Showing posts with label Health & Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health & Beauty. Show all posts

DIY Moisturizing Lotion


MOISTURIZING LOTION
(Makes Two 2 oz Jars)

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Organic Sweet Almond Oil
2 Tbl Organic Coconut Oil
2 Tbl Bees wax
1/4 Cup Organic Aloe Vera Gel (Food Grade)
1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil
8 Drops Organic Lavender Essential Oil
4 Drops Organic Ylang Ylang Essential oil


DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend aloe vera, vitamin E, and essential oils and let stand a room temperature.
2. Melt almond oil, coconut oil, and beeswax 
3. Add aloe vera mixture with oil mixture and use emulsifier until it’s really creamy
4. Pack in jars and label

Notes: 
Because the aloe vera is food grade, perishable, and refrigerated, store jars in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Then, try to use the whole jar in 2-4 weeks. 

I simply LOVE this lotion and use it multiple times a day on my hands, face, and whole body. You can even use a little on your hair.  It smooths on a little oily at first, but it quickly absorbs to soften your skin. 
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DIY Sugar Foot Scrub




I got this foot scrub idea from Jamie at Family Savvy. I saw so many posts on Pinterest where people were soaking cracked heels in a mixture of Listerine and vinegar.  Jamie made this variation for something she could easily do at the end of her shower.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/3 Cup Listerine (I had the blue cool mint bottle)
  • 1/3 Cup White Vinegar
  • 2 - 3 Cups of Sugar (depending on the consistency you want)
  • 4-5 Drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Pour sugar in a mason jar 
  2. Mix vinegar and Listerine in a small bowl
  3. Pour this mixture over sugar 
  4. Stir until it is mixed well
  5. Add drops of peppermint essential oil if desired



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DIY Healthy Deodorant


FINALLY A HEALTHY DEODORANT THAT WORKS!!!

  • No Artificial Fragrances
  • Paraben-Free
  • No Aluminum to clog your pores
  • No GMO
We've all heard the dangers of harmful chemicals finding their way into consumer products, including cosmetics, deodorants, and antiperspirants. The following is a list of the top five chemicals to avoid in antiperspirants and deodorants. 

Aluminum 

The average antiperspirant contains aluminum which is a metal used to clog your pores thus eliminating sweat from escaping. Studies have shown that aluminum is linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, and Alzheimer's disease.  You might think you are safe by switching to deodorants, but commercially sold deodorants still have other harmful ingredients. 

Parabens

Parabens are chemicals used to preserve products and are found in an alarming amount of cosmetics, sunscreens, lotions, deodorants, pharmaceuticals, as well as foods and beverages. Often more than one paraben is used in a single product. They are known as: methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben. The CDC performed a test on 2,548 individuals during 2005-06, and found paraben chemicals in the urine of most of the people tested. Females had significantly higher concentrations of methylparaben and propylparabens than males. This can probably be attributed to the amount of make up, lotions, and perfumes they consume. Why is this bad? It's bad because parabens have been linked to disturbances of our delicate hormonal balances. This can be seen in young girls beginning puberty much earlier than young girls in the past. There is also concern that parabens can increase the risk of hormonal cancers, birth defects, and organ toxicity. 

Propylene glycol

Propylene glycol is a petroleum based, odorless, and colorless liquid used in many deodorants and antiperspirants to provide a smoother consistency for ease of application. Research has shown that large quantities can cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and heart. But consumer safety advocates are now questioning their use in small quantities as well. Since Propylene glycol is also used in shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and even foods, we are getting this exposure from various sources. 

  • Ice cream - to prevent ice crystals and to maintain a creamy texture
  • Artificial sweetener Sorbitol - as a preservative
  • Icings - as an emulsifier
  • Soft drinks - to preserve flavor

Phthalates 

This chemical is used in cosmetics, synthetic fragrances, body care products, and plastics. They serve to create an improved consistency. This chemical has also been linked to disruptions of hormones and an increase in the likelihood of cell mutation. 

Triclosan

Triclosan is used in deodorants, hand wipes, anti-bacterial soaps, dish-washing detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shoe insoles, and mattresses. It is used mainly for it's anti-bacterial properties as well as a deodorizing agent. Triclosan may disrupt thyroid function and has been linked to liver and inhalation toxicity.

In Summary

I know it can be overwhelming trying to avoid the massive list of dos and don'ts of a healthy conscience lifestyle these days, but every decision you make in choosing something healthier brings you one step closer to better health.  

That said, here is the deodorant recipe that works the best for me and keeps the best consistency even in warmer temperatures of your house. 

DIY Organic Coconut Deodorant
(Makes One 2.5 oz Container)
INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 Tsp Organic Coconut Oil
  • 5 Tsp Organic Bees wax   Pastilles
  • 5 Tsp Almond Oil  
  • 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 Tsp Organic Arrow Root  or Organic Cornstarch
  • 2  Vitamin E Softgels
  • 5 Drops of Organic Lavender Essential Oil 
  • 5 Drops of Organic Ylang Ylang Essential Oil 
  • 2 Drops of Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil (optional)
  • Deodorant Container 2.5 oz  (1/3 Cup)

 * *ARMPIT ALERT* *
Many people have discovered (myself included) that homemade deodorants eventually cause your armpits to get irritated and red. After reading this article from a fellow blogger, Lisa Lise, I reduced my baking soda dramatically and now I have the perfect combination. Still fights odor too!

Another pitfall of having your baking soda ratio too high is that you can't smell your essential oils, thus it is a waste of time and money to add them.

DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat coconut oil, beeswax, and almond oil in a double boiler until melted
  2. Whisk in baking soda & arrow root or corn starch until creamy
  3. Remove from heat 
  4. Add contents of vitamin E capsules by puncturing with pin and squeezing into mixture
  5. Add essential oils (add less or more depending on your preference)
  6. Pour into deodorant container and allow to sit until fully set. (I sometimes speed this up by placing it in the refrigerator or freezer).
  7. Add your own labels  

Notes:  This is the recipe that finally has the right smooth consistency and doesn't melt in warmer room temperatures.  I've also decreased the amount of baking soda because continued use with higher levels of baking soda can cause underarm irritation and redness. This article, by Lisa Lise, really helped me understand this better. 




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DIY Lavender Heat Pack

NECK SIZE 4" X 20" 

You are sure to enjoy making this rice pack for a gift or keeping it for your very own! When heated for 1-2 minutes, this neck size rice pack will soothe away any stress you carry in your neck and shoulders. It's warming grains of rice ease tired muscles, while the lavender buds waft a heavenly scent to tickle and relax your senses. Store your rice pack in a sealable plastic bag, when not in use, to prolong the life of the lavender scent.

And...if you favor a cold wrap, this rice pack is versatile and can also be stored in the freezer.  Just remember to keep it in the sealable plastic bag, so it doesn't absorb unfavorable freezer odors. 
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RICE PACK DIRECTIONS

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RICE PACK CONTENTS 

INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS: 
  1. Mix rice and dried lavender buds together in a large bowl. 
  2. Add lavender essential oil drops while mixing. 

Notes: 
I buy my dried lavender through Amazon as I have found that store bought lavender often loses its scent while sitting in the stores. If you persist in buying locally, just make sure it has a nice strong scent. If it doesn't, pass. 





FABRIC DIRECTIONS 

SUPPLIES: 
  • 1 Yard  Selected Fabric            
DIRECTIONS: 
  1. Cut fabric 21.5” long x 4.5” Wide (2 ply). 
  2. Turn fabric inside out and sew long sides together. (1/4” seams). 
  3. Turn fabric right-side out. 
  4. Using the open end, fill bottom of rice pack with 1/2 Cup of rice-lavender mixture.
  5. Pin rice in as far as you can to keep it from escaping while you sew your first compartment.
  6. Sew seam across at 4”.
  7. Repeat steps 3-5 until 5 squares are done.
  8. Fold in seam at end and sew across to end.
Notes: 
When sewing individual compartments, make sure that you trap the rice far enough in the compartment, so that you don’t sew over the rice and break your needle.







Once you have both long sides sewn together, turn the rice pack right-side-out so you can begin filling the first compartment with your rice mixture. 


This is what it will look like when you are done sewing it.  Now you are ready to package it up and gift it. Otherwise, pop it in the microwave and float away to Lavender Land! 

For gifting, simply put your lavender rice pack in a clear gusseted bag, make a label if you like, and embellish with a pretty ribbon. I often gift my my rice packs in a simple basket with other items that I make. I hope to get the other items in this basket on this site in the near future. 












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DIY Toothpaste


This recipe is a combination of other recipes I have seen on various other blog sites. Some people are using bentonite clay in their DIY toothpaste, but after some research and lack of safety assurances (from reputable websites) I have decided to forego it. Mountain Rose Herbs provides a profile of the bentonite clay they sell and aluminum is the second largest mineral at a whopping 18.1%.  Natural News touts bentonite clay as a natural detoxifier of mercury, and while this sounds terrific, what does it do to those of us with mercury fillings? Since AboutClay.com recommends it for detoxing baths and chelation therapy, I got to wondering if it would basically try to extract the mercury from my fillings little by little, thereby allowing my mouth to absorb mercury directly into my bloodstream. Lastly, the bentonite clay I purchased, Redmond Clay, clearly has a warning on the label for California residents regarding proposition 65. "This product contains trace amounts of lead, a substance known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."  Maybe I'm being paranoid, but given this information, I thought it wise to omit this ingredient all together. 

My recipe follows below and fits nicely into one single Humangear Go Toob 1.25oz, but you can also put in a small container with lid.

INGREDIENTS:



DIRECTIONS:
  1. Mix calcium powder and baking soda together in a small bowl. 
  2. Slightly melt coconut oil and add xylitol so it dissolves.
  3. Add coconut oil & xylitol mixture into the powders.
  4. Add homemade peppermint extract and hydrogen peroxide and mix well. 
  5. Add more calcium powder if consistency is too runny.
  6. Fill Go Toob.
Notes: 
Since most people aren't going to spend 4-6 weeks waiting for homemade peppermint extract to be ready, and since food grade peppermint essential oil can be very strong, you may need to make adjustments to quantities. Other DIY bloggers have used water or distilled water but were concerned about it causing the toothpaste to go bad rather quickly. Still others have used vodka instead of water to circumvent this.  Since my homemade peppermint extract is made with vodka, I was able to omit the water in lieu of extra extract.  

Also...you might be tempted to add more baking soda because of its deodorizing and whitening properties, but I would advise caution.  Many people are getting skin irritation from DIY deodorants using higher amounts of baking soda.  Baking soda basically needs to be used sparingly on your skin and this includes your gums.  Here is an article that I stumbled upon when I noticed my DIY deodorant was causing me red and irritated underarms. It is from LisaLiseblog.com. There are other blogs out there discussing it as well, but this one caught my attention and convinced me.  I now use reduced amount in my toothpaste and deodorant and have no more problems.

Also worthy to note is that this toothpaste is not going to foam like traditional toothpaste. It's really a different experience. Because of the lack of foaming, I sometimes add a little more toothpaste in the middle of my brushing routine. Overall, I am pretty happy with this healthier toothpaste!


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