DIY Natural Foaming Facial Cleanser

A natural and gentle skincare product that can help clear your skin of acne and impurities without the harsh chemicals of store bought skincare products.

This foaming facial cleanser includes ingredients that help clarify and tone the skin, as well as ingredients that are extra-gentle and help maintain skin's natural balance.

Ingredients:

1 cup filtered or previously boiled (now very warm, not hot!) water.

1/4 cup liquid Castile soap: an all-natural, extremely concentrated soap made from 100% plant oils. You can find this soap at Wholefoods or at a Smiths Marketplace where they sell natural and organic products.

2 Tablespoons raw honey: a wonderful antibacterial that helps gently eliminate breakout-causing bacteria, and also helps calm the skin. Raw honey can be found at wholefoods or a local farmers market, it can also be found here if all else fails.

5 tsp Jojoba Oil (Jojoba oil moisturizes and has a moderately low comedogenic rating, i.e. is not likely to clog pores.)

1 Tablespoon tea tree oil: another great, all-natural antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antifungal that will not only help kill acne causing bacteria on the skin, but also help preserve the wash.

15 drops lemon essential oil: a natural, concentrated antibacterial that will help preserve the wash and help eliminate acne-causing bacteria from the skin. You can find it at wholefoods or online.

10 drops rosemary essential oil: another great all-natural antibacterial.

Directions:

1. Add the ingredients in the order listed (if you add the soap before the water, it will become a sudsy explosion.)

2. Stir the mixture gently, mixing everything together. The castile soap and honey will cause the mixture to look cloudy. The honey will dissolve pretty quick in the warm water, which I suggest over room temp or cold water. 

3. Put the mixture into your foaming soap dispenser and your face-wash is complete. I got my foaming soap dispenser from Bed Bath and Beyond for $15.00. You can also purchase one online.

2-3 pumps is all you need as the castile soap is very concentrated. Use once or twice daily. Discard the contents after a month or if you notice any unfavorable changes. The mixture will separate, so give it a little shake before each use.

My facial toner is also great paired with this facial wash. Apply after washing your face.

DIY Natural Facial Toner

Skin is naturally acidic, but many skin care products are more on the alkaline side. A quality toner can help restore natural skin pH. Facial toners can also help shrink pores and balance oil production.

When used under makeup, toners can provide a protective barrier on the skin to prevent impurities from makeup from penetrating skin.

Witch hazel, an extract from the leaves and bark of the Hamamelis virginiana shrub, has a long history of use, especially in skin care. It has also been used over the years as a natural remedy for hemorrhoids, burns and other skin irritation.

Witch hazel is naturally anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, making it excellent for helping reduce the appearance of acne, redness and skin irritation. It helps lock in moisture, making it a good choice for oily and dry skin, and is high in tannins that reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Vitamin C helps tighten the skin and maintain the natural pH, many high end skin products (that cost hundreds of times as much as this homemade toner) use vitamin C (often synthetic) for this purpose, vitamin C is also important internally, but tropical Vitamin C provides much more skin benefits.

Make in Small Batches...

This recipe makes a small amount of toner, and this is important. Though you could easily double the recipe, it wouldn't be as effective.

Vitamin C breaks down over time. I only make as much as I need for about a week or less. Keep away from sunlight and heat.

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp natural Vitamin C Powder 
2 Tablespoons witch hazel extract
2 oz amber or dark blue bottle with dropper.

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Shake or stir to incorporate. pour into the dropper bottle.

3. Use after washing face each day. The mixture tends to separate so give the bottle a good shake before each use. Apply 2-3 drops to a cloth or cotton pad and wipe over face gently.

DIY Homemade Natural Sunscreen

Most sunscreens contain toxic ingredients or endocrine disrupting chemicals that in many cases may actually promote skin cancer growth and free radical production in the body. In the years since sunscreen use began, skin cancer rates have actually risen, and a 2007 document from the FDA stated that: "The FDA is not aware of data demonstrating that sunscreen use alone helps prevent skin cancer," Many reports show that most sunscreens actually raise skin cancer risk.

Even natural, commercially available sunscreens often have toxic ingredients. People these days are Vitamin D deficient and the lack of sun exposure is a much bigger problem than too much exposure. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many types of cancers including the most deadly types of breast cancer.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe have a natural SPF. The finished product has around 15-35 SPF, depending on how much of the higher SPF ingredients you use. I find the exact recipe I make to be just right for my fair skin. It is water resistant for about 80 mins, but be sure to reapply after sweating, getting wet and/or toweling off.

SPF Content per ingredient:

Almond Oil - SPF around 5

Coconut Oil - SPF 4-6

Zinc Oxide - SPF 2-20 depending on how much used

Red Raspberry Seed Oil - SPF 25-50

Carrot Seed Oil - SPF 35-40

Shea Butter - SPF 4-6

Homemade Sunscreen Ingredients: 

1/2 cup Organic Almond Oil

1/4 cup Organic Coconut Oil

1/4 cup Organic Beeswax

2 Tablespoons Zinc Oxide (Here is a non-nano version that wont be absorbed in the skin. Be careful not to inhale the powder.)

Up to 1 tsp Red Raspberry Seed Oil

Up to 1 tsp Carrot Seed Oil

2 Tablespoons Raw Shea Butter

Optional: Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference.

Instructions: 

1. Combine ingredients except zinc oxide in a pint sized or larger glass jar, like a mason jar.

2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.

3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.

4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Stir occasionally to incorporate. When all the ingredients are completely melted, add the zinc oxide, stir well and pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage.

5. Small mason jars are great for this. It will not pump well in a lotion pump.

6. Stir a few times while it cools to make sure zinc oxide is incorporated. Use as you would regular sunscreen. Best if used within six months. Store in a cool dry place.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Chili powder

5 tsp paprika 

4 1/2 tsp ground cumin

3 tsp onion powder

2 tsp sea salt

2 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Additional Ingredients:

1 pound grass fed ground beef, or bison.

12 Organic Blue Corn Taco Shells

Butter leaf lettuce chopped

Organic Colby Jack cheese freshly shredded.

3/4 cup water, if using bison. (Bison is less greasier than beef so add water to help mix the seasoning throughout the meat, or if you like to drain your beef of its juices add the water in place of the missing liquid.)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. 

2. In a large skillet, cook beef or bison over medium heat until no longer pink, drain if desired and add water. Add 8 tsp seasoning mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. 

3. Fill taco shells with meat, lettuce and cheese and enjoy.

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Beef and Veggies

Ingredients:

1 pound Spaghetti Squash, halved and seeded

1 pound grass fed beef

2 bell peppers, chopped (red, yellow, or orange)

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1\4 tsp sea salt

1\4 tsp pepper

2 cups fresh shredded sharp cheddar or colby jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. (190 degrees C)

2. Place squash on a baking sheet and bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, cool, and shred pulp with a fork.

3. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a casserole dish.

4. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until evenly brown. Drain and mix in the bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

5. Mix the shredded squash and tomatoes into the skillet, and season with oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove skillet from heat and mix in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese until melted. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

6. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and continue baking 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Chocolate Truffle Pie

Ingredients:

1 can full-fat coconut milk.

3 tbsp coconut oil.

1 cup enjoy life chocolate chips.

1 tbsp vanilla.

1/8 tsp cinnamon.

Directions:

1. In a saucepan mix milk and oil, heat till it bubbles, not boils.

2. Remove from heat and mix in chips, vanilla, and cinnamon.

3. Spread mixture evenly over my coconut pie crust ( add 2 tbsp cocoa to make chocolate, or go crust-less) and freeze for about 3 hours.

4. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Keep frozen.

                                                  Creamy and smooth. So delicious!