Make It Monday! Vegan Lip Balm and Vegan Lip Serum
October 5, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
I am not sure if I will ever be brave enough to be a Vegan, but I sure do respect y’all to pieces! I have been a vegetarian before, but I wouldn’t call myself one now. Although I have sworn to give up everything but fresh caught fish. Even milk and cheese. I will most likely give in on cheese and eggs every so often, especially eggs, as I am not cutting out items made with them. And I love me some cheese! But since starting the So Cal Cleanse, I just feel so much better not eating these “sluggish digestive system causing” foods.
So with myself explain a little, I want to give my Vegan Readers a special Make It Monday Treat!
Vegan Lip Balm
Love these for lip balm! fits neatly in pocket
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Avocado Oil, Almond Oil or Olive Oil
- 1 oz. Virgin Coconut Oil
- 1.2 oz. of Candelilla Wax
- 1/4 tsp. Rosemary Extract
- few drops of Vitamin E Oil
- few drops of essential oils you want for smell and taste (citrus oils are great! tangerine, orange, grapefruit and lime!) (and/or you can use flavor oils!)
You will need either a double boiler, or use a pan and a glass measuring cup with a pour spout!
Melt the candelilla wax in a double boiler or use a glass jar/bowl inside of a soup pan, over low heat.
Once melted add the remaining ingredients except for the essential oils. Heat through then remove from heat. Now add the essential oil – stir well and pour immediately into lip balm tubes or containers. If mixture starts to solidify before you’re finished pouring, heat for a few seconds in the micro. You can also add flavor additives if you so choose. Add these at the same time as the Essential oils.
Recipe makes about 5 ounces of lip balm. That is quite a bit, but whenever I make balms I hand them out like candy! So either cut your recipe down or give as gifts!
Enjoy! Feel free to color these with any vegan lip colors you already have too! Just add those to the pot when heating.
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Neroli Anti-aging Lip Serum
All natural ingredients and Neroli and Seabuckthorn for treating, and pampering the lips.
Neroli’s aroma is a wonderful blend of floral with undertones of citrus. Feel free to replace Neroli with another soothing essential oil, such as Rosewood or Carrot Seed. Seabuckthorn has become a newcomer to the world of anti-aging, but is setting some great trends!
Recipe makes 3 lip gloss tubes or (0.75 ozs) Don’t buy these! I know you have some laying in your purse, or ina drawer that you never wear, wash them out really well, and use those, no need to waste! Unless of course you are gifting these.
Neroli
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Liquid Shea Oil
- 1 oz Castor Oil
- 2 tsps. Carnauba Wax
- 6 drops of SeaBuckthorn oil (berry, seed or combination) If you have the capsules from Sibu Beauty that would be great!
- 6 drops of Neroli Essential Oil
- drops of Vitamin E Oil
Melt the wax in in a double boiler, or use a soup pot, and a glass measuring cup with pour spout. Add the shea and castor oils. Mix well. Make sure you keep stirring at this point. When it has all combined, remove from heat. When it has cooled slightly, add the Vitamin E oil, Neroli and Seabuckthorn oils. Before it has cooled completely, pour into lip gloss tubes. Texture will be somewhat like store bought honey.
Extremely nourishing, and healthy for the lips. Use this in place of shiny lip glosses, or apply every night before bed.
If you want a chance at winning some Seabuckthorn goodies, come visit my twitter party!! Read more at the Sibu Twitter Party! (party October 6th at 9pm EST!)
Don’t forget to check out my girl Kasey’s Blog on Monday’s for her Make it Monday posts! Always a treat!
Get an Extra Entry into any ONE contest for voting! Just leave a comment, on the contest you want the extra entry for, and leave your vote #!!
Thirsty Thursday Easy Pumpkin Pie Latte At Home!
October 1, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
I don’t drink regular coffee, well about 4-5 times a year. But I do love my Teeccino Herbal Coffee. No caffeine, but all the warm love in a cup!
When I did drink coffee, I never went to Starbucks. First, there beans are so totally over roasted, that their coffee is horrible. but secondly, I can’t be raped, and drink coffee at the same time. just think of the burns! lol, no really, $4 for a cup of coffee? No freakin way!
So I came up with a little recipe here at home, super simple, and super delicious!
These measurements are approximate to what I do, I have never measured.
For about a 1/2 pot, to a 3/4 full pot:
1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon of Pumpkin Spice
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
Add everything to the pot, and then brew your coffee as normal. When you pull the pot off, depending on what type of pot you have, either stir, or jostle it around a couple of times to make sure the spices are mixed. You don’t have to do much, as the coffee drips, it will mix it!
And now you can add your creamer, or sugar or both! I add a touch of honey and a little rice milk. It is truly delicious!
Get an Extra Entry into any ONE contest for voting! Just leave a comment, on the contest you want the extra entry for, and leave your vote #!!
Make it Monday! Bath Cookies
September 28, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
Since I am in the nitty gritty part of my SoCal Cleanse, I am craving sweets! Then we have my Dad and Step-mom over for dinner Sunday, and what does she do? Torture me by bringing a HUGE plateful of Snickerdoodle cookies.
Of course she has no idea I am detoxing, and is trying to be nice, they are a favorite of mine! So since I can’t eat them, I decided to do the next best thing, and make some cookies I can use! Moisturizing Bath Cookies! These are a great way to add fun to the bath, but with out the hassle of Bath Bombs!
Ingredients
Moisturizing Bath Cookies
2 cups fine sea salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
5 tablespoons ground flax seeds (or 2 eggs)
6 tablespoons water (only if using Flax! don’t use if using egg)
2 tablespoons oil (almond, carrot, jojoba, olive, coconut, argan, etc)
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil (about two capsules)
5 drops essential oil
If you are making these for others, you definitely want to add some pizazz! Try breaking candy canes/starlight mints in super small pieces and using peppermint essential oil, Or use dried lavender flowers, or chamomile. You can even break open a tea bag, but loose teas would work better.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pretend like you are making real cookies! Get out your mixing bowl and mix the ground flax seeds with water and stir until flax starts absorbing some of the water. Add in all other wet ingredients.
Mix all the other dry ingredients in s separate bowl, then fold in. Last fold in any fun pizazz ingredients! Shape dough into teaspoon size balls and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for eight to ten minutes or until golden.
Makes about 24 cookies, and don’t eat this dough. I doubt it would taste like you want it too. =)
To use, place two cookies in a nice warm bath and relax!
Don’t forget to check out my girl Kasey’s Blog on Monday’s for her Make it Monday posts! Always a treat!
Get an Extra Entry into any ONE contest EVERY DAY for voting! Vote once per day! Just leave a comment, on the contest you want the extra entry for, and leave your vote #!!
Bath Detox Recipe and Cellulite Treatment Recipes
September 23, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
Detox while you lounge in the tub a dub dub! I don’t have to tell you how much I enjoy my soaks!
I do want to mention that some of the products out on the market are worth purchasing for this as well. I love my Buddha Nose Detox Bath Salts, and my new SoCal Cleanse Bath Soak and I soon to be reviewed Eucalyptus Bath by 100% Pure. They have many additional ingredients such as herbs, kelp or other algae to help aid in the detox process. I am not just telling you this because I work with them, I really do love them. I used my 100% Bath Treatment, in less then 2 weeks!!! That is why I needed to find a more eco-friendly solution, and a more wallet friendly solution too!!
***If you have the time, and resources, dry brushing your skin before these treatments, and before any shower, will really help to get your lymph system moving!***
Detox Bath Ingredients
- 1 Cup Epsom Salt
- 1 Cup Baking Soda (helps rid the chlorine)
- 1 Cup Natural Sea Salt (get the stuff that says “air dried by the sun”)
- 1/4 cup grated FRESH ginger. I place this in a tea infuser so I don’t clog the drain!
The Essential oils in this, are optional, as is the Grated Ginger. Use one or the other, don’t use the EO’s and the Ginger together!
Take the bath as warm as you can stand it. Add the salt mixture and the ginger and glide it around before you sink down. This water is good for your whole body, face, hair etc. Now soak for at least 30-45 minutes. The ginger will help you sweat, and release toxins, and as the water cools down, you will start absorbing some of the yummy goodness in 
the bath. If you prefer to use the Essential Oils below, the same rules apply for length of bath.
If you have a massage tool, like the one to the right, or something similar, you can also use that massage any areas of concern while you are soaking.
Cellulite Treatment Essential Oil Bath Blend
- 6 Drops of Black Pepper Seed oil
- 6 drops of juniper oil
- 5 drops of Geranium oil
- 5 drops of Fennel
- 10 drops of grapefruit oil
- 8 drops of lemon oil
- roughly 15 Drops of a carrier oil. I suggest Avocado oil, or Carrot Oil.
Mix this really well, and add about 1 teaspoon per bath.
Use this instead of ginger! Don’t use both. all other directions from above are correct.
Cellulite Intense Massage Oil
- 5 drops Fennel
- 10 drops Grapefruit
- 5 drops Juniper
- 1/4 cup carrier oil MIX WELL.
Use this on all problem areas every morning and every night. The longer the better, and the more aggressive the better, no that doesn’t mean bruising will help! I simply mean, don’t use a light hand!
Of course drinking lots of water during this whole process is key! You can do this baths as often as you like, but not more then once a day. You aren’t going to see results immedietly but with time you will! The Dry Skin Brushing is so good for you too!
The better your diet, full of veggies and fruits and natural fibers, and no processed foods, the faster results will come as well!
Use the bathing time wisely, deep condition your hair, smooth out your heels, put on a facial mask, or even a back mask! (i do at least one of the above and read, but I know some of you have kids! maybe you can read to them from the bath? lol)
Good luck!!
Who Cooks? and Food for 5
September 14, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
Not sure if I have made you aware but Craig and I love to eat. But we really never eat anything just regular. We like it funktified! Sorry vegetarians close your ears for a second. When Craig went to buy a grill after he moved to Indiana, he bought one that had a smoker attachment. It is really nice. He is out there nearly every weekend smoking something.
The problem for me, is that I am a veggie girl. I can eat a whole pile of veggies, and that be my dinner. The oil they were cooked in is my fat and I am happy and content. or heck, I can have a bowl of soup or even a bowl of cereal! Craig doesn’t feel complete unless he has had a big ol hunk of meat.
So that is when we figured out who would cook dinner! HA! And that is when we realized that Craig would start experimenting in the kitchen. I had to poke fun at him a couple times because he would never alter the recipes. If a recipes asks to two limes, and he adds two limes, but say his are the size of toe grapefruits, and everything tastes weird, and I ask, he will say, “well the recipe said two limes” he turns all 3 years old on me. lol
He is getting better….
This was one of his first recipes, and probably one his best. You do need to head over to my friend Cat’s new blog, Food for 5, to check it out, as I posted it there.
Mojo Saucy Spicy Black Bean & Chicken Burrito
Make it Monday it Monday, Grow an Avocado Plant from Seed!
September 14, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
Here is a great project to do with your kids. Or if you are like me, to do by yourself! So much better then sprouting a potato!
Take one or more, if you like, of your avocado seeds and sprout them in water, then start yourself a new houseplant!
Now the likely hood of you actually eating any fruits of your labor are pretty slim to zilch pickins. it takes about a decade for an outdoor variety to put forth fruit. and even longer for an indoor, and even if your indoor did happen to bear fruit, it probably wouldn’t taste very good. Sad isn’t it? I think so. I mean really how awesome would it be to go into your living room and pick an avocado off your house plant to make tonight’s dinner? lol
I had 4 of these but we gave away all of our houseplants last year thinking that was what may have been causing Craig’s allergies. Well, it wasn’t. And I am devastated. Some of those houseplants held a great deal of sentimental value, and some just great memories! Like of the avocado plants I taught one of the neighbor kids how to make.
- Okay so first you need a NEVER refrigerated avocado seed. Very important. Never refrigerated!
- Make sure it is ripe, you don’t want to use an under-ripe fruit as the seed may not be ready.
- Cut, and spoon out meat. Eat it, put it in your hair, slather it on your face, put it on your feet, and put socks on, whatever, never waste it!
- Take 3 or 4 toothpicks, poke one in evenly around middle of seed, this is a little tricky, make sure you have cleaned seed off so it isn’t slippery! they only need to go in about 1/4 of an inch.
- Now suspend in a glass of filtered water. Make sure the fat bottom is suspended in the water, and the skinnier portion is getting oxygen. Change water every few days, and leave in a warm spot, not a hot, spot, and make sure it gets plenty of light.
Seed will shed it’s skin, this is normal and you can discard of it.
At 2-3 weeks you should see the seed splitting, and roots shooting out, and at 5-6 weeks you should seed the top of the seed open and a stem sprout out. If the first doesn’t happen you can either toss the seed, or give it another week. This is why it might be a good idea, if doing the project with kids, to start more then one seed. A lot of trucks that bring Avocados to the midwest are refrigerated.
When the stem gets to be about 6 inches off the top, pinch back the first two leaves to encourage root growth.
Now you can plant! Make sure you use nice enriched soil. a good hearty blend. about a 8-10″ pot. Every time the plant grows 6 inches, pinch out the newest 2 sets of leaves. It will encourage root growth, and make the plant nice and bushy.
This is part of the Make it Monday Series!
Thirsty Thursday, Pineapple Spice Cake Smoothie
September 10, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
oh. my.this.is.sooo.yuumm.tass.tic. 
1/2 pineapple
1 mango
2 bananas
1 small piece of fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup chard-packed
1 cup water
Throw it all in a blender, and blend until smooth. pour into glasses and serve cold. best if everything is cold before cut.
This recipe came from Green Smoothie Revolution
Make It or Break it Wednesday, Milky Cleanser Recipe!
September 9, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
This is a great mild cleanser for any skin type but especially for sensitive, mature and dry.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup purified water (filtered tap is fine)
2 tablespoons of baking soda
1 egg white
1/4 cup of goat’s milk (whole mild or almond milk will work as well)
whisk all ingredients together until blended well. Store in a clean airtight container, this will keep for up to 3 weeks. use with hands or a washcloth.
The baking soda with refresh by scrubbing away dead skin cells, while the milk and egg replenish and nourish skin, giving it a glow.
This is part of All Things Mama And Prissy Green’s Make It Monday!
I know, it isn’t Monday, but I had to share this wonderful recipe and I just couldn’t wait! I had an aunt ask for a Milky Cleanser recipe months ago, and this is what I came up. I saw her a few weeks ago, and she told me she loves it and that she has been sharing it with friends and teachers she works with! So then she told me that if I had not shared it with you yet, that I simply must!
Make it Monday!
September 7, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
Head over to All Things Mama to see what she is Making this Monday!
She makes a Rain Stick with her Crafty little PBS kids! What is a Rain Stick? I guess you better pay her a visit to find out!
Thirsty Thursday! Mojito Recipe
September 3, 2009 by Karissa
Filed under Recipes: Home, Skin, Food
The traditional Mojito is made with rum, but there are some variations I have found that I like a lot! This are great backporch, cookout recipes! Enjoy!
Tequila Mojito 
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz tequila (don’t use the cheap stuff here, you want at least Silver) 1splash club soda
3 fresh mint sprigs
2 tsp raw sugar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 1/2 oz fresh mango juice
Low Carb Mojito
Ingredients
2 sprigs fresh mint
3 wedges fresh lime
Packet of stevia, or less
Crushed ice
2 ounces rum
6 ounces club soda
Berry Mojito 
Ingredients
1/4 cup berries
3 mint leaves
1 teaspoon raw sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 ounces white rum
ice
Directions:
These are basically the same for each mojito. See how easy you can make variations to them!? In a bar shaker crush together mint leaves, sugar and lime juice and any fruit or limes with a mortar or the back of a spoon until the mixture becomes slightly mushy. Add rum/tequila and ice, shake and serve in cool glass, garnish with a lime slice or just a fresh sprig of mint!
