Hot Lemon Water
22 May 2012 6 Comments
in Body Care, Ingredients Tags: lemon, skin care
My favorite way to start the morning is with a cup of hot water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Lemons have quickly become one of my favorite fruits. I use them in my baking, I love to drink lemon flavoured drinks, and I also use lemons in my skin care. Could you ask for more from a fruit?
What’s so good about lemons?
Frankly, the reasons are endless. Here are a few:
Lemons are an antiseptic that helps deal with bad bacteria.
Lemons help prevent disease in the body and aid in cleansing the system of impurities.
Lemons help relieve things like heartburn, bloating, and excessive gas.
Lemon juice also helps keeps your digestive system regular, from end to end!
Lemons are high in Vitamin C.
Getting hot lemon water on the fly
I recently spent a couple of weeks away from home on a work trip. My team met each morning in an Italian coffee shop before heading into the office. While everyone was having a fancy Italian coffee, I would ask for a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon. The first day, the staff was wonderful and produced exactly what I was looking for. What a relief!
Unfortunately, I was only able to coax them into giving me hot lemon water one more time in that two-week period. Most of the time, there were no lemons in the kitchen (I nearly fell over the first they told me that — how could you NOT have lemons on hand?!) The rest of the time, the staff was just totally confused at my request. In fact, on the second day that I managed to get some lemon, the staff was about to give me the whole (last) lemon that he had in the kitchen. Perhaps he thought I’d put the lemon in the cup and let it steep?
I never really thought a request for hot lemon water would be so confusing! Fortunately, I’m back home now and I can make my own each morning, to my heart’s content.
Would you start your day with a cup of hot lemon water?
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My own natural “one-minute manicure”
15 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Body Care, Projects, Safe Cosmetics Tags: beauty, hand scrub, handmade, manicure, Safe Cosmetics
Short, Stubby Nails?
Do you ever have a hard time coaxing your nails to grow?
I always have.
When I’m stressed out or under pressure, I pick at them. Left on their own, they tend to peel. Simply put, I’ve just never had the strongest finger nails.
Regular Nail Maintenance
Since my nails were always such a disaster, I used to get regular manicures. Even the technicians at the shop were shocked at how little my nails would grow between visits. They were so concerned that they gave me a sample of a One Minute Manicure to try.
The Miraculous One Minute Manicure
The instructions were simple. Massage a bit of the mixture into my hands a few
times a night. Rinse. Moisturize. I did that and magically, my nails started to get stronger! I couldn’t believe it. The results were undeniable.
Of course, over time, I used up the sample of the mixture and didn’t take the time to get more, thinking that my nails were cured. Of course, they weren’t. Over time, they started to soften and peel and revert back to their unsightly state.
A Natural Alternative to Support Miraculous Nails
All of that happened before I started making my own products. One of the first things that I ever made was a hand scrub. I’ve experimented with them a bit, making them with both sugar and salt, spices and citrus and of course, with different base oils. I’ve loved every one of them.
Regardless of the ingredients, I mix up a batch, massage it into my hands a few times a week and voila! My nail beds stay in good shape, my nails grow strong, and I don’t have to hide my hands anymore! Since my own mixture has a base of oil, I don’t have to moisturize after rinsing either. My hands stay moisturized all night long and my skin feels silky and smooth.
Had I known it was that simply to have strong nails, I would have been using a homemade hand scrub for decades!
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Are you Ready for Mother’s Day?
08 May 2012 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Anna Jarvis, Julia Ward Howe, Mother's Day, Mothering Sunday
Mother’s Day is almost here. Are you ready to pamper your mother?
How about a little background on Mother’s Day?
Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated across 46 different countries, albeit on different days of the year. Over time, this celebration has grown and expanded to each of those countries.
The earliest roots of Mother’s Day are traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans who had traditions of honoring their maternal goddesses.
More recently, Mothering Sunday was celebrated in the 1600′s in England. It was a time where people were encourage to visit their mothers and honor them with simple gifts. This tradition died out in the 19th century.
In the United States, Mother’s Day was promoted by Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis in the late 1800′s. They both supported the idea of honoring our mothers.
Through all of these iterations of Mother’s Day, none of the celebrations were as commercial as they are today. While today’s version of Mother’s Day is certainly about honoring our mothers, it has also taken a commercial aspect that was not contemplated before.
Honoring my mothers
There is so much publicity about all the great things you can do for you mother on Mother’s day. Gift ideas range from chocolates to flowers to a nice to dinner to all kinds of extravagant gifts.
My personal preference is to try to make time to spend with my mother. We both lead busy lives and time together is always limited. To me, spending time with my mother is the best gift for both of us.
Even as time spent is important, I also like to give her something special to 
mark the day. You never know, there may be a bouquet of flowers coming her way or some hand-made skin care products that she can use to pamper herself.
My mother-in-law lives in a different city than me. It makes spending time together a bit more challenging. However, I have no doubt that my husband and I will find a way to brighten her day and know that we are thinking of her!
How you will you honor your mother on Mother’s Day?
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Incorporate Fresh Juice Into Your Daily Routine
01 May 2012 8 Comments
in Body Care, Ingredients Tags: beauty, dandelion greens, ginger root, Hurom Juice Press, juice, Leafy Greens, slow juicer, turmeric
Drinking freshly pressed juice is a great way to get a serving of fruits and vegetables. For example, I try to incorporate dark leafy greens into my diet every day. One of the easiest ways to do this is by juicing.
My Hurom Juice Press
I use a Hurom juice press. It’s a slow juice press that uses a single-gear auger. As you put the vegetables and fruit into it, you can hear the machine ‘chewing’ everything into a pulp. The pulp comes out very dry.
Since the juicer works slowly, there is no oxidation. Most centrifugal juicers work at a fast speed, thus allowing for oxidation. In simple terms, my juice press works a slow speed that allows the juice to retain the nutrients and enzymes that make it healthy.
My favorite recipe
My husband is the creative one when it comes to creating new juice recipes. Once he’s perfected them, I start to make them regularly and eventually, I call it my own. ;)
The current recipe has the following ingredients:
2 apples
4 sticks of celery
A bunch of dandelion greens
A bit of ginger root
A bit of turmeric root
Try it! It tastes great!
I try to drink two glasses of this juice each day. As soon as I drink it, I feel energized. There’s no doubt in my mind that juice is an important part of my beauty and health routine!
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My Favorite Beauty Foods
24 Apr 2012 5 Comments
in Body Care, Ingredients Tags: Avocados, beauty, beauty foods, Berries, Leafy Greens, Lemons, Nuts
There are lots of ways to take great care of your skin. In addition to using all-natural skin care products that are free from unnecessary chemicals, you can also do your skin a favour by eating the best foods for your skin. Some of my favorite beauty food are:
Dark, Leafy Greens
I’m a big fan of dark, leafy greens. Dandelion greens, kale, and chard are all great examples. These vegetables are high in fiber, full of vitamin C, and offer a high dose of antioxidants. The Vitamin A in dark, leafy greens is great for clearing up acne and keeping your skin clear.
I either steam them lightly or I use them in a juice. Either way, it’s a great idea to incorporate dark leafy greens in your diet.
Avocados
Avocados are full healthy fats. They are a great snack, in small portions. They
also go well in smoothies and soup. I also love sharing a good bowl of guacamole.
Avocados are full of Vitamins A, C, E, and K. One of the best things about avocados is that this fruit is also great when used in skin care! Its moisturizing properties are great in a hair mask or a face mask.
Berries
Berries are full of antioxidants. Try including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or acai berries into your daily regime. I include a handful of strawberries in my morning smoothie. Berries are touted as having anti-aging, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory qualities. Berries can also be used in skin care products for your face and skin.
Lemons
Lemons are an integral part of my daily routine. I start my day with a cup of hot water with lemon juice. As with avocados, lemons are also great in 
skin care. Lemon juice can be used in shampoos, skin care. Lemon juice can even be used in homemade household cleaning products. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice!
Salmon
Salmon is a great source of protein and healthy fats. This fish helps improve the production of collagen in your skin. Eating fish once a week is a great way to get a good source of omega 3′s. I’ve tried cooking salmon in a few different ways. At the moment, my favorite is to bake it in the oven with a bit of coconut oil.
Nuts
Nuts are full of healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Their anti-inflammatory qualities help address inflammation and other skin disorders. My favorite nuts to snack on are almonds, walnuts, cashews and pecans. While I snack on nuts every day, I’m careful to limit that quantity to a handful throughout the day to ensure that I’m not overdoing it.
What are your favorite beauty foods?
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Pure Creations Spa – Local and All-Natural
17 Apr 2012 2 Comments
in Body Care Tags: beauty, facial, Facial Cleanser, Pure Creations, serum
I indulged in a second facial. The first one was so good, I just had to go back for more. This time, I chose a local spa that makes and uses their own all-natural, toxin-free products. The spa is Pure Creations. I tried two services while I was there.
The Pedicure
I started with a pedicure. I used to have pedicures every couple of weeks, 
especially in the summer time. However, once I became more aware of all the chemicals involved, I stopped and attempted to take care of my feet all on my own. Needless to say, they have suffered a wee bit. So, I had a pedicure at Pure Creations. They used their own exfoliating botanicals in the water, their own creams, and used a 5-free polish, Nubar. This is a great brand of polish that lasted quite a while on my toes and offers hundreds of different colours. The pedicure was lovely and my feet felt pretty again!
The Facial
I also had a facial. It was different from the first facial I had a while back, but fortunately, it was equally as relaxing and lovely. Once again, the products smelled great and moisturized my skin thoroughly. She started with a gentle sandalwood cleanser, followed by a green tea serum, and finished with a wheat germ moisturizer.
I love to support local businesses. Knowing that the team at Pure Creations makes their own products and ensures that each product is toxin-free is great.
I’m already looking forward to my next visit!
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My Day and Night Oil
10 Apr 2012 12 Comments
in Body Care, Ingredients, Projects, Safe Cosmetics Tags: Argan Oil, beauty, Carrot Seed Oil, Facial Cleanser, handmade, natural, Rosehip Seed Oil, Safe Cosmetics, skin care, soap, Wheatgerm Oil
What do you use to moisturize your face? Do you use a serum, a cream, or oil? Or, are you someone with naturally oily skin who would never contemplate using any kind of moisturizer on your face?
I’ve always had dry skin…
I`ve always had dry skin, so I’ve always used some kind of moisturizer. For the most part, I have used a light cream, both in the morning or the night. If I didn’t, I could feel my skin tighten within minutes of being washed.
I was able to help myself a few months ago when I stopped using strong cleansers on my face. Once I went to a milder soap, I thought I might be able to get away without using a moisturizer. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Even with a mild cleanser, my face still needed some help to stay moisturized.
How about straight oil?
As I learned more about the unnecessary and toxic chemicals hiding in most skin care products, including the ones I was using at the time, I started looking for a healthy alternative for moisturizing my skin. Around the same time, I learned how to make a Night Oil at a workshop at Soap & More. I never thought that I would actually use straight oil on my face. Surely it would be too much and cause me to break out instantly (or, at the very least, overnight!). I was so convinced that I didn`t touch the oil that I made in the workshop for several 
weeks.
And then one night, I ran out of my moisturizer. Out of desperation, I turned to the little bottle of night oil. I just used a little drop and massaged into my face and neck. It actually felt pretty good and my skin didn`t seem oily. Still skeptical, I went to sleep, fearing the worst for the morning.
Miraculously, I woke up in the morning with my same clear skin. I used a dab of the oil again that morning, and again that night. In fact, I have continued that for several months now and I have yet to break out! I’m convinced that this Face Oil, combined with my other serums, will keep the wrinkles away!
What goes into a Face Oil?
I’ve had to mix up batches of this Oil a couple of times since I first started using it. Each time, I’ve tried something a bit different. I’ve used combinations of argan oil, rosehip seed oil, carrot seed oil, wheatgerm oil, and avocado oil. I`m sure there are many, many different combinations out there. Fortunately, all of the combinations that I have tried have worked great so far!
Have you ever tried using Oil on your face and neck? If not, after reading my personal triumph with it, would you give it a try?
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Go Green this Easter
07 Apr 2012 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: dyeing easter eggs, Easter, natural, onion skins, plastic grass, Reusable, turmeric
‘Easter traditions go back a long way. Today, there are many ways to enjoy those traditions and make some ‘green’ choices along the way. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started.
Dyeing Easter Eggs Naturally
Today, it’s fairly easy to use synthetic dyes when you set out to colour your 
Easter eggs. However, the tradition started with the use of natural sources of colouring. I found a great article about all kinds of ways to dye your eggs naturally and then use them in creative ways. Here’s a snippet of their suggestions:
Natural Sources of Dye:
Red Cabbage
Turmeric
Onion Skins
Beets
Coffee
You can dye your eggs using a cold dip method or a boiled method. You’ll dip them for varying lengths of time, depending on the type of colour that you want. Check out this article for more great ideas!
Reusable Easter Baskets
Once you have your decorated eggs, no doubt you will want to put them into a basket. This year, try reusing baskets from other occasions. You could also use shredded junk mail to fill the bottom of the basket instead of the plastic grass that is often used. Once Easter is done, that plastic grass spends most of its time in landfills.
I got that idea from a Green Options article. This is just one of the great ideas in the article, so please check it out as well!
Wishing you all a Happy Easter!
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One Step Closer to Banning Triclosan
03 Apr 2012 9 Comments
in Ingredients, Safe Cosmetics Tags: beauty, Environmental Defence Canada, Safe Cosmetics, Triclosan
The federal government will be announcing that it will start an assessment on the antibacterial chemical, Triclosan. Reported last week, Postmedia says that this is an important step in improving environmental and human health conditions.
Why is Triclosan a concern?
Triclosan is one of those chemicals that many advocate to remove from skin 
care products. It’s been shown to be toxic to both fish and wildlife and to humans. This chemical is known as an endocrine disruptor, possibly being linked to thyroid problems and cancer. Further, it is thought that Triclosan contributes to antibiotic resistant bacteria, contributing to formation of “superbugs”.
Where do you find Triclosan?
Triclosan is in a multitude of everyday products. You’ll find it lurking in hand sanitizers, in all kinds of makeup in even in plastic goods, like smartphone cases.
Environmental Defence has been a leader in the campaign to ban Triclosan from every day products. Read all about this latest development here.
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Thank you for all the love!
01 Apr 2012 6 Comments
Wow! I just checked my site stats on my blog and was blown away! I’ve had more views and visits to my blog in the first three months of 2012 than all of 2011!
2011
I started this blog in June of 2011. I had a great start as I learned about the blogging world. By the end of the year, with six months of experience, I’d attracted a fair number of views.
2012
At the beginning of the year, I set myself a few goals. I decided I wanted to increase the traffic to my blog. I also decided I wanted to write a post at least once a week.
Early Results in 2012
For the first three months of this year, I’ve managed to post more than once a week and have been getting lots of traffic to my blog. Woo hoo! In fact, I’ve had more visitors in the first three months than all of 2011 put together!
Thank you!
Thank you for all your support in keeping up with my blog! I truly appreciate all of your interest and love knowing that people all over the world are interested in my experiments.
