Best Eco-Beauty & Health Gift Guide: Organic to Green
One for them, two for you: We found healthy and beauty buys perfect for stocking stuffing—or stocking up! Now through New Year’s, the Eco-Beauty & Health Gift Guide showcases our Best of 2010 favorites at 25% off—or more—in EcoStiletto SHOP. Part Five of Nine.
Check your bathroom: Most of those bottles lining your shower are probably plastic. And yes, you can recycle many of them—especially those that show a “1” or “2” in the chasing arrow symbol on the bottom. But seriously, people? Plastic sucks. It’s made from oil, dumps toxins where it shouldn’t, is rarely recycled and takes a gazillion years to break down in a landfill—and, sadly, our oceans. Glass, on the other hand, is one of the original eco-materials. Typically made from sand, it’s completely sustainable and commonly recyclable—no need to check the bottom of the bottle.
Esthetician Rianna Loving (yes, that’s her real name) takes glass recycling one step further: She collects discarded bottles from restaurants near her Venice, CA home and upcycles them into containers for her 100% organic personal care product line, Organic To Green. We’re obsessed with her bath salts, which transform your tub into a spa, and basically stalked her until she shared a perfectly-giftable recipe with us.
Organic To Green’s Homemade Bath Salt Tea Recipe
What you will need:
A recycled wine or beer bottle (wash it, then fill with boiling water to sterilize)
Epsom salts
Measuring cup (preferably glass)
Large mixing bowl (not plastic)
Metal whisk or spoon for stirring (not wooden or plastic as the essential oils will be absorbed into the plastic)
Funnel or cardstock paper twisted into a funnel to dispense salts into bottle
Clean cork
Label
Essential oils (preferably organic; lavender is always a safe choice for relaxation but you can have fun with other scents, as well)
Three green tea, peppermint, or chamomile tea bags (preferably organic)
Cheesecloth cut into a 12-inch square (if you are using tea in your salts)
String
Directions:
Wash your hands to avoid any contamination. In your measuring cup, pour the amount of epsom salts that would fill your bottle. Then pour the salts into your bowl and add mix in your essential oils. Start out with 10 drops, adding more if desired. Mix well. Then tear open your tea bags of choice and mix in the contents. Scoop up the salts with your measuring cup, then use your funnel to pour them into your bottle. Cork it tightly to keep fresh and add a custom label for your unique creation.
Instructions for bathing:
If you are not using tea herbs in your salts, simply pour approximately one-half cup of the bath salts directly into warm running water. If you are using the tea herbs, pour approximately one-half cup into the middle of your open cheesecloth and tightly tie together with string. This will ensure your tub and drain stay clean.
Now go on, make some! Just make sure to explain in advance why your bathroom is filled with empty wine bottles before you soak there.
Now through 12.31.10, get 25% off on all Anthology Organic products (except dispenser) on EcoStiletto SHOP with “ecoholiday” at checkout. Want more? Check out customized organic skincare, giftable green tea, multitasking beauty essential and amazing organic perfume also featured in our Beauty & Health Gift Guide.
