throughout my life at particular/different times and sometimes all of them at the same time too, but I'm kind of identifying with the persona of Clyde right now, so maybe that's why I like Bouncing Off Clouds so much! :)
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 4-01-07
Last week I finally made a new batch of vegan cream and lip balm to send to a couple people that I'd promised. I've given my cream and lip balms to several people; so far the reviews have been good. The biggest compliment has been from my sister, who I gave her some cream to help her inflammed skin. She said it was awesome and really helped heal her skin! :)
My crafting agenda for the next few days: I think I'm going to work on crafting more perfumes. As I've mentioned, I restocked my essential oil collection and now have nearly 50 organic essential oils (only maybe 6 or so are non-organic) and I can't wait to start experimenting with more complex perfume blends.
Like the ancient Eqyptians and many other ancient or indigenous cultures, pagans, herbalists, and aromatherapists, I see perfume as more than something that smells good or an aphrodisiac but also as a means of communicating with the spirit. In addition to the cosmetic and medicinal properties of essential oils, the scent of essential oils affects moods, emotions, and certain oils can help a person attain a level of spiritual awareness. Essential oils directly influence the limbic brain, the "seat of the emotions/conscious/soul" that controls memory, hormones, stress, some bodily functions (like heart rate), and emotions.
So I really need to craft, breathe in my essential oils, and do some serious healing! :)
My crafting agenda for the next few days: I think I'm going to work on crafting more perfumes. As I've mentioned, I restocked my essential oil collection and now have nearly 50 organic essential oils (only maybe 6 or so are non-organic) and I can't wait to start experimenting with more complex perfume blends.
Like the ancient Eqyptians and many other ancient or indigenous cultures, pagans, herbalists, and aromatherapists, I see perfume as more than something that smells good or an aphrodisiac but also as a means of communicating with the spirit. In addition to the cosmetic and medicinal properties of essential oils, the scent of essential oils affects moods, emotions, and certain oils can help a person attain a level of spiritual awareness. Essential oils directly influence the limbic brain, the "seat of the emotions/conscious/soul" that controls memory, hormones, stress, some bodily functions (like heart rate), and emotions.
So I really need to craft, breathe in my essential oils, and do some serious healing! :)
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 3-21-07
I finally got myself a new mixer and made a batch of whipped shea. Though the texture was creamy, it didn't turn out quite as light and fluffy as I'd hoped since I used the wire whisk attachment instead of the regular beaters. I had thought the wire whisk would make a fluffier butter (my thinking was "whisk=more air") but apparantly I was wrong! Next time I'll stick to just using the regular beaters. If it ain't broke, don't fix it :)
I also made a serum for my pimples (I haven't had acne in years, aside from the occasional blemish around my period, but because of stress/sadness recently I've actually broken out!) It seems to be working well. Instead of putting it in a regular dropper bottle I put it in one of those roller bottles (usually used for perfumes or gloss), making it much easier to apply.
I've also been experimenting with masks and scrubs this week (all natural and vegan and all containing agave nectar). I plan to post these recipes on all natural beauty portal's website when I have some time. Though I miss honey I'm really loving agave nectar in skin care; it seems to clean and hydrate the skin as much as honey does and isn't as sticky (though I think honey contains much more vitamins/minerals than agave).
This week's agenda: I need to make a new batch of my vegan cream (since I promised a couple people cream but my last batch went grainy) and maybe work on crafting new perfume blends. And pour more lip balms!
I also made a serum for my pimples (I haven't had acne in years, aside from the occasional blemish around my period, but because of stress/sadness recently I've actually broken out!) It seems to be working well. Instead of putting it in a regular dropper bottle I put it in one of those roller bottles (usually used for perfumes or gloss), making it much easier to apply.
I've also been experimenting with masks and scrubs this week (all natural and vegan and all containing agave nectar). I plan to post these recipes on all natural beauty portal's website when I have some time. Though I miss honey I'm really loving agave nectar in skin care; it seems to clean and hydrate the skin as much as honey does and isn't as sticky (though I think honey contains much more vitamins/minerals than agave).
This week's agenda: I need to make a new batch of my vegan cream (since I promised a couple people cream but my last batch went grainy) and maybe work on crafting new perfume blends. And pour more lip balms!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 3-14-07
Last week I didn't get to craft as much as I'd like; my heart just wasn't into it. But I did craft a couple of things.
I made an herbal infused oil (long traditional way) so it should be ready in a couple of weeks. Though my focus has been mainly on aromatherapy (with some herbalism) I've been learning more about traditional herbalism in the last couple years so have been trying to use more whole herbs in my medicinal and cosmetic remedies/crafts recently.
I also made a couple of aromatherapy blends for someone I really cared about, but never gave them to him, because, well, he broke my heart :( So I'm not really sure what to do with them; maybe use them to fragrance liquid soap, or in my own diffuser? Haven't decided yet.
I didn't get to make a batch of my beloved whipped shea because I still haven't bought a new hand beater/mixer (old one broke). So hopefully this week.
On the agenda this week: the whipped shea butter and maybe a cream or lip balm.
I made an herbal infused oil (long traditional way) so it should be ready in a couple of weeks. Though my focus has been mainly on aromatherapy (with some herbalism) I've been learning more about traditional herbalism in the last couple years so have been trying to use more whole herbs in my medicinal and cosmetic remedies/crafts recently.
I also made a couple of aromatherapy blends for someone I really cared about, but never gave them to him, because, well, he broke my heart :( So I'm not really sure what to do with them; maybe use them to fragrance liquid soap, or in my own diffuser? Haven't decided yet.
I didn't get to make a batch of my beloved whipped shea because I still haven't bought a new hand beater/mixer (old one broke). So hopefully this week.
On the agenda this week: the whipped shea butter and maybe a cream or lip balm.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts 3-05-07
I didn't get to craft much last week, I only got to try out a few new ingredients like essential oils and have been re-trying carrier oils that I haven't used for a long time.
I think that apricot oil is underrated. I haven't used it in years but it is really a nice, light oil that is usually recommended for massage/body oils. I've been using it straight on my face; it has a light texture and absorbs quite well but forms a slightly heavier (but still light) barrier on the skin than my beloved kukui and camellia oils.
The bad news is I think I may be allergic to Melissa aka Lemon Balm essential oil (the first essential oil I've ever had a reaction to) which is strange since I've used the hydrosol in the past (and hydrosols contain a small percentage of essential oil), only used it at the 1/2% dilution (usually it is recommended to use it at the 1% concentration or less), and have also used lemongrass essential oil (at the 2% concentration) with no reaction (which contains citral which is the same sensitizing ingredient in Melissa. Then again lemongrass has other chemical compenents that somewhat lessen the citral effects). However, the smell is an effective anti-depressent and it does get rid of PMS symptons; my skin just felt hyper sensitive (I got goosebumps and it felt prickly. Very weird sensation). Well I suppose I can always use it in a diffuser--it's too expensive to let it go to waste! I may have to do an allergy test patch with it, as it may have just been that my skin was just more sensitive since I tend to get strange skin reactions during this time of the month, just to make sure it really was the Melissa and not pms (Note: if you deside to buy it be sure to get it from a reputable source as it is often adulterated).
On this week's agenda: on the GOW forum a lot of people have been talking about whipped shea butter. I haven't made this yummy concoction in a while as I need a new mixer/beater! But as soon as I get one I'm going to try whipping liquids into it since a couple people mentioned they successfully did this (without an emulsifier. Shea does have natural waxes in it so I guess this is why it works).
Of course I have a never ending list of things I want to make. Also I've recently gotten over a dozen essential oils and a dozen carrier oils I have never worked with previously before so I still need to try all of them individually (I did make a cream with over ten of the new oils in it several weeks ago. It was pretty nice except I added too much of a gum to it so the texture was a bit off so need to maybe retry this recipe. But I haven't tried the oils individually yet)
I think that apricot oil is underrated. I haven't used it in years but it is really a nice, light oil that is usually recommended for massage/body oils. I've been using it straight on my face; it has a light texture and absorbs quite well but forms a slightly heavier (but still light) barrier on the skin than my beloved kukui and camellia oils.
The bad news is I think I may be allergic to Melissa aka Lemon Balm essential oil (the first essential oil I've ever had a reaction to) which is strange since I've used the hydrosol in the past (and hydrosols contain a small percentage of essential oil), only used it at the 1/2% dilution (usually it is recommended to use it at the 1% concentration or less), and have also used lemongrass essential oil (at the 2% concentration) with no reaction (which contains citral which is the same sensitizing ingredient in Melissa. Then again lemongrass has other chemical compenents that somewhat lessen the citral effects). However, the smell is an effective anti-depressent and it does get rid of PMS symptons; my skin just felt hyper sensitive (I got goosebumps and it felt prickly. Very weird sensation). Well I suppose I can always use it in a diffuser--it's too expensive to let it go to waste! I may have to do an allergy test patch with it, as it may have just been that my skin was just more sensitive since I tend to get strange skin reactions during this time of the month, just to make sure it really was the Melissa and not pms (Note: if you deside to buy it be sure to get it from a reputable source as it is often adulterated).
On this week's agenda: on the GOW forum a lot of people have been talking about whipped shea butter. I haven't made this yummy concoction in a while as I need a new mixer/beater! But as soon as I get one I'm going to try whipping liquids into it since a couple people mentioned they successfully did this (without an emulsifier. Shea does have natural waxes in it so I guess this is why it works).
Of course I have a never ending list of things I want to make. Also I've recently gotten over a dozen essential oils and a dozen carrier oils I have never worked with previously before so I still need to try all of them individually (I did make a cream with over ten of the new oils in it several weeks ago. It was pretty nice except I added too much of a gum to it so the texture was a bit off so need to maybe retry this recipe. But I haven't tried the oils individually yet)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Vegan Baked Goods at Whole Foods (Vegetarian/Vegan Food Information)
I was just walking in the Philly Whole Foods this weekend, when I noticed they had vegan baked goods. For those that are relatively new to Whole Foods and buy regularly at the bakery department this may not be a surprise to you, but it was to me. I remember that before Whole Foods bought out Fresh Fields (in the DC area) Fresh Fields used to have a very good assortment of vegan desserts: from cookies to cakes and everything in between. I used to enjoy them on the rare occasions I went to Fresh Fields (I was young and didn't have a car) but to my dismay after Whole Foods bought them out, all the vegan desserts disappeared. Now I don't know when exactly they brought them back (I obviously haven't been looking at the baked goods section for the last three years) but it was really nice to see vegan desserts back on the shelves--even if my hypoglycemia is worse and I can't eat them (they contain white flour and sugar). I didn't get to check to see if the DC/VA Whole Foods carry the vegan desserts/baked goods, but will post when I do. My mom, who tried the vegan carrot cake, loves it (my mom is one of the pickiest eaters in the world, and also--after all this time--still hasn't accepted the fact that me being veggie is healthy).
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Li's crafting thoughts
I've been crafting like mad recently. I've been trying to craft natural cosmetics no less than three times a week--ideally I'd like to craft at least 5 times a week, but with school work (mainly consisting of my thesis and work for my seminar class on ecotourism), and just every day living spending time with my family, friends, and boyfriend, and trying to get my health back completely on track that isn't possible right now. But in the last few months I feel like I've been more focused on crafting than I ever have: I've been thinking a lot about my future, about opening my own business and what types of products I'd possibly like to make and sell. In the past I used to just concoct one product, and once made, start working on a different product, usually never experimenting with the proportions, or even ever making the exact same recipe again (too many different ingredients to play with, and too many recipes to think up of). I still do that to some extent now, but I've been focusing more on trying to get the texture right, revamping the formula, and just trying different proportions, etc.
Recently I've mostly been crafting vegan lip balms, vegan creams, and also (melt and pour) soaps, but I've also been experimenting with perfume combinations as well. Some of the recipes have turned out wonderful (I've made two vegan balms and a vegan cream I love very much), and others have turned out not quite to my liking (either I just use them as is--dealing with the weird textures--, or I melt it down and play with the proportions, or I use it to make an entirely different product. Quite a few of my balms have been made into creams). But over all I've been really happy with what I've been crafting.
I've gotten quite a few new carrier oils (I think by now I've tried over thirty different oils), been playing around with different emusifiers (waxes and gums), and recently just restocked my essential oil collection. My essential oils now consist primarily of organic oils, though a couple of them (the more expensive ones, or a couple that I don't use as much) are conventional. I've also bought many essential oils I haven't tried yet. I can't wait to start experimenting with them but my credit card sure has been burning! ;)
I am still intent on crafting vegan cosmetics, though I do miss some ingredients (like yogurt, honey, and beeswax). I still have a ton of beeswax left still, and am debating what to do with it. Candles, maybe?
Recently I've mostly been crafting vegan lip balms, vegan creams, and also (melt and pour) soaps, but I've also been experimenting with perfume combinations as well. Some of the recipes have turned out wonderful (I've made two vegan balms and a vegan cream I love very much), and others have turned out not quite to my liking (either I just use them as is--dealing with the weird textures--, or I melt it down and play with the proportions, or I use it to make an entirely different product. Quite a few of my balms have been made into creams). But over all I've been really happy with what I've been crafting.
I've gotten quite a few new carrier oils (I think by now I've tried over thirty different oils), been playing around with different emusifiers (waxes and gums), and recently just restocked my essential oil collection. My essential oils now consist primarily of organic oils, though a couple of them (the more expensive ones, or a couple that I don't use as much) are conventional. I've also bought many essential oils I haven't tried yet. I can't wait to start experimenting with them but my credit card sure has been burning! ;)
I am still intent on crafting vegan cosmetics, though I do miss some ingredients (like yogurt, honey, and beeswax). I still have a ton of beeswax left still, and am debating what to do with it. Candles, maybe?
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Essential And Carrier Oil Storage; Droppers; Recognizing True Essential Oils; Using PEOs neat; Shelflife (Aromatherapy)
I've already blogged about storage and shelflife of aromatherapy products and also storage and shelf life of essential oils but several more questions have come up in recent months so I thought I'd post more about this topic.
Can I store my essential oils in a glass container with a rubber bulb?
I do not recommend storing any essential oil with a rubber bulb, because over time (to my knowledge) all essential oils will dissolve the rubber, releasing toxins into the essential oil.
Can I store carrier oils in clear bottles? What about essential oils? Can I change the bottles?
It is fine to store carrier oils in clear bottles (but just don't store them in direct sunlight). But for a mix of carrier oils and essential oils, I prefer dark colored glass because essential oils eventually eat through plastic (I've had this happen to me when I first began crafting), degrade easily when exposed to light, and may cause leaching of the plastic's toxins into your product. For short term storage it would probably be okay to use dark colored plastic bottles, but I just generally use glass.
I usually store my essential oils in the bottles they come in (dark 10 ml to 1 ounce glass bottles). If you change bottles make sure they are sterile and also that there is no room for air in the bottle (air=oxidation). (blue or amber is standard but I'm sure other colors would work well too).
Which dropper is the best to use: the orifice reducers or glass droppers? Where can I buy them?
To measure drops I usually use a glass dropper. I usually remove the plastic drop dispenser aka orifice reducers that comes with the essential oils for two reasons: I buy essential oils from several companies so all of the drop dispensers are different (so drop size would be different if I used the drop dispenser, which may alter scent blends), and over time essential oils eat through plastic releasing toxins (so I never really understood why they were included, other than for convenience).
Most companies include the drop dispensers if it is a small sized bottle (under 30 ml in most cases), but really small bottles (1-3 ml) and larger bottles usually don't have them). And some companies do not use them at all--even for the regular 10 to 15 ml sizes.
Some places that sell glass droppers:
Camden Grey
Garden of Wisdom
Mountain Rose Herbs
You may also find them locally (vendors that sell essential oils or in a pharmacy. They are sometimes called medicine or eye droppers)
If you have children, you may prefer the orifice droppers for safety reasons (also some people prefer them since they are convenient).
How do I recognize if an essential oil is a true, undiluted, pure essential oil (PEO) or if it's been diluted/adulterated?
An easy way to test if an essential oil is pure or not is to put one drop on a piece of paper and let dry. Steam distilled or expressed essential oils will usually not leave an oily residue behind. However this will not work if the essential oil is an absolute (extracted with solvents), as this will probably leave a residue behind. Also if it was diluted with another essential oil, fragrance oil, alcohol, etc, it may also not leave an oily residue.
Can I apply PEOs "neat"/undiluted?
Always dilute essential oils before use. Though some can be applied neat, applying an essential oil neat is only for during emergencies (like insect bites) and not for every day usage. Most essential oils should not be used neat as essential oils are highly concentrated substances, and some of them in high doses are toxic. Some, like cajeput, can be very irritating to the skin.
I've had this essential oil for a while, how do I check to make sure it's still okay to use?
The strength of the smell. When you open the bottle, slowly wave your hand across the top and breathe it in. Is it strong smelling or can you barely smell it?
As a general rule, citrus essential oils have a shelf life of 6 months to a year. Most others have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years. And some, like a few of the resinous ones or a few of the woody or grassy ones, get better with age: sandalwood, patcholli, etc. According to Tisserand and Balacs (1995), refrigeration can double shelf life. If you've had them for a while, you may just want to use them to fragrance things like paper, rooms, etc since many of the medicinal, antibacterial, and cosmetic properties would be diminished.
Can I store my essential oils in a glass container with a rubber bulb?
I do not recommend storing any essential oil with a rubber bulb, because over time (to my knowledge) all essential oils will dissolve the rubber, releasing toxins into the essential oil.
Can I store carrier oils in clear bottles? What about essential oils? Can I change the bottles?
It is fine to store carrier oils in clear bottles (but just don't store them in direct sunlight). But for a mix of carrier oils and essential oils, I prefer dark colored glass because essential oils eventually eat through plastic (I've had this happen to me when I first began crafting), degrade easily when exposed to light, and may cause leaching of the plastic's toxins into your product. For short term storage it would probably be okay to use dark colored plastic bottles, but I just generally use glass.
I usually store my essential oils in the bottles they come in (dark 10 ml to 1 ounce glass bottles). If you change bottles make sure they are sterile and also that there is no room for air in the bottle (air=oxidation). (blue or amber is standard but I'm sure other colors would work well too).
Which dropper is the best to use: the orifice reducers or glass droppers? Where can I buy them?
To measure drops I usually use a glass dropper. I usually remove the plastic drop dispenser aka orifice reducers that comes with the essential oils for two reasons: I buy essential oils from several companies so all of the drop dispensers are different (so drop size would be different if I used the drop dispenser, which may alter scent blends), and over time essential oils eat through plastic releasing toxins (so I never really understood why they were included, other than for convenience).
Most companies include the drop dispensers if it is a small sized bottle (under 30 ml in most cases), but really small bottles (1-3 ml) and larger bottles usually don't have them). And some companies do not use them at all--even for the regular 10 to 15 ml sizes.
Some places that sell glass droppers:
Camden Grey
Garden of Wisdom
Mountain Rose Herbs
You may also find them locally (vendors that sell essential oils or in a pharmacy. They are sometimes called medicine or eye droppers)
If you have children, you may prefer the orifice droppers for safety reasons (also some people prefer them since they are convenient).
How do I recognize if an essential oil is a true, undiluted, pure essential oil (PEO) or if it's been diluted/adulterated?
An easy way to test if an essential oil is pure or not is to put one drop on a piece of paper and let dry. Steam distilled or expressed essential oils will usually not leave an oily residue behind. However this will not work if the essential oil is an absolute (extracted with solvents), as this will probably leave a residue behind. Also if it was diluted with another essential oil, fragrance oil, alcohol, etc, it may also not leave an oily residue.
Can I apply PEOs "neat"/undiluted?
Always dilute essential oils before use. Though some can be applied neat, applying an essential oil neat is only for during emergencies (like insect bites) and not for every day usage. Most essential oils should not be used neat as essential oils are highly concentrated substances, and some of them in high doses are toxic. Some, like cajeput, can be very irritating to the skin.
I've had this essential oil for a while, how do I check to make sure it's still okay to use?
The strength of the smell. When you open the bottle, slowly wave your hand across the top and breathe it in. Is it strong smelling or can you barely smell it?
As a general rule, citrus essential oils have a shelf life of 6 months to a year. Most others have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years. And some, like a few of the resinous ones or a few of the woody or grassy ones, get better with age: sandalwood, patcholli, etc. According to Tisserand and Balacs (1995), refrigeration can double shelf life. If you've had them for a while, you may just want to use them to fragrance things like paper, rooms, etc since many of the medicinal, antibacterial, and cosmetic properties would be diminished.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Puffy Eyes (All Natural Skin Care)
My eyes are really puffy; what natural products can I use for puffiness and general eye care?
The classic remedies for puffy eyes are to apply either cold cucumber slices or chamomile tea bags (dampen; okay to use used tea bags) to the eyes for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you don't have time for that, try a serum or cream with german chamomile or helichrysum essential oil (6-12 drops of essential oils in 1 ounce of carrier oil or cream), which are both good for inflammmation and puffiness.
For general eye care, I recommend using shea butter around the eye area. Since west shea may be a little hard to spread, either let it melt in your hands before applying, or use east shea which is easier to spread. Also some good carrier oils to use are rosehip seed oil, camellia oil, and kukui nut oil (all are anti-aging and nourishing). For those that don't want to use straight oils and butters, try buying a natural eye cream that has some of these ingredients.
The classic remedies for puffy eyes are to apply either cold cucumber slices or chamomile tea bags (dampen; okay to use used tea bags) to the eyes for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you don't have time for that, try a serum or cream with german chamomile or helichrysum essential oil (6-12 drops of essential oils in 1 ounce of carrier oil or cream), which are both good for inflammmation and puffiness.
For general eye care, I recommend using shea butter around the eye area. Since west shea may be a little hard to spread, either let it melt in your hands before applying, or use east shea which is easier to spread. Also some good carrier oils to use are rosehip seed oil, camellia oil, and kukui nut oil (all are anti-aging and nourishing). For those that don't want to use straight oils and butters, try buying a natural eye cream that has some of these ingredients.
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