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Bridget Leigh Pugh is a wife, Stay-at-Home
Mother of two children, and dual business owner
in Houston, Texas specializing in Organic
cuisine. Her work in Fair Trade and support of
local farmers is known throughout the Southern
United States. Check out http://www.fudgette.com
Mother of two children, and dual business owner
in Houston, Texas specializing in Organic
cuisine. Her work in Fair Trade and support of
local farmers is known throughout the Southern
United States. Check out http://www.fudgette.com
"The trick is to know where the
Healthy Houston Hot Spots are and
what to get when you are there."
Healthy Houston Hot Spots are and
what to get when you are there."
Want to cook healthy for your family but you're
not sure where to begin? Here's your chance
to ask a real live chef!
Email Bridget now.
not sure where to begin? Here's your chance
to ask a real live chef!
Email Bridget now.
Cooking Up Natural Beauty
Fun, Easy Beauty Products Mom can Cook Up at Home
Every month, Bridget’s Dish focuses on healthy eating and living. Moms, we
love learning new, creative ways to bring healthy food to the table and into
our family’s bodies. But what about the products we put ON our bodies?
This month, turn your attention to foods that heal and soothe the skin and
hair, as well as completely natural, homemade beauty and health products
you can make in your own kitchen! Think about hosting a get-together, and
encourage your mommy friends to get creative with some of the ingredients
discussed in this article. And the best part of all these fun, organic products
is that they are gentle enough for kids!
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is quite amazing for soothing irritated skin. Take a look
at many lotions, creams, and masks that are specifically tailored to relieve
irritation- they usually contain oatmeal powder! To make you own for nearly
free, simply puree Old Fashioned Rolled Oats in a food processor until they
are pulverized into a powder. Store this powder in an air-tight container.
When skin is irritated from harsh weather, mild rash, or other skin
conditions, simply mix with a small amount of water to form a thick paste
and apply to skin. Let it work its magic for up to 20 minutes and rinse with
cool water.
Almond Meal: This ground almond mixture is perfect for all-natural
exfoliation. Gentle enough for face and firm enough for the whole body, this
nourishing substance should be a homemade beauty junkie’s favorite
secret! To make almond meal, process all natural almonds until the
desired consistency is reached. To exfoliate the face, add one tablespoon of
almond meal to three tablespoons of cleansing cream. Rub face well in
circular motions. For an awesome exfoliating body scrub, mix two
tablespoons almond meal to three tablespoons olive oil, plus a drop of any
fragrance essential oils (if desired). Rub the body and rinse well.
Cucumber: This wonderful summer veggie is perfect for slicing and layering
over puffy, tired eyes (Great news for Mamas of new babies!). And by juicing
a cucumber with skin, its nourishing and refreshing liquid is a minor miracle
worker. Puree the whole thing until liquid, then heat briefly and strain
through cheesecloth or a nylon stocking. Keep this refrigerated and when
Moms need a pick-me-up for tired skin, simply splash and rinse with purified
water. For Moms with acne, try mixing equal parts cucumber juice and witch
hazel (found at drugstores) and use in place of a toner.
Honey: This sweet, sticky food is a skin softening gem for those suffering
from rough or dry skin. Mix equal parts honey and sour cream (1-2
Tablespoons is usually enough) in a bowl and then gradually add
cornstarch to thicken to a spreadable paste. Remove after 20 minutes and
rinse face and neck with cool water. Got fennel in the spice cabinet? Make
super-strong fennel tea (simply steep ¼ cup fennel in a ½ cup boiling water
for ten minutes and cool) and add a tablespoon to the honey-sour cream
mixture for a spa-quality mask.
Avocado: For many Moms, pregnancy does a number on hair. This
summer, restore dry, brittle hair by combining one ripe avocado with ½ cup
mayonnaise. Massage into scalp and hair- concentrating on dry ends.
Cover with a shower cap and leave on for up to one hour. Don’t love the
smell of avocado and mayo? Pick up essential oils at any health store in an
assortment of scents. A little goes a long way, so add fragrant essential oils
one drop at a time to any homemade beauty product. A delicious
combination is Lavender-Mint, and it adds a slight tingle to the scalp!
Tomatoes: One of the coolest ways to use tomatoes is to strain the juice
and add to sunburned skin! Mix with buttermilk or sour cream and apply over
burns. Relax by sitting in the tub, allowing the tomato-buttermilk liquid to
soak into skin for up to one hour. Then rinse with tepid water and repeat if
needed. This mixture is all-natural and totally safe for kids.
Strawberry Juice: Most Moms have no idea that this summer fruit is a lovely
softening ingredient for overworked skin. To get strawberry juice from fresh
strawberries, grate against a wire strainer or squeeze through a lemon
juicer. One to two Tablespoons is quite enough to make most masks
containing strawberry juice, so there will still be plenty strawberries left for
dessert tonight! To make a yummy smelling mask that softens skin, blend
strawberry juice with a small amount of unscented talcum powder until it
forms a spreadable paste. Pat onto skin and relax for 30 minutes. Rinse off
well and add a light moisturizer to lock in the softness.
Isn’t it amazing how many healthy, delicious foods can be used not only to
nourish bodies, but also the skin and hair? Two big parts of being a Stay-At-
Home-Mom is getting creative with her surroundings, and staying within her
budget. By experimenting with homemade beauty products, Moms can not
only save money and use their creative flair, they can also keep themselves
and their families away from products that are full of synthetic additives and
dangerous chemicals. This article is just the basics, too! If Moms feel
drawn to dig more deeply into the homemade cosmetic world, check out a
great website: www.mybeautyrecipes.com. So Moms, why not order take-
out tonight and cook up some beauty recipes instead?
Fun, Easy Beauty Products Mom can Cook Up at Home
Every month, Bridget’s Dish focuses on healthy eating and living. Moms, we
love learning new, creative ways to bring healthy food to the table and into
our family’s bodies. But what about the products we put ON our bodies?
This month, turn your attention to foods that heal and soothe the skin and
hair, as well as completely natural, homemade beauty and health products
you can make in your own kitchen! Think about hosting a get-together, and
encourage your mommy friends to get creative with some of the ingredients
discussed in this article. And the best part of all these fun, organic products
is that they are gentle enough for kids!
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is quite amazing for soothing irritated skin. Take a look
at many lotions, creams, and masks that are specifically tailored to relieve
irritation- they usually contain oatmeal powder! To make you own for nearly
free, simply puree Old Fashioned Rolled Oats in a food processor until they
are pulverized into a powder. Store this powder in an air-tight container.
When skin is irritated from harsh weather, mild rash, or other skin
conditions, simply mix with a small amount of water to form a thick paste
and apply to skin. Let it work its magic for up to 20 minutes and rinse with
cool water.
Almond Meal: This ground almond mixture is perfect for all-natural
exfoliation. Gentle enough for face and firm enough for the whole body, this
nourishing substance should be a homemade beauty junkie’s favorite
secret! To make almond meal, process all natural almonds until the
desired consistency is reached. To exfoliate the face, add one tablespoon of
almond meal to three tablespoons of cleansing cream. Rub face well in
circular motions. For an awesome exfoliating body scrub, mix two
tablespoons almond meal to three tablespoons olive oil, plus a drop of any
fragrance essential oils (if desired). Rub the body and rinse well.
Cucumber: This wonderful summer veggie is perfect for slicing and layering
over puffy, tired eyes (Great news for Mamas of new babies!). And by juicing
a cucumber with skin, its nourishing and refreshing liquid is a minor miracle
worker. Puree the whole thing until liquid, then heat briefly and strain
through cheesecloth or a nylon stocking. Keep this refrigerated and when
Moms need a pick-me-up for tired skin, simply splash and rinse with purified
water. For Moms with acne, try mixing equal parts cucumber juice and witch
hazel (found at drugstores) and use in place of a toner.
Honey: This sweet, sticky food is a skin softening gem for those suffering
from rough or dry skin. Mix equal parts honey and sour cream (1-2
Tablespoons is usually enough) in a bowl and then gradually add
cornstarch to thicken to a spreadable paste. Remove after 20 minutes and
rinse face and neck with cool water. Got fennel in the spice cabinet? Make
super-strong fennel tea (simply steep ¼ cup fennel in a ½ cup boiling water
for ten minutes and cool) and add a tablespoon to the honey-sour cream
mixture for a spa-quality mask.
Avocado: For many Moms, pregnancy does a number on hair. This
summer, restore dry, brittle hair by combining one ripe avocado with ½ cup
mayonnaise. Massage into scalp and hair- concentrating on dry ends.
Cover with a shower cap and leave on for up to one hour. Don’t love the
smell of avocado and mayo? Pick up essential oils at any health store in an
assortment of scents. A little goes a long way, so add fragrant essential oils
one drop at a time to any homemade beauty product. A delicious
combination is Lavender-Mint, and it adds a slight tingle to the scalp!
Tomatoes: One of the coolest ways to use tomatoes is to strain the juice
and add to sunburned skin! Mix with buttermilk or sour cream and apply over
burns. Relax by sitting in the tub, allowing the tomato-buttermilk liquid to
soak into skin for up to one hour. Then rinse with tepid water and repeat if
needed. This mixture is all-natural and totally safe for kids.
Strawberry Juice: Most Moms have no idea that this summer fruit is a lovely
softening ingredient for overworked skin. To get strawberry juice from fresh
strawberries, grate against a wire strainer or squeeze through a lemon
juicer. One to two Tablespoons is quite enough to make most masks
containing strawberry juice, so there will still be plenty strawberries left for
dessert tonight! To make a yummy smelling mask that softens skin, blend
strawberry juice with a small amount of unscented talcum powder until it
forms a spreadable paste. Pat onto skin and relax for 30 minutes. Rinse off
well and add a light moisturizer to lock in the softness.
Isn’t it amazing how many healthy, delicious foods can be used not only to
nourish bodies, but also the skin and hair? Two big parts of being a Stay-At-
Home-Mom is getting creative with her surroundings, and staying within her
budget. By experimenting with homemade beauty products, Moms can not
only save money and use their creative flair, they can also keep themselves
and their families away from products that are full of synthetic additives and
dangerous chemicals. This article is just the basics, too! If Moms feel
drawn to dig more deeply into the homemade cosmetic world, check out a
great website: www.mybeautyrecipes.com. So Moms, why not order take-
out tonight and cook up some beauty recipes instead?
Bridget’s Dish Favorite Cleansing Milk
(Courtesy of mybeautyrecipes.com)
¼ cup cream
¼ cup milk
2 Tablespoons chamomile flowers, fresh or dried (ask a health food store
for dried flowers)
Heat ingredients in a double boiler over low heat for 30 minutes,
without allowing milk to boil. Turn off heat and let sit for two
hours. Strain through cheesecloth. Pour into a bottle and keep
refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Wash sensitive skin in milk twice a
day, rinsing with warm water.
* This cleansing milk really calms super-sensitive skin. It’s
wonderful!
(Courtesy of mybeautyrecipes.com)
¼ cup cream
¼ cup milk
2 Tablespoons chamomile flowers, fresh or dried (ask a health food store
for dried flowers)
Heat ingredients in a double boiler over low heat for 30 minutes,
without allowing milk to boil. Turn off heat and let sit for two
hours. Strain through cheesecloth. Pour into a bottle and keep
refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Wash sensitive skin in milk twice a
day, rinsing with warm water.
* This cleansing milk really calms super-sensitive skin. It’s
wonderful!