Make it Yourself Monday-After Sun Spritzer

4 oz. Aloe Vera Juice (Water) *can be made from aloe powder
2 oz. Witch Hazel
1 oz. Distilled Water
30 drops German Blue Chamomile Essential Oil
15 drops Lavender Essential Oil
15 drops [Egyptian] Geranium Essential Oil
Preservative of Choice (use according to manufacturers directions)
*baking soda

Add all the ingredients together, mix well, then pour into a bottle with a spray top. While not necessary, storing this product in the refrigerator will extend the shelf life AND add to the cooling relief it offers.
 
Need more relief? You can mix some of the above with baking soda and apply a thin layer to a sun burn. This makes a wonderful cooling and soothing paste, much like a (facial) mud mask.

Tripod Thursdays- Soaps 1-35

What's Happening Wednesday-

Yesterday's post on infusions inspired me to get some more chamomile comfrey and calendula steeping.
(-------------This is chamomile being infused into water.
This is calendula, also in water ------)




So, aside from watching a steeping pot steep, what's happening this Wednesday? Well, aside from my slowly, but surely going crazy, I'm not sure! LOL. Okay, so that's not exactly new,  nor is it limited to Wednesdays I know, but  still this is what's going on today!
Last night I made my first batch of cold process soap in quite a long while. Talk about crazy! I have spend a lot of time coming up with new recipes, making ingredient lists, lists of things I want to try, lists of scents I want to create, lists, lists, lists. First to make on that list is a new everyday bar. It looks to be a very moisturizing bar, with good, bubbles, and pretty creamy. So when I finally got the rest of my ordered oils in, I was anxious to make a batch of soap. I spent a few hours of going back and forth, finally deciding that I would use chamomile, lavender, and clary sage for the fragrance,  and I would  use a chamomile and calendula infusion too. A bit more anguishing and I decided on leaving the majority of the soap in its natural color, and adding a swirl of color by using turmeric.

All set, I weigh out all the oils, prepare the water and the lye, and stand ready to make soap. I am all set to get underway when I, for some unbeknown reason, take the entire container of turmeric into the kitchen with me. Silly, silly, girl! Yes, I know better, I can't say what I was thinking, obviously I wasn't. When my soap mixture hit trace a bit fast, I grabbed, and kind of dumped, the turmeric into the mixture, without measuring it. In addition to that mistake, I also retained way too much soap for just a swirl. I actually kept enough for an entire layer. So at this point, I have deeply colored soap, and a layer instead of a swirl.
Before I ever began, I knew that I would have more soap than I needed for one mold, so the plan was to put the excess into a one pound mold  for sample bars. What I wonder is, why, when faced with all this extra colored soap, didn't I just do the planned swirl and pour all of the extra into the mold for sample bars? Talk about loosing your mind! It never even crossed my mind until AFTER I finished pouring it. Just after! LOL. While I will be cutting the soap later today, it will take weeks before I will know if its usable, or if I over did the turmeric, ruining the batch. Oh what fun! LOL.

soap molds

getting ready to make soap

turmeric colored soap

preparing to make soap

 
So, a deep breath, a good nights sleep, and another batch of soap in the plans for later today. Of course I will leave the herb container in the craft room this time, and only take the measured amount into the kitchen. Naturally, I will have to agonize again my choice if scent and color, especially since I am still waiting on the arrival of that last supply box. It has blueberry fibers in it, which I am looking forward to using, so of course, everything I think of would just be right with gray/blue coloring. I am having difficulty coming up with a scent that I can't picture in blue! Lol!  So I am going to sleep on it, and hope that I don't dream in blues, but in a kaleidescope of colors. Then I am going to cut the soap, put it out to cure, and  re-line those molds. Then I am going to measure out whatever colorant I've decide to use, and I am going to prepare to make a big, beautiful swirl!!
Right now my eyes are crossed, and I am fighting to stay awake long enough to finish this post, which is really hard, because all I really want to do is to get to sleep. Of course, the sooner I get to sleep, the sooner I can get up, and the sooner I will be making soap! So I am going to say good night now, but since it's really  early morning, maybe I should say good morning to you, and you can say nighty night to me!

Compresses and Poultices

As we know, herbs were the first used "drugs". You can still utilize these natural remedies for a variety of maladies. Since many of the recipes I have offered have focused on essential oils for inhalation, today I'd like to discuss some other ways to use herbs, mainly compresses and poultices. A compress consists of a pad or cloth material(cotton or gauze is the best material choice) that has been soaked in an herbal tea, decoction, or extract and water mixture. After the appropriate tea, decoction, or extract is chosen and made, you soak the pad or cloth fabric in the liquid, wring it out, then apply it to the affected area. Compresses can be used either hot or cold. If swelling, muscle sprain, or a headache is involved, after it is soaked, place the compress in the freezer until it is cold, then apply it. Sometimes it is beneficial to alternate heated compresses with cold ones to help relieve pressure. Compresses are ideal for treating and helping to heal muscle injuries, wounds, and other external pain. To know what herbs to use for your ailment(s), refer to herbal or essential oil charts, where the benefits of the products are listed. The herbs can e used as single notes or you can try mixing more than one together at a time if you are feeling bold! For muscle pains you can try wintergreen, camphor, lemon grass, sage, or eucalyptus teas. For a headache try a cool lavender, chamomile and/or sage compress. For minor wounds or skin irritations, try rosemary, chamomile, thyme or lavender. While almost like a compress, with a poultice you apply the whole herb to an affected area instead of the liquid soaked fabric. First you must boil the fresh herb (roots can be used too), then you squeeze out the excess water. The herb is then placed on a thin layer of gauze, folded to keep the herb sandwiched inside, then laid over the affected area. The poultice should stay in place for for 3-4 hours, then be replaced with a fresh one if needed. Again, the choice of herbs/roots needs to be researched and well thought out, but a poultice of (either one or a combination of two or more) the herbs rosemary, thyme, lavender or chamomile would make a strong healing poultice. Chamomile on the skin helps to reduce redness and sooth inflamed skin, as well as being an antiseptic, bactericidal, and mild sedative. Thyme is reputed to be strongly anti-viral, while also being considered an antibacterial agent and fungicide. While lavender works well on all types of skin problems, it especially worlds well for healing boils, burns, sunburn, wounds, psoriasis, insect bites, and stings. Among many others, Lavender has the properties of an antiseptic, and an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory, a restorative and a mild sedative. Rosemary also possesses many properties, but for the purpose of a poultice it is important for its properties of an analgesic, an antimicrobial, an antiseptic, a fungicidal, and a restorative.

The Charms of Chamomile

Chamomile has been noted for centuries as being calming, comforting and as a healing herb. Over 400 years ago herbalists noted that drinking chamomile was good for indigestion, while bathing in an infusion of chamomile flowers seemed to relieve aching joints and strained muscles. In shampoo and hair rinses chamomile is purported to keep blond hair at its golden best, while it is traditionally recommended to topically treat swelling from arthritis, burns, and sprains, it has also been noted to decrease redness of the skin that is due to irritations. Chamomile is also noted as a mild sedative and an anti-errythemic (anti-itch) medicine. Used as a treatment for everything from teething pain relief to diaper rash relief, this herb has long had the reputation of being good for "whatever ails you"! As a matter of fact, chamomile is frequently used in many products for adults and children, and is often preferred for infants and children, for both internal and topical remedies, because of its mildness. Chamomile is one of the few medicinal plants that still have a large, prominent role in modern medicine. European researchers have shown that substances found in the essential oil of chamomile flowers have anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, sedative and analgesic properties. Some studies also report that chamomile oil or extract soothes burned or irritated skin, and even helps to prevent stomach ulcers. The tea made from the chamomile flowers has long been touted to help calm an upset stomach and to help induce sleepiness. It seems that centuries old folklore is a modern day fact! Chamomile comes in two species, the Roman and the German, but both belong to the same family as asters and daisies. The flower heads resemble mini daisies, and are where the healing power is found. The flower heads are the part of the herb that the essential oil is distilled from, and they yield an azure blue volatile oil. Chamomile is considered to be one of the safest herbs to use, frequently recommended for use by infants, children and pregnant women, however, anyone with a ragweed, daisy, aster, or mum allergy should exercise caution when using chamomile products, and especially think twice about drinking chamomile tea. Now I have to say that many people, even those with such allergies, do use chamomile products without any adverse affects, it is generally better safe than sorry, most especially with internal preparations! If a topical makes your skin red or itchy, it is fairly easy to discontinue use, but if your airway is swelling shut it is not something you can take care of yourself! Chamomile is purported to help;

• reduce inflammation
• sooth skin irritations, including diaper rash
• decrease toothache and teething pain
• reduce earaches
• ease indigestion, including colic in infants
• calm nerves
• promote rest/sleep
• reduce cold symptoms
• relieve menstrual cramps
• prevent stomach ulcers

You can buy a cup of chamomile tea in restaurants all over the world, or purchase pre-made bags in your local grocery store, but this tea is going to be weak. Even the strongest of prepared teas will only contain 10-15% of the volatile oil that the flowers themselves have. So.....if you would like something stronger, remember that many health experts feel that a cup of tea a day will provide long-term health benefits, you can simply brew about 1 Tbs. of flower heads to about 1 cup of water, strain and sip! When cooled, this solution can also be used as a hair rinse. You can even infuse some olive oil with an ounce of flowers, leave sit for several days then strain and use as a body oil.

I just planted my chamomile last week, but I still have some dried from my old house, so I think I will head to the kitchen and brew a cup, as all this writing has made me thirsty!

Wrap It Up!

The Basics of Body Wrapping

While the treatments listed here are more time consuming than some of the facial or hair treatments, they are well worth the indulgence! In addition to the physical benefits brought forth by the various ingredients used, the rewarding spiritual effects cannot be ignored. So go ahead and wrap yourself in the ocean's best and emerge like a new creation, a mermaid perhaps?

Tips to Enhance Your Treatment

Prior to a treatment, make sure that you remove all lotion, perfume, deodorant, and dirt by taking a quick shower. It will be better if use a non-perfumed soap (an all natural soap is best, but a mild one will do). Warming the tools , towels, sheets and wrap ingredients will help with your body's heat retention, thus enhancing your experience. To this end, use of a space heater is also recommended. Placing it near your relaxation area will not only prolong the heat of the wrap for as long as possible, but it will increase your comfort level. You can further intensify your treatment, as well as raise your body's temperature by sipping on some hot herbal tea before your treatment. The cotton strips or sheet that you use to wrap should be immersed in water that is approximately 180 degrees F or 82 degrees C. Wearing rubber gloves to wring out the sheets will help you avoid burning your fingers. Begin by wrapping the strips snugly around your legs, then your arms, and lastly your torso. Make sure to tuck the ends of the strip under a wrapped area nearby to ensure a snug fit. Once you are finished, lay yourself on a plastic sheet (or a shower curtain) and wrap yourself up in it, then cover yourself with blankets, as this will help to maintain the warmth and heat helps activate your treatment. Once you are finished wrapping, put on a warm robe and sit and relax for 20 minutes, unless otherwise directed. Keep in mind that it is very important that you do NOT attempt any physical activity immediately after your treatment. It is usually best to slowly remove the strips and simply roll into bed after relaxation type wraps. Showering shortly after many treatment is not recommended, so please do so only if the recipe specifically mentions it in the instructions.

Recipes/Directions

To get prepared, select your relaxation spot, such as your bed, the bathtub or a lounge chair, then place the plastic sheet or shower curtain liner on it. Set up the space heater next to it and turn it on. Place blankets nearby.

Relaxation Wrap

1 Cup fresh, chopped, chamomile OR 1/2 Cup dried chamomile 1 Cup fresh, grated valerian root OR 1/2 Cup dried valerian root 1 Cup fresh, crushed lavender OR 1/2 Cup dried lavender 1 cotton or linen sheet cut into 3" wide strips 1 large pot for boiling water (a lobster or spaghetti pot works well) 1 plastic shower curtain liner or plastic sheet blankets Place the herbs in a large pot and fill with water, then bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes. With a strainer, scoop out as many of the herbs as possible. Then place the sheet strips in the pot and allow to steep for five minutes. Once your five minutes is up, remove the strips one at a time, as you use them, and wring out the excess water. Proceed to wrap yourself as described above, making sure to cover and relax for 10 minutes, after which you should remove the strips slowly and roll on into bed. Valerian has been used since ancient Roman times as a mild sedative, and is used today as a mild sleep aid and anxiety reliever. Chamomile offers calming and anti-spasmodic properties, while lavender lends its balancing, relaxing, and restorative properties, all of which combine to make this wrap the perfect end to a stressful day. Using this wrap just prior to bedtime will maximize its effectiveness, as will delaying washing until the next morning.

Detoxifying Wrap

1 Cup fresh, chopped lemongrass OR 1/2 Cup dried lemongrass 1 3" long piece of grated or minced ginger root 1 large pot for boiling 1 cotton or linen sheet cut into 3" wide strips 1 plastic sheet or shower curtain liner blankets place the lemongrass and the ginger in a large pot and filled with water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for another 5 minutes. Scoop out as much of the herbs as possible, then place the sheet strips in the pot and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the strips one at a time, as you use them, and wring out the excess water. Apply as instructed in the tip section above. Once completely wrapped, cover with blankets and relax for 15 minutes. After you remove the wrap strips, shower off. Ginger has been cultivated in Southeast Asia for over 2,500 years for its medicinal properties. It has been found to rid the body of flu-like symptoms, colds, and respiratory ailments, while the scent of lemongrass uplifts and rejuvenates moods. Lemongrass has tonic, invigorating and antiseptic properties, while ginger offers stimulating and cleansing effects, which makes this wrap perfect for part of your morning ritual.

Remineralizing Wrap

8 oz dried or powdered seaweed OR 3oz fresh seaweed water (enough to make a paste) 2 Plastic sheet or shower curtain liner blankets This wrap is probably best executed in the bathtub for ease of cleanup. Put a blanket (or blankets, enough so that you are comfortable) on the bottom of the tub, then set the plastic sheet or shower curtain liner on top of the blanket(s). While sitting in the tub, on top of the plastic, cover yourself with the seaweed past or the fresh seaweed, then wrap yourself with a plastic sheet and blankets. Relax for 20 minutes, then slowly unwrap yourself, remove the blankets and sheets from the tub, fill with warm water and relax for an additional 10 minutes. After the treatment pat your skin dry, and don't forget to moisturize. *Make sure that you use the space heater for this treatment. Seaweed wraps are a quick way to remineralize the body while replenishing the body with nutrients and elements that are lost on a daily basis, such as amino-acids, calcium, copper, iodine, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, protein, and vitamins. The molecular formation of the human blood cell and that of seawater is very similar, which allows nutrients from the seawater to easily filter through the pores of the skin and directly into the bloodstream. The most popular type of seaweed used for cosmetic and healing purposes is kelp, which is the common name for the leafy brown algae that grows along colder coastlines. Although using fresh seaweed is optimal, a seaweed powder (mixed with enough water to create a mayonnaise-like paste) will give you equally satisfying results.