Bicarbonate of Soda

As I am sure most of you will know, Bicarb is a wonderful thing!  You can use it for all sorts of stuff.  When it comes to cleaning it is an excellent eco friendly product that will shift grease and grime like nobodies business.  Well this sounds great I hear you murmur.  However, what no one tells you is that you need one extra ingredient for bicarb to actually make a good job of it.  That extra ingredient is Elbow Grease.

Sadly there is no way round it, this wonderful ecologically sound method of cleaning your bathroom or kitchen only works if you are prepared to put a great deal of effort into it.  We are not so used to having to actually scrub our floors clean these days.  So many of the products available are simply wipe on and then off again.  Can you imagine how harsh they have to be to work so effectively.

You can leave a paste of bicarb and water smeared onto stubborn dirt or grease and then come back to it after a little while.  This can cut down the scrubbing a bit.  But when opting for any of these old fashioned (albeit eco friendly) cleaning tips be prepared to turn the clock back a hundred years or so and get your sleeves rolled up and your hair tied back. 

And to finish this post... some other things you can do with bicarb that don't require scrubbing. 

Chlorine damage to your hair? : Mix a solution of half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda to a pint of warm water and rinse your hair with it, catch the rinse in a bowl or jug and pass it through your hair several times.  This removes any smell of chlorine and can help to redress some of the damage done - but if you insist on swimming on a daily basis then you really need to wear a waterproof hat.  Bicarb can only do so much.

Dull or Dry Skin Exfoliation:  Mix a quarter of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with your usual shower gel or body wash.  Make sure it is well dissolved and then apply to the skin in gentle circular motions.  Rinse well in the shower and pat the skin dry.  Follow with a luxurious body butter or lotion.  This should not be done more than once a week and a lot less if you are inclined to very dry skin.

Remember, bicarb is basically a cleaning product so although it is eco friendly, it can be a bit strong when used as part of a beauty regime.  So use sparingly and with caution.  I do have a multitude of recipes in one of my old notebooks - copied from some ancient publication no doubt.  If I can find it, I will give you a few more tips in another post.

Alpha Hydroxy Acid - Nature's Skin Peel

Alpha hydroxy acid (or AHA's) and beta hydroxy acids are added to creams and lotions for the 'brightening' effect that they have on the skin. But you don't need to spend a fortune on expensive treatments to get these benefits. AHA's come from many ordinary every day foods that we have in our kitchen cupboard.
As we get older life takes it toll on our complexions. Even if you have never been down the sunbathing route you may still find that your face displays the classic symptoms of sun damage. Solar keratosis or thickened patches of skin, age spots or areas of discoloured skin like large freckles and freckles themselves which can increase in size or join together to produce whole swathes of darkened skin. Acne scarring from difficult teenage years or infected pimples, large open pores from oily skin or deepened wrinkles from very dry, unnourished skin, can all make our complexion appear drab and dowdy.
Skin peeling with alpha hydroxy acid is not new. There are numerous reports in history of beauty treatments that worked to exfoliate the upper layers of skin to reveal a bright new, young complexion beneath. These were achieved mostly by applications of fruit. The natural alpha hydroxy acid in fruit juice produced these effects but the users did not understand or know how they worked. The more modern treatments actually isolate these alpha hydroxy acids and chemically synthesise them to use in skin peels and other applications.
Alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids are derived naturally from apples, ginger, oranges, grapefruit, sugarcane or willow bark, and will gradually peel off the top layers of dead skin and promote the renewal process of the skin which can become sluggish as we age. Natures skin peels are much more gentle than the chemical version you may get at the beauty shop or cosmetic clinic. If you have particularly sensitive skin though, they can be just as fierce and even painful. Therefore use these with caution and always trial a small area of skin first before applying willy nilly!!
The simple application of orange or lemon pulp to the face is a basic skin peel. But be warned it could sting!

The Basic Process for using Natural Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Wash your face with your normal cleanser and leave the skin slightly damp. Apply the skin peel mixture and then relax for fifteen to thirty minutes. Rinse the mixture from your face with tepid water and if you feel any irritation or the skin looks red, bathe with a cooled chamomile tea. Pat dry and apply a very gentle (unscented) moisturiser or night cream. This process is best done in the evening, and since, depending upon your skintype you may find your skin slightly red (which can last for a few days), it is probably best to choose a time when you have no upcoming social engagements.

Skin Peeling Fruits and Ingredients to Choose:

Always choose fresh ripe fruit, do not be tempted to use that last black banana in the bowl! Tinned fruit can also be used, although the result is better with fresh. Most fruits are suitable for all skin types so if you really want a fruit salad … go ahead! There are some fruits, however, more suited to certain skin types than others and you may have to experiment with several blends until you find the best one for you but here is a rough guide.

Dry Skin: Mashed Avocado (choose a very ripe one, it mashes better); Apricot; Banana.

Oily Skin: Strawberry; Kiwi; do not be tempted to go for obviously sharp citrus fruits such as lemon or grapefruit, although they will dry up excess oils, too much of them can be harsh on the texture of the skin. Green apples are very good as well as cucumbers, a little of the pulp of an orange is good. Tomatoes are supposed to be excellent skin peelers for oily complexions.

Normal Skin: All of the above and below and more besides… melons are good.

Acne: A couple of garlic cloves mashed and added to clay is excellent for severe acne. Unfortunately nothing can be done about the smell so perhaps choose a day when you are not planning social calls or expecting visitors. A little egg white mixed with clay (not too much); Also strawberries with a teaspoonful of wine – red if your complexion is dark and white if it is not. Marie Antoinette used Cognac on her oily complexion combined with milk for moisturising. Honey is mildly antiseptic and gently healing for inflamed spots.

Dry or mature skin: Try an egg yolk and some honey with mashed avocado to soften and moisturise a tired complexion.

The morning after the night before: try half a dozen mashed green grapes.

Sensitive Skin: A small spoonful of double cream added to your face mask. But if you suffer from allergies choose your fruit with care - perhaps start with a banana and a little grated apple and remove it if you feel any stinging sensations.

Rejuvenating: finely shredded asparagus is reported to be rejuvenating but I can’t personally vouch for this one!

Thick or coarse skin with severe scarring To turn your fruit mask into a real 'skin peel' you can add a teaspoon of citric acid to whichever fruit mixture you are using. But be aware this could leave your skin looking very red and it could last for several days. It is normal for a skin peel to feel a little uncomfortable while on your skin, however if it is actually painful you must wash it off immediately.

Combining Fruit with Clay

Choose the type of clay base that you wish to use, combine the mashed fruit or vegetable (your raw alpha hydroxy acid) of your choice. Add any liquid or runny ingredients and if the mixture is not wet enough then add a little cooled previously boiled water, or even a little warm milk, cream or a herbal tea to make it the correct consistency. A few drops of an appropriate blend of essential oils (I know I have promised some information for beginners on choosing essential oils... it is coming, I promise) can also be added if you wish. Smear the mixture onto a clean complexion and relax for 15 to 30 minutes before rinsing it off. If your skin is very sensitive then reduce the time. I am always cautious about combining essential oils with alpha hydroxy acid face masks since they are to be left on the skin for a good length of time - please exercise caution.

Any mask that is left over can be used on other parts of the body too or covered and kept in the fridge for a short while to be used later, this will depend upon which ingredients you have used and how well they have kept, it should look and smell the same as when you freshly made it, if it doesn’t, throw it away.Oh and be sure to tell other family members what you have put in the fridge... not that I think it would poison them... but then, it could!

Mud Masks

Using a Mud Mask for regular Deep Cleansing

Using a mud mask is a very old-fashioned beauty remedy... but one that works. The use of clay (which becomes mud when wet) to heal the skin is known as Pelotherapy from the Greek word Pelos meaning Mud or Clay. All sorts of different types of mud from various locations around the world is suitable for deep cleansing of the pores. Some of the most famous are Dead sea mud, Argiletz clay from France, Rhassoul mud from the Atlas mountains in Morocco.

All of these are rich in mineral salts in varying quantities and work on the same principle of drawing toxins out through the pores of the body. There are minor differences between them, in particular the Rhassoul mud is less 'drawing' than the others, and my personal favourite, though it is possible to purchase Argiletz clay in different colours and textures for different skin types.

The principle is this. You Clean your face with your usual cleanser and leaving your skin slightly damp you apply the mud mask and then relax for ten to fifteen minutes. After which time you rinse it off. Apply a little toner or tepid water, pat the skin dry and then apply your usual moisturiser or night cream if you are preparing for bed. A regular deep cleanse in this fashion - say once a fortnight to start with, Will help to keep blackheads and pimples under control as well as removing the natural top layer of dead skin cells - revealing the fresh young skin beneath.

The Basic Mud Mask goes like this...

Take 20g of your favourite type of clay and mix with warm (previously boiled) water to a paste like consistency. Spread mud over the face avoiding the sensitive areas around eyes and mouth. Relax while the mask dries. Once dry, rinse with clean warm water, dab with a toner then pat dry and follow with moisturiser.

Variations on a Theme.

Mash a little ripe fruit or vegetable into the mud mask. It may feel a little strange to be scouring the fruit bowl or vegetable basket for your weekly pamper session, but get used to the idea, the kitchen is really just an annex to your cosmetic cupboard. I shall be posting more about using fruit as a natural skin peel soon. For now the best bet is to look for a ripe banana!

Why not add some oats to your clay mixture? Oats are excellent skin softeners and work really well on more mature skins. Simply grind them up a little and pop the powder in.

You could try adding a herbal tea or a flower hydrosol (or flower water) to your clay mixture rather than plain water. Or you could add a few drops of an essential oil blend for your particular skintype. (A good book on Aromatherapy may help you here). If you are using essential oils in a small quantity of face mask then keep it to two or three drops maximum... depending upon the types of essential oils you use. If you experience any kind of irritation remove the face mask immediately.

Honey is excellent for the complexion and will help control a number of skin problems. Simply add a small amount to your mixture.

Cream or Yoghurt is good in a face mask too. Cream if you have very dry or mature skin and yoghurt for normal to oily skins. If you do choose yoghurt make it a 'live' one. You know the ones with the friendly bacteria in!

Vegetable oil added to the clay can help reduce the drawing effect... especially helpful if you have very sensitive and delicate skin. Simply go back to the kitchen cupboard and use sunflower, olive or rapeseed... whichever you normally cook with. They work just as well and have their own skincare benefits.

Rhassoul mud comes from the Atlas mountains of Morocco. It is my all time favourite clay for face and body masks (yes you can smear your whole body, not just your face... the benefits are the same.) If you have very sensitive skin then I would suggest Rhassoul over the other clays (though you can cut down on the length of time you keep the mask on your face if you are very sensitive), rhassoul is good not only for sufferers of acne but also those who have eczema or very dry skin.

A mud mask will cleanse very deep into the pores and you may find that the following day you have developed the odd spot or two, this is because you have encouraged deep down dirt to surface. It's perfectly normal and natural and provided that you keep scrupulously clean it will clear up in a day or two.

It may be better to choose your deep cleansing days with this in mind.