Things I Love...Home-made Shower Oil

For those who slather lotion on several times a day and wonder if there isn't something better and longer lasting, there is!

Shower oil is really after shower oil. After showering, stay in there and just pour small amounts into your hands, rub them together so it doesn't gloop around, then smooth it on where ever you might have put lotion. You can spend a couple of moments rubbing it in or just towel dry your hair while it soaks in. It won't soak completely in and you'll towel some off, but if you are left feeling like a wet seal looks, then you used to much.

For a couple of years now I've been sort of making my own. Now, there is no chemistry to it and no boiling or toil because I buy the ingredients ready to mix. It is really easy and takes about 60 seconds to mix up a 2 week supply.

The basic recipe is simple:

• 2 parts Jojoba Oil
• 2 parts Macadamia Nut Oil
• 1 part Wheat Germ Oil
• Essential Oils to Preference

That's it. Really.

My personal favorite for the morning shower is Rosemary and Mint. I put about 3 dropper fulls of Rosemary extract and 2 dropper fulls of Mint extract (not the cooking kind!) into the oil and shake well.

For a shower after a hard day outside or after really strenuous labor of some sort, I'm really fond of Lavender Cypress since it totally relaxes me. Not everyone thinks that is a great combination of scents but in the right proportion it feels and smells great. Other really good ingredients are basil, lemongrass, rose or sweet orange. You can put any essential oil that is right for you in there though and I have quite the collection in a bin in my refrigerator.

Some hints to make this work for you:

• Mix only what you'll use in 2 weeks to be sure it will always be fresh.
• Keep the unmixed oils and essential oils in the refrigerator to vastly extend their lifespan and potency.
• Use glass bottles for your mix so that you can fully get rid of the scent by washing if you change scents during refills
• Don't buy huge vats of Macadamia, Jojoba or Wheat Germ oil just because they are cheaper per ounce that way. A 16oz bottle of each will last about as long as they will remain fresh if you use the oil every day
• Make sure you use different towels for your hair and body. What you chafe off onto the towel will readily be deposited into hair!

I hope you like it!

And here is our pretty dog shot of the day. Boscoe is looking pretty in the light. (He is really scoping out what Gigi was playing with and if it might be food.)