‪Natural Sunscreen‬ 

‪#‎natural‬ ‪#‎homemade‬

Conventional sunscreen can be full of harmful chemicals and toxins. Instead, try this homemade sunscreen recipe! Not only does it protect your skin from getting burnt, but also nourishes and hydrates your skin with essential vitamins and nutrients! Try it today!

Homemade Sunscreen

Total Time: 20-30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

10 drops lavender
1 tbsp pomegranate oil
3/4 C coconut oil
2 tbsp Zinc Oxide
2 tbsp shea butter
Glass Jar

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients except zinc oxide in a jar.
Place a saucepan with 2 inches of water on stove over medium/low heat.
Place jar in saucepan and stir contents until ingredients start to melt.
Once all ingredients are combined, add in zinc oxide and stir well. Store in a cool place.

Remove Sun Tan at Home

 ‪#‎SunTan‬ ‪#‎Tan‬

Pineapple: This fruit is the source of an enzyme call bromelain, which has superior skin exfoliation properties. It encourages a speedy removal of the top layers of the skin, which means reduced appearance of a tan. Mix together 1 tsp of fresh pineapple juice with 1 tsp of aloe vera gel. Now add in enough oat flour to make a thick paste. Apply on your skin and wash with lukewarm water after 12-15 minutes. Always follow with serum and lotion. An anti-pigmentation serum is the perfect choice to further remove a tan.

 Jaggery: This is a beautiful ingredient commonly used as a sweetener in Indian cooking (also called gur). It is the closest you can get to plain sugarcane juice. So it goes through very little processing, which is great news for many reasons. One being that it retains a good level of the natural glycolic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid. Natural alpha hydoxy acids are wonderful to exfoliate the skin and remove a sun tan. They are also very useful to significantly reduce hyper pigmentation of skin. To 1 tsp of powdered jaggery add 1/2 tsp of instant coffee, 8 drops of fresh lemon juice and enough almond milk to form a paste. Then apply on the skin. Wash off in 15 minutes and follow with serum and lotion for your skin type. Don’t know your skin type. Don’t you worry! Read this page for help.

Orange juice: Amazingly high in vitamin C as well as the alpha hydroxy acid called citric acid. I already explained how alpha hydroxy acids help with removing excess sun tan. How does vitamin C help though? Does it? Yes it does. Vitamin C is a well known antioxidant. Excess tanning of skin is a result of long exposure to sunlight, which also causes free radical damage to the skin. Antioxidants can reverse and keep under check free radical damage to the skin. A few signs of free radical damage are pigmentation, dark spots, early line & wrinkles and dullness. to 1/2 tsp of orange juice add 1 tsp of rosewater and 10 drops of vegetable glycerin. Mix well and dab this liquid mask on your skin. Wash in 12-15 minutes and always follow with serum and lotion.

Potato juice: Now this might seem like an unusual ingredient to some of you. Others might be familiar with the fact that this ingredient is part of many Ayurvedic home remedies to help with excess tan and also to reduce hyperpigmentation of skin. How exactly does it work? We do not know. In scientific language we might say we do not know its mechanism of action (FYI: that is actually also true for many modern medications). In any case it has been used for centuries with successful outcome. The caution that goes with using potato juice on your skin is that it can leave your skin dry. So using your serum and lotion is a must. Pound or grind a few slices of potato juice to get enough juice. Now to one TSP of potato juice add 3 drops of vinegar (and no more) and 1 tsp of aloe vera juice. Mix well and dab on your skin. Wash in 10 minutes and follow with serum and lotion.

Coffee: Well coffee in itself cannot be said to speed up dead cell removal. It does have some awesome antioxidant and skin tightening properties though. But yes there is a way to use coffee to help remove excess sun tan. When used as a scrub. Here is how. To 1 TSP ground coffee (not instant) add 1/2 tsp of powdered brown sugar, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder and plenty of jojoba oil to make a paste. Now use this to scrub your skin for 3-5 minutes using gentle pressure. Wash with lukewarm water and your cleanser. Then follow with toner, serum and lotion. This loosens up the upper dead layers of the skin and brings fresh and glowing skin to surface. Hopefully with a much reduced sun tan as well. 

CAUTION: Do not scrub your skin if you have active acne.

Avocado is also known as Alligator Pear originated in southern Mexico. It has become a useful ingredient for our daily skin care routine. It is rich in fat as well as protein. These fats are monounsaturated which is good for a healthy heart. The provision of vitamin E in avocado helps the heart to remain fit. It is also known to supply 60% more potassium in comparison to banana.

It is also rich in fiber, foliate (folic acid), vitamin B6, iron, copper and magnesium. Other than applying avocado on your skin, consuming it in salad form can also be beneficial for your skin. avocado contains vitamins like A, D, and E which has penetrating qualities to improve your skin. avocado oil is also very useful for skin care. The oil is useful to remove any sun damage or age spots. It also softens the skin and provides a moisturizing effect and can do wonders on damaged, undernourished and dehydrated skin.

Simple Recipes for Skin Care

PUFFED EYES
Cut avocado into slices and place it under each eye and relax with it for next 20 minutes. The changes would be remarkable.

EYE CREAM
Make an eye cream by mixing 5 drops of almond oil in 3 ripe slices of avocado. Blend this mixture and dab it around your eyes. Keep it for five minutes then rinse.

Another method of making the eye cream is by using 1/4 cup avocado oil with 1/4 cup aloe vera gel. You could also use apricot kernel, grape seed or sesame oil.

FACIAL MASK
This facial mask is useful for dry skin. Mash half avocado and apply it leisurely on your face. Keep it for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.

Make a paste of ½ ripe avocado mixed with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Apply this paste on a washed and clean face. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse it with warm water. This masque is very good for dry skin.

SMOOTH AND BEAUTIFUL HANDS
Make a paste by mixing 1/4 peeled & smashed avocado, 1 egg white, 2 tbsp. oatmeal and 1 tsp lemon juice. Apply this paste on your hand and leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse it with warm water and pat it dry. You would be thrilled by the results by using it regularly.

FACIAL SCRUB
You would need 2 tbsp. flax seeds, 1/2 mashed banana and 1/2 avocado peel. Use a small bowl to mix flax seeds and banana. Scoop the banana and flax seed by using avocado peel. Massage this scoop on your face in circular motion, slowly and gently. Rinse it with warm water.

• Avocado Hair Mask! For Moisturizing Hair
• Avocado is considered as one of the best natural thing for deep conditioning of your hair. Avocado Hair Mask gives complete moisturizing treatment to your hair as all of its ingredients are full of moisturizing properties. Avocado Hair Mask is perfect for dry and rough hairs to make them soft, smooth, hydrated and thick. It also stimulates scalp and reduces hair loss. 
• Nutritional Benefits:
•      • Avocado has vitamin E and Proteins
•      • Avocado makes hair soft and smooth
•      • Avocado is antibacterial which protects hair and scalp
•      • Honey is also full of essential vitamins, minerals
•      • Honey also gives moisturizing treatment to hair
•      • Olive Oil is the best natural moisturizer for hair
• How to Make?
• Ingredients:
• • Ripe Avocado
• • Honey
• • Olive Oil 
• Method:
• Take one ripe avocado and mash flesh of it. Add 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons olive oil to avocado mash and mix it well until it turns creamy. Apply it to your hair thoroughly and leave it for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use a gentle hair shampoo and rinse your hair thoroughly. 
• Extra Advice: • This hair mask is only for the scalp hair use • You can use Egg in place of Honey as Egg is also a natural moisturiser.
• It is quite easy to prepare these hair masks and you can use any of these homemade recipes to prepare a mask for your hair for making your hair well-conditioned.

Top 10 Vitamin Rich Foods 

#‎Vitamin‬ D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is different from other vitamins because our bodies can make most of what we need with exposure to sunlight.

Vitamin D is more than a vitamin in that is acts as a pro-hormone and effects hormone balance and immune regulation of the body.

Most foods, unless they are fortified, are poor sources of vitamin D and there are only a small amount of vitamin D rich foods to choose from.

Vitamin D plays a role in calcium absorption into the bones.

A deficiency in vitamin D can result in a softening of the bones called osteomalacia or a bone abnormality called rickets.

Some of the biggest vitamin D deficiency symptoms include:

Weakened immune system
Seasonal depression
Autoimmune disease
Cancer
Weak bones (osteopenia)
Skin issues eczema and psoriasis
Dementia

People most prone to a vitamin D deficiency include those who live in northern regions with little sunlight exposure, people with darker skin, people on low fat diets and those taking steroids and weight loss medications.

Vitamin D also helps with cell replication, and may play a role in the development of autoimmune conditions. The RDA for vitamin D is 600 IU/day and the Daily Value is 400 IU.

Top 10 Vitamin D Rich Foods

1) Sunlight
Promotes vitamin D synthesis from cholesterol in the skin.

2) Cod liver oil
1 tsp: 440 IU (over 100% DV)

3) Sardines
3 ounces: 164 IU (41% DV)

4) Salmon
3 ounces: 400 IU (100% DV)

5) Mackerel
3 ounces: 400 IU (100% DV)

6) Tuna
3 ounces: 228 IU (57% DV) 

7) Raw Milk
1 cup: 98 IU (24% DV)

8) Caviar
1 oz: 33 IU (8% DV)

9) Eggs
1 large: 41 IU (10% DV)

10) Mushrooms
1 cup: 2 IU (1% DV)

Peppermint Foot Cream

Sometimes after a long day of standing, working on the farm, or in the garden - or even just shopping, all I want to do is lie on the couch with my feet up. It just seems like the natural response to tired feet.

But I've found something better! Peppermint is an excellent aid to circulation, which is part of what makes it such an invigorating herb, and rubbing peppermint essential oil into your feet will do worlds more good than just "putting your feet up".

Combine peppermint essential oil with this foot cream, and you end up with the most luxurious and healing foot cream you could ask for. I love how fresh and cool this cream makes my feet feel after a long day!

The oils in this cream are both skin nourishing and healing, helping to prevent dry, cracked heels, or helping to heal those that are already cracked and dry.

This cream is amazing all on it's own, but for an extra pampering touch, soak your feet in a warm epsom salt bath for twenty minutes, and pat dry before apply your peppermint foot cream. You'll be amazed at how soft and fresh your feet feel afterward!

Since I have two little people underfoot (literally!), I like to do my foot soaking out on the porch where they can splash and stomp in the water without stressing momma out. There's no reason being a mom has to keep us from pampering our tired feet.

So take a few minutes to whip up this refreshing, minty foot cream - you'll be glad you did!

Peppermint Foot Cream

What You Need:

• 1/4 cup Shea Butter 
• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil 
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
• 15 drops Peppermint Essential Oil 

What To Do:

1. In a double boiler set up, melt shea butter and coconut oil over gentle heat.

2. Add olive oil and let cool to lukewarm.

3. Stir in the peppermint essential oil.

4. Beat until light colored and creamy using rotary beaters, a stand mixer, or an immersion blender. This should take less than five minutes.

Store in container of your choice. The consistency of this foot cream is perfect for a pump bottle in my 86º kitchen. If you keep your house 73º (or cooler), you'll want to store it in an open top container since coconut oil will harden up at that temperature.

Have fun pampering your feet!