Baby Oil Recipe - Dump the Mineral Oil Please

Baby Oil is a favorite among most people when it comes to caring for their baby's skin and sometimes adult skin.  If you read ingredient labels I'm pretty sure you know baby oil is simply mineral oil with fragrance, aloe, or something else mixed in - pretty simple mix. 

On a positive note, baby oil is inexpensive and cost effective. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum mineral oil may not be the best for your skin because of the following:

1. Mineral oil and petroleum have no nutritional or health benefit for skin. Your skin needs minerals and vitamins which mineral oil doesn't have. For example, olive oil has vitamins a, B, C, D, and K while mineral oil have no vitamins or mineral at all.
2. Mineral oil is derived from crude oil which is used to make gasoline or petrol. It was initially used as a lubricant meaning it's used to coat not absorb. The molecules are too big to be absorbed fully by the skin which can result in product just sitting on top of the skin, however most companies use other carrier chemicals in products which help the skin absorb products with petroleum and mineral oil. Since everything placed on the skin is absorbed in your body internally, compare it to putting a bio diesel product in your body in small increments over time. Is it harmful?? Who knows as consumers we have no clue and science is yet to provide any hard evidence of its effects.

The great thing is you can mix your own baby oil in a flash with oils that provide nourishment for the skin. 

Basic Recipe

2 oz. Olive Oil

2oz. Grapeseed Oil

2 oz. Avocado Oil

Whisk the oils together and place in a air tight glass bottle.  Can be stored and used for up to 12 months.  Other oils can be used as well, these were chosen based on their skin absorbing properties of not leaving the skin oily.

Calming and Soothing Recipe

2 oz. Olive Oil

2oz. Grapeseed Oil
2 oz. Avocado Oil
Chamomile Flower Buds
Lavender Flower Buds

Option #1 place flower buds in glass container and pour oil over them.  The flower buds can remain in the bottle with the oils for an infusion that will release over time.

Option #2 using the double boiler method place flower buds and oils in a stainless steel bowl over low heat for 20 minutes for an instant infusion.  Strain oils over cheesecloth to remove flower buds before placing in glass container. 

If the flower buds aren't available you can add 2 drops of Chamomile and Lavender Essential Oils which are known for their calming and soothing effects. 

**Note- Before applying any oil to skin please be aware of any allergies that may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.**

Naturally You

Pura Body Naturals Review

Check out the latest review of Pura Body Naturals' hair products, WHOO HOO!!!

Naturally You

Off to a New Year!!!

I hope all is well with everyone.  I've taken a little break and now I'm back with some fresh new ideas and creativity.  The worst thing about leaving for a while is trying to catch up.  So stay posted and I will be back with more information soon.
Naturally You

Are You a Trendsetter? Check out Fro Fashion Week

What is Fro Fashion Week?
Fro Fashion Week is a two day exclusive conference that will be held biannually to set the trends in the natural hair care, beauty and fashion industries. It will serve as the pinnacle event that brings together industry experts, designers, natural hair care bloggers, hair care product manufacturers and distributors and most importantly consumers, in one inclusive setting to test, discuss, blog, and purchase the industry's hottest trends.'
Click here for Fro Fashion Week website

When: February 18-20, 2011

Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel


1325 Virginia Ave

Atlanta, GA 30344

You don't want to miss it.  If you're thinking it's just your normal hair show think again. Plus I'll be there along with other vendors who have goodies you're guaranteed to love.


Naturally You

Are All Butters and Oils the Same? The Answer is No - Part 2

It took me a minute to get back but here I am. Now back to the topic at hand so we can discuss the chemistry of butters and oils. I can't cover the complete chemistry of all oils but we will discuss some major components.

First let's recap to discuss the difference between saturated and unsaturated oils.  Saturated oils have single carbon bonds which are hard to break which leads to them being more stable and not very susceptible to oxidation. Unsaturated oils have double bonds which can be easily broken causing oxidation to occur. Many times the shelf life on an oil is stated which gives you an idea of when oxidation could start to occur.  In chemical terms an oil may be identified as C18:1 identifying it as having 18 carbon bonds and 1 double bond.letting you know the one double bond will last longer than more double bonds that can be easily broken.

Oils and butters (triglycerides) are composed of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and a couple of other elements.  Lets focus on essential fatty acids since they contribute to the health of hair and skin.

Fatty Essential Acids include the following:

1.  Lauric Acid is mainly found coconut and palm oil.  It is helpful for the body overall due to it's ability to be converted into monolaurin whic known to destroy the lipid membranes of bacteria, fungus and viruses.  Breast milk has a high percentage of lauric acid which is said to contribute to the decrease of infection in breast fed babies.  As for hair and skin one of the most responsible reasons behind hair fall and hair loss is microbial action on the scalp and hair roots. So, to protect hair against them, what we need is an antimicrobial agent which Lauric Acid is known to do.
2. Palmatic Acid forms a fatty layer on the hair and skin to protect it from the outside elements. It's useful when making soaps and can be found in palm oil, cottonseed oil, and ricebran oil.
3. Stearic Acid is a very familiar ingredient for people who make lotions or other cosmetic products.  It lends hardness to cold processed soaps and are found in many natural butters and oils.  Stearic acid is known to provide moisture retention, increase the flexibility of the skin and hair, and help with repairing damaged hair and skin.
4. Oleic Acid is very useful for our health since our bodies produces it. Triglycerides containing oleic acid are normally moisturizing, regenerating properties for the skin, and some such as olive oil are comparable to the sebum of the skin.  Most oils and butters with higher levels of oleic acid are great emollients and have a moisturizing effect on the akin and hair.
5. Linoleic Acid is vital to create a barrier for skin and hair.  A lack of linoleic acid can cause hair loss as well as poor healing from scars and wounds.  It increases the skin's ability to keep water in and other things out.

I hope this helps when looking for oils to use.  This is just a brief description of each because this could turn into a chemistry lesson if I keep going.  Normally the chemistry of oils and butters can be found online when a description of them is given.

Naturally You

The Perfect Holiday Stocking Stuffers

Caitlin would recommend Pura's Mint Exfoliating Lip Scrub and the Cocoa Mint Lip Butter for stocking stuffers this holiday season.  Read what she has to say http://blissfullydomestic.com/2010/pura-body-naturals-holiday-gift-ideas-for-the-beauties-in-your-life

Naturally You

Are All Butters and Oils the Same? The Answer is No

Are All Butters and Oils the Same? - Part 1

I was asked this question by someone who stated that she always assumed “a butter is a butter and an oil is an oil”. Then she went on to say the only butter that she’s ever known is shea butter and she wasn’t sure what cocoa butter was. My assumption is that she, like many others, aren’t aware of the many different types of butters and oils that exist in nature because they aren’t readily available in the US due to our lack of natural resources. Most of the world’s best natural resources are sourced from other countries in far away places some of us never think about.

One similarity all oils and butters have in common is that they’re classified as emollients which are used to soften the skin and hair. The differences are based on their chemical structure and they have very different additional properties. In addition, both fats and oils are glycerol esters composed of glycerol and fatty acids and are called triglycerides.
Fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated which determines the stability and properties of the oil. Oils with a higher degree of saturated fatty acids (lauric, myristic, palmatic, and stearic acids) include coconut oil and palm oil. These oils are more stable and don’t become rancid as quickly as unsaturated oils. Oils with a higher degree of unsaturated oils (oleic acid and linoleic acid) include corn oil, almond oil, safflower oil, castor oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. Unsaturated oils are smoother, less greasy, and better absorbed by the skin.
In Part 2 we will begin discussing the different acids and how they affect the properties of various butters.


Naturally You