DIY Holiday: Gift Wrapping and Body Butter Bars

Body butter bars are molded into the shape of candies, wrapped in shiny tissue paper, and packaged in a Christmas cracker

Sometimes the gift wrapping is better than the actual gift. . . sometimes. In this case I would say it is equally as good. A few week ago I hosted a natural beauty workshop where I showed the participants how to make body butter bars. This recipe is so simple and versatile that I thought I would share it with you and show you how to make it into great holiday gifts!

Body Butter Bars:

50 g beeswax

50 g cocoa butter

50 ml olive oil (can be substituted for any oil)

2-3 drops of vitamin E oil (optional)

10-15 drops of essential oils (I love lavender and vanilla)

1. In a double boiler melt beeswax and cocoa butter. Add olive oil and heat on low until mixture is liquid.

2. Take off of heat, add essential oils and whisk in vitamin E oil (optional)

3. Pour in ice cube trays or (molds of choice) and let harden for 30-60 minutes.

These body butter bars are made using mini soap molds

For wrapping you will need:

– toilet paper rolls

– shiny wrapping paper

– tissue paper

– ribbon

– glue

1. Cut, and glue wrapping paper around the toilet paper roll, cropping paper so that it is flush with the ends.

2. Next, cut tissue paper so that it is about double the length of the toilet paper roll. Roll paper lengthwise and insert into the toilet paper roll. You may wish to dab a little glue on the inside of the roll so that the tissue paper says in place.

3. Insert the body butter bars or other gifts into the roll. Fasten each end with ribbon, and voila! Gift wrap complete!

Candy wrapped body butter and lip balm sticks are the perfect size to fit into the Christmas crackers

Tips: use a mini muffin tin as a mold to make round candy- shaped body butter disks. You can use the same body butter recipe to make lip balm sticks. Just use peppermint essential oil (instead of other fragrances) and pour into empty lip balm tubes.

Happy Holiday crafting! What DIY gifts are you making this year?

Spotlight: Rose Water

You may be familiar with rose water, whether you use it in skincare or cuisine, but I wanted to spend some time breaking down this delectable product since it has so many uses and has been favoured for thousands of years.

Cleopatra is said to have ordered the sails of her ship soaked in rose water so that Mark Antony could catch the scent of his lover before she reached the shores. Ancient ayurvedic physicians adopted the cooling properties of rose water to soothe wounds and inflamed skin. Sappho, the poet of love, deemed the rose as the “Queen of all Flowers”. Today, Persian and other middle eastern cuisines use rose water in food and drink, the French produce luxury bottles of perfumes and cosmetics, and even here in Toronto you can commonly find rose water toners and hydrosols in spas and on cosmetic counters.

What is it about this floral water that has captivated the entire globe for centuries? Well let me break it down for you :

Profile: The first record of rose petal distillation comes around the 10th century by a famous Persian alchemist. The steaming process used to isolate the rose’s essential oil creates a byproduct, which is rose water.

Rose petals are extremely high in anthocyanins which gives them the rich colour and is known to help repair and regenerate skin cells and tissues. Rose water aids in skin redness due to its anti-inflammatory and astringent quality. Rose water is not as potent as pure rose oil, but it is far more versatile.

Uses:

• Toner- I buy rose water in bulk and transfer it into a small glass spray bottle (easily found at any health food store). After cleansing, I use it to tone and hydrate, or at any time I feel like a refreshing spritz (this proves extremely useful in the summer months for cooling and reducing redness).
• After shower/ bath body spray- the fragrant water is perfect for leaving a light scent after the shower or a bath. It is refreshing and also moisturizing.
• Bath- add a cup or two to a bath as aromatherapy. Rose fragrance in aromatherapy is used as a relaxing scent to sooth feelings of depression and nervous tension.

My experience: There are a lot of expensive rose water products on the market, many of which are over priced. I have found that it is best to buy food-grade rose water which is commonly found at middle eastern food markets (the brand I love is from Lebanon). Just ensure that the ingredients say “distilled rose” with no additives, and if you can find it, organic is obviously the best.

If you are feeling experimental, try making your own.

Let me leave you with a lovely lotion recipe that has been getting rave reviews from my friends and family.

 

Rose Lotion

• 10g beeswax
• 1 1/4 cup of rose water
• 1 tsp vegetable glycerin
• 3/4 cup sweet almond oil (I mix half coconut oil with half sweet almond oil)
• 2 capsules of pure vitamin E
• 10 drops of rose or lavender essential oil

 

 

 

 

Method:

• Sanitize all equipment and jars before you begin (I boil everything).
• Using a double boiler (I place a glass measuring cup into a small pot of water), melt beeswax and oils together.
• Once melted, take off of heat, set aside and let cool until a light crust starts to form on top (approx. 5 minutes).
• In a blender, mix rose water and glycerin (just a few seconds until combined). After, keep the blender’s lid on but remove the centre circle and fit a small funnel.
• Next (to create an emulsion with the oil and water), turn blender on low and slowly pour a steady stream of oil/beeswax mixture through the funnel. When the blender motor begins to bog down, turn it up to the next speed. Continue this until you reach the highest speed and all oil is poured into the mixture.
• While the blender is still running, remove the lid and use a spatula to incorporate any water in the corners (be aware of the blender blade!)
• Once the water is absorbed, or the lotion becomes too thick to absorb any more water, turn off the blender. If any water remains unincorporated, pour off or blot with a tissue.
• Using the spatula, stir in the essential oil and vitamin E.
• Scoop into sterile jars
• Note: since this lotion has no preservatives and uses water- even though it is distilled- it has a greater chance of introducing bacteria,  which shortens the shelf life. To help prevent this, do not stick fingers into jar, always wipe the rim before closing, and keep in a cool dark spot.

Enjoy the endless uses of rose water!

– Seanna

Winter DIY Survival Kit

We have moved Oceans & Potions has gotten a new name and facelift! Visit us at the new site Elodie for more great content!

We have officially hit the middle of winter which means that I’m desperate for some remedies to get me through the next few months. Here are some of my homemade potions that will keep you hydrated and pampered all the way to spring.

Jasmine and Vanilla Whipped Body Cream

Jasmine and Vanilla Whipped Body Cream

• 2 oz mango butter
• 1.5 oz cocoa butter
• 1.5 oz apricot kernel oil
• 0.5 oz beeswax
• 0.5 oz vegetable glycerin
• 5 drops jasmine essential oil
• 5 drops vanilla essential oil

Method: Using a double boiler, melt mango butter, cocoa butter, and beeswax together. Once melted, take off of heat, add apricot kernel oil, vegetable glycerine and essential oils. Let cool until a crust starts to form on top of the oil mixture (the oils must be partially solid before the next step). Using a standing or hand mixer, whip on high until it reaches a stiff peak (this may take up to 5-7 minutes). Scoop into sterile jars* and store in a cool spot.

*Sterilizing containers and utensils before making natural and preservative- free products helps reduce the growth of bacteria.

Before you slather on your newly made body cream, try this first:

Mix 1/4 cup coconut oil, 2-3 tsp sweet almond oil, 1/4 cup of brown sugar and a dash of ground cinnamon*. Use this heavenly- scented, energizing scrub in the shower and follow up with a generous amount of body butter.

*Cinnamon applied topically to the skin is known to stimulate blood flow, increase circulation and has antiseptic properties. For those with overly sensitive skin, skip the cinnamon or test before to ensure that your skin does not react.

Sweet Mint Lip Butter

Sweet Mint Lip Butter

• 2 oz coconut oil
• 1 oz beeswax
• 1 oz sweet almond oil
• 1 oz raw honey (note: liquid pasteurized honey does not substitute well)
• 5-10 drops peppermint essential oil
• 3-4 drops of vitamin E oil

Method: Using a double boiler (I like to use a glass measuring cup over a small pot), melt coconut oil and beeswax together. Once melted, take off of heat, add sweet almond oil, vitamin E and and peppermint essential oil. Whisk in raw honey. Set bowl onto an ice pack or in a bowl of ice cubes* and whisk until mixture begins to cool (it will thicken and the colour will lighten). Once the mixture has cooled so that it is thick, but still pourable, pour into sterilized lip balm tins.

*The raw honey even when melted maintains a different consistency than the oil and beeswax mixture. In order to ensure the honey and oils do not separate in your lip balm container, cooling and whisking is necessary for a uniform consistency.

Before you slather on your newly made lip butter, try this first:

Mix 1/4 tsp of coconut oil with 1/4 tsp of sugar. Rub generously onto lips and wipe off with a tissue. Follow up with an ample amount of lip butter. Your lips will thank you. . . and so will your loved one(s)!

Now. . . only 60 more days until spring. . . but who’s counting.

Seanna