TROPICAL DREAMS....

Today I realized its only 16 days until I'm jetting off to warm, tropical, sunny Cuba!  It inspired me to whip up a batch of new body lotion to get me geared up for vacation (Not that it takes much).  I made a new body lotion called "TROPICAL DREAMS".  It smells basically like a Pina Colada, with a hint of citrus fruits, YUM!  I picked a bunch of products that I have in my "Creativity Box", for many different reasons.  First, I've run out of my favorite oils.  Second, I had a bunch of oils that I had never used before.  Thirdly, I was feeling a little bit experimental today!  I'm going to go through and give you a run-down on all the products I selected and why.

INGREDIENTS:

WATER: Water is the main ingredient in most lotions, so it just made sense to use it!  It was filtered for sanitary reasons!

APRICOT KERNEL OIL: It is suitable for all types of skin. It aids in slowing down the aging process and is of great use in treating inflamed skin. Being an emollient, it provides complete relaxation to the body and mind.

ALOE EXTRACT: The oil extracted from Aloe Vera plant is believed to be a great skin rejuvenatory product. It ensures speedy recovery of wounds and is also quite effective in treating sunburns (bonus for vacation!!). It is also able to penetrate quickly and deeply into the skin resulting in great hydration and moisturization for your skin!! For body scars and stretch marks, Aloe Vera oil truly works wonders!

SODIUM LACTATE: Sodium lactate is a natural humectant, moisturizer and pH regulator. Produced from renewable resources it is completely biodegradable.  This makes sodium lactate a better choice when moisturization is desired.  It is used to replace glycerin in formulations (and in my opinion, it does a heck of a better job!!)

AVOCADO BUTTER: It is a rich source of vitamin A and D that are very vital for the human body.  It also blocks the way for sun rays, thereby protecting your skin from being destroyed by blazing heat of sun. It nourishes the skin and returns the lost glow and charm to the skin.

CAMELINA OIL: This oil has also been called the "Gold of Pleasure" or "Wild Flax". Due to its high content of Omega 3, up to 45%, it is a good replacement for fish oils! 

CRANBERRY SEED OIL: Cranberry seed oil is unique in the vegetable oil market since it contains a 1:1 ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 are critical to the body to help improve cardiovascular function, increase circulation and strengthen the immune system.  It is also a wonderful oil for hydration!  This oil is fairly expensive, so you don't see it used a lot!

SILK POWDER:On the skin, silk powder radiates and reflects UV rays, acting as a natural sunscreen. It is able to superbly retain the skin's natural moisture, preventing dryness, while absorbing excess sebum. For the acne prone, silk even contains anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Good quality silk powder also contains many amino acids, like alanine, glycine and serine, which are the building blocks of protein and are essential to the skin's natural moisturization process. Pure silk is also ideal for sensitive skin, and balances the skin's pH levels.

I finished making this lotion a couple hours ago, and it took about an hour to cool and set.  I put in on my hands an hour ago, and I still feel incredibly moisturized.  This lotion felt a little greasy at first, but ended up soaking in very fast!  Its going to be a must for the winter season!  Besides, everyone needs a little bit of sunshine to help shorten this ridiculously long winter that we all up here in Northern Canada get to suffer through!

I sent a jar of this lotion over to a friend of mine who's Rig is a few kilometers away (36, if you want to get technical) I gave it to a service hand to take there for me (because I'm not allowed to leave my location) and he was rather amazed that I had actually made it myself.  Not only that, he had to take the lid off so he could smell it.  His reaction... "Hmmm, this smells pretty *$#($)# good."  Men... lol.

I asked Stephanie to review the lotion for me.  Her reaction: My hands feel silky smooth now.  It soaks in to your skin right away."



Before Lotion



After Lotion



You can't tell a huge difference in the pictures of my hands, but I could sure tell in person!  It made my skin so much more supple and hydrated!  LOVE THIS STUFF!



I've saved a jar of it for my 100TH BLOG POST GIVE-AWAY Winner.  Make sure if you haven't entered that you do, and don't forget to post about it, or put a picture on your side bar with a link back here for an extra entry!