Spring is here! Before we can greet the newfound sunshine with ease, we’ll have to face the facts—it’s time for some good ol’ fashioned spring cleaning. Whether or not putting in some elbow grease is part of your springtime routine, there’s no better time to do deep cleaning. Why? Because spring is all about new life and freshness, of course! Plus, who wants a grungy, dusty home, while allergens are already filling the air?
Cleaning your face doesn’t mean you have to bombard your skin with a hodge-podge of chemicals. To put your best face forward, go all natural instead with these DIY recipes of face wash and facial cleansers.
When you’re washing up, do you question the ingredients in your body and hand soap? You should. Most of the soaps available at places like mainstream commercial stores are loaded with artificial fragrances that have been known to cause allergies and irritation. Not to mention an ingredient called sodium laurel sulfate is one of the most common toxic ingredients found in soaps (and shower gels!). These ingredients are used to create lather and bubbles but also strip the skin of its natural oils.
Looking for more natural ways to wash those dirty clothes? Try organic soap nuts! Soap nuts, otherwise known as “soap berries," come from the Chinese Soapberry tree (Sapindus mukorossi). Although they look like nuts, they are actually dried fruit that is similar to lychee. Soap nuts are usually harvested after they drop from trees grown in the jungles of Indonesia or India. Soap nuts have various uses, and they can be used for cleaning more than just your laundry.
Castile soap is one of the simplest, cleanest types of soap available on the market and can be used for a wide variety of things. Originally from the Castile region of Spain, castile soap is made from olive or vegetable oil and sodium or potassium hydroxide (depending on whether it is in bar or liquid form). Popular brands of castile soap include Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile and Kirk’s Original Castile, though many varieties can be found in stores.
You either love it – or hate it.
I stand in the group of cilantro lovers – I’m happy to pile on that peppery, parsley stunt double. But for a small percentage of the population, including the late French chef Julia Child, the flat-leafed herb tastes oddly like soap, or even bugs.
Cilantro is the Spanish term for the leaves of the coriander plant – you probably recognize coriander as a dried fruit or seed used in many ethnic dishes. The word “coriander” is believed to be derived from the Greek word “koris,” meaning “bedbug.”
This essential oil has a very interesting back story. There are a few different versions of course, but that happens when a story is carried on for almost 10 centuries.
When flu season arrives, many people around you will start to get sick. Normally, you’d head to the nearest store and stock up on antibacterial gels and sanitizing wipes, but this could be a mistake. Studies show that these items offer no more protection than a traditional (non-antibacterial) soap-and-water hand-wash. Furthermore, many can create scenarios that actually lead to health problems down the line.
