Fresh Mint Spa Water

Here in sunny Arizona, USA ..... my mint patch started showing its beautiful leafy green offerings!

So, I made my first spa-water for the season with homegrown goodness. I keep a carafe of spa-water

in my frig all the time to encourage myself and family to drink water.

I use homegrown and fresh fruits and veggies from the market. 

Rosemary is looking good outside too, add a sprig for some pizazz!

Wash your fresh mint, veggie or fruit of choice before dropping them in a carafe of water, allow to steep in frig.

Mint is used to aid in opening breathing passages and clear congestion an FYI for
those who deal with spring allergy issues. Also soothes the throat and tummy.

And enjoy !

DIY Rose Milk Bath

                                Rose petals, Milk, Rosewater..... luxury bath

          A friend of mine and her daughter recently returned from a day spa in California.  While they had a great time just getting out together, they came home with their pocketbooks considerably lighter!   After hearing some of the pampering treatments at the spa, I set out to reproduce the same at home.  After all,
why not enjoy some of natures luxury in your own home!

     The simple, but extremely luxurious rose milk bath!   I have to tell you, I was actually surprised at how refreshed I felt and how awesome my skin felt after this treatment.

     Recipe       
Homemade rosewater (click  for rosewater tutorial)
Dry milk or regular milk (1-2 cups)
Rose petals

As your tub is filling with warm water simply pour in your rosewater, milk, and sprinkle petals on top. That's all it takes, simple and luxurious.   If you don't have any rosewater, try a milk bath, you will be amazed at how your skin feels, fill tub and pour in dry or liquid milk and enjoy.    Radiant and silky.  The moisturizing natural fats in milk are good for your skin and hair.  The lactic acid found in milk is a gentle exfoliat(leaving a new, soft layer of skin) as well as a soothing agent.

You can add oatmeal to your milk bath, oatmeal functions as a skin protectent, its properties protect the skin from irritants and soothes skin. Oatmeal will help to lock in moisture and soften your skin as well.    I grind my whole oats in my coffee bean grinder, instead of buying it from the drugstore,
Take your powdered oats and add them as the water flows from your faucet to ensure they mix well.

Enjoy,   Anna

   

How to make Rose Water

Want to make pure sunshine in a bowl?  Try your hand at a homemade rose water recipe.

........I  MADE  THIS

FROM THIS......

Why rose water, and what is it used for?    Rose water traditionally has been used in beauty treatments for literally thousands of years and for good reason. Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians prized it, and it is said that Cleopatra used it to bathe her face.  Why?  It is a natural soother, calming is mild antiseptic that nourishes and hydrates the skin and face.   Rich in such vitamins as A,D,C,E and B3 it is an essential ingredient used for all skin types.  It helps reduce redness, inflammation, irritation and restore the skins natural ph balance gently. How?
Naturally it has the ability to stimulate the flow in the small, actually,  minute blood vessels that lie under the skin.  Scars, sunburn, and the natural aging of the skin all benefit from this process. It's soothing properties and  gentle fragrance make it a plus for the home remedy gal.     More.........


Uses:  Can be used as a toner, cleanser, and spritzer on its own, or combined with other ingredients to make a great mask or bath.

My rosewater spritzer. I love it.

My favorite use is simple, I put it in a small spray bottle and spritz it on my face to feel refreshed knowing it is acting as a hydrant and antibacterial keeping my face clean and clear.    I also use it on a cotton ball as a toner / cleanser before bed.  I spritz it on my teenagers faces as well, and they tell me it is helping their skin.

How to make Rosewater:  easy to make at home with fresh rose petals and water.  There are several methods,  I've tried the distilling method and the steeping method and prefer steeping. Its just flat easier, and I saw no difference in the rose waters, except perhaps some minute pieces of rose that I just strained out.  The outer, sometimes rougher, tougher looking petals of your roses should NOT be discarded as they contain the highest levels of beneficiary components.

Steeping Method:

Recipe:  One cup, packed, rose petals      2 cups boiling water    Steep 30 minutes    lasts 10 days in frig
Simply put petals and water in pot, boil, steep, strain.. Refrigerate.  Water takes on the color of your roses used.   Beautiful.

Distilling rose petals

Distilling Method:
You will need more rose petals for this method.

Using a large stainless steel kettle, place a brick on the bottom.  Surround the brick with your freshly picked rose petals. Fill with water to the top of the brick, not covering brick.   Place a bowl on top of the brick.   Invert lid to kettle and place on kettle.  Turn on your stoves burner and allow water to boil. As it boils and steam rises it hits your inverted lid and drips down into your bowl. That is why you must invert your lid, otherwise it drips right back into the boiling water/petals.   You can boil your water/petals until about half  or more of the water is gone.  The water you collected in the bowl is your fresh homemade rosewater.  Gorgeous.  Smells like a summer day.

Other Recipes:  Lemon Juice and Rose Water Face Mask: A good facial mask  for oily and acne-prone skin. Lemon juice is rich with Vitamin C to keep your skin looking fresh, toned and young. It also contains alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). See my post on AHA's. 

•  1-2  tablespoon of juice into a small bowl. 
• Add 1-2 tablespoon of rose water into  bowl. Mix them well. Apply to your face evenly and let it stay for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then apply a face toner of rosewater.  
• variations:  add warmed honey or yogurt

Moisturizer:
I have not tried this recipe myself, so if you have please leave a comment about it below, thanks.

• 50/50 mixure of rosewater and glycerin.  Glycerin can be found in your local pharmacy and is inexpensive, it is a natural moisturizer, colorless, odorless, humectant. Dissolves in water, alcohol. Great natural ingredient for your skin.

 Homemade Soap and Lotions:  Rosewater is commonly used in soaps and lotions, as a gentle, natural ingredient with great skin enhancing benefits.  Simply replace the water used in your favorite homemade soap or lotion recipe with rosewater.  Soapers I've talked to replace 4oz regular water in their recipe for rosewater.  I am making it with all rosewater today and will post my results.

Bathe:  Add rose water and any extra petals to your warm bath  for a skin and spirit calming bath.  If you have any dried milk add it, and have a rose-milk bath.

Enjoy!

  

 

Spa Water Recipes

     My latest spa water recipe has grapefruit, lemon, lime, cherries and 2 sprigs of mint. It turned out very refreshing and tasty.  Normally it takes 1-2 hours for the water to be infused with the fruit, but this went much quicker.
     I used one half of a large grapefruit sliced, placed a yummy maraschino cherry in each slice's center, then I sliced a half a lemon, a half a lime, and got 2 springs of fresh mint from my garden.
    I then poured an entire bag of ice in my water cooler,  tipped it on it's side and began sliding grapefruit slices down the side, the ice holding them in place.  I did the same with the lemons and lime slices. Tucked mint in around fruit.    I keep this in my frig to keep it icy cold for days.   Fruit doesn't stay fresh tasting more than a couple days.  I remove the fruit, and repeat the process with the remaining halves of fruit to refresh my spa water.  Love It!  And this is coming from a non-water-drinker!  Tip; not too much grapefruit, it tends to over power.
     Spa Water is also great infused with sliced cucumber, lemon and mint.  Cucumber infuses quickly and continues to get stronger.  I remove my cucumber when it is the right strength for my water.  Very refreshing.
This recipe with cucumber/lemon is one I see most commonly used in spa's.


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Spa Water, Drinking Fruit and Veggies

   It is well known that fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs are vitamin and antioxidant rich and promote a healthy body. It is also well known that proper water hydration is essential to a healthy body.   "Every system in our body depends on water", says the Mayo Clinic.  Good hydration keeps our skin fresh, youthful, and glowing.

   Personally, I am not a water drinker.  I just don't like to drink plain water.  Period.  But not anymore.....this past week I have drank more water than I have in months.     I found a great marriage of the essentials in fruit and veggies combined in fresh water to make what is known as Spa Water.  I got inspired
by Pam Wenzel's book "A Guide to Creating World Class Spa Water at Home" and website called,   myspawater.com      The recipes are great, easy, inexpensive.  Incredibly fresh and beautiful creations. 
She has a great Youtube video demonstrating her recipes that you will want to see.

Here is my version of one of Pam Wenzel's recipes.   I made this for my grown daughter's tea luncheon.  She served fancy tuna and cucumber sandwiches, coleslaw, homemade pico de gallo with pita chips, fresh coffee strudel, and a decadent chocolate dessert.   The Spa Water was so gorgeous that it made everything just a bit more festive, and lent a loveliness to the table.    Everyone had to try it, and even the non-water drinkers
loved it.   Several gals went home and made their own versions.  What a hit.   Check out the links above and try this lovely, simple and healthy alternative to plain water.     

My spa water was half gone before I had a chance to get a picture of it!  How cool is that.

Spa Water Recipe

photo by Rebekah Drennan

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