Wednesday, January 27, 2016

DIY Anti-Aging Frankincense Face and Neck Cream


I recommend this cream as a night cream as it goes on wet and stages down into an oily feel, before it absorbs into a silky smooth hydrated feel. Apply to face (eye lids also!), neck and décolleté. If you want to amp up the toning anti-aging properties of this cream, put a little in the palm of your hand and mix in a few drops of rosehip seed oil.

*Please note that rosehip seed oil is a natural retinol (vitamin A) and should not be applied to the skin neat (undiluted) always buffer the essential oil into or on top of a cream before applying it to the skin.

What you will need:

*Electric hand mixer
 
 
Melt and stir together the bee's wax, cocoa butter, coconut oil and carrier oil in a double boiler or over low heat.
In a separate mixing bowl combine and mix the (water soluble ingredients) aloe gel and frankincense milk, once the oils and wax are melted, slowly pour the oil mixture into the milk and gel mixture as you blend on low with the hand mixer. As the cream begins to form you can up the speed of the mixer to get a creamer texture, when the cream has cooled down, use the hand mixer again to mix in the vitamin E and frankincense oil.
 
This cream does not need to be refrigerated but it is a refreshing treat when applied cold!

Beauty Witchery "Conjuring the Glam" with Frankincense

 
 
 
 
We all know the most common magickal properties and uses for this wonder filled resin, from cleansing sacred items and ritual space to adding it into spell craft ingredients for raising positive energies within workings and yet this little gift from nature has many more practical and magickal uses especially when it comes to getting our natural beauty glamour witching going!
 
 
When it comes to skin care frankincense is one potent ingredient that helps to protect the skin cells, as an astringent it can aid in reducing acne blemishes, help reduce the appearance of large pores, fade scars and hyperpigmentation. It also aids in healing wounds, cystic acne, scraps and itchy inflamed skin. Frankincense oil has been used to remove skin tags, moles and warts.
 
Adding frankincense into your anti-aging creams, lotions, serums, balms and salves will give the brew a boost in tightening sagging skin, fading dark spots, smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles.   
 
 
If you're interested in learning more about this resin and its uses, here is great link:
 
 
 
 

 
 



 
 
 
 
 


DIY Frankincense Extract Oil

 
 
To make your own frankincense extract oil the resin tears need to be crushed and put through a heated water soak to dissolve the water soluble compounds (See our post on Frankincense Milk). Please note that a concentrated extract oil can not be achieved without first removing the water soluble compounds.
 
Once you have heat soaked and dried your left over resin it's time to re-crush and powder it, the easiest way to powder crush any resin is to freeze it first. If you read the frankincense milk post this post picks up from that procedure of using the left over, undissolved resin gum from two heaping table spoons of resin tears. I measure two table spoons out before I crush the resin for the milk procedure, normally the left over undissolved resin will measure about and close to half of what I started with. This resin gum is easily dissolvable in most carrier oils, as with the milk/water I warm the oil on my coffee mug warmer. I measure out 1/2 cup of the carrier oil I want to use and place the powdered resin in it, the heating time varies as I continue the warming until I can see and tell that no more residue will dissolve, usually 12 to 18 hours. The left over residue normally measures out to be about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon. When I'm not planning on using the oil in a salve or cream I will not bother to strain out the residue. *Reminder: Use a disposable plastic spoon to stir the oil, the resin is very sticky!
 
 
 
Here is a link to Dan Riegler's blog and his post on making an extract, Dan is the go to man for resin knowledge! (and products!)
 
 
 
 
For Dan's Esty shop:
 
 
 

DIY Frankincense Milk (Beauty Witchery)


Frankincense milk (a.k.a. Frankincense Water) is easy to make, simply soak and/or heat the crushed resin tears in filtered (distilled or purified) water to dissolve the water soluble compounds from the resin, which leaves us with this milk white fluid and some very sticky gum resin. A quick google search (Frankincense Water) will bring up a vast source of articles on the benefits and uses of this substance.  It is said to lighten, tone, firm and tighten skin, also stimulates skin and tissue regeneration.
I use it in my face creams and body lotions. A two part milk to one part mixture with witch hazel works as a great skin brightener and toner.
 
 
The traditional way of making frankincense water is to soak 4 or 5 pieces of resin tears in water over night, but the way I make it is to add two heaping table spoons of the resin tears (crushed up after measuring) to 3/4 cup (6 oz) of water and then slowly heat on my coffee mug warmer. I warm the water and resin, stirring occasionally (with a disposable plastic spoon), for 12 hours the first day, refrigerate the water and resin mixture over night and then reheat for another 12 hours the second day (total of 24 hrs. heating).  
 
DIY Frankincense Extract Oil
 
Once the heating process is finished, while the water is warm, I spoon out all the sticky resin gum and place it on a non-stick cookie sheet to dry and harden. Then I strain the white milky water through cheese cloth or sterile gauze before I bottle it. Refrigerate the milk until ready to use, if you will not be using the milk within 7 days, it can be froze to maintain freshness.
 
 
 *Don't toss the gum resin as this can be used for making your own frankincense extract oil.




Sunday, October 18, 2015

October Correspondence



October
retained its name from the Latin octō meaning "eight"


Moon Names: (Hunter's Moon/Falling Leaf Moon)

The moon of new goals, protection, resolution and spirituality. Time to reflect and evaluate the year's accomplishments. The beginning of shadow works.

Algonquian - Pepewarr (white frost one grass)

Appalachian - Blood Moon

Celtic - Harvest Moon

Colonial American - Hunter's Moon

Chinese - Kindly Moon

Cherokee - Duninhdi ( harvest moon)

Choctaw - Hash Koinchush (moon of the wildcat)

Comanche - yuba mua (fall moon)

Druid - Reed Moon 

English Medieval - Blood Moon

Hopi - Angaqmuyaw (moon of long hair)


Astrological Signs:

The Zodiac Sign Libra | Sep 24 - Oct 23

The Zodiac Sign Scorpio | Oct 24 - Nov 22


Plants, Trees, Herbs and Resins:

Allspice, Apple, Ash, Basil, Benzoin, Chrysanthemum, Cloves, Cypress, Dandelion, Dill, Dittany, Elder, Elderberries Galangal, Gardenia, Ginger, Heather, Horehound, Ivy, Mapple, Marigold, Mugwort, Mullein, Myrrh, Nettle, Oak, Opoponax, Patchouli, Pennyroyal, Pine, Pumpkin, Reed, Saffron, Sarsaparilla, Thistle, Vanilla, 


Colors:

Black, Brown, Dark Green, Grey, Gold, Maroon, Orange, Red, Dark Red

Stones and Crystals:

Agate, Aquamarine, Beryl, Bloodstone, Citrine, Coral, Garnet, Malachite, Obsidian, Opal, Rutilated Quartz, Ruby, Topaz

Animals:

Bats, Cats, Crow, Dog, Eagle, Hawk, Owl, Raven, Scorpion, Snake, Vulture 

Friday, October 16, 2015

Spell Works: Legal Matters and Court Cases



Candle Colors:

  • Orange: Justice and legal matters
  • Brown: Special favor
  • Purple: Influence people in high positions
  • Grey: Erasing, balance, neutrality, canceling, confusion

Stones and Crystals:


  • Bloodstone: Legal matters
  • Hematite: "Lawyer Stone", positive judgement
  • Citrine: Successful outcome
  • Lodestone: To draw the works/energy toward you



Oils: (For making your own oil)


  • Olive oil as the carrier for peace and victory
  • Sunflower oil as the carrier for protection and success
  • Sweet Almond as the carrier for overcoming obstacles


Herbs:

Barberry: For atonement, cleansing, freeing oneself from the powers or control of another

Basil: To move forward in positive manner despite perilous danger.

Bay Leaf: Protection against dark/black magic

Black Pepper: Aids in courage for difficult situations

Calendula Flowers: Protection, legal matters, helps and aids justice in your favor.

Cascara Bark (Bearberry): Legal matters and to win court cases.

Celandine: Brings victory and assist in legal matters, also wards against negative energies.

Devil's Shoestring: Protection, luck and invisibility

Dill:  Wards off dark energies.

Dogwood: Grants wishes, seals, silences and hides what needs to be kept secret.

Galangal Root: Winning court cases and breaking hexes

Gardenia:  Promotes peace and repels strife

Hickory: Protection and legal matters

Hyssop: Purging negative energies, protection (Granddaddy herb for getting rid of negative workings and energies!)

Little John: Good luck in all endeavors

Marigold Flowers: Luck in court cases and legal matters.

Mimosa: Break hexes and prevent future problems

Mullein: Protection

Myrrh: Add to enhance and boost workings

Dead Nettle: To overcome obstacles, archangel Micheal protection.

Palo Santo:  Remove curses

Pennyroyal: To remove negative thoughts against you.

Periwinkle: To obtain grace

Pine: Clean breaks for new beginnings

Plantain: To remove vengeful negative energies and healing

Poppy Seeds: Invisibility 

Rose Geranium: Averts negativity, gossip and false accusations.

Slippery Elm: Halts gossip

St. John Wort: Strengthens courage and conviction when confronting nasty situations. 

Strawberry leaf: For favorable situations.

Thyme: Attracts good opinions of others.

Violet Flowers: Calm nerves and promote peace

Wormwood: To remove anger, stop war, protection against evil eye.


Products:

Just Judge Oil

Win Court Case Spell Kit

Helping Hand Oil

Law Away Oil (Conjured Cardea)

Danda Oil (Conjured Cardea)






Monday, September 21, 2015

The First Sun (Saturn) Energy



As the energies of our ancient Star and Sun rises and builds in Sagittarius, the message of "Faith and Patience" is calling us into a time for "High Magick". 

Holding faith in one hand and patience in the other, be the alchemist that combines the two through the next few years to come as these will help guide you through the process of awakening the creative forces within you.

When you feel pressured to jump ahead and rush the process, use faith in knowing if you are ready for the next step or not, stand in that silent strength confidently trusting what you know, your patience, perseverance and focus in this process of high magick will serve you well.