Sore Muscle Salve

I’ll go ahead and skip the fluff and backstory on why I wanted to share this recipe because I think every adult human can relate to at least one thing: muscle pain. Working, childcare, gardening, exercise, stress…. No matter the cause, we all know the feeling.

While I make no claims for chronic medical conditions, infections, or other serious ailments, the Sore Muscle Salve spelled out in this article is made from 100% natural materials that will do wonders for those aches and pains that go hand-in-hand with average, everyday life.

What’s Inside

  • Dandelion Infused Jojoba Oil: Dandelion flowers contain mild pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, while Jojoba oil is incredible for your skin.
Click Here to Make You Own
  • Arnica Oil: One of the best natural substances to use for muscle aches, bruises, and sprains, Arnica Oil is derived from an eastern European flower and is known to have powerful healing and anti-inflammatory properties when used topically.**
  • Eucalyptus Essential Oil: A commonly used essential oil for joint and muscle pain, including Arthritis and Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Eucalyptus is a strong anti-inflammatory. It also provides an aromatherapy aspect by helping to clear the mind of stress and fogginess.
  • Coconut Oil: Used here mostly as a carrier, Coconut oil allows you to create a soft, smooth salve for easy application, while also moisturizing the skin.
  • Beeswax: A staple in salve making, beeswax is used to thicken the consistency of the salve, allowing you to create a more solid form in which to deliver the oils.

What Else You Need

  • Tin or glass container (3 fluid ounces for this recipe. You can adjust the quantity of ingredients for different sizes)
  • Small disposable plate (Optional)
  • Wax thermometer
  • Double Boiler

For more information on a Double Boiler and Wax Thermometer, CLICK HERE

The Process

  1. Melt 2 Tbsp of Coconut Oil, 2 Tbsp of Dandelion Jojoba Oil and 1 Tbsp of beeswax in your double boiler. Make sure all the wax has melted and give it a good swirl.
  2. Test the consistency of your salve (making sure it isn’t to hard or soft) by pouring a tiny amount onto your disposable plate. Wait a couple minutes for it to cool and rub a little with your finger to see if you like the consistency. If it’s too hard, add more Jojoba oil. If it’s too soft, add a couple more pellets of beeswax.  (You can skip this step if you don’t want to use a disposable plate, but don’t test on any surface that you wouldn’t want covered in wax).
  3. Once you have the right consistency, use your wax thermometer to test the temperature of your mixture. You will only want to add the Eucalyptus and Arnica Oil once the temp has dropped to about 130 degrees so they don’t burn off. Click here for more information on testing wax temperature.
  4. Once you hit 130 degrees, add 15 drops of Eucalyptus and 15 drops of Arnica oil and stir/swirl the mixture very well. This small bit of oil shouldn’t effect your consistency. You don’t want to reheat your mixture (to melt more beeswax) once you’ve added your essential oils, so be sure to check your consistency before this step.
  5. Place your tin onto the disposable plate (to catch any possible spills), and slowly pour the mixture to near the top of the tin, careful not to spill over.
  6. Allow the salve to cool for at least 30-60 mins before using.

To Use

Your Sore Muscle Salve is great to use everyday or multiple times a day!** Using the tips of your fingers, rub the salve onto your target areas and massage deeply into the muscles. There is no need to wash the salve off your skin; allow it to seep into your skin and into your muscle tissue. Added bonus, the Jojoba and Coconut Oil will leave your skin feeling soft and amazing!

I hope you love using it as much as I do, cheers!

*Arnica oil is not to be ingested, and should not be used to heal open cuts or sores.

**This recipe has not been reviewed by the FDA and should not be used in lieu of medical help for chronic or serious conditions. Make sure to consult with your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or have any other medical conditions. Don’t use if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

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Herbal Facial Toner

It’s no secret that facial toner is a vastly beneficial component of any daily skin care routine. What you may not know is that it only requires a few simple ingredients to create an effective toner to clean and tighten the pours, remove remaining bacteria and reduce redness/inflammation.

All Hail Witch Hazel!

If you look at the ingredients list on any major toner, I’m willing to bet that the first two ingredients are water and witch hazel (or synthetic version of it). With those two things alone, you already have a powerful, inexpensive toner. Why? Witch hazel has been used for centuries to heal and purify the skin. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory (used for everything from under eye bags to hemorrhoids) and is a staple in natural medicine cabinets for its ability to gently disinfect and heal the skin. Witch hazel is also known to tighten your pores and balance pH levels, making it the perfect toner component.

Similar to essential oils, it is a good practice to dilute witch hazel with to ensure it isn’t too abrasive for your skin. Using distilled or purified water is a good option for this. Witch hazel is an astringent after all, which can lead to excessive drying if used every day. Though it’s fine to use full strength on bug bites or cuts, full strength on your face may be too harsh, especially if you have sensitive skin. See the recipe below for the ratio.

Make it Herbal

While witch hazel and water may be all that you need, other substances could be added to your toner for additional benefits. Just keep in mind, less is more. We use toners to help clear and tighten the skin; adding too many other ingredients may have the opposite effect, especially if you’re pairing your toner with a moisturizer.

Essential Oils

Depending on your type of skin, a few drops of essential oils into your toner could do wonders. Refer the chart below for the different benefits of some of the commonly used oils:

Herbal or Floral Water

Infused water is a great way to easily add different benefits and fragrances to your facial toner. When picking your infused water be sure to take note if something needs to be refrigerated. It can still be used in your toner, but you’ll have to make a trip to the fridge each time.

Homemade Rose Water

Orange Blossom Water: Hydrating, closes and tightens pores, soothes irritation.

Rose Water: Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, reduces redness,

Cucumber Water: High in vitamins (B & C), soothing, Anti-inflammatory

Click here for a list of other options from Hello Glow 

The Recipe

Ok, so we’ve talked about your different options, now let’s bring it all together:

Ingredients:

  • 4- 6 oz Cosmetic Bottle
  • 2 oz Distilled Water
  • 2 oz Organic Witch Hazel
  • 2-3 Drops Essential Oils (optional)
  • And/or
  • 1 oz Infused Water (Optional) replace 1 oz of distilled water with infused water

Process:

  • Add all the ingredients into a measuring cup or other receptacle with a spout. Test your toner on the inside of your forearm to ensure it causes no irritation or discomfort. If it does, further dilute the mixture with distilled water.
  • Once you’re happy with your mixture, slowly pour the toner into your cosmetic bottle with a small funnel. Many reusable cosmetic bottles will come with a funnel but you can also use one for a flask.
  • Shake well before each use.
  • To use: pour a nickel to quarter size amount into a cotton round or reusable pad and apply to a clean, dry face.
  • The ingredients used will determine its shelf life. Witch Hazel and water alone can last up to 3 years, but infused water may have a shelf life of a month to a year.

Enjoy your all-natural, homemade beauty!

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide medical advice. Always discontinue use if any irritation occurs, and consult with your doctor with any questions or concerns on ingredients.

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Dandelion Infused Oil

It’s the most wonderful time of year… Spring has sprung, the rain has come, and little yellow flowers are popping up all over the yard. That’s right, it’s time for the Dandelions.

Dandelions are among the lovely weeds that are not only edible, but extremely nutritious from root to flower. While the root and leaves can be used for a million different things, here we will focus on harvesting the flowers and infusing them into an oil to use topically (not meant for ingestion). Along with containing powerful antioxidants, dandelion flowers have anti-inflammatory and mild pain-relieving properties, making them great for massage oils or therapy salves.

First, its important to note that there are a few flowers and weeds that resemble Dandelions, so it’s imperative to be able to accurately identify them. Notice the shapes of the leaves and flowers in the picture below:

Did you know: the yellow flowers are the ones you want to pick but what about those white, wispy flowers that you blow on to make a wish? They are actually one and the same! The flowers start out being yellow, but will turn into the wispy wish makers once they’re ready to seed. Be sure to harvest the yellow flowers before they have gone to seed.

Ok, so now you’ve identified the correct plant, and the flowers to pick. Time to start harvesting. You will want to remove the full flower blossom from the stem, keeping the base of the flower intact. I like to place my fingers all the way around the flower (like an arcade claw game), and gently pull up. If part of them stem comes out with the flower, no worries. You’ll just need to go through and remove the stems before drying them.

Once you have all your flowers removed from their stems, it’s good practice to wash them of bugs and any other debris. Always be sure to pick flowers that are free from harsh pesticides. Avoid areas you’re unsure about; any possible chemicals could make their way into your oil. Once the flowers have been washed, I like to get them as dry as possible by using a salad spinner. The flowers will stay intact and most of the excess water will be removed. This will also help to speed up the dehydration process.

Now that you have clean, dry flowers, it’s time to dehydrate them. If you don’t have a legitimate dehydrator, this is a simple process that can be done a couple ways:

  1. Spread them out on a baking pan and place in direct sun for at least 2-3 days or until they have fully dried and become crispy. You will want to bring them in at night or if it becomes windy.
  2. Place flowers on a baking pan and put in the oven for 2-3 hours. You will want to use a VERY low temperature as to not burn them. I generally leave it at about 160 degrees. Shake the pan every 45 mins or so to loosen the flowers and move them around.

Once dried, your dandelion flowers will shrink to about 1/3 their original size. It’s important to keep this in mind while harvesting, depending on how much oil you want to make.

You can now pack down your dried flowers into a canning jar, filling it about 3/4th of the way full. Then pour your carrier oil of choice over the flowers, filling until the flowers are completely covered, or to the top of the jar. Oil options include Jojoba, Grapeseed, Olive, Sweet Almond etc.

Now put the lid on your jar and store in a dry, dark place for 4-5 weeks. You can occasionally shake the flowers around if you like. When the time is up, slowly strain the oil into a clean jar using a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth.

Now your oil is ready to use! It can be added to salves, massage oils, facial oils, lotions or soap bars!

Happy harvesting.

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Custom Face Oil

Face oils are quickly gaining popularity as more and more people ditch their synthetic moisturizers and serums for a more natural alternative. Generally comprised of organic essentials oils, these concoctions address an array of skin care needs from acne to eczema. Naturally oily person? Don’t worry! Using the right face oil for your skin will make your face soft and supple, not oily!

With all the heightened interest around face oils, many new products have recently flooded the market. Although they have the potential to be amazing products, you could be paying a premium price for something you can easily create yourself. Not only is it cheaper to make your own, but you can tailor make your oil to address the specific needs for your unique skin. Added bonus: If you happen to be someone who already uses essential oils, you may already have most of your ingredients!

What you need:

  1. Container for your face oil; I recommend a dark dropper bottle. Darker bottles block too much light from entering, keeping your oil fresher longer. Using a dropper will allow you to more easily control the amount of oil used. You can find these bottles online or at a nearby apothecary.
  2.  Base or carrier oil. This will make up the majority of your volume. Since essential oils are so highly concentrated, it is not advised to apply them directly to the skin without some type of carrier oil. Listed below are three commonly oils, but there are certainly many more available. All carrier oils listed are non-comedogenic (won’t clog your pores) and are chock full of antioxidants (like vitamin E & C)
  3. Essential oils. While you can make any combination of oils under the sun, it’s important to keep any allergies or sensitivities in mind when choosing your players.

Carrier Oils

Grapeseed Oil: This is my personal favorite due to its very lightweight feel, quick absorption and abundance of skin benefits. Grapeseed oil contains linoleic acid (which is and Omega-6 fatty acid), known to protect the skin from harmful environmental factors while moisturizing and healing problem areas. It also contains Polyphenols which minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It is great for any type of skin, including sensitive skin.

Jojoba Oil: This powerhouse is actually a wax (not an oil) derived from plants. It’s especially great for oily skin because it is very lightweight and more closely resembles natural sebum.  Similar to Grapeseed oil, Jojoba is full of antioxidants and fights inflammation. It is also odorless and has a longer shelf life since it does not go rancid.

Sweet Almond: If you experience issues like Eczema, dark spots or under eye circles, this may be the option for you. Sweet Almond oil is very moisturizing and has an incredible effect on skin tone and coloration. Of all the carrier oils listed, it has the highest concentration of Vitamin E, which we all know is amazing for healing.

Essential Oils

There are so many essential oils out there that cover an array of unique benefits. While I won’t list every oil available, I’ve included many of the commonly used ones that have very well-known benefits. That said, I am not a doctor and am not providing any medical advice. I’m simply helping to spread the tribal knowledge that we’ve gained over years of using these amazing oils.

Essential Oils categorized 6 ways:

Anti-Aging: Full of antioxidants that fight free radicals in your skin

Fights Acne: Antimicrobial and or antiseptic that fight bacterial on the skin that can lead to acne

Anti-inflammatory: Reduces irritation and inflammation

Moisturizing vs. Reduces Oil= dry skin vs. oily skin

Reduces Redness: Helps with things like Rosacea or discoloration

Process

The process for making your face oil is quite simple. Depending on the size of your dropper bottle, add about 25ml of carrier oil to a glass or jar, then drop in your chosen essential oils. I recommend starting with only a few drops at a time and build from there. You will generally want around 10-15 drops total. If you want one oil stronger than another, simply adjust the ratio of oils added.

Be sure to stir well and test your oil on a small area of skin throughout the process. Once you’re happy with your oil, carefully pour it into your dark dropper bottle using a small funnel (like one for a flask). The bottles usually comes with a small funnel, but that is a good thing to check before purchasing.

To Use

A little will go a long way!

Apply 3-4 drops of oil to a clean face and neck. Lightly massage into the skin (avoiding the eye area) and allow it to sink in before applying makeup or any other face products.

Be sure to shake your bottle before each use, and discontinue use if any irritation occurs.

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