The Natural Beauty Workshop

Fresh Cucumber Mojito Salt Scrub

Summer is here, and temperatures are rising daily.  In my neck of the woods the thermometer topped out over 100 degrees just yesterday.  That, my friends, deserves a special cool-down scrub.  This delightfully chilly scrub combines the astringency and toning power of fresh cucumber with a powerful punch of conditioning benefit from Cucumber Seed Oil.  It also incorporates a double dose of cooling, stimulating mint by using both fresh mint leaves and Peppermint Essential Oil.  A touch of lime adds a little bit of exfoliating citric acid to the scrub, as well as a bright, cheerful aroma.  For an exfoliant, I chose mineral-rich Dead Sea Salt, but this scrub would do nicely with any fine grain Salt or Sugar.  

Fresh Cucumber Mojito Salt Scrub

Makes a little over 1 cup of scrub, enough for 1 - 2 uses

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh cucumber, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
• the zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 ounce Cucumber Seed Oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Peppermint Essential Oil
• 1/2 cup Dead Sea Salt, Fine

Directions

Combine the cucumber, mint leaves, lime zest and juice, and Cucumber Seed Oil in blender or food processor.  Pulse until well pureed.  Transfer the mixture to a small mixing bowl, then add the Dead Sea Salt and Peppermint Essential Oil.  Mix well, then use right away.

Usage & Packaging

This fresh scrub contains water based ingredients and fresh plant matter.  This makes it very fragile, and so it should be treated like fresh food.  Store any unused portion of scrub in your refrigerator for up to three days.  Keep in mind that the salt will dissolve in the liquid fairly quickly.  It would be best to store the scrub without salt until it is time for use.  

Bayberry Heel Butter

Fragrant Bayberry Wax makes an excellent additive for pedicure treatments.  It has a subtle woodsiness that makes it perfect for unisex products, and blends beautifully with antiseptic essential oils, Lemon Tea Tree, Lavender, Juniper, and Rosemary.  We've blended the wax with healing Kokum Butter, Andiroba Oil, and moisturizing Brazil Nut Oil.  This herbal balm will help to soothe, moisturize, and deodorize tired feet.  Try applying the butter to dry feet after a natural pedicure treatment.  Start with our Peppermint Tea Tree Foot Soak to prep your feet.  Next, use our exfoliating Lemon Walnut Foot Scrub to polish away dead skin, leaving your feet soft and clean.  Our Lemon Tea Tree & Honey Foot Mask would be another nice addition to your home pedicure.  

Photo by Kannon via Flickr

Bayberry Heel Butter
Makes about 4 ounces 

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Bayberry Wax
• 2 ounces Deodorized Cocoa Butter
• 1/2 ounce Brazil Nut Oil
• 1/2 ounce Andiroba Oil
• 12 - 15 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• 8 - 10 drops Lemon Tea Tree Essential Oil
• 8 - 10 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
• 8 - 10 drops Juniper Essential Oil

Directions

Melt the Bayberry Wax and Kokum Butter together in a double boiler over high heat.  When the butter and wax has melted, add the Brazil Nut Andiroba Oils.  Mix well, then remove from heat.  Add the Essential Oils and stir well to combine.  Carefully pour the mixture into containers.  You will have a little bit more than what will fill a deodorant or stick tube container.  Reserve the rest of the mixture to top off the container, as a depression will form in the butter as it cools.  You can discard the remaining mixture, or store it in a small jar.

Usage & Packaging

This stiff, waxy mixture should be rubbed onto dry, clean feet, then massaged in.  Using a deodorant container makes application easy, but you could also package this recipe in Cream Jars or PET Jars if you prefer.  

Photo by Pen Araneae via Flickr

DIY Summer Scrubs

Summer is the perfect time to treat your skin to an exfoliating salt or sugar scrub.  A gentle exfoliation is just the thing to help buff away the dull, drab shell of Winter.  Scrubbing can also help make Summer shaving a little more pleasant.  Exfoliation removes dead skin that can cause razor burns, ingrown hairs, and uneven hair removal.  By keeping up an exfoliation routine you’ll help your skin remain glowing, and free from bumps and redness.

 

Exfoliants
Scrubs are made from two main ingredients, a Carrier Oil and an Exfoliant.  Choosing an Exfoliant is easy.  You can use any fine grain salt, including Sea Salt, Dead Sea Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt, and Bolivian Pink Salt.  Natural salts contain a bounty of beneficial minerals, but they can sting if your skin has any knicks, scratches, or minor burns.  For those who prefer a gentler touch, natural sugars may be the way to go.  Turbinado, Demerara, and Brown Sugar are all wonderful choices for use in scrubs.  You can also use plain white sugar if you like.

Popular Exfoliants:

• Sea Salt, Fine
• Dead Sea Salt, Fine
• Himalayan Pink Salt, Fine
• Bolivian Pink Salt, Fine
• Turbinado Sugar
• Demerara Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar

Carrier Oils

Selecting your Carrier Oil requires a little more scrutiny.  For the Summer months, you’ll want something with a light texture that won’t clog pores.  Some good choices are:

• Apricot Kernel Oil
• Cherry Kernel Oil
• Camelina Oil
• Kukui Nut Oil
• Macadamia Nut Oil
• Watermelon Seed Oil

These are all great, basic carrier oils for Summer Scrubs, but you might want to use something with special properties to make your scrub even better.  Consider blending one of the following carrier oils into your scrub to add extra benefits for Summer skin.

• Aloe Vera Oil or Cucumber Seed Oil:  Cool and soothe skin.
• Andiroba or Black Cumin Seed Oil: Soothe psoriasis, eczema, and acne.
• Buriti Fruit, Tamanu or Yangu Oil:  Heal or soothe sun damaged skin.
• Baobab or Brazil Nut Oil: Moisturize chronic dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis.

Aromatics

Adding scent to your Summer scrub is probably the most fun part!  Choose light, fruity, and cheerful aromatics to dress up your recipe.  For an all natural scrub, check out our selection of Essential Oils and CO2 Extracts.  Using Essential Oils and CO2 Extracts also gives you the opportunity to increase the scrub’s skin care  and aromatherapy benefits.  Some of my favorites for Summer include:

• Roman Chamomile: Soothing and relaxing.
• Lavender: Stimulating and healing.
• Geranium: Balancing and healing.
• Patchouli: Warming, helps soothe acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
• Sandalwood: Soothing and balancing.
• Ginger: Warming and stimulating.
• Ginger Lily: Warming and stimulating.
• Ylang Ylang: Balancing and uplifting.
• Petitgrain: Soothing and uplifting.
• Yuzu: Uplifting and cheerful.

Be sure to research any Essential Oil for safety information and usage rates.  Keep in mind that certain Essential Oils, particularly citrus oils, can cause photosensitivity, and shouldn’t be used before exposure to sunlight.

Fragrance Oils can also be used to scent your scrubs.  Though they are not all natural, they have been formulated specifically for use in skin and hair care, making them easy to use.  We have a huge selection to choose from, but here are a few of my favorites for Summer:

• Basil Nectarine
• Blackberry Tea
• Cantaloupe
• Cucumber
• Dandelion
• Fresh Ginger Lime
• Lemon Parsley
• Mango
• Melon Blossom
• Orange Sherbet
• Peach Orchard
• Raspberry Ginger
• Summer Hill
• Sweet Sage Bush
• Tea Rose
• Watermelon

Colorants
Finally, you might want to add a touch of color to your scrubs.  This is an extra step that is totally optional, but can add a little bit of extra fun and personality to your recipe.  There are many ways to color salt and sugar scrubs.  To keep your recipe all natural, consider adding a natural herb as as a color additive.  Oil Dispersible D&C Dyes, and Pearlescent Micas can be used to color scrubs as well.

Once you’ve chosen your ingredients you can assemble your scrub.  This is very easy!  Simply combine your dry exfoliant with enough carrier oil to give it a slushy consistency.  Aromatics and colorants can be added next.  After that, your scrub is ready to use.  

Here is a simple recipe that you can customize with your own ingredients:

DIY Summer Scrub

• ½ cup fine grain natural Salt or Sugar
• 1 - 2 ounces Carrier Oil
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon Essential Oil, Fragrance Oil, or CO2 Extract

Usage & Handling
It’s best to make scrubs to order, and use them right away, but if you have to store the scrub for any period of time here are some tips to keep is safe and fresh:

• Store your scrub in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place.  The refrigerator is ideal, but a cupboard or cabinet is fine too.
• Never handle the scrub directly.  Always use clean spoons or spatulas to mix, and scoop the scrub.
• Don’t take the whole jar of scrub into the shower or bath.  Instead, scoop a single portion into a breakproof container.
• Discard the scrub immediately if it changes in smell, color, or texture.
• Discard the scrub after three weeks, and make a fresh batch.
• Add a preservative, such as Grapefruit Seed Extract or Liquapar Oil to help reinforce it against microbe growth.
• Add an antioxidant, such as Vitamin E T50 or Rosemary Oil Extract to help keep the Carrier Oil fresh.
• If you plan to sell your scrub, consider having your formula professionally challenge tested. 

Share your Summer Scrubs!
We hope you have a blast formulating your own Summer Scrubs!  We’d love to hear the recipes you come up with.  Share them with us here on the blog, on Twitter, or on our Facebook page!  If you can, please send us a photo.  We’d love to show off your work on our social networks!

Here are some gorgeous pictures of scrubs from our Flickr Photo Group!

by CaliBeijaFlor

by Soaps by Bonnie

by BL Soaps

Hydrosols for Hair Care

Hydrosols are the steam distilled essences of plants and botanicals.  Far gentler than the essential oils they are made in conjunction with, Hydrosols can be used in their pure form, directly on the skin and hair.  They can sometimes have unexpected aromas, but they are usually have mild, herbal scents that dissappear quickly after drying.  

There are many Hydrosols made from plants that can be benficial in natural hair care.  These gentle botanical waters can be used in cleansing rinses, scalp toners, or as an ingredient in creams, soaps, or conditioners. Though almost any of our wide range of Hydrosols can be used to complement hair care recipes, the most popular choices are Lavendula, Rosemary, and Neroli.  These three Hydrosols are particularly sought after for their hair care benefits.

Lavandula Hydrosol, also available in an Organic variety, contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help to soothe dry, itchy, and irritated scalps.  It's deep, camphorous aroma also makes a pleasant addition to rinses and spritzes.  Neroli Hydrosol is adored for its delightfully fruity and floral aroma, making it a popular choice for leave in conditioners.  Rosemary Hydrosol is perhaps the most beneficial Hydrosol available for hair care.  It can help to enhance the shine and softness of the hair when added to rinses, leave-in conditioners, and hair spritzs.  

Be sure to explore the rest of our selection of Hydrosols.  There are many that you'll love in your hair care recipes.  

Aromatic Hydrosols:

• Jasmine Sambac Hydrosol
• Neroli Hydrosol
• Rose Damnascena

Hydrosols for cleansing and detoxifying hair:

• Clary Sage Hydrosol
• White Sage Hydrosol

Hydrosols to nourish and fortify hair and scalp:

• Carrot Seed Hydrosol
• Cistus Hydrosol
• Geranium Hydrosol
• Helichrysum Hydrosol
• Rosemary Hydrosol 

Antiseptic or Soothing Hydrosols to help relieve itchy scalps:

• Lavandula Hydrosol
• Lavandin Hydrosol
• Roman Chamomile Hydrosol
• Witch Hazel Hydrosol
• Yarrow Hydrosol

Recipes ideas for Hair Care Hydrosols

Hair Rinses

To make a simple Hydrosol hair rinse, try combining your favorite Hydrosol with an equal portion of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.  Rinse your hair with the mixture once every week to dissolve residue from shampoos and other hair products, and increase softness and shine, while helping to balance the PH of your hair and scalp.

Hair Spritzs

Try blending some aromatic and beneficial Hydrosols with an equal portion of Witch Hazel to make an Herbal Hair Spritz.  Dead Sea Brine can be used in place of Witch Hazel to increase hairs texture and volume.  Blend these ingredients together in a sprayer bottle, and spritz liberally on towel dried hair.

Creamy Leave-In Conditioner

Warm 1 ounce of Shealoe Butter until soft and pliable, then whisk with 1 tablespoon of your favorite Hydorosol.  Cool the mixture in the refrigerator until thickened, then apply to towel dried hair.