As we get closer to Halloween (2 days and counting!), I decided I wanted to do a post on pumpkins. I am getting more and more into DIY (do-it-yourself) beauty and thought, what a perfect time to find a DIY pumpkin recipe! After you carve it into a jack-o-lantern, don’t throw out the pulp! Use it on your face! Pumpkins are one of the most healthy vegetables (it’s in the squash family) and are full of caroteniods, such as beta carotene and lutein. Carotenoids are powerful anti-oxidants which neutralize skin damage. Pumpkin pampers, soothes, moisturizes, and gives the skin a natural glow. Check out the video for the easiest pumpkin facial you will ever see! If you try this, leave a comment and let me know how it made your skin feel! Happy Halloween!

Stay natural..stay beautiful…go green!

Robin

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 6-8 tablespoons coconut oil
• 10 drops of lavender or fennel essential oil

Combine the baking soda and cornstarch in a small container. Little by little, add the coconut oil until you have a paste. Finally, add the essential oil of your choice. Apply to underarms with your fingertips.

Many essential oils have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, making them an ideal addition to your deodorant mixture. Baking soda has so many uses, especially odor absorbing while cornstarch has been used for years to absorb moisture. Coconut oil is especially beneficial for so many reasons (see this post for more on coconut oil!)

So after one day, this at home mix proved to be better than most commercial, aluminum filled toxic deodorants on the market today. Be safe with your deodorant and save money in the process. Do you have any simple homemade deodorant recipes you can share? And if you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your results. Thanks for reading and until next time, stay natural, stay beautiful…Robin.

Update: I had been using this deodorant for a week. It was the best deodorant I have ever used…no odor, no sweat…simply amazing! Until after the first week…I started getting bumps on my underarms! So I decided that maybe I got the formulations wrong or put too much baking soda in it. I now see that making your own beauty products is a trial and error, learning proccess.

I decided to turn to a fellow natural beauty blogger, Michelle Singh. She has a great blog: greengirlorganics. She recommended using cosmetic grade cornstarch (I bought mine from the grocery store) and using less essential oil. She also recommended a few natural deodorants by  Miessence and Weleda. Thanks, Michelle!

Sometimes the best cures exist right in front of our eyes. I have previously posted about how wonderful it is to use the foods you can find right in your refrigerator to create the most lovely beauty recipes. Now I want to turn my attention to another natural beauty aid, oils. All of the oils I am going to talk about can be used for cooking. The benefits are endless.

My favorite oil to use on the face is almond oil. We all know how healthy almonds are when ingested,  but now we can also reap the benefits externally. Almond oil soaks in and manages to keep your face soft, smooth, and glowing. It moisturizes, works as an anti-aging tonic, and can even relieve irritated skin. I primarily use this at night (sort of as a night serum) but it can also be used in the day. I use almond oil to moisturize my cuticles too. Almond oil is rich in many nutrients, including Vitamin E and D, magnesium, and calcium. As an added bonus, it can be used as a massage oil and a carrier oil when mixed with essential oils, such as lavender or bergamot.

For the body, I prefer to use coconut oil. I usually will purchase a large container of organic virgin coconut oil and place it into a squeeze bottle. This makes it very convenient for application to the entire body and it usually lasts a long time. Coconut oil is a wonderful moisturizer and can improve the skin’s elasticity, which may become a problem as you age. Coconut oil is full of healthy lauric acid, which helps the body fight viruses and bacteria. It can help heal skin irritations, like almond oil. It is also a miracle hair product, providing moisture, treating damaged hair, and promoting hair growth. Of course, you can also take it internally, which helps you lose weight!

Please visit  From Nature With Love where you can purchase almond and coconut oil as well as 1,750+ natural ingredients for use in homemade beauty recipes.

Unlike mineral oil, these healthy oils do not lay on the skin, or clog pores, giving the skin a chance to breathe. They are easily absorbed into the body and are safe, natural moisturizers. Does anyone out there use any natural oils? If so, I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment on the blog. Also, please don’t forget to sign up for RSS updates and for automatic updates by e-mail. Thanks for visiting the blog!

   Did you ever think about creating your own homemade beauty products? Natural beauty recipes contain such wholesome ingredients as milk, fruit, vegetables, and other healthy foods. With what is called “DIY” (do it yourself) skin care, you don’t need to worry about toxic, harmful ingredients because you are the creator and know exactly what you are putting into your skin.

   I’ve made my own facial scrub with oatmeal, milk, and honey and my skin felt so soft and smooth. Sometimes you don’t even need to go to the store and can use the stuff you already have in your fridge right now! These at home concoctions can moisturize, cleanse, soften and even revitalize skin. There are some teriffic ebooks available as well for skin rejuvenating recipes that can actually make you look younger! Not only is it fun to do, but it’s tasty too! Give it a try sometime. I would love to know your results!