PURE YANKABILLY Giveaway #2

Tomorrow is the last day for the first official giveaway from PURE YANKABILLY All Natural Skincare. Be sure to enter.


And now.....


Let's go ahead and roll out Giveaway #2. How'd be that? You'll get the 5 piece Love Your Face Kit. Here's what's in it...

Gentle Bar Soap - 5 oz

Lavender Rose Facial Toner - 2 oz

Moisturizing Face Oil - 2 oz

Whipped Eye Cream - 1 oz

Nourishing Lip Balm - .25 oz

This kit has everything I use on a daily basic to cleanse and prep my face for the day (or night). I love it and I hope you will, too!

Bought as a kit this is a $59.95 value. It would cost $65.75 if purchased separately.

Giveaway will run until Thursday, March 29, 2012.

To Enter Giveaway:

Simply leave me a comment telling me which item you're most excited about trying.

For extra entries, leave a separate comment for each of the following...

+1 - Follow Ramblings of a Happy Homemaker - or tell me if you already do.

+1 - Follow PURE YANKABILLY on Facebook - or tell me if you already do.

+1 - Blog about this giveaway and then leave me the link for your post in the comments.

+1 - Share about this giveaway on Facebook and then let me know you did.

I've had some people share with me that they aren't able to leave a comment on my blog for some reason. I've tried unsuccessfully to figure out why. If you find that you fall into this category, shoot me an e-mail at hhramblings@gmail.com telling me what you did to enter. There's actually a button on my sidebar that will let you do this quickly. One e-mail with all your info will be fine.

Alright, that's all folks! Good luck to you! And, thanks for reading. :0)


THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

It's Time to Spill the Beans...And a Giveaway!

OK, I'm ready to get back to more regular blogging after some intensive work on another project. And, I'm ready to spill the beans on just what that project is. :0) Where shall I begin?


I've been making not only cleaning products, but personal care products for my family for several years now. I have researched and experimented, then researched some more. I'm always looking for ways to shed toxins and chemicals and incorporate healing plant extracts. The benefits that my family has experienced because of this have been incredible. Back a few months ago I started sharing some of my tips and recipes with y'all and was blown away by the response. Evidently, I'm not the only one ready to say goodbye to Big Business in skin care. I'm just tickled pink at so many of your comments sharing how these things are benefiting you, too!


Shortly before Christmas, things started snowballing into what I can only call "A God Thing". Allow me to share a few of the highlights. My husband started using some of the newer products I made to give as Christmas gifts, and he commented to me that I should start selling it. At our Christmas gathering, my extended family heartily agreed. Between the holidays, my cousin and I went into a health store in my hometown on a reconnaissance mission and the owner overheard our conversation. She said that she would like to carry my products. I was still in the planning stage at that point. Then, my husband received an unexpected year-end bonus from work (that he's never gotten before) and we realized that God had just provided our start-up funds. So, PURE YANKABILLY ~ All Natural Skincare was born. You may have noticed that I already snuck a new tab in up there with a link to the shop. Is it snuck or sneaked? Anyone? Good thing I don't teach grammar...


My eyes have recently been opened to the fact that there are "do-ers" in life and then there are those who would rather not mess with it themselves. I'm a do-er.  Always have been. I know many of you are, too. You're the type of person who takes great joy in the challenge and the following satisfaction of figuring out how to do and make things yourself. I understand that this may not be for you. But, there are many folks who either don't have time to do the research, hunt down ingredients and then actually make something - or they have no interest in it. Many of them still want to rid their lives of chemicals and take a more natural approach, though. Let me quote the famous Doc Holliday here..."I'll be your Huckleberry!"


If you're a do-er, then I wish you many happy concoctions! I hope you continue to enjoy the skin care recipes I have listed here as well as those from all around the web. My eye cream recipe has been the most popular post on my blog every since I hit "publish". And, it's good stuff. But, my new eye cream that I sell in my shop is great stuff. I've added awesome healing and anti-aging ingredients to it and then whipped it to a wonderful consistency. That's what I've done with everything in my shop. I put in extra research and tracked down the finest ingredients I could get my hands on to make each product the best it could possibly be. 


I've been giving samples to people that I know in real life and have had some really amazing reports rolling in. I'll share some of them with you later. But, for now I want to get to the fun part! In honor of PURE YANKABILLY'S grand opening - I'm going to do two giveaways.


For those of you who may want to go ahead and try something - I'm offering a 15% coupon for liking my PURE YANKABILLY Facebook page. So, are you ready for the first giveaway? I thought so!


Here's what you'll receive:

Gentle Bar Soap - 5 ounces

This is the only soap my family uses. It's in the shower and at the bathroom and kitchen sinks. It lathers so nicely that me and Chris both use it for shaving now, saving the expense of shave gel. Since making this I've also been able to say goodbye to a separate face wash because this is awesome for taking good care of the face. I often use it to wash my hair. It's gentle enough to use as an all-in-one soap and shampoo for your babies, too. We always take it with us when we travel, because Isaac's hands will inevitably crack and bleed if we don't. That's not a lot of fun for him. Can you tell we love this stuff? 

Hard Lotion Bar - 1.5 ounces

This is my husband's all-time favorite item. This man has never used any type of lotion because he can't stand the feel on his skin. Y'all, he even puts this on his face. Like, every night. It's not greasy at all, but very nourishing and moisturizing. It's even taking the callouses off of his hands that he's had for the entire 17 years we've been married. 'Nuff said.

Organic Sugar Scrub - 8 ounces

Peppermint Grapefruit

I use this scrub from head to toe two or three times a week. It's wonderful to use before shaving. Although, it would be nice if it was the kind of 'sugaring' that took care of that for you, too. You'll have to do that yourself, though, unless you just enjoy looking like 'the missing link'. I won't judge you if you do. Anyhoo, it does a fantastic job of exfoliating and then leaves you wonderfully moisturized. Someone I recently shared this with said it was better than a scrub that she paid $60 for. I'll let you tell me what you think...

Flower Power Soothing Salve - 2 ounces

I created this salve for our trip to Michigan at Christmas. I was out of our hard lotion bar and knew that I needed to bring some sort of moisturizer with us because of Isaac's hands - and regular lotions cause them to break out. Even when we take our soap with us he usually will have a minor flare up from not using it 100% of the time. I intended this to be a rich, general moisturizer (which it is), but was happily surprised to find that it is very healing as well. Someone that we gave a sample to recently has reported that it has made a tremendous difference for her husband, who has been plagued for years with a skin condition that the doctors have been unable to help him with. Use it on anything that is fungal in nature,  burns, eczema, to generally soothe skin and more. This is my mom's favorite, by the way.

and finally...

Green Goodness Healing Balm - 2 ounces

Y'all, this stuff is UH-MAZ-ING! It is a blend of 6 healing herbs that I've infused into EVOO, unrefined and cold-pressed. Then, I add a bunch of other oils that have a strong history of healing a myriad of issues. It's good for cuts, burns, fungal infections, bug bites, boils, rashes, eczema, psoriasis, bruises, sprains and SO much more. 

These products have a $60.25 value. The giveaway will run until Thursday, March 22, 2012.

Whew! This was a long post so I'm gonna keep entering the giveaway pretty simple, K? 

To Enter Giveaway:

Simply leave me a comment telling me which item you're most excited about trying.

For extra entries, leave a separate comment for each of the following...

+1 - Follow Ramblings of a Happy Homemaker - or tell me if you already do.

+1 - Follow PURE YANKABILLY on Facebook - or tell me if you already do.

+1 - Blog about this giveaway and then leave me the link for your post in the comments.

+1 - Share about this giveaway on Facebook and then let me know you did.

I've had some people share with me that they aren't able to leave a comment on my blog for some reason. I've tried unsuccessfully to figure out why. If you find that you fall into this category, shoot me an e-mail at hhramblings@gmail.com telling me what you did to enter. There's actually a button on my sidebar that will let you do this quickly. One e-mail with all your info will be fine.

Alright, that's all folks! Good luck to you! And, thanks for reading. :0)


I'm sharing this post at Your Green Resource.


THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Skin Care Series ~ Lavender & Chamomile Salve

Do you remember the hard lotion bars that I recently whipped up and put in the teacher gifts I made for Christmas?  Well, my family LOVES them.  My husband, who doesn't like any type of lotion uses the hard lotion on a daily basis and even puts it on his face.  Y'all, that is truly amazing.  Take my word for it.  Anyhoo,  I'm just about out of the hard lotion bar and don't have some key ingredients to make any more. We're getting ready to go out of state for Christmas and I don't want to be without some good, nourishing moisturizer.  So, I browsed through some recipes on the internet, tweaked them and came up with this healing salve which utilizes lavender and chamomile.


LAVENDER & CHAMOMILE SALVE


1/4 c. lavender buds
3 chamomile tea bags
1/4 c. grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. jojoba oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. beeswax
8 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops chamomile essential oil


Here's How...


Put lavender buds and contents of chamomile tea bags into a small saucepan.

Add oils and gently warm them.  Once the oils are warm, turn off heat and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, begin melting beeswax in a double boiler.  I don't technically have a double boiler, so here's what I do.  I place a folded wash cloth in the bottom of a large sauce pan filled with a little bit of water.  I then place my glass or ceramic bowl on the wash cloth. It has worked remarkably well for me.

Once your oils have infused with the herbs for a sufficient amount of time, pour the mixture through a piece of cheese cloth to separate the herbs from the oil.  Make sure to squeeze every last drop of that precious oil out. :0)

After the beeswax is melted, pour your herb infused oil into the beeswax and stir.  The beeswax will harden slightly when you do this.  Just give it another minute or so to remelt.

After all the oils and wax are together in a liquid state, remove from the double boiler and stir in the essential oils.  Pour into containers.  After a little trial and error (AKA spilling some) I realized that the best way to do this was to use a deep-sided tablespoon to put the liquid into the jars.  

Let cool completely before adding a lid or moving them.  This makes 4 ounces.  I used two 2 ounce containers, which is a pretty nice size for this.

Here is the finished salve.  It has a really nice, light fragrance.  I put a tub in my purse and one by the kitchen sink.  I really like it.  It's soothing and not greasy at all.  It isn't quite as hardy as the hard lotion bars, but seems to be great for applying after washing my hands or dishes.  It would also be good to put on scrapes, burns or bites as the lavender and chamomile are wonderful for those things.  Not to mention that the oils themselves are very healing.  All in all, I'm very pleased with how this salve turned out and will definitely be making it again when this batch runs out.


NOTE:
If you aren't completely happy with the consistency of your salve once it sets up, all you have to do is remelt it and add 1/2 Tbsp. more beeswax to make it firmer or a bit more oil to make it softer.  I like it using 1 1/2 Tbsp. of beeswax, personally.


Here's why the ingredients are so good...


These facts are taken from Natural Remedies for Life.com.


grapeseed oil ~ Rich in vitamin E, C, D and Beta-carotene. Also contains all kinds of skin healthy essential fatty acids. These help repair damaged skin, wrinkles around the eyes, stretch marks, varicose veins and spider veins by penetrating the skin with their moisturizing properties. Also ideal for moisturizing oily skin. Keeps skin supple and healthy.


coconut oil ~ Super moisturizing oil, a solid at room temperature but melts easily on the skin. Its consistency makes it very easy to mix and very useful in facial masks. Protects skin from the elements by forming a thin film which is not absorbed. Also useful as an after sun oil. Good cleansing properties and very mild. 


jojoba oil ~ An extraordinary balancing oil, helps to regulate under-active and overactive oil glands. Natural humectants, that attracts and keeps moisture under your skin; absorbs quickly into the skin to moisturize. Very mild.


lavender ~ Soothes and calmes your skin, has antiviral, anti-fungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Can relieve muscle tension, speeds healing and reduces scarring. Also works as anti depressant, stimulates circulation, is a mild sedative and reduces nervous tension.


chamomile ~ There are Roman and German chamomile. They are rejuvenating and relaxing and have soothing effect on burns and irritations. Are also slightly sedative.


lavender essential oil ~ Has sedative and antiseptic properties. Relieves and heals skin irritations like, acne, abscess, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis. Also very effective against burns, sunburns, wounds and insect bites. Calming; antidepressant, promotes clarity, enhances intuition, soothing, balancing. Helps normalize all skin conditions. Good for headaches and sinuses and is an effective insect repellent. Suitable for oily & combo skin.


chamomile essential oil ~ Can be used as a softening agent for rough or irritated skin. Has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Good against: allergies, acne, burns, cuts, dermatitis, eczema, inflammations, insect bites, rashes, sensitive skin & wounds. Also have a calming effect on the mind and nervous system, are slightly sedative and have emollient properties. German chamomile has higher anti-inflammatory properties. Chamomile oil has very low toxicity so it is good for children.


beeswax ~ Beeswax locks in moisture, fosters cells and protects skin from damaging environmental factors. Honeygirlorganic.com reports beeswax effectively "softens your skin and creates a long-lasting protective coating against the elements. It also is a naturally nourishing moisturizer as well as being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic and a germicidal antioxidant." According to Botanical.com, "Even after processing, beeswax still remains a biologically active product, retaining some anti-bacterial properties and also contains some vitamin A, which is necessary for normal cell development." The Mayo Clinic recommends lip balm made from beeswax for chapped lip care and prevention.

Since beeswax does not clog pores, Dermaxime.com states, "When it is properly used, (beeswax) will not promote the formation of acne or pimples."

Read more: Skin Benefits of Beeswax | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5705546_skin-benefits-beeswax.html#ixzz1h7L3w7xn


These are but some of the benefits of the ingredients in this salve.  They are so wonderful that I could do an entire blog post on each one.  But, this is a very good overview.


UPDATE: My family has been using this salve for about 3 weeks now and have been very impressed with not only it's moisturizing ability, but it's skin healing ability as well.  I took it to MI with us over Christmas because my son's hands tend to break out when we're away from home. This salve got his hands back to normal more quickly than anything we've ever used.


Have you ever made your own salve?  Do you rely on commercial lotions to get you through those dry winter months?


I'm linking this post to Frugal Days - Sustainable Ways, Homestead Barn Hop, Healthy 2day Wednesdays, Simple Lives Thursday, Living Well Blog Hop, Wildcrafting Wednesdays and Your Green Resource.

Skin Care Series ~ Egg Mask

For today's contribution to the skin care series, I wanted to share a face mask.  I got this out of the book "French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes and Pleasure" by Mireille Guilano.

This book along with it's sister, "French Women Don't Get Fat", are both well worth the read if you're looking for some practical, natural advise and luxuriously delicious recipes.  But, I digress...


This face mask uses only two ingredients and is good for all skin types.  It is especially useful this time of year with many holiday gatherings and parties upon us.

Simply mix an egg yolk with a few drops of olive oil and leave on the face for 15 minutes. Remove with a warm wash cloth.  You can also add 1 tsp. of honey to this mask for extra benefits.  


Why this works...
Egg yolks are mostly water and fats, making them very emollient.  This means that egg yolks actually bring moisture to your skin and lock it in leaving you with smooth, supple and soft skin.  They are also very healing for blemishes.


Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer, helps to shrink pores and to lessen acne. Some evidence also suggests that it can aid in repairing sun-damaged skin.


Honey is naturally antioxidant and antimicrobial.  This means it helps to protect the skin from sun-damage as well as to replenish and rejuvenate the skin.  It absorbs and retains moisture, leaving skin refreshed and preventing dryness.  Honey is also used in treating acne, especially relating to changes in hormones.


I have done this and been very happy with the results.  There are many other natural face masks, some of which I'll attempt to touch upon in the future. 


This link to Home Remedies for Life has several more variations on egg yolk masks.


A note...
Because you're only using the yolk for this mask, you can freeze the whites in a baggie and use them for merengue, or anything else you only need egg whites for.  That means there is no waste. :0)


Have you ever tried this remedy or do you have another favorite you always pull out when your skin needs a little extra attention?


I'm sharing this post with Monday Mania, Homestead Barn Hop, Healthy 2day Wednesdays and Your Green Resource.

Skin and Body Care ~ Two More Toners

Today I want to share two more things that make wonderful skin toners with you.


The first is chamomile.  Chamomile is beneficial as a natural skin care treatment because of it's anti-inflammatory properties and it's ability to promote cell regeneration.  It is also helpful for problem skin affected by rashes, acne, eczema, psoriasis, scars, spider veins, age spots, discoloration and allergic conditions. 

The way that I use this is to simply brew a cup of chamomile tea from a bag and let it cool.  You're certainly welcome to dry your own flowers and brew the tea that way.  


Dab a cotton ball in the tea, gently apply it to your face and let it dry.  Store this in the refrigerator in a covered container.  I notice that my skin is very soft after I use chamomile as a toner.


Incidentally, chamomile is a home remedy for pink eye and is also said to be useful for reducing swelling from bites or stings as well.


The next item I want to share with you is apple cider vinegar.  According to ehow.com, apple cider vinegar is packed with alpha-hydroxy and amino acids that help to dissolve dead skin cells, balance the pH level of skin and stimulate blood circulation. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar stimulates the capillaries under the skin, leaving you with a soft glow.  

To use, mix equal parts ACV and distilled or spring water in a small (preferably glass) spray bottle and spritz on face after washing, but before moisturizing.  The smell will dissipate once it dries.  Alternatively, you can add a few drops of an essential oil to not only mask the odor, but to add more rejuvenating benefits to your toner.  Below, you'll find listed some good choices with their known contributions to skin care.  There is no need to refrigerate this version.

Lavender ~ known to restore skin elasticity and retard wrinkles

Frankincense ~ a strong revitalizing EO that is good for lightening age spots

Spikenard ~ retards wrinkles, revitalizes skin

Myrrh ~ retards wrinkles

Carrot seed oil ~ one of the strongest revitalizing EOs for the skin

Ylang Ylang & Rosewood ~ restores elasticity

Geranium & Helichrysum ~ regenerates skin

Sandalwood, Patchouli & Neroli ~ revitalizes skin

Definitions from the New Oxford American Dictionary:

restore = return to a former condition; repair or renovate so as to return it to its original condition

revitalize = imbue (something) with new life and vitality

regenerate = regrow (new tissue) to replace lost or injured tissue; regrow; bring into renewed existence, generate again

Some variations on the ACV toner would be...

Mix in thirds - ACV, distilled water and green tea which is full of anti-oxidants that are known to prevent wrinkling and dark circles under the eyes.

Other additions include chamomile, rose water and aloe vera.

Store any of these variations in the refrigerator for up to a month.


For more posts in this series click here.


I'm sharing this post at Simple Lives Thursdays and Your Green Resource.

Skin Care Series ~ Pimple Buster

tea tree or Melaleuca Oil

Today I want to share an easy treatment for on-the-spot blemishes: tea tree oil.

Here are some interesting facts about tea tree oil according to Wikipedia:

Some sources suggest beneficial medical properties when applied topically, including antiviral,^[7] antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities. It also has beneficial cosmetic properties.^[8]

Tea tree oil is active against Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA.^[9] Also, there is clinical evidence that topical dermatological preparations containing tea tree oil may be more effective than conventional antibiotics in preventing transmission of CA-MRSA.^[11]

Recent studies support a role for the topical application of tea tree oil in skin care and for the treatment of various diseases and conditions. Tea tree oil appears to be effective against bacteria, viruses, fungal infections, mites such as scabies, and lice such as head lice. A 2008 study of in vitro toxicity showed a tea tree oil preparation was more effective against head lice than permethrin, a popular pharmaceutical remedy.^[12]

In the treatment of moderate common acne, topical application of 5% tea tree oil has shown an effect comparable to 5% benzoyl peroxide, albeit with slower onset of action.^[13]

Tea tree oil is a known antifungal agent, effective in vitro against multiple dermatophytes found on the skin.^[14] In vivo, shampoo with 5% tea tree oil has been shown to be an effective treatment for dandruff due to its ability to treat Malassezia furfur, the most common cause of the condition.^[15]

These are just some of the impressive facts about tea tree oil.  In fact, it is so beneficial that an entire company was founded on it. 

So, how do we use this wonderful essential oil to combat pimples?  Simply dab a bit of it on each pimple before bed after washing your face.  I have also been known to use it in the mornings if I'm not applying makeup right away.

You can usually find tea tree oil anywhere you can purchase essential oils.  Mountain Rose Herbs is a very reputable online company who sells it for $9.00 for a 1 ounce bottle of organic tea tree oil.  If you go to their site, check out more uses and interesting facts about it.  For instance, during WWII, cutters and producers of tea tree oil were exempt from military service until enough of this wonderful essential oil had been accumulated.

Here are a few more links about naturally treating pimples using...

clay and essential oils

common plantain (the herb, not the banana)

clay and lavender essential oil 


Click here to view more posts in this series.

What do you use for on-the-spot- blemish control?


I'm sharing this with Teach Me Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Frugal Days - Sustainable Ways, Monday Mania and Your Green Resource.