Naturally Radiant Skin Care: How to treat yourself to a complete herbal facial!

Once a month treat yourself to a luxurious herbal facial!

Step 1: Cleansing Grains - For the recipe see this post.

Gently cleanse, exfoliate, and nourish your skin with cleansing grains.  Mix 1/2 tsp of grains with water to form a paste and gently massage into your skin, then rinse with warm water.

Step 2: Herbal Facial Steam - For the recipe see this post.

Boil several cups of water in a large pot.  Add 1/4 cup of herbs, cover and simmer for a minute or two, then remove from heat.  Place at a level you can comfortably sit and lean over the pot.  Cover your head and the pot with a towel, breathe in the delicious aroma, and let your pores open and drink in the nourishing plant oils for 5 - 8 minutes. Follow with a cold water rinse.

Step 3: Mask

Try a clay (white, green, rhassoul, bentonite), or raid your kitchen for honey, avocado, banana, yogurt, turmeric and oatmeal, etc.  Be creative!  Mix something up, leave it on until dry, then rinse with warm water.

Step 4: Herbal Toner - For the recipe see this post.

Herbal toner/astringent is used after cleansing to remove all traces of dirt and oil, tighten pores, balance pH, and prepare skin for moisturizing.

Step 5: Moisturizing Oil - For the recipe see this post.

It may seem counter-intuitive to put oil on your skin, but moisturizing with gentle, nourishing oils will most likely make your skin very happy.  Use oils that are lightweight, non-greasy, quick absorbing and luxuriously nourishing and healing.  Dispense 4-5 drops into hand, rub hands together and gently massage oil into skin.

Here's an awkward bathroom selfie so you can see what my skin looks like after an herbal facial.   

 

If you're wondering where to get these ingredients, Mountain Rose Herbs sells high quality herbs and other products, and they are a fair trade company.  (Full disclosure, I do receive a small commission if you click the links on my blog and complete a purchase.)

If you're not a DIY-er, or you're not up for a another project right now, I do have these products available for purchase in my store.


This post shared at Frugally Sustainable's Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #83

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Naturally Radiant Skin Care - Make Your Own Moisturizing Oil

Everybody knows that "moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty."  Name that movie.  Hint: mer-MAN! 

Now that you know how to naturally cleanse, tone, and deep clean your pores with an herbal steam, it's time to learn about the final step in a natural skin care system - moisturization.

When I first entered the world of homemade moisturizers, I tried lotions (or emulsions) and had pretty good success.  An emulsion is mixing two or more liquids together that don't like to be mixed together - like oil and water, for example.  Most emulsions are made with an emulsifier to make the process easier - commonly soy lecithin or even borax.  Emulsifiers aren't absolutely necessary, however, and I never used them. The process of emulsification is basically slowly pouring water into a combination of oils and melted beeswax while mixing with a blender or stick blender.  If you've ever tried to make homemade mayonnaise, it's like that.

The first homemade moisturizer I tried was a simple olive oil, beeswax, and water emulsion with some lavender essential oil so it didn't smell so olive-y.  It was simple and it worked well enough, but it tended to separate and left my skin feeling pretty greasy.

The second homemade moisturizer I tried was Frugally Sustainable's Non-Greasy Moisturizing Lotion.  It also worked quite well and didn't separate as much, but still left my skin feeling slightly greasy.  After I applied my translucent face powder, though, it balanced out and I felt like I had the perfect dewy glow.

Now after reading this blog post, I'm using moisturizing oil, and it's my favorite option so far!  It has several advantages over the emulsions.  First, you don't have to emulsify anything or worry about it separating later.  Second, you don't have to worry about refrigerating it or the water making the whole concoction go bad.  Third, I've actually found my skin to be less greasy after using only oil.  In fact, I think my skin feels like velvet after I use it, and once again, after I use my translucent face powder I have the perfect combination of velvety softness and dewy glow.

Moisturizing Oil is also great because it has several other uses.  It makes a great all natural eye makeup remover, a smoothing hair serum, and can even be added to homemade shampoo for extra moisturizing power. 

So, using oil as a moisturizer can be as simple as using one oil alone like grapeseed or jojoba (pronounced ho-HO-ba).  Both of these are lightweight, non-greasy, fast absorbing oils that mimic the sebum your skin naturally produces.  They are also both relatively inexpensive.  There are many other oils, however, that have extra age-fighting, dryness-combating, oil-cutting, or acne-busting properties, so I combined several oils to get the best of all worlds.

I used grapeseed and jojoba as a base and added in smaller amounts of several other oils.  Finally I added several drops of skin-loving essential oils.

Note: Never use oil on un-cleansed skin.  It can trap the dirt and oil in your pores, causing future unpleasantness.

Another note: A very little goes a long way.  If your skin feels greasy, you've used too much.  I keep mine in a dropper bottle, and about 4-5 drops is all you need.  This also means you get a lot of bang for your buck.


 Carrier oils good for dry or aging skin:

• Grapeseed
• Jojoba
• Argan
• Apricot Kernel (which smells scrumptious, by the way)
• Avocado
• Macadamia Nut
• Sweet Almond
• Hemp Seed
• Sea Buckthorn (can temporarily stain skin, so use in small amounts)
• Rosehip Seed (which goes rancid easily and should be kept refrigerated)
• Emu
• Vitamin E

 
Essential oils good for dry or aging skin:

• Frankincense
• Rose geranium
• Rose
• Cedarwood
• Palmarosa
• Roman Chamomile

 

 

Carrier oils good for oily or acne prone skin:

• Grapeseed
• Jojoba
• Argan
• Hazelnut
• Sunflower
• Tamanu
• Sweet Almond
• Hemp Seed
• Borage Seed
• Evening Primrose
• Neem
• Turmeric oil
• Vitamin E oil

 

Essential oils good for oily or acne prone skin:

• Lavender 
• Peppermint
• Lemongrass
• Rosemary
• Sweet basil
• Bergamot
• Tea Tree
• Lemon
• Juniper Berry
• Roman Chamomile
• Rose
• Palmarosa

 

Mountain Rose Herbs is a great resource to learn more about the individual properties of these oils.  It's also a great place to purchase ingredients. They sell high quality organic herbs and other products, and they are a fair trade company.  (Full disclosure, I do receive a small commission if you click the links on my blog and complete a purchase.)

If you're not a DIY-er, or you're not up for a another project right now, I do have moisturizing oils available for purchase in my store.

 

 

 

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

Locks Au Naturale - A Simpler, Easier and More Frugal Shampoo Update

Okay.  Back to hair.  I posted awhile back about 'poo cubes and other natural shampoo methods I've tried.  Now I'm going to tell you to forget allllll about them.  I've found something even simpler and easier that I like even better!

I took another blogger's word for it that castile soap alone would not lather nicely, which is why I came up with the 'poo cubes.  Then one day I ran out of cubes, and I was in a hurry, so I washed with just diluted castile, and...it lathered fantastically!!  Granted, she may have been using a different brand.  I've tried two kinds - Dr. Bronner's (available at Target) and Mountain Rose Herbs'.  The Dr. Bronner's works great for me.  I didn't prefer Mountain Rose Herbs' castile for shampoo, but it still works great for cleaning and other uses.

So, what's the formula, you ask?  I'm going to be very science-y and specific right now:

        some water and some castile soap

I don't measure.  I just pour.  The 'poo cube ratio was 1 part coconut milk to 4 parts castile, so I try to stay in the range of 25-50% water and 50-75% castile.

Straight castile was too much.  It actually seems to work better diluted.

You'll want to use distilled or at least filtered water for the best shelf life.

I have tried including a small amount of my facial moisturizing oil for extra moisturizing, and I liked it both ways.  You can experiment and see what works for you, but a tiny bit of jojoba oil might help with extra moisturizing if you tend toward dry hair...just be sure to shake well before using.  Essential oils would make a nice addition as well.  Rosemary is generally considered good for dark or graying hair and chamomile for lighter hair...or just whatever you would enjoy.  Here are some recipes for further customization, but I'm enjoying keeping it simple right now.

For conditioner, I'm sticking with the ACV (apple cider vinegar) rinse - one part ACV to four parts water.  I've adjusted how I use it though.  I pour a small amount over my scalp only and rinse right away.  My hair seems to be a little too fluffy and frizzy without the ACV rinse, but a little too flat and greasy if I use too much or leave it in too long.

Hair is about as unique as fingerprints, so it may take some time and experimenting to find what really works for you.  I'm glad I ran out of 'poo cubes and finally found something easy and simple.  I really used to miss yucky commercial shampoo and conditioner, but I'm glad I didn't give in and go back to it.  I'm happier with my hair now than I have been in a looong time.

Not to mention the savings!  A 32 oz. bottle of Dr. Bronner's retails for about $16.99.  After diluting it, I suspect that that amount could last at least the better part of a year, if not longer.  Great results for less money!  What are you waiting for?


This post shared at Frugally Sustainable's Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #85

Locks au naturale - Homemade Hairspray

Homemade hairspray is easy peasy, and it works!  You may not be able achieve this look,

but that's probably for the best.


What you'll need: 

1 whole orange (for dark hair) or lemon (for light hair)
2 cups filtered or distilled water
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or clear grain alcohol like vodka or gin
essential oils for scent

Cut the citrus fruit of your choice into wedges and boil with the water until it's reduced by half.  

Or, if you're like me, forget about it and boil it until the liquid is almost all gone, add some more and boil it again.  

Strain into a glass measuring cup and let cool.  If you have less than a cup of liquid, add water to make 1 cup.

Use a funnel to pour it into a spray bottle, add the alcohol and essential oils, and voila!

 Just kidding.  I am SO glad I didn't graduate from high school in 1988.

Anyway.  If you don't want to use the alcohol (it can be drying and is not without it's health concerns) you can omit it and store your hairspray in the fridge.  It should last for a couple weeks that way.  I don't use hairspray very often, so I added the alcohol and one batch has lasted me a good 6 months or more.  I used rubbing alcohol because it was what I had on hand, but I probably will try vodka next time to see if it is less drying.  

I use it when I put my hair up to help things stay in place and smooth flyaways, and and sometimes I use it along with a diffuser to help add volume and define my "curls" if I'm trying to look a little extra fancy.  Like most homemade, natural products it is not an exact replica of what you would buy at the store and there is a bit of an adjustment phase while you get to know the way the product works, but it's worth it to me to know how to pronounce everything I'm putting on my body.

What about you?  Have you ever made your own hair styling products?  Would you?

Locks au naturale - Thirty Two Poo Cubes (say that five times fast!)

UPDATE: I am no longer using 'poo cubes.  I found something simpler, easier, and more frugal that I like even better!


 I apologize for my absence, I've had a little extra trouble keeping up with life the last few weeks.  Sigh.  Moving on.  In my last post I mentioned talking next about hair or skin care.  So I've decided to do a series on natural hair care, then natural skin care.  I am so. smart.

Natural hair care has probably been my biggest struggle.  It took me a year to find a replacement for commercial products that I'm truly happy with, but I'm grateful to report that I have indeed finally found something worth blogging about.  I shall recount my journey for you now.

1.  No 'poo.  No 'poo is crunchy blog slang for washing with a baking soda and water mix and rinsing with an ACV (apple cider vinegar) and water mix.  Tons of people rave about the results.  To be fair, I only tried this once or twice, and everyone says you have to give it time, but greasy hair is one of my "things," and since my hair looked worse after trying this method, I wasn't willing to give it any additional time.  I may try again at some point (if I ever quit my job and work at home), but for now I'm going to stick with what's working.

2.  'Poo bar.  I made my own and also tried a store bought version.  I really wanted to like it because I liked having only one product in the shower, and it was really easy to travel with.  I didn't love the texture of my hair, though, and my ends constantly looked dried out so I ended up trimming my hair more frequently than I wanted to.  I tried a diluted ACV rinse with the shampoo bar, but didn't like the results.  I also tried putting coconut oil on the ends of my hair regularly to combat the dryness, only resulting in really greasy looking ends after the first washing and really dry looking ends after the next.

Side note - Most commercial hair products contain silicone.  Translation: they coat your hair with plastic that disguises dryness and damage.  Anytime you switch from commercial products, your hair will most likely go through a transition/detox phase, and because it will no longer be coated with plastic, it may look dry for awhile.  You do have to give natural products time to really judge how they're working.  

3.   Store Bought 'Poo.  I gave the shampoo bars about 6 months and still had unacceptably dry ends, so I switched to Aubrey Organics.  It's the brand they sell through Mountain Rose Herbs, so I figured the ingredients would be trustworthy.  It was a step in the right direction, but I still definitely didn't love my hair.  Plus it's pricey, and the shampoo contains carrageenan, a natural preservative derived from seaweed, but not without its health concerns.  Just because something is natural doesn't mean it's good for you.  Do your research.  You can't see me, but I'm shaking my finger at you.

4.  'Poo Cubes.  I remembered reading this blog post over at Crunchy Betty about "sorta 'poo" at some point and mentally tucking it away for future reference in case my other options didn't pan out.  They didn't.  So I tried this, and WINNER!  I've been very pleased with the results.  My hair looks clean and shiny and feels soft with no dryness.  Here's a specific breakdown of exactly what sorta 'poo means.


Sorta 'poo is a mixture of 1 Tbsp. castile soap and 1 tsp. coconut milk.  Milk.  Not oil.  If you know my sister, you can ask her to tell you that story.  I make coconut milk myself with a blender, but you could probably use a store bought brand.  The thing that's tricky about this method is that coconut milk is perishable.  You can't whip up a big batch and leave it in your shower.  It will go bad.  Reading through the comments on the aforementioned blog post, one brilliant reader said that she froze coconut milk in teaspoon sizes so she could make a fresh batch of 'poo as needed.  Taking that one step further, I froze the castile and coconut milk together in measured amounts in an ice cube tray.  So now I have a sandwich bag in the freezer containing a bunch of little white 'poo cubes.  My hair is pretty long, but also thin and fine.  I found that I don't even need an entire cube, so I cut them all in half and still have more than enough per washing.  This method also turns out to be very economical.  Without doing the exact math, I was able to make 32 'poo cubes for less than $5, I'm sure.  I typically wash my hair 3 times a week, so one batch will last almost 3 months.  Maybe not as cheap as a .99 cent bottle of Suave (do those still exist?) but ~$20/year for shampoo is pretty durn good.

Admittedly, this method is not as convenient as having a big bottle of something in your shower, but I've adjusted.  If I remember the night before, I pull a cube out of the freezer, put it in a tiny glass jar, and let it thaw.  If I don't, I grab one in the morning and it melts quickly as you rub it in your hands.

Something else interesting about this method is that when I followed it with an ACV rinse, I actually liked the results this time.  Specifically, I use about 1 part ACV to 3 parts water and some essential oils to help it not smell so vinegary.  You can play with that ratio to fine tune the results.  The vinegar rinse is important because it helps balance the pH of your scalp after washing.  

So.  Hair is kinda like fingerprints, or snowflakes, or grass (always greener...).  Ultimately what works well for me may not work well for you, but here's a list of options to try, and hopefully your process will be speedier than mine was! 

The cardinal rule of newbie pressure canning

With my Christmas money in hand and visions of a well-stocked pantry dancing in my head, I bought myself this bad boy:  an All-American 30 quart pressure canner.  I chose the All-American because it's made in the US and it's said that with proper care your grandchildren will be able to use it.  It also has very few negative customer reviews and a metal to metal seal with no rubber gasket to be replaced.  The 30 quart is the second largest model they sell and is supposed to can 19 pints or 14 quarts.  I reasoned that it would probably be best to can fewer larger batches than a lot of smaller ones. The largest model seemed to border on ridiculous (32 pints or 19 quarts.)

I've only canned once before: 6 half-pints of pickled jalapenos using the water bath method.  High acid foods like fruit or things pickled in vinegar can be canned this way, but low acid foods must be canned in a pressure canner.  It was a pretty successful venture, so I felt confident that I would be able to handle pressure canning as well.  I was wrong.  So very wrong.

The first time I used my pressure canner I learned a lot...the hard way.  I will now share my great wisdom with you in case you're ever inclined to try this yourself...or just for your amusement at my expense. 

Tip #1   Just because you CAN can 19 pints at once doesn't mean you newbie SHOULD.  Having one successful canning attempt under your belt and a ginormous canner does not qualify you to can 3 pounds of dry beans at once.  

Tip #2    DON'T newbie can alone.  If you are a seasoned canner, solo away, but for me an extra pair of hands (and an extra brain) would have been a big help.

Tip #3 (and this one is the most newbie important) DON'T BUY A PRESSURE CANNER THAT DOESN'T FIT UNDER YOUR RANGE HOOD.   If, for some reason you don't heed this first bit of advice, DON'T wait until your beans have been cooking for 2 hours, you have boiling water and lids ready to go, and your hot jars lined up on the counter to come to this realization.

Tip #4   DON'T newbie decide to hot pack your jars, then put them into cool water in your canner, close it up and carry your canner (which now weighs approximately the same amount as a healthy middle schooler) to your car and drive to your sister's house so you can use her stove.  You may find when you arrive at her house and open the lid to inspect the contents that a jar (thankfully only one) has fallen over (thankfully not broken) and the lid has come off so you now have beans floating in the water, all your carefully measured head space is no longer so carefully measured, and everything has cooled too much to continue without danger of later spoilage.  Then you might find yourself packing up, driving home and despairing of the mammoth mess you now have to clean up.  Cleaning up after a success isn't nearly as disheartening as cleaning up after a failure.

At least it wasn't a total waste.  I ended up pouring the beans back into the pot, cooking them for the rest of the day and freezing them.  Since we're trying to move out of this house and I'm increasingly interested in building my own tiny house, I think I'll keep the canner and just try future attempts at my sister's house or our church building.  Since it's my mistake, I'd have to pay to ship the behemoth back, anyway.  Unfortunately I didn't make a good first impression, but I trust that in the future my canner and I will become good friends!  I'll keep you apprised of our relationship.  : )

Next time I think I'll write about my hair or skin care routine, both of which I am finally thoroughly pleased with.  I'll take votes if anyone has a preference.

And now it's time for another good idea, bad idea.

Whew, December has been a busy month.  Along with the usual seasonal parties and concerts, etc., we got to work extra shifts at work.  So on the Saturdays I wasn't working I was playing catch-up, not blogging.  Things have started to slow down now, and we got a 4 day weekend for Christmas, so I'm back to share with you one idea I'm pretty proud of... and another that didn't turn out quite so well.  

Good idea:

This doesn't really have anything to do with sustainability or healthy living (except that TOMS sells organic shoes, which I like) but I just thought it was an idea worth sharing, regardless of its relevance to the theme of this blog.

I had been wrestling with one of the great questions of life: whether or not it's okay to wear socks with TOMS.   A classic catch 22 scenario - should I look like a dork or have smelly feet?  The answer is neither!  You can have your socks and eat them too!  ...You know what I mean.

Instead of putting socks on your feet, you can put the socks on the insoles!  I pulled out the original insoles and use orthotic inserts because I work on my feet all day, which is what originally inspired me with the idea, but I suspect you could do this just as easily with the original insoles.  

I prefer this to no-show socks, because those usually don't stay in place for me and I find them uncomfortable.

Here's a handy dandy step-by-step graphic for you.  I simply put the sock on the insole upside down, so the hole faces down.  Then I put the insoles back in and ta daa!  The look of no socks, with the advantage of wash-ability and absence of odor!



Bad idea:

I've recently been learning about the virtues of activated charcoal.  Not the stuff you find at the bottom of your grill or on your overcooked steak, but the stuff that's sold as a supplement and is commonly used in water filters and poison control situations.  Activated charcoal has been purified and it has a high amount of surface area and is very porous, so it is highly ADsorbent.  This means it acts more like a magnet attracting substances to it, rather than dissolving substances in it (absorbent).  You can use it to whiten teeth, in facial scrubs, and to make mascara. 

I had been wanting to purchase some black eyeliner from 100% Pure for evening makeup looks, but I hadn't gotten around to in time to have some for my work Christmas party.  The day of the party, it occurred to me that if you could make mascara with activated charcoal (which I haven't tried yet, but is on my list), maybe you could make eyeliner!  So I opened a capsule and mixed it with some of my homemade moisturizer.  I applied with an angle brush, my usual method, and was quite happy with the look of it.  I headed off to my work party feeling pleased and slightly apprehensive.  I knew it wasn't a great idea to wear something in public that I hadn't tested around the house first, so I periodically rubbed under my eyes hoping to avoid the dreaded "raccoon eyes" and was hopeful that any crisis would be thus averted.

Alas, not so.  When I arrived home and looked in the mirror: no raccoon eyes.  Whew.  Then I noticed black flakes on my CHIN!  My first instinct was to frantically brush them away, so there is no picture for your enjoyment.  Fortunately I sat in the back at the party, the lights were rather dim, and I didn't mingle with very many people so I can laugh about it rather than feel terribly embarrassed.  When I do get around to attempting homemade mascara, I'll be sure to wear it around the house for several hours before I venture out.  : )

DIY Dry Shampoo

I've been on quite a natural hair care journey.  I've read more crunchy blog posts about natural hair care than you can shake a stick at.  Where did that expression come from anyway?  Who are these people that shake sticks?  What sort of things do they shake them at?  I can't remember ever shaking a stick at anything.  Well, maybe a marshmallow on a stick over a fire...

Back to hair.  After a year of experimenting, I finally settled on shampoo and conditioner that I'm really pleased with, but now I'm going to talk about some of those days when I don't wash my hair.  I have discovered a dry shampoo recipe that I really like!  My hair is thin and fine and gets greasy really quickly.  I've over-shampooed for...ever, apparently.  Shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, so your scalp freaks out and produces extra oil to make up for it, and it turns into a vicious cycle.  Supposedly, over time you can train your scalp to produce less oil by shampooing less frequently.  I used to shampoo every day, but about 7 or 8 months ago I started shampooing only every other day.  Perhaps my scalp produces less oil than it used to, but I'm still not happy with the way my hair looks the second day.  Dirty hair is one of my "things."  I'd typically rather leave the house with no makeup on than with unwashed hair.

Dry shampoo is a great way to stretch the amount of time between washings.  Back in my pre-crunch days, I used to use an aerosol dry shampoo.  It did the job, but I hated the smell, so I used it only in a pinch.  Post crunch, I tried several things I didn't like, starting with baking soda.  It performed acceptably, but because it's white, tended to make me look like I had graying roots.  Not okay.  Next, I read a book that suggested cocoa powder for brunettes.  I thought it sounded like a great idea but I ended up liking it even less than the baking soda.  The authors must not have been brunette.  Cocoa powder isn't as dark as you're probably imagining.  I think of it as dark because chocolate is dark, but cocoa powder is lighter and redder than chocolate.  Again, it performed acceptably, but noticeably stained my scalp a weird reddish color.  Not okay.  Then I think I read somewhere else about oatmeal ground into a powder then brushed out.  I succeeded only in looking like I had severe dandruff.  Really not okay.  I gave up for awhile.

Several months later, inspiration struck!   This happened probably around the time that I made my first batch of mineral veil.  It occurred to me to try the very same ingredients, but in different ratios.  For the mineral veil, I used arrowroot powder with a touch of cinnamon, but for the dry shampoo I use approximately:

          2 parts cinnamon
          1 part arrowroot powder

 I've been very happy with it!  It smells good, works well, doesn't make my scalp look weird, and I can leave the house feeling confident that my hair does not look greasy.

I store it in a glass spice jar, shake some out into my hands, rub them together, then rub them through my roots.  I let it sit for a minute, then brush through.  

This combination works for my hair color.  You might have to experiment with the ratio or the ingredients to find what works for you.  Straight baking soda or arrowroot might work very well for people with light hair.  For people with very dark hair, I'm not sure.  Allspice?  Comment if you have any ideas!

Mountain Rose Herbs is a great place to purchase ingredients. They sell high quality organic herbs and other products, and they are a fair trade company.  (Full disclosure, I do receive a small commission if you click the links on my blog and complete a purchase.

This post shared at Frugally Sustainable's Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #81

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

DIY Daily Shower Spray

Most household cleaning products are full of harsh synthetic chemicals complete with warning labels, but did you know that you can replace almost all of your household cleaners with just a few ingredients that you probably already have around your house?  It's true!!  You'll even end up saving money!

The first cleaner I made myself was a daily shower spray.  I liked the idea of daily shower spray, but it smelled particularly insidious to me.  When I used to use a store bought brand, I would literally hold my breath while I sprayed it, try not to touch it or get it on me, and place a towel over my nose and mouth when I stepped out of the shower, gasping for breath because I hated the smell so much.  Then I decided to try making my own.

As usual, I scoured the internet reading several DIY recipes and settling on a combination that I am pleased with.  It's super easy and economical.

You'll need:

• 2 parts water
• 1 part white vinegar
• 1 part rubbing alcohol
• 1 tsp liquid castile (optional, not pictured)
• tea tree oil for its antiseptic qualities
• other essential oils for scent - lemon and eucalyptus are great for cleaning, but I also like the freshness of peppermint, rosemary, and lavender together.  Whatever you prefer!

If you strongly dislike the smell of vinegar, you could use hydrogen peroxide instead.  Just be sure to use an opaque container, as hydrogen peroxide degrades quickly when exposed to light.  Don't replace the rubbing alcohol with peroxide, however, because when you mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide a chemical reaction takes place and you end up with an unstable liquid called peracetic acid.

I simply rinsed and reused my shower spray container, and I usually use my bathroom cup and a funnel I keep in my bathroom to mix up a batch of this or that.  Fast, inexpensive, better for you, and I'm completely satisfied with its performance!  More DIY cleaning recipes coming soon!

Better Than Mineral Veil

It often goes something like this: Shoot.  I'm out of ________.  Do I have a coupon?  Can I get it cheaper online?  Wait a minute...can I make it?  Check Pinterest.  Do some research on Google.  Create.  Feel amazing because I just saved a ton of money.  Feel a sense of accomplishment that I made something from ingredients I can pronounce, that is good for me, and works as well or better as what I would have spent a lot more on at the store.

That is precisely what happened when I ran out of mineral veil several months back.  I almost dropped $20, figuring mineral based makeup was better than the alternative.  Then I was almost giddy with excitement when I realized that I could make a comparable alternative for pennies.

Here's what's in mineral veil according to the Bare Escentuals website:  

The main ingredient is cornstarch.  The other things I'm guessing are preservatives and color.  We don't keep cornstarch in the house, so I felt temporarily thwarted until I remembered the bag of arrowroot powder sitting in my cupboard, lonely and unused, since I switched to the deodorant stone (read about that here).  There are lots of cornstarch and baby powder mineral veil replacement recipes on Pinterest, but I preferred arrowroot to cornstarch and am not so interested in talc because of what I learned on my deodorant quest.  I Googled to see if anyone else had ever used arrowroot on their face, found one DIY makeup forum that mentioned it, and felt affirmed enough to forge ahead.

I washed out my used mineral veil container, filled it with arrowroot powder, and added cinnamon for color.  According to livestrong.com, "cinnamon--in both grated and essential oil forms--is beneficial to the skin because it brings blood and nutrients to the skin surface while also helping to dry skin."  I've also heard that it's antimicrobial and antibacterial.  Plus, it smells really yummy when you're putting it on!  I've been completely satisfied with it as a product...never missing the more expensive stuff for a moment.  My skin has even been significantly clearer since I stopped using commercial products on my face.  I still get an occasional blemish, but noticeably less than before.  I'm not always entirely thrilled with my homemade experiments, but I can't think of a single downside to this one!!  Yay!!!

Soon I'll tell you about how I've replaced all my makeup with healthy alternatives that I'm really excited about!!

 This post shared at frugallysustainable.com's Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #76

Legs + Safety Razors, part 1

I've been wearing jeans a lot lately.  Not so much because of the cool weather, although I'm grateful for the cooler weather because it's giving me an excuse to cover my *ahem* not-so-smooth legs.  (Why is that so hard to write?)  No, it's because I'm re-learning to shave, and it's harder than I thought it was going to be.

I've been using Gillette Venus for years, usually the kind with the built in shave gel.  Skipping a step!  So convenient!  Automatically knowing when to switch my blade!  So convenient!  (I've been thinking a lot lately about just how much we've traded for the sake of convenience...)  I used to use Schick Intuition, then did some math and realized that the Gillette version was slightly cheaper, so I switched.  Then I did some more math.  Let's do some together.  The going rate on Amazon for the 2 in 1 (razor and gel) refill is $13.97 per 4 pack.  That's basically $3.50 per cartridge.  I shave more frequently in the summer and less in the winter, so it probably averages to about one cartridge per month for me.  $3.50 a month isn't that expensive and it's not that much plastic waste.  But then I started to think about what exactly was in those moisturizing strips and built in shave gel. What am I paying $3.50 a month for?  I dug around on the internet looking for an ingredient list, but I couldn't find one...just words like jasmine, white tea, and aloe.  But surely that's not all that's in there?  I don't have a package on hand, and I don't know if they're required to list the ingredients on the package since you're not eating them.  I'll try to remember to check next time I'm in the store.

So what's a girl to do?  I wasn't sure, but then I heard about safety razors or DE (double edge) razors.  As usual, I went to Amazon and found this guy, the Merkur Model 180 Long Handled Safety Razor.  After reading hundreds of glowing reviews, I plunged ahead and gave away my old razor and extra refills.  At $32.62, it's a fairly hefty initial investment, BUT...  I also purchased a variety pack of 35 replacement blades for $12.28.  Time for some more math.  That's $.35 per blade.  $3.50 vs. $.35.  It's almost weird how that worked out.  Maybe someone should check my math...I'm really not a numbers person.  I'll keep going anyway: if you add in the cost of the razor and divide by 35 blades, that comes to $1.28 per blade.  Still less than 50% cheaper!  And no chemicals!  Not to mention the glowing reviews.  Apparently this kind of shaving is better for your skin than dragging 14 blades across it.  Okay, I exaggerated....a little.  Many people reported less skin irritation, ingrown hairs, etc.  Popular commercial razors are not much more than a marketing marvel!

Then I tried to use it.  Apparently there's a rather steep learning curve.  You really do have to learn how to shave all over again.  I did a bit of internet research and learned that things like the angle (40°), the amount of pressure (none), the lather, brushes (badger), bowls, soaps, direction of hair growth, and multiple passes are all important.  Then, in all honestly, my first attempt was an utter fail.  I went back to the internet for more help.  One of the problems, I think, is that there are probably hundreds of videos on youtube about shaving your face with a safety razor, and none about shaving your legs.  Lots of forums and resources for men, but the only thread I found about women and safety razors was men talking about their wives using their safety razors or suggesting finding a vintage Lady Gilette on ebay.  I still watched some of the videos and gleaned what I could.  My second attempt was more successful, but did not reach glowing review status.  Apparently blades come down to highly personal preference, which is why variety packs are strongly recommended...so you can find what works for you.  I'm planning to cycle through my blades and possibly purchase a badger brush, bowl, and soap to get a proper lather (those are also quite pricey).   In the meantime, I broke down and bought some cheap disposable razors with only 2 blades and no moisturizing strip, but they're only for emergency dress wearing. I'll keep working at safety razor smoothness and update you on my progress...hopefully sooner than later.

Simple Homemade Toothpaste

I inherited my mom's teeth and my dad's eyes. In other words, I never had braces or a single cavity...and I'm legally blind.  Seriously.  It's bad.  If you want to know how bad, just ask to see my glasses and hear the story behind them sometime.  At least I've been mostly fortunate in the dental DNA department.  But I've also almost always taken good care of my teeth.  A friend in college asked me once if I was a compulsive tooth brusher.  No, just a compulsive hand washer.

In my journey of late, I've decided that fluoride isn't for me...let alone synthetic chemicals and other questionable ingredients.  I'll let you do your own research and make your own decision on that one, but if for no other reason than frugality, homemade toothpaste is a great option.  As usual, I'll share with you my journey and where I've settled.  I researched several different recipes found via various blogs and Pinterest, and ended up starting with a combination of baking soda and water...just like my deodorant journey, which is almost weird if you think about it too much.  The first time I brushed my teeth with baking soda, I almost gagged, so I tried a recipe that included coconut oil and I added some cinnamon flavored liquid stevia to cover up the baking soda-ness.  I still didn't like it, but it wasn't unbearable.  I gradually adjusted, and now I can't even imagine brushing with commercial toothpaste anymore.  These days, I don't even add the coconut oil.  I make my toothpaste with two of the cheapest ingredients there are, and you probably already have them around your house.  

So here it is: baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.  I don't even measure.  I just make a paste out of those two ingredients and brush away.  The hydrogen peroxide whitens and kills germs.  Sometimes I add several drops of peppermint essential oil for extra minty freshness.  Peppermint oil also helps to kill germs, and may help in the treatment of gum disease.  Some people have concerns about the abrasive nature of baking soda, so you may want to use a soft toothbrush and brush gently.

I tried using a travel size plastic squeeze bottle to store it in, so I could squeeze it out onto my toothbrush, but it bubbled (the hydrogen peroxide) and oozed out and only made a mess.  I ended up purchasing a glass container from Specialty Bottle.  They have a great selection and good prices.  I just pour the ingredients in to make a paste, then dip my toothbrush in.  Slightly gross perhaps, but remember, I'm more grossed out by hands than mouths so it doesn't bother me too much.

I make smaller, more frequent batches.  As I mentioned earlier, it bubbles, so if you fill it too full it will bubble out of the container.  It also gradually loses it's bubbly-ness which feels like it translates to effectiveness.  I'm not actually sure, but just to be on the bubbly side...

At what point I feel inclined to buy other ingredients, I'd like to try this tooth powder recipe from one of my favorite blogs.  I've also read some posts about remineralization of teeth and may try this recipe at some point as well.  First on the list, though, are Izola's months toothbrush set for $12.50.  Izola’s toothbrushes are made from sustainable bamboo and nylon bristles, and they say about this set, "Our grandfather was a dentist and always told us to replace our toothbrush every three months.  The idea seemed simple enough, but months would pass and we found ourselves still using the same brush.  We needed a reminder, so we decided to put it right on the handle."  Attractive, practical, and sustainable!  What more can a girl ask for?

Have you ever tried making your own toothpaste?  Do you think you ever will?