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Made Especially For Christmas

© Peggy Hoehne

Made Especially For Christmas

Have you been wondering what you could give Mom, your best friend, or your husband, that would truly be different, special, and would show you really cared? How about making a special beauty or toiletry product for them? I have found some fairly simple recipes for several products, some of them even smell Christmassy.

Peppermint Lotion
Relieves itching.
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
3-4 drops peppermint oil
Oil of eucalyptus or cade can be used in place of peppermint, if you prefer. Pour the water and alcohol into a bottle, and then add the oil. Cap and shake well. Apply to your skin with a clean cloth.

If you have more experience and more essential oils and other ingredients available, you will like this Cinnamint Body Lotion it is a thick, rich, lotion for dry skin, with an unusual holiday scent.

Peppermint Patty Scrub
For Oily Skin
2 cup rolled oats
1 cup almonds
2 tsp dried lavender
2 tsp dried peppermint
2 cup white cosmetic clay
Grind oats, almonds and herbs to a very fine powder in blender or with a mortar and pestle. Mix ground herbs with clay, store in covered container. To use: mix 1 heaping tsp of mixture with water to make a paste. Massage into skin then rinse well with warm water.

Aftershave
Make some using you husband's favorite fragrance. Just don't have too much fun sampling while you are making it!
The base of aftershave is alcohol. If you want "Bay Rum" aftershave use Bacardi 151 Rum (any kind of rum will do, but the higher proofs work best). Put a pint of it into a jar and add things like cloves, ginger, herbs, Essential Oil's, or fruit rinds, to get the smell you desire. Make sure that the level of Rum completely covers the ingredients. Leave in jar and shake daily for two weeks. Then strain!

The Rum (alcohol) actually is extracting the essences of your ingredients! You can use Vodka also, but I prefer Rum! There are many things you can do to this it just takes an imagination.

Basic Bath Salts
Put 2 cups Epsom salts in a jar and add a few drops of lemon extract or essential oil, mixing well. Add 1/2-cup baking soda, put the lid on the jar and shake, shake, shake. Use a pretty shell to scoop some under running water at bath time. Package in an airtight container and label. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup to bath water. Use different essential oils to vary the aromatherapy properties. Try lavender, rosemary, sandalwood, eucalyptus or any citrus oil.