Mercola Healthy Skin; Organic Natural Body Butter

I've been looking for a extra-thick and creamy moisturizer, that was also up to my ingredient standard. It was my Grandma Jenny that introduced me to this stuff. She's an avid Dr. Mercola fan.

Often body butters seem excessively greasy, but I was very pleased with the way this one adsorbed into the skin.
It comes in three scents, Lavender, Sweet Orange, and Unscented. Sweet Orange was the scent I chose, and I have only one small complaint, and that is that the slightly nutty/coconut smell of the oils clashes a bit with the orange scent. I think I might try the unscented next.

It contains 8 simple ingredients, and all written in plain english.

Organic shea butter

Organic cocoa butter

Organic coconut oil

Organic jojoba oil

Organic murumuru butter

Organic rice bran extract

Organic palm oil

Organic aloe vera

Does wonders for my poor abused knuckles.

Anyway, it can be found here at Mercola.com.

GSE Liquid Concentrate, use to treat Ringworm

Well, in the last week of December 09, I discovered that I was developing a ringworm infection. And in the first few weeks it went from bad to worse.
This is not the first time that I've beem inflicted with it, and each time it seems to hang around for an unbearably long time. Now in the past I've tried the fungal ointment, aswell as tea tree oil, both did not have very quick results, if any.
But this time, after I'd already suffered with it for a few weeks, at the recomandation of a family friend, I started using GSE Liquid Concentrate (Grapefruit Seed Extract) on it. The first time I made the mistake of using the full strength, which made my skin burn, and even caused a bit of swelling. So, after reading what the label had to say, I tired a diluted solution. And since then, the ringworm has gone from spreading to fading. I have no idea if this will work for everyone or anyone, but I figure, if nothing else seems to work, give it a try.

The all powerful baking soda! Use #2: Exfoliating Facial Scrub

Baking Soda makes a very nice, and gentle facial scrub. Something to use once a week, or even every other week if you have more sensitive skin, to get the dead skin cells off you face. Leaves your skin feeling clean and fresh.

All you need is a sink, water, baking soda, and a face! (that sounded kinda morbid)

I take a small handful of baking soda, moisten it with a bit of water, and then apply to my face, using my fingers to rub in small circular motions. Staying away from the eyes. In the past I've also used a facial brush to apply the baking soda.
And when I feel my skin is free of dead skin cells, I rinse thoroughly with water. Then after patting my face dry, I apply a liberal amount of moisturizer, and I may later apply some more, if my skin feels at all dry.

I have also used this all over, but usually I like a good sugar scrub for that.

Pacifica, Brazilian Mango Grapefruit, Solid Perfume

I really like the idea of solid perfume. And this one smells wonderful! Everyone wants to smell nice, don't they?.........at least I know I do.
I have found very few perfumes that I actually like. A lot of them give me a bombing headache. But this one has such a natural, sweet scent. It's like a grapefruit and a mango at the same time. Just more convenient than caring one of each around.
And of course, natural, natural, natural. It could smell like heaven and I'd have to pass on it, if it was not.
They have other scents, such as Tahitian Gardenia, Tuscan Blood Orange, and Hawaiian Rudy Guava, among several others. I think I would like to try that last one next.
PacificaCandles.com

Aubrey Organics, Pure Aloe Vera

I had been looking for some aloe vera that was free of unwanted ingredients. And here it is, Aubrey Organics, Pure Aloe Vera. I don't think you can get this stuff more natural than this, unless you squeezed it out of the plant.

Ingredients:
Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe) leaf juice
Citrus grandis (grapefruit) seed extract
tocopherol (vitamin E).

That is all.

It is not as thick as you might expect, but if you've ever examined the actual leaf that this stuff comes out of, when squeezed, it comes out in a relatively thin liquid, and I appreciate the fact that they didn't add anything to thicken it. And of course it smells like plain aloe vera.

AubreyOrganics.com

Kiss My Face, C-weed soap

Ahhh, I love the smell of this soap. Just like a orange popsicle. I would have just kept the bar to smell, but we ran out in the bathroom.
I used to only use body wash type soap, but lately I've kinda gotten out of that, and went more towards the bar type. I think it's because I've found more variety of it in the healthy beauty product department. And it has less of a need for preservatives.
I picked this my bar up at a cute little health food/sandwich shop in Mora Minn. So if you are ever in that area check it out, Bread and Honey it what it's called. Such a small town, ask anyone and they'll probably be able to tell you where it is.
But otherwise they also have it at KissMyFaceWebstore.com.

J.R. Watkins Natural Apothecary, Mango Body Cream

In the past I noticed this brand at wal-mart, and the ingredients weren't quite up to my par. But I guess they've started this new line of products that are more natural.
I came across this bottle of Mango Body Cream at Whole Foods. It also comes in vanilla, lavender, lemon, and aloe and green tea. I think that when I run out of the mango, I'll try that last one, I've been a bit crazy lately for anything green tea.
Not that there is anything wrong with the mango, it's quite nice. And the lotion's been great, very thick and creamy. But not to oily, soaks right into the skin. Great for using on your hands after you've washed the dishes or something. I don't swim in pools very often, so I haven't tested this out, but I imagine it would feel super nice all over, after all that chlorine.

www.jrwatkins.com

The all powerful baking soda! Use #1: Hair Rinse

Baking soda makes a real nice hair rinse. Gets all the built up junk out and makes the scalp feel quite nice, tingly you might say.

Prep: Before hand, brush your hair vigorously.

Application: Situate oneself in either the tub/shower or with head under the facet.
After wetting hair completely, take a handful of baking soda, moisten it with a bit of water, and apply to head. I would avoid getting much on the ends of your hair, it can be a bit drying.
Use finger tips to massage scalp. Apply more water or baking soda whenever you feel the need. And then after you feel you've scrubbed your whole scalp and massaged long enough rise thoroughly with water. If you have extremely dry hair, them I would recommend now apply some conditioner.

I have read of some people doing this method once a week, and then not needing to shampoo there hair ever. But I found that if I did it more then every few weeks it caused my hair to get pretty dry and static-ee. Though I would say that my hair is normally on the dry side, and needs a bit more moisturizing. So if your hair is more on the oily side, you might want to try it more often.