Using Herbs To Control Skin Outbreaks

31. May 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Health, Herbalism, Mommy Care, Remedies · Tags: , ,

Today’s guest post will help you learn to use herbs to control skin outbreaks – Just love that acne mask recipe! Enjoy!

Chamomile Flowers for Healthy Skin

For millennia, women and men have been using herbs to support the heath of their skin. As modern people become more and more wary of synthetic skin products, they’ve rediscovered some of the herbs that used to keep their ancestors skin fresh, blemishless and healthy. See wrinklecreams.com for more information.

The Good and Bad News About Oily Skin 

Skin outbreaks can happen to anyone, but they seem to be the bane of people with oily complexions, or at least young people with oily complexions. For people with oily skin have skin that holds in moisture, so they tend to have fewer wrinkles as they age.

Since oil does have the benefit of keeping the skin lubricated, nothing should be taken that shuts down oil production all together. Some herbs can stop the overproduction of oil that leads to skin outbreaks like acne. Some of these herbs include basil, eucalyptus, lemon grass, yarrow and the fruit and leaves of strawberries.

Cleaning Away Excess Oil 

A person with oily skin should wash their face at least twice a day with a neutral cleanser. Cotton pads dampened with witch hazel will also help wipe away excess oil. They can also steam their face once a week to unclog the pores and further get rid of excess oil. Alcohol should be used sparingly, as it dries out the skin so much that the skin reacts by producing even more oil than it did before.

One facial steam for oily complexions uses a mix of herbs: 

1 rounded teaspoon each of chamomile flowers, lemon grass leaves, lavender flowers and rosemary leaves. Simmer water, add the herbs, remove from the heat and steep for five minutes. A mask for an oily complexion can be this one:

1 tbs. witch hazel

1 tsp. bentonite clay

1 strawberry, mashed

2 drops each of lemon and cypress essential oils

Mix the ingredients and apply to the face. Leave on for about five to 10 minutes, then rinse.

A mask for acne can be: 

1 tsp. bentonite clay

1 tsp. ground strawberry leaves

1 drop chamomile, sage or rosemary essential oil

1 drop of tea tree essential oil

Water

Mix these ingredients into a paste with the water. Apply to the face in a thin layer and take care to avoid the eyes. Leave on for as long as it’s comfortable, then rinse.

Herbs and their essential oils can make a great difference when it comes to skin care and they’re much less expensive to buy than the batteries of skin care products found on the drugstore shelves!

Naturally Care for Your Skin

30. January 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: Health, Mommy Care · Tags: , ,

Please enjoy today’s special guest report which shares some tips on how to naturally care for your skin.

We all worry about our skin from time to time – especially as we age. Whether any woman wants to admit it or not, we are all prone to the effects of aging and those sun spots, dry skin, and wrinkles are bound to creep up on us at some point. However, in a world obsessed with looking young, you don’t have to commit to some age-defying procedure to get great looking skin. Simply switching to natural skincare products can do the trick.

While most women stick to high end traditional skin care products to care for their faces, many are unaware of the damage these types of products can actually do. Traditional skin care products contain large amounts of parabens and other chemicals which can actually further irritate your skin, leading to dry or red patches or even further break outs. The additional dryness these products can cause can actually increase the signs of aging at a more rapid rate.

So if you are looking for a better way to care for your face, consider purchasing natural skincare products. There are a wide variety of lines, including those from major recognizable brands to more natural and independent lines such as Nude Skincare, and these products don’t have any of the harmful additives found in traditional products. Because they are packed with vitamins and minerals, your face also gets an extra boost that can help with reducing age spots and increasing firmness.

In addition to not having any agitating chemicals, natural skincare products are just all around better for the environment. Most natural skin care products come in a biodegradable packaging that is plant-based so you don’t have to worry about the environmental impact, and they are also not tested on animals. So for those of us looking to further reduce our footprint, buying natural skincare products allows us to do so with one easy switch.

Those interested in natural skincare products should note, however, that they can be as evenly priced or even more expensive than some traditional brands. While the effects on your skin and environment make it worth the few additional bucks you spend, you are going to want to shop around for the best deals. There are several retailers online which offer great natural products at an affordable price.

Alchemilla Pure Organic Skin Care Kit Giveaway

28. May 2008 · 273 comments · Categories: Contest, Herbalism, Mommy Care, Product Review · Tags: , ,

I used to have pretty good skin. It got even better when I was pregnant–one of the lucky ones? I don’t know. Because after the baby was born, my skin got rough and it seemed no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it back to its pre-baby glory. I even invested in a set of Dr. Hauschka products, all natural and organic, but my skin just sucked that stuff up like it didn’t see the price tag, and I still had a rough complexion.

Then came Alchemilla. Yay! Can I say “Yay” without sounding juvenile? I guess my commentary will have to match my new skin. I tried the Exfoliating Face Wash Cream and was shocked at how different my complexion looked right from the first try. It’s something you use a few times a week, and it takes so very little to wash with that the tube will last a good long time. The smell? Fabulous. Herbal. Fresh. After that I used a little bit of the Rose Rehydrating Essence which is a great boost for dry skin. I know what you’re thinking, “Rose? Hello Grandma!” But no, the scent is subtle and refreshing, not heavy; and it doesn’t stick to you for hours, leaving a floral trail behind you. I finished up with the Rehydrating Day Care Cream, which once again took a surprisingly small amount to do the job. My skin looked so improved by the next morning that I haven’t used anything but Alchemilla for the past week. Tiny little wrinkles I’ve fought with for years, including the new ones that come free with a two-year-old boy, are vanishing. Again, Yay! I’ve even forgone makeup lately, something that usually frightens me.

The very best part about Alchemilla has to be its purity. Everything is organic, natural, and chemical free which is a must for me. You won’t find any lurking parabens, nasty alcohols, or other icky stuff hiding in their products. Based in Oregon, this young company buys all their herbs locally and is even working on growing their own. Alchemilla was started in October of 2007, which means you get to discover it before Gwyneth Paltrow and Sarah Jessica Parker. And Oprah. Let’s not forget Oprah. I love to discover things before her. She can’t have all the great stuff first!

So you want to try it now, don’t you? Alchemilla generously provided THREE of their brand new Skin Care Trial Kits ($32.50 value) that I’ll give away here. This is what’s included in the kit:

- Foaming Facial Cleansing Gel (1oz)
- Clarifying Facial Toner (1oz)
- Exfoliating Face Wash Cream (10g tube)
- Gentle Plant Purifying Masque (15g tube)
- Rehydrating Day Care Cream (10g tube)
- Rehydrating Essence – Rose (2ml vial)

- Antioxidant Concentrate Serum (sample sachet)

Ready to enter? Good, let’s get rid of our wrinkles together!

3 Ways to Enter:

1.) Leave a comment telling me what interests you the most at Alchemilla. You can name a product, mention a feature of the website, or tell me something about their business in general that appeals to you. Believe me, this won’t be difficult!

2.) Subscribers are automatically entered into this and all future giveaways. Just click here: Subscribe to dkMommy Spot by Email (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Monday, June 2, 2008, to enter.

Note: I just noticed Alchemilla has a newsletter. When you sign up, you get a free New Subscriber Reward with an order of $35 or more. I signed up and got a coupon code for a free full size hand cream. Very fortunate. Improving the skin on my hands is my next project!

How to Get Rid of Wrinkles Naturally

01. May 2008 · 10 comments · Categories: Herbalism, Homemade Products, Mommy Care, Money Saving Tips, Remedies · Tags: , ,


If one thing has put more fine lines and wrinkles on my face, it’s being a mom. I don’t know where those all came from! I could Botox myself, but no one is going to stick needles in my face, and I’d still like to be able to move my face. (Can you imagine yelling at your kids to get out of the street with no facial expression whatsoever??? What good would this do, I ask?) I could get a chemical peel, but chemicals are icky. I could buy expensive lotions and load up on my paraben intake. Or I could try getting rid of the wrinkles naturally–and make some tea.

Yeah, I hear all my regular readers thinking, “There she goes with tea again!” But I just found out a tip that is just begging to be put to the test. Apparently, lemon balm tea can be used as a wrinkle reducing astringent! I haven’t tried this one yet, but you can count on the fact that I will.

Here’s what you do: Take two cups of boiling water and pour it over a handful of FRESH lemon balm. When it cools, strain out the herbs and refrigerate the cooled tea. Use this liquid each morning after washing your face.

To me, this sounds very refreshing as well. I love the smell of lemon balm. If you drink lemon balm tea, you’ll relax. So maybe this relaxes your face, which is something every mom can stand to do every now and then. If you give this a whirl and you manage to get rid of some wrinkles, let me know. We’ll get together and have a tea party.

Best of dkMommy: Kiss Dry Skin Goodbye with coconut oil.

Healing Eczema and Dry Skin Naturally for Baby (and Mom!)

28. April 2008 · 15 comments · Categories: Health, Mommy Care, Money Saving Tips, Remedies · Tags: , , ,


There’s nothing sweeter than your baby’s face! You could stare at your son or daughter all day. And although all babies are perfect in the eyes of their mother, there are issues that sometimes need a little healing, such as dry skin and eczema. Newborns especially are prone to dry patches of skin on the cheeks, and even on the scalp, arms, and legs. What’s a health conscious mother to do?

My son is almost two now, and I’ve always battled with small patches of dry skin on those chubby cheeks. I’ve tried every natural solution I could come up with such as coconut oil, homemade calendula oil, and others. Although these have worked and I’ll continue to use them for dry skin, nothing works as good as the most simple solution I’ve come up with: Vitamin E.

You know those cute little amber Vitamin E capsules? They can be cut open and squeezed, releasing one of the most potent skin healers out there. Yes, it’s goopy. Yes, it’s kinda sticky. But it works. I smeared it on my son’s cheeks before he went to bed, and by morning his skin looked healthier than ever. Naturally, I tried it on my own skin and found it worked just as great for me! (A word of caution – unless you want to appear to be in a constant sweat, don’t put this on during the day. It’s rather shiny.)

Once again, this is a money saving tip as well. A bottle of Vitamin E (go for the natural, not synthetic–you know how I am) is much cheaper than an eczema prescription or, heaven help us, those pricey night serum capsules for mom.

Best of dkMommy: How to Calm a Fever After Vaccinations, post #153

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