How to make your own bath bomb fizzies at home

• 1 cup citric acid
• 2 cups baking soda
• Witch hazel
• Coloring of your choice
• Fragrance or essential oil of your choice
• Any shaped molds or dome molds
You will also need a squirt bottle

1.)  Blend the citric acid and baking soda-It is a good idea to use a blender or pestle and mortar to grind it down into a very fine powder so you do not end up with a grainy bath bomb.

2.)  After you have mixed the baking soda and citric acid very well add your coloring (a little goes along way)

3.) Add your fragrance oil enough to your liking.

4.) Fill your small squirt bottle the witch the hazel-Spritz your above dry mixture with the witch hazel and mix it all together until the mixture it sticks together when squeezed. This is the the best way to test them work fast and do not add to much witch hazel. Pack them hard and firmly into molds. Let them dry about 4 hours. Then remove your bath fizzies and take a bath!

DeShawnMarie.com

DeShawn Marie Etsy Shop

Make your own deodorant at home

Out of the many years of making bath and body products one thing I had never made was deodorant. I found this nifty recipe online and just love it!! It is easy to make your own all natural deodorant bar.

You can put it in any type of heavy duty plastic mold and pop it out with a pretty design or shape.

INGREDIENTS
1.5 oz. of white beeswax
.5 oz. of cocoa butter
1 oz. of coconut oil
10 drops rosewood essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
4 drops coriander essential oil

Melt the beeswax and cocoa butter on low heat, remove from heat and add the coconut oil.  Stir until all melted.  Allow to cool slightly.  Make sure it is still pourable and then add the essential oils.  Stir well and then pour into a mold or deodorant container.

So refreshing to use all natural deodorant and it WORKS!!!

DeShawnMarie.com

Body lotion recipe for dry skin that you can make at home

Trying to conquer dry skin?  This could be your answer and it's easy to make!

* 3/4 cup of almond oil
* 1/3 cup of coconut oil or cocoa butter
* 1 teaspoon lanolin
* 1/2 oz grated beeswax
* 2/3 cup rosewater
* 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
* 1 to 2 drops rose oil
* 1 vitamin E capsule


Directions

Melt almond oil, coconut oil, lanolin and beeswax over low heat. Mix well and let cool.

Mix rosewater, aloe vera gel and rose oil. Add the contents of the vitamin E capsule. Whip this mixture into the beeswax mixture until well blended. Store in a jar with a tight lid.

Hope all of you alligator skinned folks find some pleasure from this one.  It's pure luxury!

PS. I REACHED 500 FOLLOWERS THIS WEEK!! SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?  YES, IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER GIVEAWAY.  STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS THIS WEDNESDAY.

DeShawnMarie.com

Homemade Bath Salt Recipe

Ever wanted to make your own bath salts?  Well this is my favorite recipe! Indulge and enjoy!

 Mix all of the ingredients below in a large glass or stainless steel bowl.  Store leftover salts in an airtight container.

• 1 cup coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp liquid glycerin (can buy at most health food stores or online)
• 1/2 cup Epsom salt
• 1/8 cup dried flowers (rose, chamomile or lavender are my favorites)
• 10 drops lavender oil
• 5 drops peppermint oil 

This is really a luxurious experience.  Hope you all take the time to treat yourselves to this indulgent bath.

DeShawnMarie.com

Seaweed Facial Mask and Body Wrap Recipe. Seaweed has amazing benefits for the skin.

Seaweed powder is a rich source of vitamins including vitamins B12 (not found in land plants), vitamin E, amino acids, minerals, trace elements, and other nutrients. Seaweed powder makes for an effective cleansing and exfoliating agent. When applied to the skin, Seaweed treatments act as a powerful detoxifier that draws out toxins and impurities while adding beneficial nutrients. It helps to stimulate the body's metabolism and circulation which gives skin a healthy, revitalize and glowing appearance. Seaweed contains fatty acids to combat skin irritation and inflammation; and may assist with skin ailments such as acne, psoriasis and eczema.

I have been making my Sea Salt Kelp Soap for over a year now and really enjoy it.  I use whole Seaweed strips in the soap to get the benefits of the seaweed embedded into the soap.

I've recently played around with some other ways to use seaweed.  I have made seaweed powder by taking a coffee grinder and putting the seaweed in it and grinding it for about 30 seconds.  You can buy seaweed at the health food store or also some grocery stores will have it for making sushi. Grind it into a powder for the following recipes. It should look something like this when it is ready.

Seaweed Face Mask
Combine 1 tbsp of seaweed powder to 2 tbsp of water and 1 tsp of aloe vera gel to form a paste. Apply to the skin and leave on for about 10 minutes before washing off with warm water.
You will be amazed at the results you will get with this mask.

Seaweed is commonly used in body wraps due to it's ability to extract toxins from the skin.  It is very helpful in combating cellulite too.

Seaweed Body Wrap
Combine ½ cup seaweed powder, 3 tbsp jojoba oil and 2 drops of lavender oil in a bowl. Slowly add water while stirring the mixture until it forms into a paste. Apply paste to various parts of the body and cover with plastic wrap. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
 

DeShawnMarie.com

How to make Orange Peppermint Lotion. Recipe to make at home.

Orange Peppermint Lotion Recipe
1/2-cup mint water
1/8 tsp. borax
1/2 c. grapeseed oil
1 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. beeswax
8 drops orange oil
3-4 drops peppermint oil

Make the mint water by boiling fresh or dried mint leaves in water and then letting the mixture cool. Strain off the mint leaves. Use 1-cup fresh mint (1/4 cup dried mint leaves) to 1-cup water.

Then mix together the mint water and the borax, stirring until well mixed. Set aside. Mix together the grapeseed oil, coconut oil, and beeswax in a glass measuring cup. Place the cup with the oils--beeswax mixture in a pan of water (about 1 to 2 inches of water), making a water bath. Heat over medium heat until the beeswax is melted (8 to 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

When the wax is melted, bring the mint solution almost to boiling (put the glass cup with the mint water/borax in the microwave on High for 1 minute, or use a water bath on the stove top).

Remove the oils-beeswax mixture from the water bath. Slowly add mint water/borax to the mixture in the blender and whip.

Allow the lotion to cool completely. The consistency may seem a bit thin, but it will thicken as it cools. Now add the peppermint and orange oils. Pour the lotion into a clean container with a lid.

VOILA you have Orange Peppermint lotion!

DeShawnMarie.com

The perfect massage oil to make at home

 

I've made a lot of different massage oils, but this one in particular is one of my favorites.  I particularly enjoy the addition of the hazelnut oil as it is easily absorbed into the skin.  The aroma of this is very sensual and exotic.  Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup hazelnut oil
cinnamon oil
orange oil
ylang ylang oil

Instructions:
Mix together a half-cup of olive oil and a half-cup of hazelnut oil in a bowl. Then add 10 drops of cinnamon oil, 10 drops of orange oil, and 20 drops of ylang ylang oil. Bottle the mixture immediately after blended, as essential oils evaporate quickly when exposed to the air. Store your massage oil in a glass container since the essential oils tend to break down plastic over time. Also, keep it away from heat and sunlight. All vegetable oils can go bad over time, but heat will make them go rancid rapidly so be sure to keep in a cool dry place. You may keep them in the refrigerator too.

DeShawnMarie.com

If you are reading this in a Facebook note, a reader or some other format then go to my blog at DeShawn's Blog to see the original post.

Lemon & Brown Sugar Body Scrub recipe to make at home

 

I wanted to share this recipe with my readers as it is very easy, but also because it is as good as any store bought scrubs.  This is a very nice body scrub, not too harsh.  Very nice on your skin.  I love the lemon and brown sugar combination it really gives it a nice natural aroma. To tell you the truth I just love it!!

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon of lemon
1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon of honey

Mix brown sugar and salt, then add the lemon juice, virgin coconut oil and honey, mix well.  There you have it a nice easy body scrub made just for you!

Keep in mind when making this fresh at home that you must use it quickly (within a couple of days) or store it in the fridge.  The coconut oil will solidify in the fridge so allow time to defrost when going to use it next.

DeShawnMarie.com

If you are reading this in a Facebook note, a reader or some other format then go to my blog at DeShawn's Blog to see the original post.

Making Lip Balm at Home

With this recipe you can find most of the items at your local Whole foods or health food store. This is a great idea to make for little giveaways for a party or shower. It's super easy and natural

• 1.5 oz of beeswax beads
• 1 oz of coconut oil
• 0.8 oz of sunflower oil
• 0.3 oz of lanolin
• 15 drops of Vitamin E oil
• 10 drops of Honey or honey flavored oil
• Small lip balm containers or tubes

Melt all the ingredients in microwave safe container such as a
glass measuring cup. Remove when the beeswax has melted.
Add flavor oil and color, if desired. Slowly pour into lip balm
containers or tubes. They will harden immediately. Label and seal.
This is a fun one to do with kids too!

DeShawnMarie.com

My favorite herbal tea bath!

Here's a really nice and easy bath treat to make. I love bath teas as they really make you feel like you are bathing in nature. This is one of my favorite ones. You can substitute items to come up with your own special bath too.

2 tsp lavender flowers (dried)
2 tsp rose petals (dried)
1 tsp lemon balm (dried)
1 tsp rosemary (dried)
1 tsp spearmint (dried)
4 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops rose essential oil
1 drop patchouli essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and then place in small muslin bag. Tie tightly and place in hot running bath water.

You can scent it with any essential oils you would like, but this is my favorite combination for this tea. Have fun though, play around and come up with your own personal bath tea.

If you are reading this in a Facebook note, a reader or some other format then go to my blog at DeShawn's Blog to see the original post.

DeShawnMarie.com

How to make lotion bars at home

Moisturizing Lotion Bars
You're gonna love me for this recipe. These are my absolute favorite for the winter months and they are super easy to make.

4 ounces mango or shea butter
4 ounces beeswax
5 ounces liquid oil (jojoba or grapeseed are both excellent choices)
2 teaspoons of essential oil or fragrance oil

For those of you who have tried lotion bars before and made them with cocoa butter you know that it can have a strange smell. Well you are in luck as this lotion bar does not use cocoa butter so you can use any fragrance or essential oil that your heart desires and not have a chocolate over smell.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Melt the beeswax in a separate container and the butter/oil in another container. Add together, mix well, stir in any fragrance oil or essential oil you like. Then pour into containers, tupperware or rubbermaid works fine. Mixture will harden in approximately 1-2 hours. The cooler the mixture is upon pouring it, the less 'pocks' you'll get in the bars.

Enjoy!!

DeShawnMarie.com

Homemade Sugar Scrub, another fun body product to make at home.

Salt scrubs can be a bit harsh on skin, sugar is actually a gentler exfoliant, which makes it better for an all-over body scrub. Use salt scrubs for the rougher parts of your body like elbows, heels and knees. This recipe is easy to make and fun to use.

Note: Only make what you will use within a couple of days otherwise it is best to add a natural preservative like grapefruit seed extract or even a synthetic preservative. It will go bad if you don't.


Super Sugar Scrub
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup oil (virgin olive oil or almond oil are recommended but any light, odorless oil you have on hand will work)
1 TBS baking soda (optional, but it makes it a little effervescent)
5 drops essential oil for fragrance or aroma therapy. We suggest citrus oil.

Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until thoroughly mixed, put into a sealed container to store. Use just before your next shower and enjoy your soft new skin. Be sure to scrub the tub or shower floor thoroughly - it will be slick from the oil and can be dangerous if you don't.

If you are reading this in a Facebook note, a reader or some other format then go to my blog at DeShawn's Blog to see the original post.

DeShawnMarie.com

Sweet Calming Chamomile....what to do with it?

My last post about lavender was so popular I thought I would share some Chamomile recipes and uses as well.


Cheerful Chamomile Tea
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers
1/2 cup dried calendula petals
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup dried peppermint
1 tablespoon whole cloves
honey to taste

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. To brew use 1 1/2 tsp. of tea with 1 cup (8 ounces) boiling water. Steep for 3-5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey to taste.

Winter Chamomile Tea
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients:
1 tsp. dried chamomile
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. dried lavender
honey

Combine the herbs in your warmed tea pot and add 2 cups boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and strain. Add 1 tsp. of honey to each cup of tea. Notes: I put together this simple mellow tea one winter afternoon. I like it with the honey, but lemon would be fine too. This makes 2 cups of tea, but it can easily be doubled and tripled.

Chamomile Shampoo
You will need:
2 tsp.. dried chamomile
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup baby shampoo (or another mild variety)

Pour the boiling water over the chamomile and steep for 30 minutes, strain, then mix into the shampoo and use as usual.

Chamomile Hair Conditioner
You will need:
1/3 cup chamomile flowers
1/3 cup olive, safflower or sunflower oil
Clean jar with lid

Combine the chamomile and oil in a jar with a lid. Place on a sunny windowsill and shake the jar at once a day. After two weeks, strain out the herbs. To apply, use about 2-4 teaspoons, depending on the length of your hair. Brush out your hair and apply to the hair ends, avoiding the scalp. Leave on about ten minutes, then shampoo out.

Chamomile Hair Rinse
You will need:
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp. chamomile flowers

Pour the water over the chamomile; steep until it cools to lukewarm. Strain out the flowers. This will soothe your scalp. To use pour over your hair as a rinse after shampooing.

Herbal Foot Soak
You will need:
2 ounces mixed fresh herbs-peppermint, rosemary, chamomile
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon borax
1 tablespoon Epsom salts

Roughly chop the herbs. Put in a bowl, pour in boiling water. Let stand 1 hour; strain. Place the "tea" water into a tub or bowl large enough to hold both feet and another 6-7 cups of warm water. Stir in borax and Epsom salts. Soak feet 15 to 20 minutes. Add hot water if needed to keep the temperature as warm as desired. Afterwards use a good lotion and place cotton socks on your feet for the evening!

I hope you enjoy these! Oh and don't forget to enter to win a free soap from me in the post below.

If you are reading this in a Facebook note, a reader or some other format then go to my blog at DeShawn's Blog to see the original post.

DeShawnMarie.com

Lavender, lavender and more lavender! How to use it.

Lavender is one of the most popular aromatic herbs.


Everybody loves the aroma of lavender. It is one of the most used aromatherapy oils for relaxation. It is popular in aromatherapy candles and soap to help with relaxation. There are a lot of ways to use lavender. I thought I'd share a few ways with you today.

Lavender in the kitchen
Lavender Lemonade is one of the easiest ways to use lavender into the kitchen. Steep 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers in 1 quart homemade or store bought lemonade for a couple of hours. Use room temperature, not cold lemonade. Strain before drinking.

Lavender powder for scenting linens
A simple lavender sachet placed in the linen closet will infuse the sheets (or sweaters) with the lovely, complex smell of the summer garden. Find muslin bags online or at craft stores. One of my favorite ways to use lavender is to finely grind and sprinkle it on clean sheets and pillows. Using an impeccably clean spice/coffee grinder, process the flowers until they are a fine powder. Mix 1 part flowers with 2 parts baking soda. It is nice to buy a powder container to store the powder, but simply storing in a small jar is sufficient. Sprinkle a small amount either on the mattress or over clean sheets. Also sprinkle on pillows before putting on a new pillowcase.

Lavender as medicine
Lavender is an effective remedy for nervous exhaustion, headaches and mild depression. To make a soothing tea, simply pour 1 cup of water over 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups per day. For a therapeutic lavender bath, make a decoction by adding 2 tablespoons lavender to 2 cups water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes. Add this to the bath and relax!

Lavender infused oil
I am a big fan of infused oils because they are easy to make and can be used many ways. Lavender infused oil can be used on rashes, cuts, minor burns or as a moisturizing skin oil. Simply fill a small jar with dried lavender flowers and cover with a good quality oil, like almond, apricot kernel or extra virgin olive. Let sit in a warm place for 10-14 days, strain and this fragrant oil is ready to go.

I hope you enjoy these! Oh and don't forget to enter to win a free soap from me in the post below.

If you are reading this in a Facebook note, a reader or some other format then go to my blog at DeShawn's Blog to see the original post.

DeShawnMarie.com