Easy Facial Care- Straight From Your Kitchen

There are a ton of great facial care products right in your kitchen.  You don’t need to have a great deal of money to have beautiful radiant skin all you need are a few ingredients that you probably already have.

• Cleansers

Gentle Oatmeal Facial Cleanser

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oatmeal or cornmeal

2 tbs of plain yogurt [Add enough yogurt to form a paste]

Instructions:

Mix ingredients, smooth over entire face avoiding eye area. Allow to sit for 10 min and rinse

Exfoliating Oily Skin  Facial Wash

Ingredients:

1 tsp powdered skim milk

1 tsp honey

few drops of apple vinegar

Instructions:

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Apply to skin in a circular motion for a minute or 2. Rinse with a warm cloth and water.

Almond Milk Dry Skin Cleanser

1 tsp almond oil

2 tbs whole milk

1 tsp honey

Instructions:

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Apply to skin in a circular motion for a minute or 2. Rinse with a warm cloth and water.

• Facial Scrubs

Invigorating Coffee Scrub

2 Tbs. Used Coffee Grounds

1 tsp. yogurt, honey or olive oil (optional)

Instuctions:

Mix coffee and additional ingredient.  Apply to face in a circular motion.  Rinse and pat dry.

Sweet Oil Scrub

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar

Instructions:

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Apply to skin in a circular motion for a minute or 2. Rinse with a warm cloth and water. The cleanser will feel greasy but after you rinse and pat dry, skin with be super silky soft!

• Facial Masks

Honey Mask

1-2 tsp. honey

Instructions:

Apply honey to skin in a thin layer.  Let sit for a few minutes and rinse off.  (Be sure to keep honey out of hair to avoid a sticky mess.)

Egg Mask

One egg white, whipped

Instructions:

Whip the egg white slightly. Apply to face and allow to dry, then rinse well.

• Acne Treatment

Pimple Eraser

1 Asprin

Distilled Water

Instructions:

Dissolve Asprin in a small amount of distilled water to form a paste.  Apply to spots and let sit for 3 minutes.  Rinse.

(Asprin is salicylic acid in its pure form)

• Sunburn Skin Saver

Refreshing Grape Skin Cooler

Frozen grapes

Instructions:

Cut a frozen grape in half and rub onto sun burnt skin in a circular motion.

There are many other facial care recipes that can be made easily from ingredients you already have on hand in your kitchen.  Do you have a favorite recipe not mentioned here?  Try these recipes and let me know what you think!

Resources:

http://hmbeautyrecipes.homestead.com

Self Magazine July 2011

Rosemary Gladstar’s  Herbal Recipies for Vibrant Health (affiliate link)

Daily Inspiration

"Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin."
- Mother Teresa  

Daily Inspiration:

"You've got to Name it to Claim it."
Marie Forleo

I just discovered her site: http://rhhbschool.com
If you are a woman doing business you have to check her out.
She is Awesome!

Daily Inspiration

“The most important power we have is within ourselves” 

–Cate Blanchett

Daily Inspiration

“How Beautiful it is to be Alive.” –Beethoven

All About Argan Oil

Argan Tree

At O.P.i.N. Organics we like to use ingredients that help our planet as well as its inhabitants.   Argan oil is a wonderful example of an ingredient that is not only great for your skin, hair and body but also is allowing a culture to survive and flourish.    

Argan Oil and Nuts

Argan oil contains very high levels of vitamin E.  A vitamin that has been much touted as a wonderful antioxidant and has amazing moisturizing properties. 

The oil of the Argan nut also contains high levels essential fatty acids and is easily absorbed into the skin.  It has been used for centuries by the Moroccan people for skin care and as a part of their diet.

Moroccan goats climb the Argan Tree in search of food.

Argan oil is wonderful for skin that is just beginning to show signs of aging as well as skin that is showing more severe damage.  This oil helps to diminish fine lines, deeper wrinkles and is excellent for dry skin.  It can be used in its pure form directly on the skin or used in products where it is used as an ingredient such as lotions, cleansers, lip balms and serums.  I use 100% Argan Oil under my eyes to ward of crow’s feet.

This wonderful oil can also do wonders for your hair.  It adds shine and moisture without weighing hair down.  It has a slightly nutty smell that is very mild and pleasant.  Simply put a few drops in the palm of your hands, rub together and apply to damp hair.

Berber woman processing Argan
nuts to produce oil.

Not only is Argan oil an excellent oil for the skin and hair but the purchase of products containing Argan oil benefit the women of the Berber tribe, which make up 40% of the population of Morocco.  The revenue is used to fund healthcare and educational programs in the community allowing their culture to thrive.       

The final product.

Resources:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argan_oil

www.arganoils.com

www.care2.com/greenliving/is-argan-oil-miraculous.html
pictures- google images








Next Article: Easy Facial Care- Straight From Your Kitchen!                                                                                                                                                         

Daily Inspiration:"Do one thing everyday that frightens you."                                

Eleanor Roosevelt

About Me

My youngest son Jonas

    In my last post I said I would write a more personal post about myself, so everyone could get to know me a bit.  So the basics first; I am 32 years old, although I often joke that I decided to stop aging at 22.  (my youngest son actually thinks I'm 22, we all think it's too cute to correct.)  I've been married to my husband Shaun for almost 11 years and we have three boys.  Royal is the oldest, he is 12, Gage is my middle guy, he is 9, and Jonas, or Jo Jo as everyone calls him is 4.  We live in a small mountain town in California, the town that Shaun and I met in at 16 when I moved here from Washington.

Gage and Me 

 
 I was raised as a Navy kid so I have lived in a few different places; California, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington and Arizona.  I love that I was raised in the military, I was always very proud of my Dad, and I loved the new adventures we would undertake as a family every two to three years when we would move again.  Don't get me wrong I wasn't happy once I grew older...I thought my parents were simply trying to ruin my life, but when I was really young I liked it and now I wouldn't change a thing about my childhood.

My husband Shaun and my eldest son Royal

My doggy-Miss HoneyBee

    I am a big believer in learning from your past and using it to grow as a person and help others.  For this reason I am very forward with others about my past.  I am a recovering drug addict.  I have been clean since 1999 and thank God that he had a plan for my life and that with his help I have been able to move beyond my past and stay clean for such a significant amount of time.

Gage and Jonas in our front yard

    I am also Bipolar, which is something that I will always have to deal with but have found that if I am making good, healthy choices in my life and am keeping the lines of communication open with God then I'm generally pretty good.  I still get manic at times and depressed at times but I have grown to know my body and am aware when I am too far in one direction.  Simply being aware of the issue really makes a huge difference for me personally.  I get panic attacks quite often but I have found that if I stop, slow my breathing and pray, they go away quickly.

    It took me a long time to get to this point.  In my early 20's I couldn't drive on the freeway, eat in a restaurant, go to the movies, grocery shop, etc.  I had a big problem with feel trapped and needing to escape.  I slowly forced myself to take small steps to feel comfortable in those situations and now I am fine in almost every situation.  When I start to feel panic creeping in, I remind myself that the situation isn't really dangerous and that I am strong, with God on my side and then I make myself stay in the situation.

Shaun and I at Nelder Grove

Me and Shaun in Glamis

   
    Maybe hearing a bit of my story will help someone who is going through an issue I have already been through.  If this is the case fell free to contact me, if you'd like.  Often times talking with someone who understands where you are, or just knowing they've been through it and are now happy and healthy, helps you to simply feel normal.  Which let's face it, we all just want to feel "normal".  If you have anything to add or would like to share a bit of your story please comment!

Daily Inspiration:"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."                                                                                Leo Buscaglia

The Next Post Will Be:
 All About Argan Oil 

Eco-Nista's Purpose

Nelder Grove, CA

For my first blog attempt I thought it would be a good idea to let the blogging world know what this blog is going to be about.  I own a company called O.P.i.N. Organics, we sell bath, body and home products that we make in small batches using the highest quality natural and organic ingredients.  Beyond the company; I am one of those people, often called a "Dreamer" who truly wants to make a difference in the world.  I hope that through this blog, tweets, my business and all the other en devours I undertake that I may be able to give others information that can help them to make positive changes in their lives.
For this blog I plan to educate you on different herbs, oils, butters and other natural elements.  I hope to give you ways to use these gifts of the earth, to better your life and the lives around you.  I will also be talking about health and wellness, through topics such as healthy eating, exercise, meditation and positive thinking.  Everyday I hope to post a quote or other inspirational piece that will lift spirits.  I long to be an example of what one person can do with faith, drive and determination.
Tomorrow my post will be more personal, giving you a bit of my background and letting you know a bit more about who I am.

The First Daily Inspiration:

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Hebrews 11:1