EZ Herbs October Herb of the Month

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My dear Herbal Enthusiast:

 

Finally some cooler weather here in Texas, which generates Fall Fever for me.

I'm planting vegetable seeds in my garden, more native plants in my landscape

and enjoying the quiet, cool mornings sprucing up the garden and watching my new

baby chick play and grow.

 

This month's Herb of the Month features a class that is coming up this weekend,

called, Creating your own Cosmetics, Naturally. It's Saturday, Oct 22nd from

2-5pm. This article will inform you about an alternative approach to cleaning,

toning and maintaining healthy skin while using your green friends from your

garden.

 

If you are so inclined, join us on Saturday for a hands-on approach to creating

and using these products, enjoying a 5 step herbal facial, including a mask,and

herbal facial steam. You will have time for a delightful stroll through the

garden and will enjoy eating some healthy, fresh herbal snacks. You can even

treat yourself to a reflexology treatment. More information and registration is

available on my website, www.ezherbs.net.

 

Check out my website for some new Fall pictures including my Open House and A

Garden Tour and Talk I hosted. Fall Aster, Pineapple Sage, Maximillian

Sunflowers and some roses are some of the plants that are happily blooming this

fall.

 

Now on to October's Herb of the Month.

 

 

Creating Your Own Cosmetics, Naturally

 

 

 

Everyday, all the woman I know use a cosmetic of some kind to beautify their

skin, facial features, and body. With so many cosmetics on the market, it is

difficult to choose those products that contain the best ingredients at the best

prices. Two teachers have guided me in learning how to use the right cosmetics

- the ones that are made from natural products with no preservatives, and the

ones that are made without inhumane, animal testing. These teachers are my

mentor, Rosemary Gladstar, and the Greek Goddess, Cosmeos. Cosmeos teaches us

about the beauty of the flowers and the fragrance of the hillsides, and that

enhancing your outer beauty naturally follows from enhancing your inner beauty

through loving nature, and loving and respecting your fellow human beings.

 

 

 

There are many herbs that are beneficial to the care and conditioning of our

skin. Chamomile is helpful as an anti-inflammatory when there may be swelling

or puffiness. Calendula is nourishing, soothing, and anti-bacterial. Roses are

emollient and moisturizing, and replenish the tone of the skin. Comfrey can

help heal scars, wounds, and old blemishes. The herbs and flowers that grow

naturally all around us are just waiting for the right person to come along,

appreciate their uniqueness and willingness to give, and begin to use them for

their enjoyment and to enhance their beauty.

 

 

 

I teach a class on Creating Cosmetics, where we first meet some of the plants

and flowers in the garden, and get to see and experience their unique beauty

first-hand. Then these beautiful women get together and scrub their faces with

a natural cleanser, followed by an old- fashioned, facial steam. The cleanser,

which is called " Miracle Grains, " is made from white clay, ground rolled oats,

ground almonds, roses, and lavender. These grains make an exceptional facial

scrub, leaving your face feeling clean, soft, and smooth.

 

 

 

The steam is created by heating up water just to boiling, while adding several

herbs that are wonderfully beneficial for the skin. These herbs include roses,

chamomile, lavender, calendula, and a bit of comfrey, and for those with oily

skin, I add sage and rosemary. These herbs, along with the fresh flower petals

from my garden, are tossed into the hot water. One by one, the eager

participants bend their heads over the steaming pot, fold a large towel over

their heads, and breathe in the facial steam, allowing the earthy mixture to

open the pores of their skin, nourishing and toning their faces. The mixture

looks and feels heavenly. You are really supposed to stay under the towel for

just five minutes, but I often have a hard time getting each student to

relinquish her spot. Later in the class, during our masks, I use the same water

for footbaths. How relaxing and special!!! This month I am inviting a

certified reflexologist to the class, where she will offer ten-minute

reflexology treatments right after your footbath. What a glorious treat!!

 

 

 

After everyone is finished steaming, we partner up and put a facial mask on one

another. If your skin is normal, a mask made from green clay, warm water and

local honey is mixed and applied by your partner. If you tend to have dry skin,

you may want to use a straight honey mask. Most women seem to choose the

mixture of green clay and honey. We let the mask dry on our faces for about

twenty minutes, while relaxing to the sounds of soothing music, as our feet soak

delightfully in a footbath.

 

 

 

While we are waiting for our masks to dry, I teach the class how to make herbal,

facial astringents. The common astringents I usually recommend are Rosewater,

Lavender Toner, and an old gypsy recipe called, Queen of Hungary's Water. These

toners are made from soaking fresh rose petals, or lemongrass stems, or lavender

blossoms in a mixture of witch hazel and distilled water. The Queen of

Hungary's Water contains a combination of many fragrant, moisturizing, and

healing herbs that are particularly good for the skin. The toners, or

astringents, are sprayed on to the face after the mask to close your pores. The

fragrance is wonderful; the spray is refreshing and calming.

 

 

 

Finally we are ready to learn how to prepare and then use a glorious natural

moisturizer called " Perfect Cream " . This lovely moisturizer is made from almond

and /or apricot oil, rosewater, aloe vera gel, lanolin, beeswax, vitamin E oil,

cocoa butter and any fragrant essential oils you may choose, such as rose or

lavender. After creating the moisturizer, each participant applies a dab of

this incredible cream to their faces and assuredly feels pampered and beautiful.

In addition, each participant receives a small jar of " Perfect Cream " to take

home for their personal use. Participants also receive a sample of Miracle

Grains, the facial cleanser, to take home as well.

 

 

 

Creating cosmetics from natural products is a wise, practical, and economical

pursuit. First of all, you know exactly what is in your product, because you've

put it there. You can be assured that each ingredient is fresh, and contains no

chemicals or additives. Also, the process in making the products is an ethical

one. Most importantly, it is made with the love and concern for each human

being who will be using it. Making natural products is an expression of

appreciation for the plants and their ingredients.

 

 

 

An afternoon of pampering one's self by relaxing with others, using cleansers

and steams, and masks and moisturizers, is a fun, enchanting way of caring for

yourself and communing with friends.

 

 

 

If you would like to join a group of women and learn more about this class and

others, please contact me, Ellen Zimmermann, Certified Herbalist at

www.ezherbs.net or 512-301-5838.

 

 

 

In Beauty and with Green Blessings,

 

Ellen

 

 

Ellen Zimmermann

Sharing the Wisdom of the Plants

www.ezherbs.net

512-301-5838