In a traditional skincare recipe a term like ‘toilet vinegar’ can sometimes stop us in our tracks. With a little investigating we can learn a lot to bring recipes into modern use. When there weren’t preparations ready to buy off-the-shelf we were resourceful in using the ingredients we had to hand – in kitchen cupboards…
Ten natural skincare treatments you can make with elderflower water (plus a couple of curiosities) Elderflower water was the go-to complexion enhancer on every dressing table in the past. It is widely used in skincare for its conditioning and skin lightening, properties that can be handy for reducing freckles and sunburn and for treating greying…
Natural skincare is like food for the skin. So treat your skincare like your food. The best skincare (like food) is freshly made using fresh, natural ingredients (ideally sourced as locally as possible). As with fresh food, this will mean skincare has a lifespan (or ‘shelf-life’), after which it is considered not suitable for use.…
Essential oils are extracted through distillation, it’s a practice we’ve been doing for over a thousand years. Distillation creates a truly intense concentration of plant power to be used with care. Often they are included in skincare recipes for therapeutic benefits, but they may simply be added for their wonderful, natural scent and the character…
Creating your own signature scent is a lovely way to gently mark your presence in a room or bring your own character to any outfit. Use it daily or just on special occasions, when you want to feel really good. Blending it Yourself Natural Perfume Oil To start you’ll need to find a suitable bottle…
One of the first plants that appears in abundance in the spring is Cleavers. It’s as if nature is predicting our needs and providing for them, as Cleavers are wonderful for cleansing – inside and out, a great addition to a Spring detox. CLEAVERS Galium apaçine Commonly known as goosegrass, sticky weed, or ‘organic sellotape’.…
Elderflower was the go-to complexion enhancer on every dressing table in the past. They are widely used in skincare for their conditioning and skin-lightening, properties which can be handy for reducing freckles and sunburn and for treating greying hair. An infusion of elderflowers can be used for softening cleansers, toners and conditioners for hands, face and body. It is…
Here are some really simple facial scrubs using just two or three ingredients. Select the variation to suit your skin and make up as you want to use it. Once the ingredients are blended, simply use your fingertips to rub the paste over your face in small circles and then rinse off with warm water,…
Here’s your top 10 zero-calorie chocolate indulgence recipes: Chocolate hair mask Dry shampoo for dark hair 3-ways chocolate face masks Chocolate orange lip balm Chocolate rose scrub (for face or body) Cocoa butter hand cream Chocolate milk bath Chocolate and walnut body scrub Chocolate wax Mint Chocolate foot scrub Find out why chocolate is so…
How and why to do a patch test Everyone has their own unique skin so it’s impossible to say how an individual will react to a particular ingredient. While many of the ingredients with known, more universal, sensitivities are avoided in natural skincare (the artificial fragrances in particular, as well as many preservatives and additives)…
