Sunlight of the Grove Shower Gel
15ml base shower gel
4 drops pure mandarin essential oil
1 drop pure petitgrain essential oil
1 drops pure ylang ylang essential oil
Pour onto a sponge and massage over your skin.
Sunlight of the Grove Body Lotion
20ml base body lotion or unperfumed lotion
8 drops pure mandarin essential oil
2 drops pure neroli essential oil
2 drops pure ylang ylang essential oil
Aromatic Honey Water Tonic
Applied with cotton wool, honey water refreshes, tones and moisturises the skin. It can also be used as a gentle aftershave lotion. The basic recipe is suitable for normal to oily skins. For dry skin, reduce the mandarin essential oil to 1 drop and replace the frankincense with 2 drops of chamomile oil. Apply to freshly cleansed skin twice a day. Honey water may leave the skin feeling very slightly sticky for a few hours. If so, you may prefer to rinse it off with cool water after about 30 minutes - time enough for the active ingredients to take effect.
1/4 tsp clear honey
1 tsp cider vinegar
100ml distilled water
plastic funnel
2 drops pure mandarin essential oil
1 drops pure frankincense essential oil
Warm the honey, cider vinegar and 15ml of the distilled water in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the honey has dissolved. Pour into a dark, glass bottle, using a funnel. Add the essential oils and shake well. Top up with the remaining distilled water an shake. Keeps for up to two weeks in a cool, dark place. Shake well before every use.
Bee-witched Lip Balm
For this sweet-flavoured balm, but the beeswax at craft shops or herb suppliers
5g beeswax
15ml castor oil
5ml jojoba oil
1/4tsp clear honey
2 drops mandarin essential oil
3 drops geranium essential oil
Grate the beeswax and put it with the castor and jojoba oils and honey in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the beeswax has dissolved. Take off the heat and add the essential oils, stirring well. Before the balm sets, spoon it into a small container with a screw top lid. Keeps for six months.
Exfoliation
The purpose of a facial or a body scrub is to slough off or exfoliate dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Younger skins tend to shed skin cells without any help, but as we age the reproduction processes under the skin slow down. New skin cells are formed more slowly and worn out cells tend to stay around in patches, resulting in an uneven skin tone and a dull appearance. For these reasons, most skins benefit from a weekly exfoliation treatment. Although exfoliating agents are generally known as 'scrubs', this is certainly not what you should be doing to the fragile skin of your face. So rub gently, don't scrub.
Mandarin face and body scrub
Handful of medium ground oatmeal
cotton handkerchief
6 drops of mandarin essential oil
Put the ground oatmeal in the middle of the handkerchief, sprinkle with the essential oil, then tie up the corners of the handkerchief. Moisten with luke-warm water before use. As well as helping to brighten your skin, the gentle aroma of mandarin will uplift your spirits while you slough off. This makes enough for one treatment.
Speedy Facial Firmer
A fast-acting mark to brighten the skin and temporarily smooth out fine lines.
5ml cider vinegar
1 drops pure mandarin essential oil
1 drops pure myrrh essential oil
1 egg white
Lightly whisk the egg while until it just starts to foam.
Apply a tiny amount around the eyes to iron out fine lines. Mix the vinegar with the essential oils. Lightly beat the vinegar mixture with the remaining egg white. Apply to the rest of your face and neck and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.
Dreams of Mandalay Body Powder
This has a sweet, oriental aroma.
30g cornflour or rice flour
15 drops pure mandarin essential oil
5 drops pure coriander essential oil
2 drops pure patchouli essential oil
3 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
5 drops pure ylang ylang essential oil
Put the cornflour into a glass jar, then add the essential oils. Tighten the cap, shake well an allow to stand for 24 hours. Puff over your body using a cotton wool ball or use a specially designed powder puff.
Quick Room Scenter
To subtly scent a room in minutes, snuff out a lighted candle and add a few drops of mandarin essential oil to the pool of wax at the base. Now re-light the candle and enjoy a soft, citrus aroma.
Mandarin-scented beeswax Furniture Cream
5ml concentrated lemon washing-up liquid
150ml water
60g beeswax
300ml turpentine
20 drops pure mandarin essential oil
- Stir the washing-up liquid into the water. Slowly melt the beeswax with the turpentine in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water. Pour into the soapy water, whisking, to form an emulsion or thick cream. Take off the heat.
- As it cools, whisk occasionally to keep the consistency smooth. Stir in the essential oil. Pour into a wide-necked screw-top bottle or tin.
- Apply to furniture with a soft cloth. Leave to dry for 5 minutes then polish with a clean duster.
Mandarin-flavoured Sugar
250g caster sugar
peel of 3 mandarin oranges
electric coffee grinder, or pestle and mortar
Wash the peel and place on a rack in the over at a low temperature until the peel is dry but not changed colour.
Grind to a powder in an electric coffee grinder, or use the pestle and mortar.
Mix into the sugar and store in an airtight container. Use instead of ordinary sugar in custards or cakes. For a gift, use a piece of the peel on ribbon to complement a home-made label.