We have had a wonderful weekend with our friends from Kansas City. Brian's best friend from high school and his lovely family came down for the weekend. The guys had a true guys weekend: hunting, fishing and BBQ'ing. The girls had a true girls weekend: shopping, beauty and fun!
Yesterday, Lisa, Camille, Caroline, Hermina and I packed in the car and went shopping in Rogers AR. We had a great time, good meal at Mimi's Cafe and got some great bargins (can you beat cute tops for a penny? I think not!!). We came back and had a big BBQ with our families. We just had a blast! Everyone told their best stories and we laughed all night long. My face and belly hurt from laughing and smiling so much. It was a good time and a great crowd.
Today we slept in, we were all tired and then went to my favorite vegan restaurant, Isadora's Wonderful Things for a great brunch. We had Potato spinach lasgana and salad with sweet mustard dressing, fried oat groats with black eyed peas and gravy, and coconut pancakes with strawberry-banana topping YUM!! We were so full.
The girls and I came back to the house to make some beauty products. We had so much fun! We made just about something for all body parts!!!
Here's the recipes we made:
Bananarama Nourishing Face Mask from The Gorgeously Green Diet by Sophie Uliani
This is a rich and nourishing face mask for dry skin
1 egg yolk
1 ripe banana
2 tsp. sesame oil
Mash all the ingredients into a paste. Before you apply to your face, set a timer for ten minutes, then pack it on! Quickly lie down with a towel under your head. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Once the timer goes off, wash off with warm water and moisturize with a few drops of sesame oil.
Crazy for coconut balm from Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles
7 tbsp coconut base oil (extra-virgin, unrefined)
1 tbsp cocoa butter
40 drops vanilla or sweet orange essential oil (optional)
This product smells luscious, tastes delicious (it's safe to taste), and is simple to make. Many people swear by coconut oil's ability to melt right into the skin and use it from head to toe year round as a superb body beautifier. In a small pan over low heat or in double boiler, warm coconut oil and cocoa butter until the butter is just melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Add the essential oil and stir to blend. Pour into storage container and cap. Allow the mixture to set for 2 hours.
Oatmeal Smoother - Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles
This scrub, gentle enough for a baby's delicate skin, leaves skin very smooth and soft. It doubles as a mask: Simply apply and leave on to dry for 20-30 mintues, then rinse.
1/2 cup ground oatmeal
1/2 cup powdered milk
purified water
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix dry ingredients using a spoon or small whisk or shake them in a sealed bag.
Pour the mixture into a storage container.
No refrigeration is required for the dry ingredients, but for maximum freshness and potency, please use withing 6 months.
To mix scrub, combine 2 tsp of scrub mix with 1-2 tsps water until a spreadable paste forms. Adjust water quantity as necessary. Allow the mixture to thicken for 1 min.
Application tips: using your fingers, masssage onto face and throat. Rinse.
Coconut and Vanilla Brown Sugar Body Buff - Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles
The aroma of this scrub is so richly tropical! It's a delightful skin polishing formula to use year-round, but especially when you wish you were in the balmy, breezy warm tropics.
1 1/4 cups brown or raw sugar
6-8 Tbsp coconut base oil (extra virgin, unrefined)
15-20 drops vanilla essential oil (or subsitute vanills fragrance or flavoring oil)
In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar and coconut base oil. If the temperature of your house is below 76 degrees F and the coconut oil is solid, warm it over very low heat until it's just melted, then blend with the sugar using a small whisk, making sure to break up any lumps of sugar. Add the essential oil drop by drop blending after each addition.
Spoon into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
No refrigeration is required, but for maximum freshness and gragrance, please use within 6 months.
Application tips: Massage approximatly 1/4 to 1/2 cup of scrub onto premoistened skin using circular motions. Rinse.
Salt of the Earth Body Scrub - Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles
This is an ultra-invigorating blend, perfect to use in the morning as a wake-me-up skin sparkling scrub. it enlivens all the senses!!
2 cups sea salt (preferably finely ground, but regular granular will do)
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or base oil of choice
40 -60 drops peppermint, spearmint, grapefruit, geranium, rosemary or lavender essential oil
In a medium sized bowl, combine the sea salt and the base oil. Using a whisk, stir to blend. Add the essential oil drop by drop, blemding after each adition.
Spoon into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid.
No refrigeration is required, but for maxiumu freshness and fragrance, please use within 6 months.
Application Tips: Massage approximately 1/4 - 1/2cup of scrub onto premoistened skin using circular motions. Rinse.
Enjoy these recipes and have fun being beautiful!! I highly recommend both books as well as the original Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano.
Let me know if you make these beauty products and what you think about them. My hands are so soft today from all the scrubs and balms!!
