Photo Credit: Wojtek Kryczka/iStock DCL

The earliest record of the use of aloe vera goes all the way back to Cleopatra and ancient Egypt. The plant has some pretty potent properties: it kills mold, bacteria, viruses and fungus.

Jessica has collected 40 different uses for this amazing plant. She includes both topical and internal uses. (Please note her recommendations on consulting a doctor before use and also the type of aloe vera to use if you take it orally.) Some of the uses also include short recipes.

Click the 40 Amazing Uses for Aloe Vera! link below to read the entire article.

40 Amazing Uses for Aloe Vera!

humblebeeandme.com

This facial scrub is a total skin experience.  When it gets wet it fizzes.  It’s both warming and cooling.  And it exfoliates so your face is super soft after a scrubbing.!  Marie of Humblebee & Me developed the recipe.  As always, her directions are very clear.

Click on the Hot & Cold Brightening Facial Scrub link below to see the complete post.

Hot & Cold Brightening Facial Scrub

humblebeeandme.com

Marie was inspired to create a lemony cuticle cream by Lush’s Lemony Flutter.

Her recipe makes a thick and moisturizing cuticle butter. The recipe uses beeswax, several butters, oils, honey, lemon essential oil, other essential oils and additional ingredients. Yes, it’s a lot of ingredients, but the recipe produces a lemony healing butter that should last a long time.

Click on the How to Make Lemony Cuticle Butter link below to see Marie’s wonderful recipe.

How to Make Lemony Cuticle Butter

naturallivingideas.com

Body butters are a popular way to moisturize and restore dry skin. There are countless commercial body butters on the market. However, commercial body butters contain chemicals and other problematic ingredients. Homemade body butters are a better option because they use healthy ingredients.

In this article you’ll find 17 different body butters that you can make in your home. You’ll find links and recipes for the following body butters:

• Magnesium Body Butter
• Lavender Body Butter
• Rosemary Mint Whipped Shea Body Butter
• Whipped Coconut Oil Body Butter
• Mango Citrus Body Butter
• Coconut Rose Body Butter
• Shea Body Butter .
• Super Glowy Body Butter
• Whipped Argan & Mango Body Butter
• Vitamin E Oil Body Butter
• Cinnamon Body Butter for Cellulite
• Peppermint Body Butter
• Edible Chocolate Body Butter
• Black Raspberry Vanilla Body Butter
• Anti-Bacterial Body Butter
• Coffee Butter Foot Creme
• Vanilla Bean Body Butter
• Dreamy Homemade Lemon Cream Body Butter

Click on the 17 of the World’s Best Body Butter Recipes link to see all of the body butter recipes.

17 of the World’s Best Body Butter Recipes

chocolatedriven.com

Joy of Chocolate Driven shares an easy-to-make peppermint foot scrub by Emily Woods that may be what the doctor ordered. Great for Christmas or any time of the year.

Emily shares her recipe in a Youtube video. Very nice recipe. Click on the How to Make a Peppermint Foot Scrub link below to access the video.

Click on the How to Make a Peppermint Foot Scrub link below for the complete recipe.

How to Make a Peppermint Foot Scrub

lifehack.or

Lana Winter-Hebert shares some different and creative DIY projects.

She opens with:

“Do you know what’s great about DIY projects? Everything. When you make items yourself, you can choose projects that suit your tastes, create them in your choice of colours/textures, and then use them to your heart’s content.

Whether you’re aiming for efficiency, decoration, fun, or self-sufficiency, there’s a awesome DIY project just waiting for you. “

Then she shares 30 DIY projects. If you see a project you like, click on the name of the project (in blue) and you’ll be taken to a tutorial.

Here are a few of the projects:

• Bird Feeder Wreath (I like this one)
• Yogurt Cheese
• Baked Salt Dough  Tags (These are AMAZING!)
• Leafy Garden Stepping Stones
• Pebble Placemat
• Lip Balm
• Floor Stencils (Also AMAZING!)
• Wallpaper Dresser
• + 22 MORE!!

Click on the 30 Awesome DIY Projects that You’ve Never Heard of link below to see all 30 projects.

 30 Awesome DIY Projects That You Never Heard Of

www.diyncrafts.com

Vanessa shares a very creative DIY skin recipe. If you’re bothered by dark bags under your eyes and want a natural way to get rid of the puffiness, check out this post.  The remedy uses coffee beans which have anti-inflammatory properties.

In addition to ground coffee beans, Vanessa’s remedy for dark bags under your eyes uses two other ingredients:

• a berry that boosts circulation
• an oil that helps to release the nutrients in the coffee and the berry

She includes a video where she demonstrates how to make and apply the eye treatment.  Click on the How to Get Rid of Dark Bags under your eyes with Coffee Beans! link below to see Vanessa’s post and video.

How to Get Rid of Those Dark Bags Under Your Eyes with Coffee Beans! 

hellonatural.co

The cold air and winds of Winter can cause the skin to become dry and irritated. The dryness can result in flaking skin and inflammation. Dry indoor heat can also dry out the skin.

In this article, Deborah shares 3 homemade recipes that you can make and use to moisturize your skin. You’ll find recipes for:

• A simple mist that you can use to hydrate your skin
• A natural, hydrating facial and neck mask
• An easy-to-make moisturizing face oil

These are super-simple recipes and Deborah’s directions are very clear. There are also some interesting ideas for natural moisturizers in the comment section of her article.

Click on the 3 DIY Recipes for Moisturizing Skin in Winter link below to read the complete article.

3 DIY Recipes for Moisturizing Skin in Winter

diynatural.com

Eczema is a skin condition that includes itchy, inflamed, reddened skin. It’s also called atopic dermatitis. While the causes aren’t fully understood, it’s thought that it’s caused by a hyperactive immune system. Just a few triggers for an eczema attack include:

• Synthetic materials
• Drying chemicals found in commercial soaps and cleaners
• Changes in temperature
• Allergens like pollen, mold, dust mites
• Foods like dairy products, eggs, wheat, soy products

Emry’s youngest daughter has eczema and she wanted to help control the eczema before winter arrived. The symptoms of eczema often increase during colder months.

One of her goals was to keep her daughter’s skin moisturized. But none of the commercial eczema lotions worked well. So she decided to make her own homemade eczema cream.

One thing I noticed right off about her recipe is that Emry uses only organic unrefined ingredients including pure essential oils. For example, she uses organic, unrefined coconut oil, organic, unrefined shea butter, 100% pure lavender essential oil, as well as other ingredients. She also provides sources for all of the ingredients.

Emry explains why she used each ingredient. For example, shea butter is highly moisturizing and healing to the dry skin you get with eczema.The recipe produces a soft, creamy lotion that you can apply to any part of your body that has eczema.

Click on the following link to read the entire article and see Emry’s recipe: How to Make Homemade Natural Eczema Cream

littlehouseonthevalley.com

Baking soda is one of those ingredients that you can use in so many different natural home remedies. In this article, Denise discusses 60 different ways to use baking soda. For each use she explains how to use the baking soda and she includes short recipes for many. Here are just a few of the things you’ll learn in this article:

• How to use baking soda to reduce or eliminate the odor of fish when you’re cooking
• How to smooth your skin using a soothing bath salt (recipe included)
• How to use baking soda to relieve indigestion (recipe included)
• How to use baking soda to clean your oven (recipe included)
• How to take gas out of beans by using baking soda (This will be good news for many who avoid beans)
• How to use baking soda to make fluffy scrambled eggs
• And MORE!!

Click on the 60 Wonderful Ways to Use Baking Soda link below to see all 60 uses for baking soda.

60 Wonderful Ways to Use Baking Soda