Healing Scents chemical free make-up

I am extremely satisfied with the chemical free make-up that I ordered about a month ago. The company's name is Healing Scents.

The mineral foundation can be a bit tricky to apply but I have found that the easiest way is to just tap a little (a VERY small amount) into my palm and mix it with lotion then apply. I also dab just a little powder on age spots before I apply the lotion mixture. This just gives an 'evening-out' effect to my skin color. I suppose you could apply more if you wanted full coverage but I really don't like to look like I am wearing a lot of make-up.

The mascara is fantastic. I have been wearing the same brand of mascara for over a decade so I was unsure of making the switch. Healing Scents mascara does not smudge or clump and it is easy to apply additional coats and is also easy to remove.

I am using the Lavender Baby Lotion as a face and body lotion and also a very small container of facial moisturizer (can't remember the what I ordered and there is no label on the container). I am certain that my skin is much smoother and I have fewer blemishes. I have just placed another order for more Healing Scents products including some items for my husband.

My only complaint is that the website is a bit difficult to use but I must add that the prices are VERY reasonable, especially for such a quality product.
http://www.healing-scents.com/

I was, just recently, told about another company, Coastal Classic Creations that has an even better safety rating than Healing Scents -- but they are very close. I may try some of their products when I use up what I have but I do have to admit that I do like Healing Scent's prices.

Composting

Why Compost? As an compulsive-obsessive gardener I found I was spending more and more money on my yard. As you might have noticed by now I am very fond of 'free' and 'cheap'. After doing some research I discovered that I already have most of the amendments that I need for a successful garden right in my own house and yard.

Now my take on composting is super lazy; I have three bins with the bottoms cut out. One is for the current years trash. Two is for last years - now usable compost. Three is for leaves from the yard.

In bin one I throw kitchen waste, paper junk mail, and the few paper products that we use. I layer it with leaves (from bin Three) and green yard waste such as grass clippings, prunings from my banana plants and other non-woody garden trimmings. I keep it moist, and throw in red wigglers about once a year. No turning or fussing with it. This supplies me with compost for my garden - free, and cuts down on the number of trips I make to the dump which saves fuel - cheap.

So what about bin Two? Around spring time I shovel all of the compost from the current year (bin One) to the Last Year Bin (bin Two). The bottom of the bin has by then turned mostly into crumbly black brown matter and it will end up on top. I currently have lettuce and carrots which are a fall crop here in the south planted in that bin. In the spring I will spread it all out into the garden beds.

People always worry about the smell - they never smell. If your bin smells it is probably too wet or you have too much green material and not enough dry, such as paper or leaves. For a more scientific approach to composting go to the Simple Organic Compost Recipe shown on the right side of this blog. Happy Gardening!

Homemade Mayonnaise - Simple things

Yesterday I tried my hand at making mayonnaise at home for the first time.

We have eliminated all 'food-like' substances from our pantry and now only eat real foods (foods without chemicals). I have discovered that it is quite a challenge to find foods, other than fresh foods and veggies, that are not loaded with chemicals of some sort or another - and buying organic is not only expensive but requires that I travel a great distance to a specialty store. So the other option is to make my own. Back to the mayonnaise.

For the first attempt I used olive oil. We use great quantities of olive oil so I buy the most economical (cheapest) that I can find. Works just fine for oil and vinegar dressing, cooking, and skin conditioning. In mayonnaise, however, it is an abomination. That batch was thrown out.

For today's attempt I used safflower oil. The result was a very light tasting and wonderfully creamy delight. I was also surprised to learn two things: 1. How simple it is to make. 2. How healthy it is for you. I have always been told that mayonnaise is unhealthy and fattening. How can two egg yolks (from my own hens) and some very good quality safflower oil be unhealthy?

Making mayonnaise may seem like a simple thing, but I was quite tickled with myself that I was able to do it. This reminded me of how our consumer driven disposable society has become almost completely removed from simple living skills. People often ask me "what do you eat?" and when I reply "real food" most of them have no idea what that means.

The 'virtual' world that we have created today is not without it's benefits - I am using one of those benefits right now as I write this blog. However I believe that many of the problems that exist today can be solved by learning simple living skills, such as creating meals from real food, finding entertainment in the out of doors (instead of in front of the TV) and learning to make things that we want with our own hands.