Between You and the Moon

REAL RECIPES For REAL HOLISTIC SKIN CARE!
Make your own LOMAH Lotion at home with this authentic BY&TM Recipe.
Difficulty Level: Moderate, some skill level and patience are required.
Not for Vegans, the Easily Frustrated or the Faint of Heart.
 
Definition:  Creams and Lotions are both types of Emulsifications, or Oil & Water chemically bonded by an emulsifier.  A cream has a higher oil to water ratio, while a lotion has a higher water to oil ratio.  This particular lotion is based Between You & The Moon’s Land of Milk And Honey (LOMAH) Lotion.  Like the one I make for your home use, this special lotion can be used in 3 ways.
 
 As a daily cleanser: Wet your face, add some water to your fingertips and massage in upward, circular strokes for a few minutes.  Remove with a Damp cloth.  You may follow with a moisturizer or nourishing oil.
 
 For a light moisturizer: simply apply to areas that need moisture.  Please note:  because of the honey, this product is stickier than what you are probably used to.  Stick it out for a few minutes.  You will soon find your skin extremely soft and supple.
 
Treatment for a breakout:  (I know, it sounds too good to be true, but—trust me—it works!)  Spread a thin layer over breakout area.  You may spot treat with a dab just on the places that you need it.
 
How does it work?  The Lactic Acid in the milk helps to dissolve dead skin that may be blocking your pores and not allowing the natural oils to reach the surface.  The natural oils bond to your skin’s natural lipids and help to lift out any oils that are trying to reach the surface.  The Rosewater is calming and hydrating to the skin.  It’s distilled water base helps the other ingredients to absorb.  And, if you’ve read “The Secret Life of Bees” you probably have some understanding of the close to miraculous properties of honey.  It is nourishing as well as anti-bacterial.  It helps to balance your skin’s natural pH and rebuild the layer that protects you from the outside elements. 
 
As we are entering the fall season, it is Honey Time.  Many traditions and religions honor this time of year with honey offerings and sweet celebrations.  Maybe it’s time for you to give thanks for the overflowing bounty that nature has to offer!  A sweet thought is enough.
 
Yield:  about a half cup—enough to last a month!
Time: Half an hour.  Clean-up is another story…
 
PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE STARTING!
 


 
Equipment needed:
 
2 small Pots
Clean stirrer (preferably sterling silver because of it’s anti-bacterial properties)
Candy or milk thermometer
Blender or stick blender (it’s much easier with a stick blender)
2 “pint” mason jars with 1 lid for finalized product
 
Ingredients:
 
Lipid (OIL) Phase
1 oz Olive or Grapeseed Oil (about a shot glass)
½ oz Coconut Oil (half a shot glass)
1 tbsp. Milk Powder
 
Emulsifier:
Beeswax (½ oz (or ½ a small block from the farmer’s market) Mark in the middle with a knife and use a cheese grater to make into flakes. (If you have an “in” for getting a vegetable-based emulsifying wax, you can use ¼ oz of that and ¼ oz beeswax.  This will make the emulsification less likely to separate as well as give it a texture more like you are used to from store-bought skincare.  I prefer not to use it in home-based recipes.)
 
Hydro (WATER) Phase
1/2 cup Rose Water (buy this in a health food store or specialty market—if you can’t get this, you can use distilled water)
1 tbsp Honey
 

 
Directions:
 
In a double boiler—take a shallow pan and fill it with water and start to gently heat it.  Take another bowl (I usually use the pint mason jar that I am going to make and keep the lotion in) and add the Oils, milk powder and Beeswax.  Place it in the heating up water.  We want to melt everything together—so that there are no chunks, but keep the temperature around 150 degrees F.
 
 
 
Make another double boiler with the hydro-phase.  Add heat, matching the temperature of the Rosewater and Honey to the 150 degrees of the Lipid-phase, and stirring thoughtfully and thoroughly throughout the process.
 

 

When both concoctions have reached the desired temperature, either remove the LIPID-PHASE mason jar from heat and put on counter (if you are using a stick blender) or add to the bottom of your regular blender.  Mix this oil-phase on medium.  Gently and gradually add the water phase to the lipid phase. 
 

 
Keep the blender going.  In 1 to 3 minutes a type of alchemistic magic will happen as the lotion emulsifies right before your very eyes.  If this is not happening, keep going—due to variations in temperatures and measurements, it can take up to 15 minutes.  Don’t worry if you didn’t emulsify the first time!  It can take some practice!  The lotion is still usable even if the texture is not perfect!  DO NOT STICK YOUR FINGERS OR ANY TOOLS INTO THE BLENDER WHILE IT IS ON!
 

 
The skin care product you have made is 100% natural and contains NO PRESERVATIVES.  Therefore, you need to care for it slightly different than you would commercial preparations.  Keep this in your refrigerator and use within one month.  If it starts to look or smell funny before then, get rid of it.  (BTW—it is fully compostable)  Don’t dip your fingers in your lotion.  The best way to protect it from going bad quickly is to use a clean sterling silver spoon every time you want to get some out.
 

 
Developed by M. Emma Graves  9/16/10  for Vital Juice