Archive for July, 2009

DIY Cosmetic: Basic Floral Water Cleansing Lotion

UTC01000000Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:08:50 +00005017pm09, · Filed under Make-Your-Own Cosmetics · Tagged , , ,

cleansing

This very basic cleansing lotion is based on a traditional recipe and it is gentle enough for daily use. You’ll need

1/2 Cup Floral Hydrosol (read tips below)

1/2 Cup Glycerine (I prefer vegetable glycerine)

3-5 drops Pure Essential Oil (of your choice)

1. Stir the hydrosol and glycerine in a heat-proof glass bowl, preferably a pyrex or an arcopal. Pour the mixture into a small pot, set the heat to medium.

2. Stir the mixture gently until bubbles start forming from the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat immediately, pour the mixture back into the bowl.

3. When the mixture has cooled off to just ‘warm to the touch’, mix in your essential oils, stir with a glass rod,  then pour the mixture  into an airtight container/bottle. I prefer to use amber glass bottle. In Kuala Lumpur, you  can buy it at MS Ally Pharmacy.

5. Keep refrigerated. This lotion will keep well  for up to a month.

To Use: Shake the mixture gently. Massage the lotion  gently to your face in a circular motion. Rinse off several times with a warm, damp face cloth. Follow with a natural toner like our Floral Hydrosols and a moisturizer.

Tips:

1. Which hydrosol & pure essential oil to use? You can use a single hydrosol/essential oil or a combination/synergy of 2-3 hydrosols/essential oils to suit your skin type. For example:

Normal Skin:  I suggest Roman Chamomile, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Neroli, Rose Geranium.

Dry/Mature Skin: Rose, Frankincense, Rose Geranium, Roman Chamomile, Jasmine, Lavender,

Sensitive/Fragile/Damaged Skin: Rose, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Jasmine, Neroli, Immortelle

Oily/Combination Skin: Rose, Melissa, Neroli, Rosemary, Lemon, Ylang-Ylang, Lavender

Congested Skin/Clogged Pores: Rosemary, Lemon, Immortelle

Oily-Dehydrated Skin/Hormonal Acne: Melissa

Ingredients Glossary:

1. Hydrosol/Floral Water

Hydrosol is the liquid by-product of the steam distillation process that produces Pure Essential Oils. This aromatic liquid contains both minute molecules of the essential oil, as well as all the water soluble elements of the plant that are not present in the essential oil. A hydrosol contains all the beneficial quality of the same pure essential oil but at a much lower concentration making it more suitable for use on sensitive skin. It is a very versatile product, it can be used in a bath, as a gentle toner and astringent, cooling face and body mist, baby wipes, linen water, ironing aid, gentle perfume, room fragrance mist, fragrant hair spray and more!

2. Glycerine USP

Glycerin is one of the most versatile and valuable chemical substances known to man. It possesses a unique combination of physical and chemical properties that are utilized in myriad products. Glycerin has over 1,500 known end uses, including many applications as an ingredient or processing aid in cosmetics, toiletries, personal care, drugs, and food products. It may be synthetically produced (from petrochemicals) or naturally produced, as in from fats and oils during soap and fatty acid production and by transesterification (an interchange of fatty acid groups with another alcohol). Glycerine is a soothing, humectant which draws moisture from the air to the skin. It is an emollient, which makes the skin feel softer and smoother, reduce rough feeling, cracking and irritation. Glycerine has a high hydrophilic (water) factor and a low lipophilic (fat) factor. Vegetable glycerine is non-toxic, nonirritating and non-allergenic and suitable for vegan and halal consumer. A very sweet syrup, about half as sweet as sugar.

3. Pure Essential Oil

An essential oil is the volatile essence distilled (most frequently by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other elements of a plant. Essential oils, contrary to the use of the word “oil” are not the same as your regular fixed/cooking oil. It is the essential element in aromatherapy. Aromatherapists believed that essential oils help mobilize the body’s own self-healing powers. Unlike conventional drugs, essential oils when properly administered, produced no harmful side-effects. Some pure essential oils are being clinically studied for its antiviral, antibacterial and healing properties. Pure essential oils are ‘living essence’, each has its own vital energy and vibrations that can actually be seen with Kirlian photography.

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Handmade Savon d’Alep (Aleppo Olive Soap)

UTC11000000Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:32:12 +00001216am09, · Filed under Product Profile · Tagged , , , ,

aleppo_soap 

Can you believe it that this soap is made from a 2,000 year old soap recipe that goes back to Hammurabi’s  ancient Babylon? It is the first hard soap and the great, grandfather of all soap bars in history! This is the original castile soap…Savon de Marseille is just a mere baby compared to the Savon d’Alep and is actually a 15th century copycat of the latter.

Savon d’Alep is also known as the Aleppo Soap, Hammam Soap and Ghar Soap. Made in UNESCO world heritage city of Aleppo, this olive oil hammam soap is still hand made in the traditional way, exclusively from home-grown olive oil, laurel berries oil, and sodium hydroxide ( extracted from sea salt ). It contains no animal fat, colors, perfume,  chemical or synthetic derivative. If there’s one product that has gone through the test of time with flying colors, then this soap is the winner.

The Aleppo hammam soap is ‘cooked’ to more than a 200 degree Celsius in a cauldron. The base ingredient would be olive oil and soda ash obtained from a desert plant called the salsola kali. After saponification took place, that is when the olive oil separated into glycerine and sodium salt, bay laurel oil is added. Further saponification will take place, later the caustic soda solution is drained off from the cauldron and the soap mixture is rinsed off any alkalinity with fresh water. The soap is spread out to solidify before being cut by hand, by traditional methods, into rectangular bars and individually stamped and left to cure or dried for at least 9 months.  The longer the soap is cured, the harder the soap will be and the milder and gentler the soap is. This soap age like fine wine. Some people in Aleppo actually bragged around about 20-30 years old soaps kept in the attic.

This soap is mild, nourishing and moisturizing. It won’t dry your skin out and excellent to be used from head-to-toe. Do you know that this soap bar actually floats in your bath due to its density? When cut into two, you can see the beige outer rind with a lovely leafy green on the inside

The Savon d’Alep offered at GreenVanillaStore contains 92% Pure Olive Oil.  This is a really traditional Aleppo Soap handmade by the Zanabili family of Aleppo, Syria. They have been making this soap using the traditional methods for almost 2 centuries! Sales support the survival of traditional businesses in UNESCO World Heritage Site of Aleppo’s Old City. The making of this soap is totally environmental friendly and involves no animal testing. This 230g soap bar with luxurious, creamy lather can last you for up to a month!

How to Use the Savon d’Alep

1. This soap can be used from head-to-toe, from moisturizing facial cleansing to conditioning hair shampooing. Excellent when used with a loofah or exfoliating fibre mitt.

2. Makes a great shaving soap.

3. Adds body and volume to hair when used as shampoo. On dyed hair, it actually helps prolong the color.

4. When used as a hammam-style massage soap , it has a smooth, deep and warming effect that leaves your skin feeling deeply-cleansed and refreshed.

5. Use a a deep cleansing face masque. Wet face, lather the soap and massage the lather to your face, leave about 2-3 minutes. Wipe off with warm wet towel.

6. Gentle enough for baby (avoid eye areas), and those with sensitive and troubled skin.

7. Use the soap instead of your usual detergent for fine laundry and baby clothings.

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