I am really sensitive to cosmetics, skin creams, anything containing petro based chemicals or plasticizers. i have always been that way, since a kid, oh very nasty rashes. So for years and years I have used only 'natural' products. Well not all products labled natural are truly chemical free, and some are real expensive. So after years of research trial and error, I finally started growing my own aloe plants in pots around the house, my dad always kep aloe plants and we used it as kids for skin irritations and suburn. I added to the aloe a little routine of making my own moisterizers from plain bulk cocoa butter and shea butter, I melt it together in a saucepan big bunches at a time so I only have to do it once a year or so, I add emu oil and jojaba oil to make it softer. I use the aloe after showering, a fresh cut leaf, all over head to toe, maybe a couple times a week, and I cover myself with the cocoa butter mixture immediately afterwards. takes a couple hours to fully soak in and not be oily, but works great. I'm 47 and you'd never know it, probably because i have been doing that routine for so long. My skin looks better than that of a lot of 30-35 year olds I know, and I am sure that's it's from the aloe and cocoa butter routine.

I read somewhere a few years ago that a lot of store bought soaps are also very irritating (chemicals), and that lye based soaps are great for things like eczema. So i took the time and made a batch of lye/buttermilk soap (which we are still using, I made so much!) and that does also help.

Me there, forgot to log in. also wanted to add, any product labled 'natural' that you buy in the store will usually have chemicals/preservatives in it. I used to actually get large painful hives after trying to use those 'natural' products.

Hi & Thankyou Sosick
I am also a fan &have lots of aloe plants in the house,they are easy &pretty much look after themselves,but they don't seem to like the strong sunlight I've learned,(but thats not much of an issue here in Dublin)It's so useful especially
super for burns.The aloe,shea &cocoa butter sound
beautiful The recipe you make sounds delicious can you eat it too?!!
A friend gave me a great book a few years ago called
"Cleaning yourself to death" author is Pat Thomas.
It is packed with info on almost every product(there may be more on the market since publication) for cleaning yourself &your home & also products such as deodrant/antiperspirants,creams etc.
It's a very informative book,she also gives recipes for natural cleaners,creams etc.
I strongly believe that skin problems first need to be tackled from the inside,with a great natural food diet,essential fats,vits&mins & plenty of water.
Also it's nice and soothing on the skin to bathe it in some camomile tea,can also be soothing for babies,my son had a rash on his knees &this greatly relieved it.And coconut oil is amazing.I've never heard of anyone reacting adversely to these.

Yes the store bought stuff can be well dodgy.
Sunflower

My shea butter mixture is the only thing I can rely on to keep my skin looking good when the seasons change. like right now. My skin will get really dry but the shea butter keeps me intact. Some of my female neighbors I see them walking around with big red dry sore spots... aloe after bathing and shea butter eliminates that, for me at least.

I put some aloe into my fruit smoothies now and then, it is good to eat, good for the stomach. I don't eat the shea pr cocoa butter, I eat coconut oil though. My aloe plants are HUGE with broad juicy leaves. The get really big if you put them into a 14-16 inch pot.

I had a major amount of spots, like sunspots, on my forearms all summer, I guess from the mercury poisoning. I have been eating aloe and putting it on my arms and they are fading slowly. Could be chelation helping that too.

The aloe is ok in the sun, but needs to adjust slowly, start them out just a couple hours per day or they get sunburned themselves (which they do survive and become green again)). Mine were pretty much in full sun all summer and they are ready to come in and sleep in the shade all winter. I've noticed that they don't put out baby plants when in the house for the winter, only when in the sunlight.

You know what's also really good for your skin, pimples, dry skin, rashy face whatever, is apples. You just cut a slice off when you are eating one and rub it gently on your skin, the malic acid and stuff, your skin really likes it, great toner to keep you real smooth and spotless. I have a book here with all sorts of natural skin recipes, got most of my ideas from that. They use apple juice (fresh squeezed) in a recipe with vodka and sea salt for a toner. My skin doesn't care for the sea salt but loves the apple and I am usually too lazy to bother with actually making the recipe... I've tried it and the stuff only lasts a few days before it gets rancid so why bother. My skin really needs a toner everyday or every other day though so to keep something handy I have been whipping up some vodka, water (boil it first and let cool), and (organic unfiltered) apple cider vinegar. And I put a little bit of aloe juice in there too. About twice as much water as vodka and vinegar works good for me and the stuff does not get rancid sitting in the bathroom. Sure beats the 30-40 bucks I was paying for a fancy name NY cosmetic that my skin likes a lot... and thing is, my skin likes the home brew better. I think it costs me about $1 dollar to make 8oz or so of that.

In this book they recommend using mashed banana or nicely ripe avocado for a moisturizing mask. I have tried it (both), it's been a couple years though. Worked well for me back then, I should do it more often. Leaves your skin real soft and supple.

I would love to know the name of the wonderful book you talk about.
You are so full of knowledge about cures & plants;
I am so impressed <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.I am learning bit by bit but I find that the more I learn the less I seem to know.

You also mentioned jojoba oil earlier, this is beautiful & amazing oil.Last year I managed to remove cellulite from my bum <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> just by massaging with jojoba oil last thing before bed every night! I don't remember how long this took,but I was so determined I probably did this for months!
I have also heard it is great for women for to reduce breast size,I am however looking for something with the opposite effect,only joking,I am quite content.apart from this really heavy metal.

I have a couple of the Pierre Jean Cousin books on this page:
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&...author=Pierre+Jean+Cousin&page=1


But I got them here at a seed company (below) for a couple dollars each on sale, I get the shea and jojaba here too, can't beat the prices, pure quality stuff.

http://www.superseeds.com/products.php?cat=289