Homemade Natural Shampoo

I finally ran out of my store bought shampoo, so I made my own. After using this recipe I have decided I won't be buying shampoo from the store anymore. It is SO easy to make, and it is SO much cheaper to make it. Also, I love how it suds up and really cleans my hair. I can customize it to my hair needs. For example, it can be more moisturizing in the dry winter, and more sudsy in the summer when I'm trying to wash away garden dirt and sweat. Here is how you can make this wonderful shampoo:

Ingredients: 

•  1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup Liquid Castille Soap (I use Dr.Bronners) 
• 20 drops of Essential Oils (I used lavender and tea tree oil) 
• 1/2 tsp Almond oil or Olive oil (This is great for dry hair, or during those dry winter months)

Mix together and put into a empty shampoo bottle. 

A little bit goes a long way, and it really suds up! 

Leave a comment and let me know how you like it.

You can get all the above ingredients at VitaCost. For $10 off at VitaCost click here. You and I will both get $10 off.

Homemade Solid Lotion

I have been hesitant to make solid lotion. I'm not sure why, it just seem silly to me because I usually just use coconut oil, olive oil, or almond oil. However, there is one issue with that...it is hard to carry olive oil in your pocket. Sometimes I just need something that I can pull out of a purse or coat pocket and put on my hands because they get really dry in cold weather. I cannot and will not use lotion from the store. Mostly because ALL of it makes me itch. I don't mean just the stuff that isn't natural, or just the stuff from big box stores, I mean ALL lotion that I purchase makes me itch! Even from someone that makes it in small batches and uses "natural" ingredients. So here I am with dry, itchy, flaky, rough hands trying to remember to carrying around a little tub of coconut oil, and I run across a recipe for solid lotion. Just so happens that I have all of the necessary ingredients, so with a little tweaking to the found recipe I make something that does NOT make me itch! I repeat this does not make me itch!! Its amazing! I can carry it around in a pocket, purse, my hand, stuff it in the top of my boot, or even just sit it in the car and I have lotion whenever I need it. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg to make because all of the ingredients I already had at the house because I use them for other things, and it is easy and quick to make. Freaking love this stuff. I can't believe it took me so long to decide to make it. Anyway, enough about me, time to tell you how you can make your own homemade solid lotion.

 

Ingredients: 

• 2/3 cup beeswax
• 1/2 cup  coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shea butter 
• 15-20 drops of doTerra essential oil (I used peppermint and wild orange)

(Optional: 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil, next time I'm going to try this with almond oil)

Measure everything (except essential oils) out and put them in a large glass jar/cup. I used a pyrex measuring cup. Place the glass jar in a saucepan of boiling water. The water should be about an inch high on the jar. Stir until combined. Once everything is melted and combined then remove from heat and let cool for about 2-3 minuets, then add the essential oils. Stir and pour into silicone mold, or mini muffin tin. Let the bars cool for 2-3 hours then pop them out, wrap in plastic wrap and store in a pretty container until you are ready to use. 

For an exfoliating lotion bar just add a pinch of oatmeal to the bottom of the mold before you pour in the mixture.

Simply rub bar on skin to moisturize.

This stuff not only smells nice, it moisturizes. It doesn't have any chemicals, and it doesn't make me itch! It is very cheap to make, especially if like me, you already have these ingredients on hand for other projects. Not counting the cooling time, this didn't even take 10 minuets to make. That included chasing after my 18 month old (whom was diaperless at the time and kept coming up to me telling me he "pee" and taking me to it so I could clean it up, then of course he "poop, sh-ew" and I had to clean that up as well in the middle of the measuring). Let me know if you make it, and how it turned out. What essential oils did you put in yours? 

Pretty sure I'm going to be making a batch of this for Christmas gifts! 

Need some doTerra essential oils? Check out my site... CLICK HERE

Organic Garden Pest Control

Gardening is a bit tricky when you are not using any chemicals. I decided that if I was going to have a garden it must be organic. It requires quite a bit of weeding by going this way, and it also requires alternative insect control. This is how I stumbled upon food grade diatomaceous earth, otherwise knows as DE. Apparently this is the bees knees when it comes to killing bugs and the sort. It is safe enough to consume yourself, and you can put it on your animals, and even feed it to them. It gets rid of everything apparently.

Yesterday I spread it out around the garden. It is supposed to take a couple days or even a week to get rid of everything. Because it isn't a chemical it isn't going to be a instant fix. However, I will gladly wait because it is safe enough that I don't even have to wash it off of my vegetables before I eat them. This is a trade I will gladly make over the non-organic bug control. I will let you know in a few days how it is going with the bugs. I have read many reviews though, and I am pretty sure it is going to get rid of them.


Have you tried DE? Did it work for you?

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.

Heartburn, Indigestion, Upset Stomach, SAY NO to the pink stuff!

Incase you didn't know...heartburn sucks! I never really had much indigestion, and never any heartburn before having a baby. However, here we are, and as you know by now (assuming this isn't the very first post you have read on my blog) I try to stay away from chemicals, dyes, and such. So that means no pink stuff, or any of those useless chalk like tablets that claim to provide calcium. I'm sure they mean well, and they probably really do contain calcium, but have you ever wondered if your body can actually consume and use that said calcium that they put there? I have...and that is a whole different blog topic. Today we are discussing what to do when we need a little plop-plop-fizz-fizz in our glass without all the added junk. Also, that junk is expensive! Have you purchased any stomach helping medicines lately? Goodness! Ingredients aside, I would want to make my own even if it was just to save money. So here we go...my homemade heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, "I just don't feel good in the tummy area" remedy. Like my homemade mouthwash, it is almost free it is so cheap! Better then that though, it works!

Homemade Tummy Trouble Relief

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 oz water

Mix, Drink, Feel better.

The fine print is below:

Before using anything you should always do your own research, and make the best decision for you, your body, and your health. I can not tell you if this will work for you, or even if you should try it. I just know that it is safe for me to consume, and it works for me. Use at your own risk.
Warnings:      •     Ask a doctor before use if you have a sodium restricted diet.      •    Ask a doctor or a pharmacist before use if you are taking a prescription drug. Antacids may interact with certain prescription drugs.       •    Do not administer to children under age 5.      •    STOMACH WARNING: TO AVOID SERIOUS INJURY, DO NOT TAKE UNTIL POWDER IS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT NOT TO TAKE THIS PRODUCT WHEN OVERLY FULL FROM FOOD OR DRINK. Consult a doctor if severe stomach pain occurs after taking this product.       •    Stop use and ask a doctor if symptoms last more than 2 weeks.

• Baking soda may be ingested for heartburn, gout or even urinary tract infections. Mixing a small amount of this white powder for relief is a relatively simple and very inexpensive way to help improve your body's pH so that these health conditions are not as severe. Baking soda is not a cure for any disease, nor is it a substitute for regular medical care. Be sure to talk to your doctor first to see if ingesting baking soda is right for you and how much is safe.
• Baking soda is high in sodium and is not safe in high doses nor should it be used over a long period of time. It is also not safe for people who have certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease or edema. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid it unless directed by their doctor. If not dissolved properly or if taken on a full stomach it can cause an upset stomach.
• Possible side effects of drinking baking soda in water include stomach cramps and increased thirst. If you notice more serious side effects such as nausea, weakness, slow breathing, mental changes or swelling of the feet, contact your doctor.

Want to get good quality essential oils? Click here.