Whipped Sugar Scrub Recipe To Naturally Exfoliate & Hydrate Skin

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January 18, 2020 By Rebecca D. Dillon 6 Comments

If you have dull or dry skin, give it a boost with this homemade whipped sugar scrub recipe. Made with natural skin care ingredients, this DIY whipped sugar scrub naturally exfoliates and hydrates skin. So you get soft, beautiful glowing skin with a more youthful appearance. Say goodbye to tight, dry, itchy or even flaky skin today by adding this easy, homemade beauty recipe to your natural skin care routine!

I was recently discussing skin care with a fellow friend in Ohio. Her skin barrier really struggles through the winter months despite taking measures to hydrate dry skin, such as using gentle soap formulated for dry skin and running a humidifier. As a result, her eczema recently flared back up.

She’s tried SOOOO many over the counter skin care products without much luck. So I suggested she give this recipe for an emulsified whipped sugar scrub a try. As a fellow maker, not only did she love this winter skin care recipe, it actually helped her skin look and feel healthier! My eczema relief balm then assisted further by locking in moisture and soothing her itchy, eczema prone skin.

Formulating a Hydrating Whipped Sugar Scrub for Natural Winter Skin Care

Whether you’re looking for a homemade gifts for her or simply a nourishing way to care for your own skin, this whipped sugar scrub recipe is a treat! While I developed this recipe for my own winter skin care routine, it’s a delight year round for anyone looking for smoother, hydrated skin! The third in my series of self care recipes — the previous two being my skin conditioning whipped body butter recipe and my chocolate mint lip scrub recipe — this whipped sugar scrub recipe offers exceptional dry skin relief. You’re simply going to love its ability to soothe your tight, dry or itchy skin!

My whipped sugar scrub recipe is emulsified so it doesn’t feel oily like straight carrier oil and sugar type body scrubs. Formulated with ingredients that won’t clog pores or cause acne, this whipped sugar scrub recipe is made with skin conditioning shea and cocoa butters, along with jojoba and hemp seed oil.

Hemp seed oil, which is naturally rich in fatty acids, is considered to be one of the most nutritional oils available. It has a number of both nutritional and cosmetic uses, and contains all the essential amino acids necessary for health and wellness. As such, hemp seed oil is one of my favorite carrier oils for dry skin care. It works wonders at soothing the symptoms of dry skin and offering eczema relief. Therefore, it is also a key ingredient in many of my other dry skin care recipes such as my dry skin body oil recipe.

Ready to add a lush whipped sugar scrub to your natural skin care routine? You can learn how to make my emulsified whipped sugar scrub recipe below.

Emulsified Whipped Sugar Scrub Recipe

Ingredients:

3 oz. refined shea butter
3 oz. raw cocoa butter
1 oz. hemp seed oil
.5 oz. jojoba oil
.5 oz. vegetable based emulsifying wax
.25 oz. all natural fragrance oil or .15 oz. essential oil, of choice
13.5 oz. granulated white sugar

Whipped Sugar Scrub Recipe Notes:

As the contents product may come in contact with water during use, a broad spectrum preservative is highly recommended. If you choose not to use a preservative, you should remove the desired amount from the container for use, prior to entering the shower or bath.

Instructions:

You will need a digital scale to weigh all of the ingredients for my whipped sugar scrub recipe. If you make, or plan to make, a lot of natural skin care products, I recommend this baker’s math scale for durability.

Using a digital scale, weigh out the shea butter, cocoa butter and emulsifying wax. Combine the ingredients in a double boiler, then gently heat until melted.

Once the butters and wax have melted, remove from heat.

Then weigh out the jojoba and hemp seed oils. Stir the oils into the melted butter and wax mixture.

If using a preservative, weigh out the amount indicated by the manufacturer. Stir into the ingredients once the whipped sugar scrub base is at or below the recommended temperature.

Then follow with the fragrance oil or essential oil of your choice.

Next, weigh out the sugar and combine in a large glass bowl with the liquid ingredients. Mix well to combine.

Allow to cool slightly before whipping with a hand blender, stand mixer or whisk.

Now pour or spoon the whipped sugar scrub into a 20 oz. jar. I used a 20 oz. square glass jar with a clasp lid that I purchased from the Dollar Tree. (These are such a great price! I mean, it’s hard to be a dollar, right?)

If desired, you can tie a ribbon around your container into a bow for homemade gifts. I used floral garden ombre sheer ribbon from the Dollar Tree for this step.

Yield: 1 - 20oz. jar

Natural Whipped Sugar Scrub Recipe

Make this natural whipped sugar scrub recipe for dry skin relief. This homemade sugar scrub recipe is emulsified so it's not greasy like traditional scrubs. Formulated with naturally exfoliating sugar and hydrating skin care ingredients, this DIY whipped body butter is the perfect bath time treat to hydrate and exfoliate skin as part of your daily natural skin care routine for soft, beautiful skin.

Active Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Materials

3 oz. refined shea butter
3 oz. raw cocoa butter
1 oz. hemp seed oil
.5 oz. jojoba oil
.5 oz. vegetable based emulsifying wax
.25 oz. all natural fragrance oil or .15 oz. essential oil, of choice
13.5 oz. granulated white sugar

Tools

digital scale
large glass bowl
hand mixer
spatula
20 oz. glass jar
ribbon

Instructions

Weigh out the shea butter, cocoa butter and emulsifying wax. Combine the ingredients in a double boiler. Heat until melted.
Once melted, remove from heat.
Weigh out the jojoba and hemp seed oils. Stir the oils into the melted butter and wax mixture.
Follow with the fragrance oil or essential oil of your choice.
Weigh out the sugar and combine in a large glass bowl with the liquid ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Allow to cool slightly. Then whip with a hand blender, stand mixer or whisk.
Pour or spoon the whipped sugar scrub into a 20 oz. glass jar. Then decorate with ribbon, if desired.

Notes

More Whipped Sugar Scrub Recipes

If you love my emulsified whipped sugar scrub recipe as much as I do, then you’ll also love some of these other whipped sugar scrub recipes:

Also be sure to try my skin softening, emulsified sugar scrub recipe for dry hands.

Don’t have time to make my emulsified whipped sugar scrub right now? Then be sure to pin this winter skin care recipe to Pinterest for later.

Also make sure you download my free printable self care journal. It’s perfectly sized for your Happy Planner and it even comes with printable skin care recipe cards so you can keep track of your own natural skin care recipes for healthy looking, glowing skin!

For more great winter skin care recipes, be sure to check out my Pinterest board, Winter Skin Care Recipes for Natural Beauty. You can also find Soap Deli News on social media for more great DIY ideas. Follow me now via facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up to receive an email whenever I share a new post!

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: anti-aging, bath and beauty, bath and body, dry skin, dry skin recipe, exfoliate, exfoliating, gift idea, gift ideas for women, gifts for women, Mother's Day gifts, natural alternative, natural skin care, self care, Valentine's Day gifts, vegan, whipped sugar scrub, winter, winter skin care

Whipped Body Butter Recipe: Natural Winter Skin Care for Dry Skin Relief

January 6, 2020 By Rebecca D. Dillon 4 Comments

Don’t let dry skin leave your skin a raw, itchy mess this winter. Nourish it naturally instead with this hydrating whipped body butter recipe! This recipe for whipped body butter is the perfect addition to your winter skin care routine for natural, dry skin relief. It’s also the perfect skin care recipe for your self care routine, and the second in a my series of self care recipes. Keep reading to learn how to make this rich, skin conditioning whipped body butter recipe scented with an all-natural lemon creme fragrance oil.

Tips for Hydrating Dry Skin this Winter

I’ve always had sensitive, and often eczema prone skin — ever since I was a child. Now that my skin is also in that delightful “maturing” stage, I have to use a moisturizer throughout the winter months. Otherwise I’m likely to scratch my skin raw. Of course, there are other steps I take as well, help my skin stay hydrated throughout the colder months.

Choose a rich body butter with natural ingredients, over lotions comprised primarily of water, to hydrate skin and help lock in moisture. (My whipped body butter recipe is an excellent choice!)
Avoid products with ingredients that can dry skin out further. These include perfumes, clays, charcoal, salicylic acid and certain essential oils, such as tea tree oil.
Drink more water to hydrate skin from the inside out. While it’s common advice to drink the equivalent of a half gallon of water a day, this isn’t necessarily true for everyone. The new rule of thumb is drink when you feel thirsty. So if winter leaves you feeling parched, reach for an extra bottle of water. Urine should be light yellow or clear if you’re staying properly hydrated.
Some websites recommend using petroleum jelly, or mineral oil, to lock in moisture. The problem with this is that it’s usually created from a petroleum by product. (Ew.) Plus, it doesn’t allow skin to breathe. If you really need a solid skin protectant, try natural skin care products with beeswax or lanolin instead. (My winter hand salve recipe is an easy recipe for winter skin care that uses one or both of these natural ingredients.)
Skip the hot showers and try warm baths instead. Not only is the cooler water is more gentle and skin, but you can add any number of skin soothing or moisturizing skin care products to your bath water. A long soak in an oatmeal or homemade milk bath is great at soothing dry, itchy skin. While bath melts naturally condition and help hydrate dry skin so if feels soft and nourished. (Be sure to try my natural aloe vera bath melts recipe for dry skin relief!)
Opt for a natural handcrafted soap formulated specifically for winter skin care. This Brazilian triple butter soap recipe for dry skin and eczema is my favorite for natural, winter skin care. It won’t strip skin of beneficial oils, and it’s unscented so it’s perfect for even the most sensitive skin.
Both gas and electric heat can strip moisture from the air. Using a humidifier in your home can reintroduce the moisture lost from these utilities when set at 60%.

Formulating The Best DIY Whipped Body Butter for Dry Skin Relief

Unlike other recipes for whipped body butter, my homemade whipped body butter recipe omits coconut oil, which can cause breakouts, and opts for a carrier oil more favorable to dry skin if you have issues with acne. Sweet almond oil is not only excellent for dry skin relief, it is also suitable for all skin types including maturing skin, sensitive skin, normal skin and even oily skin.

However, if you have a nut allergy, avocado oil or olive oil are both deeply nourishing oils for dry skin. Alternately, if you prefer a less greasy whipped body butter that absorbs more quickly, try a “dry” carrier oil, which has quicker absorption rates, such as rosehip seed oil — my favorite for mature skin! — avocado oil, camelina oil, grapeseed, safflower and sunflower oil.

(To learn more about carrier oils and their benefits in skin care, check out the book, Carrier Oils: A beginner’s guide to using over 40 carrier oils in bath and beauty recipes. You can read it for free with kindle unlimited.)

Additionally, unlike those simple 3-ingredient whipped body butter recipes, my whipped body recipe is emulsified. Formulated with the addition of a vegetable based emulsifying wax, my recipe for whipped body butter absorbs more quickly than traditional recipes. It also has a higher melting point. Not only is this helpful if need a rich moisturizer during warmer months, it also means your whipped butters hold their shape better than their predecessors. A plus if you’re making natural skin care recipes to sell online or at craft fairs.

Like an emulsified sugar scrub recipe, this does not mean my recipe for homemade whipped body butters contains water. It does not. Therefore, you skip the preservative for a winter skin care recipe that’s easy to execute.

Finally, while synthetic fragrances can irritate sensitive skin, there are natural fragrances you can try if fragrance is your thing. In keeping with the natural skin care theme for my whipped body butter recipe, I chose an all natural Lemon Creme fragrance oil from Nature’s Oil. Made using only natural ingredients, this fragrance is sweet, creamy! Think warm caramelized sugar and rich vanilla custard combined with fresh lemon zest.

Alternately you can also use your favorite essential oil blend for your skin type at .5% of the recipe weight. You can find an anti-aging essential oil blend, that’s also great for dry skin, via my natural exfoliating body polish recipe. (Psst. This is another fab recipes for both self care and winter skin care.)

Lemon Creme Whipped Body Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

6 oz. roasted cocoa butter wafers
6 oz. refined shea butter
1 oz. sweet almond oil, or other carrier oil of choice
1 oz. vegetable-based emulsifying wax
.15 oz. natural Lemon Creme fragrance oil, or .05 oz. essential oil(s)
3-5 drops non-GMO vitamin E oil

Tools for making homemade whipped body butter:

It’s pretty easy to make my whipped body butter recipe. However you will need a few tools to get the job done. These include the following:

digital kitchen scale
immersion blender with whisk attachment, or mixer of choice
large glass bowl
utensil for mixing
double boiler or microwave

Instructions:

To make this natural whipped body butter recipe, begin by using a digital to scale to weigh out the vegetable-based emulsifying wax, cocoa butter wafers and shea butter. Heat either in a double boiler, or at 30% powder in the microwave, until completely melted.

Once these ingredients for your whipped body butter recipe have melted, remove from heat. Combine in a large glass bowl. Then weigh out the sweet almond oil and fragrance oil, and stir into the melted butters and wax.

Follow with several drops of vitamin E oil and stir well, ensuring all the ingredients are evenly incorporated throughout the body butter mixture. (You may use either an immersion blender or a utensil of your choice for this step.)

Now place the body butter in your refrigerator to cool. You’ll remove the body butter from the refrigerator once it starts to look opaque.

After you’ve taken the body butter out of the refrigerator, you can now whip some air into it! Use the whisk attachment on an immersion blender for a more dense whipped body butter. For an extra fluffy, whipped body butter, try using either a hand blender or a KitchenAid stand mixer.

Whip the body butter to your desired fluffiness. However, be sure not to over whip your whipped body butter as the heat from mixing can cause it to deflate.

If your body butter doesn’t seem to be doing much, it could be it’s still a bit too warm. In this care, simply allow the body butter to cool for a little while longer, then try again. For faster cooling times, you can also place the body butter into the freezer for 5-10 minutes, as needed.

Finally, spoon your whipped body butter into containers of your choice. The number of containers you’ll need depends largely on how much air you whipped into your body butters. I used the whisk attachment on a my immersion blender for whipping and was able to fill 3-4 low profile 4 oz. jars. (I got my containers from SKS Bottle & Packaging.)

If desired, you can label your containers of whipped body butter to keep track of the contents, or to give them as homemade gifts.

Yield: 3-4 4 oz. jars

Whipped Body Butter Recipe with Essential Oils

Hydrate your dry skin with this natural whipped body butter recipe with essential oils for the perfect addition to your winter skin care routine for dry skin relief.

Active Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Materials

6 oz. roasted cocoa butter wafers
6 oz. refined shea butter
1 oz. sweet almond oil
1 oz. emulsifying wax
05 oz. essential oil(s) of choice
3-5 drops non-GMO vitamin E oil

Tools

digital kitchen scale
stand mixer
large glass bowl
utensil for mixing
double boiler

Instructions

Weigh out the emulsifying wax, cocoa butter wafers and shea butter using a digital scale. Heat in a double boiler until melted.
Remove from heat and combine in a large glass bowl.
Weigh out the sweet almond oil and essential oils. Stir into the melted butters and wax.
Add the vitamin E oil and mix well using a utensil.
Place the body butter in the refrigerator to cool. Remove once it starts to look opaque.
Use a stand mixer to whip the body butter until fluffy. Then spoon into containers of choice.

Natural whipped body butter recipe with an all-natural lemon creme scented fragrance oil. Add this delightfully scented DIY whipped body butter with roasted cocoa butter, shea butter & a lemon fresh bakery scent to your natural skin care routine. The perfect natural DIY moisturizer for any natural beauty regimen, this non greasy body butter recipe is a must for dry skin relief. Plus tips on how to hydrate dry skin for soft, healthy looking skin. Get beautiful skin with these best beauty tips.

More Whipped Body Butter Recipes

Now that you’ve tried my lemon creme whipped body butter recipe, also be sure to check out my chocolate mint lip scrub recipe for relief of dry or chapped lips. It’s the first in this year’s series of self care posts. And be sure to download my free printable self care journal. It’s perfectly sized for your Happy Planner and it even comes with printable skin care recipe cards!

Or try one of these other, amazing homemade whipped body butter recipes for dry skin care this winter.

If you like my lemon creme whipped body butter recipe, then be sure to pin it for later! Then, for more winter skin care recipes for dry skin relief, be sure to follow Soap Deli News. You can follow me now on facebook, twitter, pinterest and instagram. Or find me on Blog Lovin’. Or sign up to receive an email whenever I share a new post!

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes Tagged With: bath and beauty, beauty diy, beauty hacks, beauty tips, body butter, body butter recipe, natural alternative, natural beauty, natural skin care, self care, vegan, whipped body butter, winter, winter skin care

Exfoliating Body Polish Recipe with Anti-Aging Essential Oils for Natural Skin Care

November 25, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 4 Comments

Skip the synthetic foaming agents, fragrances and other artificial ingredients in Dove exfoliating body polish and make your own! My natural exfoliating body polish with anti-aging essential oils is a natural alternative that you’ll absolutely fall in love with. Plus discover more natural ways to care for your skin through whole body care using natural plant-based ingredients, botanicals and essential oils.

If your skin is like mine, you probably grew up with itchy bumps from dry skin. Or maybe dairy triggered excruciating eczema. My mom used to rinse our clothes twice because the synthetic fragrances in everything (EVERYTHING!) back then would break both my brother and I out in hives. Luckily, we know more about the ingredients in the everyday products we use. And there are a lot more options.

Unfortunately, factors outside of our control such as seasonal changes and age, can still make skin care a challenge. As we age it becomes more important than ever to care for your skin both from the inside and on the outside. There are a number of herbal remedies and foods we can ingest to care for our skin in addition to staying hydrated by drinking more water. But sometimes that’s not always enough. That’s where external skin care comes in. Together, both nutrition and external skin care are able to work in tandem for skin that looks and feels healthy.

Using An Exfoliating Body Polish for Natural Anti-Aging Skin Care

As winter weather starts sneaking in, I always always have to increase my water intake. Unfortunately, dry skin still likes to sneak in – even if I keep my gut health in check. And, as I’ve ventured into my forties, it’s actually gotten worse. My biggest skin care pet peeve has to be unsightly skin tags though. I mean, what are those? Due to the cold weather coupled with aging (OMG my hands betray my age every single time if not properly moisturized) I really have to amp up my natural skin care care routine in the winter.

My favorite way to fight both the visible effects of aging as well as dry skin is by using an exfoliating body polish. It’s really an incredibly simple and easy way to exfoliate and hydrate skin. Plus, by simply adding a few essential oils, I can give my exfoliating body polish an extra anti-aging boost to help fight the visible signs of aging and encourage cellular turnover. Used regularly, my natural exfoliating body polish not only gives me beautiful soft skin, it also helps to diminish the visible signs of aging. So (fingers crossed) I can on looking a decade younger than my real age.

Why Use a Natural Exfoliating Body Polish?

If you have sensitive skin or even chronic health issues, then you probably already avoid artificial fragrances and other synthetic ingredients. It’s through personal experience, and that unpleasant reaction, that you understand the impact certain ingredients can have. For me, I know artificial fragrances not only irritate my skin but often they trigger an allergic reaction in other ways, whether it’s a pounding headache or sneezing. Likewise, the aluminum in many commercial deodorants also throws my body out wack. (Since switching to natural deodorant, I have fewer problems. I also sweat less AND my sweat doesn’t stink like it did.)

As my exfoliating body polish recipe is all natural, I don’t have to worry about allergies or sensitivities to synthetic ingredients. I’m able to source my ingredients for my skin care recipes from businesses I trust. Therefore I always know what’s going onto (and possibly into) my skin. Because skin care is so important to me, I love to use fair trade and organic ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs whenever possible. I’ve been shopping with them since 1995 and I’ve found that their ingredients make a huge difference in my natural skin care recipes. I also know I can always trust them to provide pure essential oils at a reasonable price for maximum quality.

By choosing quality skin care ingredients and combining them in recipes designed for anti-aging skin care, I’m able to naturally care for my maturing skin without the fear of accelerating aging or causing additional skin damage.

Formulating Your Own Custom Skin Care Products

While making your own natural skin care products is fine and dandy, it’s important to know if the recipes you’re using are safe. It’s also important to have a solid understanding of the ingredients that are beneficial to your skin in addition to why and how they are useful. This lays the foundation for you to begin formulating your own customer skin care recipes. Therefore, before I share my natural exfoliating body polish recipe with you, I first want to tell you how to get started creating your own custom body formulations.

Getting Started Making Natural Skin Care Recipes

Twenty short years ago, I started making my own soap. The Internet was in its infancy, so there weren’t a lot of resources available online. I had to go to the actual library and order real books online to get more information. When I made the natural transition to DIY natural beauty and skin care seven years ago, there still wasn’t a lot of information online. What was available was hard to find and not always reliable or even safe. (The very first olive oil Castile soap recipe I tried didn’t even mention WEIGHING the ingredients!)

Even though I consider myself somewhat advanced when it comes to making natural skin care products, I still have a lot to learn. And I’m amazed by just how much there is to learn. There are so many different ingredients I don’t know enough about. Not to mention safe usage for herbs and essential oils. These vary not just based on the ingredient but a person’s age as well as health can play a huge factor as well.

Of course, going back to school is not an option for me. Tuition, as you know, is completely out of control. (My son’s college was $43k a year to live off campus! Thank goodness scholarships covered the bulk of it.) So instead, I take the courses offered by The Herbal Academy. I recently took their Botanical Skin Care course and learned so much about herbs and their role in natural beauty. Not only is this course full of skin care recipes for the face and body, but it also has advice for using herbal supplements for better skin health. And that additional insight was invaluable! I love how everything I need to know is one place so I don’t have to hunt down information. And, if I want to learn more, additional resources are provided so I can access more research if needed.

What’s In The Botanical Skin Care Course?

If you’re new to The Herbal Academy, they offer full courses on how to use herbs in your daily life. The courses are all online, and you can complete them at your own pace. Once you buy access to a course, you’ll have online access to the course for one year. Once completed, you’ll earn your certificate. (Don’t worry about losing access to the course after a year, however. The entire course can be downloaded via PDF format so you can refer back to it for as long as you need. Just like old school paper books.)

They have classes for general herbalism learning from beginner to advanced, so you can take classes no matter your current skill level. They also offer specialized courses a few times a year. (Alternately, if you can’t take on a huge course at this time – because life – then consider a membership to The Herbarium.)

In the Botanical Skin Care Course, you’ll learn:

The Foundations of Supporting the Skin
Skin and Sun
Choosing Herbs for Your Skin Type
Support for Chronic Skin Conditions (including topical and how to care for your skin from the inside out)
Support for Acute Skin Conditions

This course is full of natural skin care recipes that you can make at home. The best part is that the recipes are formulated for every skin type. They give several recipes for cleansing, masks, scrubs, toners, serums and moisturizers for your daily skin care routine. Each recipe has information about the type of skin it’s best for, so you can create a custom skin care routine for your skin’s needs.

It also has a module on protecting your skin from the sun, which can help reduce the signs of aging from sun damage. There are several natural skin care recipes to use on your skin after spending time in the sun to keep your skin looking amazing after sun exposure.

One module is devoted to choosing the best herbs for your skin type beyond the typical dry or oily skin. It takes into consideration both your natural skin type and the climate in which you live. There’s a printable worksheet so you can determine your skin’s needs and choose the best herbs for your skin type.

Learn more about both chronic and acute skin conditions in the next two modules. Internal factors can cause some chronic skin conditions like eczema, acne, psoriasis and rosacea. It not only teaches you about the best herbs for these conditions both topically and to use as a supplement, but it also has several recipes to make at home.

The Herbal Academy recommends using Mountain Rose Herbs. As previously mentioned, I’ve been using Mountain Rose Herbs for many many years. They offer high quality herbs at affordable prices. Pus, when you sign up for the Botanical Skin Care Course, you’ll get a discount on herbs through Mountain Rose Herbs as an extra perk.

Why I Love the Botanical Skin Care Course

Like I said, when I started making DIY bath and body products, there wasn’t a lot of information available. Now there is, but I want to make sure that I’m using being responsible with herbs, essential oils and other natural ingredients. I also want to make sure that you, my readers, are getting the most accurate information.

The Herbal Academy is a trusted source for using herbs at home. Their team of herbalists have studied herbs and how to use them safely for years. I feel confident using their courses because they have done the research and know how to use herbs for natural beauty.

I love the fact that I can learn at my own pace. Some weeks I have several hours to devote to working on the course, but other weeks I only have an hour or two to learn. Since the courses are self guided and available for download, you have plenty of time to read through the course and learn.

The online format is very convenient for me. It’s perfect for most people because you can learn at any time, day or night. For those who have full time jobs or families, this is an easier way to learn than taking a class. You can also learn on your couch in your pajamas if you want to. It’s also a great option for those who don’t live close to an herbal class because you don’t need to worry about getting there for each class.

Not only is The Herbal Academy convenient, but it’s also affordable. If you attended these classes in person, expect to pay a lot more per class. Taking an online course is a great way to learn about herbs without investing a lot of money.

As you read through the course, you may have some questions. The Herbal Academy offers support with printed materials and live forums. They are also active on social media. They answer phone calls and emails to help you understand the course and answer questions that you may have.

I’ve taken several courses at The Herbal Academy, but the Botanical Skin Care course is probably my favorite so far. It has a lot of information in it, but it’s broken down into manageable modules for easier learning.

I use herbs both as natural supplements and topically for skin care. This course taught me more about using them as a supplement to help my skin from the inside out. There are recipes for herbal teas that you can make to support your skin’s health.

The course is also available as a PDF, so you can print it and read it on paper if you want. I like that option so I can highlight and make notes. After spending most of my day on the computer editing photos and writing, my eyes need a break from the screen. This is a great option for those who want to reduce screen time or eye strain from blue light.

In fact, it was the Herbal Academy Botanical Skin Care course that inspired my anti-aging, exfoliating body polish recipe! (Which you can learn to make – and customize -below!)

About My Natural Exfoliating Body Polish

Helping your skin from the inside out with herbs takes a while. You won’t see the effects for weeks or even months, so don’t get discouraged. If you want to see a more immediate result, try my natural exfoliating body polish recipe.

My exfoliating body polish is similar a body scrub. It helps slough off dead skin cells for brighter and fresher looking skin. If you have dry skin, this can help reduce itching and flaking by removing the top layer of dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. The sweet almond oil and mango butter also help to hydrate skin with fatty acids and nourish the skin with vitamins and minerals.

Using salt in an exfoliating body polish can help slough off more dead skin cells than sugar can because of the texture of the salt. For my exfoliating body polish recipe I chose to use fine grain Himalayan pink salt as it’s rich in trace minerals. The salt is then balanced with pink kaolin clay, which is a milder exfoliant. Since it is more abrasive than sugar, use this no more than once a week. Alternately, you can easily substitute the exfoliants to make my exfoliating body polish suitable for everyday use, as well as a scrub for facial care. (I’ll explain more after the recipe.)

Anti-Aging Essential Oil Blend

Of course, because I am in my mid-forties (shhhhhh.) I used an anti-aging essential oil blend for this exfoliating body polish recipe. It kept the essential oil usage low. However, you can increase the them if desired. Typically you can use essential oils up to 2% of your natural skin care recipes for a wash off product. However, it is important to note that some essential oils, such as cinnamon or clove, should be used at a lesser percentage to avoid skin irritation.

I used the following essential oils for my exfoliating body polish recipe:

Frankincense essential oil
Rose essential oil
Helichrysum essential oil
Myrrh essential oil
Lavender essential oil

Frankincense is probably the most common anti-aging essential oil. It can help even the skin tone by reducing dark spots. It also helps tone and tighten the skin. (There are four varieties of frankincense essential oil available. You can learn about the different types and their properties here as well as discover my natural rose body butter recipe.)

Rose essential oil is excellent for dry skin. It has vitamin C to promote collagen production to decrease the signs of aging. (You can try either geranium essential oil or palmarosa essential oil in lieu of the rose if it is cost prohibitive.)

Helichrysum is excellent for the skin. It can help rejuvenate and restore the skin and help make your skin glow.

Myrrh essential oil is often used for its anti-aging properties. It also helps fade age spots and can reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Lavender has some anti-aging properties and can help reduce the appearance of lines. It’s a gentle oil and can help soothe the skin.

My anti-aging essential oil blend, while effective, doesn’t smell like roses. (Despite the inclusion of rose essential oil.) So feel free to swap out the essential oil blend with one of your choosing if scents are important to you. One of my favorite multi-purpose essential oil blends for natural skin care is my eucalyptus and orange essential oil blend. (You can find that essential oil blend recipe here.)

Natural Exfoliating Body Polish Recipe

Ingredients:

.25 ounces emulsifying wax
.4 ounces stearic acid
1.5 ounces sweet almond oil
1.25 ounces mango butter
.15 ounces pink kaolin clay
10 ounces Himalayan pink salt, finely ground
5 drops rose essential oil
5 drops frankincense essential oil
3 drops helichrysum essential oil
2 drops myrrh essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil

Instructions:

A natural preservative is recommended for this product as it may come in contact with water doing use. Should you choose to omit a preservative, I would remove desired amount from the container before showering or bathing to retain the integrity of this exfoliating body polish.

You will need to digital scale to weigh all the ingredients for my exfoliating body polish recipe. If you are using a natural preservative (covered in the Botanical Skin Care course) then use the percentage called for by the manufacturer. Also be sure to the add the preservative at or below the temperature called for by the manufacturer based on the preservative you’ve chosen.

To begin, use a double boiler to melt the emulsifying wax, stearic acid and mango butter. When these ingredients are fully melted, remove from heat.

Stir in the sweet almond oil. Then, using a glass dropper, add each of the essential oils called for in my exfoliating body polish recipe. Stir well.

In a separate container, combine the pink kaolin clay and the pink Himalayan salt, Mix well to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Then add the dry ingredients to the melted wax, oils and butter. Stir well. Allow the mixture to thicken, then restir before packaging.

Spoon evenly into three 4 oz. low profile jars. You can also use a 6 oz. mason jar. Screw on the lid then label as desired for personal use or homemade gifts.

How to Use Your Exfoliating Body Polish

To use your exfoliating body polish, scoop about ¼ of a cup of the body polish out of the jar and massage onto wet skin in a circular motion. Rinse well, then pat dry.

I recommend using this natural, exfoliating body polish once a week for soft, beautiful skin.

Customizing Your Exfoliating Body Wash

Exfoliant Alternatives for Your Exfoliating Body Polish

To use this exfoliating body polish recipe for sensitive skin or for facial care, try using an extra fine Himalayan pink salt. Alternately, you can also use superfine caster sugar or a combination of both depending on your skin’s sensitivity. You can also mix the two together at a 50/50 ratio or a 25/75 salt to sugar ratio. Using a milder exfoliant makes this exfoliating body polish suitable for daily use.

How to Make a Skin Cleansing Version of This Body Polish

Making a natural skin cleansing version of my exfoliating body polish recipe is easy. And you won’t need to add any synthetic cleansers or foaming agents, such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate, that the Dove exfoliating body polish has. Simply substitute part of the carrier oil with a natural, unscented liquid Castile soap. I recommend subbing between .25 oz. and .5 oz.

Swap Out Your Carrier Oil for More Custom Skin Care

You don’t have to use sweet almond oil for my exfoliating body polish recipe. My favorite anti-aging carrier oils include rosehip seed oil, pomegranate seed oil, camellia (tea) seed oil and argan oil. Hemp seed oil is also a great option. To learn more about the benefits and properties of carrier oils, check out the book, Carrier Oils, by Cari Dunn. This book is a beginner’s guide to using over 40 carrier oils in bath and beauty recipes.

If you love my natural exfoliating body polish recipe with anti-aging essential oils, then don’t forget to pin this natural skin care recipe for later. Or, if you’re ready to learn more about the Botanical Skin Care course, click here to sign up. (You can also check out my detailed review of the Botanical Skin Care course here.)

More Exfoliating Body Polish Recipes

If you like my natural exfoliating body polish recipe with anti-aging essential oils, then you’ll also want to try these other homemade body scrub recipes.

To discover more great, natural skin care recipes from Soap Deli News blog, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my newsletter. Alternately, you can explore my own easy melt and pour soap recipes for beginners here.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes Tagged With: anti-aging, bath and beauty, beauty recipes, beauty tips, body polish, body scrub recipe, exfoliating, moisturizing, natural skin care, plant based, salt scrub recipe, skin care recipes, vegan

Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe: A Healthy Non-Dairy 2-Ingredient Recipe

August 7, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 1 Comment

This healthy dairy and gluten free pumpkin spice latte recipe is the perfect treat for fall. A vegan latte packed with healthy fats from coconut and almonds, this pumpkin spice latte makes a quick and easy breakfast swap whether you’re running behind from back to school or just feeling run down. All with just two simple ingredients and only 76 calories per 12.5 fl oz. serving.

A Better Pumpkin Spice Latte

Apparently pumpkin spice season comes earlier every year. Starbucks, in fact, announced that their pumpkin spice latte will be released early this year – on August 28th. While there’s a certain celebrity (hey, Martha!) who thinks pumpkin spice is basic, I disagree. Even so, we like what we like, and I for one, refused to be shamed for treating myself to a classic fall flavor.

However, if I’m being totally honest, I just don’t like Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. The flavoring is off and tastes artificial. Which, for me, ruins the whole experience. Therefore, I came up with my own pumpkin spice latte recipe. And believe it or not, it’s literally just 2-ingredients if you don’t count the water to brew the coffee.

I’ve been trying to cut back on dairy as my eczema had been coming back more recently. I’d actually given up milk all together more than a few years ago. If not for butter and cheese, I could easily have cut it from my diet entirely. But for obvious reasons – cheese if F-ING DELICIOUS – I found that not drinking milk did keep the eczema at bay. I even learned to take my coffee black. When I wanted to indulge in a flavored coffee, however, drinking it black leaves something to be desired. So I’ve had my eye out for a good non-dairy coffee creamer to replace my regular half and half for some time.

The first dairy free latte I tried making was a caramel and coconut cream latte. I combined Archer Farms Buttery Caramel Coffee with Califia Farms Vanilla Almondmilk Creamer. It’s made with real almond and coconut cream. This non-dairy creamer is also non-GMO, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and carrageenan-free. It’s also crazy delicious and tastes SO much better than butter coffee, which I just couldn’t wrap my taste buds around.

Luckily, the simple combination of almond milk, can sugar, coconut cream and vanilla extract goes well with so many different bakery inspired and caramel flavored coffees. It also tastes great with pumpkin spice flavored coffees! Thus, a simple combination of your favorite, fresh brewed pumpkin spice coffee combined with vanilla almondmilk creamer makes a pumpkin spice latte that is to die for!

I’ve started catching this non-dairy creamer on sale at Target and buying them two at a time because it’s just that good! It’s seriously my favorite food discovery of the year. Which I guess seems sad – or basic maybe? – but I’ve been trying a lot of everything since my mid-thirties. There’s little I haven’t tried at least once at this point.

If you’re ready to jump on this fall pumpkin spice latte train, then let’s get rolling!

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

Ingredients:

10 fl. oz. fresh brewed pumpkin spice coffee, or flavor of choice
2.5 fl. oz. Califia Farms Vanilla Almondmilk Creamer

Directions:

Brew your pumpkin spice coffee using one rounded Tablespoon per cup of water.

Once brewed, stir in the vanilla almondmilk creamer. Then sip, relax and enjoy!

Yield: 12.5 oz.

Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe

This healthy dairy and gluten free pumpkin spice latte recipe is the perfect treat for fall. A vegan latte packed with healthy fats from coconut and almonds, this pumpkin spice latte makes a quick and easy breakfast swap whether you're running behind from back to school or just feeling run down. All with just two simple ingredients.

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

10 fl. oz. fresh brewed pumpkin spice coffee
2.5 fl. oz. Califia Farms Vanilla Almondmilk Creamer

Instructions

Brew your pumpkin spice coffee using one rounded Tablespoon per cup of water.

Once brewed, stir in the vanilla almondmilk creamer. Then sip, relax and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 76 Total Fat: 2.5g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Carbohydrates: 10g Sugar: 10g

For another low calorie treat, be sure to check out my post on why hard seltzer is the new wine substitute. Or pair my pumpkin spice latte with these delicious, natural brown sugar drop cookies. They’re also the perfect treat for fall with lightly crunchy exteriors paired with soft fluffy centers! You can discover more drink recipes for fall via my Drink Recipe Pinterest board.

And don’t forget to follow me via facebook, twitter and instagram for more great recipes and ideas. You can also sign up to receive my newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Food Recipes, Health & Wellness Tagged With: almond milk, coconut milk, coffee, dairy free, drink, drink recipe, food recipe, gluten free, health and wellness, latte, low calories, non-GMO, pumpkin spice, soy free, vegan

Natural Remedy for Thinning Hair on Females for Healthy Looking Hair

July 11, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 11 Comments

Do you need a simple, affordable solution for thinning hair? This natural remedy for thinning hair on females costs as little as $20 a year! You’ll be amazed at the difference this simple home remedy for thinning hair makes. Naturally build volume and thicken hair while also increasing strength, texture and shine – even if you can’t regrow the hair you’ve lost! It even helps with itchy scalp and dandruff. Keep reading to learn how you can take charge of your hair’s health on a budget with this simple beauty hack that also works as a natural remedy for thinning hair!

There are a number of symptoms that come not just with perimenopause in women, but aging in general. At 44 I’m no stranger to quite a few of those symptoms. While there are quite a few natural supplements we can take to tackle hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping and mood swings, there are fewer options for things like age related hair loss or thinning. Fortunately I found a natural, plant based hair care product that is not only affordable, but really works! I didn’t realize just how well it worked, however, until I stopped using it.

Determined to let my hair grow out and see how much I gray I actually had, I stopped using this product for several months. I quickly discovered gray in places I’d never had gray before. I also realized just how thin my fine hair had gotten since going into perimenopause. Luckily, I knew what to do to remedy the situation. I simply had to go back to the one product I was using every quarter. That product is henna.

Last week, I finally tackled my hair care woes using henna. Not only did it cover the grays that are slowly creeping in, it improved my both my hair’s volume and texture. My hair now looks better than it did in my twenties. In fact, you can’t tell at all that my hair is thinning. The difference in my hair after applying henna hair color is nothing short of amazing. Not only does my hair feel lush, thicker and fuller, it’s also shiny, full of volume with added strength and elasticity. It also looks and feels hydrated. So I can use fewer daily hair care products. Most days I can even skip the conditioner!

The Best Natural Remedy for Thinning Hair

If you’re over the struggle of fighting with your drab, thinning hair or even lack luster hair, henna is the perfect natural remedy! When used as a natural remedy for thinning hair, henna not only improves the texture, volume and health of your hair, it also reduces hair fall out. If that wasn’t enough, your scalp will also notice the change. Say goodbye to itchy scalp and even prevent dandruff all together! But wait. Doesn’t henna dye hair red?

The Benefits of Using Henna for Hair

When people think of henna for hair, they are generally familiar with henna as a red hair dye. However, you can dye your hair with henna in a number of ways. By using a “clear” version of henna, you can dye your hair with no color deposit. Alternately, you custom formulate henna to keep your existing hair color or to go a different shade all together. The trick is simply using other botanical products – such as indigo – to formulate a custom color hair dye. Additionally, the by mixing henna with things like tea or coffee, you can also brings out different tones of hair color. (You can learn how to make custom henna hair dye colors further down.)

Henna offers a number of hair care benefits that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Not only does henna dye hair, it also improves hair health for considerably less than even store bought hair dye. Following are my favorite benefits to using henna as a natural remedy for thinning hair as well as a hair dye.

Henna is completely plant based so you can use it even if you’re vegan.
You don’t need to use any special shampoos or additional products for healthy looking hair.
It’s super affordable. A single application can cost as little as $5 – or half that if you have short hair!
Henna won’t dry out or damage your hair like chemical based hair dyes.
You can use henna without color to enjoy healthy looking hair without changing your look.
In most cases, you’ll find you no longer need to use conditioner.
Henna naturally bonds with hair for thicker, fuller hair and a boost of volume.
Using henna strengthens hair and gives it additional elasticity.
Henna gives hair shine so it looks and feels healthy.
In many cases henna helps with issues such as itchy scalp or dandruff. It also promotes hair growth.
I’ve found that using henna reduces daily hair fall out.
Henna naturally fades out so there are no obvious roots as hair grows.
You’ll find that the benefits of henna typically last for a three month period.
Regardless of your hair type, henna works for everyone and can even cover gray hair.
Henna hair dye is a completely natural botanical product so there’s no need to worry about potentially toxic ingredients.
You can buy henna premade in custom hair colors without having to mix your own botanical blends.

Tips & Tricks for Using Henna As A Remedy for Thinning Hair

Keep reading to learn where you can purchase henna to use as a natural remedy for thinning hair for women. Plus I share the exact same products that I used to color my hair and improve hair health. But first, there are a few precautions and tips for using henna hair color.

If you have color treated hair, you cannot use henna until it grows out and is cut off. Otherwise you may experience a chemical reaction that can damage hair and/or give you an unexpected color.
Always do a strand test first if trying to color over chemically color treated hair or is you spend a lot time in the pool. Chlorine can cause hair to turn green when using henna to color hair.
Henna needs to process for 1-4 hours. Therefore I recommend testing a strand of hair first, so you know how to leave henna on to achieve the color you want.
You can cover gray with henna. If you hair is more than 10-15% gray, you’ll need two applications of henna. Each application should be left on for 2-4 hours. For best results, you should wait 72 hours between applications, with red henna offering the best coverage. For white or very light-colored gray hair, try Rusalki Strawberry Blonde Herbal Henna to give hair a sun-streaked look. (I also recommend Light Mountain Natural Color the Gray henna for gray hair.)
For super dry or damaged hair, you can add a carrier oil or butter to your henna paste. Or try this ready made henna gloss bar for lush, hydrated hair.
Metal can negatively react with henna. Therefore you should not use any metal containers or utensils when mixing henna prior to application.
You can store dry henna powder for up to a year. Alternately, you can also freeze any mixed henna you have leftover for up to three months for touch ups as needed. Or do dye your again a second time around.

Formulations for Creating Varying Henna Hair Colors

If you’d like to enjoy the benefits of henna hair color without a color deposit, you can use a similar botanical called Organic Zizyphus Spina Christi (Sedr.) This product won’t leave any color on your hair – even if it’s white. Sedr conditions hair in a manner similar to that of henna. It provides body, aids in detangling, conditions your scalp and and adds shine.

Alternately you can also use Cassia Obovata or Senna. Senna won’t deposit color on dark hair tones. However it will add golden tones to light colored blonde, strawberry blonde or gray hair. Sometimes referred to as “neutral” henna, senna improves the health of hair by making it glossy, stronger, thicker and dandruff-free. Unlike henna, however, senna must be applied every one to two months.

Alternately, to incorporate additional botanical ingredients in with henna to change the final color, you can follow these henna hair dye recipes:

Golden Tones – 100% Cassia
Marigold Blond Tones – 75% Cassia and 25% True Henna
Strawberry Blond Tones – 50/50 Cassia and True Henna
Copper Tones – 75% True Henna and 25% Cassia
Reddish Brown Tones – 60-75% True Henna and 25-40% Indigo
Brown Tones – 50% True Henna and 50% Indigo (add Cassia to lighten)
Dark Chocolate Brown Tones – 60-75% Indigo and 25-40% True Henna

For tips on mixing your own botanical henna hair colors, I recommend the book Natural Hair Coloring by hair care expert Christine Shahin. Within this book you’ll learn how to use non-toxic pigments from henna, indigo, amla, and cassia to color your hair naturally.

Where to Buy Henna for Hair Care

Ready mixed henna hair color is a great option for getting the color your want without the guesswork. My preference is to buy henna in the color I want my hair to be, rather than make my own. Not only does it mean fewer products to buy, the back of the box shows me exactly how my hair color will turn out. For this look – Yes, that’s me! – I used the medium brown Light Mountain Natural Hair Care & Conditioner. (My hair doesn’t look like it’s thinning now!)

I first discovered this henna hair color brand at my local co-op. I love it not only for the quality, but also for the price. Later I realized I was able to save more money by not only purchasing the same brand online, but in 3-pack. That’s 9 months of hair color. And a pretty good deal if you’re trying to save money without sacrificing your look.

When my hair was shorter, I was able to get two applications from one box of henna hair color. So if you have short hair, you can use half the amount in each package and save even more. You can purchase Light Mountain Natural Hair Care & Conditioner online here.

I’ve also purchased henna hair color from Night Blooming on Etsy (she’s the bee’s knees!) as well as from Mountain Rose Herbs. Both of whom I also highly recommend. You can purchase henna hair dye in varying shades from both of these companies as well in both blends and singular hair care colors.

What to Expect When Using Henna As a Natural Remedy for Thinning Hair

I’ve already covered the natural beauty benefits of using henna for hair care, both as a natural remedy for thinning hair and improve hair’s strength, volume and luster. However, it’s important to note that the results from dying your hair with henna develop over several days, rather than immediately.

Unlike chemical laden hair dyes, henna undergoes minor changes for two to three days after application. During this time, you’ll find the color continues to deepen and intensify slightly. Your hair may also initially feel dry after washing out henna hair color. During this time, your hair will also smell what is akin to spinach. Once this time period has passed, your hair will feel and look totally transformed. And the natural scent of the botanicals goes away.

How to Use Henna for Hair Health & Beauty

Ready to take the plunge into henna hair care? Using henna to color your hair or to improve its condition is easy! You can even do it yourself at home. Here’s how.

Shampoo hair with a clarifying shampoo. Do not follow with conditioner. Towel dry.
Place the henna powder in a glass, ceramic or plastic bowl. Set aside.
Boil 12 to 16 ounces of distilled water, tea or coffee. Pour the liquid onto the dry henna powder and stir. You want the henna paste to be the consistency of yogurt. (If henna is clumpy you can add several heaping Tablespoons of yogurt to the henna for a creamier consistency.)
Allow the henna to cool for 15 to 30 minutes.
Once henna has cooled, apply henna to clean, towel dried hair. (You’ll want to wear gloves for this step.) Start at the crown of your head and apply the henna to your roots first. Then massage the henna outward.
Cover your hair with a plastic cap or grocery bag once hair is fully coated. Leave the henna on your hair for anyone from 45 minutes to four hours. (I usually allow the henna to process for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. However, a strand test is the best way to know how long your hair will need.)
Rinse the henna from your hair using warm water. Once rinsed thoroughly, apply conditioner (not shampoo!) to your hair. Then rinse again.
After 24 hours have passed, you can shampoo your hair. I recommend using mild shampoo such as a syndet shampoo bar.

Have you ever used henna as a natural remedy for thinning hair? I’d love to hear about your experiences. So be sure to share your thoughts in the comments!

More Natural Hair Care Remedies

In the meantime, be sure to pin this post to save for future reference. You can also try one of my other natural hair care remedies and hair care recipes.

For more natural hair care and beauty recipes, be sure to check out my boards on Pinterest board. You can also find me on your favorite social media platforms including Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up to receive my newsletter to stay in the loop.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: bath and beauty, bath and body, hair care, hair color, hair conditioner, hair dye, henna, henna hair color, herbal remedies, herbal remedy, home remedies, home remedy, natural beauty, natural remedy, thinning hair, vegan