The Many Benefits of Shea Butter

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Our Precious Skin
Most people appreciate having nice, soft, young looking skin. Our skin is our largest organ. It's our first line of immunity. The skin provides protection from the external environment and acts as a barrier as well as a filter.

If you are someone who puts lotion, creme, oil or lip balm on your skin repeatedly on a daily basis, you may want to look hard at what your putting on your skin. These products, high quality or rancid and toxic quality, will get into your skin on a cellular level. The idea is for these products to nourish from a cellular level!

Shea Butter
The first time I felt pure raw shea butter about a decade ago is when my love affair began! Now, I use it in most of the  B Me Organic Products. Shea Butter is the fruit that comes from the Karite Tree, native to Africa and has also been called the Tree of Life.

You may purchase it raw and unrefined or refined shea butter. The raw unrefined shea butter contains more beneficial properties and has an earthy scent. Unrefined has more processing and doesn't have much scent. Shea butter varies in color from off white to yellow. As the shea butter is extracted, it is put into a gourd such as below. 

Shea butter has an unbelievable amount of benefits.  It is often compared to cocoa butter and in some opinions exceeds the healing quality.  It contains Vit. A, E, and F and is very good for skin balance. It penetrates into the skin, moisturizes, gives back elasticity, softens and much more. Shea butter is good for:

-Dry skin                   -Skin rash                    -Sun burns                    -Wrinkles                   -Itchy skin         -After shave bumps                  -Skin wounds                 -Skin cracks                      -Tough or rough skin                              -Weather changes such as dry lips, cold weather, frost bites               -Stretch marks            - Insect bites                          -Muscle fatigue, aches and tension                -Before & after strenuous exercise         

-Skin allergies such as poison ivy          -Eczema       - Dermatitis      

                  -Skin damage from heat including radiation        -Sun protection  

Additionally, it has beneficial properties to the scalp and hair to condition your hair's natural shine, revitalize split ends, protect from the sun and hard treatments such as perms or hair dyes, deep conditions and strengthens brittle hair.  Shea butter may also be used on babies for diaper rashes.  As you can see, there are so many benefits to using shea butter!

Shea butter will melt at and on our bodies temperature. Get that? You will feel it literally melt on your skin. That's awesome!!  Typically in its raw form, it will be semi-medium hard and will soften when it's applied. A product of nature! 

These are a Few of My Favorite Things!

I make a variety of organic herbal products and use shea butter in many of them. You may use the shea butter in its raw form or add it with other oils and butters. I love the feel, texture and medicinal benefits it adds.  How do I use the shea butter?  I begin the products with herb infused oil that I set outside with shells, stones, sunshine and shake it for at least 2 weeks. The herbs infused depends upon the nature of the product.  Herbs to soften and heal such as lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, neem are used in the Body and Belly Butter and Sweet Orange and Lavender Healing Creme, Herbal Salve and Lip Balms, and Body and Belly Oil and Argon Hair and Body Oil.  Therapeutic herbs for aches, pains, inflammation, arthritis, sprains and more include herbs such as arnica, St. John's Wort, horsetail, rosemary, cayenne, catnip, neem in the Therapeutic Salve and Therapeutic Foot and Body Lotion.  Herbs to repel bugs include lemon eucalyptus, lemongrass, catnip, rose geranium, and neem are in the Bug Off Mister products.  

     

After a few weeks, I strain the herbs and mix the herb infused oil, organic shea butter and maybe other goodies such as organic coconut oil, beeswax, and organic cocoa butter on a double boiler.

Shea Butter, cocoa 'wafers', beeswax squares

Melted butters, oil, and wax with a fun stirrer! 

  Then I add my love and intention to create this product in its highest good!  I pour, package, label and hope these delicious products make you feel fabulous and happy!

Body and Mind Enrichment. A unique way of exercising your body and mind!

Raise the Flag

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The Beach
I am so thankful to live near the beach. I grew up around the beach, love to travel to other beaches and am enamored by the beauty and energy from the beach, birds, wildlife and water.  It gets very crazy around Clearwater Beach and the surrounding beaches especially during spring break.  I put my patient hat on and am thankful that so many people are enjoying this beautiful treasure!

Recently, I went south to Indian Rocks Beach, home of the original Crabby Bill's restaurant.  Throughout many of the beaches, we now have bright yellow flags on each side of the street to hold while crossing Gulf Blvd.  Although I thought it was for my entertainment purposes to be able to wave a flag, it's so the out of towners, spring breakers, and locals can see clearly when someone is crossing the street.  You never know who may get caught up watching a half naked person (I'm talking about people in bathing suits!) walk on the side of the road and cause a wreck.

Wave the Flag Proud and Strong
It's not every day you get to wave a flag. In fact, it's not every month either. I thought it was a treat and felt somewhat freeing! Try it! Just visualize waving a flag.  I also see it as an exercise, like I do many things in everyday life.  As you're waving the flag, if you hold your arm higher (as if you are raising your hand confidently to answer a question in class) it will be more challenging.  A larger flag will be harder. Wave your flag like a crazy eight.  While doing the crazy eight motion engage the core, feel the rotation, internal and external, from the shoulder (keep the shoulder blades down, please), use the triceps, back and chest.  Look both ways and cross the street, confidently while waving your flag. I bet everyone else will want to try it! Make sure to use the other arm when you cross back!

Take these precious times in life to pay attention to your strengths (from left to right side, front/back, top/bottom), strengthen your body and play with yourself.  The next time you get the opportunity to wave a flag, go for it!


Body and Mind Enrichment. A unique way of exercising your body and mind!

Homemade Beauty Treatments, Intuitively Speaking

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Skin and Body
Certain times of year, you may feel your body and skin responding to the seasonal change. Your body may just looove a certain time of year and flourishes (hair, skin, etc) and other times struggles (dryness, oiliness, patches etc.).  This may also change due to stress, environment, diet and other factors too!

Horse Playing with Your Food
I am a big advocate of playing with your food. We've got to make it fun, right?!  I also enjoy eating for the seasons.  We are lucky to have strawberries in season here in FL!  I made a delicious Strawberry Simple Syrup with raw honey, cinnamon, lemon balm and lime. I like to keep some version of this on hand to add sweetness to drinks, yoghurt and other tasty treats.

Strawberry Simple Syrup

On another note, I took Rosemary, mashed it lovingly with my fingers, put it in an empty bottle and added olive oil to cover it.  This rosemary olive oil is used to flavor food but you may also drizzle a little in your palm and condition your hair.

Rosemary Infused Olive Oil

A week later, I roasted butternut squashed and drizzled the rosemary infused olive oil, yum!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary

One evening, I decided it was time to give myself a nourishing mask. I wanted/needed something to assist with the little bit of dryness I was experiencing, mainly due to the weather this time of year in FL, cool and dry. Since I had some butternut squash leftover and the simple syrup, I was drawn to combine them for the perfect deluxe moisturizing (in-home) facial.

Honey, Strawberry, cinnamon, lemon balm, butternut squash, rosemary, olive oil

 I took a little of each and mashed them together in a 1/1 ratio.  Check out the vibrant colors!  Honey is a great antibacterial and has many benefits for the skin, hair and body! Rosemary is good for circulation. Lemon Balm has antiviral properties. Strawberries aids in ridding the skin of dead cells. The orange color of butternut squash is a good indicator that it contains beta carotene, Vit. A, which helps to fight wrinkles and balance the ph of your skin and cells. Lime is a natural preservative.  Eating these foods are important, however, if you have some leftovers and are feeling a bit sassy, feel free to give it a try and see how your body and/or face feels.  My skin is pretty neutral so I'm okay using herbs and foods that may be slightly drying or oily although I was using the butternut squash in this creation to nourish the face in a moisturizing way. The rosemary is often used for dry skin and lime, lemon balm and strawberries for oilier skin. But in this situation, I was comfortable with a little of everything!

Look at the pretty heart! This happened organically!

After applying it to my face around the eyes, neck and hands, I relaxed with a cup of tea and enjoyed the moisturizing and tightening experience over the next 20 or so minutes. I suggest relaxing and feeling what's going on as it changes during the duration while these organic foods and herbs set into your skin on a cellular level. I love feeling this and the energetic movement around the face.  

Chillin' with my facial, tea and amethyst & rose quartz necklace

Then, I rinsed with lightly warm water, pat dry and felt fabulous! Seeeeee?

Fabulous feeling skin and a happy camper!

Maybe you will find some serendipitous goodies in your fridge or pantry to blend together. Sometimes I'll sneak a quick facial in while I'm making some food such as smashing avocado on my face when making guacamole.  So, although I enjoy the zen time and feeling and guiding the inner workings of the natural products, I know we get caught up in our busy worlds, and any way to sneak it in is just perfect!  

Cheers to happy, healthy and radiant skin! 

Body and Mind Enrichment. A unique way of exercising your body and mind!

Ringing in the New Year!

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Ringing in the New Year!
Happy 2013!  I love the holiday season, the spirit, the energy and also time off! Each year I do something different with my time not purposefully, just serendipitously!  But it always includes relaxing!

Diggin' in the Dirt
This year I gravitated to the garden and, of course, the beach!  I was yearning to get my hands dirty and feel the soil, connect and breath with nature. We tend to get caught up in the busy cycle of life - work, activities, commitments etc. that we have to put some things on the back burner.  So, it was my intention to spend my relaxing time off in the garden.

Going Deeper
Being in the garden is a beautiful place to reflect. Allow your mind to be open and clear for new ideas and thoughts to appear!  I relate those lively plants to us alot in regards to how we grow and blossom during certain times of year and need extra support, nutrients and love in others. Again, a cycle.
I have been thankful this past year to share a garden with 2 others.

Closing the year by tending to the garden, caring and giving thanks, is healthful for the soul. Beginning the new year by starting seeds, nourishing the soil, harvesting and planting is very fulfilling!  Currently in the garden are many varieties of mustard greens, chinese cabbage and bok choy, kale, spinach, herbs, brocolli, brussel sprouts and more!

Happy and Healthy 2013!

Body and Mind Enrichment. A unique way of exercising your body and mind!