Ask Scrub

This is the place to ask questions about natural body and hair care.

There are many goodies in your cupboard that can work amazingly for skin care. For instance if you haven’t yet read my raves about coffee as a great rinse to wash away the grey, you should. Red heads can try tea. And for the blondes, add a little lemon to water, then go out side in the sun, final rinse with cool water.

Do you have any questions or a few tips of your own?

Here’s your chance, Ask Scrub

You say you color your hair with what?

Sometimes in the morning, I get a tad caught up on-line. If you’re reading this, you already know what I’m talking about. Anyway, That morning I put the morning’s dishes to soak. Someone came along and tossed their coffee cup to the soapy mix before forgetting to toss out the contents before hand. At first I felt a little bent, having to put my hand in the murky water, 'til I made an amazing discovery!!

When I emptied the sink, it looked like the cat and the hat had been there, put it wasn’t pink.

I remembered years ago, I had read that a good, natural hair rinse for brunettes was to use leftover coffee (to cover grey). I couldn't wait to shampoo and rinse with that gorgeous brew!! It worked! It is quite messy though, but who cares. If I can eliminate chemicals, and not put any more money in to the pockets of Lady Clairol, I’m all for it.

What about red heads and blondes?

Scrub me all over! organic spa collection

Welcome to my new journal for "Scrub Me All Over!"

Green isn't just a color, it's a way of life.

On May 19, 2007, I showcased my organic spa collection, at Etsy.com. I have been getting a lot of great questions on natural skin care. Here you will be able to ask and receive fresh tips on natural skin care tried and true. Maybe you have a few under your hat too?

But first a little of my background, I'm sure your dying to know. I first started making my oOh so natural scrubs/mask, cleansers, toners, and massage oils, out of pure necessity. My daughters had extremely sensitive skin, and even the (natural) products from the health food stores often caused them sever skin irritations.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I was a licensed Cosmetologist that became so intolerant to the ammonia and formaldehyde in the perms and hair colors that it actually put me in a very strange brain fog. It's really hard to work on your clients when you can't even remember your own name. Ah ha, it was pretty scary. And what followed in the years ahead was a list of strange symptoms that couldn't be explained.

Chemical sensitives are very hard to figure out, in the sense that the medical professionals know nothing on the subject. Go figure, my years of insomnia were because of the fragrances in common household products.

I'm healthy again, but sorry Docs, no thanks to you. If you have some unexplainable symptoms, it just might be as simple as eliminating your everyday products from your daily routine. I would first start with your laundry detergent. But that's enough for now. There will be plenty of time to chat about everyday toxic, household cleaning products, chemicals in skin care products, as well as the foods we eat. Do you know what they rinse the bagged lettuce with before it goes to market?

I'm posting some distrubing information found on the L.A.Times:

Fresh-squeezed, minus the troublesome 'fresh' and 'squeezed' parts
June 15, 2007

Fresh-squeezed orange juice, anyone? Customers may love it, but what a hassle, squeezing oranges on demand. Now a company, International Flavors & Fragrances, says it's discovered the key chemicals imparting that elusive, je ne sais quoi of fresh-squeezedness.Generessence Orange, as the proprietary cocktail is dubbed, comes from a five-year analysis of the chemicals in orange juice, according to an article on the development at http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=77405&m=1FNU615&c=euwrcxawdhnxtle. All companies have to do is add this precious cocktail to a beverage and — presto! Tastes fresh-squeezed. And not just orange juice. Carbonated beverages, water and tea are also candidates for fresh-squeezed flavor. (Fresh-squeezed tap water, anyone? Fresh-squeezed beer?) Interesting food-science fact: More than 300 chemicals are responsible for orange flavor. However, if you don't have a mass spectrometer on hand but still fancy whipping up orange drink, it seems you can make a semblance of it with just a few ingredients from the grocery and drug store. Here's the recipe, at www.chymist.com/Orange%20Drink.pdf. We make no guarantee as to taste.— Rosie Mestel