Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Wearing of the Spanx

Did I ever tell you about the time I went to Dillard's to shop for a Spanx V-Neck Camisole to wear under my knitted tops? I wanted to smooth out the extra flesh my body has produced. I mean I have WAY more flesh than I need to cover my muscles and bones. I slipped into the dressing room intending to slip into a size medium V-Neck Camisole. Not without some difficulty I maneuvered the garment to where my arms were up over my ears and the camisole had rolled into a huge, powerful and immovable "rubberband." Hopelessly entrapped, I felt panic starting to engulf me. My first instinct was to scream for the clerk to come and bring a hacksaw. I calmed down and was able to escape from the size medium Spanx V-Neck Camisole, and without further discussion, got myself into and out of a size large Spanx camisole which I did purchase.

Later that summer hubby and I attended a wedding in Lewistown. I wore the Spanx V-Neck Camisole underneath a knitted dress. I also wore (beneath the dress) some compression underpants. I tucked my compression V-Neck Camisole into my compression underpants, thereby cutting off all lymph flow between the Northern and Southern hemispheres of my body. Immediately following the wedding, we attended a reception where a sumptuous meal was served. I indulged myself in the eating and drinking festivities, but the hour of reckoning dawned when I arrived in the "Ladies' Room." It appeared to have been converted from a small coat closet and contained three tiny stalls. I don't even want to THINK about the grunting, gasping and deep breathing that erupted from my micro toilet stall as I determinedly struggled to rearrange my upper and lower super-spandexed "shapers" to prepare myself to occupy the "throne." An equal amount of time and toil was required to put myself back together before emerging from my sweat box to wash my hands.

My advice to anyone who is trying on a Spanx V-Neck Camisole for the first time is this: Climb into it feet first and pull UP. Much easier than getting stuck when trying to roll DOWN. My leg muscles are stronger than my arm muscles, and I haven't had an entrapment since using the feet first method. As the song written by two guys goes, "I Enjoy Being a Girl." (a BIG girl!)

Gee, I hope you're feeling good! Smile on.

Mainly Skin

It has been some weeks since I posted, and I hardly know where to begin. I have been following a skin care regimen and feeling rather smug about it. Then yesterday I noticed the beginnings of some blemishes on my face!! So I tried to think why that would happen while I have been practicing such "excellent" skin care. Each night I remove my make-up using the cleansing cream I made (it is very pure). I wipe off the cream with facial tissue. Then I gently scrub my face using the cleansing grains I made. After rinsing thoroughly, I splash on cold water to close the pores. Sometimes I spray on the calendula toner I made, but not always, because the toner has to be kept downstairs in the refrigerator, and it is inconvenient to trudge downstairs to get it, etc. (Okay - I admit I've been a bit of a slacker regarding the toner, and a demerit is in order.)

The one thing I had not yet tried that is recommended by Rosemary Gladstar is to steam your face occasionally to clean the pores. So tonight after cleansing and scrubbing my face, I heated a kettle of water to boiling; then set the kettle in the kitchen sink. I put a heavy towel over my head and held my face to the steam, and I did this for 8 minutes. After the steam, I gently patted my face dry with a clean cotton cloth. To close the pores, I splashed on cold water; then semi-dried my face with facial tissue. Rosemary suggests adding various herbs to the steaming water, but I wanted to try it plain first.

Another thing I am considering is making moisture cream using grapeseed oil instead of jojoba or almond oil as the base. Jojoba and almond are supposed to be better for mature skin and grapeseed oil better for oily skin. But, as I have read, each person's skin responds uniquely to each base oil; so I wish I had tried them all out first, sampled each on my arm and noted how readily my skin absorbed it, how it felt - like the books advise. (But, what the heck! Why spoil my record for making things as frought with problems as possible and learning everything the hard way?!!) I think I would also like to substitute shea butter for coconut oil. Finally, I would use only essential oil, such as grapefruit seed oil for natural preservative purposes and vitamin E. Unscented or a very subtly scented cream would appeal to more people. (I must say I have tended to go hog wild - adding to the concoctions various essential oils in weird combinations! Note to self: use essential oil restraint.)

It was another beautiful day here, and we expect more of the same tomorrow. Hope all is marvelous with you! Happy day!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Cleansing Grains

Yesterday I finished putting together my most recent personal care product concoction - cleansing grains. It took a couple of weeks to accumulate all the necessary ingredients, particularly the white clay. I had read the clay was cheaper if you purchase it in a ceramics supply store than if you buy it in a health food store. There was not a ceramics supply store listed for Missoula, so I went to JoAnn craft supply store and bought a big bag of what turned out to be not pure white clay, but white clay mixed with several other ingredients, such as cellulose, which are not intended to be put on your skin. So I returned it and purchased pure white clay from Meadowsweet Herbs. White clay is supposed to be less drying than other clays, such as green or red clay.

The recipe for cleansing grains calls for 2 cups of white clay, 1 cup finely ground oatmeal, and small amounts of ground dried rose buds, dried lavender, almonds and poppy seeds. This forms the base which I use in smaller amounts to mix with raw honey and distilled water to create a moist, thick texture. I made a 1-week supply in a small jar, and Wednesday night I tried out the cleansing grains. I gently massaged about 1 tsp. of the grains/honey/water mixture all over my face, then rinsed it off with warm water. I patted my face dry with a clean soft towel; then spritzed on the toner I made. Finally I applied moisture cream. My facial skin feels as good as it did after my expensive professional European facial I received a few months ago! (And I have spent only about three times as much on my ever-growing collection of personal care product ingredients!)

Right now I am in the process of using up my "mistakes". The moisturizing cream began separating - the water and the oil - shortly after I first made it on July 11. I tried re-blending the oil and water; but that has proven unsuccessful. However, I am still using the moisturizer, because it still contains the wonderful jojoba oil, rosewater, beeswax and other superb components. It has a bumpy texture that becomes smooth as soon as the cream is applied to my skin. The cleansing cream is now starting to separate slightly, but it still works marvelously well. I have been keeping the creams and the toner in the refrigerator during the hot weather. As soon as I turn out a really lovely batch of moisturizing cream, I will start giving it out to friends and family and ask them what they think of it.

I want to try a recipe for deodorant that is completely different from the deodorant I made in July. I want something that does not melt when it gets above 80 degrees in the house. Instead of baking soda, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, arrowroot powder and borax, the new recipe calls for simply witch hazel and lavender essential oil. I can spritz it on. The witch hazel and lavender essential oil both have preservative and deodorizing properties. I will let you know how it compares to the baking soda-based deodorant. Keep smiling!