Terre Pruitt's Blog

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Posts Tagged ‘coconut oil’

Sunburns And Ants

Posted by terrepruitt on October 24, 2016

It has been a couple months now, but I kept forgetting to post about it – but now I remembered.  I am not an expert at essential oils.  I don’t think to use them all the time for everything.  I know there are people who use them for everything.  I think that is great.  I do think to use them sometimes, but not all the time for everything.  And it has been months since I used lavender oil and coconut oil to soothe a burn.  In August when I went to Santa Cruz, it was overcast on my side of the hill, so I didn’t think I would be getting that much sun.  I did put on sunscreen, but I didn’t reapply it while I was there because it turned out, it was overcast there too.  I was out too long for what I had applied.  So when I got home my chest and forearms were red.  I wanted some relief from the heat.  I thought about essential oils.  I thought I had seen that they can be used for sunburns.  If you look it up, they can.  There are a lot of different recipes for sunburn relief.  Some have more than one oil, but I just opted for lavender oil and coconut oil.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI put a little, like a tablespoon of coconut oil in a little pinch bowl and then about five drops of lavender oil.  I mixed it and put it on my chest and forearms.  It was fragrant relief.  It seemed to cool the burn down right away.  I like it.  I applied it one more time that same day.  Then just two more times.  Not only did it take the heat away, it moisturized it and kept it from getting flaky and peeling.

So, simple lavender oil and coconut oil.  I am going to assume you can use whatever carrier oil that you usually use and it would work.

A couple of days ago I was hanging up some of our hummingbird feeders and I used oregano oil to keep the ants off it.  That was really cool.  I poured it on the hanger, then walked outside holding the hanger.  Well, some of the oil got on my fingers.  So then I wiped the oil on the S hook that holds the feeder.  And I watched as the ants approached it then turned around.  So then I wiped the oil on the tower where the S hook was hanging and the ants did the same thing there. They started towards the oil, but turned away from it as soon as they were close enough to touch it.  Interesting.  I wish it had some staying power.  It tends to dry up rather fast.  But it works for a little while.  I am not sure that once it is dried, if the residue keeps the ants away.  But it was fascinating to me to see them turn away.

What is your essential oil recipe for sunburns?  Do you use essential oil to deter insects?

Posted in Essential Oils | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Soap From The Angels

Posted by terrepruitt on October 3, 2016

In my post, Homemade Soapy Goodness from 2014, I talked about how I found some soap that I loved.  I loved it so much I was asking for it as gifts.  My hubby would say, “What do you want for Christmas/your birthday/our anniversary?”  And I would reply, “Soap.”  In 2015 when I went to order more soap, I could no longer find the soap lady.  Her Etsy landing page is still up, but I can’t find that she makes soap any longer.  I did receive some soap from a friend and I loved it so much that I started buying it.  But it went from $4.00/$5.00 a bar to $8.00 a bar – not including shipping.  So I decided I needed to find a new soap to use.  I was just making do with some other kind I had found that was kind of drying, but it was ok.  Since I am always on the hunt for some great soap, my hubby and I usually buy a bar or two from the vendors at any Art and Wine Festival we go to.  Which is funny because we don’t go to many.  We have been going to one – the Milpitas one – for the past two years.  It also funny because the first year, I didn’t buy any. Well, this year we bought some soap from Three Angels Soap – again.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitI say again because the first time we went to the festival (August 2015), I didn’t buy a bar of soap from her but my hubby did.  I do remember a period of time when I kept asking my husband, “What are you using in your bathroom?  Are you using a new hair product?  Are you using a new soap?”  And he didn’t know what I was talking about, but every time I walked into the bathroom it smelled awesome.  He was using something that made the entire bathroom smell really nice.

Then after the second time we went to the Milpitas festival we both bought some soap.  When I used it the whole bathroom smelled great.  That is when I realized that it had to be this soap that my hubby had used and that had made his bathroom smell so great.  I love this soap.

I have tried three kinds so far Memories of Rose, Purple Moon, and Lavender Swirl.  They all smell GREAT!  Lavender Swirl does not lather up as much as the other two.  It also does not make my bathroom smell as good as the other two.  I really liked Purple Moon.  It lathered up great and made my bathroom smell awesome.  I also really like the way it make the skin of my face look and feel.  But so far my favorite is Memories of Rose.  It lathers up great, makes my bathroom smell great and I love the way it moisturized my skin!

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, Nia Technique, SJ City Fit, SJCityFitAs you can see from the picture I have a few.  Some of these are mine and some of them are gifts.  Don’t you think the one that looks like a chunk of cake with frosting flowers on top is a nice gift?  What about the cupcake?  I have not even tried all the scents that I am gifting because I know they will be awesome.

The ingredients include:  Olive oil, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Buttermilk, Greek Yogurt, Coconut Oil, Avocado Puree, Confectionery Sugar, Goat Milk, Palm kernel oil, Aloe vera, just to name a few.  (Not all of these are in one soap, I was just listing some of the ingredients in several soaps).

So . . . YAY!  I found some new soap to love!  I hope that you will give Three Angels Inc. a try when you want to treat yourself to some luxurious soap.  Or you want to treat someone else to so luxurious soap.  Give her a call or check out her website!

Do you have a favorite soap?

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Coconut Oil Passes Muster

Posted by terrepruitt on October 27, 2015

For years I have been hearing about how great coconut oil is.  The claims are numerous.  You’ve probably heard them, too, right? Things like the information found on Medical News Today:  Coconut oil may increase level of HDL (“good cholesterol”).  It may also help improve glucose tolerance and reduce body fat accumulation.  May help decrease waist size. Coconut oil’s fat structure is more difficult for bodies to convert to stored fat and is easier to burn off. Well, I DO NOT like the taste of coconut at all, I don’t even like the smell.  I am not the one that enjoys all that suntan lotion and all those products that smell like coconut.  So I have never bothered to try coconut oil.  I didn’t want to buy it to try it then end up not liking it.  But, I finally decided to try it.  It does not taste or even smell like coconut.

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia in the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex classes, YMCA, Zumba, PiYo, Nia TechniqueI was relieved, even presently surprised that this oil has no odor at all. I also cannot detect any flavor.  And it seems to work just like other oil.  The issue I am having though is I don’t yet know how much to use.  I don’t measure so I am not yet used to eyeing the semi-solid oil.  I used it to roast some butternut squash, and I just dropped some clumps of oil on the cut up squash, and it turned out to be a bit much.  Tonight I rubbed some on the eggplant I was roasting and I could have used more.  I have only used it three times, so I will get better at it.  I will, probably break down and start measuring until I can eye it from there.

Wiki has the following to say about coconut oil:

“Coconut oil, or copra oil, is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It has various applications as food or in cosmetics. Because of its high saturated fat content, it is slow to oxidize and, thus, resistant to rancidification, lasting up to six months at 24 °C (75 °F) without spoiling.

Many health organizations advise against regular consumption of coconut oil due to its high levels of saturated fat (similar to that of animal fat) having potential to increase risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Also the chart on Wiki shows that coconut oil is only beat out by hydrogenated cottonseed oil when it comes to saturated fat.

So, like everything, if you are interested, you have to do the research and then decide for yourself if it is something you care to add to your diet.  Since coconut oil does not smell nor taste coconutty like I thought it would, I might continue to add it to our diet.  I will at least finish off this container.  We use oil olive which seems to have more health benefits than coconut oil, but as I said, we will at least use up this container.

Do you use coconut oil?  Do you use it for all of your cooking or just certain kind?  What do you use it for?

 

Posted in Food | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Homemade Soapy Goodness

Posted by terrepruitt on August 7, 2014

One time I had my husband buy me some of those yummy soaps from an art and wine festival.  They were really nice.  I think they were glycerine soap or something.  I really liked them.  The had nice names that led you to believe they had ingredients that might be beneficial — as in STRESS LESS, MUSCLE RELAXER, MOISTURE MAGIC.  But, according to the creator, they didn’t actually contain any essential oils or ingredients that would actually do those things.  So that had me thinking I wanted to find some soap that did have some essential oils in them.  Some soap that might actually BE able to reduce stress or relax muscles or moisturize.  So I looked online, of course.  I found an Etsy store for Bubbly Seahorse Soap Company.  Always a bit of a risk buying something you have never tried before, but I took it and I am glad I did.  I love it.  I actually ask for this soap as a gift.  My husband thinks it’s an odd gift to be giving, but he is a guy and doesn’t understand that good quality soap is a great gift!  I like it and it is what I want.  I am not saying it actually has properties that can reduce YOUR stress or relax your muscles or magically moisturize you, but it makes ME happy.  I love it.

The Etsy site says her soaps are made of:  saponified oils, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, essential oils, herbs, exfoliates, vitamin e oil, grapefruit seed extract, shea butter, jojoba oil, distilled water, goats milk

My first order consisted of:

Dance Exercise, Nia, Nia at the City of San Jose, Nia classes in the South Bay, Nia Teacher, Nia Class, San Jose Nia, Nia San Jose, Nia workout, Nia, Zumba, PiYo, Gentle Yoga, Group Ex City of San Jose, San Jose Group Ex classes1 – Vanilla Latte
1 – Love Spell
1 – White Honeysuckle and Patchouli
1 – Buttercream
1 – Birthday cake
1 – Cucumber Melon

 

Then in my second order, I had:

—LOVE SPELL (now the Bath and Body Works version! – When I bought it was was the Victoria Secrets version) – top notes of cherry blossom, grapefruit, clementines and strawberries. Middle notes are Georgia peach, black currant, and rose petals.And sweet, white musky base note.
—HONEYDEW MELON –  . . . . refreshing and invigorating fragrance and blend of floral notes.  (I don’t see this on the site currently)
—FLORAL BOUQUET – mixture with highlights of freesia, lilac, and lillies, with low notes of vanilla and berries.
—HONEY ALMOND – Blend of fresh honey and crushed almonds.

I chose these scents to be a part of a small little package of four.  Sadly, the last time I ordered I did not see the variety pack as an option.  I am not certain if she actually offers it any longer.  I really liked it because it was a variety and I learned I didn’t care for Love Spell and the Floral Bouquet.  But I really LOVED the Honey Almond and Honey Melon.  I THINK.  I was hoping she would have pictures of each scent so I could view it online and tell her which colors I liked and then she could confirm what I was thinking.  But she didn’t.  So this very last order I just ordered ones I know I like.

Funny because as I looked at my very first order so that I can tell you what I liked and didn’t like and I had already ordered the Love Spell in my very first order.  I forgot about it with my second order and order it again.  Or I might have thought I would give it to my niece, who I think likes that scent.  Hmmm . . .

Also in my second order (and third order):

—BUTTERCREAM – So rich you’ll want to eat it (but please, don’t), . . .  with heavy whipping cream, peaks of sugar, and enough butter to completely and irreversibly clog every artery you own. . . . . plus a hint of vanilla.
—CUCUMBER MELON – Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and fresh green cucumbers combined . . .

As you can see, I’ve ordered these two twice, well, three times if you count the order I just put in.  I love these two.  I don’t actually feel I want to eat the buttercream, but it does smell yummy and it FEELS rich.  Also in this very last order I just put in I ordered the Birthday cake.  It smells really sweet and edible.  It has little beads in it that go away rather quickly.

That is what I found I didn’t like in some of her other scents, like Honeysuckle and White Patchouli and I THINK the Vanilla Latte, the things IN the soap were to rough for me.  They are on one side so I tried to remember to use that side to scrub my feet, but they still escape and I didn’t care for the scratchiness on my skin.  So I am sticking with the soaps that don’t have rough stuff in them.

But other than that the ones I have gotten were all nice, I just like some more than others.

I like to share things I like in case other people might be interested.  I know a lot of people who are interested in soaps with these types of ingredients instead of chemicals.  Also, as I stated good quality soap makes for a great gift.  In fact, I was thinking of giving some of these this year as gifts.

Do you like hand-made soaps?  What scents grab your interest?  

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