Weekend Recipe - Orange Mint Skin Toner

Mint Orange Toner

It is getting that time of year to harvest and the recent rain has really made the herbs sprout.  This skin toner recipe is quick to make with some fresh mint and left over orange peel.  Orange is high in vitamin C which helps protect your complexion.  Mint leaves are high in iron and menthol which will tighten your pores after cleansing.  And while the temps are still warm, you can keep it in the refrigerator for a cooling effect.  Use this after cleansing to rid your skin of surface residue and dead skin cells.

3 Tbls. fresh mint leaves

1 orange peel

2 cups boiling water

1 Tbls. witch hazel

Place mint leaves and orange in a ceramic bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Allow mixture to steep and cool completely.  Strain out mint leaves and peels and stir in witch hazel.  Pour into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. 

To Use: Apply Mint Orange Toner to your skin after cleansing with a clean cotton pad.  You can also use in a spray bottle after bathing or a freshner throughout the day.

Winter Skin Remedies

Recently I was researching a few new recipes to try out for a program called Winter Skin Recovery, that  I will be presenting at the Wauconda Area Public Library in February.   They wanted a Bath and Beauty program with an emphasis on dry skin formulas since it will be happening in the middle of dry skin season.  I wanted to include a few new recipes so I have been experimenting and researching and now that the heat is on and my skin is drying out it is a useful experiment. 

One of the recipes I am testing is a cleanser using Lavender and Rose.  Rose if very softening and Lavender is a gentle antiseptic so as a skin cleanser they are a good combination.  Since this is not made with soap, it eliminates the drying effect soap can have.  You actually make the blend and leave it dry, adding liquid just before you use it.  That gives you a 3 to 6 month shelf life and the ability to keep from wasting it.

Here is the recipe for you to try too!  Let me know if you enjoy it.

Lavender and Rose Cleanser

½ cup white clay, finely ground

1/3 cup ground oatmeal or oat flour

1 Tbls. Powdered lavender flowers

1 Tbls. Powdered rose petals

5 drops lavender essential oil

2 drop rose geranium essential oil

Mix dry ingredients, add essential oils and mix carefully and completely.  Store in a zip seal bag or tightly lidded jar.

Directions for use: Place 2 teaspoons of powdered cleanser into a small bowl or the palm of your hand and add 2 tsp. of water, milk or cream.  Stir to blend until a spreadable paste forms.  Allow this paste to thicken for 1 minute.  Using a soft cloth, cleansing pad or your fingers, apply entire mixture to cover face, throat and upper chest (avoiding eye areas) and massage in a circular motion for 1 minute.  Rinse.

You can also use this as a face mask by spreading it on cleansed skin and letting it dry for 20 minutes before removing.

Although this is a bath theme post, I just wanted to remind everyone that there is a SOUP MIX sale going on in our Etsy Store.  Use the code JANSALE25 to get 25% off all out Soup Mixes.

Making Holiday Gifts Series - Winter Skin Care

Today's descriptions and suggestions are for simple gifts to care for your skin in winter.  A perfect selection of items you can give in a gift basket to a close friend or anyone who lives in the northern tundra!

Always keep in mind that when crafting items for the skin you need to use cleansing and exfoliating herbs.  You cleanse with herbs that contain foaming saponins, like oats and yucca as well as anti microbial herbs like thyme and sage.  To exfoliate you need abrasives.  You can use ground peach or date pits, but I prefer powdered parsley which is less harsh and has some naturally occurring acid for exfoliation.  Chamomile and lemon also contain good acids for this.

Skin Softening Wash Bag

This cleansing bag has just was you need to soften and scrub.

8-inch square muslin fabric

¼ cup ground oatmeal

¼ cup ground sunflower seeds

Place ingredients in center of cloth and tie closed with yarn or ribbon.  Gather into a pouch.  As you relax in the tub, rub your entire body with the bag, then let it remain in the water releasing its softening properties.  Discard bag when finished.

You can enhance this recipe by adding Chamomile or Scented geranium leaves to the mixture in the bag. 

Chamomile – Tones all types of complexions. The anti-inflammatory effect of this essential oil applied topically improves skin regeneration, and a cold compress does wonders for puffy eyes. Chamomile is used in facial steams to reduce puffiness and cleanse the pores of the skin.

Geranium – Wonderful oil for mature and troubled skin and brings a radiant glow and promotes circulation.

Rosewater

Rose water in addition to being an ingredient in many skin treatments is by itself a great item to use and this simple recipe will allow you to make your own.

If you do not have time to distill your own rosewater, you can create rosewater, using a much simpler method.  Your water may not be a fragrant as the distilled method, but the results are very pleasant and you can use the mild rose scented liquid as a light fragrance, after-bath splash or skin toner.  It also makes a nice addition to homemade creams and lotions.

Quick Rosewater
1 cup firmly packed rose petals, washed

2 cups boiling water

Place rose petals in a ceramic or glass bowl.  Use only fresh petals (no leaves or stems).  Pour boiling water over petals, and allow to steep until cool.  Strain off the petals and pour the scented liquid into a clean bottle.

Rose – Astringent and luxurious, rose oils and rose waters are welcome additions to almost any skin care formulation has an astringent effect on oily skin, reducing puffiness, edema and has a slight tightening effect. The oil most effective for moisturizing and hydrating the skin while having a general stimulant and antiseptic action which is good for all skin types, but especially so for dry, mature and irritated skin. It is used to repair broken capillaries, inflammation, as well as skin redness and is useful in eczema

Bath Tub Tea

A bath tub tea can help with exfoliation and the removal of agents that dry skin.  You can include a lemon in the basket and a 2-3 peppermint tea bags with the following instructions to use in the tub as well:

                                      Use these items to produce a Lemon Mint Herbal Bath Tea. 
                                      Prepare the bags of peppermint tea and slice the lemon. 
                                      Add the liquid from the tea to the bath water and float the
                                      lemon slices. Crawl into the water and soak for at least 15
                                      minutes.  Pat do not rub your skin to dry!

If you are in a hurry, you can also get some great Bath Salts, Scrubs and Tub Teas from the Backyard Patch and put them into a basket too!  Check out our choose your own basket items on Etsy.