My Fair Farmgirl Merit Badge

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 5,730 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—8,037 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …  

For this week’s Cleaning Up/My Fair Farmgirl Beginning Level Merit Badge, I was wooed by the idea of au naturale beauty products.

I mean, come on. I’m a girl. A girly girl. One who loves a good facial, mani and pedi, and something flowery to spritz. But I’m also a farmgirl. One who loves to get her nails dirty, shops organic, and has even been known to go without shampooing. It’s a thing. A no ‘poo thing.

So what’s a girly farmgirl to do?

I’m so glad you asked.

Turns out the two aren’t mutually exclusive, after all. I can have my fuchsia-painted nails with a little farm dirt underneath, you might say. So this badge? This badge was the cat’s pajamas to earn.

Is it possible to earn more than one Beginning Level badge? No? Alas. Never mind, this is a badge that sticks and I think I’ll be making my own beauty products from here on out.

Here are a couple favorites for you beauties to try (synthetic-, paraban-, sulfate-, color-, cruelty-, preservative-, and chemical-free, naturally! Get it? Naturally? LOL!)

Chocolate Cream Face Mask

• 1/3 cup cocoa (fair trade)
• 1/4 cup honey (local)
• 2 T heavy cream or sour cream (organic)
• 3 T oatmeal powder*

Using a small bowl and spoon or spatula, mix all ingredients until well combined.

Gently massage into skin. Allow to stay (to get to know one another) for 15–20 minutes. Rinse. This mask doesn’t keep well, so it’s best to make it right before you want to use it, and invite a couple friends to share it that day.

*If you don’t have oatmeal powder, simply use Old Fashioned Oats and pulse in a food processor.

Fennel Toner

You’ll need:

• 2 raw fennel bulbs (organic, if you can) puréed
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (from your garden … or your neighbor’s garden)
• Water (filtered)
• Juice of half a lemon (once again—you guessed it—organic)

Bring the puréed fennel, thyme, and enough water to make it liquidy (1/4 to 1/2 cup) to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, and let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain out solids and transfer to a covered jar and let cool. Apply with a cotton ball under the eyes. Do not rinse.

Oil Cleansing Method for Your Pretty Face

• a small jar or squeeze bottle
• fill with 3/4 cup organic olive oil
• top with 1/4 cup castor oil (found in the laxative section of your drug store) Use slightly more if you have oily skin. Castor oil is surprisingly drying!
• a few drops of your favorite odiferous oil (like Sweet Almond, or Orange, or Almond)

Shake well. To cleanse, rub a dime-sized amount over face. Even over eyelids—it won’t sting! Massage in. Place a very hot washcloth over your face for a moment. This will steam and unclog your pores. Use a washcloth to gently wipe away excess oil. Removes make up like a dream and leaves you feeling fresh and pretty and soft! And don’t fret: I know it may seem weird to cleanse your face with oil, but once you try, you’ll never go back to those chemical-laced facial washes again. Even oily skin needs good oils, so don’t be afraid!