Calling All Mixtresses: Want to Ditch Your Store Bought Facial Cleanser?

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For the past few months, I have been experimenting with more natural alternatives to incorporate in my skin-care regimen. As some of you may remember, I ditched my trusty store bought cleanser some time ago, and started relying solely upon the use of natural oils, plants, and extracts. - So far so good, my face has never looked better, and my pocket-book thanks me.

Gather your bottles, some oils, and read on for the deets!

A More Natural Alternative - The Oil Cleansing Method

Cleanse Using The OCM Method: Simply put, this method involves cleansing your skin with oils versus surfactants. Cleansing with oil is a gentle way to remove dirt, bacteria, and excess oils from your pores. Did you know that water does not dissolve oils [however, oil does]? This is why most facial cleansers on the market today are comprised of harsh surfactants. It is worth noting that products containing these surfactants can strip your face of it's natural sebum leaving your skin dry, and irritated.

Most oil cleansing formulas are 50% Castor Oil to 50% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, however you can pick the best ratio/oil type for your skin. Castor Oil is used as a base in most OCM formulations because it helps to draw out toxins, slough dead skin cells, excess sebum, and dirt from your pores, while the secondary oil acts more or less as a moisturizer, and carrier oil to deliver therapeutic properties deep into the skin. - I have very oily acne-prone skin so I use Hazelnut Oil in place of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil because it is much lighter than Olive Oil, and acts as a natural astringent/moisturizer. Hazelnut Oil is also purported to tighten and tone your skin, which is also a major plus.

My formula consists of: 60% Castor Oil, 20% Grapeseed Oil, 20% Hazelnut Oil [I also add several drops of Lavender, and Tea Tree Essential Oil]

Oils For Certain Skin Types

Oily, Acne Prone Skin: Grapeseed Oil, Hazelnut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Flax Seed, Neem Oil
Dry, Mature Skin: Evening Primrose Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil
Sensitive Skin: Meadowfoam Oil, Apricot Kernel, Rosehip Oil

Extra Additives [Essential Oils]

Acne Prone Skin: Tea Tree Oil, Bergamot Oil, Clove Oil, Lavender Oil, Rosewood Oil

Dry Skin: Cedarwood, Rose, Myrrh, Chamomile, Patchouli
Oily Skin: Lemongrass, Clary Sage, Frankincense,

How To Do The Oil Cleansing Method

1. Gently massage oil mixture into your face
2. Place a clean towel under a stream of hot, running water. Lightly wring towel, and drape it over entire face for about 1-2 minutes. This opens your pores [and gives you a mini steam treatment] allowing the Castor Oil to draw the toxins out of your skin, while the secondary oil/essential oils permeates deep into the skin, lending it's moisturizing and therapeutic properties.
3. Remove towel, rinse thoroughly, and begin to wipe excess oil from face
4. After removing oil cleansing mixture, rinse face with cold water to close pores!
Cleanse face using OCM in the morning, and repeat at bedtime. 

Tone Skin

Here are two of my favorite toner recipe's:
ACV + Green Tea Toner
2oz Apple Cider Vinegar
2oz Distilled Water
3 Green Tea, teabags [high in antioxidants]
5 drops Tea Tree Oil [anti-fungal/microbal properties]
10 drops Jojoba Oil [a wonderful moisturizer that closely resembles the sebum in your skin's structure]

Boil water, add tea bags, and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Allow tea mixture to cool, and pour into a spray bottle. Add ACV, Tea tree Oil, Jojoba Oil, and mix well.

Tea Tree Toner
2oz Witch Hazel
5 drops of Tea Tree Oil
10 drops of Jojoba Oil

Mix all ingredients well, and pour in a spray bottle.

Moisturize Skin

I use about a dime-size amount of Grapeseed Oil to moisturize my skin; you can use any of the oils mentioned above that are best suited for your skin-type.

Where To Find The Materials?

Essential Oils - Texas Natural Supply - From Nature With Love - Whole Foods
Carrier Oils - Texas Natural Supply - From Nature With Love - Whole Foods

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Pesto & Cheese Filled Chicken Breast

I found yet another winner from Epicurious, and this one is definitely one of my favorites thus far! I decided to make my own pesto [you can use store-bought if you like], so it took about 30 minutes from start-to-finish. Finding great recipe's that can be prepared in a jiffy is an incentive for me to continue to cook, so hopefully I can kick this fast-food habit once and for all. I paired the chicken with a little bit of brown rice, and some asparagus!

Ingredients for Thyme Pesto:

• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon dried, crumbled, plus 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Finely chop first 5 ingredients in processor. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup olive oil. Continue processing until pesto is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Pesto can be prepared up to 1 week ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)

Ingredients for Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup soft, fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
• 1/3 cup thyme pesto
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot or green onion

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• All purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to thickness of 1/4 inch. Combine goat cheese, pesto and shallot in small bowl; mix well. Spread boned side of chicken breast with scant 2 tablespoons cheese mixture. Starting at one long side of chicken breast, roll up tightly, jelly roll style. Repeat with remaining chicken and cheese mixture.

Heat olive oil in heavy large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off excess. Fry chicken breast in olive oil until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Place skillet with chicken in oven and bake until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

New Years Resolution #562 - Eat Healthy

[I am always one of those gals that gets Cilantro & Italian Parsley mixed up!]

I am really, really trying to get out of the habit of eating out every other night. Not only is it draining to my pocketbook, but my selections aren't always that stellar. I like recipes that call for as little steps as possible, and don't take all day to cook. Last night, I decided to hone in on my culinary skills [or lack thereof], and try out a new recipe. It was cold, dark, gloomy, and raining so I decided to make Chicken Veggie soup w/Lime & Cilantro, sans homemade chicken broth. 

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Carrots! 

Cilantro

Green Onions

Limes

 

Russet Potatoes

Ground Coriander Seed

• 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 15-ounce can golden hominy, drained I am not a hominy eater, so I omitted this from the recipe
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 5 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Place chicken, broth, potatoes, carrots and coriander in large pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Add hominy, green onions, cilantro and lime juice and simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

I spray my veggies with cold water, then I rinse them under cold water set at low pressure

I leave the skin on the potatoes, and cut medium size chunks

I cut medium size chunks of carrots too

I like that this recipe only really has two steps, I can throw all of the ingredients in the pot, and relax or do homework!

The final step, adding the green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. I use Kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste.

All done!