|| Among The Trees || All Natural Face + Body Cream

I'm so excited to be releasing my newest addition to my All Natural Beauty Products line!
|| Among The Trees All Natural Face + Body Cream || is an intoxicating and richly moisturizing lotion that can be used all over your body, any time of the day! The ingredients will sink deep into your skin to hydrate and soften - without clogging pores or causing breakouts. Essential oils of lavender, rosemary and cedarwood will leave you smelling like a walk in the forest. 

This product is available exclusively in my Etsy Shop in a 2 oz or sample size.

-- Here's what's in it --

• Sweet Almond Oil: this light and sweet oil is great for all skin types. It is high in oleic and linoleic acids as well as Vitamins A, E and D. These properties produce benefits such as anti-inflammation, lightening of dark spots, reducing acne and of course moisturization. It can also help with skin irritations such as eczema. 
• ORGANIC Avocado Oil: a very rich and emollient oil. Great for dry and damaged skin; it is high in Vitamins A, D and E and helps protect the skin as well as hold in moisture. 
• ORGANIC Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: smells delicious and all skin types love it! Aids skin in retaining moisture, and is rich in proteins that keep skin healthy. High in fatty acids that are antimicrobial - helping fight infections & blemishes. 
• ORGANIC Sunflower Oil: deeply nourishing and conditioning because of high amounts of Vitamin E and fatty acids, this oil also helps protect against bacteria build up on the skin. It is an emollient which not only softens the skin but helps retain moisture throughout the day.
• ORGANIC UNREFINED Shea Butter: extracted from the nuts of the karite tree in Ghana, where people have been using this for centuries to protect and condition skin. I use unrefined, expeller pressed shea butter that has not been bleached, deodorized or chemically altered- leaving it in its purest, most nourishing state. It is an intense moisturizer, great for dry or damaged skin. High in many Vitamins like A & E, this natural skin conditioner is what helps this lotion feel so soft and creamy. 
• Aloe Vera Gel: produced from the inner fillet of organically grown aloe vera plants (much larger than the one in my photo :), this natural soothing gel is not only great for burns and bites, but also wonderful for toning and firming skin. It is a non-greasy moisturizer, trapping skins' moisture in! Contains hormones that stimulate healing and reduce inflammation. The list could go on forever- aloe is amazing!
• Organic Essential Oils:
   -- Lavender: great for all skin, anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, cell-regenerating, calming & soothing, and of course smells glorious.
  -- Rosemary: aids skins' circulation, anti-septic & astringent which is great for oily skin, powerful antioxidant, smells herbaceous and lightly citrusy.
  -- Cedarwood: dark, earthy scent, this oil is good for blemished and acne prone skin.
  
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I'm so thrilled to finally share this, as I have been using it and absolutely love it! It works great after cleansing with my All Natural Sweet Almond Facial Scrub!
I'd love for you to visit my shop and try it today! Use code BLOGLOVE at checkout to receive 10% off your order!

Until next time. xoxo

Sunkissed DIY: All Natural Dish Soap in 5 Minutes!

On my quest to transition to natural skin care, hair care, and home care I have had a hate-hate relationship with all natural dish soap! I've been trying to perfect it for about 2 months now...UGH! I searched and searched and just kept coming across the same basic recipe: boiling water, grated soap, wait 24 hours, etc...I thought I was going to go crazy because each time I made a batch, it didn't work! I had to keep adding more of this and that and reheating. 

Anyways, enough of my rant...I'm sure those recipes I tried can work great for others but they just didn't seem to work for me; or maybe I'm simply not doing it right. But with the amount of dishes we do in my house (no dishwasher), I was spending like 30 minutes once a week just making dish soap- no thanks. So, in my unnecessary "anger" last week when the dish soap got all chunky and was barely sudsy (again), I started dumping stuff into my soap container, and to be honest it was the best batch I've made so far! I got so excited, I made my husband come see! He was excited too, since he usually does the dishes after dinner, and hadn't been too thrilled with my concoctions.

So I figured I should share my findings (thankfully I remember what I did) with other "dish-traught" dish washers, that are trying to be more sustainable and careful with chemical cleansers. As I said, I'm sure a lot of people have their own way that works great- but this is what works for me and it's so quick and easy (once you have the ingredients)!!

Without further adieu, 5 Minute DIY Dish Soap 

All these ingredients are things I would recommend having around your home if you're transitioning to natural cleaners, laundry detergent, beauty, hair care, etc- they all have unlimited uses!

||  I N G R E D I E N T S  |

• Pure Liquid Castille Soap | 1 cup + | - I use Dr. Bronners - there's all different scents you can choose from!
• Super Washing Soda | 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp| - you can find this in the laundry/cleaners aisle of most any store.
• Essential oils of Tea Tree, Lemongrass, Sweet Orange - these aren't necessary but aid in the antimicrobial & astringent properties of the soap (cleaner dishes/cleaner hands). They also give it a clean, citrusy scent! You can use one or all, or other essential oils of your choice, but I'd recommend using oils that have similar properties.
• Vitamin E Oil | 1 tsp | (optional) - helps preserve the soap (even though you'll most likely use it before it goes bad), it also helps to soften the soap & keeps it from drying out your hands so much because of the washing soda.
• Vegetable Glycerin | 2 tsp | (optional) - helps with suds & residue buildup, and also softens the soap. 
• Hot water (you can also use distilled or bottled water if you think your tap water is too dirty to use for the soap).
• An old dish soap container or a cute one like this- I like mine because I can mix the soap right there in the jar (yes- impatience again).

||  D I R E C T I O N S  |

• Fill your soap container half way with hot water (needs to be very warm so it can dissolve the washing soda).
• Add 1 tbsp super washing soda (this works in my 16 oz soap container). If your container is bigger, I'd suggest adding another 1/2 tbsp.
• Stir, shake, mix- whatever you want to do to get that soda dissolved!
• Now fill up almost the whole rest of the soap container with your liquid castille soap- leave a little bit of room for the remaining ingredients if you're adding them.
• Add in the Vitamin E oil & vegetable glycerin if you are using it, if not go on to the next step.
• Add in 10-20 drops total of your essential oils. I do this:
• 8-10 drops tea tree
• 5 drops lemongrass
• 5 drops sweet orange
• Stir, shake, mix- get it all together! You're done-zo!!

At first it will be pretty liquidy, but you can still use it! The consistency doesn't change the properties or effects of the soap.  It will thicken over time, so be ready to add a little warm water and shake it up again in a day or so if it gets too thick for you. I have found that this combination suds up very well, doesn't leave any residue on my glasses, and smells wonderful! This stuff fights grease and grime as good as Dawn or Ajax in my opinion!  Let me know what you think and I hope this works great for you!

Until next time. xoxo

Sunkissed DIY: Macrame Herb or Plant Hanger

Apparently macrame is making a come back, or has been for a while and I just recently noticed it....

My parents used to have macrame hangers with fake plants in the living room when I was younger- yes back in the 80's. I never knew what they were called, and when I saw this diy on Pinterest a few months back, I immediately remembered those beaded hangers from when I was 4! 

Reading the instructions to make one, I was very confused and thought no way...then when I decided to try it and had all the supplies in front of me, it was actually so easy! I was doing them on my own after following the instructions just once.

I've been growing a lot of different herbs this spring and LOVE having them right there for when I need to add some to our meals or desserts! Fresh herbs are so much better than the dried ones you buy in the spice aisle at Safeway...obviously. Anyways, I figured this would be a fun way to show off the beauty of my herbs and add a little more of "me" to our rental house...plus we have a huge pile of sticks behind our shed that I thought could be put to good use.

|| SUPPLIES |

• Jersey knit fabric or a T-shirt of stretchy-ish material that you don't mind cutting up. (I didn't have an old shirt of this material, so I got some from a local fabric store. It was fun being able to pick out bright & cheery designs!) I got one yard each of three different fabrics.
• 3 Terracotta pots, like this, or any other smaller pot you'd like to use, I got mine for really cheap at Walmart.
• Strong twine or cotton rope- like the kind used for clotheslines- something not too flimsy! You could also use wire.
• A stick. Make sure it is thick enough to screw into and sturdy enough to hold up the weight of a few pots full of soil. You could also use a piece of thick scrap wood. My stick is about 3 feet long and an inch around.
• Screw eye hooks like these. You should get larger ones if you're using a larger piece of wood or bigger pots.
• Long screw driver of any kind
• Hammer & nails

Now you can get to work on your macrame! I followed this DIY on Brit + Co, but if you're up for it, you could make something fancier or more detailed. There's A TON of instructions for beautiful macrames on the web and Pinterest! I made all three of mine different lengths to add more dimension to my hanger.

Once you have your lovely fabric hangers complete, I'd suggest filling up your pots with soil and whatever plants or herbs you are going to fill them with first. Mine has basil, rosemary and dill...mmmm. I kept putting the macrame on the pot and taking it off to make sure it fit- but the great part is, since the fabric is stretchy, you can adjust it once it's on the pot- so just try and put it on once, when you're ready to adjust and hang them.

|| STICK TIME |

• You'll want to insert the first screw eye in the middle of the stick so you have a good starting point for the other two (unless you're only doing one or two pots).
• Grab a nail that is about the same width as the screw eye and hammer it in about 1/4" to 1/2" where you are going to insert the screw eye in the stick. This gives you a hole to start with in order to get the hook into the wood. Now pull the nail out and start screwing the hook into that same hole, you'll have to put a little muscle behind it! 
• Once I got my hook in far enough to stand on its own, I inserted a long screw driver sideways into the circular hook part and used it as a kind of lever to screw the hook all the way down. Just spin the screw driver (horizontally) around and around until the hook is nice and secure in your stick. 

• Do the same with the next two hooks, you want them spaced far enough apart that all the weight isn't in the middle of your stick and so the pots have space to breathe! I spaced mine about 9" apart, which left a nice amount of room at each end of my stick.
• Depending on where you are hanging this planter, you'll want to measure out your twine, rope, or wire for the length that you need it. I used twine and knotted it a few different times on all 3 attachments so I could change the hanging length if I needed to. Again, make sure it is strong enough to hold up your hanger, I wove my twine together a few times to make sure it wasn't going to rip!
  
• Now you'll want to set up the nails or hooks that you're using to hang the planter. Make sure you hammer them in at the same distance apart that your hooks are so you can easily hang the twine or rope.
• Once you have those in and your rope or twine attached, it's time to add your hanging plants! Place one in the middle on one side of the middle hook. The other two can be placed next to each of the other hooks, I put one on the inside and one on the outside. The stick is strong enough and if your hooks are spaced apart equally it shouldn't slope to one side or the other.
• Holding your stick in the middle, so the pots don't slide off, hang the middle rope first, then each side- if it's too heavy, ask someone to hold it while you hang it! Its kind of an awkward piece of decor to hold....:)

Voila! You're done! Now stand back and enjoy your creation! Looks great in a patio, living room or kitchen if you have enough space! Just make sure it is somewhere that gets a good amount of sunlight so your herbs can grow big and strong!

Until next time. xoxo

Sunkissed Glow || Sweet Almond Facial Scrub ||

Say hello to my first all-natural skin care product! 

- Sweet Almond Facial Scrub -

This delicious smelly (and edible if you happen to get a little in your mouth) face and/or body scrub will exfoliate, moisturize and create a beautiful glow on your face, neck and entire body!
It is hand crafted in small batches by me with 4 natural and organic ingredients- all of which have numerous and wonderful benefits for your lovely epidermis.
It is available in my Etsy shop in a 2 oz or 4 oz size jar.
| Visit my Etsy shop here |

My goal in creating all-natural skin care products is to keep our skin and nature as close as possible- so they can work together to maintain healthy, vibrant and naturally beautiful skin. We came from the earth, so shouldn't what we put onto our bodies come from the same source? It feels wonderful to know that everything you're putting on your skin is organically grown and created- and your skin will love you for it!

My Sweet Almond Facial Scrub is a blend of 4 natural and powerful ingredients:

• ORGANIC ALMOND MEAL: removes dry, dead skin by gently exfoliating, which creates a lovely glow, reduces inflammation, and contains an abundance of Vitamin E which is necessary for healthy skin cell growth and healing.
• ORGANIC RAW HONEY: I'm sure you know that honey is a "skin super-food". Raw honey has not been through the harsh, high-heat processing & pasteurization like your usual commercial honey in those cute bear bottles at the grocery store- this actually removes most of the core nutrients, vitamins and enzymes. Pure raw honey unclogs pores, helps slow skins' aging process, is a natural moisturizer and contains antibacterial properties that deeply cleanse skin & help fight breakouts.
• ORGANIC ARGAN OIL: this plant oil exclusively derived from the Moroccan argan tree is also rich in Vitamin E, is non-greasy and balances skins oils which helps to hydrate and soften skin; it is full of antioxidants which helps keep skin clean & healthy, and boosts your skins' elasticity.
• ORGANIC CINNAMON POWDER: brings blood and nutrients to the skins surface- which reduces fine lines and wrinkles- as well as containing antimicrobial elements that work to stop acne bacteria from forming.

This scrub is something that you can use on a daily basis, or just a couple times a week when your skin is feeling dry or looking dull. A little bit goes a long way with this- after dampening your face with warm water, just mix a small amount on your fingers with a little agua and then gently massage onto your face and neck to loosen up dirt and grime. Rinse with cool water and follow up with a toner (if you use one) and moisturizer.

I'll be coming out with an all-natural day cream very soon that can be used after cleansing. I hope you can experience the wonderful benefits that I already have from using this scrub! 

Until next time. xoxo