ecobites.com

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

A few of you are no doubt very familiar with this whilst others that may find new discoveries. Plus an introduction to essential oils.Whatever your level of commitment, an organic approach will offer you more choices about the way you live. But the first step is often the hardest to take. With Holistic Beauty we start with the most important person - you. If you are changing your lifestyle, and the first step towards doing so is changing the way you look after yourself. Going Natural is not the same thing as going feral - cleansing and grooming are vital for both physical and mental wellbeing. The key is to make choices that allow you to cherish yourself and protect your surroundings simultaneously.

Ecobites Holistic Beauty is full of divine recipes for lotions and potions designed for pure pampering. Pleasure is the reward for being good, so start indulging while keeping your principles intact.

Common Oils for Beauty

Almond Oil is a great moisturizer for all skin types. Lubricates well without penetrating. Contains glucosides, minerals, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E, a high percentage of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and proteins. Good for eczema, itchiness, redness, inflammation, and soreness.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is a moisturizing oil for all skin types. It helps oils blend well with water and so is a good agent in lotion recipes. My most favorite beauty product, can be used as is for a great holistic moisturizer, all over body moisturizer, hair treatment, great for pregnant bellies.

Organic Olive Oil is a great moisturizer for skin, nails, and hair. It attracts external moisture while creating a breathable film that prevents the loss of internal moisture. Contains a high amount of vitamin E, phenols, and antioxidants.

Organic Safflower Oil is a good moisturizer for all skin types. It contains a full array of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and linoleic acids. Good for eczema, sprains, bruises, and inflamed joints.

Common Items from the Kitchen + Garden and their Beauty Benefits

Sea Salt contains magnesium, zinc, calcium, potassium and iodine, together with minute amounts of other trace elements.

Honey has softening, smoothing properties, and is very good for sensitive or mature skin.

Oatmeal is highly absorptive, hypoallergenic, and helps to soften skin. Oats have an amino acid balance of the cereal grains (amino acids work as water-binding agents in skin care products). Oats have also been clinically shown to help heal dry, itchy skin. Oat grains and straw appear in shampoos, dusting powders, moisturizers, and cleansing bars and more.Great as a soothing bath soak, just placem organic oats ina sock and run under water and relax in bath.

Almonds finely ground and oatmeal used in scrubs to thicken the preparation as well as refine the skin.

Egg White helps to tighten and smooth the skin.

Milk is an excellent cleanser for fine or dry skin, and can be used to remove other preparations such as face masks.

Aloe Vera The juice of this plant helps reduce pain, gel from plant helps prevent infection and speeds healing of burns, drink helps reduce size of kidney stones.Great to grow close to your kitchen.

Cucumber has both antiseptic and ant-inflammatory properties.

Epsom Salt encourages blood circulation and helps ease sore muscles, sprains, bruises, stiff joints, and arthritis in a warm bath. It cleans out pores as well and helps to soften skin. Another great relaxing bath product, especially to relieve soreness!

Lemon Juice has extracting, tightening, and astringent qualities as well as an uplifting scent that makes it a useful exfoliating agent with strong cleansing abilities. 

Vinegar as a rinse will leave your hair free of all traces of shampoo. The vinegar smell will quickly evaporate away.

Citrus Peel used in facial steaming - dry your own citrus peel on wire cooling racks in a warm, well -aired position.

Rosemary is often used in haircare products as it stimulates the circulation.

Lavender in a bath can relieve dry, itchy skin and relax tired muscles.

Rapadura Sugar is a natural choice for its gently abrasive quality that acts as an exfoliant for your skin while stimulating blood circulation as well. It contains naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which give it these qualities.

Useful Other Ingredients

Beeswax not only mositurizes, it also helps to emulsify and thicken skincare + cosmetic preparations.

Glycerine will prevent moisture evaporation.

Good Introductory Essential Oils

The essential oils listed below offer a wide range of aromatherapy benefits, so they make good choices for both beginners and experienced users.

Lavender: Balancing, soothing, clarifying, normalizing

Eucalyptus: Purifying, invigorating, balancing, cooling

Peppermint: Revitalizing, refreshing, energizing, cooling

Rosemary: Clarifying, warming, invigorating

Ylang Ylang: Sensual, euphoric, romantic, alluring, exotic

Sweet Orange: Cheering, refreshing, uplifting

Bergamot: Uplifting, normalizing, confidence building

Lemon: Energizing, uplifting, refreshing, strengthening

Geranium: Uplifting, balancing, relaxing, normalizing Geranium essential oil is good for poor circulation, and is also said to help balance mood swings.

Patchouli: Romantic, uplifting, soothing

Clove: clarifying, invigorating, refreshing

Grapefruit: uplifting, reviving, balancing, calming, euphoric

Essential oils are highly concentrated, and when used on the body should be diluted in a carrier oil such as coconut oil, grapeseed or jojoba. When mixed, if you have sensitive skin, test a tiny amount of oil on the skin of your forearm to check for an allergic reaction.

When you buy essential oils, check the label to see where the manufacturer sources its ingredients, and if it runs checks for purity.