Nourishing Natural Face Mask

This is one of my favourite and particularly nourishing natural face masks, feel free to adjust the ingredients but this is just how I like mine! Whilst I am relaxing in the tub, which I have filled with warm water and some skin loving moisturing natural bath tea with calendula, cocoa butter, shea butter and oatmeal, light a little tea light, and lie back whilst my mask goes to work! I

rinse off the mask with warm water after approx 20 minutes, and gently wipe my face with some rose water, before applying a nourishing borage oil cream. My skin just adores all this attention and feels plumped, soft and silky smooth!

When applying any treatment to your skin, don't forget to apply some to the back of your hands as well, I always apply any face mask and moisturiser everytime I pop some on my face, my hands look fab, and many people often comment on just how smooth and good they look!

40% Rhassoul Clay 30% Banana Powder 10% Honey Powder (or use some of the real thing) 20% Oatmeal Simply mix all your ingredients together, then when you are ready to use some or all, mix with some warm water, and leave for a few minutes for the powders to dissolve and the Rhassoul to absorb the water. Gently apply to your skin. Leave for anything up to 20 minutes, or longer if you prefer, then rinse with warm water. You may wish to add some natural yogurt as well. Don't forget - treat your hands too ! They will thank you for this tlc !

Borage Oil Dry Skin Luxury Body Butter - Love your skin!

Along with making your own Shea Whipped Butters, I also like to adapt a body butter to include some additional skin nourishing properties as well, in particular Borage Oil, which is particularly beneficial for dry and more mature skin types. borage oil is a rich source of the essential fatty acid GLA (gamma linolenic acid), which helps to nourish and strengthen skin and is widely used in natural skin care ranges.

Body Butters Recipe 250g Shea Butter 250g Cocoa Butter 50g Beeswax 50mls Borage Oil 50mls Coconut Oil 50mls Vegetable Glycerine 5mls Vitamin E Oil 2 x 5ml Fragrance Oils (Optional)

• Instructions to make : • Chop the Cocoa and Shea Butters into small pieces.
• Melt the Cocoa Butter slowly and gently first, once melted take off from the heat and add the Shea Butter.
• When melted, turn the heat back on and add your beeswax and allow to melt.
• Once all melted, slowly add the Coconut Oil, Vitamin E and Vegetable Glycerine, stir thoroughly.
• Adding fragrance, if you wish to make 2 or more different fragranced butters, simply divide your elted mixture into different bowls, then add your chosen fragrances to each bowl. NEVER add the fragrance whilst the mleted mixture is still hot, as the fragrance will simply evaporate - wait at least 10 minutes then add and stir.
• Voila! Once cooled spoon into your chosen containers and you have some delicious skin drenching and nourishing natural body butter.

Top Tip - don't foget when moisturising your skin, to include your hands, we often forget and neglect them and frequently complain how they give our ages away!

New Year Eve Mega Celebrations in Bideford

Happy New year to everybody !

I will be celebrating New Year's Eve with 10's of thousands of other party people in our town - Bideford. Just a few years ago New Years Eve in Bideford was mentioned in The Times Newspaper as one of the top 10 places to be in the world on New Year's Eve! Quite a compliment for our little town !

SO what exactly happens, well firstly and this is the most important part - everybody dresses up - fancy dress is the only dress to be seen in, the majority of the revelers, go really out of their way to dress to impress, this is a link to some of the photos taken at last years event ! I rather liked the gnomes!

These are my 'French Friends' oooh la la !!!!!

We all enjoy the good humour, dancing,music and of course the fireworks !

So Happy New Year to everybody and I look forward to posting some of tonights photos in 2009!

Make your own 'Flowering Scrunchie Loofah Soap' (scrunchie type)

I came across a recipe for a loofah soap, I have been making these for a long time, however I was using the tradtional 'loofah' this is slightly different and looks fab, using a nylon scrunchie and so practical too! You will need to buy a nylon scrunchie and a mould, I would use my silicone muffin moulds (bought from Poundland store for yes a £1.00) but any soap mould will do. You will need Melt and Pour Soap Base Colour (Optional) Fragrance or essential oil (must be a Cosmetic Approved one) Scrunchie Soap Mould Instructions

• Chop your melt and pour soap base into peieces and melt in the microwave, using short bursts of 10 seconds only until melted
• Add your chosen colour
• Add your fragrance/essential oils remember to keep within recommended guidlines of the manufacturer (too much and your soap will be sticky and horrible)
• Pour your melted soap base into the muffin cups / or mould until approx ½ full
• Place the loofa into the mould & compress with your fingers or if too hot use a spoon, ensure that the part of the scrunchie has absorbed some of the base.
• Pour the remaining soap base over the scrunchie and leave to set for approx 2 hours (or longer)
• When hardened, simply pop out of your mould and you have a fab 'Flowering Loofa Soap!

You can leave the soap base a neutral and use a brightly coloured Scrunchie!

Woohoo my blog has been mentioned on somebody elses!!!!

Many thanks to a kind lady Jenny, who has mentioned my blog on hers ! This is Jenny's and I love Milo the dog! http://craftheaven.blogspot.com/ Look forward to keeping up with Jenny's events!