*~~~~~~~DIY skincare recipe & discussion thread~~~~~~~~*
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skincare Tools & Do-It-Yourself Skincare

free skin care · Wed Jun 07, 2006 4:51 am

nyjlm wrote:

carekate wrote:

Recipe for Homemade Decleor Ylang Ylang Aromessence Oil (holy grail product for controlling sebum production for those with super-oily skin):

• 1 Oz. Kukui Nut Oil

carekate where do you purchase your kukui nut oil from? Is there a place that has it with low shipping or other items you need for diy recipes?

thanks! I'm making the acv toner tonight and I'm so excited.
Jennifer

www.thepersonalformulator.com is where I order most of my ingredients, including the kukui oil.

free skin care · Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:53 am

Since it's winter in Australia (and the coldest one in Melbourne for a few years), and my lips are so very dry, I'm just making a contribution to this thread from a recipe I found for lip balm and one for Vit C lip booster treatment mask.

Protective Lip Balm:
12g beeswax
8g cocoa butter
2 1/2 tbs almond oil
1/2 tbs honey
Melt all ingredients in bowl over boiling water, When melted, pour into little jars. Once they have cooled, put lids on.
Note: calendula infused almond oil is preferable as calendula helps repair cracked or chapped skin and is full of anti-oxiants.

Vit C Lip Booster Treatment Mask:
1/8 tsp soluble Vit C powder (preferably with bioflavonoids)
1/2 tsp water
3/4 teaspoon organic milk
1 tsp runny honey
1/2 tsp citrus pectin

Dissolve Vit C powder in the water. Add the milk and honey. Stir to smooth consistency. Whisk in the citrus pectin to make a smooth paste. Apply over and around lips. leave for 15 mins and remove with warm flannel and warm water.

Hope these are useful!!!

Melissa Very Happy

free skin care · Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:27 am

Somebody recently asked me about creating a homemade version of PSF’s fabulous Pumpkin Enzyme Peel so – even though I feel terrible for trying to replicate one of our boy Darren’s prize skincare products – I thought I’d take a stab at it. (Hey Darren - I heart you, man! Very Happy

If my grandmother was right when she told me that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery, then you know you created a winning product if everyone wants to find out how to make it at home!!)

Please bear in mind that I have not attempted to create this recipe myself at home yet (it ain’t Halloween/Thanksgiving so I don’t have a fresh pumpkin handy!) and I am going to designate a couple of the ingredients as ‘optional’ because not all of you are as hardcore into DIY as a few of us are and therefore haven’t bought every single ingredient in the Personal Formulator’s (hereinafter referred to as “TPF”) catalog (!), here is the basic jist of things....

So as to not rip Darren off completely, we’ll call this the homemade “Pumpkin Enzyme Mask”

What You’ll Need:
----------------------------
• Clean, large jar or other airtight container (i.e.: “tupperware” container);
• 2 cups of cooked pumpkin - fresh or straight from the can;
• 1/8 teaspoon of glycolic acid concentrate (available from TPF) - note: you may substitute two tablespoon of white granulated (‘table’) sugar or brown sugar for the glycolic acid concentrate;
• 1/8 teaspoon of salicylic acid concentrate (available from TPF) - note: you may substitute 25-30 crushed or dissolved uncoated aspirin for the salicylic acid concentrate;
• 1 tablespoon Germaben II (available from TPF) - note: this is a ‘preservative’ ingredient that will help prevent your jar full of pumpkin peel
• 1/8 teaspoon of DMAE concentrate (available from TPF), optional
• ½ teaspoon of Vitamin A (aka: ‘retinyl palmitate’ - I believe it is derived from Fish Liver Oil...), optional - note: you’ll probably have a hard time finding a water or oil soluable Vit-A formulation that is completely free of fillers and binders; the closest I could find was a product like this: http://www.papanature.com/store/ProductDetails.aspx?c=Herbs&pid=ETH-00031)

What You’ll Do:
----------------------------
Mix all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor to puree, then transfer the mixture into your jar.

How To Use It:
----------------------------
1-2 times weekly, apply to freshly cleansed skin in a thin, even layer but be sure to avoid eye and lip areas. Leave mask on for 7-15 minutes (depending upon your skin type and/or tolerance level), but do not exceed 15 minutes. Remove with lukewarm water and a soft, moist washcloth. Followup with your favorite toner, treatment products and/or moisturizer.

free skin care · Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:19 pm

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to make a DIY version of Juice Beauty's Green Apple Peel? I'd love to try it out, but there is no way I can afford a $39 jar of it! Crying or Very sad

Organic Hydroxy-Acid Juice Solution of Pyrus Malus Juice (apple, malica), Citrus Medica Limonum Juice & Vitis Vinifera Juice (lemon, citric, white grape, tartaric), Organic Raw cane sugar (glycolic), Salix Alba Extract (willow bark, salicylic), Organic Milk Peptides (lactic), Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Organic Algae Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate & Tocopherol (vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C), Retinyl Palmitate (vitamin A), Phospholipids, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Xantham gum, Azulene, Citrus Reticulata (mandarin), Litsea Cubeba & Cinnamomum Camphora Pure Essential Oils (may chang, ho wood)

free skin care · Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:52 pm

This is a great thread.

I made an almond cleanser using Trader Joe's almond meal and coconut milk as the only 2 ingredients.

I made the ACV toner using Bragg's ACV, white tea instead of green, and a few drops each of lemon and rosemary EOs. Then I added some drops of grapefruit seed extract after seeing someone mention it as a preservative. I also bought a piece of galangal that I'm planning to add to the toner once I get around to juicing it. I read that galangal is supposed to be a "skin tightener," so I will see what happens with it.

free skin care · Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:07 pm

Carrie,
I love the pumpkin mask recipe! Laughing

So cool that you are making a DIY version. I'd love for you to send me a sample to see how it compares to the real thing. It would be fun! Very Happy

free skin care · Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:37 am

carekate wrote:

Somebody recently asked me about creating a homemade version of PSF’s fabulous Pumpkin Enzyme Peel so – even though I feel terrible for trying to replicate one of our boy Darren’s prize skincare products – I thought I’d take a stab at it. (Hey Darren - I heart you, man! Very Happy

If my grandmother was right when she told me that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery, then you know you created a winning product if everyone wants to find out how to make it at home!!)

Please bear in mind that I have not attempted to create this recipe myself at home yet (it ain’t Halloween/Thanksgiving so I don’t have a fresh pumpkin handy!) and I am going to designate a couple of the ingredients as ‘optional’ because not all of you are as hardcore into DIY as a few of us are and therefore haven’t bought every single ingredient in the Personal Formulator’s (hereinafter referred to as “TPF”) catalog (!), here is the basic jist of things....

So as to not rip Darren off completely, we’ll call this the homemade “Pumpkin Enzyme Mask”

What You’ll Need:
----------------------------
• Clean, large jar or other airtight container (i.e.: “tupperware” container);
• 2 cups of cooked pumpkin - fresh or straight from the can;
• 1/8 teaspoon of glycolic acid concentrate (available from TPF) - note: you may substitute two tablespoon of white granulated (‘table’) sugar or brown sugar for the glycolic acid concentrate;
• 1/8 teaspoon of salicylic acid concentrate (available from TPF) - note: you may substitute 25-30 crushed or dissolved uncoated aspirin for the salicylic acid concentrate;
• 1 tablespoon Germaben II (available from TPF) - note: this is a ‘preservative’ ingredient that will help prevent your jar full of pumpkin peel
• 1/8 teaspoon of DMAE concentrate (available from TPF), optional
• ½ teaspoon of Vitamin A (aka: ‘retinyl palmitate’ - I believe it is derived from Fish Liver Oil...), optional - note: you’ll probably have a hard time finding a water or oil soluable Vit-A formulation that is completely free of fillers and binders; the closest I could find was a product like this: http://www.papanature.com/store/ProductDetails.aspx?c=Herbs&pid=ETH-00031)

What You’ll Do:
----------------------------
Mix all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor to puree, then transfer the mixture into your jar.

How To Use It:
----------------------------
1-2 times weekly, apply to freshly cleansed skin in a thin, even layer but be sure to avoid eye and lip areas. Leave mask on for 7-15 minutes (depending upon your skin type and/or tolerance level), but do not exceed 15 minutes. Remove with lukewarm water and a soft, moist washcloth. Followup with your favorite toner, treatment products and/or moisturizer.

Once again - I bow with admiring glances at the Queen of DIY - Carrie this recipe is the bomb!

For your Vitamin A aka retinyl acetate you might want to check out Skin Actives Scientific...lotsa great stuff there....
http://skinactives.com/products/retinyl.htm

And as fond as I am of TPF as they were the 1st place I went to when I 1st started DIY'ing the actives at SAS are awesome & the shipping is much cheaper. They also have a forum with some colorful DIY'rs (though there's a thread about pirates and other about some woman who recently returned from Mars that unnerved me a bit Anxious

...don't ask me, I usually just lurk there, lol.) They have some pretty sharp cookies there who make alot of really nice creams, serums etc that are very impressive & effective.

Hannah is the resident scientist who is SO down to earth & friendly. Willing to answer any silly questions that I ...err, umm anyone Embarassed

asks about. Laughing

Jonathan is the zookeeper as best I can tell Laughing

He is very friendly & always quickly responds to emails.

There is another person there named Daniel who is so amusing yet is truely a wizard when it comes to putting together skincare items.

And Darren - imitation IS the highest form of flattery. Every company should aspire to create the quality products you do with the exempelary service PSF provides.

free skin care · Mon Jun 26, 2006 6:40 pm

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this before and this isn't very DIY but ROYAL JELLY provides a great mask.

I found this out on my trip to Thai at a honey production place and both my friend and I bought a jar to try.

Benefits:
Refines pores
Supposedly helps with wrinkles (I wouldn't know because I'm still young and don't have any)
Moisturizes

Usage:
Royal jelly should be kept in freezer at all times but use a small container and keep a small amount in the fridge. Apply a thin layer to face. You leave it on until it tightens your skin (you know you have to wash it off when you look like an old old grandmother). Wash off and continue with your usual skincare regime.

You can also use it on your hand to soften wrinkles, it leaves skin feeling immediately soft and supple.

Royal jelly can also be ingested and the benefits include balancing hormonal production, apparently it is beneficial in preventing cancer (I don't know how true this is). Also good for diabetics. There are testimonials stating that if ingested by kids going through puberty, it helps with their growth spurt and they will get TALLER.

If ingesting you only need a TINY amount daily. A good size is those McDonald coffee mixing spoons, they're really tiny but that is the amount you need daily.

Royal Jelly is essentially the Queen Bee's saliva so it does smell a bit sour and the taste isn't very ideal either. But you can always mix it into your coffee or tea.

free skin care · Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:24 am

DIY Burt's Bees Grapefruit Complexion Mist

I just mixed some up this morning.

small spray bottle
distilled water
grapefruit eo
lime eo
lemon eo
rosemary eo

put distilled water into bottle. Add one drop rosemary eo, two drops each lime and lemon, four drops grapefruit. voila! refreshing spray! I just really guestimated on how many drops of each; how much you add will depend on how big your spray bottle is.

I have not used the real thing, so honestly I can't say how it compares. It was very refreshing to spray on my face after cleaning some stuff and running around the house- even w/the a/c on all the time in FL you still sweat indoors Confused

I plan to stick this in a small cooler when I go to the beach, I bet it will feel great!

free skin care · Tue Jul 04, 2006 10:24 pm

Hello

I don't generally make my own stuff, but lately I've been brewing up some green tea fresh most days and using it after washing like a toner.

I've checked out some recipes and everyone else seems to put it in a base of HA or another.

I'm doing it for the anti-oxidant benefits so I just want to know if I am wasting my time using this water based serum. Can it penetrate the skin just in water because I don't have any base to put it in.

Any thoughts, thanks Molly Cool

free skin care · Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:10 pm

Beneficial Essential Oils for Hair Loss:

Bay
Cedarwood
Grapefruit
Jojoba oil
Lavender
Lemon
Rosemary
Roman Chamomile

How To Use Essential Oils for Hair Loss:

Add 2 drops of the essential oil either to the rinse water or to a good vegetable oil. Massage it well into the scalp. Wrap the hair in plastic wrap; place a warm towel around it. Leave it for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight. Shampoo the hair as usual, using a mild shampoo (avoid medicated shampoo), so that you do not damage the sebum balance.

Essential Oils for Stimulating Circulation and Improving the Hair Health

A blend of bay and lavender essential oils stimulates the scalp and helps hair health. Add six drops of each oil to four ounces of a warm carrier oil such as almond, soybean or sesame oil. Massage the mixture into the scalp and allow it to absorb for 20 minutes. Add three drops of bay essential oil to the shampoo you regularly uses and wash the hair with this shampoo.

Essential Oil Blend for Hair Growth

1. Thyme essential oil - 2 drops
2. Atlas cedarwood essential oil - 2 drops
3. Lavender essential oil -3 drops
4. Rosemary essential oil -3 drops
5. Jojoba oil - ½ teaspoon
6. Grapeseed oil - 4 teaspoons

Add the first four ingredients into a small glass jar. Mix well. Now add the remaining two ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Massage this mixture into your scalp for at least two minutes every night. Wrap your head in a warm towel after treatment

free skin care · Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:25 am

Natural Insect Repellent Essential Oil Blend:
-----------------------------------------------------------
• Eucalyptus oil – repels insects and helps reduce sting and irritation from insect bites;
• Cedarwood oil - a strong repellent that is poisonous to insects;
• Bergamot oil - a strong antiseptic that protects skin by helping to kill any diseases that the insect might bear;
• Clove oil - acts as a counter irritant to the toxicity of the previously-mentioned EOs, making the blend more harmonious;
• Citronella oil - repels insects and is especially loathsome to mosquitos, yay!

My recommendation is to take an 8- or 16-oz bottle with sprayer* and fill it nearly full with distilled water, then add 5-10 drops of each of the above-named EOs. Add a ½ teaspoon of Lecithin powder to emulsify the oils to mix completely with the water and shake well until Lecithin is dissolved and you can no longer see the oils pooling on the surface of the water.

Shake bottle well before each use, then hold spritzer about 10-12 inches away and – with eyes closed – lightly mist body with the mixture. You may need to reapply after physical exertions or swimming/getting wet.

* A cobalt or amber glass spray bottle is ideal, but an opaque or tinted – the darker the better – plastic bottle will work in a pinch (you can find such bottles at beauty supply stores like Sallys).

If anyone has any suggestions of other EOs that are known for insect repelling properties, please let me know!

Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:46 am

Just a maintenance note (please ignore): Recipe index at http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?p=96107 was updated today.

free skin care · Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:46 am

HELP FOR NAIL TRAUMA!!

I had to trim my nails down nearly to the “quick” last night because they were peeling, spliting, cracking, bending, breaking, shredding and just generally doing everything else that is horribly possible – they started getting really bad after I began taking a new medication my neurologist prescribed for my migraines. I mean, if I just look at my nails askance, they start to bend and peel! After researching to see what I could do to get my nails healthy and grow them out again, as well as asking for advice from the ladies on the MUA Nail Board, it seems that the most important piece of advice is to keep your nails and cuticles well-moisturized.

Upon receiving this advice, I immediately set about researching the various nail/cuticle moisturizing treatments out there, looking to see which were the most highly rated in MUA Productville and then analyzing and researching the ingredients that these products had in common in order to figure out how to make my own, ultimate homemade cuticle and nail moisturizing treatment because – as, by now you should now if you’ve managed to wade all the way to the end of my notepad! – I’m all about DIY! Not just to save money, but also to combine the best and most beneficial results of many products in order to create a super-duper product.

Anyway, without further adieu, here is the fruits of my labor:

Dr. Holland’s Mending and Rebuilding Treatment for Raggedy-*ss Nail and Cuticles

What you need:
-------------------------------------
• small, clean glass or plastic jar or pot;
• 1 tsp Shea butter - strengthens and restores flexibility to nails;
• 2 tsp Cocoa butter - softening properties to mend hard, ragged cuticles and restores flexibility to dry, brittle nails;
• 2 tsp Mango butter - strengthens and restores flexibility to nails;
• ½ tsp Bees Wax - helps gives balms solid form;
• ½ tsp Castor oil - extremely useful for dry, brittle nails;
• ½ tsp Olive oil (extra virgin or extra, extra virgin is best) - useful for dry, brittle nails;
• ½ tsp Borage oil - able to penetrate deep into skin and nail bed to draw moisture deep and promote healthy growth of nails and cuticules;
• ½ tsp Macademia nut oil - softens, helps nails and skin maintain water barrier functions; most closely mimics the skin’s own natural oils;
• 1/4 tsp Grapeseed oil - extremely emollien, penetrates without greasy residue;
• 1/4 tsp Jojoba oil - able to penetrate deep into skin and nail bed without leaving any greasy residue;
• 1/4 tsp Avocado oil - softens, nourishes and helps restore natural moisture balance;
• 1/8 tsp Hydrolized keratin (available fromwww.thepersonalformulator.com) – this is one of the protein building blocks of which hair and nails is comprised;
• 1/8 tsp Hydrolized Wheat Protein (available fromwww.thepersonalformulator.com) – this is a “moisture magnet” that draws and retains moisture into the cuticles and nail plate to help reverse severe dryness;
• 12 drops Lemon essential oil - known to strengthen brittle nails;

What you do:
--------------------------------
Place all ingredients in a microwave safe dish or container and nuke on medium heat for 10-15 seconds at a time until completely liquified. Stir mixture then quickly transfer the melted mixture into a clean plastic jar or pot then place in freezer to quick-freeze and set for approximately 30 minutes.

Note: if you prefer a “solid” cuticle treatment such as Burt’s Bees Lemon Cuticle Balm, add more of the “butter” and wax ingredients to make your treatment into a balm. If your balm is too “mushy” after solidifying, you may remelt the ingredients and just add a tiny bit more of each of the wax/butters and then re-freeze. Repeat until your balm attains the desired consistency.

If you prefer a liquid-y treatment that you would brush on, like Solar Oil, skip the solid butter/wax ingredients. If you decide on the liquid oil, you don’t need to melt the ingredients in the microwave: just pour all of the liquid ingredients together in a small, clean bottle and shake well to blend.

Also, if you do not have all of the ingredients listed above, use whichever oils and/or butters that you happen to have on hand. In a pinch, you can create a very simple yet effective nail/cuticle treatment by mixing equal parts olive oil and castor oil with 15 drops of lemon essential oil.

How to use it:
----------------------------------
Massage thoroughly into nails and surrounding cuticle areas 1-2 times daily. For severely damaged or stressed nails, massage nails as often as possible throughout day, but especially after washing or submerging hands in water.

free skin care · Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:54 am

No matter what type of lip plumper you use, be it those topical versions like LipFusion and LipFusion XL (the two best, IM-not-so-HO) or by taking my nearly infamous lip plumping pills, you need to keep your lips in tip-top shape by exfoliating them on a regular basis to remove dead, flaky skin.

Just like you use a scrub, mask or peel to reveal fresh new skin on your face or a loofah or body brush to remove old skin cells from your body to eliminate ingrowns and various bumps, you also need to exfoliate your lips. Of course, because lip tissue is much thinner and therefore more sensitive, it’s important that you use something gentle to reveal your freshest, most kissable mouth.

Some people simply use an old, soft toothbrush or washcloth and some lip balm to gently brush the dead, flaky skin off their lips, but I prefer to put a little extra effort into it....You can make a very basic lip scrub (enough for one use) by literally mixing a pinch of granulated sugar with a drop of olive oil, but my own private recipe is a little more jazzy.

Personally, I like to include aspirin (i.e.: salicylic acid) in my formulation because I sometimes get tiny milia around the outside perimeter of my lips and this BHA can actually penetrate into those clogged pores to get the gunk out. I’ve sort of refined my lip exfoliant recipe that you referred to since I originally posted it in the DIY thread, so here is how I currently make it:

Dr. Holland's Lip Buffing Scrub

What you need:
-------------------------------------
• small, clean jar or container – an old Carmex lip balm pot or a small plastic “travel” jar that you can find in the bathsoap/body lotions aisle at Walgreens or Walmart will do;
• 25 plain, uncoated aspirin, optional – i.e.: old fashioned 81 mg Bayer aspirin in the gold and brown wrapper – I use a store brand from Walmart, I can’t recall the name (the word “Valley” or “Farm” is in the brand name) but you get 200 aspirin tablets for 99¢ so you’ll know it when you see it on the shelve in a small plastic jar with a white and green label with black lettering);
• 1 Tbs distilled or purified (drinking) water;
• 3 Tbs white (granulated) sugar;
• 1 tsp your choice of “carrier” oil (i.e.: olive, jojoba, grapeseed, avocado, Vit-E, Emu, heck – you can even use your Crisco veggie oil in a pinch!);
• 1 tsp honey – in lieu of glycerine for “slip” from my old recipe but you can still use the glycerine instead of honey if you prefer;
• 1/8 tsp lactic acid concentrate, optional – I buy this fromwww.thepersonalformulator.com but you could substitute yogurt, cream or whole milk instead but be aware that those diary products WILL spoil so you’ll need to make a fresh batch of lip scrub each week;
• 3-5 drops of the essential oil of your choice, optional – I like to use lemon or orange oil because it gives a nice flavor/scent and the citric acid in these EOs also provide mild enzymatic exfoliating properties in addition to the “scuffing” power provided by the sugar and aspirin.

What you do:
--------------------------------
• Put the aspirin in the jar and slowly pour a few drops of water over them until the aspirin dissolve – it doesn’t take a whole lot of liquid to make them dissolve so just add a few drops at a time and check the progress and add a few more drops as necessary until all the aspirin have “melted.” Note: you probably won’t need to use the entire tablespoon of water – you only want to use as much as is necessary to dissolve all the aspirin;

• After aspirin has completely dissolved, stir in the remaining ingredients making sure to blend well. If you find that your finished product is too thick/stiff, add a tiny bit more oil or honey. If it’s too runny, add a bit more sugar until the mixture reaches it’s desired consistency. You want your lip scrub to be stiff but pliable, like – have you ever made homemade cookies from scratch? You want your lip scrub to have the same sort of consistency as the cookie dough just before you start dropping the cookie lumps on the baking sheet!

What it does:
----------------------------------
Removes dead skin cells to keep lips smooth and healthy. It's especially important to exfoliate lips regularly when using any type of topical lip plumping product to ensure the active ingredients are able to penetrate lip tissue to achieve even results!

How to use it:
----------------------------------
Directions: apply a small amount to lips and gently buff for at least 30 secounds. Rinse lips and pat dry. Followup with desired lip balm, topical lip plumper or other lip moisturizing treatment.

Personally, I exfoliate my lips every morning before I get in the shower, but I’m just orally fixated and obsessed with having pucker-ready lips at all times! Wink

Most normal people just chose to exfoliate their lips 2-3 times per week, or as necessary when they start feeling rough or flaky.

So long as you don’t include any diary ingredients, your lip scrub doesn’t need any special storage or anything. I keep my jar in my bathroom vanity until I use it all up and need to make a new batch.

free skin care · Wed Aug 09, 2006 3:08 pm

I'm always trying to find new ways to help my hair out. Here's a few more tips.

A natural shampoo combination using honey, for dry, damaged or treated hair:
2 cups liquid castile soap (lavendar from a health food store is best)
1/2 half cup of honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vitamin B oil

Blend and use one teaspoon per washing massaging into the scalp.

A shampoo for thinning hair
scalp shampoo:
3 cups water, 1/2 cup lavender castile soap
1 tabl basil, lavender, rosemary

hair shampoo:
3 cups water, 1/2 cup castile soap
1 tabl nettles (in particular), sage, chamomile

Boil the water, turn the water off and put 1 heaping tablespoon of each herb into the water, cover and steep for at least one hour. Then strain off the herbs (I use a pasta strainer to get the big pieces and coffee filters inside the pasta strainer for the smaller pieces -- the brown filters are better as they have no chemical residuals). Then combine with the lavander soap.

Use the scalp shampoo first massaging your scalp and let it sit for a minute or two. Then use the hair shampoo. For very long hair, the hair shampoo might be a little too drying, I don't know, but it works great for everyone I've known who use it. The scalp shampoo is a definate as it removes the oil residue that suppresses growth and at the same time stimulates the growth.

Aspirin Antidandruff Rinse
-Dissolve six aspirin in a cup of warm water.
-Pour over head and work into scalp.
-Leave on fifteen minutes.
-Rinse thoroughly.

Intensive Conditioning Treatment
-Whip together 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon soft margarine, and 2 teaspoons wheat germ oil.
-Apply to hair and scalp, completely covering each strand with a thick layer of conditioner.
-Soak a terry-lined shower cap in hot water, wring out, and pull over head.
-Allow this conditioning cap to remain on the head for thirty to forty-five minutes.
-Remove the cap. You'll be surprized how much conditioner your thirsty, dry hair has absorbed.
-Wash out the residual conditioner and allow hair to air dry or use a dryer set on cool

Intensive Conditioning for Hair Breakage
-Combine 1/2 cup margarine, 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon cold cream.
-Pierce a vitamin E capsule with a pin and empty contents into mixture.
-Paint half of the mixture onto head with a fresh, two inch paintbrush, thickly covering every strand.
-Soak a terry-lined shower cap in hot water, wring it out, and place it on head.
-Sit under cap for fifteen to twenty minutes.
-Remove the cap and apply rest of conditioning mixture, massaging it well into the hair.
-Reheat cap and place on head.
-Sit under cap for another fifteen to twenty minutes.
-Wash out with mild shampoo and air dry.

Last Hope conditioner
Not to be used on the night of a big date--- it takes some time.

2 whole eggs whipped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of lime juice

Mix all three ingredients and leave on hair for 20-30 min. (Adding heat helps to penetrate). The lime is optional---for us curly-hair types, the lime juice perks up the curls. Shampoo hair twice and rinse thoroughly.

Once a Week Protein Treatment
4 tablespoons protein nutritional supplement powder
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cold-pressed sesame oil
6 tablespoons hot water

In a glass enamel bowl, stir the ingredients together. Use enough hot water to dissolve the powder and thoroughly blend egg and oil. It should be like a loose paste. Apply, begin working in at the ends and then work your way up. Wet a terry cloth shower cap (warm). Place on head and wait 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Vinegar recipes

Basic Vinegar Rinse
Combine 2 tablespoons each of vinegar & double-strength peppermint tea with 1 quart of distilled water as a final rinse. To liven drab hair, mix 1/4 cup vinegar with 1 1/4 cups waters. Dispel the odor by adding a few drops of oil of clove to a pint of water and rinsing again.

Cosmetic Vinegars

The following recipes are based on the premise of "cosmetic vinegars" that have a more pleasing aroma and increased conditioning benefits. Each of the following combintaions should be brought to a boil in an enamel or glass pan and simmered uncovered for 15 minutes, then covered and allowed to steep for 30 minutes before straining. After they cool, add to final hair rinse.

All Purpose Hair Sparkler

1 cup each of white vinegar & distilled water
1/4 cup each dried nettle, red clover & rosemary

Adds softness shine to all types of hair.

Light-Haired Vinegar Rinse

1 cup each of white vinegar and distilled water
3 camomile tea bags
2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Brings out blonde highlights & adds shine.

Dark Haired Sage Rinse

1 cup each red wine vinegar & distilled water
2 tablespoons dried sage

Great for dark hair

Fruity Hair Vinegar Rinse
1 orange
1 apple
1 small slice of melon
2 pints of distilled water
2 pints of cider vinegar

Peel & slice fruit. Puncture the orange & melon peel. Boil both the fruit & the peels in water. Cover & allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to stand for another 2 hours. Strain & add to cider vinegar. Bottle & leave for 24 hours before use.

Wash the hair and add half a pint of the Fruity Hair Vinegar Rinse to the final rinse water. This hair rinse is very exhilarating and refreshing to use. It restores natural acid mantle to all types of hair and leaves it shiny. Good for ultra-oily hair as well.

free skin care · Thu Aug 10, 2006 7:31 am

For those ladies who are like me and no longer want/need to wear traditional mascara because A) their lashes are so long and lush now from using the Jan Marini Age Intervention EyeLash serum that they no longer need the extra length from mascara, and/or B) they tint their lashes with the fabulous 1000 Hours DIY Lash Tint kit so they no longer need the color boost provided by traditional mscara but still want to wear a little something on their lashes to give them a bit of shine and definition, but still look 100% clean and natural, then have I got a homemade recipe for you!!

I created this because I couldn’t find any brand of clear mascara that I really liked to use during the day and sometimes when I’d use Ardell as a clear mascara, it would leave a whitish flaky residue around the base of my lashes as the day wore on so I started fooling around with my secret lash serum recipe to see if I could make something that was both nourishing/moisturizing but also gave my lashes a bit of definition and gloss.

This is based upon a modification of my homemade lash serum recipe using very basic ingredients that most everyone who has tinkered with DIY before will already have in their cupboard or cabinet, so without further adieu I give you:

Dr. Holland’s Daily Nourishing Lash Gloss

What you need:
-------------------------------------
• clean bottle or jar with lid in which to prepare and mix lash gloss ingredients;
• clean mascara tube and spooly wand – if you have an old tube of mascara, just take it apart and wash the components with very hot water and anti-bacterial soap (you may wish to run it through the dishwasher by putting it in the silverware basket). If you don’t have an old tube you can use, go to the drugstore or supermarket and buy a tube of el cheapo mascara and clean it out instead;
• 3 Tbs distilled or purified water – you can usually find distilled water in the bottled water aisle at the supermarket for about 99¢ per gallon;
• 1/4 teaspoon Soy Lecithin powder – you can usually find this in the vitamin aisle at health food stores or online, be sure to check label to ensure it is 100% pure Lecithin powder without any added fillers;
• 1/4 teaspoon Germaben II preservative, optional – you can buy this fromwww.thepersonalformulator.com
• 5 drops castor oil (preferably cold-pressed);
• 3 drops jojoba oil;
• 2 drops Vitamin E oil;
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey or dark molasses (or 3/4 tsp of each);
• tea strainer or small piece of cheesecloth – note: a piece of sterile surgical gauze can be used in an emergency

What you do:
--------------------------------
Pour the distilled water into the bottle and add Soy Lecithin powder, put lid on bottle and shake vigorously until powder has been completely dissolved. Next, take a small glass and stretch the tea strainer or cheesecloth across the mouth of glass and then pour soy Lecithin water through strainer into glass in order to remove the “scum” from Lecithin residue from the water. Rinse out your mixing bottle and then pour strained soy Lecithin water back in to mixing bottle.

Now, add the remaining ingredients to mixing bottle and shake vigorously until all oils have become emulsified with the soy Lecithin water and ingredients are completely blended. Then pour lash gloss mixture into your clean mascara tube and then fasten spooly wand-cap tightly. Place lid on leftover Lash Gloss mixture and store in refrigerator for up to 60 days.

How to use it:
----------------------------------
Shake tube well then apply Lash Gloss as you would any ordinary mascara. It will separate and define your lashes while at the same time imparting a look of glossy health. Unlike traditional colored mascara, however, you don’t have to worry about it flaking or smudging or leaving you with ‘raccoon eyes’ by the end of the day. It’s also easy to remove with your favorite facial cleanser and water. Unlike traditional mascaras, this lash gloss does not contain any harsh or drying ingredients to dry out or damage your lashes.

I’ve been using this in the daytime for the last week or so and I love it! It makes my blue/black tinted lashes look really dark and glossy and gorgeous – much better than all of the various brands of clear mascara I have tried...it’s also much healthier to my lashes than any clear or colored mascara.

The Lash Gloss helps hold the curl from my traditional clamp-style lash curlers, as well as my heated lash curlers, although the trick is to curl your lashes AFTER you’ve applied the lash gloss and allowed it to dry for a few minutes. You don’t need to worry that your lashes will stick to your lash curler and possibly be pulled out, as is the case when using a traditional lash curler after applying regular mascara, because the ingredients in the Lash Gloss act in the same manner as a non-stick cooking spray, thereby preventing your lashes from sticking to the plastic or metal components of your lash curler.

For those having trouble identifying the proper soy Lecithin for the Lash Gloss recipe, here’s a link to the brand that I use: http://www.nowfoods.com/index.php?action=itemdetail&item_id=3349

Please note : if you are still having a difficult time locating the Lecithin powder and/or Germaben, I’d be happy to decant a small amount of either or both from my containers and send them to you – PM me for details.

Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:48 am

This mask is amazing for skin - I have used it consistently for over a month and am impressed every time with how calm, refined and smooth my face is every time I use it!

Green Tea / Aspirin Mask
1 tsp. whole milk yogurt
5-7 uncoated aspirin
1/2 - 1 tsp. white sugar
1 capsule of green tea extract ($3-$4 for 60 at Walmart)
2-3 drops of honey

Instructions: In a small bowl, dissolve the aspirin in the yogurt (it will take about 4-5 minutes - be patient! Note: this will give the mask its thickness.) Then, add the sugar, green tea extract and honey. Mix and apply as much of it as possible - all over (be careful in the eye area - I apply under eyes and have not experienced any irritation.) Wait until the mask has completely dried - it is worth the wait. Now rinse the mask off with cool water - don't scrub.

Why the combo works so well:
Exfoliation
BHA - aspirin
AHA - sugar
Lactic Acid - yogurt

Germ fighting
Antibacterial - honey

Pigment brightening
Lightening agents - yogurt, green tea

Antioxidant
green tea

Moisturizing
Yogurt & Honey

free skin care · Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:21 am

Shout out to my fellow DIYers, especially those who have been fooling around with making their own minerals and/or primers (i.e.: HPJRT) – I need some help:

I very much want to (try to) make a homemade version of my beloved Jurlique Rose Silk Dust because I’m absolutely certain I could buy all of the raw materials to make a dozen batches of it for less than it costs to buy a single jar (approx $30USD), but I’m a bit perplexed how they incorporate the essential oils and/or extracts (liquids) into the dry ingredients without it turning into a paste instead of a powder? I’m sure the answer is probably as plain as a pig in a parlour, but this is the first time I’ve fooled with making any type of powdery-type item so I’m feeling a bit dense! Embarassed

Here’s the actual list of ingredients of the Jurlique Silk Dust:

Corn starch; rice starch; silica; Herbal Extract mixture from: Calendula officinalis, Arnica montana, Witch Hazel, Bellis Perennis (Daisy), Salvia Officinalis (Sage), Rosemarinis Officinalis (Rosemary), Iris florentina (Orris), Rosa centifolia (Rose) Flower oil, Lauroyl Lysine, Lavendula Augustifolia (Lavender) oil.

Do you think the raw “silk powder” that you can get from TKB Trading would be a suitable base to start with rather than actual corn/rice starch (BTW, what *is* the basis of their silk powder, anyway – does anyone know?)? Do you think I should use some herbal extract distillates rather than the actual EOs? And, I repeat, how does one mix the wet and dry ingredients without turning it into paste?!?!

Any suggestions, advice or input is greatly appreciated!

TIA,
Carrie

P.S. Mary: my mom loved the pearl paste and peal primer samples and actually started bugging me to make her some more, which is actually how my interest became piqued regarding the Silk Dust, so thanks!!

Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:23 pm

Carekate, I'm not sure what the basis of TKB's silk powder is exactly, but traditionally silk powder is created either from silk thread or from the cocoon of silk worms.

I haven't tried this personally, but my cousin used to add essential oils to her powder by mixing all the oils first and then putting the mixture on one of those Scentball diffuser pads. You cut the pad into quarters, drop it into your bottle of powder and close the lid tight. Leave it overnight to permeate. If you add the oils directly, you end up having to run the powder through a flour sifter until there are no lumps in it (if there is a pig in that parlour, I don't see it either Laughing

)

Oh yeah, and don't sneeze.....lol! I'm sure you'll do great.

PS: I'd like to thank all the ladies who have contibuted to this thread. So far, I've made the ACV Toner, Yonka Emulsion "Pure", Lip Exfoliator, Aspirin Mask, the lip stain and the hair minimizing oil. I've always shied away from DIY, thinking it would be a messy, long-drawn out process and I probably wouldn't see any results in the end. You have turned me into a believer. Smile

Sat Sep 02, 2006 1:07 am

diderot wrote:

Homemade DETOX ocean bath for imperfections on your body.

what you need :
Non-iodized natural sea salt
Essential oil (not a must)

Get some pure "sea salt", you can find them in any supermarket or natural food stores, get the non-iodized one, which means it's made from vaporized sea water, nothing added. I got one of those paper cylindrical box 26oz for $1-2. Pour HALF of the it into your tub of warm-to-hot water, not too hot, so you can stay in longer. Half the box of salt may sound too much, but I lick my wet hand, they are not even as salty as ocean water. I usually add my own essential oil, lemon for cleansing and Juniper Berry for draining my lymphatic system, but they are not a must for this problem.

Soak for about 30 mins, I can't promise you all the bumps will be gone immediately, but you should be able to FEEL the difference. For me, either they are gone or they are significantly flatten immediately after one sea salt bath.

I guess this lighter version of ocean water minus all the pollution, either detox, decongest or re-mineralize my skin, whatever it was, it took away ALL the imperfections on my body after 3 baths, it even took care of the annoying tiny flesh bump on my neck (told by my friend it was due to hormonal change and many people have it).

**Dry brushing is not recommended before this ocean bath and don't do this if you have OPEN WOUNDS, it might burn.

What do you mean this got rid of all your imperfections on your skin? Like freckles and moles and stuff, or acne?

Mon Sep 04, 2006 5:55 pm

Hello, This is my first post. I saw the vit c serum recipe and am confused about the l-ascorbic acid etc. I have pure ascorbic acid crystals. Is this the right stuff? Also may I add other ingredients such as r-lipoic acid powder from a gel cap. Would I need to double the base? I thought I saw a post about this but could not find it again.

free skin care · Mon Sep 04, 2006 6:03 pm

herb lady wrote:

Hello, This is my first post. I saw the vit c serum recipe and am confused about the l-ascorbic acid etc. I have pure ascorbic acid crystals. Is this the right stuff? Also may I add other ingredients such as r-lipoic acid powder from a gel cap. Would I need to double the base? I thought I saw a post about this but could not find it again.

That is the correct C, but you may have some trouble getting the ALA to dissolve. It won't work for sure in water, maybe in oil. I have to use a perfumers alcohol to dissolve mine, HTH. (Which is why I usually buy stuff that is already dissolved)

free skin care · Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:08 am

Zanamer wrote:

I haven't tried this personally, but my cousin used to add essential oils to her powder by mixing all the oils first and then putting the mixture on one of those Scentball diffuser pads. You cut the pad into quarters, drop it into your bottle of powder and close the lid tight. Leave it overnight to permeate. If you add the oils directly, you end up having to run the powder through a flour sifter until there are no lumps in it (if there is a pig in that parlour, I don't see it either Laughing

)

See, I knew there would be a simple answer – thanks! I’ve just placed my order for all of the raw ingredients to make my Silk Dust and will be trying my hand to make some this weekend – and none too soon as I’m nearly finished with my current jar of the real stuff! If it turns out successfully, I’ll post the recipe for everyone....

free skin care · Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:10 am

I don't know if there is anyone like me who got irritation for using re vive and cellcosmet eye creams for a week? So I made a personal eye cream...

1. benefit eye con (or other eye cream) sample about 3ml
2. one drop chamomile essential oil
3. one drop avocado oil
4. about 1ml aloe vera gel and
5. 3 drop orange flower water.

mix 2&3&4, and then add 1, mix, and then add 5.

It works great for my irritated eyes! the bump will go for overnight and then I go back to my regular eye creams!

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