I recently wrote saying I don’t buy beauty products or make-up, but of course I still like to look after myself but without all the toxins in conventional products.
Thankfully, my face has always rejected these things – feelings of itchiness, burning, smothering, sore eyes …
On my hair, face and body I just love to use things straight from my garden – fresh and vital – and seasonal too. It’s so incredibly simple, and pretty much free.
So not only can your edible and medicinal garden be incredibly beautiful, it can be the source of your own simple homemade non-toxic beauty (skin, hair, body) products, along with a couple of ingredients from your pantry.
Here are four simple things I do.
Hair conditioner
- I rub fresh aloe vera gel into clean wet hair, comb it through and leave it in to dry naturally. (My hairdresser recently commented on the good condition of my hair and wondered what product I was using).
Moisturiser
- I rub fresh aloe vera gel on my face and let it dry. It feels so good as i dries – like a mask. You can wash it off after 10 mins, or simply leave it on.
Toner
- I squeeze a freshly harvested grapefruit into a jar with water and add fresh chopped herbs – lemon myrtle is a favourite (actually a leaf from a native rainforest tree). I let it steep for a couple of hours then splash onto freshly washed skin. It’s really delightful. There is quite a bit of juice in a grapefruit, so I keep the rest in the fridge and use it up over the next 2 weeks.
Mask
- At dry times (like now) I do this weekly – I mix a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with a teaspoon of raw local honey. I put this on my face for 10 mins then gently wash off. It tastes delicious!
If you’d like to find out more, I have a workshop coming up on August 12 – DIY Natural Beauty Products.
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/morag-gamble-our-permaculture-life-13789824769
Hello, Morag, How do you stop the aloe vera from staining everything brown? I grow it but rarely use it because I've stained too many clothes
Hi Nicola,
Thanks for the great question. I stand the leaf up for a few minutes to let the 'sap' drain out then I wash it off the end. That seems to do it.
Cheers,
Morag
Hi Morag, I have very similar hair to you both in length and curl. Just wondering how much aloe Vera you use for your hair? Also, does it make your hair feel sticky or gluey if you let it dry in your hair?