Indie Find: Good4You Herbs and Teas

I love my morning cup. I like to vary it up between coffee and tea. What I also love about tea is all the varieties that are caffeine free so I can enjoy them in the evening as well. I have purchased several teas from Good4You on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/good4you and enjoyed them all. They had a deal on Heartsy last week, so I stocked up. (Not familiar with Heartsy? Super discounts from Etsy shops! http://heartsy.me) You can order either loose teas or bags, whichever you prefer. I use a lot of loose teas but decided to try some bags this time. With great names and super fab artwork, this is a fun shop to browse. And excellent customer service makes it a breeze to purchase as well. Some varieties include: pure bliss chai, simmer down, wake up & live, for spring sniffles (speaking of Spring sniffles, we have some of that around our house right now, should have put that one in my cart!), and dream tea. If you are a tea lover, I highly recommend Good4You teas.

Sugar Scrub Cubes~New Product!

Soap and Sugar Scrub all-in-one! I just love a pampering bath or shower, but usually there is so little time. These make it easy to feel pampered while keeping to your busy schedule.

My solid sugar scrub cubes are made with moisturizing sweet almond oil, gently scrubby fine sugar, and an all natural glycerin soap base to give you the ultimate exfoliating shower scrubbing experience.

These first-in-the-line-up cute little cubes are scented Ginger Orange. Freshly squeezed oranges spiced up with refreshing ginger. A clean, crisp, delicious blend. More scents to come soon!

To use your scrub cubes, simply smoosh a cube in your wet hands and scrub over your body.
Check them out at http://soaprehab.etsy.com

10 More Ways to Use Essential Oils

1. For aromatherapy scented towels, sheets, etc, place a few drops of your favorite essential oil onto a small piece of terry cloth and toss into the clothes dryer while drying. Or, add 5 drops of essential oil to 1/4 cup fabric softener or water and place in center cup of washer.
2. Add a few drops of oil to water in a spray bottle and use as an air freshener.
3. Add a few drops of essential oil to a pan of water and simmer on stove or in potpourri pot.
4. To blend your own massage oil, add 3-5 drops of your favorite (skin safe) essential oil to 1 oz Jojoba oil.
5. Put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and place it in your vacuum cleaner bag.
6. To dispel household cooking odors, add a few drops of Clove oil to a simmering pan.
7. Potpourri which has lost its scent can be revived by adding a few drops of essential oil.
8. Unscented candle? Place a drop or 2 of essential oil into the melted wax as the candle burns. Use caution, please.
9. Smelly shoes can be remedied by placing a cotton ball dabbed with a few drops of lemon oil into the shoes.
10. For a relaxing bath, add to your warm water 4 drops chamomile oil and 2 drops lavender.

New Shea Body Butters

Now reformulated! With even more shea butter and now with aloe juice, this body butter has been amped up! The whipped texture is thicker and richer to soothe that dried out winter skin. Apply to your entire body as needed to hydrate and nourish your skin. Especially helpful to apply right after showering. Pay special attention to hands, feet, elbows, and other areas that are prone to dryness. Keeps them soft all day. Also great to use as a night cream.

Ingredient Spotlight- Aloe Vera

Aloe is a genus containing about four hundred species of flowering succulent plants. On a recent trip with my family to the University of Michigan botanical gardens, we saw so many different kinds of aloe plants! Different sizes, colors, shapes, but usually the same distinctive leaf. The most common and well known of these is, of course, aloe vera. My first exposure to aloe vera was as a pre-teen, when I was told to use the gel to help soothe my sunburned skin. I have read scientific studies about the effects of aloe vera on skin exposed to the sun's UV rays, and although it requires a dictionary to get the entire meaning of the findings, there does seem to be evidence of the soothing anti-inflammatory effect of aloe vera. Aloe vera contains vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and amino acids, all with beneficial skin care properties. Vitamins such as A (beta-carotene), C and E, which are antioxidants. Enzymes that when applied to the skin help to reduce inflammation. Minerals such as calcium, chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc. All this botanical goodness makes alove vera a great addition to my lip balms! It's also a great ingredient for a homemade facial mask. Here's a recipe you can use for a quick pampering facial:

2 Tablespoons pure aloe vera gel
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon plain yogurt

Mix well. Apply to face in gentle circular motion. Rinse thoroughly with tepid water.

Pampering Yourself at Home--Facial Masks

For when you can't make it to the spa and your face needs a little TLC, here are a few ideas for some facial masks you can make at home.

*Puree half a peeled, sliced cucumber in a food processor or blender and add one-tablespoon plain yogurt. Apply this to the face and let set for about 20 minutes. Gently wipe off with a damp washcloth. With zinc and lactic acid, yogurt is a great treatment for your skin. Cucumbers help hydrate your skin.

*Smoosh a handful of strawberries and mix well with one teaspoon honey. Apply this mixture to the face and let set for about 15 minutes. Gently wipe off with a damp washcloth. Strawberries are loaded with Vitamin C and help make your skin glow. Honey helps your skin retain moisture, is rich in Vitamin B, and contains antioxidants.

*Smash half of an avocado and apply this to the entire face. Let set for about 20 minutes and then gently wipe off with a damp washcloth. Rich in Vitamins A, D and E, avocado is good for very dry skin as well as sensitive skin. It helps reduce irritation and redness.

*Aspirin mask--good for acne and very oily skin. Crush up a few aspirin in a bowl, add enough water to make a slurry. Apply to your face with a cotton ball. Leave on for 10-15 mins. Gently wipe off with a damp washcloth and moisturize. Another variation is to add aloe vera gel or honey instead of water. The salicylic acid in aspirin is a good exfoliator. Honey would make this mask less drying, but make sure to use a non-comedongenic moisturizer on your face after this one.

Pampering Yourself at Home

Tip: Soothe those eyes. After a long day, our eyes can get so bleary. Cucumbers are a favorite when it comes to soothing tired eyes. And it really works! Cool them in the fridge and slice in pieces, big enough to rest on your closed eyes. If you don't want cuke eyes, or are short on green stuff in your fridge, using cotton dipped in cold water will provide a similar effect. Dip cotton balls in a glass of cold water and squeeze them a bit to avoid too much drip. Tilt your head back and place it in a relaxed position. (A neck pillow would be nice.) Put the cotton balls on each eye and just enjoy. Once you feel the cotton balls have gotten warm, you can dip them in the cold water again for another round (rinse and repeat). ahhhhhh.....