#witch hazel
My newest Grimoire page.
Hello Lovely,
Do you clean your makeup brushes?
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’d never thought about cleaning my makeup brushes. I mean, I knew I was supposed to clean them, I just never made the time to do it properly (often opting to just rinse it with soap and water). Big mistake. As it turns out, cleaning makeup brushes is a pretty important task that can prevent bacteria from spreading on the skin.
Bacteria = breakouts.
Breakouts = makeup brush contamination.
Makeup brush contamination = more breakouts.
It’s a nasty cycle.
I had bought a bottle witch hazel during my last shopping trip in Miami because I heard about all of the amazing benefits of it with beauty products. I also knew that castille soap is like the coconut oil of bases (holy and highly revered). There are a number of store-bought brush cleaner options, and there are also a number of DIY tutorials on Pinterest. Most of the ingredients used in both the store-bought and “homemade” versions are far from natural, so I took what I learned and started experimenting. After all, how hard could it be, right? With a few basic ingredients, which I already had on hand for DIY beauty products, I was able to easily whip up a natural solution.
To say that I’m now a brush cleaning advocate is an understatement. Trust me, just try it once–dip your makeup brush in a few simple ingredients–your beauty routine will forever be changed. From what I’ve read, most makeup professionals recommend cleaning brushes daily, particularly the ones used for foundation and blush. But considering I don’t wear makeup every day (special occasions only) I’ll stick to cleaning them after every use.
My homemade brush cleaner recipe works for any cleaning schedule since it makes enough solution for soaking sessions (my preferred method of cleaning) or daily spraying. Whichever method you choose, go with something that’s doable for you.
Homemade Natural Makeup Brush Cleaner
Servings 1 ½ cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup witch hazel
- 2 tsp baby mild castile soap
- 1 tsp skin-nourishing oil like olive oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil., optional
- 1 cup distilled water
Instructions
In a bottle or mason jar, combine all the ingredients in the order listed (the recipe). Shake the bottle.
Swirl makeup brushes in the mixture to clean.
Carefully blot brushes to remove excess dirt and oils.
The Ultimate Guide to Potion Bases
We all spend so much time thinking about the correspondences of the actual ingredients that go into our potions that we often forget to think about what the potion base represents! (At least I do.) It would be nice to have a list of all the various liquids that can be used in place of water. Naturally, I can’t think of everything but I think this is a pretty good starting point! What else can be used? Eventually, at some point down the road, I will compile all these thoughts into a book on potion making and want to include this! Keep in mind that these are my own correspondences. Let me know if you disagree or if you’d change anything up! Let’s see how big we can make this list. Also, I should probably note that not all of these liquids can be ingested. (Obviously.)
The List
Vinegar: Used for cleansing and purification potions.
Lemon Juice: Used in hexing, cursing, or revenge potions.
Cranberry Juice: Used in love potions.
Apple Juice: Used in healing, knowledge, and youth potions.
Ammonia: Used in banishing, cursing, purification, and protection
Red Wine: Love potions and potions dealing with death and the afterlife.
White Wine: Used in platonic love potions as well as success brews.
Rum: Used in potions involving spirit work.
Whisky: Another good base for potion work.
Vodka: A good base for work involving rapid banishing.
Laundry detergent: Good for cleansing potions.
Oils: Used to speed up a process.
Molasses: Used in potions intended to slow a situation down.
Rubbing Alcohol: Another good base for cleansing and purification.
Hydrogen Peroxide: Used in healing potions.
Milk: Used in potions to promote sleep and peace.
Sour Milk: Used to cause nightmares or in potions designed to torment.
Orange Juice: For potions of solar importance, healing, success.
Soda Water: Used in potions designed to encourage laughter and giddiness.
Ginger Ale: Used in health or healing potions.
Olive Juice: Used in peace potions.
Honey: Used in potions to sweeten up another’s disposition.
Syrup: Used in abundance and prosperity potions.
Beer: Used in potions intended to induce slumber.
Clam Juice: Used in aphrodisiacs.
Cough Syrup: Used in healing potions and to make someone ‘cough it up.’
Soy Sauce: Used in protection potions. (Thanks Lexa Rosean for this one!)
Pineapple Juice: Used in abundance potions and fidelity potions.
Coconut Milk: Used in spiritual and magical cleansing potions.
Ice: Solid first, then melted for transformation potions.
Coffee: Really, a potion in and of itself in my book.
Vanilla Extract: In small amounts, used in passion potions.
Witch Hazel: Used in communication and cleansing potions.What else can you all think of?
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Various cultivars of hamamelis defying the icestorm.
