Emma’s Morning Hair and Skin Routine… Exposed!
We present to you the gift that is Emma, whose routine is brilliant and stylish. Of course it is: she’s from Athens, Greece, and is clearly a clean, continental dream. Did you know you can use crushed strawberries to whiten you teeth? Apparently so! Read on:
Name: Emma
Age: 37
Current weather: Sunny and dry, around 20 Celcius
Hair: Thin and naturally wavy, double processed with blonde highlights and dye to cover the grays. The waves have lost their vitality a couple of years ago (maternity hormones?), they are thinning, dried and parched. Curls now are really limp unless I revive them with a curling iron. Overall, my nightmare…
Skin: Normal to dry, very few wrinkles around the eyes when I squint. Clear with very few cystic acne outbreaks on the chin around my period sometimes. Overall I am blessed with nice skin, sometimes lacking glow – which is what I value most, since I think it makes us look fresher and younger!
In the shower…
I have stopped using soap all over my body, just on the armpits and legs. I use soap that I order from Aleppo, Syria that is all natural and contains only olive oil, laurel oil and sea salt. That’s what I use on my toddler son too and it never dries out our skin. I wash my hair with Faith in Nature Aloe Vera shampoo, followed by the Pomegranate and Rooibos conditioner. Sometimes I do a final rinse with unfiltered organic ACV and water. I leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse it out again—I can’t tolerate the vinegar smell too much. Once a week I dry brush my whole body before I get in the shower. I also try to do a weekly pure organic coconut oil hair mask—this seems to have helped restore moisture to my locks. I rub it all over my hair, put it in a low braid and then put a shower cap that I keep in place with a few pins. I then sleep on it and wash my hair in the morning.
In the shower I sometimes do a DIY sugar scrub, mixing brown sugar with vegetable glycerine or olive/jojoba/sweet almond oil.
Outside the shower…
After the shower I pat my skin dry and then put on a DIY moisturizing oil containing jojoba, argan and sweet almond oil, with a few drops of neroli and lavender essential oils. I have keratosis pilaris on some areas so I rub some pure shea butter (which is the only thing that helps). I also make a DIY whipped shea butter moisturizer that I put on at night during the cold months, and then sleep on it with cotton pajamas. It gets the skin really soft!
I wrap my hair in an old t-shirt to dry, which I found keeps the waves smoother and fights frizz. I pass a wide-toothed comb and then rub some argan oil on the ends. Sometimes I’ll spray some not so clean Bumble and Bumble Thickening spray to give some volume, but I also want to try a home made sea salt spray. I dry them using a diffuser, or if I don’t’ have the time, I’ll just quickly dry them, and put them up in a tight high ponytail, twirling the remaining hair in a bun and securing it tightly. In a few hours when I let the ponytail down, my hair is wavy and smooth. If I wash my hair at night, I put it in a low tight braid and sleep on it – in the morning I have new curls!
I have stopped using soap or cleansers for my face, and make my own using natural ingredients. My favourite’s (that I alternate according to what I feel my skin needs most) just pure oils that I rub in and then rinse with a washcloth, oat flour with ACV/water, raw honey or baby milk powder mixed with some water to make a paste. Sometimes I grind some almonds or rice with a few drops of oil if I want something with more “buffing” properties. I bought the Clarisonic but after reading many controversial reviews from experts that it relaxes face muscles, I’m a bit reluctant to use it again. So it just sits there and I’ll sometimes use it to scrub the remaining oat/honey from the cleansing.
At least once I week I do a green clay mask (I mix it with ACV or milk and add a few drops of lavender essential oil). It really clears up everything and I found I don’t need to use any scrubs as I did before. All the blackheads, impurities and dullness come right off. I try to spread it up to my collarbones to get some of that goodness on my neck, which seems so neglected! I recently also started using rhassoul clay from Morocco, which is packed with minerals and supposedly better than plain old bentonite (green clay). On the rare nights I have a lot of makeup on, I use Bioderma Crealine Lotion before my cleansers. It is very popular here in Europe and all the make up artists use it. You put it on with a cotton ball, it’s like water and it rinses out everything without leaving any residue. I found that the less abrasive and more respectful I am of my skin (after using chemical peels, Retin A, harsh scrubs) the better it looks.
Then I do a few warm water compresses with a washcloth and spray a DIY hydrosol. I make hydrosols myself with rose petals or lavender or rosemary leaves. Sounds complicated but it’s really easy! While the skin is still damp from the hydrosol, I put on a few drops of my DIY face serum, which I make with a mix of carrier oils and essential oils. I found that argan oil and rosehip seed oil and super moisturizing and make my skin glow. I also add geranium, helichryssum and frankinsence essential oils. In the winter my skin needs some more moisture, so I slab some Weleda Skin Food or Korres Wild Rose moisturizing cream. I confess that I don’t wear sunscreen all year, even though I live in a country with 300 days of sunshine/year! I only wear it in the summer and I use Avene Tres Haute Protection with 50SPF or La Roche Posay Anthelios lotion. It’s not easy to find a nice, clean sunscreen here in Europe that does not leave your face looking white like a kabuki character. When I have time, I make my own whipped shea and cocoa butter cream. It is especially great to rub generously on my feet before I put on any socks. Shea butter is what dancers use to help them heal their over-worked toes and it really takes all the dryness and roughness out.
It might sound complicated to do all these DIY beauty things, but it actually is easy. I just keep all the ingredients in used glass jars, along with some spatulas and small cups and mix on the spot as needed. It’s fun, natural and cheap! For the face oils and creams I make a batch to last me 2 months, which takes me 30mins to make, so it’s not a big hassle.
I use Soapwalla deodorant, although recently it seems that it stopped working and I’m getting nervous with the summer approaching. It’s weird because in the beginning it worked like magic—is it my idea or has this happened to anyone else? When it’s a hot day and I know I’ll be active, I use my old Neutrogena, but I’m not happy about it and desperately looking for a reliable clean deodorant. I tried Tom’s but I still felt stinky.
I brush my teeth with Korres toothpaste using the Sonicare toothbrush (same company that makes Clarisonic). I can’t recommend that thing enough. It works like magic! When you’re done you feel like you just came back from a dentist deep clean. Sometimes I’ll make a baking soda and water paste if I want some whitening action, or rub some mashed strawberries on my teeth. Strawberries contain malic acid, which when combined with baking soda, act as an stringent and a buffing agent.
Due to the intense sunlight and endless summers sunbathing (can I turn back time?) I have a major hyper pigmentation problem on my face. I think the argan and rosehip seed oils will help in time, but I am trying to find a more potent natural recipe without resorting to hydroquinone. I might try a spot laser treatment and then maintain the results with religious sunscreen application all year round!
If I have a cystic acne pimple brewing, I dab a bit of raw honey before bed and then cut the sticky part of a band aid in half and place two layers on the pimple. Something about the anti-inflammatory qualities of the honey with the pressure from the band aid I guess makes it look better the next morning!
Finishing touches…
I don’t do much for makeup, I like a fresh look. I have very sparse eyebrows and the one thing that makes my face more framed and put-together is filling them in with some eye shadow from the Body Shop special eyebrow kit. Don’t underestimate the power of eyebrows to make your face look more balanced. I only recently found out about that tip and it literally changed the way I look, judging from pictures – without looking made up or unnatural.
Then I use MAC eyeliner rubbed and smudged on the bottom lashes in Olive and some Guerlain Bronzing powder or Korres blush. I curl my lashes with the Shu Uemura curler and when I go out at night put on Blinc mascara (it’s great, goes on like tubes and does not smudge even if you cry!). If I feel I need some more coverage, I use Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and in the summer the Body Shop gel bronzer for a hint of shimmer. On my lips I use Hurraw in Vanilla Bean or Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers. I have thin lips and don’t like them colored. If I look especially tired I put on the YSL Touche Eclat under eye concealer, but I feel it draws more attention to the problem. It’s hard finding good clean makeup products in Europe, but since I don’t put too much on, it’s not that bad for me.
After a couple of years obsessed with weekly manicures, I go all natural, with very short clean nails, and just rub Egyptian Magic cream every night on my cuticles. I even keep a jar on my desk and rub some in during the day. I have super dry cuticles that look dry and white after one day if I don’t cut them. Now I have stopped cutting them completely (you must resist the temptation, but it’s the only way they will stop growing) and this cream is the only thing that makes them soft and invisible. I just push them back with a wooden stick with some wet cotton or argan oil once in a while.
Comments on the deodorant question? Maybe if we answer, she will grace us with another amazing food-as-beauty-product tip we never would have guessed!
Favorite star or icon from the past: Lauren Bacall (via)
Lovely routine! As far as the deodorant goes, try putting a little baking soda on a cotton pad, wet it with a little water so it makes a paste, and rub it on your armpits! It sounds kinda freaky, but it totally works for me, and it’s just two ingredients. Personally, I only put deodorant on a few times a week, depending on the type of shirt I’m wearing and what I’ll be doing that day. Maybe I’m just blessed with not very stinky armpits but I like to think it’s due to my vegan diet and making sure I eat lots of greens (like broccoli!). I heard they are a natural deodorant that works from the inside out! Hope that helps anyone with the same question, I know “clean” deodorant usually sucks.
The food-as-beauty product thing is very European. My mum always makes different hair and skin masks from foodstuffs. My favorite recipe of hers is a hair mask made with an egg yolk, olive oil (extra virgin is obviously better) and cognac. It smells yummy and is great for strengthening weak hair. Onion juice is also really great for hair, but it makes it stink for ages – every time your hair gets damp you smell like onions. Super-gross, but very effective. My mum’s best friend pretty much slaps whatever she is cooking on her face – strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, you name it. One has to be careful, though: one time she was cutting up mango and plopped that on her face as well. Except it turns out she is violently allergic to mangoes, so she swelled up, ended up in the hospital and had hives for ages!
I do wonder about using fruit as dental care, though. I mean, the malic acid part might make sense (although acid on teeth? I don’t know…), but they also have quite a bit of sugar, which is pretty much the worst thing for teeth. So yeah… I wonder.
As for deodorant, I use Thai Secret spray deodorant (it also comes in push-up and crystal, but I find that the spray is the most convenient) and it works like a charm. It got 1 on the EWG database, so it’s safe and non-toxic.
Hi Emma,
I’d love to speak with you about your deodorant and brainstorm about how to ensure it’s as effective as when you first started using it (shelf life, mixing, storage, application, etc). Could I contact you to discuss?
Thanks so much!
Rachel, Soapwalla Chef
Addicted to these routines! They are especially helpful as I transition into going clean. Hm, is the Faith in Nature shampoo not clean? Based on the ingredients, I can’t tell for myself. I have seborreic dermatitis and I’m trying to find a shampoo with tea tree oil…I think finding hair products will be the most challenging thing for me (as it has been for others).
No offense to anyone’s actual routine, but I am getting weary of these morning routines. There are just to many of them. It is like over-exposure or watching your grandparents movies of their vacations. Perhaps, posting them not quite as often would help. Just my two cents. I see that other people really find them helpful and that is a point well taken, but I mostly pass over them now.
I also have a Faith in Nature Shampoo, the lavender geranium one and I LOVE it. I have tried soo many organic shampoos (really a whole lot of brands) and I always come back to this brand.
By the way, you always mention the Soapwalla Deodorant, this really seems to be a hipe in the States! But we German Girls also have a superhyped deodorant which is the Wolkenseifen Deocreme. Its not organic quality but close to and the ingredients are exemplary. It works with similar ingredients as the Soapwalla one and is a 100% reliable. I never want to go back to these dirty aluminium bastards!
I have the exact same problem with natural deodorants…I was able to use soapwalla for about 6 months before it’s power fizzled out. Now I use Simply Divine Botanicals deo. spray (I have tangerine, rose and sandalwood), and will probably have to switch again at some point.
Lovely routine Emma, thank you for sharing with us.
Very ineterested on your DIY recipes..Would you mind sharing your DIY hydrosol recipe?
And since you are a DIY kind of person, you are in for a treat in the care of your brown/darkening spots.. Rebecca has shared her recipe and I can attest to it. I’ve been using it daily (dutifully am & pm) and my brown spots have practically disappeared! It is great and works wonders. Try it!
On the deodorant quest… some of us have had difficulties with Soapwalla (unfortunatelly as works so well for so many)… anyway, a few of us had a very painful reaction *andgry red pits* that led us to try some DIY recipes as well. I know Rebecca makes her own as do I. If you are ineterest, I’ll pass mine . I’ve been making and using mine for long now and I never smell nor do sweat, which is also a bonus.
Thank you again for so many ideas and suggestions.
oops… “angry red pits”
Hello to Athens! I visited Athens last year, as well as some islands, and I love Greece:)
I also have some sun damage from past years of sunbathing. I tried an IPL treatment and had good luck with it. It’s a bit pricey, and they recommend 3-4 treatments in a row. I only got one but I would go back, as I saw immediate results and had no bad effects from it. There is also a great DIY recipe posted a couple of times on this site for sun damage, you’d have to search around but it’s in the comments section posted by Rebecca.
Love all the DIY! Coconut oil hair masks are awesome. I do a similar DIY with Fuller’s Earth clay and lavender – it rules. I use raw honey in a similar way too, also as a mask/wash. Love the use of shea butter. I always have a shea-based body butter around for hands throughout the day and overnight (either a DIY or something I’ve bought). Mixed with cocoa butter the smell is so delicious! I have recipes for a sea salt spray and DIY deodorant, I’ll post those later when I have more time.
Thanks for sharing all the fabulousness Emma!
Clean, effective deodorant has been the most difficult product for me to find and I have just about given up. I had the same issue with the Soapwalla deodorant – it worked well for a month or so, but then lost it’s efficacy. I found that alternating deodorants every couple of months helps, so now the Soapwalla works again for me. I alternated with a cream deodorant from Bubble & Bee that is simialr in consistency, but has an arrowroot powder and coconut oil base. If the weather is hot or for long workouts, I have to use Kiss My Face Active Life, which isn’t totally “clean”, but is the only product that I have found to work long-term.
I use Crystal Body Deodorant. It’s a rock that you wet to apply to clean skin (apply gently to avoid irritation). It is cheap and effective, and contains only mineral salts (ammonium alum).
I love Soapwalla but have had problems off and on with it as well… I don’t feel like it’s losing its effectiveness – I’ve always sweated with it on and it’s still keeping me from being stinky, but I get the angry red pit problem off and on. When I first used it I accidentally put it on after shaving which was a horrible idea. Now I either shave at night or wait at least an hour and I was fine for such a long time, but recently I get an occasional rash. I feel like it’s from the baking soda in it – maybe it isn’t mixed well (separated during shipping?) and is sometimes to abrasive? I was thinking of exploring a different deodorant just to alternate with occasionally when I do get a rash, but haven’t found anything I’m in love with yet.
So glad that my post was helpful! I have learnt a lot from this blog and other readers, and I am happy to have contributed. Thanks for all the deodorant suggestions.
Rachel I would be happy to answer your questions.
Nancy I have seen the lightening serum DIY but was hesitant to try it since after communicating with the active ingredient sellers to confirm the recipe’s consistency and solubility, I had the impression that it might not be so effective. But it seems I was wrong! Has everyone had good results? I guess I will give it a try!
As for the hydrosol, you basically boil fresh flower/herbs and then liquify the steam that comes out of this process. I learnt how to do it on youtube, just search for “hydrosol” or “hydrolat”, it’s really easy! Take care cleaning/sterilizing your equipment and make sure you use while fresh – they have short shelf life even if refrigerated, since they don’t contain preservatives. They are a great addiition to an oil based routine.
I learnt a lot on carrier oils and essential oils by reading the ingredients lists of natural brands that I admire, like Tata Harper, Evan Healy and Pratima. Of course they dont compare to my DIYs but I got ideas!
I also use yoghurt as a face mask – very effective. And love the DIY stuff so it would be great to see more on this site!
This deoderant question is one I would reeeeallly like for NMDL to explore further. I know it’s been discussed, but I still feel so lost… and stinky :( I tried Soapwalla, and it works great when I haven’t shaved for a few days, and if I don’t use it often. But otherwise I get the angry red pits also! And I’m pretty big on keep my pits shaved. I find the lack of hair also reduces negative scents from the area.
I think my biggest problem with DIY deoderants has been they don’t make me smell any better than if I just went without. Some ingredients may be wonderful and natural, but they don’t smell pretty! (At least on me.)
For the past couple of months I’ve been using Tom’s, but I often wonder why I even bother. I usually end up rubbing essential oils in my pits to mask the odor at some point in the day. It works, but not for long.
I’m an esthetician so I’m really focused on this topic, as my pits are very close to people’s faces all day, and in a tiny, warm room to boot. I’m also getting married this summer, and starting to think I may have to break down and use Dove or Secret on my wedding day :-/
I use a home-made deodorant: coconut oil and baking soda – that’s it! It works so well. I just have a jar of each in my bathroom and each time I put it on, I just take a bit of each with a spoon, mix them together in my hands, and apply. If you use too much baking soda it will hurt your skin, though, so be careful. I don’t have to put on deodorant every day – it’s great! If ever I feel that I am sweating more than I’d like to, sometimes I’ll just dab a bit more baking soda under my arms and I’m good to go again.
Good luck!
P.S. My sister-in-law uses coconut oil and b.s. as well, but she makes hers ahead and adds arrowroot as well, I think. I bet you could even add other essential oils if you wanted to.
@nancy & rebecca. I am ordering the goods to make the DIY lightning potion. How long did it take for you ladies to see results? I have some ugly acne scars from the last year that I am desperate to clear up. I’m pregnant and weary of testing new things right now, but this one sound so promising I’m going to give it a try. thanks!
Hi Nancy & Rebbeca,
Would you mind posting or re-posting the recipes for the lightning serum and deodorant? Many thanks!
I found your routine very insightful. Thank you for sharing. I thought I’d suggest a deodorant – I use (and love) WELEDA deodorant. The rose and sage fragrances are my favorite. I have tried other natural brands and have been disappointed. Fortunately, WELEDA deodorant does the trick and I have been faithfully using it for 3 years.
@ Emma, thank you again. I’ll be looking into the hydrosols as I’m into DIY… Keep an eye on Rebecca’s recipes and try them.. Your face will be clear, free of brown spots and your armpits will thank you. No regrets:) All the best!
@ Pao, congratulations on your baby! On your question,I’d say rather quickly. Not overnight ,of course, but gradually & surely! (hydroquinone and other nasty ingredients that my derm had me on for months didn’t come even close to the results I achieved with Rebecca’s recipe ) .
I also have the angry pits problem with Saopwalla deodorant which is a bummer because it smells good and works pretty well. I am now trying Toms (just ok, still stinky), Crystal Essence (doesn’t work for me) and Avalon Organics Grapefruit spray (smells good until afternoon). I’m with Amber–I wonder if you guys would tackle this question again? I bought Soapwalla because of your recommendation but have had to quit it.
@ KN, look out for Rebecca’s recipes sometime later ..
As for the DIY deodorant I’ve been using since Soapwalla and I didn’t get along to well.. this is it: *disclosure:not my creation as I found it online*
3 tbsp of shea butter
3 tbsp of baking soda
2 tbsp of corn starch
2 tbsp of cocoa butter
Vitamin E oil gel caps (oil only) * the recipe called for the contents of 2 gel caps but I’ve using more, maybe 10 or 12.
essential oils to your liking *I’ve used a few drops of ylang yang mixed with orange , but have made also other batches with more masculine scents for my husband
Melt your ingredients in the microwave (minus de oils) at 20 seconds increments as it melts rather quickly. Add the oils, stir and pour into jars. Place in the fridge to set .
Obs.: bought my supplies online at Mountain Rose Herbs , jars included.
It works wonders.. and as bonus,no sweating at all.
All the best,
Having the same problem with Soapwalla – worked great at first, now not at all. Why is that?
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this great routine! I love this series, especially the DIY ideas! Keep ‘em coming.
I too have sunspots/dark spots on my face that I’m looking to get rid of. I got a IPL treatment that helped, but they said I might have a genetic disorder that causes it because they keep coming back, even with the sunscreen I use everyday (100% Pure 30SPF moisturizer – love it!). I’ve wanted to try Rebecca’s DIY recipe, but haven’t yet. I’ve also read that rose hip seed oil can work wonders (per Mountain Rose Herbs site, and other sites). I think I’ll try mixing that in with my argan oil and maybe some pomegranate oil to make a face serum similar to Emma’s and really massage it into the spots.
I love the DIY sea salt spray and add a few drops of lavender essential oil for a soothing scent.
I don’t use Soapwalla’s deodorant, but have a DIY recipe I came up with that seems similar to it and some of the others listed here (mine has both coconut oil and shea butter). I always shave my pits in the morning and as long as I put the deodorant on while they’re still slightly damp from the shower, there’s no irritation. Smoothing a little body oil on them in the shower or after helps to soothe the freshly shaved areas as well.
Hi All,
this is my first time posting as I usually just eavesdrop on everyone else but I couldn’t resist partaking in the deodorant debate. A month ago I decided to make my own (because I’m cheap) and I’m in love with it!
1/4 cup arrowroot (I used cornstarch)
1/4 cup baking soda
5 tbs organic coconut oil
10-15 drops essential oil (I used bergamot- which reduces inflammation (good for when you shave) and has anti-septic and anti-fungal properties)
I haven’t had any irritation issues since using this, even after shaving. Oh, I run daily and also enjoy dancing in da club and it keeps me smell free. @Amber, I’m also an esthetician and I haven’t had any complaints :)
Tips for applying: I put mine in an old coconut oil jar, it should be the consistency of frosting but will get harder if in a cooler temp. I use a wooden waxing stick (aka tongue depressor) to apply. If it’s on the harder side, I hold the dime sized amount to my skin for a few seconds and it warms it up. Spread all over and remove excess with the stick. Super fast, no dirty fingers and you only need a light coating.
Okay, here come the recipes (I know the lightener is on this site somewhere, but I’m just going to post it again). These started with a combination of ideas I got looking at product ingredient lists and DIY websites, and my own experiments ultimately led me to recipes I love and use daily.
Skin Lightening Oil (use whatever oil or cream you want as the base, it’s the actives that do the lightening)
100 ml Kahina argan oil
3 g liquorice
3 g bearberry
1.5 g arbutin
1 g green tea (not for lightening but I like it)
Mix in a container big enough for a thorough shaking/mixing. Last batch I used a hand blender and that worked well. The extracts come in powder form from skinactives.com, and they are not completely soluble in oil so you have to shake shake shake with every application, or use a a water-based cream as the base. I make a big batch that lasts months and keep the amount I’m using in a smaller dropper bottle, smacking it against my palm for about 30 sec to mix. It works best on damp skin, I use a hydrosol. It is a bit gritty but I don’t mind it. I’d say several weeks for results, noticeable difference in a few weeks. Over the long term (over a year now for me) the surface sun damage and acne scars are gone. I’m basically in maintenance mode and I keep out of the sun or use sunscreen. If you want to speed results try Intelligent Nutrients Stem Cell complex. I use that right after washing my face, let dry, then hydrosol, then a few drops of my DIY (am and pm).
Deodorant
1/4 cup shea butter
2 tbs coconut oil (I use unscented but whatever)
1 tbs sunflower oil
1/4 cup each of the dry ingredients: kaolin clay, arrowroot powder, baking soda
I get most of the ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs. Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside. Heat the oils gently on the stove, double boiler style. I just carefully hold a pyrex measuring cup above the gas flame and stir with a silicone spatula, but that’s not an approved DIY technique! Don’t microwave, and don’t overheat. You want to preserve the integrity of the oils and maintain their healing properties. If the oils get too clear, you heated it too much. It should very soft but still opaque. If you want scent add essential oils, I keep it unscented but this would be the time to add them if you want. Then pour in the dry ingredients a bit at a time and mix by hand. I switch to an electric hand blender for the last bit. This makes a big batch and I fill several of these containers http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/2-oz-Natural-Twist-up-Tube-pr-486.html and they last a long time. In dryer weather sometimes the baking soda is so drying that I put a layer of coconut oil on my skin before the deodorant. I specifically wanted something unscented and hard enough to be a stick deodorant, which is why I gave up Soapwalla (I still recommend Soapwalla to people I know who want natural but not DIY). I am not one of the lucky girls who don’t stink – I am the queen of stink with no deodorant. But this keeps me absolutely stink free. AND, this recipe is proven to make my puberty crazed son stink free too. I stand by it! Just a side note of overshare: I’m so fresh I’ve gone the whole winter without needing to wash my nice sweaters because there’s not a bit of stink on them. Although, another trick I use on the armpits of clothing I don’t want to wash often (and in shoes!) is to spray after wearing with one of those deodorant crystal sprays. These do not work on my body but do work on my clothing.
Sea Salt spray for hair
1 tbs sea salt
16 oz (2 cups) filtered water
I mix in my Vitamix, pour in a spray bottle and store the extra in a mason jar in the fridge. I used to add argan oil, but it clogs the sprayer. You’ll want to condition your hair regularly so it doesn’t get dried out from the salt. But this will activate curl/wave like nothing else I’ve ever tried. Use whenever you want to freshen up your curls.
I highly recommend some experimentation with DIY. A couple of years ago if anyone told me I’d be making my own deodorant I’d have said they were insane. It’s totally worth the effort. Best of luck!!
here’s a link to the scale I use for the gram measurements: http://www.gramscales.com/product_info.php?products_id=2353
I loved reading this routine, thank you. It sounds like we have very similar skin and (nightmare!) hair. I have also seen an improvement in softness by using coconut oil as a hair mask, but still struggle to find good products for my fine, curly, dry hair…..
I love reading all the DIY recipes and I will definitely try the pure shea butter to treat the keratosis pilaris on the backs of my arms.
Rebecca -
Thanks for posting your lightening receipe once again!! I’ve saved a copy of it since your morning rountine was “exposed” but haven’t gotten around to trying it out for myself. With all the great reviews its gotten from other peopleon NMDL’s website who’ve tried it I think its time I take advantage of this amazing DIY product.
A question though – when you put it on in the AM – how long do I need to “let it set” or “soak in” before I apply makeup on top of it? How long do you think it will take to see results ( I guess it will still work but obviously take longer to see results) if I just just put it on at night??
Thanks in advance!!!
@Sarah C, I never find my self waiting around for it to sink in. In my routine I typically have a few to several minutes between application of the DIY and putting on makeup. Sometimes I need to brush away a bit of grit (I think from the green tea, mainly) after the oil sinks in. You can adjust what you use as the base – like if you want a lighter or heavier oil for your particular complexion. I’m fairly dry with no use of product (just cuz I’m old now, used to have combination skin). I wanted to use argan as a moisturizer and that’s why I chose it as my base. With twice a day use I had noticeable results in a few weeks and significant in several weeks. Over the time I’ve used it I’ve tried different patterns and twice a day worked best for me. Maybe it would take twice as long if you apply it only once a day. My feeling is the longer you’ve had the spots you are trying to lighten, the longer it will take them to go away, regardless of how often you use the treatment. Just try it under your makeup and see how it goes. And I am a big believer in the boosting effects of the Intelligent Nutrients stem cell complex. If you want to only use the DIY once a day I’d invest in the IN for faster results.
Wow, so many great ideas in this routine, and in the comments! Thank you, Emma, and all who have shared recipes here. (Lots of things to try deodorant-wise!).
I’d love to know more about the soap you order from Aleppo; does the company have a web presence ?
Wow, so many great ideas in this routine, and in the comments! Thank you, Emma, and all who have shared recipes here. (Lots of things to try deodorant-wise!).
I’d love to know more about the soap you order from Aleppo; does the company have a web presence?
@ elizabeth, I get the soap (and actually argan oil and rosehip seed oil) from this website: http://www.alepia.com/56-shampoing-en-barre-savon-d-alep-premium
They are based in France. I found that the higher the laurel oil % in the soap, the less drying it is. And I just noticed they introduced a 100% laurel oil soap which is their top of the line (more expensive though…) and I will give it a try. I typically buy the 40% or 70%.
Rhea, I will totally back you up on the WELEDA deo! The rose is the best! I’ve been using it for a few years now. I tried Soapwalla because it’s a little cheaper, but also had problems with irritation. So, back to the WELEDA rose! Works great even in the summer.
Rebecca: Thanks for the fantastic recipes. I think I’m going to try my hand at the deodorant; I tried soapwalla and gave it to a friend because I was one of those who ended up with a rash. But I don’t want to use a conventional deodorant.
One question: Is there a particular reason you chose coconut and sunflower oils? Did you try anything else before you settled on these two, and if so, what turned you off of those?
Mountain Rose Herbs is based in my hometown – though I don’t live there at the moment, I’m glad to finally have a reason to use them and support a hometown business. Thanks for suggesting them. :)
@Aesha, I originally used the shea with pomegranate oil, but less total oil than my current recipe. That recipe was a little too hard/dry. I wanted to add some lighter oils and more of them to make the consistency softer. I actually love pom oil but it’s pretty expensive, so I went with cheaper oils I had around at the time anyway. I find coconut oil very healing for my skin so I figured that would be a good bet. Sunflower is supposed to be great for skin too and I had it for some other recipes. Plus it doesn’t smell much and I was aiming for an unscented product. You can probably use whatever oils you want. Since coconut oil is solid at room temp, if you replace it with another oil you’ll have to play with the proportions if you want a solid deodorant. If you want to use it as a cream the proportions won’t be as critical (which you can with my recipe, it’s just not as soft as Soapwalla).
I just want to chime to add that the Weleda Rose Deodorant works extremely well for me too! I am mostly pitta dosha, so consequently, my natural scent is like steak and onions! (-; The rose scent covers it up pretty well, and I have never had any irritation from using it like I have with pretty much every single other natural brand on the market, and I’ve been using it for over five years.
@Rebecca: Sorry, one more question. I got all my ingredients this week so I’m ready to try my hand at my own deodorant.
In the directions section of your post, you don’t mention the shea butter anywhere. Are you supposed to melt that along with the oils? Are you supposed to only melt the oils, mix it in with the shea, then mix all THAT with the dry ingredients? I’m just hoping to make it as simple as possible in order to avoid some frustration and mess!
Also (perhaps if you melt the shea, this is a moot point) – how do you get it in the tubes? Is the consistency thin enough that you can pour it in?
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