Shiva Rose - Whole Beauty: Masks & Scrubs: Natural Beauty Recipes for Ultimate Self Care

WHOLE BEAUTY

Masks & Scrubs

Natural Beauty Recipes for Ultimate Self-Care

SHIVA ROSE

Artisan | New York

Contents

Introduction: My Whole Beauty Practices

I spend hours in our garden, gathering pansies, roses, cherry blossoms, and all the other vivid, scented plants that catch my eye. I collect the petals in a small copper bowl, add a little water from the pond, and with a pestle, mash them until they form a fragrant and vibrant paste.

I take my seat at the edge of the pond and dangle my feet in, piquing the curiosity of the goldfish, sending them swimming to ripple the lily pads across the surface. I take my flower paste and rub it on my face, breathing in the aroma of the flowers. This is Iran, this is the beginning, but if I close my eyes now, many years and thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, I am there again. I can still feel the wind on my cheeks and the tickle of fish nibbling at my toes and hear birds singing as they dance by overhead.

I was young enough that I didnt think of these pondside rituals as beautifying or acts of self-care. I just saw them as a way to bring myself even closer to the natural world, reveling in the way the yellows, reds, and purples looked before my eyes and how soft the petals felt as I crushed them with my hands. It was a pure moment of creation that amplified my senses and gave me a small gift of beauty to carry with me even when I was called away from the garden.

Approaching beauty with reverence and ritual can help awaken your feminine fire and stoke the flames of vibrancy and passion. Creating rituals to acknowledge and induce pleasure is a form of religion, a way to care as much for the soul as for the skin and it is the simplest and biggest way you can honor yourself and enhance your well-being. The rituals you create will transform self-care from a chore into an act of love.

Beauty Recipes

You make your own food because you care about what you put into your body, so why wouldnt you make what you put on your body with equal reverence and care? While conventional products may work for a short amount of time, many of them will cause harm in the long run, and I truly believe that beauty and self-care are cumulative. There is no quick fix.

Taking the time to make your own products is a way of pausing the frenetic pace of modern life. It is an act of creation that provides an experience far more personal and sensual than just unscrewing the lid of a jar. Creativity has no judgment, and it can morph into anything. You connect with the ingredients through sight, touch, smell, and taste, and as you become the alchemist of your own beauty, the flow takes over. You experiment with scents and textures, adding new elements that speak to what you need. When you are done, you hold in your hands something that will not just beautify your skin or hair but also transform your whole being.

The recipes in this book are here as a way for you to sensually indulge your skin and hair, using ingredients that you often have on hand. There is no right way to use these recipes. Doing so is a personal experience. And at the heart of these recipes and beauty rituals is allowing our intuition the space to breathe and blossom and lead us to what our bodies need.

Some of the recipes here incorporate Ayurvedic principles. Ayurveda is an Indian healing modality that is thousands of years old. Its focus is on preventing illness by constantly cleansing and detoxifying the body. In Ayurveda, inner and outer beauty are intimately related. I truly believe that beautifying ourselves holistically is an integral part of self-care, health, and healing. Beauty that does not penetrate beyond the first, physical layer will fade, but beauty that comes from being nourished and balanced spiritually, emotionally, and physically radiates from the eyes, hair, and every pore.

Generally, the recipes are very safe, but use caution if you have allergies or sensitive skin. If there is anything that you think you might be allergic to or that might cause harm, it is a good idea to test it on the inside of your arm. You can apply the oil, essential oil, or ingredient to the skin (wash it off if it is a mask component) and wait twenty-four hours to see if any irritation develops.

Make the most of this step on your wellness journey by creating some time for you; get messy and enjoy.

My Pantry Is My Beauty Counter

Being able to turn to the kitchen when you need something for your skin or hair is inexpensive and convenient, and since the ingredients are natural and edible, they can be used without risk of damage or irritation (see ). Each self-care product is a story, and the ingredients are the characters. The magic is in how they come together, to complement and contrast with one another. There is no right or wrong way to mix natural ingredients. You can add or subtract based on what your skin or hair needs at the moment, and to suit your preference.

Following are the items youll always find in my pantry.

Aloe

Most of us know aloe from using it to soothe a sunburn, and its cooling effects come from hormones that help heal wounds and calm inflammation. You can also drink aloe juice from time to time to deliver these same effects to your entire body.

Amla Fruit

This beautiful Indian fruit ripens on the tree and bursts open in autumn. It is full of antioxidants and also provides many nutrients. It can help skin, hair, and hormonal balance, and it will continue to give and give.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has been used in beauty rituals since ancient Roman times, and the empress of Hungary was said to have had beautiful skin from applying it to her face as a toner. It is naturally antiseptic and antibacterial, which makes it great for calming acne, and it helps to balance the pH of the skin.

Avocados

Avocados are full of good fats and moisture for your hair and skin, and your body will rejoice in soaking them up, inside and out. The avocado is such a dignified fruit with its beautiful emerald-green flesh that delivers a big caress of lusciousness to your skin.

Bananas

Bananas are full of potassium, which helps to strengthen hair, repairing damage and preventing breakage. They are also full of powerful antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E and zinc, which can prevent aging and nourish the skin.

Bhringaraj

Bhringaraj symbolizes reverence for the sacred masculine. It promotes hair growth and luster and also calms the nervous system.