Tag Archives: dry skin

Natural Body Powders To Keep You Dry This Summer

Healthy Me,

Body powders are great for absorbing excess perspiration, especially in this summer heat for adults and babies, and also great for reducing chafing and irritation especially in between thighs and under the breasts. Unfortunately for us, most commercial brands contain talc or talcum powder, which is a lung irritant, and quite often contaminated with asbestos and hence toxic. Fortunately you can make your own body and baby powders using inexpensive, natural alternatives such as cornstarch, arrowroot powder, baking powder, and white cosmetic clay, which work well and are safe and non-toxic!

Here are some suggestions to make your own body or baby powders at home- you can make them smell wonderful by simply adding essential oils of your choice – my personal favorite has been jasmine with lavender oil with dried and powdered rose petals and lavender. You can make a jar and leave it in the bathroom for use after showering.

Here are some additional choices to make different body powders for use:

SIMPLE AND EASY BODY POWDER

To make a simple body powder scent, you can use one cup of cornstarch, arrowroot, baking powder or cosmetic clay and simply add 20 – 30 drops of an organic essential oil of your choice. Mix in thoroughly with your fingertips and use when needed.

 

INVIGORATING BODY POWDER

Neroli, orange and grapefruit essential oils have a refreshing, invigorating and fresh scent that is perfect for hot summer days. Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) and clay help absorb excess perspiration and keep you fresh and dry.

¼ cup (50g) arrowroot or cornstarch

3 tablespoons white cosmetic clay

1 teaspoon of baking soda

5 drops lavender essential oil

8 drops neroli / orange/ grapefruit/ essential oil

Mix the arrowroot powder, baking soda and cornstarch with the cosmetic clay. Add the essential oils drop-by-drop to the powder; mixing it well with your fingers. Let the mixture sit for a couple of days before using, to allow the oils to fully scent the powders.

 

CALMING AND SOOTHING BODY POWDER

Rose, jasmine, lavender, ylang ylang, sandalwood create a soothing floral-scented powder.

¼ cup of dried and powdered fragrant rose petals

⅓ cup (50g) arrowroot or cornstarch

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 tablespoon white cosmetic clay

5 drops lavender essential oils

5 drops rose essential oil

2 drops of jasmine or ylang ylang or sandal wood essential oil

Grind the rose petals into the powder in a clean coffee grinder then mix with the arrowroot or cornstarch and cosmetic clay. Add the oils drop by drop, mixing them thoroughly into the powder with your fingers. Store in tightly covered container. Let the mixture sit for a couple of days before using to allow the essential oils to fully scent the powders.

By: SUSHMA SHAH, NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR, IN TORONTO.

Natural Treatments For Dry Skin

Healthy Me, ,

As the weather gets colder, our naturopathic clinic generally tends to see an influx of clients suffering from dry skin or very dry skin, or eczema flare ups looking either red and angry or very dry. A lot of them say that its the winter weather that tends to make their skin dry and itchy, but here are a few things to consider before blaming the winter. As the weather gets colder, people generally tend to go out less frequently to exercise, among other things. We tend to stay in and bundle up with a warm drink in our hands, and for a lot of people that drink could be tea or coffee, both natural diuretics, leaching out what limited fluid intake we have, and suddenly the skin starts to look drier and the cells less plump. As well, as the weather gets colder, people’s fluid intake tends to decrease dramatically as well.

Remember, 70% of your body is made up of water and the less you replenish, the more you drain your cells of water of moisture and the more dehydrated the body gets. So a simple way to keep the skin from getting dehydrated and looking all wrinkly and dry, is to HYDRATE, HYDRATE and HYDRATE! Make sure you keep up with your water intake. Have warmer water or room temperature water instead of ice cold water, if its the temperature of the water that keeps your intake limited.

Another factor to consider is your intake of essential fatty acids – omega 3, 6 and 9. These are easily available from your diet if you eat fish – at least 2 times a week, have nuts and seeds on a regular basis and cook with olive or canola oil. Various fatty acid supplements are available in health food stores these days, my recommendation is to make sure – if its skin related – that you get enough omega 6 and omega 3. Fish oils are high in 2 ingredients – EPA and DHA. EPA is good for the eyes, heart and skin. DHA is great for memory and the brain.

EXTERNAL TREATMENTS

To soothe the itchy skin, you could use oatmeal that has been ground up in your bath. Oatmeal is very soothing for the skin and has healing properties. You can use creams that are unscented and those that lock in the moisture.

By: Sushma Shah, Naturopathic Doctor, at the Nature’s Intentions Naturopathic Clinic.