Easy DIY Facial Cleanser and Toner

Facial Cleanser

-2 Tablespoons of (vegetable) Glycerin

-1/2 Teaspoon of Castile Soap

-2 drops of Tea Tree Oil

-2 drops of Chamomile Oil

-1 drop of Lavender Oil

This recipe doesn't dry out my skin, and leaves me feeling soft and clean.

Facial Toner

There are a lot of options for easy to make toners.

-You can use Apple Cider Vinegar cut with water. I tried this, and the upside is that it left me feeling clean and tingly. The downside is that my partner couldn't stand the smell of my face, because you smell like Apple Cider Vinegar which isn't the best smelling thing in the world.

-You can use Chamomile Tea with a couple drops of tea tree. Chamomile is anti-bacterial, antiseptic, and a mild anti-inflammatory (good for soothing those red irritated or inflamed pimples).

-You can use Rosewater, how can generations of old ladies in so many different countries be wrong!? Rosewater tones your skin, helps to close your pores, gently removes oil and dirt, and soothes your skin. And who doesn't like to apply something that smells so good..?

Like most products you put on your face, you should try it out on a small patch first before you go ahead and do your whole face.

Easy All-Natural Chamomile Based Shampoo

I started using this shampoo a few days ago. There was no 'period of adjustments', during which time my hair or scalp was greasy or oily (and I do tend to have oily hair which I have to wash on a daily basis). 

This recipe leaves your hair SqUeAkY clean and soft!!!

Ingredients & Directions:

-bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil

            -add 4 chamomile tea bags

            -let steep/simmer for 15-20 minutes

            -remove bags and let cool

In a separate container add

-1.5 Tbsp of glycerin

-1/4 cup (2oz) of castile soap

-1 drop tea tree

-2 drops rosemary

-6 drops jojoba oil

-Once the tea is cool, pour into the glycerin/castile mix.

-Gently shake before use.

            Store in a spill proof container, in a cool dark place. This should last 1-2 weeks (so don't make huge batches of this) depending on the length of your hair, i.e., how much shampoo you use.

            It should also be noted that you can leave out any of the ingredients above and still have a great shampoo. You could just mix chamomile and castile, and voila! You’d still have a perfectly adequate natural shampoo.

Some information about the ingredients

-Chamomile is supposed to strengthen and heal your hair, including split ends. This chamomile based recipe is particular good on fine, limp hair (like mine), and it leaves my hair feeling thicker, fuller, and with more volume. It makes your hair shiny and silky. It will also naturally (slightly) lighten your hair over time. Chamomile is also a mild antiseptic.

-Glycerin which is a natural byproduct of soap making made of natural vegetal (or animal) fat, moisturizes your skin and hair.

-Castile soap is derived from olive oil but IS NOT at all greasy or heavy, and it is 100% biodegradable! It is gentle and can be used on all hair types, softening coarse hair, and keeping soft hair soft. It is a mild cleansing agent, and contains no artificial, chemical, or nasty ingredients. Like Chamomile, it works to strengthen and revitalize, and is good for eliminating dandruff. And the best thing is that it’s cheap. Castile soap doesn’t provide a rich sudsy lather but is very effective in cleaning and moisturizing nonetheless. You can buy it scented or unscented.

My recipe uses Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Scented Castile Soap which is a blend of “Water, Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm* and Organic Olive* Oils (w/Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Essential Oils**, Citric Acid (which adjusts the pH level of your scalp), and Vitamin E”.

-Tea tree oil helps stop dandruff and stimulates hair growth (good for people like me with fine limp hair). And hey – it helps keep away head lice too! Though, that’s not really a concern for me unless I’m around children.

-Rosemary helps thicken your hair and also helps stimulate and increase hair growth. Rosemary can also slightly and gradually darken your hair over time. Also – supposedly – it helps reduce hair loss associated with age.

-The jojoba oil moisturizes, softens and shines your hair, preventing dry brittle hair and split ends.

None of the ingredients in this recipe leave a residue on your hair or scalp, nor do they strip any nutrients from your hair (like the majority of store bought shampoos).

Use it like you would any other shampoo. It gets a small lather that doesn’t last forever. Massage scalp and hair. Rinse.

About Hair Care Products

Many of the ingredients in hair care products (or most store-bought manufactured products for that matter) are bad for you!! Really, corporations care about profits, not you! Harsh, I know. Corporations are allowed to bottle and package a lot of harmful things, and then sell them to you. The truth is that most store bought shampoos are bad for you! Yes, they clean the dirt and oils out of your hair, but the natural oils produced by your scalp is what makes your hair strong and healthy. Shampoos strip these oils away,  making your scalp try to produce more and more leaving you with ultra greasy hair if you don’t wash once a day. Your scalp is trying to produce what you keep stripping away! Try a natural shampoo.

Check see if your shampoos/conditioners have any of these ingredients:

-Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): potentially a carcinogen, has been associated with hair loss or thinning. Go ahead – google it!

-Isopropyl Alcohol (think Rubbing Alcohol!!): this is a petroleum derived alcohol that will DRY your hair out, making it brittle (making you need to buy conditioner..!).

-Mineral Oil: actually coats your hair and skin suffocating it – liquid petroleum. It is difficult for your skin/scalp/hair to absorb and clogs pores. Check out http://www.herballuxuries.com/about-mineral-oil.html

- Polyethylene Glycol: potentially carcinogenic, and “PEGs contain potential toxic impurities such as ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. PEGs are nephrotoxic if applied to damaged skin.” (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_glycol). You’d better hope you don’t have any scalp irritation if this is in your shampoo!

-Chlorine: belongs in a pool – not your hair. And anyone who cares about their hair knows they should shampoo the chlorine OUT of their hair after swimming. And we all know how crappy your hair feels when you get out of a pool! So why would you want chlorine in your shampoo?!

Think about it!

Cheap and Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

   

The ingredients for this recipe cost me under 8 dollars (not counting the egg, butter, honey, apples and cinnamon which I already had in my cupboard).

Ingredients and Directions:

In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients:

-2 cups of Organic Rolled Oats

-3/4 cup of dried fruit (I used a mixture of    unsweetened shredded coconut, cranberries, cherries, and raisins)

-1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped nuts (I used   almonds)

-1/2 cup chocolate or carob chips (I used carob – no caffeine in it, unlike cacao/chocolate)

-1 and 1/2 tsps of cinnamon (and add any other spices or flavouring you like)

-1 tablespoon of white sesame seed

-1 tablespoon of black sesame seed

(if you wanted you could also add a few tablespoons of wheat germ to increase the protein content. You could also add some puffed quinoa for a bit of crunch).

In a pot over low heat warm up:

-1/2 cup of honey (I used honey that already had chai spices in it, including cinnamon, ginger, clove and cardamon)

-2 and a half Tablespoons of Butter

-1 teaspoon of virgin coconut oil

In another bowl:

Mix together

-2 grated apples (do I need to specify to leave the core out? Leave the core out.)

You could also substitute one apple for a very ripe mashed banana.

-1 beaten egg

Then mix together the honey and butter mixture into the apple and egg mixture, and combine well.

-Then stir the wet ingredients into the dry.

-Spread this mixture into a greased baking pan.

-Bake at 325F and bake for 25-30 mins.

-Allow to cool before cutting into desired sized pieces/bars

      I don't know the size of my baking sheet, but the mixture ended up being about 2 cms thick. If you use a smaller baking sheet and your mix is thicker you may want to bake for an extra five mins or so.

         The baked apple in this comes out fluffy-ish and keeps the recipe moist. The result is a fairly moist and chewy texture.

Enjoy!

Homemade Beeswax Lotion for Dry Patches

This should work well on dry patches (elbows, knees, feet) and dry winter hands.

Ingredients:

-6 Tablespoons of grated beeswax

-5 oz of oil

(You can blend any oils you want. I used 2oz of olive oil, 1oz of grapeseed oil, 1oz of jojoba oil, and 1oz of sweet almond oil)

-4 Teaspoons of organic virgin coconut oil

-6 Tablespoons of water

-1/4 Teaspoon of borax

Add essential oils to create a fragrance, unless you enjoy the smell of beeswax (it's a mild smell but stays on your skin for a while).

Directions:

-Warm the 5oz of oil in a small pot, keep warm-hot (medium heat)

-Melt the coconut oil and beeswax using the double boiler method.

-Once the beeswax and coconut oil is melted, add the hot 5ounces of oil to the coconut oil and beeswax. Gently stir.

-Heat the water to near boiling.

-Add borax to water stir until sediments are dissolved. 

-In a blender, blend the oil and wax mixture while slowly pouring in the water. 

(Or use a hand blender, and if you can't do either of these then put everything in together).

-Blend for one minute once all the ingredients and water have been added.

-Allow it to cool and then blend again. (you may have to do this once or twice.)

-Allow the lotion to cool.

-Pour into containers and use.

And... here are the results! It has a pretty thick consistency, and a mild - but ever present - beeswax-y smell. It sort of smells like beeswax and warm milk, but there is no milk in it so...?

Homemade Linen Spray

Ingredients:

- 1 Tablespoon of Vodka

- Approx. 20 drops of essential oil

- Distilled water (the more water you add the milder your scent will become)

Usually when making a homemade linen spray the essential oil is your base fragrance, so choose a scent that you like, or mix and blend of a few different oils together.

               Oils Ideas:

  1-orange and cinnamon (and/or clove and/or sandalwood)

  2-lavender

  3-lime and clove

  4-orange and ylang ylang (and maybe cinnamon, clove, or sandalwood to add some spice)

Directions (the easy way):

-Mix the oils and vodka/alcohol

-Add distilled water (approx. 1 to 1.5 cups)

-Put into mist/spray bottle.

               Shake before use, and spray away.

Directions (the better way!):

Here's an extra step to help complement your base oils/fragrance and help make a stronger smelling spray.

**(N.B. Do not use powdered spices! Get the real thing.)

  Complementing Your Oils:

-Take 2 and a ¼ cups of distilled water and
     bring to a boil.

-Add spices to the the boiling water and
     reduce heat to a gentle simmer.

1. e.g. add orange peel/rind and a cinnamon  
    stick (and/or 2 cloves)

2. e.g. add 2 tablespoons of lavender buds
    to help boost a lavender essential oil.

3. e.g. add lime peel/rind and 2 cloves

4. e.g. add orange peel/rind

-Allow to gently simmer for 15-20 mins.

-Allow to cool, and remove spices before mixing with the vodka and oil mixture.

-Put into a mist/spray bottle, and shake before use.

***Do not use and citrus juice/pulp in boiling the distilled water. Juice is sticky and also, without preservatives, eventually goes bad, and smells off. Use the peel of the citrus only as this is where the oil is located and it will not go bad.

Happy misting!

Homemade Lip Balm: Choco-Coco

I wanted to name this “CoCo-CaCao”, but Sabrina suggested that the already established and well known “Choco-CoCo” would be more appropriate…

This recipe filled up 3 tubes and a little container, so it makes a lot!               

The ingredients below create a very light, and thin balm with a light chocolately (cocoa butter) scent with a hint of coconut. You can add a few drops of essential oils to give it a customized and stronger fragrance, but I think it’s fine the way it is!  If you wanted to make it thicker (and more of a heavy sealing balm/waxier), cut back the coconut oil and increase the beeswax and cocoa butter, and then only put 3-4 drops of jojoba oil.

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
3/4 Tablespoon cocoa butter
1 Teaspoon beeswax (it melts quicker if you grate or chop it)                                                               6-8 drops of jojoba oil                                        

 *You can add a couple drops of honey to sweeten the taste.

Directions:

1.  Melt the coconut oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water. Use an over mitt, and be careful!

    ***(I put 2 cacao beans in the warm mix of oils for about 10 mins. before adding the wax to 'hopefully' let some of the cacao flavour out. You could also add a dash of organic cocoa powder).

2. Gently stir so the ingredients are mixed.

3. Remove from heat and let the mix cool slightly.  (It will start to harden if you let it cool too much, if this happens just put it back over the steam and wait.)

4. Stir in the jojoba oil and any additional ingredients/essential oils.

5. Using a container with a pour spout, pour the balm into a clean container (old cleaned out tubes, or gloss containers).

6. Let the mixture completely set before covering it with the lid. Only once the mixture is at room temperature should you put the lid on. Just let it sit for an hour away from heat.

**Caution: This is NOT a lip balm that you can put in your pocket. Coconut oil and Cocoa Butter melt at body temperature, so if it’s in your pocket, it’ll become super mushy (unless you put a lot of beeswax, and minimal coconut oil). Also, it may be something you don’t want to leave out during the summer (find a cool place or stick it in the fridge).

Enjoy!

Homemade Lavender Scented Body Lotion

I originally found this recipe here http://wildfernacres.blogspot.com/2011/01/home-made-body-lotion-recipes.html

But Sabrina wanted something lavender scented so I tweaked Sarah's recipe. Here it is...

Lavender Scented Grape Seed, Sweet Almond and Apricot Oil Body Lotion

Ingredients:

1/8-1/4 tsp (less than 1/4 but more than 1/8) borax powder

½  cup water (use lavender water – simmer lavender buds & stems)

½ cup grape seed oil, ¼ cup sweet almond oil, ¼ cup apricot oil

2 Tablespoons grated beeswax

8-10 drops of lavender essential oil

Directions:

-Mix the borax and hot lavender water, stir until sediments are gone.  

-Mix the oil and beeswax (microwave, or hold bowl with wax and oil over pot of boiling water and stir).

-Pour the water into the blender and while it is on high and add the hot oil in a steady stream. (Try not to spill, what a mess I made!) 

-Blend for 2 minutes until thick and creamy, add essential oil(s) and allow to cool if necessary.  

-(blend a 2^nd time if consistency is not to your liking, and then allow to cool again)

- Put that stuff in a bottle with a cover, and enjoy!

I have to give this recipe a whopping 5/5, because it's great! The lotion is a thick and rich, scrumptiously lavender scented, and doesn't leave a lingering greasy feel on your skin.

Homemade Toothpaste

Natural toothpaste.
Why? you ask, well because fluoride is poison and Sodium lauryl sulfate is a diarrhetic (not that I eat toothpaste, but since it goes in my mouth I'm sure that I inevitably swallow some).

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons of Baking Soda (Quoting Wikipedia "Sodium bicarbonate is also used as an ingredient in some mouthwashes. It works as a mechanical cleanser on the teeth and gums, neutralizes the production of acid in the mouth and also as an antiseptic to help prevent infections occurring.")
2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil (for some of the benefits of coconut go http://a-h-z.com/coconut-oil-for-teeth/  or  http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html)
A touch of Stevia or Honey to sweeten your paste (this is for the benefit of your taste buds, if you can go without, then do.)
A touch of salt
25 drops of food grade peppermint oil (antiseptic properties and keeps you minty fresh)

Mix and try to enjoy!

I say "try" to enjoy because though it has a paste-like consistency, the baking soda makes it a bit gritty and is a bit rough on the gums. Or maybe I'm brushing too hard in attempt to make up for the lack of foaming bubbles, curse you Sodium lauryl sulfate!
If you absolutely need bubbles, find a recipe that includes glycerin.

I chose this recipe because I had all of the necessary ingredients. It did leave my teeth, gums, and mouth feeling fresh, but I think at best I can only give it a 3.75/5. Perhaps I'll tweak the ingredients in my next attempt.

p.s. To naturally remove stains, bite into a lemon and rub it on your teeth, rinse and spit.