Cucumber Extract
First in a series of posts on herbal and botanical extracts used in cosmetics
Why use cucumber extract? First, cucumber extract is high in silicon, sulfar, minerals, and Vitamin C. Our skin can benefit from these Cucumber extract is a natural emollient and has been used for centuries for its anti-inflammatory and skin tightening abilities. Alone, cucumber extract can be added to a cosmetic to help the products moisturizing, soothing and cooling properites. Cucumber extract is used in Herbal Natures toner for its soothing, cooling, and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin.
Tip: Have you ever seen a picture with women having sliced cucumbers over her eyes? Well, there is an advantage to doing this. The next time you experience tired or puffy eyes, make sure your eye area is free of eye makeup, and place fresh sliced cucumbers over the eyes. Kick back and relax for about 10 minutes. When you remove the cucumbers, your eyes should feel refreshed and eye puffiness should be reduced. For an all over facial, make sure your skin is clean and free of makeup, place sliced cucumbers over your entire face, lay back and relax for 10-15 minutes. The cucumber slices will help moisturize and restore a youthful glow to your skin.
Natural Deodorant Product Testers Needed!
New product in development – natural deodorant. Looking for product testers for our newest creation. This is a natural deodorant formulated with coconut oil, organic arrowroot powder, zinc oxide, and meadowfoam oil. No aluminum or harsh ingredients, and will not clog pores or keep your body from releasing toxins.
Sweat does not smell. Bacteria causes body order. Often your sweat glands are not allowed to flush the toxins from your body because the glands have been sealed off with an anti-perspirant. Help your body cleanse itself. Drink plenty of water, dry your underarm area well after bathing, and apply the natural deodorant with a few swipes to the arm pit.
For those who are interested in testing this new deodorant, please send your request to:
Names will be collected until July 6, 2009, at that time your product will be mailed, along with a feedback form. You are encouraged to provide honest feedback. Thanks!
Minerals and Colorants
No one can really claim “all natural” when it comes to minerals or colorants such as oxides. They are naturally derived, but have gone thru a process to remove some of the “natural” ingredients that a person would never want to put on their skin.
Inorganic pigments may be derived from naturally occurring mineral sources, such as titanium dioxide or sericite mica. They may also be derived from a synthetic produced mineral source, such as ultramarine blue (kaolin clay and other additives fired at high temperatures to produce the color and then cleaned of the sulfer that results from this process)
When mined and in their natural state, often times iron oxides are combined with toxic metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury. Regulation by the FDA of oxides used in cosmetic colorants helps to assure the toxicity levels of the oxides have been reduced and are safe for the skin. The process of removing toxins and refining the oxides reduces the natural state to a naturally derived state.
Micas are created by a combination of sericite mica (uncolored mica) and pigments (oxides). This process reduces the potency of the pigment, creates a more translucent blend, and offers a rainbow of color variations.
It is this author’s opinion, drug and cosmetic (D&C) and Food Drug & Cosmetic (FC&C), although approved for use, should not be used in a mineral cosmetic blend. These colors are synthetically created and reduce the mineral blend to less than naturally derived.
This original article was written by Melanie McCullough, administrator, in July of 2006
On the Drying Rack
Fresh invigorating shea butter/goat milk soap – Surfs Up – unisex clean fragrance with a zip of fresh
Goat Milk Soap - Surfs Up
A Gardening Memory
Yesterday, we took a trip to our favorite greenhouse in search of a few more flowers to fill in some empty spaces left from our garden extension. We weaved through several isles of plants, each offering a splendor of color and variety. After much discussion and meandering, we made our choices and headed for the line to pay for our newly aquired botanicals.
As we stood in line, an area caught our eye that was filled with miniature furniture, garden gnomes, garden fairies, and plants. The girls expressed an interest in this area, so we stepped out of line and took a gander at the beautiful garden settings. The little garden areas ranged from a formal victorian garden setting with garden arches framed with vines of ivy to a more informal country garden setting areas complete with little wicker baskets and tiny garden gloves.
We were hooked! So, carefully, the girls chose their favorite plantings and a few accessories like a twig garden bench, a birdhouse, and some tiny watering cans. They chatted about their new garden on the drive home. Excitement and anticipation was in the air!
Back at grandma’s house, each girl helped to prepare the container we chose for our little garden. We placed gravel in the bottom of the container to allow for drainage and filled the pot with organic potting soil. Each girl took their choice plants and readied them for planting by removing them from their pots, loosening the soil around the roots and placing them gently in their new home. Their eyes beemed with pride as the little garden took on a character of its own.
Yet another memory has been added to our gardening adventures. Rather either of the girls choose to have their own gardens when they grow up has not been determined, but surely, they will not forget the pride and accomplishment they felt when they built the miniature garden at grandma’s.
Tiny Garden
Tiny Garden 2
