As promised, here are the recipes for the personal products that I have had good luck with. It's harder to find cosmetic/personal product recipes that my family enjoys than it is to find the right cleaning product recipes. I think there are a few reasons for this. First is that we have a preconception of how clean should feel and smell. Commercial products have added chemicals to make them lather, "clean", smell and cover, so when going the homemade, natural route, it takes a little getting used to. Second, my kids think it's weird to use food as cleaning, moisturizing or nourishing agents on the outside of our bodies. Somewhere along the way we were taught that food is only made for your insides. With that said, after months of using these couple of recipes, they are starting to actually enjoy these products, so soon I will begin experimenting with more.
Shampoo
1 1/2 cups- distilled water
3 Tablespoons- fresh Rosemary
1/4 cup- Castile Soap (unscented)
2 Tablespoons- Tea tree Oil*
1/2 teaspoon- Avocado or Grapeseed Oil*
1/2 cup- Pure Aloe Vera Juice
1/4 cup- Glycerine
Heat distilled water and rosemary in a saucepan over medium low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes to create a rosemary tea. Pour tea through a strainer to remove rosemary solids, then add all other ingredients. Mix well and let cool.
* The liquid will not be thick like traditional shampoos, I find that putting it in a spray bottle works best for application.
* Shampoo will Not lather. Just spray over hair and gently massage into scalp, rinse well.
* My kids and I all have naturally curly/dry hair, so this recipe works great for us, but if you have naturally oily hair, reduce the tea tree oil to 1T. and reduce avocado oil to 1/4 t.
* I have fallen in love with this shampoo! It took a little getting used to not having that "stripped clean" feeling only to then add a conditioner, but my hair is much healthier, I don't have to use a conditioner or other styling products to keep it from frizzing and it smells great. The smell is strong while applying but quickly fades and remains subtle throughout the day.
Bath Salts
2 cups- Epsom salts
1 cup- Sea salt
4 drops essential oil of your choice
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Use 1/4 cup per bath.
Now that I know how easy this is, I can't believe I ever purchased bath salts. I even gave them as gifts this past Christmas. I made peppermint, lavender, and tea tree salts. For the peppermint, I split the mixture equally into 2 bowls. In one bowl I added 4 drops of red food coloring and mixed thoroughly I then alternated spooning a layer of red salts, then white salts into a small glass jar giving it a cute striped effect. I did the same for the other scents using green coloring for the tea tree and purple for the lavender. They were a big hit.
*Bath salts are great for relieving sore achy muscles, drawing toxins out of the body and exfoliating the skin. The essential oils provide additional benefits. I add the tea tree salts to Liam's baths when he is congested, it really opens him up. The tea tree and peppermint also have an invigorating effect, great for a mood boost. Lavender, almond and vanilla are relaxing scents, great for stress release.
*Caution- Lavender should not be used on or near young boys and men. Some studies have shown that lavender may inhibit male development. Better safe than sorry :)
Lip Gloss
1/2 cup- petroleum jelly
2 packets- Natural Cherry Pomegranate Crystal Light
1/2 teaspoon- Water
4 small jars with lids*
Mix jelly and crystal light adding water a few drops at a time until mixed thoroughly Use a plastic knife or small spatula to spoon into jars.
* I'm guessing you can use any flavoring crystals, next time I make a batch I will be on the lookout for something without the additives.
* Check the travel cosmetic isle for jars, I found small plastic jars at WalMart, 4 for $.97
Visit my last post "HomeMade Cleaning Products" for the dish & hand soap recipe. I have a bottle of it in my kitchen and next to my bathroom sink.
You may need to go to a craft store to find glycerin and essential oils. Castile soap can be found at any health food store or at Target in the natural cosmetics department. You should have no trouble finding all of the other ingredients in your local supermarket.
No comments:
Post a Comment