My Home-made Toiletries

Hello my beauties. Today I decided to share some easy home-made toiletry recipes with you. They are really quick and easy to make. So... aprons at the ready.

NB: If pregnant consult an aromatherapist before using any Essential Oils.

SOAKS:

Milk and Almond Bath:

• 1 cup of Milk or Soy Milk
• 1 tsp Sweet Almond Oil

Mix the milk and sweet almond oil, then pour into warm bath water. Take care when stepping into and out of the bath as oils can make the surface slippery.

Beside-the-sea Bath Salts:

This is so easy to make - why not try making a double quantity, some for yourself and the rest can be turned into a gift for friends or family. Simply put into a pretty glass container, tie some ribbon round the rim, and label.

• 1 cup of Sea Salt
• 7-10 drops of Cammomile Essential Oil (sometimes called Blue Cammomile or Roman Cammomile)
• Half a cup of Baking Soda
• Handful of Lavender (optional)

Mix the sea salt and cammomile essential oil, until the sea salt absorbs the light blue colour of the oil. Continue to mix in the baking powder, followed by the lavender (if using).

Pour into a watertight container. To use, pour a few handfuls into a warm bath. Immerse yourself and relax in the warm, sea salty water for a minimum of 10 minutes.

SCRUBS:

Vanilla Sugar Hand Scrub:

• 1 cup of Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Pod
• Quarter cup of Grapeseed Oil

Place 1 vanilla pod and one cup of sugar into a sealed container, and leave to infuse for 2 weeks. Remove the vanilla pod from the sugar and split, scraping out the seeds, and mixing into the sugar. Add quarter cup of grapeseed oil and mix thoroughly. Rub into skin to clean and polish, then rinse.

Brown Sugar Hand Scrub:

• Half cup of Brown Sugar
• Quarter cup of Grapeseed Oil
• 5 drops of Neroli Essential Oil (or an Essential Oil of your choice)

Mix brown sugar, grapeseed oil and neroli essential oil in a bowl, rub into skin, then rinse.

CLEANSER:

Cammomile Cleansing Milk:

• Quarter cup Cream
• Quarter cup Milk
• 3 Cammomile Tea Bags

Steep the cammomile tea bags in the milk for 2-3 hours, before removing tea bags, squeezing them with the back of a spoon. Combine the milk mixture with the cream and pour into a sealable container. Refrigerate mixture to extend shelf life. Using cotton wool pads, apply to skin.

* This cleanser helps act as TLC for the skin. It cleanses, brightens and nourishes and stores in the fridge for 2-3 days. *

TONER:

Tea Toner:

• 1 cup of Green Tea or Cammomile Tea

Pour boiling water onto the tea bag in a cup. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Once the tea is cool, apply using a cotton wool pad.

* Green tea is supposed to have an anti-aging effect. It's sweet jasmine scent is a real tonic, and leaves skin refreshed. *

MOISTURISER:

Vitamin E Quick Fix:

• 1 Vitamin E capsule (or a few drops of Vitamin E Oil)

For instant relief from dry skin, pierce a vitamin E capsule, and squeeze contents onto skin, massaging it in.

* It's believed that vitamin E slows down the aging process. *

HAND & FOOT CARE:

Intensive Care Hand Lotion:

• 1 Banana
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 tsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Butter of Margerine

Using a fork, mix the mashed banana and other ingredients until smooth. Apply to hands, massaging lotion into knuckles and hard patches of skin, using frim strokes. Leave on for 1-2 hours, then rinse.

* Leaving the lotion on for two hours not only leaves hard working hands silky smooth, it also gives you the chance to have a rest. *

Foot Powder:

• 1 cup of Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 15 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil

Measure ingredients into a container, which can be sealed tightly. Secure lid and shake contents, until mixed thoroughly. Tea Tree essential oil is especially appropriate in this recipe, as it has antiseptic and antifungal properties.

HAIR REMEDIES:

Olive Oil Intensive Conditioner:

• Half cup of Olive Oil
• Shower cap or old towel

Gently warm the olive oil, and apply to the scalp, smoothing oil down to the tips of the hair. Pile hair on top of head and wrap in a shower cap or a warm damp towel. Leave for 20 minutes before shampooing out. Your hair should be left feeling silky soft and shiny.

Apple Cider Hair Boost:

• half cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 cups of Water

Shampoo hair and then rinse with the cider solution, condition as normal.

* The smell of vinegar can linger! A drop of almond or vanilla essence can improve the scent. *

LIP CARE:

Basic Lip Balm Recipe:

NB: Don't confuse flavouring oil with essential oil. Flavouring oils can be found in the baking section of your supermarket.

• 1 tbsp Olive or Sweet Almond Oil
• 1 tbsp melted Beeswax
• 2-4 drops of Natural Flavouring Oil (i.e. Peppermint Essence, Vanilla Essence)

Melt the beeswax and combine with the oil and flavouring. Pout into a small pot, and apply to lips as often as needed.

* The mixture does tend to go lumpy if you leave it, so stir it quickly whilst it cools. *

I hope you have fun making your new toiletries. As you can see I have covered head to toe. If you would like other recipes please let me know. As I do have many others.

You & M.E.

I thought I would share with you what it's like living with M.E.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis – ME
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – CFS
Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome – PVFS
Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome – CFIDS

No matter which name or abbreviation you use, the illness affects people of different ages, backgrounds, race, and most other characteristics you may choose to consider. The illness often follows a period of viral infection, but some sufferers experience a gradual decline into the illness.

What is M.E/CFS?

M.E. is an illness. M.E. stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - which is a bit of a mouthful, but basically means muscle ("myalgic") and head ("encephalitic") symptoms.

Many sufferers experience all or at least some of the following symptoms to differing levels of severity:


Muscle symptoms can include:

• Severe fatigue upon exercise
• Muscle pain and spasms
• Influenza-like malaise
• Clumsiness
• Poor memory, concentration and balance
• Non-refreshing sleep
• Sore throats
• Enlarged Glands
• Joint pains

It's important to appreciate that the kind of fatigue experienced by many M.E. sufferers is quite different from straightforward "tiredness" most people have experienced. M.E. sufferers have likened the fatigue to "having their plug pulled out", or being totally drained of energy. And unlike in many other illnesses, exercise may make things worse.

Head symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• "Swimmy" feelings
• Loss of concentration
  

These are not the only symptoms experienced in M.E:

Sufferers will often feel "ill all over", and experience many flu'-like symptoms; nausea, shivering, fever, and generally over-react to heat and cold. Some unfortunate sufferers may be in unremitting pain. Digestive problems are common; constipation or diarrhoea, gas bloating and bowel pain. Alcohol intolerance may also occur.

Depression and emotional problems are often a part of M.E, but it is important to realise that these are a symptom of the illness, and not its cause. Some sufferers are very emotionally volatile and unpredictable - they may get angry or depressed for no apparent reason, or even cry at the slightest upset. This may be due to the illness affecting the nervous system.

Any physical activity - even walking up or down stairs - may put some M.E. sufferers in bed for days or weeks, and even cause a major relapse.

Sometimes, you will see M.E. sufferers apparently able to do quite normal things physically, yet complaining of terrible fatigue and muscle problems. What you haven't seen is the price they pay afterwards for their physical exertion - perhaps days in bed recovering.

So, now that you know what M.E. is and how it can affect people, I thought I would share part of my story with you.

I was finally diagnosed with M.E. back in December 2007. I couldn't get a diagnosis from my GP, so I had to be referred to a specialist. It was then that I finally had someone believe that there was something wrong with me. Instead of just thinking that I'm making up illnesses. What a relief to have someone who not only believed me, but who also understood what I battle with on a daily basis. The specialist asked about my medical history, and also going my medical record he said that I have had the illness since 2000. There is a possibility that I have the illness for much longer than that.

I can remember so many times in middle school that I would catch everything that went round. Any cough or cold and I would catch it. I can remember how hard I used to find it to get out of bed each morning. It was so difficult for me to drag myself out of bed. It had taken me forever to get to sleep the night before, and then before I knew it I had to wake up. I always used to feel like I hadn't had any sleep.

Over the years I managed to "get used" to the feeling of tiredness and exhaustion. I would always struggle to get to sleep, then struggle to wake up, then struggle to stay awake. More often than not I would be late for school, just because I couldn't "get myself into gear". I figured that this must be how everyone feels when they wake up and get ready for their day. I had no idea that "normal" people didn't feel like this. I can remember my Mum would sometimes get annoyed that she had to keep coming to wake me up for school.

I remember so many times being sent home from school ill. Or in the morning I would say "I'm not feeling very well" but because I was saying it so often everyone must have thought I was making it up. This went on for years, right througout middle school and secondary school. I even managed to get Viral Meningitis, so I was out of school for 5 weeks. I managed to get it a second time when I was in college. I was 18 then and this is when the specialist thinks I ended up with M.E.

So, to fast forward a few years. By the time I had my first proper full time job at 19 I hadn't even been there for 2 months before I was off for 11 months. Luckily they kept my job open for me. During the 3 years that I was with the company I had MANY more absences and I couldn't tell them what it was that was causing me to be ill so frequently. It was SO frustrating to be ill "all" the time.

Anyway, to cut a very long story short I ended up losing my job in 2007. I still didn't know by this time that I had M.E. I lost my job due to a high level of absense. I had only been in that job since the beginning of 2007. So, due to a long absense after unsuccessful surgery I returned to work, only to end up being off sick every few weeks. In the end this was not tolerated and so I lost my job.

Since being diagnosed with having M.E. I still find that there are people who have never heard of it. So, they find it hard to accept that I am unable to go out and do things at times. They seem to think that I'm just being lazy. If I had a broken arm or leg then people would accept that there is something wrong, or that I could be in pain. As you can see from the above sypmtoms, M.E. can and is something that is difficult to cope with.

People don't appreciate or understand how something like M.E can seemingly take everything away from you. It's an invisible illness, and it is still something that isn't know about by a lot of people. There are so many things that I used to do, but I'm not able to do them anymore because I will end up feeling ill. If I had one wish, it would be not to have M.E. and to be able to have my "old" life back. Who knows though... maybe one day I will.

*IMPORTANT NOTE*

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above or you are concerned that you may have a similar illness, make sure you visit your GP. Do NOT assume that you have M.E.

I am not a doctor (obviously) and I can't offer medical advice. I have just listed the symptoms that are common with M.E sufferers.

If you would like to ask me any questions about M.E. or you would like to share your thoughts with me please feel free to leave me a comment or write to me at gdshphrd2@yahoo.co.uk

40 Questions Tag

SKINCARE

How many times do you wash your face daily?
Usually twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.

What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Dry, sensitive skin with occasional redness.

What is your current facial wash?
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish OR Avon Anew Daily Resurfacing Cleanser.

Do you exfoliate?
Yes.

What brand do you use?
Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator OR Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream.

What moisturiser do you use?
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance &
Holland & Barrett Glycolic Acid Skin Renewal Cream.

Do you have freckles?
A few.

Do you use eye cream?
Yes.

Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
No. I had a few spots, but luckily not acne.

Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?

No.

MAKE-UP

What foundation do you use?
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation SPF 15.

How about concealer?
Bobbi Brown Corrector & ELF Under Eye Concealer & Highlighter.

Do you know your undertone colour?
I have been told it's a yellow undertone.

What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I like lashes that look subtle. They can really make a big difference.

Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yes.

What brand of mascara do you use?
It depends really. Wet 'n' Wild or Revlon.

Sephora or MAC?
MAC just because I don't have a Sephore shop near me.

Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No.

What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
Foundation brush, eye shadow brushes and a blush brush.

Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
Yes.

For the face?
Yes, most of the time.

What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
Ummm, I can't decide. Probably purple.

Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Pencil.

How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
I don't. But I do manage to poke my eye with my mascara wand though.

What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
They are great, but can be a bit messy.

Do you use mineral makeup?
Sometimes.

What is your favorite lipstick?
Ummm... MAC Myself.

How about lipgloss?
ELF Mineral Lipgloss.

What is your favorite blush to use?
At the moment it's ELF Studio Tickled Pink.

Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
I haven't bought makeup, but I have bought makeup tools.

Do you like drugstore makeup?
Yeah, because it's cheaper than Bobbi Brown, MAC etc.

Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)?
No, but would love to go if I knew where there was one.

Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
Yes, and I still do consider it. I just can't afford the course.

Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Sometimes I get mascara on my face, lol.

Name a makeup crime that you hate?
Orange foundation or foundation that leaves a "tide mark"

Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I love bright colour eye shadows.

Which celebrity always has great make up?
Holly Willoughby.

If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Concealer.

Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Yes and it has been known to happen.

Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
I think I look ok, but I have dark circles that I hate.

In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
That's a difficult one. I love the prices of ELF, Sleek and Barry M.
I also love the quality of MAC.

To Botox or not to Botox...? That is the question.

So, last year I decided I was going to get Botox before my wedding. I had looked into various places that offered it as a treatment, and once I was happy that I had found the right place I went and had it done.

I was expecting it to be SO painful. The thought of a needle going into your head, OUCH.... However I wanted to make sure I looked as "perfect" as I could for my wedding day. So, regardless of how much I thought it would hurt I still decided to take the plunge.
I was totally surprised with how quick the process is, and how there was NO PAIN. Maybe it was just the person that I saw or maybe the procedure just doesn't hurt. I had a cream put on my head where I was having the injections and it made the skin totally numb. The only weird thing I found is that you can't lie down for at least 6 hours after having it done. I was a little paranoid so I made sure I left it longer than 6 hours. Within an hour of having it done, I could see the fine lines just magically dissapearing. Wow, poof and they were gone.

I have spoken with friends about having Botox and it seems that I am the only one who would be and was willing to have it done. One of my friends has told me that she thinks I'm crazy to have had it done. She is convinced that there will be negative side effects in the long-run. Now, I certainly don't think that everyone should have it done. For those who are lucky enough to have amazing skin then good on them. However, it isn't something that I have.

I used to think that Botox was something that only vain people had done, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe for the many who have it done it is for them to show off how "perfect" they look. But for me, it was just to make myself look and feel better. Is there any harm in that?

So... Botox... what do you think?