Recipe: Edible Face Scrub

Amazing magic today – we’ve had a swarm of bees in our backyard pear tree for a week. Thought it was a hive that we’d never noticed (clueless about bees here, except knowing they are vital to the health of the earth).

A visiting friend explained the swarming behavior this morning. She explained that when a suitable hive spot was found the swarm would take off with the queen all at once, and abandon the tree. What we thought was a hive, a mass about 10 inches across and 18 inches from top to bottom, was actually a cluster of bees. Holy moly! That’s a lot of bees.

My husband and I were literally sitting under the swarm afterward talking about calling someone to provide a hive for them when it happened! The sound was so intense, a 10 by 18 inch mass of bees taking flight all at once and streaming northwest on a brilliantly sunny day – we were in absolute awe and wonder, watching.

There’s a small white comb hanging where they were swarmed in the tree. The kids are excited we may have some beeswax made in our own back yard.

So many blessings. I hope they found a safe and secure hive.

If we encounter another swarm we’ll act more quickly now that we understand what’s happening. I don’t eat honey myself, nor does my youngest at the moment, but my husband and oldest do. Knowing where your food comes from this intimately, like from your own backyard makes it that much more deeply nourishing. Usually I think of veggies and herbs, and eggs when I think of this, but honey? It seemed like a somewhat outlandish thought, to keep bees.

Having this swarm find us has shifted my thinking. If they’re swarming, they’re looking for a home! If we offer them a home and they accept, well, they’re following their instincts. And they’d be a natural part of our environment.

If I were to indulge in a sweetener other than stevia, raw honey would be what I would choose. Many folks that eat a Paleo-esque diet feel fine about raw honey. When our ancestors found beehives, I feel confident the bravest of them would have found a way to harvest all that sweetness!

So, in moderation, if low carb is not your goal and if you don’t have candida overgrowth, insulin resistance, diabetes or other health challenge that makes any sugar a no no, raw honey is a great choice for your treats or hot beverage. It provides a wide array of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and polyphenols that act as antioxidants.

And to top it all off, honey has anti-microbial properties. When I make my own cosmetics, I mix together honey, almond butter and rose water to use as a facial scrub. It smells so good! And you don’t have to worry if a little gets in your mouth. Try it!

Recipe: Edible Face Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp raw local honey
• 1 Tbsp organic almond butter or almond flour (if you want more of a scrubbing action)
• a few drops food grade rose water, enough to liquify the paste to a texture easy to spread on your face

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Spoon a couple teaspoons worth on your palm and work together between your hands. Spread gently on your face. Leave on a minute or two while you shower or brush your teeth, and rinse off.

Store any extra in a small jar.

Makes enough for three applications. If you make a larger quantity, I recommend keeping it in the refrigerator to protect the almond oil from becoming rancid.

And if a little accidentally finds its way into your mouth… enjoy!

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 4th, 2011 at 9:06 pm and is filed under Just for Fun!, Recipes, Seasonal Change. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.