The Modern Hippy

     A few months ago I started a hunt on etsy to find someone whom provided safe cosmetics. I read through countless ingredients list, profile pages. I managed to narrow it down to what I was looking for specifically – mineral foundation and eyeshadow. Which really, only narrowed it down a little. I eventually decided to try a sample pack from a little shop called Orglamix. I liked what she said, her ingredients lists, and the pictures were just so fetching!
     I love her stuff! I’ve ordered from her several times in the last few months. My makeup case has been recreated without chemicals. Cheri is my makeup girl!
     In December I ran out of my foundation so I ordered the large size for winter color. And got it, along with a couple of sample eyeshadows. Lovely! (The other time I ordered from her she sent a sample as well. I love samples!)
     Then yesterday, Rick got the mail and brought me yet another package. I wasn’t expecting anything. I already had my handmade shoes delivered a week ago. (Yes, handmade! With vintage fabric! I’m in love with them and will eventually do a post on them in the future.) I opened the package to find two of my foundation color! With the order form from December. I was confused to say the least. Today, I sent her a message and asked what I should do. I offered to pay for them, ship them back, whatever she wanted me to do. She sent me a quick note that it was a mistake, but don’t worry, they were on her! I still feel strange about keeping them. But since I plan on ordering from her indefinitely, she will definitely get more money from me. (I wish there was a way to tip through paypal)
     I wanted to tell everyone whom reads my little blog that Cheri at Orglamix is super awesome! Thank you Cheri for your kindness, and great service!

     Several weeks ago I started to experiment with my hair care. So far my hair experiments include washing my hair every two days, using conditioner only on the day I wash my hair. I also mix a blend of essential oils and witch hazel to increase hair growth and decrease oily scalp.
     So far it’s going wonderfully. Other than when I’m on my period, my hair is rarely oily, looks healthy, and is very shiny. I did accidentally discover that not using the witch hazel-essential oil blend allows my hair to become more oily again. I ran out of a couple essential oils and wasn’t able to redo the blend for a few days. The next day my hair was more oily than usual. Progressively it got worse over the next few days until my essential oils were delivered. Using it again, I’ve noticed a change – less overall oil again. So I’m convinced, even if my hair never gets thicker, it’s worth it.
     As far as more hair growth, yes I want thicker hair. It seems to fall out whenever I’m stressed, or even with dramatic seasonal changes. It does grow back however; I’d rather have too much than too little if I can help it.
     While I was is school several of the teachers mentioned that the essential oils such as rosemary and ylang ylang really do work. I’m sure it will take awhile to notice anything. I am using a couple of the oils that are older so they might not work as well for that. That’s fine though, as long as it works for decreasing oil production I’m happy and am willing to wait.
I also ran out of apple cider vinegar and haven’t used it in a week or more. I did notice that using it the day after I shampooed, while it was shiny, it did seem more oily, which was annoying. Perhaps trying it again on a day I wash my hair might be a good idea.

     Something new I’ve started is when the ends of my hair seem a little dry – they have been since it got really cold. By the end of the day I have enormous dreads. According to my hair stylist whom trimmed my hair recently, it’s fairly common in the winter. So I’m using the oil blend I made for my faceon my ends. It is jojoba, avocado, and olive oils along a few essential oils.
     I’m still not using product. Giving my scalp a break, letting it do it’s job without a lot of unnatural things seems like the best idea for me. Also, at the beginning of the 2010 summer I plan to cut a lot of my hair for Locks of Love. The healthier it looks the better. I am mildly concerned about having short hair and not using product. But as something I’ve noticed, while my hair is rarely greasy, its own natural oils seem to work like a gel sometimes, making it shiny and manageable. Our co-op does seem to have more natural product alternatives. Something will work. I might even be lucky enough to find something that will further help to nourish my hair. Until the next hair experiment!

     A couple of years ago I started doing research on making my own lotion or body butter. I bought some supplies and decided that it might be an interesting way to make money if I could. That didn’t work out the way I hoped. I was doing all the work and then I had little time when working two jobs. That holiday season I gave away a lot of the shea butter I made. It made many fans.
     Years later, I make it only for family and myself. Since Rick is without job we are planning on making and hopefully selling some here or on Ebay or in my Etsy shop, TaynneeBazaar. (Please note, at this time there is no shea butter for sale there. If you would like to buy a 4 ounce glass jar of my favorite butter, handmade by myself and Rick please use the contact me page and let me know.)
I use it daily now because I can’t use store bought lotions anymore. The preservatives and other synthetic ingredients give me a bad reaction.

     What is so great about shea?

     Shea is actually karite butter from wild, not cultivated Karite trees. It grows mostly in Western Africa. In its most unrefined shea butter is toted for having great healing properties. African women have been using it for centuries for skin, medicine and cooking. Only recently has the western world been introducing shea into it’s beauty and personal care products.
It is a great “healer”. Some of the things contained in it are familiar to us, vitamin A and E and fatty acids. An unknown one is cinnamic acid, which is what helps protect against sun damage. Vitamin’s A and E allow it to be anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, both of which are great for skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, burns, stretch marks, scars and dandruff. Those vitamins support the skin so that it can repair its self properly. The fatty acids moisturize. It has a low melting temperature and is easily absorbed by the skin. Shea butter can also increase circulation and promotes cell regeneration.
     Unrefined shea butter has a strong smell. It can be refined to remove the scent. The argument is that if you refine it then many of the healing properties will be lost. I have the refined shea butter. I have only used that so I have not opinion about the unrefined butter, other than a strong curiousity. When I run out I plan on buying unrefined to see the difference. I think the refined stuff is great, I can only imagine how wonderful the “good stuff” is.

     Eco-friendly butter:
     Another reason I love shea butter is that it supports African women. The women do most of the work to make shea butter from harvesting to producing the butter from the seeds. It has remained very independent of outside influence. It cannot be cultivated. Since it can take 50 years for a tree to mature, the women must care for and maintain the trees. It’s good for the environment to avoid mass production or cultivations. Support shea, support your earth and your fellow woman.

     My experience with the body butter that I make has been great. I love it. Though I am still young, I do have some lines and stretch marks that have decrease as I use it more. Applying it I feel like I am “feeding” my skin. Healthy skin – healthy body. Your skin secretes sebum and some wastes. Unhealthy skin is not able to do this. Thus your body will not be “breathing” properly.
Another consideration is that almost everything that what is applied to your skin will be absorbed into your body. From there it has to be filtered out of the body. The natural filters in the body are liver, kidneys, and lymph system. If the body does not identify the substance that is put into the body, such as synthetics or altered “natural” ingredients (high fructose corn syrup is an example), the liver must work over time to clean the body out. Most of the ingredients in cheap lotions are not whole or even exist in nature. Why make your liver work harder than it needs to? It already has its work cut out for it with the alcohol, meds, and bad foods that we consume. (This is not an anti-alcohol post. I love a good drink, but know what it does to my body.)
     Choose something nice for you skin. Treat it with respect, give it natural and when possible organic “food”. Look through your beauty items. Can you pronounce those ingredients? Do you know why they are there? Are they “natural”? Or even safe? Look them up – you’ll be surprised what you learn.

     What beauty products do you use on a daily basis? Could you give them up for a more natural option?

     For a request of a jar of shea butter please click through to my “Contact Me” page and send me a note! And as always thanks for stopping by!

     The following is a site I found that sells fair trade shea butter. I have not purchased from them so do some research before you buy, but it looks good so far. Let me know if you have purchased from them already or if you decide to, I would love to know. I’m getting low and will have to purchase again in the next couple of months.Pure, unrefined shea butter

     Olive oil is not just for cooking. In spa class, we discussed the different oils that could be used as carrier oils for essential oils. Olive oil was among the other oils discussed. Out of spa class olive oil is toted for its health benefits in and on the body as well. It is high in omega 3 fatty acids, which are natural anti-inflammatory agents. Olives are also high in anti-oxidants. Recently, the beauty industry has been tapping into the ancient oil that has been used for centuries. It is very moisturizing, great for sensitive skin, I love it. I have eczema on my hands and another form on my upper arms. This more natural form of a moisturizing agent has worked very well when my poor arms were red this summer. I pulled out my bottle of the green oil when I noticed my hands were cracked on all side and getting very red a couple of days ago. And took a hot bath.
     The Olive Oil Source has a good bit of information about this little fruit.

     How to use this lovely oil:
• One version of application is in a hot bath. Pour out one or two tablespoons into a small bowl. Draw a hot bath. Apply the oil wherever you want or need it. Try to keep whatever part of your body, arm or foot, under the water. It forces the “good stuff” deeper into your skin.
• If you want add some essential oils. Be sure that the oils you use are high quality. You can get high quality oils from Samara Botane. For the blend to be more effective use an oil like rose that has great effects on skin. The heat from the water will help to force the essential oils deeper into the skin and with it will go the oil. And unlike baby oil, also known as mineral oil, unless you have an allergy this will not give you zits.
• You can of course just apply directly as a lotion. You could combine other oils with it, such as jojoba oil. Or melt shea butter or something else like it, blend together and create your own body butter.

     Consider using this oil in cooking and for skin care so you make it through the winter with fewer cracks and red spots.
     Also, on the eco side of things, if you buy organic olive oil it is better for the environment. As long as you don’t get a blended oil you won’t have to worry about poor ingredients or synthetics. Buy in a glass bottle and you won’t be using plastic.

Photo from: Visit Messinia