Enjoying the benefits of making your own body butters

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After considering the dangerous chemicals in health and beauty products, many women have decided to experiment with making their own beauty products. After doing some reading and  watching some "how to" videos, I decided to try it. I can truthfully say that is fun and exciting.  Imagine being able to control what goes into your skin cream or body butter! I just used up my first batch and I can say that I was pleased with the outcome. So, I thought that I would share some of my learning here on the blog.  I invite readers to share their knowledge and information as well.

Geting started

Start out with raw, unrefined shea butter.   This is usually a pale, yellow color and is somewhat solid at room temperature.  Use six to eight ounces. Warm to approximately a paste-like consistency in the microwave or in a bowl over a cup of steaming hot water. (Remember, don't cook the shea butter, you will probably loose vitamins and antioxidants if you do). Remove from heat and roll up your sleeves, the real fun is about to begin.

Essential oils

An essential oil is a liquid that is distilled from leaves, stems, flowers, bark roots and other elements of a plant. They contain a number of healthful and healing qualities that  are used in aromatherapy and in body butters.  These healthful substances  are absorbed into the bloodstream and do wonders for our health and beauty. Now, imagine being able to select just which oils you will use based on your skin and body's needs. Fantastic. ("Essential Oils" http://www.wikipedia.com/)

I prepared my shea butter with the undiluted essential oils, which means that you will use only drops of this concentrated substance. I combined my ingredients as follows:

six-eight ounces of warmed shea butter
5 - 10 drops of tea tree oil (as an antiseptic and preservative)
One tablespoon of olive oil
One tablespoon of almond oil (Use the diluted one)
Peppermint oil (use a scented oil for fragrance such as lavender or spearmint oil)

Again, you can use additional vitamins and nutrients according to your skin and hair needs, such as vitamins A and E.

Blend  in a blender until creamy or desired texture. Pour into jars or containers and enjoy.

Related articles

• Shea Butter as a moisturizer and emollient (healthlifestyleforever.com)
• Tackle The Colder Weather Skin Blues With These Natural Weapons (urbanbellemag.com)

Protect your hair and skin with cocoa butter

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I've been really enjoying posting blogs on protecting the skin and hair from the damages of the cold, dry winter months and from the hot and drying heat that is in our homes. We all suffer from these problems, so I hope the info is helping someone out there.

Personally,  I have been having some great results from the moisturizing properties of shea butter and olive oil.  I've been even having fun whipping my own skin care products.  I will post a blog on that when I get better at it, smile.

In this blog, I would like to discuss the benefits of cocoa butter, another natural skin protectant. It is also in almost all of our health and beauty products.

What is cocoa butter?

Cocoa butter is the cream-colored fat extracted from the cacao seed. It is used in a number of cosmetics, including soap and lotion. It melts at body temperature, so it is easily absorbed into the skin. It is also a great treatment for skin inflammations such as eczema and dermatitis. It also is high in antioxidants, which are known to battle the ravages of aging skin. For best use during the winter, bathe in very warm water and apply to specific areas of dryness or irritation to seal in moisture.

Cocoa butter also contains CMP (cocoa mass polyphenol) which inhibits the production of immunoglobulin Ige which can aggravate the symptoms of dermatitis and asthma.("Cocoa butter" http://www.vitaminstuff.com/).



Pamper your skin

This winter, try pampering your skin in the healthful, natural cocoa butter.  And, for an  added  bonus, try adding vitamin E or A  for additional hydration and nourishment for your skin.

Have a healthful and warm winter!