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If you happen to be driving through the beautiful Ottawa Valley of Renfrew County, a wonderful place to shop is at the ‘Somethin’ Special’ gift store in the heart of the picturesque Village of Burnstown, Ontario, Canada.

Shop owner, Heather Miller-Wolff has an absolutely amazing assortment of gifts, clothing and a great selection of Kogi Naturals.

Kogi Naturals use all natural products. You can get hand made soaps, face cream, foot cream, lip lotions and so much more.

Right now there is an amazing 40% off sale on all clothing in the store. (The clothing shop is located on the second floor of the Gift Shop.)

Why not take a minute to visit the Somethin’ Special website at: http://www.somethinspecial.ca

Somethin’ Special is also featured in the Community of Burnstown section of the Shop Renfrew County website.

Natural fruit acids and enzymes are great for removing dead skin. The papaya is loaded with natural enzymes, especially papin, that not only aids in digestion, but also help to exfoliate dead skin when used as a facial treatment. The greener the papaya, the higher the enzyme content.

To make your own Papaya Anti Wrikle Facial ‘Fruit Peel’ you will need nothing more than a bit of mashed papaya and a small amount of aloe vera gel.

Facial Peel Recipe

2 tbsp. mashed papaya

1 tsp. aloe vera gel

Mix the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Apply the paste to your face and neck and let sit for not more than five minutes.

Then rinse your face with cool water and use your favorite moisturizer.

NOTE: Don’t leave the mixture on your face for more than five minutes, as it can be quite drying to the skin if left too long.

Next post will have a recipe for making your own, soothing skin moisturizer.

Now off you go to pamper yourself. Take some time and enjoy both the process and the results!

In this day and age when cosmetics, perfumes and other apothecary concoctions are so numerous and expensive, it is wonderful to know that you can make most of your own cosmetics naturally, and every bit as nice, if not nicer, than the ones you buy in the stores.

To make your own perfume you will need some essential oils. Most essential oils must first be diluted in a carrier oil such a jojoba or sweet almond oil before they can be applied to the skin. Other pleasing essential oils include tea tree, lavender and peppermint oils.

It is a good idea to always test your product on a small area of skin before applying them to a larger area of your body.

Here is a nice recipe for a solid perfume with a beeswax base. Mix a larger batch then divide the larger batch into smaller tins, such as recycled lip-balm tins, etc.

1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) beeswax

4 Tbsp (60 ml) sweet almond oil.

8 drops of an essential oil of your choice.

In a small pot or saucepan, mix together the beeswax and sweet almond oil. Gently heat the mixture over a low heat until the wax melts.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the essential oil drops.

Pour the mixture into small tins and allow to cool.

You will have a lovely cake of perfume in a portable container to take in your purse or give to a friend as a gift. The mixture will soften from the warmth of your fingertips.

Apply the perfume to pulse points such as your wrist, behind your knees, or other warm spots on your body.

You can experiment with many different oils and scents and develop a lovely, refreshing scent that is truly ‘your signature’ scent!

Enjoy

Many people view manicures as a luxury procedure they either can’t afford, or don’t think necessary. But did you know that you can have beautiful hands if you incorporate a weekly manicure into your self-care beauty routine.

Here’s how you can give yourself a wonderful manicure using all natural products.

Start by removing any traces of nail polish or lacquer.

Soak your hands in warm water with a natural cleanser for at least 10 minutes.

Here’s a nice recipe for a lovely cleanser that will help soften your cuticles:

NATURAL HONEY CLEANSER

1/4 cup of honey
1 tablesppon of gentle liquid soap
1/2 cup of glycerin

Mix ingredients and pour into a squeeze bottle. Dispense about 1/8 of a cup into a bowl of warm water. Soak and enjoy!

Note: Honey gently softens and cleanses the skin and is great for dry skin. It’s not at all sticky. You can also use it as a facial cleanser or for a comforting bath gel.

After you have soaked your hands, massage a rich hand cream into your hands and cuticles.

Next, gently push back the cuticles with a q-tip. Never cut the cuticles.

Now, take a few minutes to carefully file your nails.

Once you are finished you can massage a rich hand cream onto your hands. For an extra bit of pampering, wrap you hands in a warm wash cloth and just sit and relax for about 10-15 minutes, letting the hand cream soak in and do its job. You can also put on a pair of cotton gloves, leave a nice film of hand cream, and head for bed, leaving the gloves on overnight.

Your hands will respond to this gently care. You will be proud of how they look, and will never have to deal with itchy skin, chapped knuckles, or ragged fingernails. Nicely manicured hands give you a gentle, professional appearance. They tell the world that ‘You Care.’ And as Martha Stewart would say: That’s a good thing!