Last weekend I tried a lotion bar, a face scrub and two face masks from Pinterest recipes. Based on how other recipes turned out, I was a little afraid! Here's what happened:

1. Turmeric Face Mask: This one scared me the most, as pictured above, as I've seen what turmeric can do to your fingers in cooking. But I figured I'd start with this one first since I had a face scrub to test. Did I mention I had to help a friend at the Expo Centre and my mother and father in-law were coming over? Anyway the recipe called for honey, yogurt, rice flour and turmeric. All I had was Greek yogurt so I needed to thin it out. I applied it, wearing a white shirt, no less. That's the problem when you have a 'get-it-done' personality! And then I anxiously waited the 15 minutes by googling how to remove turmeric stains on skin. My fingers were already stained. I learned that milk is recommended in the mask as it prevents staining (ummm...yogurt too??) and that organic, wild turmeric will not stain (it's not edible). I was armed with a few back up options for stain removal. Okay, how bad could it be? I rinsed it off and it wasn't as bad as I imagined but I was still jaundiced looking. But was my face ever soft! The scrub (below) didn't remove much so I went straight to my Facial Toner. I went through four cotton pads and was back to normal. Phew! My face was so soft I couldn't stop touching it! Improvements: I would definitely use regular yogurt or the wild turmeric as it may be better at preventing stains. And no white shirts! Conclusion: I'm keeping this one! And its great for all skin types. Unfortunately the link to the recipe no longer works but I'll share it with you here: Mix 1/2 tsp honey, 1 tsp yogurt, 1 tsp rice flour and 1 tsp turmeric in a small bowl. Wash your face and pat dry. Apply a thin layer to your face and let it dry for 15 minutes. Rinse off using facial soap. Apply your favourite moisturizer.
2. Aloe Green Tea Face Scrub: I was really hoping that this would remove my yellow stains but it was not to be. It was very pretty looking with the tea leaf pieces in coconut oil. But looks aren't everything! Oh my, was it greasy! I knew coconut oil shouldn't be used on the face (it can clog your pores) but I was willing to risk it. I rinsed and rinsed and even my toner couldn't get it all off. Improvements: Yikes, find another recipe! Conclusion: Looks can be deceiving!
3. Homemade Lavender Lotion Bars:  Easy to make when you don't want to fuss with an emulsified lotion or carry-on restrictions when flying. Recipe said to use silicone molds but I always like to challenge the recipe and used plastic ones. The two oval ones came out fine but the two square ones broke apart. They were a little greasy but not bad. I didn't really care for them but two others who tried them quite liked them.  Improvements: Tough one as I prefer something lighter. More experimentation may be required. Conclusion: Try them yourself! And let me know what you think. Would you use  Lavender Bars?
4. Homemade Acne Mask: So I don't have acne but bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar are still quite popular these days. And I wouldn't let that stop me from trying! This one is easy peasy - equal amounts of each; although recipe said 2 tbsps, I found that was enough for 2-3 uses. I applied it and waited to see if there was any burning sensations. No burning but man could I feel my face tightening up! About five minutes after washing it off, my face became red and warm. This is apparently normal as the bentonite clay increases blood circulation while drawing out impurities. And it didn't last long. My skin was soft but nothing like the turmeric face mask. Improvements: Make less. Conclusion: If I had acne I would give it a couple more tries. Try it here.

A little better luck this time! For the most part, I don't recommend using Pinterest for skincare products. Not because I'm in the business, but for your own safety. Sure, there was no damage done here but many recipes don't use preservatives or emulsifiers AND don't tell you to refrigerate or shake before using. Additionally, a lot of them promise miracles that don't work and use astounding before and after pictures. And quite often essential oil safety is not known by these authors. Basically it comes down to the experience of the author and typically you can't tell what that is. Awesome for food recipes and crafts though! Is there a skincare recipe that you want to try but just aren't sure? Tell me here and I can have a look at it for you.

It was a rainy and snowy weekend so I decided to try out some body care recipes I had pinned on Pinterest. I wasn't very optimistic based on my previous experience but I thought I'd try out products I've never made before. I chose hairspray, a face mask and his and hers shaving creams. Here's what happened:

1. All Natural Homemade Hairspray - Okay, I admit this one scared me right from the start - basically its sugar and water. And the recipe said to replace it "when it no longer looks the same". What are we looking for here...mold, yeast? Eeeekk!! It was easy to make and I halved the recipe cause you just never know. You could also add essential oil but the recipe should have instructed you to shake before using. I sprayed it on lightly and waited for it to dry. Cautiously I put my hand to my hair. Hmmm...not too bad. It felt a bit stiff. Improvements: Next time I would add a preservative, essential oils and a solubilizer. Conclusion: It's not good enough to switch to but I'd definitely make some if I was in a jam! I have run out of hairspray, forgotten to pack it on a trip and I've had it taken away from me at airport security in Mexico. Of course you do need an empty spray bottle on hand.
2. Lavender Green Clay Mask - I have another confession - I'm a face mask virgin. Other than having one at a spa, I mean. I halved this recipe and substituted lavender essential oil for lavender buds. Easy to make! The recipe promised me that it would thicken over a few hours. Nope. Not even overnight. The clay sank to the bottom and there was clear water on top. I drained off most of the water (and probably most of the lavender), applied it to my face and set a timer for 10 minutes. It was a very thin paste and didn't cover my face well. I waited for the reaction described by the author, "I found this clay makes my face throb and it gets itchy and sore". Nothing. Phew! Improvements: I would cut the amount of water in half. Conclusion: I would use a different type of clay as this one is good for oily and acne skin. But I'm intrigued and will definitely experiment some more!
3. Homemade Mens Shaving Cream - Whipped up a batch of this for my honey to try. He's such a good sport! He was impressed by the creamy texture of it until he put it on. Made mostly with coconut oil, shea butter and almond oil, it just melted on his skin and didn't give a smooth shave. And apparently it was a bugger to wash out of the sink! Improvements: Nope, this one's going in the trash. Conclusion: It wasn't a total waste as it can be used as a body butter.
4. Homemade Shaving Cream for Women - Made with shea butter and coconut oil. The instructions said to add aloe vera gel but it wasn't listed in the ingredients. I had some on hand and decided to try it anyway, even though it doesn't mix with oils. Took it in the shower with me and same problem as above. Plus the razor was greasy and now so was the shower floor! Improvements: Trash it. Conclusion: I now have lots of body butter! Maybe a lotion bar would work better?

Come back next week when I try lotion bars, a face scrub and two more face masks!

Have you tried making something from Pinterest? Was it a tragic fail or super success?

This potentially incredible oil is generally unheard of here in North America but it's known as the "remedy for everything except death"! It has been used for over 2000 years and goes by many names including blackseed, black caraway, black sesame, fennel flower, black oil, Baraka, fitch, Kalonji, Love in a Mist and many others. Many of its suggested uses have not been proven scientifically or they haven't been tested on humans yet. 

There are claims that this oil treats muscular aches and joint pain, tension, allergies, diabetes, asthma, Alzheimers, autism, glaucoma, dementia, apathy, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, obesity, hair loss, liver problems, eczema, headaches, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, arthritis, acne, psoriasis and dry skin. It's also said to be antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, immune boosting, anti-viral, pesticidal, anti-ulcer and antispasmodic. Wow, that's one hard working oil!

Even though its so potentially beneficial it should be avoided in people on blood clotting medication and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

I just received my bottle of oil today and am looking forward to seeing how I can incorporate it into my products!

For more information, check out the following links:
www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/blog/products/all-about-black-cumin-seed-oil.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/black-seed-oil-benefits
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-901/black-seed​