Making body lotions at home do not require a degree in science to make. Body lotion making is actually a rather simple process. Making lotions at home can be a personalized experience others will want to know the secrets to. The lotions can be made with one’s favorite scent or made specifically to help certain skin issues like extremely dry skin or overly sensitive skin, as well as making it with ingredients that are natural and not synthetic. Creativity and a few supplies are needed for making the lotions.

To begin the lotion making process, an emulsifying wax, water, oil, fragrance and a colorant if desired. Choosing the specific materials for the body lotion being made can be found at craft supply stores or through the Internet. Next, the materials that are used for making the body lotions should be washed thoroughly in order to prevent any contamination.

Here are some steps to create the ideal body lotion. Making body lotion is only a matter of following a recipe.

* First Step: Mix the chosen oils and water with the emulsifying wax. This will be the base for forming the remainder of the body lotion. In order for the water and oils not to separate, the emulsifying wax is necessary.

* Second Step: Next is to add the essential oils, used for scenting the lotion as well as for aromatherapy reasons which provide a feeling of well-being. After adding the essential oils, the fragrance oils may be added for the scent of choice.

* Third Step: The next thing to follow is the colorants if one chooses to use it. The colorants can come from natural sources such as powder extract forms of fruits, vegetables, spices or plants. Colorants may also be purchased from laboratories.

* Fourth Step: The last step is bottling the lotion. Jars, tubes, plastic containers may be used for body lotion storage, including a pump or using a squirt bottle may be helpful when looking for a container. Be sure to label the container with what it is as well as the ingredients used.

Keeping a record of what works and what does not with scents and oils will be helpful in making future batches of lotion. Some other ideas for body lotions is placing additives into it such as glitter or SPF for sun protection or even skin tinting. There are many recipes for body lotions made at home that can be found on the Internet. A more natural made body lotion can be made with olive or peanut oil and aloe vera that has been blended together. Adding Vitamin E capsules to the body lotion mixture will add extra benefits for the skin.

If a person is making the body lotions as gifts, try making some for the males as well. To make an after-shave lotion for the men, add one ounce of sage and one ounce of dried lavender leaves to two cups of witch hazel. Place the mixture in a tightly sealed container and place in a very warm area over a one week period of time. Strain the mixture and bottle again in containers acceptable for gift-giving.

Other ideas for gift-giving is to seal the container, if possible, with a wax seal, or perhaps a raffia bow with a nice tag. The containers themselves can be an attractive gift in themselves.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a body lotion that is made from pure natural and organic ingredients, then try Anousta body lotion. They manufacture a truly great range of truly luxurios, rich body lotions with Essential Oils.  You deserve to spoil yourself…..

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/making-homemade-body-lotions-673151.html

Author: Larry Edwin

About the Author:

Learn how to make homemade products to improve your skin.

Technorati Tags: Body Lotion, Body Lotions, Colorant, Colorants, Craft Supply Stores, Emulsifying Wax, Fragrance Oils, Fruits Vegetables, Lotion Jars, Plastic Containers, Specific Materials, Squirt Bottle, Water Oil

Before you buy an age spot handcream, learn how to evaluate the ingredients. This article will help you do that.

Truthfully, you should learn how to evaluate ingredients before you buy any skincare product. The manufacturers are not really concerned about your skin’s health. There are many researchers who believe that the ingredients in skincare products and other health and beauty aids are responsible for chronic and life threatening diseases. They believe that the toxins in these products increase the "body burden".

Body burden is a phrase coined by the Environmental Working Group. Scientists in the group believe that toxins build up in the tissues, organs and cells of the body and create a burden that the liver, kidney and other organs cannot handle. There is a mountain of research supporting this belief, but the mainstream medical community is not yet on board and manufacturers won’t change their ways until they are forced to.

Most age spot handcream contains an ingredient called hydroquinone, which inhibits melanin production. It is a known irritant and allergen. If redness or irritation occurs, you should discontinue use. The price of creams containing it is higher than others, which means that you cannot assume that a high-priced product is safer or of better quality than a lower priced one.

In several European countries, the inclusion of hydroquinone in skincare products has been banned. Not because it is an irritant or allergen. It is up to the consumer to protect themselves from those things. It has been banned because it is a probable carcinogen. In most countries, the government does try to protect the population from cancer-causing agents. Of course, in the US, companies are only required to add a warning label. "This product may cause cancer."

So, obviously you don’t want to buy an age spot handcream that contains hydroquinone. Another ingredient, undecylenoyl phenylalanine, is the hydroquinone-free ingredient that is included in some creams. One of them is marketed as the "Michael Jackson Cream". Any cream that inhibits melanin production will lighten the complexion. That may not be desirable, particularly if you only want to get rid of a single spot.

Inhibiting melanin production also increases the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight. You will be more likely to burn. Melanin protects the deeper layers from damage. That could be why hydroquinone has been linked to skin cancer.

An ingredient to look for in age spot handcream is Shea butter. Of course, if you want to safely and effectively inhibit melanin production, you should look for Cyperus Rotundus extract. It has been shown to inhibit melanin production by more than 40%. Depending on the amount of time that you spend in the sun, it will lighten your overall complexion in as little as two weeks.

If you only want to light a brown spot, Shea butter will help. You should look for the highest grade of Shea Butter. Lower grades do not have the pharmaceutical activity that you need. It may be hard to find age spot handcream that contains Shea butter, but there are some wonderful nighttime facial creams that contain it. They cost a little more, but they work, so they are worth the price.

ANOUSTA PRODUCTS produce an exceptional Handcream made with Marigold and Chamomile Flowers, Cocoabutter, Vitamin E, Sandalwood, Benzoin and Myrhh and much more. Called the Magic cream by some people!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/anti-aging-articles/age-spot-handcreams–854805.html

Author: Valerie Rosenbaum

About the Author:
Valerie Rosenbaum has spent the last several years researching anti aging skincare products in an effort to find the best skin care products available on the market today. The product line she found is all natural using Phytessence Wakame, Nano-Lipobelle HeQ10 & Cynergy TK. To learn more about what she found visit her website http://www.DefendYourSkin.com

Technorati Tags: age spot handcream, anousta, Organic Skincare

Looking For an Alternative Acne Treatment – 6 of the Best Therapeutic Face Cleansers For Treating Acne

Author: Hannah Clapham

If you are looking for an alternative acne treatment to use instead of those over the counter remedies then how about taking advantage of the gentle healing powers of some of natures finest natural ingredients.

Treating your acne with natural ingredients is always going to be so much better for your skin as they are much less likely to irritate and aggravate than many of the harsh chemicals contained in many of the preparations used to treat acne.

Learning how to make acne reducing facial cleansers and masks at home using natural ingredients is simplicity in itself. All you need to know is what to mix together and how best to use them. Here are some of my favorite recipes for homemade cleansers and facial masks; many of which are ideal for oily or acne-prone skin.

All of these mixtures are extremely gentle and should not cause any irritation to your skin, however as with any product you use you must discontinue their use if you have any adverse reaction at all.

Also, when removing your cleanser, consider rinsing some of these over your kitchen sink rather than the bathroom sink, as some have ingredients that need to go down the garbage disposal! No sense having beautiful acne free skin if your bathroom sink is blocked up.

Simple egg yolk cleanser

Eggs are full of protein, vitamin A, and fatty acids that are very good for the skin. Take one beaten egg and apply it to the face with a cotton ball, or add a bit of vitamin E oil to the beaten egg. Let it dry on the face and sit for about 15 minutes, then just rinse it all off with cool water.

This will keep your skin hydrated and is a great treatment to try once every week.

Honey and oatmeal cleanser

When it comes to home remedies, this mask is probably one of the oldest there’s ever been. All you need to do is simply mix honey and oatmeal in proportion to make a paste and apply to your skin for a good 15 minutes. The excess oils and dirt in your skin are absorbed by the oatmeal while the honey helps to condition and moisturize.

This also makes a great scrub for exfoliating; just apply it to your skin and rub in a very gently circular motion for several minutes, then rinse away.

Oily skin cleanser

Take a quarter of a tomato, peel away the skin and then put it through a strainer to get all the seeds out. Add two tablespoons of plain yogurt, a few slices of mashed cucumber, a quarter cup of oatmeal, two teaspoons of vitamin E oil, and a crushed mint leaf. Mix all these ingredients together, apply to your face and leave on for about ten minutes. Then use a warm damp cloth to remove…Wonderful!

Yogurt and honey cleanser

This is a cleanser has also stood the test of time. Here you need to mix equal parts of room temperature natural yogurt (Note: do not use fat free or low-fat ) with honey that has been warmed enough to become runny (put in the microwave for a minute) and apply to your face; leave the mixture on for 15 minutes and then rinse off with a warm cloth. Just make sure the honey is not too hot before you apply it! Adding a bit more honey than yogurt will increase the moisturizing benefits.

Milk of magnesia cleanser

Milk of magnesia is actually very natural and comes from magnesium, which is an element that naturally absorbs acids and other harmful ingredients in the stomach. However, we have discovered that it makes for a great facial mask and is brilliant for very oily skin. Simply apply a very fine film of it (make sure it’s plain and unflavored) to your face, let it set for 15 minutes, and then rinse off with cold water.

Face cleanser for oily skin – Lemon and strawberry

Oily skin really benefits from the natural astringent properties of Lemons and strawberries. One teaspoon of lemon juice or the juice of one lemon should be combined with the whites of two eggs, a few tablespoons of honey that has been warmed enough to be runny, and a cup of strawberries. Blend or mash the ingredients together and apply to your face, leave to set for ten minutes, and then rinse off with a warm cloth.

Acne reducing masks and cleansers – How to use them

If you have acne and an oily skin you will also usually suffer with a very sensitive skin and even though these masks and cleansers are made from pure natural ingredients they are still very potent and may cause redness, peeling, stinging, and so on.

Therefore, It’s always better to start with a very light application of any mask and leave it on only for a few minutes before gently rinsing away. Be aware of how your face and skin react; if you feel any discomfort, stop using it. But if you seem to be getting some results then you can try leaving it on for a few minutes longer. You might want to consider using a mask only once per week initially, and if you’re pleased with the results then increase the application to say twice per week and then to every other day.

One final thing to remember with your alternative acne treatment, just because a small amount of something works well this doesn’t necessarily mean that more will be better. Stick with mixing the ingredients exactly as directed rather than adding in extra of anything.

Anousta manufacturer an all natural face cleanser. No stinging, no oil in the eye problems, and no dryness after the make up remover has been rinsed off the face. It evens out skin tone, smoothes any blotchiness on the skin and allows your skin to start to bloom again. Helps spotty skin to quickly settle down.

 Lightly scented with essential oils of Lemon and exotic Ylang Ylang, it’s an island of calmness and pleasure.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/looking-for-an-alternative-acne-treatment-6-of-the-best-therapeutic-face-cleansers-for-treating-acne-498874.html

About the Author:
Using face masks made from natural ingredients is an excellent alternative acne treatment but make sure you follow the 3 unbreakable rules before it even touches your skin. Visit Acne Skin Care Center to learn more

Technorati Tags: acne skin care center, alternative acne treatment, anousta, Face Cleansers, treating acne