Herbal Beauty Secrets From Little Green Dot
IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, AND AVOID TOXINS IN LIFE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE YOU WILL LIKE THIS PERSON JUST AS MUCH AS I DO.
LITTLE GREEN DOT BY MILITZA MAURY, IS ONE OF MY DEAREST BLOGS THAT I FOLLOW. SHE GENEROUSLY SHARES HER KNOW HOW ON HERBAL SKINCARE. HER UNIVERSE IS LOVELY AND FRESH, ASPIRING TO A HEALTHY AND JOYFUL LIVING. MILITZA’S RECIPES ARE EASY TO FOLLOW. I HAVE TESTED A COUPLE AND CAN BLINDLY RECOMMEND HER TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE SKILLS OF BEAUTY AND WELLBEING SOURCED FROM NATURE.
PERSONALLY I STARTED LOOKING INTO HERBS OTHER THAN FOR COOKING WHEN I JUST STARTED WORK. SITTING IN AN OFFICE ALL DAY WAS NOT FOR ME. DESPITE MY YOUNG AGE, I SUFFERED FROM WATER RETENTION. THE HERBAL ELIXIRS FROM THE LOCAL HERB SHOP DID THE TRICK WITHOUT ADDING TOXINS TO MY SYSTEM. SINCE THEN, I HAVE TRUST IN HERBS FOR HEALING. MY INTEREST IN TOXIC FREE BEAUTY SPRANG WHEN MY DAUGHTER BECAME INTERESTED IN SKINCARE. I STARTED TO LOOK INTO OPTIONS FOR NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR SKIN CARE. LIKE MILITZA, I FOUND THAT MANY BRANDS WERE EITHER OFFERING SOLUTIONS WITH TOXIC INGREDIENTS OR THEY WERE OVERPRICED. UNLIKE MILITZA I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD MAKE SOMETHING GOOD ENOUGH MYSELF, UNTIL I FOUND LITTLE GREEN DOT ONLINE. MELITZA KNOWS WHAT TO USE FOR WHAT AND SHARES HER KNOW HOW ON HER WEBSITE AND IN HER COURSES.
THRILLED TO INTRODUCE HER HERE TO THE TRIBE ON ABI’S JOURNAL.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. HAVE YOU ALWAYS WORKED IN NUTRITION OR WERE YOU IN THE BEAUTY SECTOR?
I’m a natural skincare educator, an herbalist specializing in skin care, and an aromatherapist certified in using essential oils for the body - so I’m pretty obsessed with the skin! But I actually began by working in the fashion industry.
I’ve always enjoyed getting “hands-on” and making something from raw materials. It’s a very creative process. But it’s also very empowering to understand how things are made.
When I started learning about conventional skincare and the negative impact it can have on our wellness, I decided to use more natural products. What surprised me was the immediate change that I felt in using natural ingredients on my skin and for my family. I was so inspired that I started spending all of my free time learning how skincare is made and got curious about creating my own beautiful recipes.
I left the fashion world and dedicated myself to learning and teaching others how to transform their skincare routine into a wellness practice. I’m inspired by the idea that skincare is what you feed your skin, and you can get into your own kitchen and make yourself something that nourishes healthy and beautiful skin!
WHAT LED YOU TO COMBINE THE TWO, FOOD AND BEAUTY?
I remember the first time I made skincare, was for my newborn baby. I was shopping for baby oils and baby washes - when I saw this organic baby product called “bath tea” made from REAL oats. It was all-natural and pure and everything I wanted for her.
I looked over the ingredients, there were only four: Oats, Cocoa Butter, Lavender and Chamomile. And suddenly this switch happened in my mind - I thought wait a minute, that’s food. Which means, I can buy those ingredients in the supermarket and I can make my own bath tea, just like I prepare food at home. And so I did!
It’s amazing the long history we have of using food as skincare, but we’ve forgotten this knowledge along the way. It’s exciting to re-learn and share all the natural ingredients that have been used traditionally as skincare. Honestly, oats has been the most surprising. It’s the best skincare I’ve ever used!!
“Skincare is what you feed your skin.”
YOU TEACH YOUR READERS HOW TO MAKE WHOLE FOOD PRODUCTS FOR THEIR SKIN. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL DAILY BEAUTY RITUAL?
My beauty ritual is the most simple, luxurious time of my day!
I start the morning by turning on my diffuser, with essential oils that bring out the mood I want to feel that day.
Then I mist my skin with rose or lavender hydrosol (botanical water) followed by a nutrient-dense oil. This water/oil combo is what moisturises the skin.
In the evenings, I remove all of my makeup with my homemade facial cleansing oil. It’s a magical blend of jojoba + papaya seed oil (it smells like a flowering fruit tree).
With the oil on, I’ll take time for a little facial massage, it's amazing how much tension we hold and all that can be released.
Makeup off, I’ll then apply an herbal mask - which is like tea, for your skin. I actually blend up the same herbs that I drink as tea! I’ll wear my mask on as I soak in a bath or, I’ll shower with the mask on, and mist essential oils in the air to create a fragrant steam!
My beauty routine is truly my wellness practice, where I connect with myself and with nature through the ingredients I use.
I PERSONALLY CAN’T WAIT TO TRY YOUR ‘SUMMERTIME BREEZE’ BODY OIL RECIPE! ANY FAVOURITE RECIPE YOU CAN SHARE ON ABI’S JOURNAL?
Body oil is a personal favorite because it cuts out so many products from cluttering your bathroom (and your skin)!
The beauty industry pitches these hyper-specific products, telling us we should use all these different things to feel our best. But really, a less is more approach works beautifully for our skin.
With one body oil like Summertime Breeze - you can moisturize head-to-toe, use it as a bath oil, foot soak, or a hair treatment!
My other favorite recipe is a creamy, lush body scrub that gives you that instant gratification of smooth skin - and makes you feel pampered and relaxed. So good after a stressful day!
I named it “The Simplest Remedy to Scrub Stress Away” and it’s just two ingredients: brown sugar and coconut oil.
SOULFUL LIVING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE IS THE FOUNDATION OF THIS BLOG. I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN LIVE IN HARMONY, WITHOUT NECESSARILY DEPRIVING US FROM LITTLE (OR BIG) LUXURIES IN LIFE. YOU DEFINITELY INSPIRE TO THIS WITH USEFUL TIPS AND OPTIMISM. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?
Connecting with nature has completely enriched my life and given me a sense of abundance. For so long, the beauty industry has taught us to be dependent, we need a product to feel our best - it’s very limiting. But living in harmony with nature empowers you to feel independent and self-sufficient and capable of making yourself feel your own best.
When you can look at a kitchen ingredient and see its full potential of benefits and uses - its like the whole world is open to you and full of possibility.
I READ THAT YOUR DAUGHTER’S INTEREST IN MAKE-UP SPARKED A NEW CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE. IT WAS THE SAME FOR ME WHEN MY GIRL ASKED ME TO GET CONCEALER AND LIPSTICK. THAT REALLY MADE ME DO EXTRA RESEARCH TO FIND TOXIN-FREE BRANDS THAT I COULD SAFELY SHARE WITH HER. FOR PEOPLE LESS TALENTED IN THE DIY SECTION, WHAT BRANDS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO MUMS OF TEENAGE GIRLS?
Yes! When it comes to recommendations - I learned a long time ago to skip the endless Googling, and connect with people who obsess over the exact thing you want to know about. My good friend, Rebecca Casciano, is the makeup-artist I go to for recommendations.
Rebecca recommended a few brands for my daughter, and she has loved them all…
- Foundation & lips: W4LL People
- Eyes: Lily Lolo and Ere Perez
WHERE CAN READERS FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOU, LAY THEIR HANDS ON YOUR RECIPES OR MEET YOU AT A WORKSHOP?
I’d love to hear from your readers!
If you want to use whole foods to nourish health and beauty, follow @littlegreendot on Instagram for regular recipes and inspiration.
If you’re having issues with your skin or skincare routine and would like a free 15-minute consultation, contact me here.
Finally, my website, Little Green Dot, contains hundreds of articles and my popular free 5-day Fresh Start Routine.
THE SIMPLEST REMEDY TO SCRUB STRESS AWAY
This is a very simple recipe and it’s perfect. Get ready to scrub away any stress and make yourself feel all better.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
Directions:
- start by blitzing the sugar into a powdered sugar texture, this produces a very lush, creamy scrub.
- pour the sugar into a bowl, and mix in the coconut oil
- massage this lush scrub all over from head to toe