Tripod Thursdays- Calming the Waters- Peace, Beauty and Serenity

Happy Tripod Thursday!
If a picture is worth a thousand words, here are several thousands of words. I hope that the Peace, Beauty and Serenity of them will Calm your Waters!

     From the Newport (KY) Aquarium

DROWN YOURSELF IN SOMETHING GOOD!

Bathing can be invigorating and rejuvenating or relaxing and soothing depending which herbs and essential oils you mix into the tub. You can help the body heal or calm aching muscles by just changing the additives in your bath. So here are some recipes for you to try. For those of you that missed the bathing tips, or if you just need to refresh your memory, please read this previous post; http://uniquegardenessences.blogspot.com/2008/06/soaking-in-everything-you-should-know.html With all of these recipes, add essential oils after the bath is filled with warm water, and relax for 15-20. To help the oil mix in the water you can mix it with a cap full of baby shampoo or purse castille soap if you wish. ___Calming Bath___ 6 drop Juniper essential oil 6 drops Geranium essential oil This bath is soothing and acts as a sedative, while being spiritually uplifting. Juniper has many healing properties impacting the skin, immune system and circulatory system. In the bath Juniper helps combat mental fatigue and restores clam. Geranium oil is thought to balance hormones and stimulate the adrenals. ___An Aphrodisiac Bath____ 4 drops ylang ylang essential oil 3 drops neroli essential oil 2 drops bergamot essential oil 2 Tbs. honey 2 ounces fresh cream This recipe is said to relax the mind and stimulate sexuality and euphoria. ___Invigorating Bath___ 1/4 cup dried rosemary 1/4 cup dried sage 2 Tbs. oatmeal Rosemary relieves mental fatigue. Sage treats loss of concentration. Oatmeal softens the water. ___Stimulating Blend____ 1/4 cup dried basil 1/4 cup dried eucalyptus 1/4 cup dried peppermint Basil regenerates mental powers. Eucalyptus treats lack of concentration. Peppermint alleviates mental fatigue and lack of concentration, and revitalizes. ______Citrus Tonic_________ 1/4 cup lemon peel 1/4 cup grated orange peel 1 Tbs. dried parsley 1 Tbs. dried comfrey Lemon treats lethargy. Orange fights depression and anxiety. Parsley stimulates.Comfrey is a mild antiseptic. ___Relaxing Bath Infusion_____ 1 Tbs. dried peppermint 1 Tbs. dried lavender buds 1 Tbs. dried eucalyptus leaves 1 Tbs. dried chamomile flowers Peppermint alleviates mental fatigue and lack of concentration, it revitalizes. Lavender relaxes, soothes, promotes rest and sleep, and restores balance to the body systems. Eucalyptus treats lack of concentration, and helps you to breath deeply. Chamomile calms you and helps to tone the skin. You can also use bath additives to help with skin issues. ___Oily Skin Bath___ 4 drops cypress essential oil 4 drops orange essential oil Cypress oil is known for alleviating menopausal symptoms and circulatory problems, and will help remedy oily skin when used in the bath. The orange oil is a tonic for the muscular system and will combat wrinkles while rejuvenating the skin and giving the bath a fresh aroma. You should soak for the full 20 min. for best results. ___Dry Skin Bath___ 3 TBS. sweet almond oil 8 drops sandalwood essential oil Sandalwood has excellent skin healing properties, especially for cracked and chapped skin. Sweet almond oil is a light oil that is easily absorbed by the skin. Put these two together, and you have a great treatment for dry skin. You should only soak for 15 minutes, but you should use this treatment daily until you are healed. Make sure that you pat your skin dry and apply moisturizer after your bath. ___Normal Skin Bath___ 3 Tbs. olive oil 8 drops geranium oil Geranium oil is a multi-purpose essential oil. It is a mood elevator, antiseptic, insect repellent, athlete's foot remedy and more. In the bath, it is very soothing , rich and relaxing, with a great aroma. Olive oil is high in vitamins and mineral and helps to maintain the correct water balance and level of acidity, both internally and externally.

Facing the Facts about Face Care

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, it is also in the TIME of the beholder. The definition, or what constitutes classic beauty, changes with the years. The ancient Greeks believed that the facial proportions needed to be harmonious for a woman to be beautiful, while the Victorians favored thin lips, and Rubens portrayed goddesses with double chins and fat cheeks.
Today, per our magazine models, we seem to favor thin bodied women with full, lush lips.

Throughout history women have gone to great lengths to achieve the standard, "beautiful" face. Elizabethan women went so far as to cover their faces in lead, achieving the coveted ghostly pallor of the beautiful face. Roman women smeared wax on wrinkles and mercury based lotions on freckles and spots, to maintain the beautiful face.

No matter what you, or the magazines, feel is the face of beauty today, women all over want clean, healthy skin. You can cover your hands and feet, camouflage your skin in clothing, but your face remains out there for all to see. Too many late nights, exposure to weather, stress, and poor diet all affect the sensitive skin of the face. To maintain health and beauty it is important to care for yourself and your skin. Pampering yourself is the key to putting your best face forward!

There are five steps to a perfect face. 1. Cleanse. This will rid your skin of dirt, makeup and oils. 2. Steam. This opens the pores, increases blood circulation in the facial capillaries and deep cleanses the skin. 3. Mask or Peel. This will further remove residue deep in the pores. It also nourishes and replenishes the skin with essential vitamins and minerals. 4. Tone. Toner tightens the pores and prepares the skin to accept the moisturizer.
5. Moisturize. This replenishes the skin with fluid and gives it a fine coat of protective film.

Here are some more tips for face care, then the next post will offer some more recipes!

• Remember to ALWAYS clean your face BEFORE doing a steam.
• Pull your hair back so you can get right up to the hairline.
• ALWAYS wear sunscreen when outside.
• Don't forget to moisturize above your upper lip and the area above the cheekbones, but below the eyes. These areas tend to be particularly lacking in moisture.
• When applying peels and masks, use a dark towel to avoid staining.
• Steam your skin once a week for the benefits mentioned in the steps of facial care.
• Be cautious when steaming. You do NOT want to scald the skin. If the steam is burning the inside of your nose, wait a few minutes for the water to cool down, the try again.
• Eating more whole grains, eggs, leafy greens and broccoli will naturally increase vitamin E in your system. Vitamin E promotes skin elasticity.
• Eating more spinach, cantaloupe, carrots and pumpkin will increase the amount of vitamin A in your diet, which lubricates and heals the skin.
• Don't forget to cleanse and care for your neck, just as you care for your face. Neck skin ages the same way the skin on your face does.