Akoma Natural Skincare

On Wednesday the 11th November we went to the Fairtrade  Christmas Fair at Derby University.

Angus talking about our lovely Shea Butter products.

Plenty of pretty fair trade things to look at…

…and buy!

Our Shea Butter on the stand.

 

Busy, busy, busy…

Akoma Stand up close.

Ingredients

You need the following ingredients – 25 % virgin organic coconut oil, 25 % beeswax and 50 % percent water.

The amounts you use depend on how much lotion you want to make.

Instructions

Combine the oil and the wax into a cup, placing the cup into boiling water until it has melted and combined. Separately bring to boil the 50% water.

Once the oil and wax has melted, pour it into the boiling water. Allow it cool till it can be poured (If you wait too long, it will be come too hard to pour) Pour it into a plastic bottle (like an old shampoo bottle). Shake vigorously for fifteen seconds, removing the lid allow to sit. Repeat this process a few times for the next hour.

posted by Nina

That’s right! get rid of all your fancy shaving creams and give Virgin Organic Coconut oil a try. Shaving with Coconut oil can reduce acne, spots and create a smooth shaving experience.

step 1. take a good sized amount of the oil, make sure you get all the area you want to shave covered.

step 2. take your razor blade and start shaving. Make sure that the area is covered with oil before you begin shaving and shave in the direction that the hair naturally grows this will also prevent razor bumps.

step 3.

After shaving wash off any extra oil left on skin. Wash off oil residue, and towel dry your face.

Extra Optional step.

Take a small amount of grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil and massage into skin this should absorb very quickly into the skin.

Note to women

This is great for shaving your legs too!

Take care,

Nina

Coconut oil has long been used to fight against flu because it has anti-viral properties.  Many people whom have a regular intake Virgin Organic Coconut oil in their diet report that have less colds and flu symptoms than previous years.

Two to three tablespoons of coconut oil per day is enough to fight infection.

Here is a great smoothie recipe -

Immune boosting/ fatigue fighting smoothie

1-2 cups of almond or rice milk
1-2 tbsps of hemp powder
1 tbsp of  Virgin organic coconut oil
2 servings of fruit: 1 banana, 4 strawberries or a handful of blueberries
1 tsp cinnamon

Virgin Coconut oil in tea/ coffee

You can add a tablespoon of coconut oil to hot tea/coffee, it melts and disperses into the hot liquid. Wait for the drink to cool a bit and and stir well before drinking.

 

posted by Nina

How does Virgin Organic Coconut Oil help weight loss?

 

1. It can reduce food cravings – some studies have suggested that when you eat Virgin Organic Coconut Oil it can reduce cravings by making you feel full after a meal –  which means less snacking and less calories.
2. Coconut oil is a natural way to detox – Coconut oil is a great way to detoxify the body and this helps balance the digestive tract and improvise the overall functions of the body. The extra benefit of this is that it improves your overall health and this is a good start for natural weight loss.
3. Virgin Organic Coconut oil is high in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) – Researchs suggests that MCFA’s are able to destroy Candida, this is a condition of yeast overgrowth in the body which can cause fatigue, carbohydrate cravings and weight gain. So it comes as no surprise then that eliminating Candida is an important part of achieving permanent weight loss.

I do like a real ale, these long winter evenings are perfect for a real ale but what about a lovely beer soap?

4 oz Virgin Organic Coconut oil

4 oz Palm oil

8 oz Soy oil

2.27 oz lye

6 oz of very flat beer

Instructions

simply follow the basic cold-process soap making process that you normally use and instead of water use the flat beer.

 

posted by Nina

 

 

 

A few things you might not know about Virgin Coconut oil…

1. Did you know Coconut oil is great for weight loss? you might not think it but, the body needs fats to absorb essential vitamins and minerals. Not enough good fats  in our diets can actually lead to obesity – it’s true!  Fats contained in Virgin Organic coconut oil are quickly used by the liver, thus giving it no time at all to accumulate in the body.  Virgin Organic Coconut oil also speeds up metabolism, thus burning more fat – isn’t that great??

2. Virgin Coconut Organic Coconut oil is a great butter or margarine substitute…it just gets better!

3.  Virgin Coconut Organic Coconut oil is a good oil for frying – it’s better for you than other cooking oils too!

4. Virgin Organic Coconut oil is not easily spoilt  and has Long shelf-life which means it’s a great product to buy in bulk

5. Virgin Organic Coconut oil has anti-aging properties – The oil can also be applied to the skin (it truly is a multi-purpose oil) it works by removing dead skin cells, rejuvenating skin  and giving skin a healthy glow.  It is often used to remove make-up or lubricate the skin for shaving.

 

posted by Nina

 

 

Shea butter can be used to restore condition to hair, here are some simple steps you can try…

Step 1

Towel dry wet or pre-washed hair, hair needs to be slightly damp before applying the raw organic shea butter

Step 2

Put a small amount of Raw organic Shea butter into your hand.

Step 3

Massage the Raw organic shea butter into hair – starting at the roots and spreading out to the tips. Make sure to cover all of the strands of hair throughly.

Step 4

Run a wide-tooth comb gently through your hair for better coverage of the Raw organic shea butter.  You may also cover hair with a hot towel for better absorption.

Step 5

Leave the Raw Organic Shea butter in your hair for about 20 to 30 minutes (if hair is very dy leave up to an hour before washing out). Rinse out with cool water.

1. Dry skin

2. Damage to skin from heat

3. Skin peeling, after tanning

4. Blemishes and wrinkles

5. Itching skin

6. Sunburn

7. Skin allergies

8. Eczema

9. Skin cracks

10. Tough or rough skin (on feet.)

11. Cold weather – great for gardeners skin

12. Frost bites

13. Stretch marks

14. Insect bites

15. Healthy skin

16. Muscle fatigue, aches and tension

17. For before and after strenuous exercise (many sportsmen and weightlifters use it)

18. Shaving cream. (great for shaving your legs – silky smooth)

19. Small skin wounds

20. Dermatitis

21. skin rash

1. Shampoo and conditioner

Many shampoos and soaps tend to strip the natural oils in hair. Many people use Virgin Organic Coconut oil in homemade shampoo and conditioner formulations.

2.  Lice killer

Not pleasant to discuss but if you have children who have head lice use Virgin Organic Coconut oil to treat the infestations. Its anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.

• use 5mls of melted  oil on hair from root to tips before bed.
• Place a towel on the pillow (as the oil will suffocate the live nits and the eggs by the time you wake up
• Shampoo hair thoroughly in the morning

Follow up treatments can be done every two to three days. For a maximum of three weeks.

3. Weight loss

Many people are discovering the Coconut oil diet including celebrities like Jenifer Aniston.

4. After sun treatment

Applying the oil to skin after sun exposure can soothe the burn and the formation of damaging free radicals and aid in the healing process.

5. bio-disel

Some vehicles are currently being run on a mixture of 85% coconut oil and 15% kerosene.

6. Shaving Cream

Reccomended if you have sensitive skin or ingrowning hairs.

7. Toothpaste

Mix approximately equal parts Virgin Coconut Oil, Bicarb-Soda and Water in a small jar. The water makes it more like a paste, vary the quantity of water to change the consistency.

8.  Deodorant

Ingredients:

5-6 Tbsp Virgin Organic Coconut oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Combine equal portions of baking soda & arrowroot powder. Then slowly add coconut oil and work it in.  You can either scoop this into your old dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. After applying the product, you can just rub the remains into your hands as a lotion.

9. For your pet

If your pet is overweight or lacking energy, try a teaspoon of Virgin Organic Coconut Oil in your pet’s food every day to see if it helps. The oil can be mixed with food as a liquid or as a solid, it also makes their coats nice and shiny.

10. Stress Relief

As previously mentioned massaging the oil into your scalp after a stressful day helps soothe stresses - the natural aroma helps ease stress and aid relaxation.

posted by Nina