Natural Beauty: Virgin Coconut Oil

Coconut has long been used cooking and beauty.  In lands where the coconut tree grows, the coconut is a staple in the diet and is the most common food eaten. The coconut provides a nutritious source of meat, juice, milk, & oil that has fed and nourished populations around the world for many generations. Nearly one third of the world's population depends on coconut to some degree for their food and their economy.

Only recently have we really started to look at all the uses of coconut oil for beauty and use as a low-cost beauty product.  When buying coconut oil, I highly recommend choosing Organic Virgin Coconut oil versus a refined (read: more commercially available) coconut oil.  But what's the difference?

In the refining process, the coconut kernel is dried then put through a press to extract the oil.  This type of coconut oil process may appeal to you if you have an aversion to the smell of coconut, as refined coconut oil generally lacks the aroma or taste.  Virgin coconut oil, however, is extracted right from the fresh coconut meat, retaining that wonderful aromatic coconut scent and flavor.

If you complain about your hair being brittle and dull, virgin coconut oil could be very useful, as it's been found to be a very effective remedy to treat dry hair.  Coconut oil can be used as a natural moisturizing hair and scalp treatment, which can also help fight dandruff.  In fact, many have found coconut oil to be much more efficient than some anti-dandruff products available in the market.  

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you'll need to put a small amount in your hand and allow the body heat to melt it to a liquid.  Keep in mind that less is definitely more here, particularly if you have fine, thin hair.  You can then proceed in several ways: 

• Take the small amount (I'd start with maybe a dime-size amount if you have thin hair, closer to a quarter size if your hair is extremely thick) of melted coconut oil in your hand, and distribute it through you hair, concentrating on your scalp.  Allow this to sit on your hair for 15-20 minutes, and then shampoo/condition as normal.  (This is what I'd recommend for the baby fine ladies!)
• If your hair needs abit more moisture, change up the method above with "shampoon/rinse/oil for 5 minutes/rinse/condition/rinse".  This will allow you to leave abit more of the oil in your hair, without weighing it down.
• A small dab can be used to tame flyaways and smooth split ends.  To do this, take a VERY small amount (you can always add more as you go; too much coconut oil = really greasy looking) and lightly run your hands through your hair (flyaways) or over the ends.
• For damaged hair, coconut oil can be used as as a deep conditioning hair mask. Heat the coconut oil for a few seconds, then gently work it though the hair and massage into the scalp. Coat hair with the warmed oil, using a wide-tooth comb to gently distribute the oil through the strands evenly, always starting from the ends and working your way up. Cover the hair with a shower cap, and sleep overnight, allowing the oil to soak into the hair. For those in a hurry, use a hair dryer on the mixture or wrap your hair in a warm towel as the heat helps the oil better penetrate the hair. Shampoo thoroughly and skip the conditioner, and enjoy your silky, radiant locks!

Coconut oil isn't only good for your hair, but also helps to keep your skin silky and supple.   It works to improve the condition of dry skin, and evens out skin tone.  Apply coconut oil after a bath (again, less is more) while skin is still wet, as this is when your pores are most open and can most readily accept moisture.

If you're looking for something natural and gentle to use on your child's unruly curls, coconut oil is also great, as it locks in moisture and helps to smooth the hair shaft.

Further skin-lovin' uses:

• Rub a small amount into your cuticles as a nail treatment.  
• Great for the scaly skin on elbows, knees, and feet.
• Helps prevent premature aging & wrinkling of the skin
• Helps protect against skin cancer & other blemishes
• Helps with fungal infections like athlete's foot
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin
• Promotes healthy looking hair & complexion

Finally, if you have curly hair, particularly dry, kinky curly hair, coconut oil could be your new best friend.  Anyone with curly hair knows how hard it can be to find a product that works on your hair without drying it out or weighing it down.   

What other uses have you found for virgin coconut oil?  Please share your experiences and ideas in the comments below. 

Namaste - 

Candace 

RedSunflower Designs

Facial Cleanser from Grapes? Absolutely!

Happy Sunday all!

As a tribute to my love for a good red wine, this week's DIY Fall Beauty recipe is going to focus on the amazing grape.   So, if your face needs some pep, red grapes can give it an anti-oxidant lift!  

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 cup mashed grapes (or so; doesn't have to be exact)
• around 1 tsp olive oil (adjust up or down a smidge depending on skin type)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup milk (can be cow, goat, soy, whatever you want)

In a blender, combine the grapes, oil, baking soda and milk, and mix well.  Gently wash your face with this morning and evening. Rinse off with warm water.  

If you refrigerate, this should keep for about a week. 

This is GREAT for your skin because, as we all know, grapes are super high in antioxidants.  The olive oil helps your skin to retain moisture.  Baking soda helps to soften the skin - for that "smooth as a baby's bottom" complexion we all want!  Finally, the enzymes in milk help to gently exfoliate your skin.

I hope you guys have all enjoyed this recipe and found it useful.  Please feel free to comment and let us know how it goes. 

See ya next week :)!

Candace

RedSunflower Designs

How A Visit To Your Local Farmer's Market is Better Than A Trip to Sephora!

Happy Sunday all!  

It's Labor Day weekend, and I know many will have plans.  Family gatherings, a pick-up game of football with friends, maybe getting in that last camping trip of the season...  It's truly a time to go out and appreciate nature and the bounty that this year's harvests have (and will) bring us.  Not only is it sustenance for our bodies, with the shmorgousboard of fruits and veggies available to us, but also for skincare.  I always say that some of the best skincare recipes are those that our great-grandmothers grandmothers used.  Nature gives us most anything we could need, and as my "thank you" to Mother Earth, I thought I'd share the skincare uses of some of the things growing at this time of year!

• PUMPKIN  contains a wide spectrum of vitamin A derivatives with an outstanding effect on the skin's cellular turnover, meaning you're left with younger-looking skin.  It also contains a multitude of vitamins and minerals with strong antioxidant protection.  The natural fruit acids, along with Vitamins A, C, E, minerals and replenishing enzymes make it a great exfoliant, breakout inhibitor, and pore refiner for your skin. Pumpkin also decreases oxidation and free radical stress in the skin. It is extraordinarily effective for dull, sluggish skin as it stimulates circulation, promotes healing, and provides vitamin nutrition leaving skin glowing and healthy looking. If this isn't enough, it further helps to restore elasticity while allowing ingredients to better penetrate the skin. So, try some pumpkin this fall and use it all year long for radiant, silky smooth skin!
•  APPLES help treat and control acne breakouts to improving your complexion.  Applying the fruit to your face as a mask gives your skin a healthy dose of Vitamin A, B, C and E. This will act as a gentle face scrub and will clean your pores from deep within!  If you suffer from acne, apple cider vinegar is a must.  Soak a cotton ball in the vinegar and then apply lightly over your face and neck (I'd start with alittle and go from there; you want to test your skin first, as anyone can have allergies to anything). Let it stay on a few minutes then wash off with warm water.  This will help to get rid of impurities, as well as excess oil on your skin.  
• BERRIES contain ellagic acid, an antioxidant found in numerous fruits, vegetables and nuts, (but especially raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and pomegranates), which can protect the skin against UV damage.  Strawberries in particular are high in alpha-hydroxy acid, a great little substance that helps us slough off dead skin cells so that new, youthful skin is revealed.  It's also a natural exfoliant, as are all berries. Berries also help the body to manufacture collagen, which helps keep the skin looking supple, smooth & wrinkle-free. 
• GRAPES are full of antioxidants, reservatrol (found in the skin of the grape), and are very nourishing for your skin.  Grapes can be used as a tonic, and are wonderful for mature or dehydrated skin. 
• AND FINALLY...  Masks of peaches and tomatoes are excellent for oily skin care for removing grease and to shrink pores. 

This is going to be the start of a new series! Through October, I'll be featuring a home spa recipe using these and other ingredients you can easily find at your local farmers market, etc during this time of year!  I hope everyone enjoys it, and finds this series useful. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful, restful Labor Day weekend!

Candace 

RedSunflower Designs

How To Age Like a French Woman!

Happy Sunday all!  Sorry this is coming to you so late in the day; I had a project to complete, and it took alittle longer than planned.

Given my new vinotherapy skin care line, I've been planning to speak about the benefits of reservatrol for a couple of weeks now. We all know that red wine is good for your health, but why is that?  Simply put: reservatrol.  Reservatrol is the main phytochemical (a naturally-occurring chemical compound found in plants that help stave off disease in many forms) found in the skin of red grapes.  Reservatrol is also a natural anti-oxidant, meaning it can also help to protect your body from the effects of environmental pollutants, found in most every city worldwide today.  Combine that with the amount of processed foods we eat, particularly in the West, and you can see why it would be beneficial to try to combat these affects.

Aside from being an anti-inflammatory, reservatrol also has anti-aging benefits;  the phytochemical helps in cell regeneration, allowing your skin to appear younger.

Reservatrol is further credited with being responsible for the French Paradox. The French Paradox is the observation that the French suffer a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease, despite having a diet relatively rich in saturated fats (think full fat dairy), and high rates of smoking.  By all accounts, the French should probably have significantly higher rates of disease, but they don't.  While there are still studies being done, many believe reservatrol is the reason.  Think about it: don't you look at French women and wonder how they age so well???  As someone who lived in France for several years, I can tell you that the French don't believe in "fat free".  And we all know that the French love their red wine!

I hope this has helped to shed some light on why reservatrol is "the" thing right now, and why the French and other cultures have known about it's benefits for years.   Feel free to leave me comments and let me know what you guys think!

You can view my WineOh! Vinotherapy Skincare Line here.

Until next week, Natural Blessings!

Candace

RedSunflower Designs