Creating Concoctions

So, as you know from my previous post, I'm trying to get my skin back in gear. I have my 5 lb block of unrefined shea butter and my gallon bucket of coconut oil (unrefined/virgin). I decided to be a mixtress last night, and came up with something that was better than even I knew.

I have several bottles of essential oils hanging around, that I haven't really been using. For those of you that don't use them, essential oils are used in aroma therapy. In rare cases, they can be applied directly to the skin, but most have to be diluted - either with a carrier oil (like jojoba oil, almond oil, olive oil, etc) or with a cream or lotion of some kind. You can also dilute them in water.

In my stash I have tea tree, lavender, orange, lemon, tangerine and a few others I can't even remember. Somewhere, in the far corners of my mind, I remembered that lavender oil was good for skin. I don't even remember where I read that or when. But every now and then, the epiphany happens.

I was out of my shea butter/coconut oil mixture, and it was time to mix more. Unfortunately, this is kind of like down home cooking - there were no measurements, so I can't share an exact recipe with you. I took shea butter and then added maybe a rounded teaspoon of coconut oil. You need more shea than coconut, otherwise the mixture will be really oily (unless you prefer it like that - if so, go for it!) I mixed those thoroughly until the mixutre started to smooth out. To that, I added 10 - 15 drops of lavender oil, 5-10 drops of lemon oil, and 5-10 drops of orange oil. I added the lemon and orange mostly for scent. It was yummy and smooth going on my skin after my shower. I even put a little bit on my hair before I twisted it up. My skin feels really good, and my hair is moisturized as well.

But let me tell you why this mixture is REALLY a keeper. This morning I started looking up some of the benefits of the different oils and found the following:

Lavender
When used in cream or lotion it helps to relieve burns, helps skin heal faster and helps it do so with less scarring. It is anti-inflammatory and can be used for dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, boils, carbuncles (whatever that is?) and acne.

Lemon Oil
When used in lotions/creams, it helps clear congested skin, and it is astringent and great for oil skin conditions. It helps to treat cuts, boils and minor wounds. It also helps to sort out cellulite and acne. (I also read somewhere that you can apply a few drops to a cotton ball and use to treat corns).

Orange Oil
Again, in creams or lotions, it is good for older, more mature skin. Helps with dermatits, acne, and soothing dry, irritated skin. Supports collagen formation in the skin.

Neroil Oil
Now, this is one oil I don't have, although I had looked into getting it before, simply for the scent properties. Neroil can be used to fight stretch marks and prevent scarring. Rejuvenates/regenerates skin

(all info on oils taken from www.aworldofaromatherapy.com/essential-oils-body.htm)

Y'all see where I'm going with this. All the things I bolded, that these oils help with, are things I'm struggling with. However, I didn't realize any of this when I mixed up this body cream last night. I'm so glad that I read this info this morning. This mixture will become part of my routine until further notice!

Off to the health food store at lunch to price Neroli...and see if they have some of that yummy white chocolate toffee back in stock. :)