Simplicity and Versatility
Simplicity and Versatility
Yesterday morning I prepared a simple salve with olive oil, beeswax, and lavender essential oil. It took only a few minutes and little mess to prepare this richly aromatic unguent. The finished product I poured into a sterilized Altoids tin, because that was what happened to be handy. The recipe came from one of my favorite cosmetics books, Organic Body Recipes: 175 Homemade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin and a Vibrant Self, written by Stephanie Tourles. Incidentally, it’s called Bloomin’ Belly Butter, designed to help prevent stretch marks on pregnant women. Its possible use, however, is much wider. That is what I love about natural, homemade cosmetics. One product has multiple applications. In this case, the Bloomin’ Belly Butter is excellent as a general skin moisturizer and support, whether you are pregnant or not. It’s also a natural lip balm. It would be great for soothing some skin irritations, too. (Littlest Sister has used it to great effect for her sunburn.)
I was reflecting recently on the modern trend toward increasing product specialization, and contrasting it with the simplicity and versatility of natural products. There are many single-purpose cosmetics in the marketplace, but in the above book, many of the cosmetic preparations has several (sometimes startlingly diverse) uses listed.
It is likewise with cleaning solutions and tools. I am one for simplicity, so I greatly appreciate the versatility of many green cleaning solutions. Instead of lining the cleaning closet with a battery of garishly-colored, strongly-scented solutions, you need keep only a few basics which you can mix and match as necessary for specific needs, simple and economical ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, borax, liquid castile soap, Murphy’s oil soap, and your favorite essential oils.
The trend is also brought to bear on children’s toys. A good toy, such as wooden building blocks, has many possible applications in a child’s play. They encourage creativity and imagination; a child must first determine what to build, decide how it should look, and manipulate the materials available to form his vision. If he doesn’t like it or decides to build something else, he can use the same materials again. Too many toys, however, are very specific in purpose. A plastic Fisher-Toys horse stable can only be so many things, after all. Building toys, by contrast, are horse stables and boats and fences and intricate highway systems and even whole towns. Blocks take up less room (and are less expensive) and yet they can be built into all the uses for which we have thousands of over-specific toys! Fewer toys, but more potential.
(For simple but engaging children’s activities see the Child’s Play Notebook I am currently compiling.)
Friday, May 14, 2010