Do you make any of your own toiletries?

[awakenedsoul]

I was making my own deodorant yesterday, and wondering if any of you do, too? It's so much cheaper. I use a recipe with coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and essential oils. I keep it in a recycled plastic sorbet container. It lasts me over a year, and it works great! (Deodorant in expensive!) The packages are small, too.

When I was in debt, I tried using baking soda for shampoo, and apple cider vinegar for conditioner, but I didn't like it. Now I buy shampoo at Costco and conditioner at T.J.Maxx.

I use coconut oil (bought in bulk,) on my face at night. I take off my make-up with peanut oil. I also melt a bar of goat's milk soap in a large pot on the stove in 8 cups of water. It makes me enough liquid soap to last for a year. I also use it for hand laundry and gifts.

How about you?

[pony mom]

I make my deodorant the same way. For the past year I've been using grapeseed oil as my morning moisturizer. Also tried the baking soda/vinegar thing when my hair was longer; it was OK (felt really light and natural) but too much work. Before I recolor with demi-permanent color I will do it just to strip/clarify my hair. Coconut oil as a nighttime moisturizer just stained my pillow (nice lip balm although it absorb too quickly).

[happystuff]

I make my shampoo - a large dish soap bottle of water with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and a couple drops of tea tree oil. I like how it keeps my scalp from itching (skin issues). Couldn't figure out why I was going through a large bottle so quickly as I have relatively short hair.... my dd - with hair down to her waist - was using it too! LOL. Easy to mix up and use.

Would love to try the deodorant recipe. Could someone post it?

[awakenedsoul]

happystuff,
Sure, Here's mine: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup cornstarch in a small bowl. Add coconut oil, 1T at a time, until all the dry ingredients have been mixed. (4-6 T) Add essential oils.

pony mom,
The coconut oil stained my pillowcase, too. That's the one drawback. When I get new sheets, I'll probably switch back to using body lotion as face cream. (It's less expensive.)

[mira]

I used to make deodorant just like that too but it was no match for my BO, haha. I switched back to the commercial stuff.

However, I've been making my own lip balm for years and I started making moisturiser about a year ago out of rosewater, aloe gel, glycerine, jojoba oil (sometimes others) vit E and emulsifying wax. My skin is both oily and dry but I can't say homemade moisturiser has helped it. I just like knowing what's in it and that it won't irritate my face.

[happystuff]

Thanks awakenedsoul! I will have to try that. Don't know if any other family members would be interested in it or not, but I definitely want to give it a try.

[awakenedsoul]

Sure happystuff. I hope you like it. I'm really happy with it. I really like not having to spend money on deodorant anymore.

That's funny, mira. I feel the same way about the ingredients. The lip balm and moisturizer you're making sound neat.

[Greg44]

I started a thread over in Health - about how I just started using pure baking soda alone for deordorant with wonderful results. No looking back - hmm well I did start this winter, so I will see how it goes this summer when it is hot!

Stopped using shampoo and soap in the shower. Granted I am a guy and have short hair, so no issues here either.
My main issue was too oily skin, which I thought might be from my soap drying out my skin and my oil grands going into
hiper mode? Anyway my skin is MUCH better.

Anyone make their own or using an alternate toothpaste?

[awakenedsoul]

I've done that too, Greg44. Well, I've made a paste with baking soda and water. It worked perfectly. I can buy baking soda in bulk. I use goat's milk soap in the shower. It's really nice. I buy it in loaves from a family farm in IN. (free shipping.) I've never tried making toothpaste...

[pony mom]

My deodorant recipe has a slightly smaller amount of baking soda compared to cornstarch. I found that the grittiness of the bs irritated my skin. Haven't noticed any difference in effectiveness. It's not perfect, but regular antiperspirant makes me sweat/smell more!

[awakenedsoul]

I stopped using antiperspirant when they linked it to breast cancer. It just seems unhealthy to clog those pores.

[meri]

Has anyone tried making a shaving cream or gel that would not contain anything coconut?

[Gardenarian]

I use very few toiletries, but one thing I've been interested in making is sunblock. I have very fair skin, history of skin cancer, and I love to swim - so I go through a lot of sunblock. There are a lot of DIY recipes (http://wellnessmama.com/2558/natural-homemade-sunscreen-recipe/) - most include olive and coconut oil, shea butter, zinc oxide powder, and beeswax (which makes it waterproof.)
It requires a pretty large investment in materials to get started and I haven't found anyone who'd like to share the materials or make it with me.
I may just go ahead and get the supplies and give some away as gifts.

[mira]

Greg, what do you clean yourself with instead? Just water and a washcloth? I'd like to try going down this route.

[awakenedsoul]

Gardenarian, It is an investment to make some of this stuff. (like sunblock and soap.) I guess if you use it for the rest of your life, it's worth it. I your sunblock would be a really cool gift. I give away my liquid goat's milk soap as gifts, and people love it. It's good for hand washing delicates. I gave all the ladies in my knitting group a bottle for Christmas. They were cute, easy, and inexpensive.

[herbgeek]

@Gardenarian: I've been able to get small quantities from sellers on Etsy (and usually low shipping costs too). You really need very little beeswax, etc to make a whole's summer worth of sunblock. I made sunblock last year, it came out a little ghostly for my taste but YMMV. My husband used it when bike riding, worked great, he just looked like he was near death's door with the white pallor. LOL.

[Gardenarian]

Thanks for the tip, herbgeek! I will check out Etsy.
I'm already pretty ghostly looking - glad to hear it worked!

[Greg44]

Greg, what do you clean yourself with instead? Just water and a washcloth? I'd like to try going down this route.

Yep, just me, the wash cloth and the shower. I can't believe how better my skin is. In the afternoon I use to have to get a tissue and wipe away the oil off my face - so gross. Now it seems very normal.

[mira]

Thanks, Greg, I'll have to try that. I find that as long as I'm taking a hot shower, my face feels clean and doesn't always need soap (but I use it anyway). Let's see if I can get rid of the greasy/dry skin combo I've been fighting with for years...

[awakenedsoul]

Once a week I take a bath in epsom salts and baking soda, (up to a pound of each.) It's a clearing bath. You don't use any soap...it clears the aura. Feels great! I soak for 20 mins. I also use essential oils and epsom salts in the bath several times a week.

[pony mom]

Does anyone have experience working with emulsifiers? I'm thinking of adding one to my cleansing oil so I can just wash it off instead of steaming.

Just recently discovered that my favorite skincare line, Boscia, tests on animals (something to do with China's laws) so my cleanser, nighttime oil and daytime sunscreen (LOVE IT!) will be replaced. Probably could live without cleanser but not my Clarisonic so I thought making a rinsable oil that lathers a bit would work.

[awakenedsoul]

I just use peanut oil and tissue it off. I use body lotion in the a.m. on my face. For me, it works as well as face cream. I like sea salt as a facial scrub.

[herbgeek]

I find sea salt just a bit too harsh for me, and use baking soda instead.

Depending on your ingredients you may not need an emulsifier unless there is a lot of water. I mix Dr Bronners with equal parts of oil and just shake each time. After a while it becomes one.