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Summer Safety Tips to Protect Against Tick-Borne Illnesses & Skin Cancer

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May 9, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 2 Comments

Learn important outdoor summer safety tips to protect your body from tick-borne illnesses and sunburns that can lead to skin cancer.

Outdoor Summer Safety Tips

Which is your biggest concern? Getting skin cancer or contracting Lyme disease? You may be surprised to learn that equal numbers of people fall victim to both each year. As these numbers have increased considerably to around 300,000 cases of each per year, it makes sense that summer skin care should be a priority. By carrying out a few essential summer safety tips, you can help prevent you and your family from getting sick. Keep reading to discover these essential summer safety tips that target potential summertime threats.

Why Is Summer Skin Care Important?

Summer skin care involves more than just protecting your skin from the sun. Ticks, which can potentially infect their host with Lyme disease or even a red meat allergy, are also becoming increasingly common. This makes not just skin cancer, but the possibility of a lifelong illness from chronic lyme disease, an equal concern. Learn important summer safety tips to protect your body from tick-borne illnesses and sunburns that can lead to skin cancer below.

Concern Over Potentially Toxic Ingredients In Sunscreen

You may have heard that are new concerns regarding sunscreens. A recent medical study by JAMA showed that certain chemicals used in sunscreen – specifically avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule – are actually absorbed into the users bloodstream during use. Unfortunately for us, these levels are much higher than approved by the FDA.

However, as sunscreens have not been subjected to the same standards as drug safety testing, there have been no safety inspections on sunscreens thus far. This means that the chemicals in many of the sunscreens on the market are potentially poisoning our bodies. What we don’t know, is if these chemicals are putting us at risk for future illnesses or cancer.

What I found especially scary is how long three of the aforementioned chemicals stay in the bloodstream. Not only do levels of all of these chemicals exceed the maximum safety levels set by the FDA after the first use, three are still detectable after a seven day period. Especially troubling are the results of study on oxybenzone. A chemical banned from sunscreens in Hawaii as it’s toxic to coral reefs, oxybenzone also shows up in womens breast milk.

Unfortunately, no one knows the long term effects of using sunscreen with these ingredients. As of yet, more testing needs to be done to ensure consumer safety. There simply is no concrete answer as to if these ingredients cause cancer over time with continued use. Kind of scary right?

Outdoor Summer Sun Protection Safety Tips

In order to keep your skin safe from cancer, wearing clothing that covers exposed skin and applying sunscreen are two very important summer safety tips. However, with new insight on the potential dangers of chemicals found in sunscreens, it begs the question, what kind of sunscreen should you use?

What Types of Sunscreen Should I Use?

Barrier sunscreens, or mineral based sunscreens that contain zinc oxide, and are free of the previously mentioned chemicals are considered to be safe and effective at protecting skin from sunburns. (Some brands to consider are Waxhead, Bare Republic and Australian Gold.)

It is recommended that you opt out of making your own sunscreen unless you can test its effectiveness. There are numerous reports across the internet in which homemade sunscreens did not offer the protection thought. Thus resulting in bad sunburns. (So DIY at your own risk.)

One only needs to refer back to the debacle with The Honest Company sunscreen during 2015 to fully realize the challenge in make a safe and effective product. There were multiple reports after the original sunscreen was reformulated to reduce the amount of zinc oxide. Extensive sunburns were reported after this change, that while more aesthetically pleasing (bye bye white marks!) it missed the mark on sun protection. (You can read more on this issue here.)

The risk of skin cancer, unfortunately, seems to keep rising. In 2018 the World Cancer Research Fund reported 300,000 new cases of melanoma. This marks melanoma as the 19th most commonly occurring cancer among men and women.

Why Protecting Yourself From Tick Bites Is Important

While the thought of skin cancer is certainly scary, contracting Lyme disease – or even an allergy to red meat – from a tick bite is becoming increasingly common. And quite honestly, just as terrifying. Like melanoma, the CDC reports that 300,000 Americans contract tick-borne diseases each year. While there were 30,000 cases reported to the CDC in 2013, they believe that the actual number of cases is ten times this amount.

The month of May typically marks the start of tick season. This means starting now you should already be taking precautions to protect yourself – and your furry friends – from tick bites. In addition, as we had a mild winter across much of the United States, tick season is expected to be considerably worse this year over previous years when winter temperatures were much colder. It is important to keep in mind, however, that just because tick season starts in May, that doesn’t mean there’s not a year round risk.

Common Disease Carrying Ticks to Watch Out For

Black Legged Tick (Deer Tick)

Not all ticks carry Lyme disease. However, the black legged tick, also known as a deer tick, does. It’s prevalent across much of the Northeastern, mid-Atlantic and north-central part of the United States as well as Illinois. Cases of lyme disease have been reported from Virginia to Northern Maine. This disease causes fever, headache and fatigue as well as characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, the infection may spread to the joints, heart and the nervous system. This in turn can lead to chronic pain, similar to that of fibromyalgia. (Learn more about Lyme disease here.)

A few years back my neighbor contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite. He had headaches so intense he was unable to work for six months coupled with crippling pain. After which he was only able to go back to work part time. If you suspect you may have been bitten by a deer tick, immediate antibiotic treatment can reduce or prevent the symptoms of Lyme disease. However, the best course of action is still prevention.

Deer ticks must be attached to their host – whether pet or human – for 36 to 48 hours in order to transmit the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi that causes lyme disease. Therefore, checking yourself and your animals for ticks once you’ve been outside in wooded and high grass areas can help prevent transmission of the disease. While wearing protective clothing and using a tick repellent can prevent tick bites entirely.

American Dog Tick

The American dog tick, on the other hand, is also one of the most common ticks in the US. However, it is often misidentified. While dog ticks do not carry Lyme disease, they can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and possibly ehrlichiosis to humans. Ehrlichiosis is an emerging concern for areas where this tick is found, East of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ehrlichiosis causes a variety of symptoms that include fever, headache, chills, malaise, muscle pain, gastrointestinal distress, confusion, red eyes and a rash. Approximately one third of adults and half of all children who contract ehrlichiosis experience systems. As with Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis can be fatal in some cases. However, early treatment with antibiotics is often effective.

Lone Star Tick

Finally, the lone star tick – which is also common in my home state of Virginia – can pass along what is called alpha-gal. Alpha-gal is a sugar molecule that the lone star tick can transmit from mammals to humans. When this happens, our bodies develop antibodies against alpha-gal. This in turn results to a life threatening allergy to red meat.

The allergy causes symptoms in humans ranging from hives to violent vomiting and diarrhea – or worse death from anaphylaxis shock. People who have this allergy, like those allergic to bee stings or even peanuts – must carry an EpiPen with them in case of accidental exposure. Additionally, UVA has also conducted research linking those sensitive to the alpha-gal gene with a much higher risk of heart disease.

The lone star tick is especially dangerous as it will actually hunt its next meal. Research has shown that this tick can sense mammals and humans from 60 to 100 feet away. The tick then gravitates towards mammals, rather than patiently waiting for someone to walk by. A recent news story in our area reported that doctors in Richmond are seeing approximately 100 cases per week of people who have been infected with alpha-gal from tick bites.

Outdoor Summer Safety Tips to Prevent Tick Bites

If you live in areas that are prone to ticks, or you are visit high grassy or wooded areas, you should be taking precautions to prevent tick bites. Here’s how to keep you and your family safe from tick-borne illnesses.

- Wear light protective clothing that covers your arms and legs. (Ticks are easier to see on light colored clothes.) A head covering is also recommended. Tuck or tape your cuffs into your shoes to prevent ticks from crawling inside underneath your clothes.
- It’s recommended that you spray an insect repellant that contains picaridin, rather than DEET, onto your clothing and hands. (Avoid spraying insect repellent onto your face. Apply with your hands instead, avoiding mucous membranes.) Be sure to wash skin and clothes once you return indoors. Other DEET alternatives include natural tick repellents containing lemon eucalyptus oil.
- When hiking, walk inside the center of the trail to avoid being brushed by foliage that may contain ticks. If camping, avoid sitting in areas with leaf litter.
- Check yourself, as well as pets and children, for ticks every two to three hours. Most ticks are unable to transmit a disease until after the four hour mark. While removing ticks within 36 hours makes transmission of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease unlikely.
- If you find a tick on your clothing, it can be easily removed with masking or cellophane tape. To remove ticks on skin, grasp it firmly with tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Then firmly and gently pull the tick straight out. Alternately, you can also use a cloth or tissue to form barrier between your fingers and the tick prior to removal. Always wash the infected area with soap and water following tick removal, followed by an antiseptic.
- If you’re worried about infection, you can save the tick in a small vial of alcohol. This way the tick can be identified if you do get sick or want to take preventative antibiotics to protect against Lyme disease. Or if you experience an unexplained illness accompanied by a fever after visiting a tick prone area.

Alternatives to DEET

According to UpToDate, insect repellents containing the active ingredients DEET, IR3535, or picaridin are the most effective at preventing tick bites. However, these products must be reapplied frequently. Further, DEET products are not safe for use on small children under two months of age. Nor are they safe for adults at concentrations of higher than 30%. This chemical repellent can cause adverse neurologic reactions, such as seizures, as a result of overexposure. In addition it can also cause hives and blister-like lesions.

Due to the potential toxicity of DEET, picaridin is now recommended by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a safe alternative to DEET. It should be applied every two hours. Picaridin is non-greasy and odorless. And it won’t irritate skin or stain fabrics. While there has been no indication of toxicity reported from use on humans, picaridin has caused liver toxicity in rats.

Should you choose to use an insect repellent with picaridin, I recommend Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent or Natrapel 8 Hour. Both of these insect repellents contain 20% picaridin.

While potentially less effective, natural alternatives are considered safer than chemical tick repellents. WebMD states that the application of Citriodiol (which contains 30% lemon eucalyptus oil extract) three times daily significantly decreases the risk of tick attachment if you live in tick-infested area. You can purchase REPEL Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent on Amazon. Like Citriodiol, it also contains 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus. And it doesn’t smell like bug spray.

You can also make a natural insect repellent at home. I have an insect repellent body butter recipe made with a blend of essential oils, including lemon eucalyptus to help repel mosquitoes and deer ticks. You find that recipe here.

What Is Your Biggest Outdoor Summer Skin Care Threat?

While it’s important to be diligent at preventing both sunburns and tick bites with the above summer safety tips, I’m curious which you find the greater concern? I posed this same question to my boyfriend, Greg. He stated that after watching me struggling with chronic pain from fibromyalgia, he’d definitely go the skin cancer route. Neither, however, would be his preference. I’ve seen photos of the damage caused by skin cancer and the radiation used to treat it. It’s not pretty. And I imagine it’s also quite painful.

The point is, however, both of these threats are scary and potentially life threatening. I’d love to hear you thoughts on these two health topics as well as your own summer safety tips you take to keep your and your family well. So be sure to share your thoughts in the comments.

Discover more ways to keep your family well by exploring some of the ideas on my Natural Health and Wellness Pinterest board. You can also follow me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: health and wellness, healthy living, life tips and tricks, lifestyle, natural alternative, outdoors, skin care, summer, summer skin care

Pineapple Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe for Summer Self Care

April 23, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Celebrate summer with this pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe. This blue Hawaiian pineapple bath bomb is perfect for some tropical summer fun – whether you’re on vacation or spending a night in at home. Indulge in a gorgeous colors and fragrance in your bath while you pamper yourself with skin conditioning shea butter and babassu oil.

Pineapple Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe. Celebrate summer with this pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe. This blue Hawaiian pineapple bath bomb is perfect for some tropical summer fun - whether you're on vacation or spending a night in at home. Indulge in a gorgeous colors and fragrance in your bath while you pamper yourself with skin conditioning shea butter and babassu oil. Discover how to make a simple hidden color bath bomb recipe in a single craft session.

Pin this recipe now.

Keep reading to discover how to make a simple hidden color bath bomb recipe in a single craft session. Plus learn about my new favorite bath bomb molds.

Let’s Make Hidden Color Bath Bombs

I recently purchased an 8-piece bath bomb set featuring a variety of heavy duty bath bomb molds. It included two differently sized sets of round molds, a leaf and a tulips shaped mold, and a pineapple bath bomb mold. Ever since I shared a guest recipe on how to make rainbow bar bath bomb embeds for hidden color bath bombs, I’ve been wanting to try it myself. Unfortunately, bath bombs are not my strong suit. Not to mention the humidity in Southwestern Virginia right now has been insane. (We seriously have been getting more rainfall than Seattle, Washington the past few years.)

Formulating A No Fail Bath Bomb Recipe

When I received my new bath bomb molds, however, I knew it was time to just give it a go. Rather than attempt a two part process where I first make embeds and then make the bath bombs to hide them in, I thought I’d try it as a one step process with a single hidden color inside. I ended up using a blue lake dye (made specifically for bath bombs) for the hidden color. I then used a small amount of mica in conjunction with polysorbate 80 (so there’s no staining or colored bath tub ring) for the surrounding colors. This pretty much makes this bath bomb project for people – like myself – who struggle with practicing patience.

In addition, I formulated these pineapple hidden color bath bombs order to ensure a no fail bath bomb recipe even in humidity. (No joke, I made these during the day with the humidity at 43% because I was tired of putting them off. I then unmolded them the next day with the humidity at 84%.) To achieve this I included moisturizing shea butter and babassu oil – a rockin’ substitute for coconut oil – along with a bit of cream of tartar.

Finally, I also added magnesium flakes for their natural skin care benefits. Also known as magnesium chloride, magnesium flakes are better suited than Epsom salt for topical application. When used in bathwater, magnesium flakes are a great natural remedy for stress relief and sore muscle recovery. They also aid in improving circulation.

Pineapple Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz. baking soda
8 oz. citric acid
1 oz. magnesium flakes
.25 oz. cream of tartar
2.5 oz. babassu oil
1.25 oz. refined (high melt point) shea butter
.6 oz. polysorbate 80
.5 oz. pineapple fragrance oil, or scent of choice
1/2 Tablespoon blue lake dye (or bath bomb colorant)
1 teaspoon (bath bomb safe) green mica or lake dye, of choice
1/2 Tablespoon pink mica powder or lake dye, of choice
eco-friendly glitter, to suit (optional)

Materials & Tools for Making Bath Bombs:

digital scale
heavy duty bath bomb molds
three medium to large bowls (one for each color)
two containers for mixing ingredients
fork or whisk for mixing
microwave or double boiler
respirator face mask
disposable gloves

Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe Notes:

My hidden color bath bomb recipe makes a total of four hidden color bath bombs. I was able to use the pineapple bath bomb mold in addition to the two-part small round mold and the leaf and tulip molds. I started with the pineapple bath bomb mold first. Then, once I had made that bath bomb, I filled the other molds with colors at random.

Instructions for My Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe:

Begin by melting and mixing the liquid ingredients. To do this, weigh out the shea butter and babassu oil. Then combine in a heat safe container. Heat at 30% power in the microwave, or using the double boiler method, until melted. Remove from heat. Then weigh out the polysorbate 80 and fragrance oil. Stir into the melted oil and butter. Set aside.

Next combine and mix the dry ingredients called for in my pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe. (A face mask is recommended for this step.) Weigh out the citric acid, baking soda, cream of tartar and magnesium flakes. Combine in a large bowl and mix well, ensuring all the ingredients are evenly combined throughout.

Now set out three separate bowls. Divide the dry bath bomb mixture between the three molds – one for each of the three colors.

I used a large amount of the dry mixture for the pink mica. The dry mix for the blue lake dye had the least amount. While the green mica was about double that of the blue. Add the bath bomb colorants to each of the containers and mix well to combine. (The blue lake dye should account for about 28-34% of the dry bath bomb mix. Simply adjust the amount called for as needed.)

If desired, you may also add a bit of biodegradable eco-friendly glitter to any of the bath bomb colors.

Now add the liquid bath bomb mixture to each of the containers. Start with one color at a time. Use just enough of the liquid mixture to give the dry ingredients the consistency of wet sand. Mix well to combine then follow with the remaining colors.

You’re now ready to begin making your hidden color bath bombs.

I started with the pineapple bath bomb as it was the largest of the molds. Begin by loosely piling the green bath bomb mixture into the top of the mold where the leaves are. Then loosely fill the bottom portion of the mold with the pink mixture. Next, gently press – but don’t pack – the pink mixture into the mold.

Now loosely add some of the blue bath bomb mixture to the mold on top of the pink mixture. Press it slightly into the pink bath bomb mixture without packing it into the mold.

Follow with a loose pile of pink to cover the blue. Now firmly press and pack the bath bomb into the mold.

Once you’ve made your pineapple hidden color bath bomb, follow with the remainder of the molds, filling the colors as desired.

Allow the bath bombs to dry overnight or over the course of several days depending on the humidity in your area. (I left all of my hidden color bath bombs in the molds overnight with the exception of the round bath bomb mold. I was able to unmold that one right away.)

Then remove from the molds and package as desired.

Tips for removing the hidden color bath bombs from the molds.

If you have trouble removing your hidden color bath bombs from the pineapple, leaf and tulip shaped molds, simply bang the edges of the molds onto a table or hard surface on each side. At that point the bath bombs should come out of the molds in one piece. (You can also freeze them first to make removal even easier. Simply place the filled bath bomb molds in a gallon sized ziplock bag, then freeze for an hour before removing.)

Want to see this bath bomb in action?

You can see the leaf hidden color bath bomb I made with using this bath bomb recipe in action on my Facebook book page here as well as on instagram here. It goes for about three minutes and fizzes nicely even with the addition of shea butter and babassu oil.

More Bath Bomb Recipes to Try

If you like my pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe, then you may also enjoy making my other bath bomb recipes.

Or learn how to make one of the tried and true bath bomb recipes from Two Wild Hares. Including her fan favorite DIY bubble bath bomb cupcakes.

Discover more of my favorite bath and beauty recipes by following me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: bath and body, bath bomb recipe, bath bombs, bath tutorial, crafts, diy, gift idea, self care, skin care, skin care products, summer, summer skin care

Lip Gloss Recipe with a Pop of Color for Fresh Summer Looks

April 18, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Learn how to make this natural lip gloss recipe for a fresh fun way to add a pop of color to your summer look. Tinted with shimmering mica pigment powder, this homemade lip gloss recipe looks stunning solo or over your favorite lipstick. Scent yours with natural essential oils or add some fun with a jelly donut or watermelon flavor oil.

A few months back I fell in love with some scrapbooking embellishment stickers. They were shaped like donuts and covered with glitter. I bought them at the time thinking they’d be super cute for handmade soap gifts. I was planning to wrap ribbon around the soap and then accent the ribbons with donuts. While I still think that’s a great idea, I love the way the stickers looked on little lip balm jars and tins. So I decided to make a donut inspired lip gloss recipe to add to my list of donut skin care recipes.

Ingredients Used In Natural Lip Gloss

Unlike my homemade lip balm recipes, my natural lip gloss recipe combines two waxes to give lips shine. While castor oil is commonly used for this purpose, I found that the combination of candelilla wax and cera bellina wax worked even better. I love that this lip gloss isn’t sticky like some store brand lip glosses. And the punch of color makes this tinted lip gloss look great whether it’s layered over lipstick or worn solo.

Properties of Candelilla Wax

Candelilla wax is a unique odorless plant wax with a high melt point. It’s harvested from the leaves of candelilla shrubs that are native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. As this wax is extremely hard and brittle, it’s commonly sold as flakes or micro-beads. When mixed with other waxes, it hardens the formulation it’s incorporated into without raising the melting point. Often used in the cosmetics industry for skin care products and lip balms, candelilla wax is also used as a binder in chewing gum. When refined, candelilla wax can reach high levels of brilliance which add to shine when used in lip gloss formulations.

Properties of Cera Bellina Wax

Cera Bellina wax is a hydrophilic derivative of beeswax. It differs from regular beeswax in that it has excellent oil gelling properties. Adding cera bellina wax to lip balms, lotion bars or and emulsion will give the product a smooth, luxurious texture. It’s also a great wax to gel oils or butters with a low wax concentration as a small percentage of the recipe. Because cera bellina’s ability to prevent the crystallization of oils, it also works great as a second emulsifier or thickener in lotion formulations as well as natural beauty serums.

Benefits of Cupuacu Butter

Cupuacu butter is wonderful at hydrating skin and hair, making it a wonderful choice for a moisturizing lip gloss recipe. This natural Brazilian butter can be used solo, or incorporated with other ingredients, for a richly moisturizing lip balm. But don’t stop there. Because cupuacu butter is a humectant, similarly to honey, it is able to attract up to 240% more water. This makes this natural beauty butter especially beneficial to dry skin or chapped lips.

Benefits of Acai Berry Oil

Another natural skin care product from the Brazilian Amazon forest, acai berry oil is a luxe carrier oil that is rich in essential fatty acids. A powerful antioxidant with natural emollient properties, acai berry oil offers a number of benefits when used in skin care formulations. Not only is this carrier oil highly moisturizing, it can also help restore skin elasticity and promote healing of dry, chapped and cracked skin. It’s suitable for all skin types and has been found to help alleviate symptoms of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. In addition, this oil possesses anti-aging skin care properties. Plus it won’t clog pores!

Ready to get started on my tinted lip gloss recipe? You’ll find the recipe and directions to make it below.

Natural Lip Gloss Recipe

Ingredients:

.5 oz. roasted cocoa butter (Learn more.)
.5 oz. cupuacu butter
.3 oz. candelilla wax
.3 oz. acai berry oil
1.2 oz. sweet almond oil, or other carrier oil of choice
.5 oz. lip safe coral mica powder
.1 oz. cera bellina wax
flavor oil or essential oil blend, of choice

Essential oil blend:

20 drops blood orange essential oil
12 drops amyris essential oil (Learn more.)
8 drops tea tree oil

Lip gloss flavor oil:

.03 – .1 oz. jelly donut flavor oil

Lip Gloss Recipe Instructions:

I recommend using the double boiler method when making my tinted lip gloss recipe. However, you can also use a microwave if desired at 20%-30% power.

Start by weighing out the roasted cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, cera bellina wax and candelilla wax. Combine in a heat safe container and gently heat until all the ingredients have melted.

Once the butters and waxes have melted, remove from heat. Then weigh out the the acai berry oil and stir into the lip gloss mixture.

Now add the essential oils or your choice of flavor oil to suit. Mix well to combine. (It’s important to note that some flavor oils recommend different usage rates so be sure to check with the manufacturer. They can tell you the recommended percentage of flavor oil to use. I’ve provided a range of 1-3% in the above lip gloss recipe.)

Next, weigh out the lip safe mica pigment powder. Stir the mica into the mixture until it is evenly distributed throughout the lip gloss. It should be uniform in color and completely smooth with no clumps.

Now pour your tinted lip gloss into containers of your choice. I used a combination of 1/2 oz. white polypropylene double wall radius jars and 1 oz. metal tins with rolled edge covers. (My natural lip gloss recipe makes approximately five 1 oz. lip glosses.)

If desired, you can then decorate your homemade lip gloss containers for personal use or to give as handmade gifts.

Prefer to use tube lip gloss containers? You can use squeeze tube lip gloss containers as well as clear lip gloss tubes with applicators. Simply use half the amount of candelilla wax called for in my homemade lip gloss recipe.

Experiment with lip gloss recipe flavors & colors.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with my tinted lip gloss recipe! Not only can you mix up the flavor or scent by changing out flavor or essential oils, you can also adjust the shade of your lip gloss as well as the color. For a sheer tint try cutting the amount of mica powder in half. For a richer, more intense lip color, double the amount of mica. And, of course, don’t be afraid to try other lip safe mica powders with this lip gloss recipe.

Learn more about essential oils.

Want to explore essential oils in correlation with beauty and skin care recipes in an easy all-in-kit? Check out the essential oil recipe box from Simply Earth. Each box makes it easy to get started with essential oils and includes simple essential oil recipes and ingredients for home, health and beauty. Order your first essential oil recipe box and get a free bonus supply box with code: SOAPDELIFREE You’ll also receive a $40 discount on your second box.

More Donut Skin Care Recipes

If you like my tinted lip gloss recipe, then be sure to try these other fun donut beauty and skin care recipes. Learn how to make homemade donut soap for DIY gifts as well as exfoliating solid salt scrub bars.

Natural Lip Gloss Recipe with a Pop of Color for Fresh Summer Looks. Learn how to make this natural lip gloss recipe for a fresh fun way to add a pop of color to your summer look. Tinted with shimmering mica pigment powder, this homemade lip gloss recipe looks stunning solo or over your favorite lipstick. Scent yours with natural essential oils or add some fun with a jelly donut or watermelon flavor oil.

Repin it here.

If you like my tinted lip gloss recipe, be sure to save it to your Pinterest boards. In the meantime, you can also keep up with all my newest bath and beauty recipes by following me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: bath and beauty, beauty diy, beauty recipe, cosmetics, gift idea, green beauty, lip balm recipe, lip gloss, lip gloss recipe, lipstick, lipstick recipe, makeup, mineral makeup, natural beauty, stocking stuffers, summer, summer skin care, tinted lip balm

Mineral Bronzing Body Butter Recipe for a Sun Kissed Summer Look

April 15, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 2 Comments

Learn how to make a body highlighting bronzer for your summer beauty regimen with this homemade mineral bronzing body butter recipe. With as few as 4-ingredients you can add a sun kissed look to your summer skin. Experiment with mica pigment powders, coffee oil and bacuri butter for a beautiful summer beauty product that’s easy to customize. (I swear, you are going to LOVE this beauty DIY!)

Get That Sun Kissed Glow Without the Sun

I grew up in the 80’s. So during summers, from around age fourteen through much of high school, I tried hopelessly to tan. Whether I was drowning myself in Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil while laying out, or hitting the tanning bed, I did everything I could to try to achieve the perfect tan.

This was of course, in addition to a futile attempt to go blonde. I was all about using Sun In to try to get that bleached blonde look without actually having to buy hair color. (Being fourteen at the time, I obviously didn’t have money of my own.) Of course, the use of Sun In turned my hair orange, seeing as how I have red undertones from my mother’s side. Somehow that didn’t seem to stop me though.

Unfortunately, my mostly Irish and English ancestors ensured I never reached my tanning goals. So I piled chemical based sunless tanners on top of my often sunburned skin. This ultimately left my skin matching my hair. It gave my skin an unnatural orange tint that was common among my other pale skinned comrades trying to look like magazine cover models.

Since then I’ve learned to love my ~~translucent see through~~ pale skin. However, adding a touch of natural looking, non-permanent color is a easy way to give your skin a sun kissed look when the seasons change. It’s also great for covering up a farmer’s tan.

Greg, as he often works outside, never actually got rid of his farmer’s tan this winter. So I actually tested my mineral bronzing body butter recipe his skin in addition to my own. It worked like a charm at disguising the change in skin tone so his “guns” – which is wear he told me to put it (I swear.) – matched the color of the rest of his arms. He was EXTRA happy, however, that my bronzing body butter washed off, rather than fading into a blotchy mess like the sunless tanner I used on him last year.

About My Mineral Bronzing Body Butter

There a few things that I really love about my natural bronzing body butter recipe. The first is that it’s so easy to make. Therefore it won’t matter if you’re just a beginner dabbling in making your own homemade beauty products. This recipe would be really hard to mess up. (Just keep in mind that substitutions can impact the final outcome of this product, much like any other natural skin care recipe. For example using unrefined shea butter when the recipe calls for refined shea butter does matter as unrefined shea butter has a lower melting point than the refined version.)

Secondly, it blends well with all skin tones. It’s also easily customized by adding more (or less) mica or by mixing up the mica colors in the recipe. However, if you want a completely natural product (or zero shimmer) you don’t even have to use mica powder in my bronzing body butter recipe at all.

Third, as I used bacuri butter in my body highlighting bronzer for color in addition to the coffee oil, it’s easier to achieve a deeper color brown as the base. This also means it absorbs more quickly than many other body butter recipes. Additionally, there’s no greasy after feel and it’s suitable for all skin types – even if you’re prone to body acne.

Natural Bronzing Body Butter Recipe

Get that summer kissed look this spring with this homemade coffee bronzing body butter recipe.

Ingredients:

2 oz. unrefined bacuri butter
1 oz. coffee seed oil
.8 oz. polawax emulsifying wax
1/4 teaspoon copper sparkle mica
1 teaspoon (.05 oz.) copper lip safe mica

Bronzing Body Butter Recipe Notes:

In order to ensure you can exactly duplicate my mineral bronzing body butter recipe, I’ve linked the ingredient list to the very same products I used. Unfortunately the copper lip safe mica is no longer available. (Which I wasn’t aware of until I after I created my bronzing body butter recipe.) However you can substitute this mica was another regular copper mica of your choice. Alternately, using 1 1/2 teaspoons of copper sparkle mica (and omitting the regular copper mica) will give this product extra highlighting power. Or experiment a bit of brown oxide pigment powder for a deeper matte color.

You may also note that I used a polawax emulsifying wax in place of where beeswax would typically be called for in a recipe. While my bronzing body butter recipe does not contain water, the emulsifying wax helps with absorption rates and keeps the final product from feeling heavy. Things you really don’t want when the summer heat is on. If you prefer, however, you can substitute this wax with a basic emulsifying wax. (This is the one I typically use.)

I recommend using the double boiler method for making my mineral highlighting bronzing body butter recipe. However, you can get away with using the microwave at 20% power. In addition, you’ll also need a digital scale to weigh out the ingredients.

This product has natural earthy coffee scent from a combination of the bacuri butter and coffee oil. If you find the fragrance of my bronzing body butter recipe is too earthy for your taste, you can add a bit of chocolate absolute to the recipe. I mean, who doesn’t love the scent of coffee and chocolate, right?

Instructions:

Begin by weighing out the bacuri butter, wax and coffee seed oil. Combine in a heat safe container and gently heat until all of the wax has melted. Remove from heat and stir to combine.

Next, weigh (and/or measure) out the mica powder called for in my bronzing body butter recipe. Set aside. Allow the body butter mixture to cool slightly.

When it just starts to cool and thicken, but is still fluid, mix in the mica powders. Mix thoroughly to combine, then pour into containers of your choice. I used two 1 oz. white polypropylene thick wall plastic jars.

Allow to cool completely. Once solidified, screw on the jar lids.To use your homemade bronzing body butter, simply massage onto skin as desired.

As this product may stain light colored clothing, allow your body butter to absorb completely before getting dressed. You can also lightly apply a setting powder over the application using a soft brush if desired.

This product is suitable for both your body and face. However, avoid applying your bronzing body butter to lips and/or eyes if not using a lip safe mica powder or pigment.

More Ways to Use Bacuri Butter for Skin Care

If you love my mineral highlighting bronzing body butter recipe as much as I do, then I encourage you to also try my other bacuri butter recipes. This natural Brazilian beauty butter is a delightful treat for skin and possesses both anti-acne and anti-aging properties when used in skin care applications. A rich moisturizer with a deep earthy scent, bacuri butter is one of my favorite body butters, right up there with shea and cocoa butter.

Don’t forget to pin this mineral highlighter bronzing body butter recipe to your Pinterest boards to save for later. (You can also discover my favorite bath & beauty finds on Pinterest here.)

Mineral Highlighter Bronzing Body Butter Recipe for a Sun Kissed Summer Look. Learn how to make a body highlighting bronzer for your summer beauty regimen with this homemade mineral bronzing body butter recipe. With as few as 4-ingredients you can add a sun kissed look to your summer skin. Experiment with mica pigment powders, coffee oil and bacuri butter for a beautiful summer beauty product that's easy to customize. (I swear, you are going to LOVE this beauty DIY!)

Repin it here.

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Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes Tagged With: bacuri butter, beauty balm, beauty diy, beauty highlighter, beauty recipe, body butter recipe, bronzing body butter, cosmetics, highlighting bronzer, makeup, makeup bronzer, mineral makeup, natural skin care, spring, summer, summer skin care, sunless tanner

12 Summer Skin Care Recipes for Dry Skin with Camellia Seed Oil

July 12, 2018 By Rebecca D. Dillon

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you’re free from dry skin. Summer causes dry skin too – especially after excess sun exposure. Therefore, in order to help you tackle your summer skin care needs, I’ve put together a collection of 12 summer skin care recipes for dry skin. Plus discover six summer skin care beauty tips to help protect your skin from further sun damage.

As a kid I loved summer. The heat seemed to never slow me down. I’d spend an insane amount of time outdoors romping through the woods that lined our street. I’d pull up seedling sassafras trees for their roots to make tea. I built tee pees from giant, broken tree branches and the patchwork quilts my grandmother made. I climbed trees and made my way onto low lying roofs. I made grass dolls and clay pots with mud and clay. I drew neighborhoods in sidewalk chalk along the entire cul-de-sac with roads and parking lots for our bikes.

When I was a kid I didn’t care about sunburns or tick bites. I didn’t worry about aging. And I certainly wasn’t worried about dry skin. It’s amazing how things have changed since those carefree summer days.

What hasn’t changed however is my desire for adventure and exploration of the world around me. While I now approach those desires with more caution than I did as a child, I like to think I’m still a kid at heart. Now if only I could coax my skin into that same line of thinking. (Am I right?!)

Unfortunately, as we age, our skin does as well. And likewise our skin’s needs also change. As a woman over forty, I’ve found that the key to youth is moisturizing. (And then moisturizing even more.)

One might think that in the summer you wouldn’t need to moisturize. While you may not need a thick body butter type moisturizer like you do in winter, your skin does still need stay hydrated throughout summer. This is especially true if you spend a lot of time outdoors during the summer months. So before we get into my collection of camellia oil summer skin care recipes for dry skin, I first wanted to share a few summer skin care tips.

Summer Skin Care Beauty Tips

1. Exfoliate.

Hot summer heat means a lot of sweating. This also means a lot of excess oil, dirt and bacteria on skin that may not only lead to breakouts, but can also cause skin to look dull. Exfoliating skin with a natural body scrub is a great way to slough off dead skin cells to brighten skin. It also allows for improved skin hydration. So when you apply a moisturizer, it really sinks in to moisturize and protect your skin.

Be sure to exfoliate in the morning. Then follow with a toner, moisturizer, SPF and then your makeup for the day. Exfoliating will also help keep your makeup in place. However, if your makeup tends to slide off in summer heat, try a makeup setting spray. (You can learn how to make your own setting spray here.)

2. Moisturize.

In addition to moisturizing daily, give skin an extra boost of hydration by using a moisturizing face mask once or twice a week. This better prepares your skin for accidental overexposure to the sun and helps to keep your skin in optimal condition. (This DIY sheet mask for sensitive skin is a great choice.)

I also recommend taking a spray toner with you on the go. In addition to using a toner under your facial moisturizer, it’s also a great hydration boost while you’re at work or after you hit the gym. (I love this moisturizing facial toner recipe with rooibos tea. Or try a natural hydrosol spray.)

3. Drink a LOT of water.

I know you hear this a lot, but drink lots of water. It’s recommended that you drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water a day. This helps to maintain a healthy moisture balance between your skin and your body. Plus it helps with your body’s natural detoxification process.

You can infuse your water overnight with fresh fruit or vegetables in a large pitcher for flavor if desired. Or try your favorite infused water recipes in an instant pot. (Learn how here.)

Keep in mind, however, that if you drink caffeinated beverages, you need to triple your daily water intake. (If you’re having trouble ditching the caffeine, give ashwagandha root and a vitamin B complex a try instead.)

4. Go operation overkill where sunscreen is concerned.

Sunscreen doesn’t only help to prevent sunburns, it can also help to prevent skin cancer. Even if you aren’t fair skinned, you should still be applying sunscreen. The UV rays from sun affect all skin tones – not just those of us who freckle.

So play it safe and apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF before and during exposure to the sun. Experts recommend reapplying sunscreen liberally every two hours. What does liberally mean exactly? Basically you should be applying a teaspoon of sunscreen to your face alone.

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Also keep in mind, that when combining multiple skin care products with an SPF, you aren’t actually increasing skin protection against harmful UV rays. Instead, your SPF averages out to the total of the SPF of all the products combined. So if your day cream has an SPF of 40 and your foundation is SPF 20, you’re actually getting the protection of SPF 30.

Additionally you should also avoid sun exposure between mid-morning and late afternoon whenever possible.

5. Soothe sunburned skin.

If you do get a sunburn, be sure to take measures to soothe sunburned skin. A cooling gel or an organic aloe vera gel can help calm inflammation and soothe skin. (You can even make your own after sun skin moisturizers.)

However, if skin blisters, treat the blisters as a wound to avoid infection and seek medical attention in the case of any 3rd degree burns. Your doctor can prescribe an antibacterial cream for bad burns that are more prone to infection.

6. Treat sun damaged skin.

While a tan may look great in the summer, suntans are actually a sign of sun damage. And sun damage can actually accelerate your skin’s aging process resulting in brown spots, coarse skin and even wrinkles. To counteract this, look for products that offer anti-aging skin care benefits. Anti-aging products can help to undo some of the damage caused by the sun’s UV rays as well as protect skin from further damage. (Learn how to make your own anti-aging products.)

So skip the tanning bed and avoid laying out. If you must have a summer tan, instead opt for a sunless tanner or try one of the many natural bronzing products available on the market today.

Recently Mountain Rose Herbs, one of my favorite suppliers for natural ingredients, began carrying camellia seed oil. I am pretty excited about this addition to their line. Therefore I wanted to highlight this wonderful carrier oil as well as provide some recipes that utilize this amazing ingredient.

What is Camellia Seed Oil?

Camellia seed oil, also known as tea seed oil, comes from the seeds of the tea plant. The same tea plants that are used to make the tea we drink. As such, camellia seed oil has some of the same benefits as say green tea. This includes its antioxidant properties. Additionally, camellia seed oil is also rich in unsaturated fats, minerals and other nutrients including vitamins, A, B, and E.

Comprised of 80% oelic acid, camellia oil also contains linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, stearic acid, vitamin E, calcium, potassium, triterpenes, saponins and squalane. These properties make camellia seed oil well suited for both natural skin car and hair care remedies and formulations.

Similar in nature to fractionated coconut oil, camellia seed oil is the perfect luxurious alternative. Like fractionated coconut oil, camellia seed oil is liquid at room temperature. Similarly it also has a long two year shelf life, and like fractionated coconut oil, camellia seed oil is quickly and easily absorbed by the skin. As such, camellia seed oil won’t leave your skin feeling greasy after application.

What are the Benefits of Camellia Seed Oil for Skin?

One of the best kept secrets in the cosmetic and hair care industry, camellia seed oil is an extremely hydrating carrier oil. Studies have shown that camellia seed oil can improve the tone and texture of skin. It also can help to reduce the appearance of aging as well as strengthen brittle nails.

Additionally, camellia seed oil is also a wonderful choice for hair care. Traditionally used as a hair conditioner, this natural carrier oil also helps to eliminate dandruff as well as strengthen hair to prevent split ends and breakage.

Unlike coconut oil however, camellia oil won’t clog pores. And it’s suitable for all skin types and skin conditions, including eczema and acne prone skin. This lush carrier oil has the ability to calm inflammation and therefore can be especially beneficial at soothing irritated skin. For dry, flaky skin, using camellia seed oil results in softer, smoother skin with an overall healthier appearance. This makes camellia seed oil the perfect ingredient for your own summer skin care recipes.

Summer Skin Care Recipes for Dry Skin

Using camellia seed oil as part of your summer skin care formulations helps to speed absorption rates of those products. I’ve found that camellia seed oil makes a nice addition to facial serums and hair care products. Other similar carrier oils – like grapeseed, safflower, marula, and macadamia nut oil – make great substitutions for camellia seed oil in a pinch.

An easy way to use camellia seed oil is to simply apply several drops of oil to the palm of your hand. Then rub your palms together and smooth over your hair to instantly add shine and smooth flyaways.

Following is my collection of summer skin care recipes. Each of these skin care recipes contain camellia oil and create wonderful products suited for dry skin and hair. Don’t just reserve these recipes for summer though. They are also beneficial to use throughout the year to tackle other seasonal dry skin issues.

Leave In Coffee Hair Conditioner & Shine Spray Recipe

Love your locks with this leave in coffee hair conditioner & shine spray recipe! Formulated especially for dry or damaged hair, this recipe both utilize the power of camellia seed oil and babassu oil. Both of these oils have similar properties in hair and skincare as coconut oil making them especially suited for those sensitive to or allergic to coconut oil. Learn to make it.

Natural Cucumber Eye Cream Recipe

This cucumber eye cream recipe is formulated to target under eye puffiness, wrinkles and fine lines. Naturally packed with vitamin C and caffeic acid, this homemade cucumber eye cream recipe targets inflammation to help soothe skin irritation and reduce swelling. While additional ingredients – including camellia seed oil, baobab oil and carrot seed essential oil – work together to help skin look and feel more youthful. Learn to make it.

Blueberry Sugar Scrub Recipe for Summer Skin Care

This homemade blueberry sugar scrub recipe with camellia seed oil is perfect for your summer skin care needs! Not only does this amazing sugar scrub gently exfoliate and moisturize skin, it also smells pretty amazing! Plus, as a bonus, this summer skin care recipe also comes with free printable labels for gift giving. Learn to make it.

Natural Rose Body Balm Recipe with Camellia Seed Oil

This natural rose body balm recipe is not only super luxurious, but it only requires 3 simple ingredients to make! Crafted using camellia seed oil, rose wax and shea butter, this rose body balm recipe is all natural and makes a lovely handmade gift idea for friends and family! Learn to make it.

Dry Oil Body Spray Recipe for Dry Skin

This scented dry oil body spray recipe is made with natural “dry” oils like camellia seed oil. So your skin won’t feel greasy after application. Plus this moisturizing body spray can easily be scented with your favorite fragrance! Learn to make it.

Vegan 3-in-1 Beauty Stick Recipe with Camellia Seed Oil

Learn how to create your own naturally scented 3-in-1 beauty stick for lips, eyes and cheeks. This vegan plant based beauty stick is glides onto skin with ease and blends beautifully. It also makes a great eyeshadow base! Learn to make it.

Coffee & Black Tea Under Eye Cream Recipe

This coffee & black tea under eye cream is an energizing antioxidant balm that’s perfect for tired eyes and skin. It’s made with anti-inflammatory coffee essential oil and antioxidant rich darjeeling tea infused camellia seed oil. So this coffee & black tea under eye cream recipe helps to blur the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while also lending its nourishing antioxidant skin care properties. Learn to make it.

DIY Solid Salt Scrub Donuts

These naturally scented lemon DIY solid salt scrub donuts are a great way to exfoliate and moisturize your skin for summer! Plus they’re so easy to make! Grab a friend and make this delightful summer skin care project over the weekend! Learn to make it.

Insect Repellent Body Butter Recipe with Essential Oils

Part of your summer skin care routine should also include protection from mosquitoes and ticks. This non-greasy insect repellent body butter is crafted with a blend of natural essential oils including lemon eucalyptus essential oil which has been shown to not only repel biting insects, but deer ticks as well. Learn to make it.

Matcha Green Tea Butter Bars Recipe

These DIY matcha green tea butter bars are made with skin nourishing camellia seed oil and matcha green tea. These luxurious solid lotion bars melt onto skin upon application. And unlike recipes for traditional solid lotions bars, these naturally green tinted solid lotion bars absorb quickly and won’t leave your skin feeling greasy. Learn to make it.

Jackfruit & Kiwi Moisturizing Sugar Scrub Recipe

This homemade moisturizing sugar scrub recipe is formulated for exceptionally dry skin. Made using luxurious and richly hydrating moringa and camellia seed oils and skin soothing oat butter, this moisturizing sugar scrub can help to calm and soothe dry, itchy skin and inflammation. And it’s scented with a jackfruit & kiwi fragrance oil for a to-die-for tropical fruit fragrance that’s perfect for summer. Learn to make it.

Cold Process Donut Soap Recipe

Crafted using the cold process soapmaking method, these DIY donut soaps are formulated to be low cleansing/high conditioning bars. They’re naturally colored with rose kaolin clay to mimic a “baked” pink donut and also contain watermelon fruit extract powder which is high in vitamin C and and amino acids that can help to promote rejuvenated looking skin. Learn to make it.

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Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: anti-aging, anti-dandruff, beauty recipes, camellia seed oil, dry skin recipe, natural skin care, sensitive skin, summer, summer skin care