Hey girls, today I'm back with a recipe for skin from oatmeal. Honestly, I'm lazy in making natural masks or scrub frequently and if there are times I do, it is up to my mood. Usually, I buy these little buddies from my favorite brand Origins, which will be mentioned in my future post. However, I still have a little secret for me because it is so simple, it doesn't require me to remember how many spoons of this, how many drops of that, which sometimes drives me crazy and make me lazier. This recipe may need more ingredients in the winter when your skin is extremely dry but even so, it is stills one of simplest ways to keep your skin clean and bright.
Basically, oatmeal can help deep clean your skin, unclog pores, and leave you with a smooth and brigh skin gradually. Moreover, oatmeal is also known as a good remedy for sensitive skin. But remember that when you do scrub or mask, it should be done at night to prevent your skin from the sun since at that time, your skin is more sensitive and easy to get sun burned or tanned.
And now I will show you what I do with oatmeal, and only oatmeal. Don't bother remember how much oatmeal, because you decide. You can buy quick-cooking oatmeal from any grocery stores, or you can select an organic brand if you feel like you want something organic. My advice is you still should pick oatmeal from a good brand whose oatmeal is softer. I picked a strange brand once when it was on sale and I didn't like the oatmeal at all.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Oatmeal (absolutely)
A blender (optional)
A little jar - with the lid easy to open ( big enough to contain oatmeal for 10-15 times of usage, or can be bigger, so that you don't have to prepare it again and again every day)
As I usually do, I dry blend the oatmeal for around 30 seconds, make it more like powder. It doesn't need to be like flour, but this way, you can save the oatmeal, and it won't take time for oatmeal to become soft before you apply on your face. Make a big batch and keep it at a cool place, then put in a jar whenever the jar is empty. If you don't blend the oatmeal, it takes a bit more time for the oatmeal to become soft when you mix with water.
HOW YOU USE
If you do makeup, then you still need your regular face cleanser to wash away dirt and make up, then use oatmeal mix as a scrub. If you don't make up, then you just need oatmeal as your face wash every night, or you can decide to make it your mask every couple of days.
HOW TO SAVE TIME
I put a very small cup and my jar of oatmeal in the bathroom. Whenever I go to wash my face and brush my teeth before bed, the first thing I do in the bathroom is to put some oatmeal powder in a small cup, pour a little water, leave it there and I start brushing my teeth. Make sure your mix is a bit thick because it is easier for you to apply on your face. After a few times, you will know exactly the amount of oatmeal and water for each time use. Even if you don't know the first time, it is fine since you can add oatmeal or water as much as you need. When I'm done with brushing, the oatmeal powder is already soft enough, and I just apply the mix on my face, gently massage and then rinse my face with water.
You will save time with my method, but it depends on you whenever you want to use oatmeal.
HOW TO MODIFY YOUR MIX
This recipe can be modified by replacing water by milk, and you can also add a few drops of honey. I usually just need water, because I'm lazy going to the fridge, get milk and come back to the bathroom. And the mix is still good enough for me, unless I want my skin to be more moisturized in the winter ( as I said, my recipe needs more ingredients during winter time).
If you want it to be a mask, to save time and prevent a mess, before taking bath, create your mix, a very thick one with milk and honey (or just milk if honey is unavailable at home), put on your face and then take bath. By the time you are done, rinse your face, and there you go. Your skin is smooth and bright.
Hope my recipe will make you feel less lazy making your natural cleanser, scrub or mask at home.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Natural versus Organic products
How
many times have you heard or seen "natural", "all natural", 100%
natural", "organic", certified organic" on the product labels?
Have you ever questioned what is the difference between natural and organic?
Most people usually assume that "organic" sounds better than "natural". In fact, it is difficult to compare the two of them without any proofs that they are truly natural or organic. Once we see the certification, the answer will be clearer, but not absolutely right. Organic products are generally better and usually, more expensive. But wait a minute, when we read the ingredients more carefully, how many percents of the product are organic or natural? A product with 95% certified natural ingredients is worth your money or a product with 20% certified organic ingredients is your choice? It all depends on each of us, consumers. However, with this post, I only hope to give you some general ideas about natural and organic products. You may do more research, as I often do, to make a good decision whenever you face a shelf full of personal care products.
I once had a presentation about organic personal care products for my communication class. I did some research to prepare for it and here are some findings that might be helpful for everyone who is concerned about differences between natural and organic products:
According to the USDA website,(which will be mentioned later on), for a product to be certified organic, it must:
"Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used."
To make it simple, an organic plant which might be extracted and used as an ingredient in your product should be totally free from fertilizers and other harmful substances, as well as unhealthy methods of plantation and production. However, natural ingredients are just from nature ( not synthetical), but it doesn't mean it was grown and produced without any toxic fertilizers and chemicals. Therefore, truly organic products are sold with high price, not only because of their benefits, but because of the producers' marketing strategy as well.
There is another point that a smart consumer should know. The manufacturer's decision of bringing their products for certification is voluntary. Not all the products in the market are strictly monitored in terms of labeling and providing ingredient information. The business ethic will decide how honest a manufacturer is when listing their ingredients. Hence, many organizations such as EWG are making effort for stricter and clearer regulations in this issue, in order to ensure consumers' health and safety. EWG website also provides you with useful information if you would like to check the level of toxicity in your products.
In United State, a popular certification agency is USDA. This is also well-known among consumers in other countries as well, whoever care about natural and organic products.
This organization's stamp for certified organic products means that the product contains at least 95
percent organically produced and processed ingredients. You might also
see a label with a percentage indicating how much of the product
qualifies as organic. Any product containing less than 70 percent
organic ingredients cannot use the organic label.
Have you ever questioned what is the difference between natural and organic?
Most people usually assume that "organic" sounds better than "natural". In fact, it is difficult to compare the two of them without any proofs that they are truly natural or organic. Once we see the certification, the answer will be clearer, but not absolutely right. Organic products are generally better and usually, more expensive. But wait a minute, when we read the ingredients more carefully, how many percents of the product are organic or natural? A product with 95% certified natural ingredients is worth your money or a product with 20% certified organic ingredients is your choice? It all depends on each of us, consumers. However, with this post, I only hope to give you some general ideas about natural and organic products. You may do more research, as I often do, to make a good decision whenever you face a shelf full of personal care products.
I once had a presentation about organic personal care products for my communication class. I did some research to prepare for it and here are some findings that might be helpful for everyone who is concerned about differences between natural and organic products:
According to the USDA website,(which will be mentioned later on), for a product to be certified organic, it must:
"Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used."
To make it simple, an organic plant which might be extracted and used as an ingredient in your product should be totally free from fertilizers and other harmful substances, as well as unhealthy methods of plantation and production. However, natural ingredients are just from nature ( not synthetical), but it doesn't mean it was grown and produced without any toxic fertilizers and chemicals. Therefore, truly organic products are sold with high price, not only because of their benefits, but because of the producers' marketing strategy as well.
There is another point that a smart consumer should know. The manufacturer's decision of bringing their products for certification is voluntary. Not all the products in the market are strictly monitored in terms of labeling and providing ingredient information. The business ethic will decide how honest a manufacturer is when listing their ingredients. Hence, many organizations such as EWG are making effort for stricter and clearer regulations in this issue, in order to ensure consumers' health and safety. EWG website also provides you with useful information if you would like to check the level of toxicity in your products.
In United State, a popular certification agency is USDA. This is also well-known among consumers in other countries as well, whoever care about natural and organic products.
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