In the middle of an overwhelming heat wave, it suddenly seemed to me like it was the perfect time to turn on my stove and make a lot of stuff in my kitchen. Who knows why? Maybe it was the sense that we are about halfway through summer.
One of the things I made was my all-natural Yarrow Green Tea Sunscreen. This sunscreen has only good stuff in it–nothing bad. It’s a blend of infusion of wildcrafted Yarrow, a traditional preventative and remedy for sunscreen and Green Tea, which is increasingly known for it’s ability to protect the skin from damage from UV radiation, and a whole bunch of skin-loving oils with naturally occuring SPF. My sunscreen includes creamy mango butter, organic cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and sesame oil. I also add some zinc oxide. I choose to avoid the controversial micronized zinc oxide, opting instead for the time test, regular old zinc oxide. Zinc oxide offer broad spectrum protection from UV radiation by creating a physical barrier that deflect radiation rays from the sun. I’ve scented this sunscreen with Lavender essential oil, which is divine with the subtle chocolate aroma from the unrefined cocoa butter.
What’s not in my sunscreen?
No oxybenzone or avobenzone. No retinoids. No parabens. No preservative of any kind. No propylene glycol. No artificial colors. No artificial fragrance.
Psssttt….
Do you love the coconut smell of regular sunscreen? Just ask me and I will add a dash of coconut fragrance oil to your sunscreen before it’s shipped or picked up.
This cream is sold in a pretty frosted glass 2 oz. container for $7.
I am not listing this on etsy so you need to order it directly from me. You can pick it up in St. Paul or I will ship anywhere.
Does it work?
Yes it does! You do need to reapply during times of longer sun exposure, but that is also true for conventional sunscreens. My family loves to hit the local lakes and rivers and the thick butters and beeswax provide a reasonable degree of water resistance. I have found it is not protective enough for the super fair skinned with reddish hair, but for the rest of us, including me and my two medium blonde, white children, it’s perfectly sufficient for a couple of hours of sun exposure.
Here’s a testimonial from my totally non-biased expert beta tester:
Oh, you made sunscreen again? Mom, your sunscreen is the best sunscreen in the whole world. I love this stuff. Mmm…it smells so delicious. Now I smell all chocolately!
Do you want to learn more about the sun’s radiation, how sunscreens are made, what to avoid in sunscreens?
Start with this article from the Environmental Working Group. It’s a good starting point for your research.
Sunscreen Workshops:
I teach all about sunscreen and teach students how to make homemade sunscreen just like this one. I don’t have any dates on the calender this summer but would be happy to arrange a class for your group at my location or yours. within an hour of the Twin Cities. Contact me for details. I offer the workshop for free to people who host a group(minimum of 5 additional paricipants).
Other Summer Products:
I did make stuff besides sunscreen. You can order directly from me or if you like to shop on etsy find my store here. You will find the lowest prices directly from me because there’s no fees to pay anybody else.
Contact me by sending me a message via this blog or my email address epiorier@mninter.net or call me at
612-508-0584
To get clean:
Bountiful Harvest $3.50—Pure pumpkin puree with Clove and Sweet Orange essential oils makes this a cozy Autumn or Winter themed soap. The ground coffee adds visual appeal but also lends a bit of scrubbiness to this bar.
Tangerine Spice$4.00—Soap scented with a festive blend of Tangerine, Nutmeg, Clove and Cedarwood essential oil colored naturally peachy orange from the Tangerine Essential Oil and swirled Moroccan Red Clay and topped with a shimmery dusting of bronze mica.
Patchouli Sunrise$4.00—A rich blend of 100% pure essential oils of Lavender, Orange, Patchouli, Cedarwood and Euclayptus . The design varies from loaf to loaf but each features a geometric pattern with an orange segment from either Moroccan red clay or pumpkin puree, a blue segment from natural herbal woad powder and a white and Calendula petal segment , and a dusting of ground oats and mica.
Green Goddess$4.00— One of my most popular varieties. Layers of natural soap swirled with Nettle sandwiched between layers of soap with French Green Clay. Each bar has a garnish of organic Calendula blossom from my garden. The essential oil blend of Lime, Lavender and Patchouli is a little earthy, a little zesty and a little sexy.
Lemongrass-Coconut This batch features real mango puree and coconut milk!–$4.00 Inspired by Thai food, the bottom layer is colored with mango puree bespeckled with organic Calendula. The top layer is creamy white with coconut milk meringue-like peaks and covered with flaked coconut. This soap smells is for all the Lemongrass lovers out there and is an intoxicating combination of 100% pure Lemongrass Essential Oil and Coconut fragrance oil.
To look pretty and feel good:
New! Hair Tonic: $4.75 I’m pretty excited about this new product. You can put it on wet hair or dry hair. It tames frizzy hair, offers light control and enhances shine. It’s packed with botanical goodies including infusions of hair and scalp loving herbs like Rosemary and Nettle, handmade Aloe Vera extract, handmade Chamomile tincture, Argan oil, Jojoba oil, wheat protein, liquid silk, horsetail extract and more. It smells so good! I’m offering two distinct scents comprised of 100% pure essential oils #1: Grapefruit, Peppermint, Cedarwood and Rose Absolute or #2 Clover, Lavender, Orange and Cedarwood. Sold in a a one-ounce frosted glass bottle with a pump dispenser.
Natural Serum–$10 Serums are hot in facial care now! Serums are densely packed with nutrition and active ingredients to improve skin care. My serum is lightweight and won’t clog pores. It is comprised of 100% botanically derived ingredients including precious oils of expeller pressed Rosehip Seed , Vitamin E, precious essential oils of Blue Chamomile, oil regulating Ylang Ylang, anti-oxidant rich Wild Carrot Seed Oil and cell regenerating Rosewood. It is designed to improve skin texture, aid in decreasing the prominence of discolorations, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines and reduce redness and inflammation and puffiness.
Whipped Shea Butter Sugar Scrub—$7.50 This wonderful scrub is my favorite scrub to date. It’s exfoliating but moisturizing and has a wonderful fluffy texture! Several scents are available: Bitter Almond, Lavender/Lemon and Pink Grapefruit. (4 ounce clear plastic tub with black lid)
Massage Bar—$8.50 This chunky massage bars fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, it is loaded with skin-loving locally sourced beeswax, organic cocoa butter, mango butter and sweet almond oil. It has an appealing 100% pure essential oil scent of Lavender, Patchouli, Eucalyptus an Sweet Orange. The handy tin will keep your bar clean and free of lint and debris. You can use a massage bar to give your loved one a massage; they give your hands a nice comfortable slide across the skin without being as greasy as most massage oils. Or use it on yourself in lieu of lotion. They are great for dry skin.
For health and wellness:
Blossom Baby Balm—$7 This is a totally natural cream for babies. It’s creamy and shimmers and smells divine. Designed as a diaper rash cream, it is nicely absorbed by the skin and can be used on any parts of the body or on people of any ages. Makes a great shower gift for the mom-to-be in your life. BBB comes in a 2 oz glass jar with and hand-stamped label.
**Healing infusion of Chamomile, Lavender Calendula and Rose Blossoms
**Rich nourishing oils of Mango Butter, Cocoa Butter and Almond Oil
**Zinc Oxide for added skin-protective properties
**pink clay for absorption and color
**Natural Beeswax, locally sourced
**Delightful scent from 100% pure essential oils including Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Tangerine, Sweet Orange, Blue Tansy and Patchouli
**No preservatives, no petroleum jelly or petro by products, no parabens or propylene glycol, no synthetic fragrance
Herbal Green Salve—.$6.50 This is the salve for all your first-aid needs! Contains wildcrafted or organically grown infused herbal oils.
**Calendula: general wound healing, anti-microbial
**Chickweed: general wound healing, soothing, cooling, anti-inflammatory**
**Thuja: wart and skin tags
**Yarrow: excellent hemostatic (stops bleeding and reduces bruising, good for burns, repels insects
**Yellow Dock Root: antifunga
**Mondarda: anti-fungal, anti-itch, soothing for burns
**Black Walnut: anti-microbial, anti-fungal
All oils are in a base of Grapeseed , Sweet Almond or Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Also contains natural, locally sourced beeswax. Rosemary and Tea Tree Essential Oil are added for wonderful aroma as well as additional skin healing, anti-microbial properties.
Aromatherapy Chest Rub— $7 This 100% natural chest rub is wonderful, fragrant, petroleum free alternative to commercially available vapor rubs. It is made with pure essential oils of Thyme, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Lavender and Camphor in a base of Almond and/or Grapeseed oil, Shea Butter and beeswax. Aromatherapy Chest Rub comes in a pretty 2 ounce cobalt blue glass container.
Uses: Chest rubs are a traditional remedy for respiratory conditions. The powerful oils bring circulation to the area promoting healing and expectoration. The oils are anti-microbial. The are both absorbed by the skin and inhaled; the aroma promotes decongestion.
Garlic and Ginger Cold and Sinus Syrup—$4.50
This is a fabulous tasting syrup! It is partly pungent and partly sweet and definitely zesty. The Garlic and Ginger offer warming energy and anti-microbial properties make it useful at the onset of colds, flu, respiratory infection, etc. It is particularly useful when the head, sinuses and/or lungs feel congested, cold, goopy and full.
It also offers a delicious way to take garlic for its blood pressure lowering effects.
This syrup is handcrafted by slowly infusing Organic Garlic and Ginger with water, apple cider vinegar and glycerin. Honey offers coating, soothing, anti-microbial properties as well as a sweet flavor and preservative powers.
Syrups are sold in amber glass bottles. Two ounce bottles may have either a dropper or a cap. Syrup come with a detailed info sheet on usage, ingredients and storage.
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