One Green Thing: Other bad things hiding…really

By Jan Herbert
Rockford Park District

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

Looking for information for the previous column, I ran across an article about the contents of perfume. In May 2010, Treehugger.com sent out an article about a new report released by the Environmental Working Group (commissioned by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) that reported 17 name-brand perfume products contained “petrochemicals.”

Imagine…in perfume. We all know manufacturers use perfume in many other products. Many are slather lotions and oils like crazy to try to alleviate dry skin. I have often chosen the product based on the smell (avoiding coconut), but have never based the choice on how they created that smell. Yikes.

So, this makes for a great opportunity to take a look at recipes for more “natural” beauty products:

For dry skin

Reach into the refrigerator for 2 tablespoons of real mayonnaise

Add 1 teaspoon of baby oil (personally seems like olive oil would work better)

Rub and let it soak in, unless you want to cover your hands and go to bed smelling like you are a salad.

Revitalizing mask

1/2 cup chopped cucumber (peeled, seeds removed)

1/2 cup chopped avocado (peeled and pitted, of course)

1 egg white

2 tsp. powdered milk

Use like any mask.

For rough hands and feet

1/4 cup coarse brown sugar or coarse salt

Baby oil enough to make a paste (again, maybe olive oil?)

Slather on and rub, rinse and grab the dry skin stuff you made from above

Maybe this is not so much about being green as just being more sensible to your body.

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the May 11-17, 2011 issue

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