I received this lovely tip on Facebook, from my Aunt Sexy* and decided to share it with the rest of the class.

Homemade Oatmeal Mask for Acne

“I suffer from Adult acne – so I did some research and came up with this mask”.

- Boil about 1/4 cup of oatmeal (organic can be used) in water

- Add in about 2 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoon of aloe vera gel.

- Let cool to room temp.

- Apply to clean skin let mask dry on face

Many bug repellents that we spray on our skin have chemicals that can aggravate out skin and our health.  Some of these products also contain DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide) which doesn’t exactly repel insects, but instead it “erases” the scent of carbon dioxide that emanates from our skin so that they aren’t attracted to us. Although is very effective in repelling mosquitoes and other disease carrying insects, has also been shown to cause sever health problems when mixed with other medications. (Which ones? I cant find a straight answer on that).  Infants should NEVER be exposed to DEET at all because it can cause potential brain damage, but the EPA has deemed it safe for use in adults and older children if used properly…..hmmm. Insect repellents that contain DEET  have to be sprayed 6-8 inches away from the skin, should not be inhaled, and should also be washed off thoroughly with soap and water after a few hours.. Those products should not come in contact with acetate, rayon, spandex and other synthetics and don’t spray it on wounds, cuts or sun-burnt skin. Other products like Cutter and Avon’s Skin So Soft contain Picaridin which is a chemical that has been used in Europe for years, but it is relatively new in the U.S. It has less side effects than DEET, and is easier on the skin, but should also be used according to the manufacturers’ directions. I don’t know anyone who follows ALL of the above directions. And it also bothers me that the above mentioned products have parabens and other icky ingredients.

I was curious to see if I could effectively make a chemical-free insect repellent, and I’m pleased to say, the recipe I found below works pretty well. And (with the addition of a base oil), it won’t leave your skin feeling dry.

DIY Bug Repellent

Materials:

• 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup witch hazel (or cheap vodka)
• 5 drops of citronella or eucalyptus essential oil
• 1 tbsps jojoba oil
• Spray bottle
• Funnel

Directions:

I owe this post to Savvy reader Kichael, who commented on my original “Homemade Bread for Dummies” post with a bread recipe from Recipe Zaar that introduced me to quick-rising yeast! I altered it slightly, for the recipe below. Thanks Kichael!

Homemade Bread Recipe 2 (recipe makes one loaf)

Ingredients

* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 tablespoon sugar
*1 teaspoons salt
* 1 packages fast rising yeast
* 1 cups hot water (125°-130°F)
* 1/2 tablespoon water
* cornmeal

The video of the live webcast of The Organic Baby Resource Show on momTV.com that I did on Monday is up. On the show, I demonstrate how to do several of the recipes here on the blog. It was special for Mother’s Day called “Pampering Yourself with Homemade Bodycare” Pt. 1 and Pt. 2

Part 1 is about 32 mins and Part 2 is about 5 mins.

For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Erika is the host of Organic Baby Resource with Erika and the creator of Organic Baby Resource, a website devoted to all things baby and healthy. Every two weeks Erika talks about something natural and/or organic for baby and in this case, for mom! Viewers watch live and can instant message questions right to the guest and to Erika. So you’ll see me stop and look at a screen on the side occassionally and answer questions, and so will Erika.

Enjoy the show!

“Pampering Yourself with Homemade Bodycare” Pt. 1

With the weather getting warmer, I’ve decided that it’s time to take the socks off and prep my feet for sandal weather. I grab a big basin that I got from the dollar store, and a good magazine. After doing this soak and the following routine at least once a week for the next month or two, all the roughness of winter will have melted away, revealing pretty feet and toes. The best part of a foot soak? For 15 minutes…I’m not moving! (I think normal people would call this “taking a break”) LOL!

Homemade Peppermint Foot Soak

Ingredients:

1 tub full of hot water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup epsom salt
15 drops peppermint essential oil
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Directions:

Pour hot water (as hot as you can stand it) a little more than halfway into a basin or bowl. Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir. After the salt has dissolved a bit, put your feet in and relax!  The menthol in the peppermint and the  anti-inflammatory properties of the eucalyptus always make my feet feel warm and tingly. (Especially after wearing heels). I sit for about 15 minutes or until the water runs cold. Right before I take my feet out I give them a good scrub

Don’t you hate it when you get those annoying fruit flies around your house? Well, fruit flies’ eggs get a free ride into your house from the grocery store or farmers market. (And it doesn’t matter if the fruit is organic or not). And when they hatch, the larvae can feed on wet or moist surfaces, where they lay more eggs, up to 500 at a time. And NOT just on your fruit. The best way to get rid of them, is to make sure those eggs don’t hatch in the first place. You can find veggie and fruit wash in most produce sections of your market, but it usually costs between $7-$10.

Not very savvy if you ask me.

So here’s 5 ways to wash your fruits and veggies more economically:

1. Wash the veggies in a colander in the sink with a little baking soda and a nailbrush and dry.
2. Spray the veggies with vinegar and dry
3. Put a few drops of liquid castille soap into a small spray bottle full of water. (This works really well on citrus fruits and bananas)

At night I don’t wash my face. Not with soap anyway. What I do is the Oil Cleansing Method. I learned about OCM from Frizzcurls over at CurlyNikki.com. Now before you say “I can’t use oil on my face”. Read her story. She suffered from acne for YEARS and this was the ONLY thing that worked. You know the saying “fight fire with fire”? Well, in this case, you’re fighting oil with oil. Castor Oil has different properties than other oils, and in fact if you use too much, your skin will get dry!

My Nightly Oil Cleansing Method Routine:

Ingredients:

• clear castor oil
• first cold pressed olive oil
• hot tap water

Directions: I have a little dark jar filled 1/4 of the way with castor oil, and the rest with olive oil. I shake it before each use. I pour a nickel-sized amount of oil in my had and proceed to gently massage the oil all over my face and neck. I usually need to do this twice so that it’s nice and thick. Then I run the hot water over a washcloth (as hot as I can stand it), then I hold the hot washcloth about and inch from my face and let the steam hit me. Then I put the whole thing on my face and let the heat work its magic. After about 15-20 secs the washcloth has cooled and I use it to wipe off any and all traces of makeup, or, if I’m not wearing makeup I just wipe my face and neck down completely.Some people use more castor oil and some people use more olive oil, and some folks even add sunflower seed oil, click here to figure out which is best for you.

DIY Eye Serum 

As I mentioned in the post My 12 Clear Skin Rules, at least once a day you should cleanse, tone and moisturize your face. (Yes, gentlemen, that goes for you too).  I do this once a day in the morning.

Here’s what I use:

• Black Soap (either raw or a bar soap) Despite the name this is NOT just for African-American skin.
• Witch hazel – the good old fashioned stuff is great!
• Heritage Rosewater – This kind does not have any alcohol or perfume in it, it’s just electrified water and rosewater.
• 100% Aloe Vera Gel – This is not the green paraben-filled stuff. This is usually clear. I really like Fruit of the Earth but there are other brands out there.
• Organic Jojoba Oil -  It is cheaper to buy regular jojoba oil, but I like usiung the organic on my face, and as you’ll see, you don’t need to use much at all!
• Organic Rosehip Oil – This is the HG (holy grail) product of my skin care regimen. It’s anti-wrinkle and anti-aging properies are incredible!

Here’s my routine:

I’ve gotten so many emails asking me how I take care of my skin. Instead of trying to address everything is one post, over the next few weeks, I’m going to share different aspects of my skin-care routine.

Everyone’s skin is different, and I’m lucky enough not to have had any major skin issues, BUT I’m human, I get pimples and pock marks,  dark spots and dark circles under my eyes just like everyone else. One thing I’ve noticed about my skin is that it usually tells me when there’s something wrong in my diet, or with makeup I’ve tried within MINUTES.

So here are the 12 basic rules I live by for healthy, clear skin:

1. Wear full makeup only on special occasions- Most days I wear just concealer, eyeliner, lip liner, mascara and lip gloss
2. Wear paraben-free mineral makeup – I am currently using Bare Escentuals, but I’m open to trying other brands
3. Drink water - my face (and hair) get really dry when I don’t get enough water
4. Wash, Tone and Moisturize – at LEAST once a day (I’ll go into what I use in another post)
5. Don’t wear blush – I haven’t found a blush yet that doesn’t make me break out. I just smear a little lipstick onto the apples of my cheeks, and keep it movin’
6. Use makeup brushes with caps on them – Bacteria can build up on them when you just dump them in your makeup bag

I think bath salts are even easier to make than Homemade Body Scrub, and they’re a great way to relax and unwind after along day.

Lavender Bath Salt Recipe
- 2 cups Epsom Salt, Sea salt, Kosher salt or a mixture of all three!
- Glass jar (I recycled a salsa jar)
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 2 tsps of dried lavender (optional)
- 3 tbsps of baking soda (to soften the water)

Mix all in jar and shake well.

Lemony Bath Salt Recipe