This summer, while in Bali, I participated in an amazing training in creating traditional natural cosmetics based on old Balinese recipes. I am constantly looking for inspiration to create even more interesting natural novelties. Bali is another place that inspires a lot. The workshop included a theoretical part, where we learned about the plants that grow wild or are cultivated in Bali and their effects on the skin and the health of the body. The indigenous people of Bali value very natural ingredients, they do not use antibiotics, and basically treat all infections with decoctions from plant extracts. Doctors do not prescribe antibiotics here, but they can be obtained in pharmacies without a prescription. As I learned, none of the locals buy them. They are only available because of tourists. Mass-market cosmetics have already arrived in Bali, but just like antibiotics, they are mainly bought by tourists. On the other hand, Balinese women very often use plants and oils obtained from them for facial, body and hair care. In Bali, we can also find small shops offering natural cosmetics made from typical Balinese plants, and it is their formulas that we wanted to explore. That is why we chose a training that was to help us understand the effects of these plants and the principles of creating cosmetic formulas based on them. The training was led by the lovely Dewi, a graduate of Udayana University in Denpasar, who specializes in Indonesian botany and agriculture. She was accompanied by several people, all of whom came from local farming families and had extensive experience in the cultivation and use of plants from this region. We also visited nearby fields and gardens, where we could see how traditional plants from Bali actually grow. During the training we made four cosmetics ourselves: Hibiscus shampoo Natural sunscreen Body scrub Boreh (pain balm) All the plants we used to create our cosmetics came from the garden right next door. Below is the recipe for Hibiscus Shampoo. Ingredients: 7 fresh hibiscus leaves 3 fresh frangipani, magnolia or ylang-ylang flowers 1 thick, fleshy aloe leaf (about 5 cm long) 150 ml filtered water 3 drops of essential oil (sandalwood oil calms, lemongrass stimulates) EXECUTION Finely chop the hibiscus leaves and chosen flowers and place them in a large bowl. Cut the aloe leaf into thin pieces and add to the chopped leaves and flowers. Pour in water and essential oil. Stir vigorously and squeeze the leaves with your hands until the liquid becomes thick and soapy. Pour the entire mixture through a sieve into a dark bottle. The shampoo is also suitable for washing the body. Since it contains fresh ingredients, it should be stored in a cool place and used within one month of making. We learned a lot during this training. New ideas have already formed in my head. I hope that they will soon turn into wonderful new natural cosmetics! Check out www.orientana.pl