How to make Homemade Lotion

Today, like most other days, I want to show easy it is to make your own health and beauty products. Today I made face and body lotion. As with the few preceding posts, I have tried to stress that anything that you put on your skin will be absorbed into the blood stream and lotion is no exception. I live in a very dry climate so I'm no stranger to using lotion. No matter how much water I drink my skin always seems to need a little extra moisture, but so many lotions contain synthetic ingredients or artificial scents. And the "All Natural" lotions can be pricy. So I decided to make my own lotion. I was a little intimidated at first because I knew that lotion was mixing oil and water. Typically the two don't mix, however, at the right temperature the two solutions will mix, forming the lovely mixture we know as lotion.

The recipe I use is taken from Rosemary Gladstar's book "The Family Herbal." I know that I've said it before, but I will say it again, this book is a must have! For anyone interested in knowing more about herbalism or for the seasoned herbalist looking for some new recipes, this book is a wealth of knowledge and information about herbal living. So the recipe is as follows:

Waters
2/3 cup of distilled water
1/3 cup of aloe vera gel
1 or 2 drops of essential oil
Vitamins A and E as desired

Oils
3/4 cup of apricot, almond or grapeseed oil
1/3 cup of coconut oil or cocoa butter
1/4 teaspoon lanolin
1/2 to 1 ounce of grated beeswax

Mix all the waters into a measuring cup. I feel that the 1 to 2 drops of essential oil that Rosemary called for is far too few. I would use up to 40 drops of essential oil depending on the oils you are using. The essential oils also add healing properties as well as a wonderful aroma. Once the waters are mixed, Set them aside and let them get to room temperature.

Mix all the Oils into a double boiler over low to medium heat.

Heat the oils just enough to melt all the ingredients together. Remove from the heat and place the oils in the blender.

Let the oils sit in the blender until they reach room temperature. When this happens, the mixture will get thick, creamy and turn a beige color. I like to poke the top of the mixture to see what it looks like on the bottom. If there is still some oil that has not solidified you need to let the mixture cool a little longer. Once the solution has reached room temperature put the lid on the blender, removing the small circle on the top of the lid. Turn the blender on its highest speed and slowly start adding the water to the center of the mixing oil. You may need to stop the blender and at times to hand mix the mixture. but resume blending and pouring water until all has been mixed together.

What you will end up with is thick, creamy lotion. When you rub it on your skin it may seem greecy at first, but after a few minutes the oils will absorb into the skin. Place into jars and label. I like to put some into little sample jars to hand out to my friends (they always like to try my latest and greatest). If your lotion doesn't turn out the first time, try again. It is well worth the perseverance.

Sources:

Gladstar, R. (2001). Rosemary Gladstar's family herbal: a guide to living life with energy, health, and vitality. North Adams, Mass.: Storey Books.

All Natural Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Nowadays everyone is worried about germs and how to protect yourself from all the dirt and grime in the world. Hand sanitizers have become extremely popular among our germaphobic culture, but most hand sanitizers on the market are not all that effective and some of them are even dangerous. Today I’d like to provide you some information on why not to use the mainstream hand sanitizers and what alternatives we have.

When it comes to commercial hand sanitizers you have two options: chemical based or alcohol based. Sanitizers that have a chemical based active ingredient are dangerous to the user. In April of 2011 the FDA started cracking down on companies that claimed that hand sanitizers prevent infections from bacteria and viruses. Not only were they making false claims, but triclosan, an ingredient in many “antibacterial” products, is proving to be more harmful than helpful. Triclosan, and other "antibacterial" chemicals, are readily absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream disrupting the body’s endocrine system and helping create antibiotic resistant superbugs.

If your hand sanitizer doesn’t contain nasty chemicals then the active ingredient is alcohol. If the percentage of alcohol is greater than 60% then the sanitizer will reduce the number of germs on the skin but will not kill them. The downfall is that it stops working after about two minutes when the alcohol has evaporated. If there is visible dirt and grime on the hands then there is little chance that the sanitizer will be effective.

So my goal is to provide an easy to make product that is safe and effective (for more than 2 minutes). Even many of the homemade hand sanitizers use alcohol as their main active ingredient. I wanted to focus the antimicrobial activity of my homemade hand sanitizer on essential oils (EO’s). Essential oils are lipid soluble allowing them to dissolve the cell walls of bacteria, where most of the energy metabolism takes place. They can also stay active for 60-90 minutes after they are applied. This recipe is also well rounded in its ability to fight bacteria (lavender, tea tree, rosemary and lemongrass), viruses (eucalyptus and tea tree) and fungi (lavender and tea tree). Lavender, tea tree and rosemary also activate the immune system by increasing the activity of white blood cells. Witch hazel extract also has some antiseptic and antimicrobial properties as well. The recipe is as follows:

¼ cup of lotion or aloe vera gel

1 Tbs Witch hazel extract

10 drops of tea tree essential oil

10 drops of lavender essential oil

8 drops of rosemary essential oil

8 drops of lemongrass essential oil

5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil

Mix all ingredient together and place in a glass gar with a pump. For a more traditional feel to the hand sanitizer use the aloe vera gel. If you prefer to have a more moisturizing feel, use the lotion.

Do not use on serious burns, cuts or wounds and avoid using if nursing or pregnant and on very small children. It may cause minor skin irritation. Don’t forget that nothing beats the germ fighting ability of soap and water but when you are unable to wash your hands, use this all natural, homemade hand sanitizer.


Sources:

Battaglia, S. (2003). The complete guide to aromatherapy (2nd ed.). Brisbane:

International Centre of Holistic Aromatherapy.

Wildwood, C. (1996). The encyclopedia of aromatherapy. Rochester, Vt.: Healing Arts Press.

http://www.brighterdayfoods.com/PDFDocs/j/JRMU0UJ26H3H8PDWUGS7PDXMLJSS1JW4.PDF

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/21/health/21cons.html

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/witch_hazel_extract.php

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/hand-sanitizer-minutes-effective-killing-germs-long-term-research-article-1.190969

http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm251816.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040704621.html

Daily Herb-o-Scope - Natural remedies for Sunburn

Yesterday I talked about natural ways to protect yourself from getting sunburned and the obvious next blog should be about natural ways to treat sunburn. Colorado weather has been brutally hot theses last few weeks, and any time spent outside has been miserable and burn laden. First and second degree burns can be treated at home, just as long as the area is kept clean and infection free. For third degree burns medical attention must be sought.


First and foremost, the area must be immediately cooled. Cold water or ice should be applied to the area for about 30 minutes. Do not put any ointment or cream on the burnt area until the skin is cooled because the ointment may lock in heat, making the burn worse. Egg whites on the burned skin is another way to help draw out the heat from a sunburn and this may happen so quickly the the egg may actually cook on the skin right before your eyes. Once you initially draw out the heat, there are several other ways to continue to cool the skin and help the burn to heal. 

Aloe vera plants are such a helpful and easy houseplant to have around and they have documented use of for over 2000 years. The gel in the stalks are antibacterial, vulnerary and anti-inflammatory, helping to cool, disinfect and heal the affected area. By dilating capillaries and increasing blood flow, aloe gel helps to increase blood flow to the burnt area and encourages healing. The inside of aloe vera leaves contains a gel that has a pH of 4.3, which is great for the skin.

Fresh aloe vera gel is always better than a bottle bought from the store. To harvest the fresh leaf, tare one of the lower leaves from plant. Slice the leave length wise up to the point you plan on using because the leaf will heal itself and when it is placed in the fridge it can keep for several months.Then peel the leaf open and scrap the gel from the tough outer part. I like to put the gel in the refrigerator before slathering on the goo for an extra coolness. When purchasing aloe vera gel form the store, beware of preservatives and food coloring that might present in the gel. Aloe vera gel should be more a a clear color and any artificial food colorings placed on the skin are readily absorbed into the blood stream and can be toxic.

Black and green and tea (Camellia sinensis) are sunburn tools that you can find in any grocery store and most hotel rooms. When your skin is burnt and crawling, just brew a cup of tea and then chill it. When the tea is cool, soak a cloth in the tea and ring out. Place the wet cloth directly on the burnt skin for 15-30 minutes. Reapply as needed. The tea will help to reduce inflammation, deter infection and help heal the skin. I tend to use this remedy when I am vacationing on the beach simply because of its convenience and availability.

Vinegar application is also another folk treatment for sun burn. Make a solution of half white distilled vinegar and half water, use a cotton ball to apply the vinegar solution to the skin. It isn't a pleasant experience, mainly because it smells so bad, but it really helps to take the sting out of a raw and irritated sunburn.


Lavender essential oil is one of my favorite remedies for a sunburn. Its usefulness in the treatment of burns occurred in the 1920's when perfumer Rene-Maurice Gattefosse set his arm on fire. He thrust his arm in the nearest cold liquid which happened to be a big vat of lavender essential oil. He noticed almost instant pain relief and later, abbreviated healing time with minimal scaring. Not only have studies shown that lavender essential oil is beneficial to the actually burnt skin but it is soothing properties help to ease the tension and aggravation associated with being uncomfortable. A cool bath with several drops of lavender essential oil and no more than 8 tablespoons of cider vinegar can be very helpful to a sunburn.  Lavender essential oil is something that I always bring on vacation or camping trip. It most certainly is a first aid kit in a bottle.


These are my suggestions to help sooth a raw sunburn and help the skin heal faster. I hope they are helpful to you or you loved ones this summer.

Sources

Culpeper, N. (1950). Culpeper's complete herbal. London: W. Foulsham & Co., LTD.

Duke, J. A. (2000). The green pharmacy herbal handbook: your comprehensive reference to the best herbs for healing. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Reach.


Fontaine, K. L. (2005). Complementary & alternative therapies for nursing practice (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Gladstar, R. (2001). Rosemary Gladstar's family herbal: a guide to living life with energy, health and vitality. North Adams, MA: Storey  Books.

Mars, B. (2007). The desktop guide for natural medicine. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications. 

http://www.tisserand.com/gattefosse.html