BATIDO DE PAPAYA FOR GLEAMING SKIN

I do my best to incorporate as many anti-inflammatory foods as possible to my diet as I believe many of our current health issues are the result of chronic inflammation. So when I find the perfectly ripe papaya, I slice it up to eat all week and to make batidos for a creamy antioxidant treat.

In addition to fighting inflammation, eating papaya can help your skin from the inside out due to their high amounts of lycopene and vitamin C–which help with the renewal of skin cells. It’s one of my favorite fruits for gleaming skin!

This is a simple smoothie recipe that you can personalize with other fruits you may have on hand such as mangoes or strawberries.

 INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh, ripe papaya

1 cup cashew mylk OR your favorite milk (you can find my cashew mylk recipe here)

A few ice cubes

METHOD

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Drink straightaway.

BANANA + COCONUT HAIR MASK

When I was 15 or 16 years old I became very interested in natural beauty products I could make at home. Avocado face masks for my copper summer skin or homemade deep conditioners to keep my mane moisturized after days of swimming in the highly chlorinated public pool. Those were some funny times learning about self-care using ingredients from the dollar store!

I suppose I never grew out of that DIY phase as I have continued making very simple body creations since. This 2-ingredient recipe is reminiscent of those years and I use it on occasion as a conditioning treatment for my hair. Bananas contain silica, which I believe help tame my frizzy hair in the summer months. The following recipe makes enough for my shoulder length hair, so simply adjust the measurements as needed and don't be afraid to taste it! If you don't like the mask, you may have found a new dessert.

Using a blender, add one small ripe banana and 1/4 cup of coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into a small bowl, preferably not glass as the mixture is slippery. Apply "banana mask" to freshly washed, damp hair, using a wide tooth comb if necessary to distribute it. Put on a shower cap and keep mask on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse hair well with lukewarm water and style as usual.

CALENDULA INFUSED OIL

I had the opportunity to be featured on our morning show here in Phoenix called Good Morning Arizona. I was asked to share a recipe, and so I decided on something simple that would be beneficial for many. I settled on calendula infused oil because as stated in the video, it is the base for so many of my remedies.

Calendula oil is wonderful for babies and the elders alike with its soothing properties. I’ve used it on babies suffering from diaper rash to teenagers afflicted with severe acne.

You can grow calendula easily from seed during the fall, but if you don’t have a green thumb, you can purchase it from Mountain Rose Herbs. Enjoy making it and using it on your skin every day simply for it’s healing qualities! Your skin will glow!

INGREDIENTS
Dried Calendula Petals
Olive Oil

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Clean Glass Jar With Lid
Double Boiler, Slow Cooker, OR Electric Yogurt Maker
Cheesecloth
Large Glass Measuring Cup
Label

METHOD
1) Place dried calendula petals in a slow cooker, double boiler pan, or yogurt maker and cover with olive oil.  You want the olive oil to cover the herbs by at least 1 to 2 inches. 

2) Warm the herbs gently over a very low heat (you do not want to cook them).  Cover with lid,  and allow the flowers to infuse in the olive oil for at least eight hours, stirring now and then. 

3) After eight hours, turn off the heat or remove double boiler from the stove.  Allow the mixture to cool completely. Once cool, strain the flowers using cheesecloth set over a large glass measuring cup. Squeeze the mixture in the cheesecloth to get every drop of sunshine from the oil.  

4) Pour into a clean glass jar and label your creation.  

OLD SCHOOL NOURISHING AVOCADO HAIR MASK

I envision women in L.A. making this hair mask in the seventies. Perhaps that’s why I love it so much - it channels my inner hippie. My coarse gray hair loves soaking up all of its green goddess goodness leaving my hair feeling silky smooth and moisturized. It’s one of my old school favorites and it never disappoints. If you are vegan, simply omit the egg.

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado

1 egg

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

10 drops rosemary essential oil

METHOD

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender.

2. Apply to hair using hands. Distribute evenly.

3. Leave in 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Shampoo and condition as you normally would.

PRICKLY PEAR + ROSE ANOINTING OIL

Part of my skin care routine for the past twenty-five years has included the application of various oils to my face each evening.  I believe that routine, along with drinking plenty of water, eating lots of antioxidant rich foods, and partaking in other lifestyle ways, has allowed me to have glowing skin well into my forties.  

I love creating different oil blends and recently, this has become one of my facial favorites! Prickly pear seed oil is unbelievably high in vitamin E, which does wonders for the skin, while rose has been used for thousands of years for skin health in other parts of the world.  So, when I was creating this blend, I had no intentions but to make it nutrient rich and smell really good, however, after I finished playing with it, I really felt as though I had captured the essence of Tonantzin/Guadalupe in a bottle.  I realized that the rose essential oil that I had used was her flower, which although is not native to Mexico, is part of her story.  Then there was the nochtli (prickly pear) seed oil, which is definitely symbolic of Mexico along with avocado oil.  When it was complete, it was earthy and sweet, uplifting and grounding at the same time - which are attributes I would use if describing her.  

Applying this oil to my face each night feels very different than the blends I've used in the past.  It doesn't feel part of my night time skin regimen, but rather part of a night time ritual.  It's made me want to slow down and anoint my face in gratitude to all of the good things that happened to me in my day versus simply slathering it on and getting into bed.  I had beautiful dreams the first night using this facial oil, and I hope you do too.  That is true beauty sleep.  

“To many people, she is not either/or, but rather one: Tonantzin-Guadalupe. Her blend of indigenous and European features represents the beauty and sacredness of both cultures –not just those of the dominant society. Her face is the face of today’’s Mexican, Chicano, Mestizo. ”

— A Bridge of Light Between Cultures by Griselda Alvarez Sesma

PRICKLY PEAR AND ROSE ANOINTING OIL

1-ounce glass bottle (preferably with a glass dropper lid)

small funnel

1/2 ounce avocado oil

1/2 ounce prickly pear seed oil

6 - 8 drops *rose essential oil OR 15 - 20 drops of **rose diluted in oil 

METHOD

Using your funnel, fill glass bottle halfway with prickly pear seed oil.  Add your rose essential oil or rose oil if using, (starting with the smallest amount).  Next, fill bottle with avocado oil to about the neck of the bottle (you need space from the dropper).  Put lid on and roll the bottle between your hands to blend.  Allow the blend to sit overnight.  The next day, check the fragrance of the rose oil.  Rose is a very heady oil, so less is more in this case as you can always add one or two more drops to your blend if it's not "rosy" enough for you.  Label your blend, keep away from heat, and use within six months using only  5 or 6 drops to anoint your face each night.  Do not get in your eyes. 

This beauty blend is high in antioxidants, vitamin E, and is emotionally uplifting.  I will admit, it is a little expensive to make, however, it will last you a very long time as it is very potent.  Feel free to play with the blend, perhaps adding more avocado oil instead of prickly pear seed oil, or using a different carrier oil of your choice such as jojoba or rosehip.  

Lastly, most ingredients can be easily found at your local health food store, with the exception of prickly pear seed oil. You can find it online, in some Mexican botanicas, or in other speciality stores.    

*I used 6 drops of Moroccan rose

**Rose essential oil is very strong, and a quality brand can be very expensive.  You may choose to use a Rose Oil (essential oil of rose diluted in a carrier oil such as grapeseed or jojoba).  

LIMPIA BODY SCRUB

Curanderas know the value of aromatic herbs for cleansing one's body of stagnant energy.  That was my inspiration for this simple body scrub, using three of my favorite aromatic plants I use when offering "limpias" to my clients and friends: Sage for purification, Rosemary for remembering all that is good, and Mint for daily sweetness. 

This aromatic blend will definitely wake up your senses, reminding me of a sentence from one of my favorite books, Like Water for Chocolate. 

 "It was very pleasant to savor its aroma, for smells have the power to evoke the past, bringing back sounds and even other smells that have no match in the present. -Tita" — Laura Esquivel (Like Water for Chocolate)

 

INGREDIENTS

1 C. sea salt (I used pink Himalayan sea salt found in bulk at Sprouts)  

3 T. dried sage

1 T. fresh rosemary, minced (dried is ok if fresh is not available, however, it will not be as fragrant) 

1/2 C. oil such as avocado, olive, or safflower 

5 drops mint essential oil (spearmint or peppermint)

Using a molcajete or mortar and pestle, grind the dried sage. Using a mixing bowl, combine the ground sage and minced rosemary with the sea salt, add the oil. Mix well with a spatula, add the essential oil, and mix again.  Keeps well in a jar for up to 3 months.  Be very careful when using glass in your bath/shower.  

HOW TO USE

In the shower, apply to damp skin using your hands.  Massage in circular motion, blessing your body with the aromatic mixture. Be very careful not to slip and do not use on your face!  Rinse off.  Pat your skin dry gently with a towel, so that some of the oil stays on your skin to continue moisturizing.  

This sea salt blend is NOT recommended for use by pregnant women. 

If you plan on making a large batch for gifts, you can find organic dried herbs in bulk at Mountain Rose Herbs. 

TEPEZCOHUITE HONEY MASK

I enjoy making this for my teenage daughter when we need a little bonding time.  It's easy to make, and we always have the three ingredients on hand.  She always comments how soft her skin feels after rinsing it off - and I love it because I know what's in it.  Tepezcohuite is from the bark of a very special tree that is native to Mexico - where it has long been used as a wound and burn healer due to its regenerative properties.  Personally, I use this recipe at least once a month because it gives my skin a healthful glow.  Plus, I like to think of my ancestors using it long ago.  If you do not have sandalwood essential oil, simply omit it. You will still receive the beautiful benefits of the mask. 

TEPEZCOHUITE HONEY MASK

1 T. tepezcohuite powder

1 T. runny honey (it's easier to mix than thick raw honey)

1 drop of sandalwood essential oil (optional)

In a small bowl, add all of the ingredients and gently stir.  It will seem like it's not mixing at first, be patient and continue stirring.  Once it looks like brownie batter, it's done!

Apply the mask with fingertips to a clean face, being mindful of your eyes.  Allow the mask to sit on your skin for at least 15 minutes.  Rinse, towel dry.  

You can keep the remaining Tepezcohuite mix stored in a small glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

You can purchase Tepezcohuite powder HERE. 

Lastly, thank you to my daughter Paloma and her friend Maddie for letting me use your faces for this post :) 

CHIA HAIR JELLY

CHIA HAIR JELLY

1 C. spring water

2 T. whole chia seeds

2 T. aloe vera gel

1 drop geranium essential oil

2 drops orange essential oil

3 drops of vitamin E (optional)

Simmer the chia seeds in water for about 5 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, then stir in aloe vera and essential oils.  

Allow to cool, then strain over a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large measuring cup.  Squeeze to get all of the gel into the measuring cup.  Add Vitamin E if using.  Chia Hair Jelly will be very thin in consistency, unlike traditional store-bought hair gel. Transfer to a bottle, and keep in the refrigerator.  

To Use:

Apply to damp hair, allow hair to dry naturally.