Julie Gabriel's New Book Delivers The Best DIY Cosmetic Solutions

Julie Gabriel is the author of the long awaited book release of Green Beauty Recipes and founder of the beauty line Petite Marie Organics. I am so excited to share my review on a book that not only educated me on the various harmful chemicals that are used in today's skin care products, but also introduced a number of beauty recipes that I can ACTUALLY make.

These recipes can be done at home that are 100% natural.

When I see the word 'Green' on a product I usually think to myself, "Oh, no... how are they going to make me feel guilty about my past purchases this time?" Please don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm against a green lifestyle or green products. I just think that sometimes companies can misuse the word 'Green' to sell their products.This book, however, does NOT abuse word and is a legitimate read for all those who love looking good and making healthy choices while doing so.

Without spilling to much of the beans from this fantastic book, out in stores November 2010, I will only describe some of my favorite highlights.

First off, I was blown away by the exceptional detail and knowledge the author has on artificial preservatives, natural emulsifiers and extracting oils. The introduction was also very thorough, and explained the signifigance of sanitization and patch tests. Julie suggests that if one plans on selling or simply gift giving some of her do-it-yourself products, one must also be aware of the shelf life. This book gives a wonderful variety or recipes for Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers, Lotions, Hair Treatment, Acne/Anti-Aging, Scrubs, Masks, Baby Care Products, Fragrances, Deodorants, Massage Oils and Body Lotions.

I really appreciated the personality and witty titles for most of her recipes including; Guardian Angel Protecting Soothing Cream, Sweet Kisses Lip Scrub, and Happy Bum Flower Balm, just to name a few. The recipe I selected for this article was theNourishing Hand Mask With Honey. As a MUA, I always have dry hands from excessive washing, so this recipe stood out. I also figured that with the winter months quickly approaching, readers can absolutely benefit from a recipe that will keep their hands supple and soft i Here it is... and you are very welcome!

NOURISHING HAND MASK WITH HONEY

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons fine salt or sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 raw egg yolk

1 tablespoon full-fat cream

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well.

Application:

Apply a thick layer to your hands and briskly massage the blend into your fingertips. Put plastic gloves and relax for 10-15 minutes. Remove the gloves and rinse your hands with warm water.

Storage:

This mask cannot be store. If you replace egg yolk with 1 tablespoon olive oil, this mask will keep fresh for 1 week in a refrigerator.

MY VERDICT:

As for my review on the book as a whole, I was left feeling a bit confused yet inspired. I do not have a background in holistic nutrition, like the author, so in some areas I found some content advanced. With that being said, I learnt so much about the pros and cons of natural ingredients. The biggest con on natural beauty products is a shorter shelf life. You have to be diligent with labeling the dates you created your product to avoid molding. I was also impressed to see the optional ingredients you can add in if you have a nut allergy. There were many recipes with almond essential oils but it is not mandatory in many of the products. Almost all ingredients are found in your Natural Food Stores and most products are very cost efficient. Just be aware that a bit of your time is being compensated for preparation. I would highly recommend this book for beauty enthusiasts! I will definitely start adding a few of these products to my kit. I will aways support a natural way to remain healthy and confident.

But hey, this is just my opinion. You be the judge, just try not to smudge!

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