I wanted to take a few minutes to post an update on how well I like the homemade items that I posted about a couple of weeks ago. Now that I have been using them for awhile, I feel as though I can give some better input on them!
Here's the scoop:
Deodorant: I absolutely love this! The first day I used it, I could immediately tell that it worked better than the Toms I had been using the past few years. I had a sweaty day playing outside in the hot sun with kids and I didn't need to reapply! This product has also caused me zero skin irritation. I had noticed that Toms would cause my skin to become irritated---it kinda came in a cycle that would go away and return. Remember, this recipe does not contain an antiperspirant, so it won't hold up as well as those deodorants that do (but you are avoiding those nasty chemicals too--and I think that is worth having to reapply deodorant once a day!). I used Lavender and Tea Tree Oil in my recipe and those smell great. Next time, I might try Geranium to mix it up a bit. I think the Tea Tree Oil really helps keep down the bacteria and reduce odor. The 4oz jar that I made still has about 1/4 left in it, so it also lasts a reasonable amount of time.
Foundation: This feels like dessert for your face, and you know I love dessert! Honestly, I think the best thing about this is how "good" the ingredients are for your face. The sunscreen factor works very well. I have worn it several times swimming with no sunburn. If you are looking for a concealer, I would choose another product but as a basic light-weight tinted moisturizer, this is great. I use a separate concealer when need for blemishes.
Powder: This has been a trickier one for me to get the right shade. I am pale, pale, pale, so I ended up reducing the amount cocoa in my first recipe and getting a much better shade for my skin tone. I like that it is light weight and feels nice. I suggest using a large brush and applying lightly to get an even application. Getting this evened out has probably been my biggest challenges.
Bug Spray: This has worked well for us this summer. I think I will up the amount of citronella in future recipes, but the mosquitoes stayed away from me and usually I am a magnet for them. We also noticed that we didn't have any trouble with ticks while wearing this--and hubby did end up getting one when he didn't. For the kids, I sprayed their clothing very well and we reapplied often. With something like this, I think repeat applications are necessary to get good results. Obviously, this isn't going to be as powerful or long-lasting as the chemical sprays, but I think a reapplication is worth avoiding the chemicals!
Sunscreen: This as been a great success for us! We have used this exclusively this summer without any burns (except for the time I didn't apply evenly on myself and had some sunburn designs that were interesting)! We have been at the pool tons this summer and the kids haven't had one burn!! This sunscreen smells wonderful and lasts for the 2-3 hours we usually stay. I would suggest reapplying every 2 hours, especially for lighter-skinned individuals. We also are fans of rash guards and I even wear a long-sleeved one in the pool (except for the day of catastrophic sunburn incident). We have almost used up our two 4oz jars, so I'll be making some more soon. I am so glad that we are through with commercial sunscreen!
