Shampoo Bar Natural Additives Excerpt from “How to Make Handmade Shampoo Bars”

copyright 2011-2024 by Lisa Maliga

When using herbal additives, it’s better to use dried herbs than fresh—even in the rebatch type of base. This helps prolong the shelf life of the shampoo bar. Here 10 helpful natural additives to improve your shampoo bars.

* Aloe Vera Gel or Juice [Aloe Barbadensis] – Scalp soothing aloe vera gel makes a wonderful addition to shampoo bars due to its moisturizing and balancing properties. It is high in protein. Aloe vera gel is thicker and longer lasting. Fresh aloe vera can be used for rebatch/hand-milled shampoo bars, but the shelf life won’t be as long. Natural and/or organic aloe vera gel is always clear in color.

* Amla [Emblica Officinalis] – Amla is called Indian Gooseberry and is an Ayruvedic herb that conditions and helps with hair growth. In powdered form, it’s brownish in color. In liquid form it’s green and often mixed with coconut oil or sesame oil. You can buy it online and in Indian grocery stores. Amla is beneficial for all hair types.

* Avocado [Persea Gratissima] – This vitamin-filled fruit has lots of potassium, vitamin B and vitamin E, can be used mashed up into the rebatched soap or in a hair masque. The oil can be added to melt and pour soap base.

* Beer – American or imported, bottled or canned, light or dark, beer is good for your hair! It contains wheat protein and B vitamins. A healthy and economical addition to your shampoo bars, it can also be used as a hair rinse.

* Chamomile [Anthemis Nobilis] – Whether you choose German or Roman chamomile, you’ll be helping wash away any skin irritations/allergies. Used in a shampoo bar, blonde-haired people will continue to have more fun! You can use whole [dried] chamomile flowers, or those that have been cut or powdered. Naturally, you can enhance the calming chamomile experience with the essential oil.

* Clay – Many varieties of clays are available and range from bentonite, Pascalite, Rhassoul to Himalayan. Recently, clays from Australia include washed blue, olive green, and ivory are now available to us in the USA. Clays remove dirt and grime from the hair and scalp, yet don’t strip it of moisture. Colors range from white to pink to green to brown. Clays make great additions to both shaving soaps and shampoo bars.

* Coffee [Coffea Arabica] – Your morning coffee contains vitamins B3 and E and the aroma is quite perky. The benefits of caffeine include helping boost your hair’s volume and shine.

* Goat’s Milk – Contains a higher amount of protein than cow’s milk. Using goat’s milk in your shampoo bars won’t increase lather but the silky sensation during and after use is almost guaranteed to get you addicted to this additive!

* Honey – Raw/organic honey has gentle, moisturizing qualities that make it beneficial for any hair type. In its purest, unrefined form, it has all the vitamins, along with 16 minerals including calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. This nourishing nectar also has proteins and amino acids, along with enzymes and co-enzymes.

* Rosemary [Rosmarinus Officinalis] – A gift for your hair and beneficial in essential oil or in the dried and cut or powdered rosemary leaves, which can be used directly in the shampoo bars. It is frequently found in liquid and solid shampoos and in hair growth blends as it may help increase hair growth since it stimulates the follicles.

Book link: How to Make Handmade Shampoo Bars

Visually-Enhanced Book Excerpt

Subscribe to:
The Discerning Readers’ Newsletter
Win free books, gift cards and more!
http://eepurl.com/UZbE9

Pine Needle Plus Antioxidant Tea

By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2023

In late 2021, I wrote about a special blend of antioxidant-rich tea I drink every morning. Since then, I’ve changed the blend a bit with another healthy addition – cumin seeds. These small seeds contain all your basic vitamins along with calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

I’d been drinking jasmine green tea with a twist of fresh lemon for many years. I revised my morning beverage back in 2020 due to the scare of the spring cold and flu season. Determined not to get sick, I looked up the most nutritious and beneficial herbs that could enhance my daily dose of goodness.  

Blue butterfly pea is a tropical flower from Southeast Asia and India. It’s caffeine-free. Due to its color, it contains loads of antioxidants. Many attributes are listed such as how it’s supposed to help blood flow to the eyes, lowers blood sugar, and helps rejuvenate skin. I make no claims and just love the fact that it’s a vivid shade of royal blue and turns to royal purple when a squeeze of fresh lemon is added to the tea. The taste is very mild.

For flavor, hibiscus is my favorite. The aroma and taste are reminiscent of cranberries. As with most plants, there are different varieties and colors, but the most common is the vibrant red flower [Hibiscus rosa-sinensis]. Drinking these petals lowers high blood pressure and may assist in weight loss. I’ve also seen well-steeped hibiscus flowers used to condition and color hair. Found in Asia and the Pacific Islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Africa, India, and the warm regions of the United States. Like any tea, it can be served hot or cold.

Along with the flowers, the other ingredient is pine needles. Yes, they smell like a Christmas tree. They have that distinctive herbal taste but since mixed with hibiscus, the taste is lighter. Pine needles are abundant in vitamin C, so they’re the perfect addition to this healthy combination which boosts your immune system. They are also rich in suramin, which may prevent blood clots. It might even help when being around those who’ve taken experimental injections and may be shedding spike proteins.

Another benefit from pine needle tea may be improved eyesight and intuition. Think of how the words pine needle and pineal are similar. The pineal gland is your third eye and when it’s open, your intuition and creativity flows.

Also, pine needles can be very easy to find if you have certain types of pine trees in your area. In America, the most common are the Eastern White Pine, the Scotch pine and red pine. Pine tree needles from tops of mountains and hills are considered better than those at lower altitudes. You shouldn’t gather the needles if near a road or street as they’ll contain pollution.

Yew, ponderosa, and Norfolk pine are NOT recommended for consumption. It’s also advisable to avoid drinking pine needle tea if pregnant. To find the right type of pine needles in your area, contact a botanist or consult with someone who knows how to identify edible plants. This is also helpful if you live in areas where blue butterfly pea flowers and hibiscus flowers grow. Both lovely flowers can be brewed in fresh or dried form.

For a sweetener, I use fresh lemons. As most of you know, lemons are renowned for their high concentration of vitamin C. The colors I drink every morning include bright red, forest green, jet black, royal blue and sunshine yellow.

Here’s a video showing the ingredients used in making my morning cuppa tea. It’s so simple to make that you don’t need to use a measuring spoon.

Product links:

Blue Butterfly Pea Tea [dried flowers] https://amzn.to/310BoAM

Blue Butterfly Pea Tea [powder] https://amzn.to/3CTrTQH

Hibiscus flowers, [dried] https://amzn.to/3DPe0nY

Hibiscus flowers, [tea bags] https://amzn.to/32yZNxQ

Pine needles [tea bags] https://amzn.to/3HTfWOC

Jasmine green tea bags https://amzn.to/310DzEs

Jasmine green tea bags [Twinings] https://amzn.to/3H7vFv9

Jasmine loose leaf tea https://amzn.to/3Xxor97

Black seed, [cumin] https://amzn.to/3GGbjrG

Electric kettle https://amzn.to/3iDpxkU

Subscribe to:
The Discerning Readers’ Newsletter
Win free books, gift cards and more!
http://eepurl.com/UZbE9

Hibiscus, Blue Butterfly Pea & Pine Needle Antioxidant Tea

By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2021

Hibiscus, Blue Butterfly Pea, Jasmine Green Tea, Fresh Pine Needles, and Fresh Lemon

I’ve experimented with drinking various types of teas for many years. But in March of 2020, I wanted more than just my usual jasmine green tea. I wanted to make sure I was getting all the health and antioxidant benefits in my daily breakfast tea.

I began adding more herbs such as blue butterfly pea tea. Blue butterfly pea is a tropical flower from Southeast Asia and India. It’s caffeine-free. Due to its color, it contains loads of antioxidants. Many attributes are listed such as how it’s supposed to help blood flow to the eyes, lowers blood sugar, and helps rejuvenate skin. I make no claims and just love the fact that it’s a vivid shade of royal blue and turns to royal purple when a squeeze of fresh lemon is added to the tea. The taste is very mild.

For flavor, hibiscus is my favorite. The aroma and taste are reminiscent of cranberries. As with most plants, there are different varieties and colors, but the most common is the vibrant red flower [Hibiscus rosa-sinensis]. Drinking these petals lowers high blood pressure and may assist in weight loss. I’ve also seen well-steeped hibiscus flowers used to condition and color hair. Found in Asia and the Pacific Islands, Hawaii, Mexico, Africa, India, and the warm regions of the United States. Like any tea, it can be served hot or cold.

The most recent addition to my tea is now my new main ingredient: pine needles. Yes, they smell like a Christmas tree. They have that distinctive herbal taste but since mixed with hibiscus, the taste is lighter. Pine needles are abundant in vitamin C, so they’re the perfect addition to this healthy combination. They are also rich in suramin, which may help prevent blood clots.

Another benefit from pine needle tea may be improved eyesight and intuition. Think of how the words pine needle and pineal are similar. The pineal gland is your third eye and when it’s open, your intuition and creativity flows.

Also, pine needles can be very easy to find if you have certain types of pine trees in your area. In America, the most common are the Eastern White Pine, the Scotch pine and red pine. Pine tree needles from tops of mountains and hills are considered better than those at lower altitudes. You shouldn’t gather the needles if near a road or street as they’ll contain pollution.

Yew, ponderosa, and Norfolk pine are NOT recommended for consumption. It’s also advisable to avoid drinking pine needle tea if pregnant. To find the right type of pine needles in your area, contact a  botanist or consult with someone who knows how to identify edible plants. This is also helpful if you live in areas where blue butterfly pea flowers and hibiscus flowers grow. Both lovely flowers can be brewed in fresh or dried form.

For sweetener, I use fresh lemons. As most of you know, lemons are renowned for a high concentration of vitamin C. The colors I drink every morning include bright red, forest green, lapis lazuli blue and sunshine yellow.

What could be better than drinking a rainbow?

Product links:

Blue Butterfly Pea Tea [dried flowers] https://amzn.to/310BoAM

Blue Butterfly Pea Tea [powder] https://amzn.to/3CTrTQH

Hibiscus flowers, dried https://amzn.to/3DPe0nY

Hibiscus flowers, [tea bags] https://amzn.to/32yZNxQ

Pine needles [tea bags] https://amzn.to/3HTfWOC

Jasmine green tea bags https://amzn.to/310DzEs

Subscribe to:
The Discerning Readers’ Newsletter
Win free books, gift cards and more!
http://eepurl.com/UZbE9