Available for sale from March 21st (but you can always order ahead by sending me an e-mail).

…whipped body butter! Using a combination of just vegetable oils and essential oils, I’m now experimenting with blends that are luxuriant on skin without needing to rely on preservatives, stabilizers etc that are normally present in store-bought body butters.

I’ve been working hard at this—and the results are pretty exciting!

The key active ingredient that I’m including in my blends is cocoa butter—the lovely stuff that has a subtle yet rich scent, and does wonders for dry skin. I’m now figuring out how to balance the solid and liquid oils in order to come up with a smooth, easy to apply butter. Another challenge is finding the right amount of cornflour to add to the blend so as to help counter the greasiness in body butters that some may not be accustomed to.

So far I’ve made 1 batch, which I’ve reworked because it was too solid. I also added a cocktail of essential oils—geranium, citronella and lavender—in an attempt to make the butter act as a mosquito repellent for the kids. The blend seems to work on me! This evening I applied the body butter on my arms and legs before heading off to my in-laws’ (their place is teeming with mozzies, unfortunately), and instead of coming home covered in itchy bumps as usual, I have none to show for my visit! My husband still got bitten despite the body butter though. He reckons maybe his own body odour trumped the essential oils.

Next step—to apply the butter on the kids. First I want to make sure they don’t have an adverse skin reaction (it is possible for citronella to irritate sensitive skin), and only then will I concern myself with observing whether they escape being mozzie buffets. Fingers crossed that the butter passes both tests!

Will these eventually be for sale? Yes, that is my goal. So far I have been receiving great feedback on my soap, but to *really* give skin proper all-round care, moisturizing is the next logical step. Apart from getting the formulation just right, I am also in the midst of sourcing for responsible packaging. I would love to use round glass jars for my body butters, but they have been quite difficult to find locally. The desire to minimise my environmental footprint has me searching for locally-produced or locally-available stock—suffice to say, the hunt goes on for a suitable packaging solution.

Alright now, time for bed and a brand new week to breeze through.

Lately I’ve turned to using body oils as moisturizers, opting out of the usual baby lotions which still contain preservatives. It takes just a little effort and some getting used to, but I guarantee you that if you have little tots about the house to care for, this is a real fun skincare routine that you’ll all enjoy.

So here’s what I blend together for my basic body oil:

• macadamia nut oil (70%)
• wheatgerm oil (20%)
• avocado oil (10%)

I’ll get round to explaining why I chose these oils in a bit. But first, let me tell you how I get my kids excited about this moisturizing routine.

Get a spray bottle and fill it with plain water. Tap water is fine, but you can use mineral water if you wish. I personally don’t encourage the latter for environmental reasons, but the choice is still yours. I’m still using up a spray can of Evian mineral water that I received as a door gift a year ago. (Well, it’s not good to waste either, right?)

Then spritz your kids all over with the water—face, arms, legs, tummies, backs. I seriously doubt there are children out there who aren’t thrilled at the prospect of this kind of play! Mine have grins plastered on their faces in anticipation of the cool mist, everytime I whip out the spray can. It’s also a great distraction ploy.

Once their skin is dampened, apply a small amount of the blended oils directly to their skin. It’s even ok for their faces - just avoid their eyes. It might seem a little greasy at first but the oils do sink into the skin after about 2-3 minutes. Apply this as often as required, whenever their skin looks like in need of a little extra loving.

If you’d rather not use a water spray, just make this part of your kids’ bath time routines, applying the oil right after they shower before toweling off.

And of course it’s great for grown-ups too!

Now, coming back to why I chose these oils to blend together:

Macadamia nut oil is rich in palmitoleic acid, which occurs naturally in our body’s fatty tissues and in our liver. I’ve read somewhere that its properties closely match that of our skin’s sebum, which makes it a great ingredient to help our skin stay moisturized. It’s a popular carrier oil in spas and aromatherapy practices as it is absorbed easily, and of course brings with it a lot of love.

Wheatgerm oil is naturally rich in tocopherols, what we normally refer to as Vitamin E. I added this to the blend because Brandon tends to get all kinds of bumps and scratches which don’t heal particularly well on their own. Once I started applying the oil on his legs, the skin has visibly softened and the scars are finally fading after a week’s application.

Avocado oil is particularly good for plumping up dry skin. I used less of this oil because it’s a little thicker than the rest and I didn’t want it to get too heavy for the kids. Otherwise you can bump up the proportion of this oil for yourself if your skin needs added moisture.

Where can you get these oils? I got my stash from Jaya Grocer, at Jaya 33 Petaling Jaya. Otherwise you can check out Village Grocer at Bangsar Village, or other organic supply stores. Of the 3 oils, wheatgerm oil is by far the most costly, almost double the price of the other two—but believe me, it’s totally worth it when you feel what a difference it makes to your skin. Keep your wheatgerm oil in the fridge to help preserve its healthful properties for longer.

Now get your kids into this fun skincare routine!

Today’s recipe is…

Cucumber Yogurt Cleansing Mask for all skin types

What you’ll need:
1/2 peeled cucumber (1/2 if you’re using a Japanese cucumber)
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 tbsp honey

Step 1:
Toss the cucumber in a blender or food processor, then mix the resulting mush with the honey and yogurt until you have a watery paste.
Step 2:
Slather it on your face (and neck if you’ve got extra). Leave it on for 15 minutes, then rub gently for another 1 minute before rinsing off with cool water. Gently pat dry. The result? Soft, dewy skin!

The Goodies:
Cucumber soothes, tones and hydrates, helping to restore the skin’s natural acid mantle.
Honey tones, softens, rejuvenates, and is a natural humectant, helping to draw moisture to the skin to keep it smooth and supple.
Yogurt is something of a miracle food for skin. It has a high zinc content, which helps to clear blemished skin. It also contains lactic acid, a mild exfoliant, and proteins that moisturize and improve overall skin texture.

Extra Tip:
This recipe can be used as is, or as the liquid portion for our Rhassoul Chocolate Milk Masque. Simply add a tablespoon of dry masque to the recipe, mix well, and proceed with step 2. The masque will be slightly thicker, and easier to apply.

Leftover mask can be kept in the fridge, but since this is made fresh without preservatives, it should be used within 2 days.

Enjoy!

Love,
Amber