Natural scrub powder DIY

It's been a while since I've written a blog post. I've been trying to keep the computer and the internet to a minimum to focus on things that are a bit more important. Now I'm inspired and refreshed.
I wanted to share with you some ways you can make your own scrub powders for masks and various forms of scrubs (bars, creams, oils) It's easy and cheap!

Ground seeds and nuts a great and natural alternative for micro plastic, they come free with the fruit you buy at your local market. Avocado, cherry, mango and apricot kernels are great to use in scrubs.
Once you've removed the kernels, clean them and let them dry. You can dry them in the oven for an hour or 2 at very low temperatures or just put them in a dry place in the sun for a week or two.
When they've dried you can start grinding. I would suggest you try to chop the larger kernels into smaller chunks first before placing them in a blender or hand blender. If after you've placed the kernels in the blender you still feel like they're too large you can use a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle.
Once you feel like the powder is fine enough you're ready to use it in a scrub. You can use larger pieces for a body scrub and fine powder for a facial scrub.

I had a picture of my own mixture, but it won't let me upload it. Hopefully I can add it later!

If you use these natural powders in a scrub remember to keep water out of it (if you're using it in creamy or oily scrub) or to let it dry really well after you've used it if you're using it in a scrub bar. This way you'll prevent fungus from growing.

Have fun eating your fruits, getting your vitamins and making your own scrub powder.

My skin routine

Today I'll talk a bit about my own skin routine. It has taken me quite a long time to find the perfect routine for my skin, but I feel like I'm getting there. It takes a while before you see the results on your skin when using a new product or routine, so be patient if you don't see results within a week or two. Your skin is unique and product lines created to appeal to a large crowd might not fit your needs.

Face
I wash my face twice a day using very mild, calendula soap and some luke warm water . When I have make up on (which is a rare thing these days) I use a 2 step face wash. First I use vegetable oil remove make up and wash my face with soap afterwards. I pat my face dry and apply a toner. I try to vary between toners, right now have one with rose. Sometimes I use just plain rose water  or green tea.
In the morning I use a soft and light cream, in the evening I usually go for a caring oil.

I scrub once a week with a mixture of sugar and baking soda, and mix it together into a paste. Although I really love the smell of my beloved sugar and oatmeal scrub, I've noticed this mixture is much better for my skin. I follow with a green clay skin mask.

Body
When I shower I usually just wash myself with water, and sometimes I use soap just because I like the smell. I try to use as little soap as possible, I've found my skin is less dry and water will make you just as clean.
Once a week I scrub using either a sisal scrub glove or sea salt. If I want a very mild scrub I use my scrub bar with almond. I follow with some plain cherry pit oil or one of my body butter bars.

Hands & feet
I really should pay more attention to my hands and feet. I try to scrub my feet once a week with a pumice stone, followed by some good vitalizing cream. I should try to give myself a relaxing foot bath more often.
I work a lot with my hands, but all I ever do is put some cream on there. I've made some great powders for a hand bath but I never really use them. My hands could definitely use a bit more attention.

No buy update

In december I started 2 no buy challenges. One of them was a no buy for everything except school stuff for one month, the other one was a 3 month no buy for clothing.

My one month no buy went really great, I only bought a book. Sale at the book store is really just too hard to resist for me. It wasn't as hard as I expected it to be, and I think in the future I will try no buys more often, it's a great way to think about what you really need and keep your bank account healthy.
It made me clear out a lot of stuff I no longer need, giving it to other people, second hand stores and selling stuff on line. This place now feels a lot cleaner and neater.

My no buy didn't really go so well, I bought some  things for this spring and summer at the second hand store and at flea markets. It's so hard for me not to buy things I like when I see them, because I know you only have one shot at buying them. The no buy made me think about my wardrobe, I donated the clothing that no longer fits or stuff I hardly ever wear to charity. I try to combine things in a different way and I reorganized my wardrobe so it's easier to see what I have.

I think I could have done better at the clothing no buy challenge, but it did help me to reorganize and look at my wardrobe in a different way.

Where to get what part III: Online

This will be the last post in this series for now. Today we'll talk about the world of on line shopping for home made cosmetics.

Sometimes there are ingredients you can't find at stores in your town. If you're lucky the internet will provide you with web shops from your country, specialized in natural and home made cosmetics.
These web shops are a dangerous place for the wallets of people like me, filled with amazing oils, butters, powders and dried flowers.

There are a couple of things you should try to remember when ordering. . Most of these things sound simple and logical, but sometimes the quantity and greed can get you distracted.

*check out multiple stores if you can. Some may have a larger variety of products, others might be a little cheaper, some maybe have free shipping. It really pays off to look around and see what's the best place to shop at.
*try buying in bulk. It's often cheaper, plus it's nice to have a stock. Not all products can be bought in bulk, especially products with a shorter shelf life. It also means you will only have to pay for shipping once.
*Check the ingredients. This might sound strange at first, but you buy let's say an extract, it's nice to know what they used to make it. Sometimes oils and butters have added ingredients to make it a butter or oil.
*Look up some recipes before you order. This will get you inspired, and will also give you a guideline from which to start. Sometimes you see so many things you want, but if you have a goal it's easier to stay focused and not spend too much money.
*Educate yourself. What does stuff like cold pressed really mean? Refined, cold pressed, biological are just some terms shops might use for their products.

There are just a few simple hints to get you going. If you're completely new in the field of making your own cosmetics, I would suggest you start with some stuff that can be made with stuff from the supermarket or health store first before you buy anything on line. Give it a shot, and if you like it there's plenty of stuff out there for you to buy.

Sage Deodorant

Sage, or salvia as some call it, is great little plant. It is known for it's antibiotic and anti sweating properties.
I also really like the smell, and together with some fresh essential oils you can make a great deodorant.

What do we need?

*a glass spray bottle.
*45 ml of distilled water, I personally use rose water, but any water without too much lime/calcium
*45 ml of about 40 % alcohol, you can use clear vodka or 70% alcohol and just use about 25 ml and add more water.
*10 ml of vegetable glycerine, it helps to restore the moisture in your skin, alcohol can make you skin feel dry.
*sage extract, more on making your own extracts
*20 drops of lemon essential oil and 20 drops of tea tree essential oil. Both essential oils have anti bacterial qualities and smell fresh.
*10 drops of sage essential oil, 5 drops of pine essential oil. You can add about 10-15 extra drops of your own essential oils to this mixture of sage and pine to create your own scent.
I added some lavender and rosewood.

I usually work with recipes at the moment and might change a drop or 2 depending on how the smell. It's not something you can do out of nothing for the first time. Give your nose time to get to know the scent and if it doesn't feel right for you add different oils.

If you want to go full sage on this one, you can boil some water and make a little sage herbal infusion to use instead of plain water or rose water.If you use plain water, boil it first to give your deodorant a longer shelf life.

Mix the water, alcohol and glycerin together in a bottle. Add about 5 drops of sage extract to your mixture.
Add the lemon, tea tree, sage and pine oil first. Smell the mixture and add about 10-15 more drops of essential oil. Softly shake it to mix it up a little, and let it rest for a few days before using it.

I actually really like this deodorant. I wore it to the gym and still smelled nice 3 hours afterwards.
Yep, I didn't shower until hours later on purpose just to test this recipe. 
I really love the smell of sage, it's a recipe I'm sure I'm going to make more often in the future.
Feel free to try it, and experiment by adding your own touch to it.

Making your own extract

Extracts are a great addition to your recipes, not just for your natural cosmetics but also in the kitchen.
There are a couple of ways to make extract, but today I'll share the easy method. 

If you look up recipes for extract on line, you will find very different recipes. It's not an exact science, but I will stick to the recipe I found in a book on natural cosmetic ingredients.

What do we need?
*clear, plain wodka, usually around 40% alcohol, if you can find a stronger one that's good too.
*herbs, this can be anything from vanilla to mint, rosemary or any other herb. Dried or fresh, just make sure the herbs are clean, free of dirt and bugs.
*a clean jar or bottle.

The recipe I found was 1 part herbs and 10 parts liquid. I think this is a pretty good recipe, but if you want to you can add more herbs. Just make sure all of the herbs are covered with liquid and you're still able to shake and or stir the mixture.  Like I said before, it's not an exact science. Feel free to experiment.

Put the herbs in the jar, fill it with the liquid and leave it in there for at least 4 weeks. Regularly shake or stir the mixture to get a good extract.
When it's done, separate the herbs from the liquid. You can use a clean dish towel to clear out the large parts and run it through a coffee filter to get the smaller parts out.
Store it in a clean jar, preferably with colored glass.

How do we use it?
Extracts can be used in many recipes. They're a great addition to face masks, creams, deodorants. Or if you're making vanilla or mint extract you can use it in all sorts of delicious recipes.
Only use a couple of drops in each recipe, remember you're adding  extra liquid to your recipe, this may influence the texture of your creams.
I often use extracts in face masks and most recently in a great sage deodorant, but I'll tell you more about that in my next post.

My shop update

My etsy store is one of my passions in life, next to of course natural cosmetics.

To celebrate the opening of my store there's a 10% discount for costumers.
Use the code TUMBLR10 at the end of your checkout.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunsetSparkles

I hope to sell some stuff, make my costumers happy and buy some new supplies.
And just grow and learn from this experience.