It's been raining over the last couple of days so a great opportunity
to be inside doing things. I needed to stock up on a
few things I like to make and because I have been parked
at a cafe that makes a lot of coffee I wondered what I might
be able to make with the abundance of used coffee grounds.
Usually they get tipped onto the vegetable garden but...
I found this recipe in the latest Organic NZ magazine for
'Wake me up coffee and coconut oil exfoliant... and here it is.
I used the little bit of coffee from my stove-top espresso
to experiment with... The grounds are fine grind and organic.
Mix 2 tablespoons melted organic coconut oil with
3 tablespoons fine grind used coffee grounds.
Gently rub mixture onto your skin using small circular
motions. Rinse with warm water.
I used it all over, including very gently on my face. It
left my skin feeling smooth and wonderfully moisturised.
I didn't wash it off with any soap or body wash...
Made a bit of a mess in the shower but that rinsed away.
If making a larger amount store excess in fridge
keeps for several weeks.
Next thing... I needed to make more soap powder... This is
cheap, easy, non-toxic to clothes and the environment and gives
me whites that are whiter than white.
Equal quantities of baking soda and washing soda crystals.
Can use soda ash which is the same thing but in powder form
(I use 2 cups of each), 1 block pure Sunlight soap grated.
Put all together in a deep bowl, blend with stick blender
till fine. Use 1-2 tablespoons in washing machine.
I presoak my white bed linen, any stained teatowels overnight
next day throw in my towels and everything will be eye
dazzling white. DO NOT use on coloured clothes.
My container of fine soap powder with a
few flakes of soap and my little measure.
Next was my butter supply. I cut up 250gr of ordinary butter and sat
it in the window to soften, added 150gr olive oil and blend together.
The result, creamy butter that I keep in the fridge and is never hard,
always spreadable straight out of the fridge... And NO I don't eat margarine.
And lastly... Ages ago I found a recipe for Galens Cold Cream.
Cold Cream was used a lot in my mothers day but not so much today.
Galen was the great Greek physician who wrote much about the virtue
of roses and who invented the recipe for cold cream.
Later in the sixteenth century, the herbalist Culpepper gave many
uses for roses. He wrote "Of the Red Roses are usually made many
compositions, all serving to sundry good uses, vis, electuary of roses,
conserve both moist and dry, which is usually called sugar of roses,
syrup of dry roses and honey of roses; the cordial powder called
aromatic rosarum, the rose leaves dried are of very great use and effect".
All these preparation of roses were used to treat such diverse
conditions as haemorrhage of the lungs and coughs, night sweats
and other "female complaints" and ulcerated mouths...
Don't you just love the quaint language and the variety of
"female' complaints. Don't know what men did?
Anyway, here is a recipe for lovely Galens Cold Cream.
120ml oil (in small amounts ml's and grams are the same)
a 50/50 mix of almond oil and sunflower oil is best because
almond oil is good for dry skin and sunflower oil has nourishing
vitamin E in it. (I used almond and jojoba and a vit E capsule).
15gr beeswax, 60ml rosewater
2 drops essential oil of choice (I used rose/geranium)
1. Very gently heat oil and wax in a double boiler or if
using direct heat, use lowest heat possible.
2. When beeswax is melted beat with whizz stick while slowly adding
rosewater drop by drop. This must be done slowly but before the
mixture cools. Can use a fork or whisk.
3. Add essential oil when mixture is cool but before it hardens.
4. Suddenly the magic happens and the lovely white scented
cream appears. Keep beating then scrape into small pots.
This makes a light cream which can be used as both a
moisturiser or cleanser. It's very mild but if your skin is sensitive
leave out the essential oil.
I find it quite greasy and use sparingly every night.
My face and dry skin love it... And it smells divine.
HAPPY DAYS MAKING THINGS... IT'S FUN!
