First let me say I just noticed a typo on one of my little ingredient signs...Hell's bells!!! Oh well, I forgive myself and I'll move right along...nobody click to enlarge the picture!
People often associate the scents of baking during the holidays and while I love nothing more than the scent of spicy cookies just out of the oven, it's also uplifting to walk into a house fragrant with citruses and florals from a morning of natural cosmetic making.
I'm an aromatherapist and used to hold workshops on making your own products and I taught classes to introduce people to ingredients, essential oil safety and the basics of skincare in general.
Aromatherapy is a subject I'm passionate about, but I'll try not to get too preachy or go on for two hundred paragraphs. Notice I said I'll try...not that I promise!
Renaissance is one of my favorite products even though it isn't that pretty. It's a great facial softener and the glycerin draws moisture to the skin. If you're familiar with Lush's Angels On Bare Skin, you'll note the similarities, however I use ground lavender and this darkens the scrub a bit. I'm a Lush fan, but am annoyed they haven't caught on how sharp the ends of dried lavender can be. OUCH!
This recipe can be halved or quartered easily and while I tried to give accurate measurements, I make these things rather intuitively (Have you ever watched Nigella cook? You get the picture.)
Renaissance Facial & Body Scrub
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Kaolin Clay (drawing and softening)
- 1 cup finely ground almonds (or almond flour if you prefer, but it can be a little pasty)
- 1 tablespoon lavender flowers ground fine (naturally astringent)
- 1 tablespoon red roses ground fine (anti-inflammatory)
- 8 ounces vegetable glycerin (easily found at any drugstore as well as natural food markets and is a humectant which means it pulls moisture from the air and keeps your skin soft, plus it's a natural preservative)
- Essential Oil-40 drops (rose and lavender for dry or sensitive skin---lavender and tea tree for acne prone skin)
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add glycerin a little at a time and work in with a spoon...this may require your hands...I like to knead it in. Add more clay if you need to. After some vigorous work, you should have a mound with a play-dough- like texture and you can turn it out onto the counter or a breadboard. Note: Kaolin clay can be dusty as you work with it...don't include the children at this stage because breathing in Kaolin can irritate new and sensitive noses!
I wasn't lying when I said it isn't pretty! The little brown flecks are just that...flecks of almond skin, not chunks. You must be diligent if you choose to grind your own almonds rather than use these:
Protecting your skin is crucial and you don't want to have any sharp bits of almond doing damage.
Now you can add your essential oils drop by drop directly on top of the kaolin mixture. Give the mixture a few moments to absorb the essential oil before you begin kneading it in. Use any combination of the oils you feel pulled to (40 drops total). The oils I've listed are considered safe, however, pregnant women should probably avoid rose...it's a wonderful oil, but in quantities far greater than I've suggested, it's been known to stimulate contractions...better safe than sorry.
Once you've kneaded the oils into the scrub it's completely done and ready to store in an airtight container until use. Directions coming soon...But first, here are a few suggestions:
Shape and roll in flower powder, crushed herbs, almonds or even poppy seeds (no poppy seeds if you use it as a facial scrub-they're too abrasive for facial skin).
Or do as I do...shape into into a log, roll in gorgeous bright orange calendula flowers and slice:
Package for yourself or gift giving in any way that suits you. Renaissance doesn't need refrigeration and will keep for about one month in an airtight container.
I love giving it away in little gift bags or just looking at it in my prized mini-cast iron tub!
Try using pretty muffin papers, little tins or jars. I made the box based on a candy box I once had.
Before I give you directions that you can copy and include with gifts, let me explain a little about the dangers of over-exfoliating. When you exfoliate for the the first time your skin always feels so incredibly soft that you just can't keep your hands off it! A few days later the newfound softness seems to disappear, so we feel the need to try it again. Most women scrub too hard...this creates a skincare nightmare from hell because without even realizing it, we abrade our skin.
It feels soft at first, but then the abraded skin (usually unnoticed) heals a little tougher than it was originally. We feel dry, crave the softness, so again...we pull out the scrub and the process begins again. Each time we do this, we damage our skin and it heals a little rougher...Over time we actually damage our skin and it can be impossible to ever get that first time softness again. You must not rub any scrub (sugar or salt included) into your skin...Gently press and smooth it over your body. Vigorous rubbing of a scrub over your hips and thighs will cause you to lose softness and worse...damage the texture of your skin.
How To Use Renaissance Scrub
For Face:
Take an olive size amount and rub it between your palms under warm water. This will distribute it evenly in your hands. Bring palms to face and lightly press...do not rub. Start at your forehead and work down to décolleté (avoiding eye area). Rinse thoroughly and follow with your normal skincare routine.
For Body:
Press a plum sized amount into a flat disc in your hands. Wet with warm water while in the shower or bath and gently press and roll over skin. Rinse and follow with your favorite lotion or body oil.
Here are couple of sources for clays, floral powders and essential oils:
Mountain Rose Herbs
Camden-Grey
Safety Information:
Aroma Web
Aromatherapy Organizations:
National Association For Holistic Aromatherapy
I.T.H.M.A
Visit This Site For Great Recipes:
Indie Beauty Network
Visit This Blog For A Homemade Linen Water Tutorial:
The Scent of Water
