ACOJOBA - Lotion Magic

   What does alchemy and lotion making have in common?
Magic transformation! 

Simplistically speaking lotion is a mix of oils and water.  However these two do not stay mixed for very long without a little bit of help which comes in the form of an emulsifier. The emulsifier holds the two together. And just as in an alchemic metamorphoses these three ingredients turn into gold - or rather lotion.

My lotions contain natural oils, butters and an assortment of botanical additives. They do not contain formaldehyde, phthalates or parabenes.

Tropical Coconut is a deeply moisturizing lotion with a refreshing coconut fragrance. It penetrates your skin and makes it feel silky soft. Use it on your hands and body every day! 

Ingredients : Distilled Water, Aloe Vera Juice, Jojoba Oil, Coconut oil, Mango Butter, Rose Hip Oil, Honeyquat, Fractionated coconut oil, Iso propyl myristate, Vitamin E, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Fragrance

Aloe Vera Juice is a great anti-inflammatory. It binds moisture to the skin and has skin barrier properties. It helps itchy skin and stimulates cell proliferation.

Coconut Oil is beneficial for all types of skin. It contains ferulic acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties, catechins and lauric acid, which has antibacterial properties. And best of all it is a great moisturizer. It has been used for centuries in remedies for skin and hair. Fractionated coconut oil or caprylic/capric acid has had some of the fatty acids removed to give it a lighter feel with the same moisturizing effect.

Jojoba Oil is actually a wax. It is similar to the body’s own sebum. It penetrates the skin to sooth and moisturize.

Mango Butter offers moisture and a protective barrier to the skin. It is said to have anti inflammatory, anti viral and anti bacterial properties.

Rose Hip Oil. This wonderful red oil has wound healing properties. It contains beta carotenoids, which helps with free radicals. It is said to reduce signs of photo aging and fine lines due to sun exposure.

Honeyquat is made from honey. It is a humectan which increases the moisture uptake ability of your skin.

Go bananas over oatmeal.

I love oatmeal. In the winter I have hot oatmeal with bananas and I always add oatmeal to my home made bread. Sure enough, my oat meal cookies are gone almost before they are out of the owen.

Besides helping to lower your cholesterol, oatmeal is also good for your skin. Oats draw moisture to the skin, softening and healing dry and itchy epidermis. It has an anti-inflammatory effect. Oats contain beta glucan, a group of glucose molecules which in some studies showed to reduce wrinkles and roughness when compared to a placebo group.

My family loves to eat my banana bread fresh right from the oven. Bananas are great on plain yoghurt with a drizzle of honey.

And of course they are good for your skin. Bananas are excellent moisturizers. They also can be used to exfoliate the skin and have a skin tightening effect. Did you know that you can reduce itching from mosquito bites by rubbing the area with the inside of a banana peel?

What is better than  mixing oats and bananas together ?

I am working on a combined exfoliating and mask product made from oat, honey powder and milk powder. The final product will probably have aduki bean powder as well which will add to the exfoliating properties.

Today I mixed the powder with an overripe banana, massaged it into the face, neck and chest area and let it sit for 30 minutes while I was making bread. There were also some left overs which I ate. (I love the idea of edible skin products). My skin felt soft and had a nice glow after the application.
Now I have to find the right packaging.

Other skin care tips using banana and oats;
Mix banana and yoghurt and apply to face for a nourishing face mask.
Add oat flour to your bath water for a skin softening oatmeal bath.

Simple Banana Bread

Mix together:
1 cup (250 ml) dark brown sugar                      
3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup olive oil, or any other oil you like
1 tea spoon vanilla extract
(I use my hands to mash the bananas into the other ingredients, leaving some chunks)

Add:
1, 5 - 2 cups of flour ( I like to mix 50% spelt and 50% white wheat flour )
1 tea spoon baking soda
1 tea spoon baking powder
1 cup whale nuts, optional

Pour mixture into a 9x5 inch loaf pan and bake in the lower part of the owen for around 1 hour or until pin comes out dry, 350 degrees F (180 C).

Enjoy steaming warm!