Natural Bodycare From Your Cupboard by Maggie Julseth Howe

Rosemary Conditioning Hair Oil

1-cup oil – olive is preferable, but any kind will do

2 tbsp. dried rosemary

Place oil and rosemary in a small saucepan on lowest possible heat. Let gently heat for 1 hour (longer is okay). Let oil cool, then strain out rosemary using cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Apply oil to your scalp and hair, making sure to get oil down to the scalp, and to thoroughly saturate all your hair. Gently massage your scalp and comb oil through your hair. If you can get a friend to give you a scalp massage, even better! Leave on at least 15 minutes, then shampoo out. May take more than one shampoo to remove all oil. Rosemary is an excellent hair and scalp treatment; it stimulates hair growth and scalp circulation, keeping your skin and hair healthy. The oil helps improve luster and shine and works as an excellent detangler and conditioner. This treatment works best if do it at least twice a month, and is far more effective than synthetic conditioners, which can actually cause drying and scalp irritation in many people, due to the chemical and petroleum components.

Herbal Body Powder

¼ cup baking soda

¾ cup cornstarch

Powdered dried herbs or flowers (optional)

In a food processor, coffee grinder or blender, place 2 tbsp. herbs or flowers from your garden or local health foods store. Grind to a fine powder, and then combine all three ingredients together. Put in a recycled shaker container (Parmesan cheese containers work well) or in a widemouth tin. Use as an all-over body powder or as a daily alternative to store-bought deodorants. This powder also works well to help keep feet dry and healthy.

Suggestions for Herbs and Flowers to use: (box or sidebar)

Roses – for delicate fragrance

Lavender – to combat odor, and for an excellent unisex fragrance

Mint – Makes a great foot powder

Sage – has excellent odor fighting properties, works well for powder to be used as an underarm deodorant.

Chamomile – soothing and gentle, excellent for rashes or as a baby powder.

Feel free to use your creativity to change and expand these recipes according to what resources are available to you. And don’t forget – these recipes make excellent gifts, especially if they contain herbs or flowers from your garden, or perhaps honey or citrus fruits that you have raised and harvested. You and your family will enjoy knowing that what you use to cleanse, powder, soothe and moisturize your body is as healthy and nourishing as what you put into it.

Go to Page 1

BIO:

Maggie Julseth Howe co-owns a 2 acre herb farm and shop in central Iowa. You can visit her website online at www.prairielandherbs.com.

Some Aditional Articles you may enjoy

Movement That Matters: Exercise With a Greater Purpose by Gillian Hood-Gabrielson

An Alternative to Botox by J. Ratliff

Control Cholesterol Naturally by P. Mehta

Follow the Path of MOST Resistance! by Nick Nilsson

Top 10 Do's For Women With type II Diabetes by Namita Nayyar

Click a Number to go to an article index page
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39