Soap Talk
Homemade Tincture to detox your liver
Apr 6th
How would you like to tinker with making tinctures? They are easy to make and are very affective because they assimilate efficiently into the bloodstream and remain potent longer then 
dried herbs do.
Tinctures are plant medicinals extracted in solvents. There are four major solvents; Water, Apple Cider Vinegar (organic or wood aged is best), Alcohol (90-100 proof) and Glycerin. Water is great for teas, Apple Cider Vinegar is the oldest solvent but not very poplular today. In my opinion it should not be over looked because of its nutritious properties that aid in digestion and activates healthy bacteria in the intestines. Vinegar is the best solvent to use for tinctures taken over a long period of time. Glycerin is used for children, alcohol sensitive people and gives a sweet flavor to the tincture. The most popular solvent is Alcohol. It is readily available and it easy to use. Many recipes call for Everclear but this is hard to find and outlawed in many states. So I recommend Vodka or Gin (100 proof). I will be using Vodka (100 proof) in the recipe below.
DRY BRUSHING SKIN (get rid of toxins, improves health and tighten skin)
Jan 16th
What is the largest organ in the body?
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
What organ is responsible for ¼ of the body’s detoxification each day?
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
What organ eliminates two pounds of waste acids daily?
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
What is one of the most important elimination organs in the body?
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
What organ receives one third of all the blood that is circulated in the body?
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
When the blood is full of toxic materials, what organ will reflect this with problems?
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
What organ is the last to receive nutrients in the body, yet the first to shows signs of imbalance or deficiency
ANSWER: THE SKIN!
A Simplistic Approach to Healthier Skin
The practice of dry skin brushing may be old news to those who practice the daily routine, but with all the skin care products and hypes out there, I thought it important to re-introduce a process that is not only a great way to maintain healthy skin, but also helps you to maintain a healthy body. The ability of the skin to excrete toxins is of paramount importance to you.
Dry skin brushing is one of the healthier self-help methods available to us today. Stimulation of the skin sets in motion natural healing pathways within your body. Additionally, it encourages nerve beds within its structure that in turn increases normal healing processes throughout the body.
There are several automatic systems contained by the body including healing processes. Your heart beats by design—you breathe automatically—and your body’s “automatic healing process”, is another. It is set in motion when your body generates an itching response to the required areas. You will obviously scratch that area, and in turn, the area turns red with a fresh blood supply and the natural healing process has now been set in motion. This is the same healing process that will follow a skin brushing session.
Your skin is the primary sign of an internally toxic body. As soon as your internal body becomes toxic, it will spread out into your skin causing your skin to become irritated and itchy. There are numerous ports of elimination of the skin including your mouth, face, and arm pits, the inside of your upper thigh region, feet, and toe nails. Did you know that body odor is also an additional indicator of toxic build-up and is eradicated through the same channels. Let’s not forget your tongue, which builds up a plaque and is yet another gauge of toxins in the body.
Our skin is permeable or porous, and can absorb toxins directly from the environment. According to Jacqueline Krohn, MD, “Caustic chemicals, such as alkaline solutions, can also penetrate the skin. Once a chemical has penetrated the stratum corneum (the most superficial layer of the skin), it moves through the epidermis and into the dermis. Skin brushing will enhance your health significantly. You may wonder how this is accomplished using, “skin brushing”. It is a fact that the skin is one of the optimal ways to getting to the endocrine system and all the glands it reaches very quickly. In addition, at the same time, it triggers them to react successfully. The instantaneous result from a brushing session is a feeling of increased physical well being.
The Benefits Of Dry Skin Brushing
- • Dry skin brushing helps to shed dead skin cells, which can help improve skin texture and cell renewal.
- • Dry skin brushing increases circulation to skin, encouraging your body’s discharge of metabolic wastes, which greatly aids the lymphatic drainage of the entire body. When the body rids itself of toxins, it is able to run more efficiently in all areas.
- • Dry skin brushing also helps to tighten the skin because it increases the flow of blood. Increasing the circulation to the skin can also help lessen the appearance of cellulite.
- • Dry skin brushing stimulates the lymph canals to drain toxic mucoid matter into the colon, thereby purifying the entire system. This enables the lymph to perform its house-cleaning duties by keeping the blood and other vital tissues detoxified. After several days of dry brushing, you may notice the gelatinous mucoid material in your stools.
- • Dry skin brushing helps with muscle tone and more even distribution of fat deposits.
- • Dry skin brushing also rejuvenates the nervous system by stimulating nerve endings in the skin.
- • Dry skin brushing helps your skin to absorb nutrients by eliminating clogged pores. Healthy, breathing skin contributes to overall body health.
- • Individuals who sit at a computer screen all day long will particularly take pleasure in the benefits of skin brushing. People who have inactive lifestyles or jobs usually experience stiff and sore necks and shoulders that reach even into their arms and down their spines and into their lower backs. Increased blood flow begins entering the areas brushed and you will experience an increase in electromagnetic energy that permits you to feel energized and invigorated.
- • LADIES—Cellulite is toxic. Cellulite is toxic materials that are accumulated in your body’s fat cells as they are unable to be eliminated. So, rather than liposuction surgery, how about utilizing the “dry skin brushing” techniques coupled with an alkaline diet program and a great exercising routine. It will break down the unwelcome toxic body deposits and send them scurrying out of your body through the elimination channels we discussed above.
How to Get Started With Your Skin Brushing Regimen
| 1.Purchase a natural, NOT a synthetic, bristle brush. (vegetable bristle)2. Purchase a brush with a long handle, so that you are able to reach all areas of your body. Best-case scenario would be one that had a removable head with a strap for your hand.
3. Skin brushing should be performed once a day, preferably first thing in the morning. If you are feeling ill, please do it twice a day until you feel better. 4. Skin brushing should be performed prior to your bath or shower and your body dry and naked. 5. Begin brushing your skin in long sweeping strokes starting from the bottom of your feet upwards, and from the hands towards the shoulders, and on the torso in an upward direction. Always brush towards the heart. Try and brush several times in each area, over-lapping as you go. 6. Avoid sensitive areas and anywhere the skin is broken. |
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7. After brushing your skin, rinse off in the shower. Paavo Airola, author of Swedish Beauty Secrets, recommends alternating temperatures in the shower from hot to cold. This will further invigorate the skin and stimulate blood circulation, bring more blood to the outer layers of the skin.
8. After getting out of the shower, dry off vigorously and massage your skin with Midnight Oil Massage Oil, Body Butter, salve or Lotions
9. Don’t forget to clean your skin brush using Midnight Oil soap and water once a week. After rinsing, dry your skin brush in an open, sunny spot to prevent mildew.
10. For a thorough lymphatic cleansing, perform skin brushing daily for a minimum of three months.
Caution: Do not brush on or over skin rashes, wounds, cuts, infections, poison oak or poison ivy.
Note: Any well designed program will take about 30 days to see and experience the changes. Please be patient and keep up the program!
I love the way I feel after dry brushing and you will too!
Sudsily yours, Kim (your friendly soap goddess)
Simple Steps to Protect Your Skin this Winter
Jan 4th
- MIDNIGHT OIL SOAP (M.O.): add moisture back to your skin as you bath. DO NOT USE COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS, they contain
detergents that can remove protective, essential oils. - M.O. Soaps are olive oil based with the added benefit of Goat Milk making the soaps the same pH as your skin. This allows your skin to not be striped of it’s natural pH.
- Don’t take extra-hot showers. As much as you want the comfort of that heat when it’s chilly, there’s less moisture in the air during winter and hot showers can further dehydrate your skin. Make showers as tepid as you can tolerate.
- Don’t assume that drinking water or replacing fluids internally is enough to keep your skin healthy during cold weather.
- BODY BUTTER from M. O.: Replenish skins moisture with these easily absorbed, skin loving butters that are high in fatty acids, vitamins and nourishment for all types of skin, perfect for extra dry skin. Apply to every part of your body and enjoy soft, silky smooth skin! I love this lotion and highly recommend it.
- BODY BUTTER FOR HAIR???? Yes, take a handful of M.O. Body Butter and massage it into your hair, and cover hair with plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 to 60 minutes. A great natural conditioner for the hair in winter.
- HEALING HERBAL SALVE: If you’ve got the driest of dry skin, the best defense for that is a couple of days this salve. Use sparingly, a little goes a long way! Perfect for dry, cracking skin when lotion just isn’t doing the job.
- Wearing slightly loose cotton gloves to bed after applying a sealant will speed the healing process for hurting hands and nails.
- Drinking fluid is important but moisture from the extra fluids can evaporate if not trapped by the epidermis, the skin’s outer layer. Moisturizing is so important this time of year because it protects the outer layer from winter’s wrath while retaining natural moisture from within. Try M.O. Body Butter it will keep your skin supple and healthy!
- Remember that certain beverages are dehydrating, such as those containing alcohol or caffeine, so consume them in moderation.
- M.O. REJUVENATION SCRUB: is perfect for winter use it is a gentle exfoilent in a light, rich lotion base.
- Humidify the air in your home, especially in your bedroom so that healing and repair can take place while you sleep.
- CUTICLE REPAIR: Don’t ignore nails. They’re made of the same basic compounds as the skin and crack and split in similar fashion, I don’t think people realize that when nails split it’s 90 percent from lack of proper moisture. CUTICLE REPAIR IS FULL OF vitamins and oils that strengthen and moisturize the nails and cuticles.
- Take a vitamin B supplement can improve skin, hair and nails, especially during winter.
By using Midnight Oil Products your skin will be healthier, softer and happier! Enjoy!!
Sudisly yours, Kim
Why add Goat Milk?
Jun 27th
- Goat’s milk is gentle and extremely moisturizing and rejuvenating. Goat’s milk contains proteins, minerals and vitamins that are easily absorbed, and defeat dry skin. Universally, goat’s milk has been used by people with sensitivities, as well as bathing in goat’s milk for it’s healing properties. It is claimed that Cleopatra bathed in goat’s milk to keep her beauty.
- Goat’s milk contains a natural source of Alpha-hydroxyl acid which gently removes dead skin and helps promote new skin growth. Another advantage of using goat’s milk is that it has a pH level similar to that of human skin.
- By adding goat’s milk to products it lowers the pH so that the product is very close to human skin pH levels. The beauty of this is that your skin isn’t stripped of its natural pH and oils. By using Midnight Oil products you will defeat dry, itchy skin and be left with healthy glowing skin that will feel silky smooth and clean.
- Currently we have a small herd of Nubian goats (see “MEET THE GIRLS“). Each Nubian goat is gently hand milked twice a day. Nubians are known to have the highest concentrate of butterfat, giving the soap a rich creamy, moisturizing lather, and extra benefits to your skin.
I invite you to give any of my products a try! Your senses will be delighted!
JELLO SHOTS for HANG-OVERS?
Mar 20th
“THE ART OF MEDICINE CONSISTS OF AMUSING THE PATIENT WHILE NATURE CURES THE DISEASE” ~VOLAIRE OR IN THIS CASE HANGOVER 
How would you like to relieve your hangover and feel better? Everyone has times in their lives that they overindulge. Those wine tasting trips, brew pub visits, holiday and special day parties or just turning 21. I remember being in college and every weekend was a party and the next day was NOT! Here are a few ideas to do to help the headache, nausea and general fatigue after a night of overindulging.
- Here are some things to try. More >
BOOST YOUR MEMORY with BRAIN BALLS
Mar 12th
We have all had those moments where we can’t remember what we did or have forgotten something. I hear people teasingly say, “I’m getting Alzheimer’s”.
It is normal at any age to forget everyday things. We all must remember, children forget all the time, where did they put their shoes, what time they go to bed, even when this bed time happens at the same time every night. Teenagers are the worst at forgetting things they don’t want to remember. What I want to stress is that it is normal to forget little everyday things but if your mental clarity and cognitive functions get foggy, confused, and you forget things that affect your quality of life. This is when you should be concerned.
One of the thoughts of decreasing brain function, as we age, is that our brains are lacking nutrition and are under too much stress. Each of us must respect our brains and give them a break. The brain rarely get a break always thinking and fusing and worrying. There is nothing that clears the mind, like magic, then a walk on the beach, a hike in the forest, walking in an ancient forest, taking a few days to spend by a lake. Recently a girlfriend of mine ran away to the beach. Because in 3 months time, she had lost her mom, got a divorce, found out she had financial issues and moved in with her dad. After trying to handle it all she felt she would break. Without telling anyone she book a hotel and went to the ocean for 4 days. She sat on the beach and talked to nature and let “the mother” heal her. She came back refreshed and ready to handle all those stresses that were adding up. I could feel the healing energy of the ocean all around her as she spoke.
If in your busy life you can’t make time for these things then do meditation and yoga these produce similar calming and peaceful experience for the brain. Having 4 children I got overwhelmed very quickly. Especially when I had to feed, clean and meet all their little needs. I couldn’t run off to the beach but I could meditate. I found a wholeness in my spirit by a few minutes of just breathing and connecting to the divine everyday. On those day I missed my morning meditation I felt like I was always rushing, never under control and at times just wanted to cry. Meditation slows the mind, body and soul. It lets you connect to the divine around you and there is a peace that is wonderful. Even if your meditation is 5 minutes!
What we in the west consider normal aging, dementia and Alzheimer, doesn’t have to be your fate. It could be as simple as nutrition and stress relief that will allow your wisdom to be passed onto your grandchild, instead of being lost in disease. My goal is to have a sharp and clear mind into my elderly years. Research has shown that these nutritional suggestions will help your mind stay sharp as you age.
FOR LONG-TERM MENTAL ACCURACY these herbs are very beneficial More >
Salves & Oinments make it yourself!
Mar 6th
MAKE YOUR OWN SALVE
After you have made your herbal oil, you’re ready to begin the steps needed to make you own salves
A basic salve/ointment is made with beeswax, oils (vegetable or animal) and herbs. The oil is used as a solvent for the medicinal property’s to the herbs and provides a healing emollient base. The beeswax is used to thicken the salve as well as adds a soothing protective quality.
You can add natural preservatives to the salves mixture, such as Vitamin E, Rosemary oil, benzoin. I don’t think this is necessary but I love to add Vitamin E for its healing properties.
- Prepare herbal oil, drained and strained.
- For every 8 ounces (1 cup) add 1 ounce beeswax (1/4 cup)
- Melt in a pan or double boiler. To check the consistency, place 1TBS in the freezer for about 2 minutes. If it is too soft add more beeswax if it is too hard add more oil.
- Remove from heat immediately as soon as the beeswax is melted.
- Pour into glass jars or tins. Salves will last months or even years.
- CHECK OUT MY eBOOKS FOR RECIPES AND MORE DETAILED INFORMATION
Making Herbal Oils
Feb 28th
Herbal oils are easy and fun to make! Think culinary, massage oil and
medicinal oils that you can make yourself.
- eBOOKS AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION AND A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING.
- The below instruction should get you started!
The best vegetable oil to use in the medicinal infusion is Olive oil but you can use any vegetable oil! These oils can be used as a base for salves and ointments. (March 8 article on salve making). Depending on the strength of the medicinal herbs, you can make a medicinal or a sweet smelling massage or bath oil.
Herbal oils when stored in cool, dark location will last for months. If you store in the refrigerator the oils will last a year if not longer.
MAKING SOLAR- INFUSED OIL More >
SAVE YOUR OWN SEEDS
Feb 21st
Did you know that many seeds that say “hybrid” on them are sterile or will not seed true to their mother plant?
For years I have been concerned with the loss of heirloom seed and the companies that sell them, as well as endangered farm animals. It is rather a passion. As these resources slowly disappear or get gobbled up by conglomerates we all are affected. Our genetic base of animals and plants are narrowing down to a few varieties that produce mass amounts. Because the mass producers of eggs, milk or vegetables are in high demand, the animals that produce more are breed and the heritage varieties are disappearing, as well as plants developed to produce more. Thus, we are loosing all those unique genetic traits from plants and animals that don’t produce at much, but are more resistant to disease, drought ect…. There has been an awareness by many people that this is a real concern and now I see more heirloom tomatoes and the hatcheries offer some heritage breeds. That is encouraging. But our seeds are being controlled by big seed companies that want us to buy seeds every year and are creating plants that produce sterile seeds or seeds that when germinated are not true to their mother plant. These big companies have gobbled up many of the heirloom seed companies and now there are only a few remaining. Below I will give a list of some of the companies that I ordered from this year. This is by no means a complete list of heirloom seed companies. More >
Major causes of alergies and hayfever
Jan 1st
Do you suffer from allergies and hayfever? I once did and corrected it through diet and herbs. See (Homemade tinctures to detox the liver) for life changes and recipes.
It is the affect of an over toxic liver that causes the symptoms of allergies and hayfever. The liver overreacts to foreign proteins in the body, caused by plant pollen, animal dander and hair, dust, mold, chemicals, food, and cosmetics. This overreaction is caused by the liver’s inability to keep up with the cellular waste due to being over worked by poor eating, absorptions of toxins through the skin and general pollutants. The extra cellular waste that the liver can’t process is sent out to the blood stream to be dealt with later. The problem occurs when these antigens (foreign proteins) are in the blood stream too long they weaken the tissues of the organs and pollute the delicate ecology of the inner environments. This causes the body to see them as the enemy and sends out white blood cells to counter what the body sees as an infection.
