It’s the first of December. There is no snow falling now. The ground is bare and muddy. Children linger by windows waiting in hopes of seeing the faint sparkle of white falling from the heaves, while they still find their hearts filled with joy at the thought of going outdoors to play for long hours without being cold and wet. It is an in-between feeling. We are spending more time indoors, reading by the cozy fire, playing games, working on puzzles, drinking tea and listening to audio stories. This makes up some of my favorite things about winter at home with the children. My body and heart craves for quieter afternoons, even if just for a half hour of being curled up under an afghan and crocheting or reading by a warm fire.
All seasons are beautiful. And I am grateful for one as they unfold. This, to me, is a hopeful season of slow(er), intimate and quiet days.
Being indoors means I can work on some homemade projects that have been on my to-do list. Here is one I worked on today in between homeschooling, cleaning up lunch and getting the house straightened out for the afternoon. So to me, that means this is a pretty simple recipe. 🙂
Here, adapted from Rosemary Gladstar’s book, is a delicious recipe for a beautiful, lightly-scented face cream that will make you feel feminine and lovely. You will not only save money from avoiding an overpriced cream at the retail store, but you will find satisfaction in personally creating a lovely healthy treat for your skin.
An easy collection of ingredients is all you will need. [I have had all of these ingredients on hand for quite some time – so if you feel that the initial purchase is intimidating, just know it will help you with future further projects.]
1/3 cup of Aloe Vera gel
half a dropper of Pure Rosehip Oil
1-5 drops of Essential Oil {preferred oil of choice}
1 oz. of beeswax (grated)
1/3 cup of coconut oil
2/3 cup of distilled water
I also added a few drops of my rose-infused oil, which I had made yesterday.
Making a face cream with rosehip oil is only natural, as this oil can regenerate skin cells, treats scars and acne. It has the ability to moisturize the driest skin, credited to give a healthy glow. I have written about the benefits of rosehips before – which you may read here.
To begin, mix the distilled water, aloe vera gel, rosehip oil and essentials together in a glass jar or measuring cup and set aside.
In a double boiler, melt the beeswax and coconut oil together slowly. Do not overheat. Once the beeswax is melted, take your oils away from the heat source and allow it to cool. You will want to pour it into your blender of choice at this point as it is easier to pour when it is completely liquid.
Allow to cool until the beeswax/coconut oil are approximately the same temperature as the Aloe Vera/rosehip mixture.
Once the two mixtures are near the same temperature, turn on your blender/mixer and slowly, ever so slowly, begin adding your aloe vera mixture to the oils. Just drizzle in a little at time. Go slowly.
As the mixer works, it will slowly emulsify to the point where it will look creamy and rich.
Pour into your chosen vessel – I used a glass mason jar and two smaller glass containers.
This lotion is soft, rich and silky and 100% natural – oh so good for your skin! It will sink into the layers of your face – or anywhere you use it! – and hydrate your skin, something we all need as winter sets in.
This is a thick cream so you will only need a little on your face but you may also use it on your hands, arms, neck, etc.
I will be giving two of the jars as gifts and one will be for my own skin care. Rosemary Gladstar’s book suggests to keep your lotion in a cool location. My bathroom is rather cold so it will be fine – in the summer months when we are in the heat of July, I may just keep it in the fridge.
by Gigi
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