The internationally famous fashion icon Vivienne Westwood made a very special appearance on the Johnathan Ross show this year. Vivienne Westwood is a leader in the world of fashion design and people do follow her. Here is what she said during the interview that night:

That tablecloth looks good on you

“Take the tablecloth if it’s beautiful, and even take a towel if it’s good enough, or the curtains or anything. Put things together yourself and take things from your husband or your boyfriend like boxer shorts or whatever…

Take your old things and keep on wearing them. If you do buy fashion then choose it really well, wear it for a long time, until it sort of drops off your back.”

Can you see yourself following this advice? It’s funny but I can. Lately that’s what I have been doing. I spotted a pair of cords that my husband was going to throw out. The knees were threadbare, but I loved the cut and the way they hung on the hips. He had worn them out. I adopted them and wear them still. They are quality.

Do you think that perhaps we are heading towards a fashion era of wearing old but quality clothes, that we might take the trouble of mending, or that are a little torn or threadbare? Unlike recent past fashion trends, the obvious wear and tear on our clothes will be genuine.

What if it becomes like the old days when people would buy one overcoat to last them for life. Made with the best quality wool, hand dyed.  It would be darned and re-lined every 10 years or so.

They used to dress the children in woolen clothes  that would require little washing and were usually worn protected by light linen aprons that were easy to wash and dry.

I can feel a cliche coming on, but is this a case of “back to the future”?

it’s true. But women love what they love. Try telling your nearest and dearest that the perfume she adores might be damaging her health. It’s a fact that “Perfume is composed of many of the same toxic chemicals found on the EPA’s and CERCLA’s hazardous waste lists: acetone, ethyl acetate, toluene, and ethanol, among others. Other extremely poisonous substances found in fragrances are musk ambrette, musk xylene and musk ketone. A 1991 study performed by the EPA, Identification of Polar Volatile Organic Compounds in Consumer Products and Common Microenvironments, found numerous chemicals commonly used in fragrance products, including, among others: acetone; benzaldehyde; benzyl acetate; benzyl alcohol; camphor; ethanol; ethyl acetate; limonene; linalool; methylene chloride, one or all of which, or in combination with one another, cause, when inhaled, “central nervous system disorders, dizziness, nausea, incoordination, slurred speech, drowsiness, irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract, kidney damage, headache, respiratory failure, ataxia, and fatigue, among other symptoms and illnesses.” Material Safety Data Sheets on each chemical confirm these findings.

The EPA identified and confirmed the following compounds found in these fragrance products: •ethanol •camphene •Beta-pinene •Beta-myrcene •benzaldehyde •limonene •benzyl alcohol •Beta-phenethyl alcohol •citronellal •camphor •benzyl acetate •estragole •Alpha-cedrene •Alpha-pinene •diethylene glycol mnoethyl ether •linalool •Alpha-terpineol •Beta-citronellol . Other compounds identified were: •acetone •t-butanol •ethyl acetate •toluene •3-octanone •cineole •2-ethyl-1-hexanol* •phenylacetaidehyde •terpinen-4-ol* •menthyl acetate.” (source reference Perfumes, Colognes, Pesticides, are they slowly killing you?)

Even armed with the facts you are unlikely to get a very warm reception when you share this information with the woman you love. Suggesting she try natural perfumes will spark a “patchouli”, “smelly hippy” war of words. Natural perfumes are usually more expensive than commercially made perfumes. Commercially made perfumes, even the more expensive designer types have very little actual natural components (though natural flowers are listed in their descriptions) and they are heavily laden with the dangerous chemicals listed above. “But they smell SO good though!” I hear you cry. Don’t despair. Gorgeous natural perfumes can be made at home very easily and well made naturals that are for sale are far from patchouli smelling “hippy oils” that most people imagine. Search for “Natural Perfumes” on Google and start there. Always email the company before you buy because some companies market themselves as natural but if you ask they will tell you that their perfumes do contain some chemicals.

You can make a wonderful homemade solid perfume with a few simple ingredients. Jasmine is a great one to start with because everyone loves it.

Combine 15 drops of natural jasmine grandiflorum concrete with 15 drops of orange blossom in a teaspoon of jojoba oil or refined coconut oil and leave it to infuse. Melt 1/2 teaspoon of natural beeswax in a small metal container and carefully add the scented oil. Allow to heat until the beeswax is liquid (low heat) and then pour into a pretty jar.

This perfume is not only 100% natural but jasmine and orange blossom are wonderful for balancing the emotions, for relieving stress and anxiety, curing headaches and easing depression.

Natural perfumes are better for the environment because the ingredients are biodegradable. Most of the production methods for extracting natural essences are still the same techniques they used hundreds of years ago. Solvents that are used in the extraction process are reused over and over and the waste plant material is used as food for the land. Bear in mind when purchasing raw materials or natural perfumes that it is always better to buy from an ethical company. Always drop a quick line to make sure that their perfumes are free from chemicals and that their materials are from ethically harvested sources.

While it’s a fact that some natural plant essences are made up of naturally ocurring chemicals, some that even appear on the “hazzardous list”, eg. Linalool, it is a fact that there will be the presence of another naturally occuring chemical that will often eliminate the negative effects. It is when we try to mimic nature by isolating a single chemical and copying it that we seem to run into problems. Nature has a way of creating balance that science is a long way from matching.

Once you start using natural perfumes you will find it hard to stand commercial chemical blends and you will soon find your nose becoming more fine tuned to what’s real and what’s fake.

Chamomile Herb

Natural essential oils are like the life blood of herb and flowers. They contain the chemical constituents and character of the plants they come from. The essence or essential oil is the etheric part of the plant and they have a therapeutic effect on the mind and the emotions as well as the physical body. Essential oils are soluble in alcohol, vegetable and nut oils and partly soluble in water. They have a consistency similar to water and are normally clear although some are colored amber or green. Essential oil mixed with water is often the simplest way to draw out the beneficial properties of the oils. Baths to which essential oils are added are recommended for various ailments and even simple foot baths have been proven to be beneficial. Essential oils can be absorbed into the body through the skin and they are capable of stimulating the body’s own natural healing systems.

You can benefit from using essential oils at home by taking baths, inhalations, and massages.

Baths

Essential oils will not fully dissolve in water the way bubble bath does and the essences themselves are very volatile. It is best practice to fill the bath first and get it to the right temperature before adding the essential oils, that way the effect of the oils vaporizing will have the best effect.

Never use more than a total of 15 drops per bath. Some essential oils such as cinnamon, lemon, peppermint and ginger can be irritating to skin and must be used with great care and never use more than 4 drops in a bath. Never apply essential oils directly to skin if undiluted.

Here are some baths you can try to obtain certain effects. The number of drops recommended are in parenthesis.

Sensual bath: Sandalwood (8), ylang-ylang (3), orange blossom (2), jasmine (2).

Refreshing bath: Lavender (5), Juniper (5), cypress (5), geranium (4), lemon (4), peppermint (4), bergamot (3).

Stimulating bath: Rosemary (5), juniper (5), hyssop (3), peppermint (3), basil (3).

Relaxing bath: Lavender (5), cypress (5), marjoram (4), chamomile (2), orange blossom (2), rose (2).

For certain conditions a combination of oils are required. Here the proportions are delicately balanced and should not be altered. The number of drops in the total bath are given in parenthesis.

For stress: Basil (2), geranium (4), and hyssop (2).

To induce sleep: Chamomile (2), lavender (5) and orange blossom (2).

To boost energy levels in the morning: Rosemary (5), juniper (5) and peppermint (2).

For winter chills: Juniper (3), black pepper (2), lavender (5).

For a serious hangover: Fennel (2), rosemary (2), and juniper (4).

Inhalations

Six to 12 drops combined in a bowl of off-the-boil water, throw a towel over your head and breathe in the steam.

For a head cold: Eucalyptus (6), peppermint (2) and basil (2).

For the ‘flu: Eucalyptus (4), camphor (3) and black pepper (2).

For bronchitis: Eucalyptus (4), orange bergamot (4) and sandalwood (4).

For asthma and bronchitis: Lavender (6), hyssop (3) and peppermint (3).

Please note these are not to be used in place of a doctors or specialist recommendations. Always see a health-care professional before you use home treatments if you are unwell.

Massages

Use 10 to 30 drops per oz of carrier oil. For carrier oil you can use a simple unscented vegetable oil, olive oil or a light coconut oil.

For aches and pains: Juniper (10), lavender (5) and rosemary (5) in 20ml carrier oil.

For rheumatic pain: Eucalyptus (7), camphor (7), and rosemary (7) in 15ml of carrier oil.

For relaxation: Geranium (10), lavender (5) and marjoram 94) in 25ml of carrier oil.

To arouse: Sandalwood: (7), bergamot (7), jasmine (3) and rose (3) in 25ml of carrier oil.

Skin

A carrier oil blend of 20ml of rosehip seed oil, 20ml of avocado oil, 20ml of jojoba oil and 20ml of hemp seed oil is an excellent carrier oil for facial blends.

To rejuvenate skin: Rose (10) and frankincense (10), in 25ml of the above carrier oil blend.

To balance skin: Chamomile (10) and Lavender (10), in 25ml of the above carrier oil blend.

If you are new to using essential oils get yourself a good book, make sure there is lots of safety information. Always remember that essential oils are the concentrated essence of the plant. Treat them with respect and always err on the side of caution. Less is more when you are using plant essences and incorrect use can lead to serious irritation and even a life long sensitization. Always store out of reach of children and consult an aromatherapy book before using on or near children and pregnant or lactating women. When purchasing essential oils buy from a reputable supplier. Fragrance oils are not the same as essential oils and may cause harm if used in place of the real thing. Keep in mind that some essential oils come from protected species, for example sandalwood, rosewood and agarwood. Check with the supplier that the oil has been legally traded before you purchase.

Reference for some of the above recipes: Vogue Natural health and Beauty by Bronwen Meridith. Published 1979, ISBN 0 7139 1182 4