Janice's Bath Salts

End your special someone's Valentines day with a restorative Spa Salt Bath. This is a great recipe for the kids to make for any special occasion.  Light a candle, put on some soft music, have a soft fluffy towel waiting and draw your special someone a nice full warm bath. What a great way to say I appreciate you and I love you.

Makes 16 ounces
Ingredients:

• 1/2   cup kosher salt
• 1/2   cup baking soda
• 1      cup Epsom salt

Directions:

1. In a medium to large bowl mix together with a whisk until combined. Put in a beautiful container with a tight fitting lid. 
2. Slowly pour mixture into a bathtub filled with warm water, stirring with your hand to dissolve minerals completely.
3. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes

* You may put in a few drops of food coloring if you like or sent of choice; be sure it is mixed well to distribute the color and scent. We here at Celiac Scout like ours as pure as possible. If you are like me and like color but want your product pure, put mixture in colored container instead.

Source: Janet Cox, Living Without pg. 60 February/March issue

Coconut Body Butter

When I jump out of the shower I put on lotion and top it with oil or body butter. Sometimes it's very dry here in San Diego with the Santa Anna winds. This helps tremendously.

 MAKES 4 OUNCES:
Ingredients:

• 1/4  cup grated or chopped cocoa butter
• 1     tablespoon coconut oil
• 2     tablespoons light olive oil
• 1     tablespoon avocado oil or sunflower oil or almond oil
• 1 tablespoon grated beeswax

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and warm on the stove until they just begin to melt. Or heat ingredients in a microwave on high, about 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Remove mixture from heat and stir until well blended.
3. Pour melted mixture into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Massage a small amount into your skin to condition and moisturize.

Source: Janice Cox Living Well, February/March 2010 page 63

Olinda’s Decadent Lotion

Try this mixture and see how it works for you. You can adjust it to your own liking. This leaves the skin silky smooth and it doesn’t take much. It is unscented and free from all additives. Put this on after your shower…you won’t want anything else.

Can be doubled

Ingredients:

• 1    Tablespoon Pure Shea Butter       (for healing and moisture)
• 2    Tablespoons Pure Aloe Vera Gel (for healing and moisture)
• 4    Tablespoons Pure Almond Oil     (for moisture)
• 4    Drops of Grapefruit oil (for antiseptic properties & shelf life)
• 4    Squirts of Vitamin E oil                (for healing and moisture)

Directions:

1. In a deep Pyrex glass measuring cup, mix all ingredients with a hand held Braun blender until completely smooth. 
2. Pour into clean dry jar. (You may use a regular blender dedicated to creating lotions only) Do yourself a favor and buy a new blender that you have been wanting and use the old one for lotions.

*I used an old spice glass jar that contained garlic. I washed it out and dried it and it holds the right amount. This makes about 1/2 of a spice jar. Which doesn’t seem like much but you don’t need much.

*I prefer making small batches as I don’t know how long the shelf life would be for this product.

*You can add or remove whatever you want. You can add coconut oil, olive oil, grape seed oil, or any oil of your choice, mint, and natural scents if you prefer them. There are products that can stretch your lotion like glycerin but many people can’t handle these products. I prefer the clean feel and touch of this decadent lotion.

*This may seem expensive but it is better than going to the doctor’s office or throwing away the over scented, glutened lotions you buy in the store. It’s always fresh when made in small batches. You also know what exactly is in your product. It works for me; I hope it works for you.