NATURAL PERSONAL CARE REMEDIES FOR THE BODY

Tighten your pores and tone your skin with…

Make a paste with Baking Soda and distilled water. Apply all over face and leave on for about 30 minutes. Rinse off with cool water. This works really well for getting rid of blackheads.

Baking Soda makes an excellent deodorant – especially for those with chemical sensitivity to scented deodorants and antiperspirants containing aluminum. There are some really great aluminum free underarm products out on the market today. My favorite are the ones made from www.kissmyface.com Simply apply Baking Soda dry under arms. I apply Patchouli Oil on my underarms and this helps in  fighting odors as well as smells great – if you like Patchouli. A little goes a long way. You can buy the oil at www.patchouligarden.com

Mix Baking Soda and Cornstarch Powder for stinky feet. You can also put this mixture in your shoes to keep them fresh. Drier sheets can also be inserted into stinky shoes.

Mix Baking Soda and water into a spray bottle. Keep this mixture in your refrigerator for use after over exposure to the sun. You can then apply some White Distilled Vinegar to avoid peeling after the sunburn starts healing.

If you have itchy, dry skin or are suffering with chicken pox, add one cup of Baking Soda to your bath water, followed by an application of dry Soda after bathing. This is safe for children as well. Soda acts as a mild pain reliever for many minor skin ailments involving pain, itchiness and dryness.

Unscented baby wipes make an excellent make-up remover. They contain a lot less  additives than adult makeup removing cloths. You can also add a dab of baby oil for heavier makeup. Simply apply all over face and then wipe off with the baby wipe, or add some baby oil directly onto the baby wipe. I’ve also used baby lotion at times and wiped clean, followed by regular facial cleansing regime.

If you’re allergic to any of the above, handkerchiefs make gentle makeup remover cloths. I also find that sensitive skin Dove Soap works well for me. Since I don’t wear a lot of makeup, it removes it all and leaves my skin feeling moisturized and fresh. Order on line at www.dove.com They’ve also come out with tons of sensitive skin body and face products. I also like their commercials promoting beauty in every woman, no matter what your imperfections may be. I wish they’d come out with a makeup color line though.

A mild astringent for sensitive or dry skin is to wash and cut up some grapes, strawberries or cucumbers, and rub all over your face. Leave on for as long as you like and wash clean. Use this method a couple of times a week.

Slices of raw cold potatoes applied over closed eyes helps heal swollen and tired looking eyes. It also helps diminish the look of dark circles under the eye area.

If you use hairspray, rinse you hair with baking soda to remove any and all traces of the hairspray. You hair will also feel silky and smooth and adds shine as well.

When I was a little girl, I ended up burning the soles of my feet walking from the beach through an extremely hot parking lot on my way to the car. After arriving at home, my mom quickly soaked my feet in baking soda and water. She then followed daily treatments of the same but added splashes of white distilled vinegar to avoid the peeling as much as possible. I healed up completely and didn’t remember having pain or itching during the entire treatment period.

For rough, fry or callused feet, soak in warm water with about two tablespoons of baby oil. Do this daily. You’ll start noticing a definite difference after about one week. Always follow this with a foot scrub made of a sugar and honey paste, end by applying some foot lotion or any lotion of your choice.

PERSONAL CARE – body stains and odors

Here are some helpful tips that I found really truly work…

To remove set in fruit stains on skin, try rubbing and rinsing with pure lemon juice. The concentrated bottled kind works just as well – just use less of it.

Baking soda and lemon or grapefruit juice works as well. To remove the smell, rub your hands together with a sea salt paste made with water.

And last but not least, you can always use white distilled vinegar. I’ve never tried Apple Cider Vinegar, but I’m sure it should work just as well.

Any type of permanent marker should easily come off with a natural hairspray. Simply spray, rub hands and wash off with mild soap and water. I’ve also tried this method on household surfaces (test a small area first) and it seems to work just as well. Some of those products sold to remove stains from furniture can be quite toxic and dangerous to children and pets.

When in need of a facial exfoliating wash, simply sprinkle some cornmeal into the lather and massage gently into the skin. You can also use this method as a body scrub. I’ve tried this using salt, but it tends to leave my skin irritated and dried out. The salt might work better on a tougher, oilier skin. Avoid scrubbing your face and body daily. This should be done no more than once a week, and less for drier more sensitive skin.

I find that cornstarch baby powder makes an awesome face powder to set your make-up base with. Do not use baby powders containing talc, as this is harmful to the lungs. Cornstarch powder leaves your skin smooth and soft, fills in the wrinkles and doesn’t over dry. That was one of my mom’s make up secrets. Compared to cosmetic setting powders, it’s really, really cheap and much better for you. I get the cornstarch baby powder sold at whole food stores or stores that carry totally natural facial products.

Baking Soda is also excellent for removing tough grime on hands and under finger- nails, as well as deodorizing hands.

Whenever you can afford to, try purchasing cosmetic products that are naturally organic. Over 20 percent of the chemicals found in personal care products, not only seep into the skin but hurts our environment as well, by getting into our major water systems, which in turn, ends up in our drinking water. Try using products right out of your kitchen pantry for facial care such as, oatmeal, honey and white vinegar.