Whip Up a Batch of Safe Products for Mom!
Show your mom (or Grandma, or your sister with three kids) your love and affection by giving her a healthy, safe Mother's Day present free of toxic chemicals. We recommend putting together a gift basket using some of our Compact Signing companies' products. You can also use the Skin Deep database to check of the safety of your personal care products.
Or, here are some recipes for safe, toxin-free spa products that you can make yourself. (All moms love things that you make!)
* Note: All recipes used with permission.
Skin Glow Salt Scrub
(Makes One Body Treatment)
½ cup Fine Sea Salt or Dead Sea salt
4 Tbsp (60ml) Grapeseed Oil (if used immediately) or Vegetable Glycerin (for longer shelf life)
¼ cup Baking Soda
5-6 drops of Essential oil
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
To use: Standing in bathtub, wet hands and apply mixture, (using small circular motion) starting with feet and work upward towards the neck (do not apply to neck area). Fill bath tub with warm water and add essential oils.
Relax for at least 15 minutes allowing skin to absorb ingredients.
Optional ingredients:
Green Tea Extract: Excellent antioxidant properties. Add 20ml per treatment
Source: Cranberry Lane
Frozen Egg & Honey Facial Mask
(Recommended for dry skin)
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (but not hot)
1 tbs. honey
Step 1: Beat the egg in a small bowl until frothy and well-mixed. Slowly add the liquid coconut oil and honey, beating until your mask is the consistency of mayonnaise.
Step 2: Take an empty toilet tissue roll and set it on end in a clean bowl. Spoon mixture into the cardboard toilet paper roll. Place tube, in the bowl, in the freezer overnight.
Step 3: To use, peel away just the top 1/4 inch of the cardboard roll and smooth the frozen stick over your face (think of it as a push up pop). Leave your mask on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water.
Return the cream stick covered with plastic wrap and frozen between uses.
Particularly soothing on a sunburn. Keeps indefinitely.
Source: Spa Index
Avocado Carrot Cream Mask
This mask combines avocados, which are rich in Vitamin E, with carrots, which are high in beta-carotene and antioxidants, and cream, which is high in calcium and protein. These ingredients will rebuild skin collagen, improve tone and texture, and fade age spots.
1 avocado, mashed
1 carrot, cooked and mashed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons honey
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
To use: Spread gently over your face and neck, and leave in place 10-15 minutes. Rinse with cool water and follow with your favorite toner.
Source: Spa Index
Cucumber Eye Gel
1/4 large cucumber
1 ounce aloe vera gel
Puree the cucumber in a blender (Ieave a little pulp), strain the mixture into a glass bowl until you have at least 2 ounces. Spoon in just a tad of the pulp from the strainer). Add the aloe vera to the cucumber puree in the bowl and mix lightly. Pour into a clean, sterilized container.
To use: After cleansing face, stir mixture gently and apply with a cotton ball to under eye area. Avoid the eyeball. The shelf life of this product is very limited by the fresh cucumber. It should be used within a few days, and kept refrigerated between uses.
Source: Spa Index
Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant
8-10 Strawberries
2 tablespoons Apricot Oil (you may substitute olive oil)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt, such as Kosher Salt, or Sea Salt
To use: Mix together all ingredients, massage into hands and feet, rinse, and pat dry. Strawberries contain a natural fruit acid, which aids in exfoliation.
Source: Spa Index
Grapefruit Sugar Scrub
1-1/2 cups white table sugar
8 drops grapefruit essential oil
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
1/4 cup jojoba oil
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
Place sugar into a large bowl and stir to break up any clumps. Add the essential oil. Add one or two drops of red food coloring if you'd like it pink! Mix very well to make sure the color is evenly dispersed. Add the jojoba oil and Castile soap next, a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Mix well and the pour into clean container.
To use: Stand in the tub or shower and massage the sugar scrub onto your skin from head to toe. Rinse. Inhale. Smile.
Source: Spa Index
Fruit Salad Body Mask
A Skin Smoothie! Pineapple contains bromeliad, a protein-digestive enzyme which helps rid the skin of dead cells and dirt. It also counteracts histamines, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is a mild astringent. Grapes are rich in PCOs which provide protection against harmful UV rays, and, are antioxidants. Bananas have loads of vitamins, calcium and essential nutrients which keep the skin smooth and soft. Kiwi is high in vitamin C and has enzymatic properties. Honeydew is both soothing and hydrating.
2 slices pineapple - rind removed
1/2 med. honeydew melon - rind removed
1 doz. green grapes
1 med. banana - peeled
1 med. kiwi fruit – peeled
Puree all ingredients in food processor. Mixture will be slightly lumpy. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
To use: Smooth onto body and/or face, leaving on for half an hour. This is an ideal treatment to use poolside, where lounging is assuring. Rinse off with tepid water, or an outdoor shower.
Source: Spa Index
Simple Herbal Mouth Wash
50ml (3 Tbsp) Witch Hazel
50ml (3 Tbsp) Distilled water
20ml (4 tsp) Vegetable Glycerin
5 drops Fennel
10 drops Peppermint
Mix all ingredients together and shake well. Pour into reusable bottle.
Shelf life of finished mouth wash approx. 6 months. Shake before using.
Source: Cranberry Lane
Bath Bombs
This recipe makes 4-6 bath bombs. You can buy molds in craft stores or online. Do not oil the molds beforehand; just make sure they are clean and dry.
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup citric acid (do not substitute ascorbic acid)
1/2 cup corn starch
1/3 cup Epsom salts or coarse sea salt
Wet Ingredients:
2 1/2 T. sunflower or other light oil (like sweet almond oil, available at drug or health food stores)
3/4 T. water or rosewater (be careful not to start the fizzing action by adding too much water)
1/4-1 tsp essential oils (your choice, as desired)
1/4 teaspoon borax as an emulsifier
vegetable or other natural colorant (optional) - liquid food coloring works well
Sieve the dry ingredients together until they are well blended.
Measure and combine all the wet ingredients and borax in a clean jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously.
Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, gently stirring to prevent the reaction from starting. Make sure you mix in all of the wet ingredients. Afterward, you’ll find that the mixture is dry and crumbly and has to be packed in the molds quite firmly to keep shape. The mixture should just start to hold together when pressed in your hand like very slightly moist fine sand pressed together will hold its shape.
You can unmold the bombs after 30 minutes, and let them dry for a few days before using them. (Store them in a dry place!).
Source: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Bath Cookies
2 cups finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 T light oil
1 tsp vitamin E oil
2 eggs
5-6 drops essential oil of your choice
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Combine all the listed ingredients and form into a dough. Using a teaspoon or so of dough at a time, roll it gently in the palm of your hand until it forms a ball. Form all dough into one teaspoon balls, and gently place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Consider sprinkling the bath balls with herbs, flower petals, cloves, citrus zest and similar aromatic ingredients. Bake your bath cookies for ten minutes, until they are lightly browned. Do not over bake. Allow the bath cookies to cool completely.
To use: Drop 1 or 2 cookies into a warm bath and allow to dissolve.
Yield: 24 cookies, enough for 12 baths.
Source: Spa Index
