Back To Basics Skin Care Routine...Starting Over

The case many a time when people do seek out products not easily found on the commercial market is a result of wanting to eliminate synthetics and chemicals in their lives or a frustration with the condition of their skin. Often it is a matter of going back to basics and starting over.

A mistake people often make with cleansing their face is that the products used are too harsh and strip the skin of their natural oils, leaving the skin pH out of whack resulting in too dry skin lacking the balanced oils that normally protect the barrier. In trying to get back to normal there can be an overproduction of sebum which we then try to scrub off by washing even more and the cycle continues.
A good routine to follow includes: a cleanse, an occasional steam and/or mask, then a toner and last a moisturizer if needed

I have two types of FACIAL CLEANSE, one is like a serum and the other is a honey/glycerin/castile soap blend:
First we have the oil cleanse method.
Remember years ago when women used cold creams? That method was basically using cleansing oils that removed makeup and dirt from the skin. It was a gentle approach to cleansing both dry and oily skin. I got this recipe from an old herbal book. 

Aloe Rose Facial Cleanse

Some people like this to cleanse and additionally use a moisturizer, others think this is enough for both cleansing and moisturizing. It consists of olive oil (this could be replaced with a "drier" oil such as grapeseed for oily skin), rosewater and aloe vera gel. You would apply this to a cotton round and simply wipe over your face to cleanse and moisturize and the same time. Second option is to use it like you would any other facial wash and rinse off with water.

Cleaning your face with oil may sound unappealing but contrary to popular belief, oil does not contribute to oily skin or breakouts. The sebum that the skin creates is there to protect the skin. When we use commercial cleansers to remove this natural oil, the body reacts by producing more oil. Dry skin is often the result of stripping away this natural barrier and things get out of balance. It is the same as how our hair adjusts to constant shampooing.
In washing our faces we want to remove the dirt and bacterial which builds up in our pores but we have to think about the chemistry behind it. Oil dissolves oil, like dissolves like. Water and oil do not mix; commercial cleansers contain ingredients to break up the oils but in doing so may strip away the natural protective layer. By using a nourishing oil like olive oil, the dirty oils are being replaced with beneficial ones.

Some people like to use the above serum type cleanse on some days and then the more traditional wash with water on other days, just to mix things up and get the benefits from both types.
There are three versions of the honey/glycerin/castile soap washes, mainly its personal preference. The first one uses essential oils orange or lemon which you may like for oily skin since they are more astringent. The next one is made with the honey infused with rose petals and the third the honey is infused with lavender.

Citrus Honey Facial Wash

Rose Honey Facial Wash

Lavender Honey Facial Wash

Wildflower and clover honey already have the beneficial attributes of various herbs and flowers within the honey itself. Honey is a natural humectant which means it retains moisture and plumps up skin cells. It helps to rebuild the moisture level in the skin without making it oily. The high sugar, low protein content create an acidic environment with limited availability of water therefore bacteria cannot thrive.
Glucose oxidase is an enzyme that when combined with water produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic. Honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. It calms down troubled skin without irritation.
Vegetable glycerin is what is known as a humectant which means it draws moisture from the air and holds it in. As part of a cleanse it bonds to dirt and oil and washes away.


To open up the pores, you can follow the cleanse with a 20 minute facial steam in which you fill a bowl with steaming water (add an herbal tea bag for extra benefits), make a tent by covering your head with a towel, and lean over the bowl.


Follow the steam with a RAW HONEY MASK or an exfoliating SUGAR SCRUB for wonderful benefits.
Masks and scrubs are great for periodic use for deeper cleansing to draw out impurities or for exfoliation to remove dead skin cell build-up. These aren't meant to use every day, once or twice a week is sufficient. Add variety by mixing it up a little, and there is no need to use both the mask and the scrub at the same time.

Unpasteurized honey contains all the live enzymes and life of the hive without being destroyed by the heat of pasteurization. Typical store bought honey is pasteurized to make it nice and pourable and remove bits of wax and stuff from the hive. Having a high anti-oxidant level and being the natural enzymes have not been destroyed by heat, raw honey is a much healthier product.
Facial masks are wonderful for deep cleaning in that they penetrate below the surface and draw out impurities. Honey masks are nourishing, moisturizing and gentle enough to not strip the skin of its natural protective oils.
When you wash the honey off your skin, a small amount remains in the pores. As a result, the sugars in the honey attract water from the air, which keeps your skin hydrated.

The first mask has tea tree and chamomile and is good for blemishes. The second one is good for blemishes too but in using lavender is more gentle. The third one is great for oily skin as it contains peppermint and lemongrass which are astringent and antiseptic.

Blemish Honey Mask

Lavender Honey Mask

Oily Tired Skin Honey Mask

Scrubs are optional as they may be too harsh for already irritated skin.
The choice between sugar or salt for scrubs depends on how it is to be used. For the delicate skin of the face sugar scrubs are gentler. People often make the mistake that if they scrub they'll scrape those blemishes right off when actually they are irritating the skin further causing more inflammation.
One uses vegetable glycerin instead of an oil and the other two use coconut oil. The glycerin scrub is "goopier" and good if you like a looser scrub. The coconut oil ones tend to be more compact since coconut oil solidifies under 75 degrees. But as soon as you touch it it melts and gets soft again.

Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Vegetable Glycerin Lavender Sugar Scrub

Coconut Sugar Scrub Lemongrass

Finish up with a gentle TONER:
The herbal vinegars are great for getting and keeping the skin pH back in balance. It's personal preference as any of them are tonics for the skin.
The first one uses herbs for their anti-inflammatory benefits and the second is an old-fashioned blend of roses and elderflowers which were used for their high vitamin C content.

Calendula Nettles Chamomile Toner

Rose Elderflower Toner

Herbal Blemish Spot Treatment

This third one is stronger than the other toners because it doesn't have the dilution of distilled water. It's more of a spot treatment for blemishes. It does make a great everyday toner too if it's diluted a bit which is an option when purchased.

The natural pH of the skin is what keeps bacteria levels in check Disruption of the skin's pH can be detrimental to your skin, because bacteria thrives in an environment only a little more alkaline than your skin's natural acidity. Once bacteria thrives it can lead to inflammation and generating more clogged pores.
Good quality raw vinegars restore the natural acid balance of the skin, leaving it soft and smooth.
By promoting circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin, vinegar becomes a tonic for the complexion. Raw vinegars don't go through the processing and distilling of the typical clear vinegars, therefore raw vinegar still contains the living nutrients and beneficial bacteria of the "mother".
Vinegar acts as an antiseptic, meaning it prevents proliferation of bacteria, viruses and yeast that could trigger infection. As a facial toner, it removes oily residue as it dissolves fatty deposits at the surface of the skin.


Third step on a daily basis is to MOISTURIZE

There are several facial cream choices and one lighter lotion. They vary in ingredients just to offer options for personal preference or allergies but they all are very good for different skin types. The oil to water ratio is almost 50/50 whereas most lotions in pump bottles are 20/80. The key is how often and how much to use at a time. People with dry skin find these creams nourishing and great relief for parched feeling skin and those who don't need a heavier cream may find they only need a tiny bit or perhaps only need it as a night cream.

Herb Floral Facial Cream

Elderflower Rose Facial Cream

Rose Facial Cream

Serenity Facial Cream

Scent Free Facial Cream

Wrinkle Wrath Facial Cream

Touch of Bliss Facial Cream

Vanilla Wrinkle Wrath Facial Cream

This lotion has a higher liquid portion and doesn't have a solid oil such as shea butter or coconut oil. This lotion was originally the request from a woman who had skin troubles and was allergic to coconut oil. But since some people just want a lighter lotion rather than a cream I left the listing as it is. The essential oils chamomile and tea tree are the usual ones in the lotion only because it originally was wanted for and to prevent future blemishes. But if you don't need that, you can leave it unscented or add something else.

Sensitive Skin Lotion

Everyone has different needs and preferences, therefore there is no one product or routine that fits all. Getting to know what works best for you may be trial and error, but hopefully with options like these products you can be reassured the "first do no harm" philosophy is a priority.

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Exfoliate Without Doing Harm, Ban the Microbeads

On December 28, 2015, President Obama signed into effect the "Microbead Free Waters Act", which prohibits the sale of products that include microbeads in their formula and will ban microbeads in the U.S. as of July 2017.

This is wonderful since microbeads have become an environmental disaster. The polymer technology to manufacture polymer beads was invented by the late Norwegian Professor John Ugelstad and these perfect little monosized spheres went into production in 2002 with the Norwegian company, Microbeads AS. They were used in a wide range of industries, not just with cosmetics and personal care. Uses included paints, plastics, ceramics and adhesives. Being cheap to manufacture, they seemed like a dream until it was realized how destructive they were to marine life.

Microbeads are made of non-biodegradable plastic. When they get washed down the drain they end up in local rivers and lakes. Being so tiny, they slip right through most water treatment systems. 

About the same size as fish eggs, to any organism that lives in the water, they look like food. Once in the food web, such toxins are passed right along to humans and other wildlife.

Microbeads are in so many personal care products, body scrubs, facial cleanses, toothpastes, all things most everyone uses on a daily basis. So many beads are believed to be polluting the Great Lakes that our world's largest source of fresh water is being poisoned.

Until the ban is completely in effect, what you can do is read labels. If polyethylene or polypropylene are listed as an ingredient, there is most likely microbeads in that product.

Another option is to use other sources for exfoliation. 

The definition of exfoliation is the cosmetic practice of removing dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin, called the epidermis. Amazing fact is that our skin can naturally shed 30,000 to 40,000 dead cells per minute.

If you feel your face or body has a dull appearance it could mean an accumulation of those dead surface cells. Remove them by means of dry brushing, a loofah sponge, a hemp scrubby pad or by using a salt or sugar scrub. 

Complaints people often have with moisturizers is that they seem to leave an oily residue. Of course a reason could be the lotion itself, but it could also be because the person is applying a moisturizer to old, dead skin cells and it is not penetrating the upper layer of the skin.

Sugar scrubs are a great way to slough off that old layer, unclog blocked pores, and reveal radiant freshness to perk up that tired look.

Cane sugar contains a naturally occurring acid known as glycolic acid which belongs to the family of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA). These acids stimulate and loosen the dry, flaky layer created by accumulating dead skin cells. 

White sugar is the result of sulfur dioxide being introduced to the cane sugar before evaporation which bleaches the sugar to be white as are most familiar. 

These scrubs below use raw, unprocessed sugars such as demerara and cane juice sugar.

Though exfoliation is important for an effective skin care routine, you can't overdo it and you must be very gentle. The skin of your face is fragile and can be easily damaged. It should be treated with care, no scrubbing, or you may irritate or even create tiny tears which leave the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Salt scrubs are great too, but if used on the face you must remember that salt can be more abrasive than sugar. Using salt for a body scrub is a great way to cleanse and detoxify by drawing out impurities. Sea salt is a much better choice than table salt. Table salt is bleached and refined, therefore it lacks many of the minerals of the ocean.

The salt scrubs below are called salt polishes because they not only contain a moisturizing oil but also a touch of castile soap. Therefore, you get the effect of a good clean as well as the expected exfoliation.  

Coconut Oil Face and Body Sugar Scrub

Vegetable Glycerin Face and Body Sugar Scrub

Glowing Skin Salt Body Polish

Lemon Zest Glowing Skin Salt Body Polish

Baths, a Time for nursing the Body and Soul

Ever wonder why a hot bath is such a comfort?
According to this article from Daily Mail Reporter when people feel loneliness they tend to feel cold and the feel of a hot bath can help with feelings of isolation. There is a link between physical warmth and social warmth and it all begins in childhood where so much comfort comes from hot things like soup, hot drinks and the love from those who offer them. Warm water can substitute for desired company and help lift that down in the dumps feeling that is so often helped by being around other people.

You certainly don't have to feel lonely to desire the escape from it all in a nice soak. Perhaps you have had plenty of socialization for a day and just want time to be left alone and nurse your frazzled nerves. Take time for yourself once in a while and close that bathroom door for at least 30 minutes.

Humans have a natural pull towards the sea and the theory is that since the water content of our bodies is so similar to seawater we feel a connection. There is a quote by JFK that says, "We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch, we are going back from whence we came."

Warm water is so very therapeutic for not only the soul, but for the body as well. Stiff muscles and achy joints benefit so greatly from the heat and relaxation offered from warm water.
Bath oils offer the silky skin loving benefits of carrier oils such as almond, jojoba, olive, apricot and wheat germ. Essential oils are added which further add quality to a good bath oil. Certain plant essences contain anti-inflammatory properties or help eliminate toxins and fluid retention or do wonders for the weary spirit.
The salts used for bath salts contain necessary minerals such as magnesium which are so often lacking in our modern diets. By absorbing these minerals through our skin, we benefit by way of stress relief and even lowering blood pressure.
Bath salts aid with periodic detoxification and help to eliminate toxins.

Feel better, Sleep better and you'll Do better

Below are some of the bath products found within the Meadow Muffin Gardens shop.
 Here are just a few of the available bath oils, salts and scrubs:

Sensual Earth Patchouli and Lavender Bath Oil

Down in the Dumps Bath Oil

Lavender andYlangYlang Bath Salts

Grounding Earth Bath Salts

Salt Polish Body Scrub

Vanilla Sugar Scrub

Chamomile, It all Started with Peter Rabbit

My introduction into the world of herbs all started with the famous children's book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Most mother's can relate with how to handle mischievous children who don't listen and then come whimpering to Mom when hurting or upset. Mama rabbit simply put her little bunny to bed with a cup of chamomile tea and let him reflect on his lesson learned after such an adventurous day.

Be it frazzled nerves or an upset tummy, chamomile tea was the best remedy to calm both conditions at the same time. Better yet, chamomile tea lulled little Peter Rabbit into the la la land of sleep.

Much of chamomile's medicinal effects are targeted toward the digestive tract and nervous system. It's rich history around the world has it regarded as a drug in many areas, with the respect going far beyond being just another plant brushed aside with the emergence of western medicine.

As said by herbalist Kathi Keville, "It looks like a tiny daisy, smells like apples and has a sweet, almost fruity taste. But chamomile is no dainty herb. It's a virtual powerhouse of healing."

The word itself comes from two Greek words, khamai, which means "on the ground", and melon, which means "apple".

 The two two main types of chamomile we see are German (Matricaria recutita) and Roman (Chamaemelum nobile). 

The active constituents of chamomile include anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and anti-anxiety properties within the essential oils of the plant. By soothing the gastrointestinal tract, chamomile relieves painful spasms and the pressure from gas build-up. Skin conditions are calmed down with the topical application of chamomile salves and even just by laying wet, used tea bags on the irritated area. Compounds called flavonoids present in chamomile promote both an anti-inflammatory and an anti-anxiety effect when they bind with certain receptor sites in the brain.

Chamomile tea can be a godsend for parents pacing the floor with a colicky baby. The build-up of intestinal gas is very painful. Just a teaspoon of cooled chamomile tea given every ten minutes can relieve a baby's misery amazingly fast. Catnip is another wonderful herb safe for babies.

Combine a hot water bottle placed over the lower abdomen and sipping chamomile tea every 15 minutes for a sure relief from those dreaded 

 PMS menstrual cramps. Add cramp bark, grated ginger, scullcap, and wild yam to the tea for an even better blend.

Be it a child or an adult, everyone has occasional trouble falling asleep. A cup of chamomile tea with a spoonful of honey can become a nightly ritual to look forward to in readiness for bed. The nerve relaxing properties of this herb are wonderful for settling down overtired children and the cluttered minds of over stressed adults.

Long-term stress can be one factor in the development of ulcers. Chamomile contains azulene, which is believed to promote healing in the mucus layer of the stomach. Azulene in chamomile essential oil is what turns the oil a bright blue.

For muscle pain in general, a great combination of essential oils is:

chamomile, clary sage and marjoram. Use just three drops of each of these essential oils added to one ounce of a carrier oil such as olive oil. Use a bit of this mixture to massage the areas of muscle pain.

Skin rashes of all types can be eased with the topical use of chamomile. Added to baths, creams or salves, the anti-inflammatory effects can calm down such skin flares. Besides the anti-inflammatory benefits, chamomile is also antibacterial and antifungal. Among the microbes that chamomile inhibits are the ones responsible for staph and Candida infections. This is very good to know for people dealing with itchy conditions such as eczema where scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections.

It may not be completely understood as to why, but chamomile tea can lessen the symptoms during allergy season. It is thought that chamomile stimulates the release of the body's natural cortisone. Cortisone inhibits the release of histamine, which is the chemical responsible for the runny nose, itchy eyes and hives. For better results, mix chamomile with yarrow for hay fever and mullein for asthma. There is debate as to whether a ragweed allergy automatically means a person is allergic to chamomile.

A great eyewash for sore eyes is made by seeping two teaspoons of chamomile in one-half cup of boiling water. Let this strong infusion cool and then strain through a coffee filter. Use an eye cup or an eye dropper to flush the eyes. A nice warm compress laid over the eyes would feel wonderful as well. You can even use the spent tea bags from the cup of tea you just drank and lay over your eyes.

In beauty care, chamomile is wonderful as part of facial toners and hair rinses. Chamomile's anti-inflammatory action helps calm down inflamed skin therefore very useful for breakouts.

Long used by people with blonde hair as a hair rinse to bring out those natural highlights.

If you want to grow your own chamomile it is fairly easy. Chamomile is an annual which once it is planted and gets established, it will pop up on its own every year. The flowers are the parts collected and if you harvest on a regular basis during the growing season the flowers will continue before finally going to seed. 

Below are several products utilizing this amazing herb:

Click on the link below the pictures to take you into the shop

Coconut Herbal Balm, Wounds, Dry Skin

Rich Foot Balm for Blisters, Calluses, Skin Cracks

Shea Butter Herbal Balm for Dry Skin, Healing

Herbal Salve for Eczema, Skin conditions

Hurting Tummy Oil

Children's Settle Down Massage Oil

Tension Headache Massage Oil

Mensus Misery Massage Oil

Sleep and Dream Mist Linen Spray

Chamomile, Nettles, Calendula Facial Toner

Raw Honey Facial Mask

Vinegar Rinse for Light Hair