The Best DIY Wax Recipe Ever!

Call me biased but I’m not going to be shy about this because when I say this is the best DIY wax recipe ever, it is the best DIY wax recipe ever. You see, I’ve tried them all. I have spent on a few kilos of white sugar, burned myself several times trying countless tutorials over the Internet but none of which were close enough to the recipe I wanted.

So what do I want in the best recipe ever? Well, for starters, I don’t like the idea of heating it before it is applied because I’ve burned myself several times due to clumsiness and overexcitement combined, and let me tell you, scars aren’t exactly nice fixtures on your legs. Second, I want it cheap, easy and something I can do myself at home. And third, easily clean up. And after several experiments, I am happy to report to you that I finally got it right and now, so can you!

What you will need:

½ c. granulated sugar

1/8 c. molasses

1/8 c. vinegar or lemon juice

¼ c. water

Pan

Spoons

Measuring Cup

Container for the Wax

Popsicle stick/Applicator

Cut cloth (Make sure not stretchable)

What to do:

1. Melt the sugar completely in the pan in slow fire. Make sure you mix it so you avoid burning it.

2. Mix molasses, vinegar or lemon juice and water in measuring cup. Make sure it is well mixed.

3. When the sugar is completely melted, add the mixed wet ingredients into pan. Melt the sugar syrup stuck in the pan. Whenever the mixture turns frothy remove the pan from the fire until it is down to simmering point. This will avoid sugar from burning.  

4. When nothing’s stuck in the pan, transfer it to a heat-resistant container. Let it cool. Don’t seal immediately.

5.  When cool, apply mixture in area you want to pull hair. With this, a little goes a very long way so make sure you spread thinly. Put the cloth, pat it downward and pull upward. Re-do this until the wax can no longer remove hair. Just re-apply wax to skin and pat and pull.

6. To wash legs, just use water. You can also reuse the cloth and applicator/popsicle stick. Wash it by leaving it in water until all the sugar’s gone. If you have sugar wax leftovers, store them in an airtight container, preferably microwave safe. Keep the container sealed.

I couldn’t be happier about this recipe! Now I can confidently wear skirts, dresses and shorts! Try it yourself and expose those legs! Enjoy!

Lemony Nail Cleaning

Lemons, or in vernacular Kalamansi, don't just lighten your skin and give you highlights, it can also clean your nails and save you salon nail cleaning costs, satisfaction guaranteed!

Image from: http://www.helpful.com/how-maintain-long-beautiful-nails_834

What you will need:

Juice of 10 Kalamansi or one lemon

5 drops of Glycerine

Warm water

Small bowl

Nail Brush 

Nail cutter

Nail File

Moisturizer

What to do:

1. Combine everything in small bowl. 

2. Soak hands for 10-15 minutes. 

3. Scrub nails with nail brush. 

4. Wash hands with water. 

5. Cut nails and file and moisturize. 

I love this because it completely cleaned my nails. And it was so relaxing too! My mom passed by as I was doing this and told me I looked like an idiot because of the look of satisfaction on my face.

I did this for my feet too, using the same thing I used for my fingernails but I guess toe nails need more attention. I think it would be better if I rubbed Kalamansi directly to it after a warm water soak. Something I will try next week!

I found the recipe I used here. I opted for the recipe with Glycerine because I don't want my skin to dry out or anything. 

Overall, I love this for its simplicity and because I love anything that would require me to soak and chill out! Try it out yourself!  

3-Step Aromatherapy On Your Pillow

I love that my mom has a culinary and medicinal herb garden. But what I really love most about it is I get to benefit firsthand from her creativity! 

The other day she gave me something that resembles a tea bag. She filled it with her herbs like Java Mint, Malvarosa, Oregano, Sage, Rosemary and Basil. She told me to put it in my pillow to make my sleep more restful. She got the idea from people putting lavender flowers on their pillows. Since I was heavily allergic to pollen, she said it might be a good alternative.

Get your Peppermint at Php60/seedling. 
Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details. 

So I placed it on my pillow and as I rested my head, my nose was filled with such a heavenly sweet, minty smell. It was aromatherapy without using essential oil. I most certainly loved it! And though I don't think I need to tell you, I slept very well for the past few days. My sleep was so restful, I have been oversleeping!

Here's what it looks like inside after three days.

Basically what you have to do is pick up herbs, clean them and pat them dry, put them in a piece of cloth you're not using anymore and tie it with a ribbon. You don't need a lot of herbs even. A little will go a long way. If you have as much herbs as my mom, you can take one leaf per herb. After three days, it still smells good. The aroma just isn't as strong as on the first night. It's just right. It's perfect. 

Try this out yourself and let us know the effects!

Want to know where to get medicinal and culinary herbs? 

Visit us at https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for our available herbs and price list!    

Write Your Book, Publish It, And Sell It Too!

Image from: timemanagementninja.com

I had the most exciting discovery as I watched Shop Talk on ANC August this year. Ms. Mina Esguerra of Bronze Age Media, Inc. talked about Online Indie (Independent) Publishing! Watch it here!

People who really know me, the very few of them, know that I love writing stories. As much as I love planning for the businesses I try to break into, in between the pages of the notebooks and the journals where I compute costs and jot down product and marketing ideas, are story plots and sequences, dialogues of still unnamed characters and quotes that I will insert in a story I will write somewhere in time. I wish I could help it but I can’t. I’ve been at it ever since I was a six. I guess the only difference is during that time, I wrote it behind my history and geography notebooks. Don’t tell my teachers.

I’ve posted a lot of my poetry, short stories, and fan fiction under a pseudonym. I’ve gotten my share of constructive criticism and flames (non-constructive ones). But the moment I moved into writing my own fiction, of creating my own characters, of making their story, of pencil pushing for days, weeks and months finding that elusive yet perfect writing style for the story I was writing, I found more courage to go to the next level. And the dream is to someday be published, for my writing to be immortalized in some way.

“If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), "Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?" chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.” ― Steven Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles

But there is a big fear standing in the way of anyone wanting to be published or wanting to be successful for that matter. We’ve read it in many success stories and it’s called rejection. The world says that everything is business that it’s nothing personal. But for the people who placed their hearts and souls to creating something they are finally brave enough to show the world (albeit, after keeping it hidden hundreds of times), it’s not business, though it comes later, at the beginning it’s purely personal.

So wouldn’t it be great if we can write our stories, publish it and offer it to potential readers ourselves? That’s what Bronze Age Media, Inc. had to offer when they held their Author At Once workshop last Saturday, October 27 at the Cafeccino by the Dome in Eastwood Mall. They gave us a rundown of what to expect when you are looking into publishing your own work online, from writing a good manuscript to finding editors, beta-readers, book cover artists and printers even as far commissions and in-depth statistics of how you can check how well you are doing online as far as your book is concerned. They definitely didn’t hold back on any information because they believe all good things deserve to be shared!

As for me, I am hyped up about the idea of publishing my own book and having an administrative control over it. It is easy to do, much like posting your story online in any website! Of course, more diligence is needed like finding a good team to work with you because you definitely cannot do this on your own. After all once you are published, you are no longer posting it for free reading that’s why you have to make sure that the entire package is worth your potential reader’s time and money.

Being a writer is truly a humbling experience. It takes a lot of courage and humility to be one. I hope other writers are inspired by the efforts Bronze Age Media is making through sharing what they know. After all, there is no beauty in art, in whatever form, unless it is shared with people who can appreciate it. People constantly look for art that speaks to them. There is a way to be found. Make sure you are found.

For more information about Bronze Age Media, Inc.’s Author At Once Workshop and other services, visit them at www.bronzeage.ph. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Happy writing!   

How to Make Your Feet Happy: DIY Minty Foot Soak

Image from: pregnancy.healthguru.com

Our feet are the most neglected part of our bodies. We subject it to horror stories like breaking in new shoes (how often are those shoe sales?), brisk walking or running or standing for hours in heels, keeping it in closed shoes, and sometimes, washing it before it’s given enough time to rest. Yes, our feet needs a break from the daily stress of we subject it to. And you can be grateful to it naturally, organically in the comfort of your own home.

What you will need:

About 2 tbsp. Mint leaves (any kind)

½ c. Organic Sea Salt

Basin

Hot Water

Additional water to temper the water

What to do:

1. Place hot water in basin and add the mint leaves. Make sure you wash the leaves prior to adding it to the basin. Just wash it with water. Leave the leaves to steep for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the salt.
3. Test the water’s warmth. Make sure it’s bearable for your feet. You may add as much water as you’d like to temper it but keep it warm.
4. Watch TV and enjoy this soak for 15 minutes. Dry feet with towel.

It was truly a treat for my very tired feet as it was detoxifying because of the salt. It left a mild minty smell on my feet and a mild coolness to it too. It goes without saying that I was so relaxed and I slept so well that night. I used Java mint leaves.

Get your Peppermint at Php60/seedling. 
Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details. 

Now you can be grateful to your feet, home spa style at a fraction of the cost and a surplus of love. 

You can also opt to do a sugar scrub (for directions, click here) for an instant hand and foot scrub. Your hands and feet deserve it and you don’t have to go to the salon for it! 

No mint plants at home? 

Visit us at https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for organic culinary and medicinal herbs.

Japanese Mint Facial Steam & Salt Scrub

I've been meaning to have a steam bath. The last time I did it, I placed Eucalyptus essential oil from Body Shop. And boy, was that steam bath intense! My face sweated profusely and because I accidentally dropped too much Eucalyptus oil (Please don't make the same mistake), it was a little too hard on my nostrils. 

So this time I was a little determined to make it more enjoyable. I asked my mom for some mint leaves and she introduced me to one of her new toys. Meet Japanese Mint. The leaves pretty much look the same as the other mint family but the taste is definitely milder. I used mint for this facial steam because according to some websites it's good for acne and perfect for oily skin. 

So you'll be needing 2 tablespoons of leaves. Just eyeball it. To me, it's this much. Wash it with water. 

Boil about a cup of water in a sauce pan. Turn off fire, and add leaves. Steep for 10 minutes. 

This is how it will look like. 

Put sauce pan in a table. Put a towel over your head above the sauce pan. You'll be chilling out for 8-10 minutes (for oily skin) or 3 minutes (dry skin). 

After the facial steam, your pores are open. It's the perfect time to exfoliate! I use salt-coconut oil scrub to match the detoxifying effects of facial steam. Just eye ball the mixture or use 1/2 tsp. and enough coconut oil to cover the salt. Here's what mine looks like. 

Facial steams have plenty of benefits. It improves blood circulation that leaves a rosy glow, helps exfoliation and it's detoxifying. It also helps in nasal congestion and headaches caused by colds. But be wary that not everyone can benefit from facial steams. Check out the article Benefits of Face Steaming for more information. 

Get your Peppermint at Php60/seedling. 

Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details. 

As for me, I enjoyed doing my own facial steam. It was mild unlike my first attempt. The salt scrub is also wonderful. I kind of wish I had organic sea salt though. It left my skin is smooth and soft after and moisturized because of the coconut oil too so it's like exfoliation and moisturizing in one. I'm certainly doing this again! I can't wait to do my own makeshift sauna/body steam next!

My First Try At Making Tablea Leche Flan!

My mom reminded me last night that I have to use the evaporated milk in our food cabinet because it's been there for quite some time and it might end up expired again (like the many others before it). So as a dutiful daughter, I decided to try making Tablea Leche Flan. Find the recipe below.

Get your Pure Batangas Tablea at Php40/50 g. 

Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details.

Ingredients: 

For the Custard:
1 can evaporated milk
3/4 c. sugar
60 g. pure Tablea
3 large organic eggs at room temperature
A pinch pinch salt

For the syrup:

3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. water

Instructions: 

1. For the first part, check out the instructions HERE. It's the same thing as making chocolate ala Dulcinea! Allow the mixture to cool. I left it for 30 minutes.

2. While waiting for the mixture to cool, make the syrup. Melt sugar at low heat, keep stirring so you won't burn it. When completely melted and of golden color, add the water. Continue heating until the sugar is dissolved. Do the spoon test. (I don't know if I heard it somewhere or if I just invented a name for it.)

Spoon test: Dip the spoon in the syrup and put it at eye-level. If it forms a thread suspended in mid-air like the picture below, it means it's ready!

Transfer it to the Leche Flan molds.

3. Prepare the steamer. 

4. Mix the remaining evaporated milk into the Tablea-milk-sugar mixture. Add one egg at a time, mixing in well between. Add a pinch of salt and mix mix mix some more. Don't use a whisk. Use a spoon. I have a friend whose aunt has a leche flan business. They say the trick to the melt-in-your-mouth goodness is not creating bubbles in the mixture. When it's already well-mixed, stop yourself from mixing further. Put the mixture in the molds. Then cover it with foil. 

5. When the steamer is ready, put the molds and steam for 45 minutes. 

6. After steaming, remove the from steamer. Remove foil to cool. Cool for about 30 minutes before refrigerating. Refrigerate before tasting. 

A picture of delicious...

It's really a WOW, I tell you. Usually, I am my worst critic but at the taste of this one... I was speechless. It's exactly what I want in sweets. It's sweet enough but it doesn't have that overbearing sweet after taste. It's decadent. Not bad for a first try. I kind of hope though that I had enough coconut sugar to make this so it'd be sugar-free. There's surely a next time!

Get your Pure Batangas Tablea at Php40/50 g. 

Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details.

Recreating the 'Churros con Chocolate' Syrup

It came as a huge surprise to me as I was in the process of making Tablea Leche Flan when the consistency of what I was making was like the Dulcinea's chocolate in 'Churros con Chocolate'! Now if you are my Twitter friend, you'll know that it's one of my absolute favorites! I post weekly about my craving for it (even after eating it). Sometimes, I lie awake at night thinking of it along with my friend's special Takoyaki and Blueberry Cheescake cookies. But you didn't have to know that.

Get your Pure Batangas Tablea at Php40/50 g. 

Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details.

As for the recipe, here it is:

2/3 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. sugar
60 g. pure Tablea

Instructions: 

1. Put them in a sauce pan at low heat.

2. Keep stirring. Every time the mixtures gets too frothy, turn the stove off for awhile. Let the froth subside then turn the stove on again at low heat and keep stirring. Stir until there are no Tablea lumps and you achieve the consistency (3rd picture).

3. Transfer in a bowl to cool. As it gets cooler, it thickens.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Get your Pure Batangas Tablea at Php40/50 g. 

Visit https://herbalandherbs.wordpress.com/ for more details.

I really wanted to make it totally organically sugar-free through the use of coconut sugar but I ran out. I'd go 100% coconut sugar for this though. Now... if I can recreate the Churros too. 

I highly suggest that you use pure cocoa Tablea. Most of the things we find in the supermarket already have milk, flour, and sugar in it. If you use pure cocoa, you can control the sugar you put into it and make it a little less sinful and waistline-friendly.