Blades Natural Beauty

Recently Jessa Blades paid me a visit from The Big Apple. She came over for tea and we discussed all things on natural beauty on our stroll through roseland. Jessa is a makeup artist, herb maven, green beauty expert and creator of her own line. Her Calendula Cleansing Grains are perfect for traveling. I for one hate to check in luggage so on my recent trip to NYC I took Jessa’s grains with me so I didn’t have to check in any liquid substances. The grains are dry grains and become a cleansing fluid when mixed with water. We both found common ground on our love for using herbs for hormone balance and other issues. She even makes her own tea my favorite being Mountain Woman Tea made with oats, nettles and lemon balm. Look below for her tips on using what is in the kitchen cabinet.

 

Kitchen Beauty Cures from Jessa:

Garlic– A true healer, this herb has been helping us feel better for centuries. I love to mash it up and use the paste to heal a pimple.
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil- this anti-aging, antibacterial multitasker is a must have for the cabinet. There are countless uses for this ingredient; some of my favorites are to use it as an allover body moisturizer or as a deep conditioning hair treatment. Apply oil to your hair and then wrap it in plastic and sit in the sun for your required 15 minutes of Vitamin D exposure. I then like to go and clean my house and leave it on for as long as possible before I rinse it out with some…

Apple Cider Vinegar– This is a kitchen/beauty cabinet must-have with hundreds of uses. Some of my favorites include using it as a clarifying and moisturizing hair rinse. It is also great to tone the skin or help internally for digestion and heartburn (which will in turn help your skin).
Rolled Oats- Cook oats in water and put them in a cheesecloth bag, add to bath water to soothe itchy skin due to a rash or insect bites. Also great for facials, mix oats and honey for a gentle exfoliating face mask. Looking for more hydration? Mix oats and yogurt for a soothing treat for your face.
Local Raw Honey is a miracle ingredient, soothes coughs and sore throats internally and also works for first aid and beauty recipes. Honey makes a wonderful hydrating facemask that provides gentle exfoliation. I love the “honey pat” technique: Apply the honey to clean skin and begin to tap (like you are typing) all over your face. When the honey becomes too sticky to lift your fingers, rinse off. Also great to use on your skin to heal a cut or skin irritation, and makes a great lip balm (tastes good too!).
And finally, please keep in mind that it is always best to choose organic and try to buy in glass whenever possible.