Toned

Happy October everyone! I hope it's actually cool where you live... because it's only just starting to cool down here.

That's just not right, in my book. #NewMexicoProblems



Anyway -- this month I thought it'd be fun to do something I've never done before, and let you in on some of the other parts of my life.

This blog is called writing, editing, and all things Rani, so why not go with the All Things Rani portion?

Now, you know I do my own nail art almost every week (apologies to those of you who were looking forward to this week's art -- making an Indian feast made me far too sleepy to see straight), but did you know that it's not the only crafty thing I do?


I'm pretty holistic. I won't say that I'm insanely holistic or that I refuse to eat anything or use any product that doesn't match those standards, but I do have a higher standard than the majority of my friends.

Sorry guys ;-P

Eating organic has been a big part of my life for a while, since I developed... erm... let's just say some foods were making me not feel good when I was a kid. So my family switched over to eating organic and natural foods, sustainable when possible, and holy hannah I got healthy in a hurry!

My mom and I figured, why stop there?

This past spring, we started making our own beauty products. In all, we've made chapsticks, lotions, in-shower lotions, body wash, face wash, toner, mud masks, blush, and foundation. I think I'm missing something, but you get the gist.


Really, this post is for the ladies. Sorry men, I probably should've stated that sooner. Feel free to click that little X at the top of the tab now if you like.

For the first day of our "All Things Rani" series, I thought you ladies might like the recipe for one of the easier and more amazing holistic products I've started making:

Toner

Ingredients:

1-2 Green Tea Bags
1 Cup Boiling Water
1 tsp Vodka (to prevent molding/spoiling)
1/4 tsp Vitamin E (the contents of a capsule is entirely acceptable!)
5-10 Drops of Essential Oil (my favorites are ylang ylang and frankincense)
A pretty bottle to put it in!

Directions:

Empty the contents of the tea bag(s) into the boiling water. Allow to steep for 1-2 hours, until the mixture is completely cool and you're pretty sure you've gotten all you're going to get out of those leaves. Strain twice and funnel into your bottle. Add your vodka, vitamin E, and essential oils, seal up the bottle, and shake to combine. Use twice a day, after washing your face and before moisturizing, and experience happy skin.

If you don't have any essential oils, don't worry, you don't need them. Some of them are very nice for your skin and help with acne, dryness, or oil -- depending on your skin type -- but the tea on its own also has amazing benefits for your skin.

If you don't have any vodka, substitute with any "flavorless" alcohol. I don't recommend rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, because these can seriously dry out your skin -- and nobody wants that.


Let me know if you try it out! Me and my mother have been making it for every woman we know, and we've yet to find anyone who doesn't obsess over it.

Keep checking back in for more fun tidbits about me and possibly another recipe or two!

[love]

{Rani Divine}