Homemade Toothpaste Recipe

 After trying out homemade sunscreen, bug spray, deodorant, foundation, and powder this year, I'm trying to branch out into other products for our family. We were running out of our Toms Toothpaste, so it was time to try out a homemade version. I found several recipes online and adapted this to what I wanted! 

Here's the recipe: 

2-3 tablespoons of bakingsoda 

1/2 cup of coconut oil 

2 packets of Stevia

15-20 drops of an Essential Oil like Peppermint or Cinnamon 

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. If you coconut oil is more firm, use a fork to mash it all together. Place in individual glass jars for members of your family. 

Baking soda has a long record of being great for our teeth, as does coconut oil (especially as oil pulling has gained in popularity). Stevia is a good sweetener source as it is natural! Essential Oils add flavor and have great antimicrobial/antiviral properties. 

Basically, I wanted to find something fluoride-free and easy to make. After over a week of use, I have to say that while it definitely has that baking soda salty taste, it works great. My teeth feel clean--time will tell how the health of my teeth and gums improves. After reading of the benefits of coconut oil on teeth alone, I have high hopes. 

There are many recipes out there and I also want to try this recipe to mimic Earth Paste from "Don't Waste the Crumbs" 

Up next: Shampoo and body wash! 

Update on Deo, makeup, sunscreen and bug spray!

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!

DIY Bug Spray and Anti-Itch

I have been trying to find a more natural bug spray option for the last few years. The past two or three, I've just bought whatever "natural" bug spray happened to be at the store. Usually, it didn't

do a great job in our mosquito-plagued back yard. The girls and I must be really sweet, because we get bit a lot. As I've become more educated on tick-borne illness, I have been trying to avoid ticks like crazy too. The effects of tick-borne illness can be devesating. 

Anyway, I have gotten into essential oils lately and wanted to develop an oils based spray that would be suitable from kids 3+. Before I share my recipes, I do want to do a quick PSA about EO safety. 

First, there is so much misinformation out there that is is overwhelming to sort through. However, I am a sorter by nature and a researcher by training! The best resource I've found has been Robert Tisserand's book "Essential Oil Safety". Now this book is pricey, so I also depend on this website http://www.learningabouteos.com. Lea Harris is a certified aromatherapist and has some awesome information here, including dilution charts, lists of essential oils to avoid/use with children, and some great age-appropriate recipes. In my opinion, one cannot be too careful with essential oils. They are highly concentrated and should be used with proper education---basically do your research! Since I have started learning, I have seen so many cases of misuse that it sorta knocked my socks off--in a bad way. 

Ok---I'll get off my soap box and on with the recipes. 

First the Bug Spray:

In a 2oz bottle (use glass and a darker color is best for preserving your oils), combine:

1% dilution 

 Texas Cedar wood 3 drops

citronella (citronella java) 3 drops

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) 2 drops

Tea Tree Oil (melaleuca alternifolia) 2 drops

geranium 2 drops (pelargonium graveolens) 

Fill the rest of the bottle with witch hazel. You will want to shake this vigorously before spraying each time to mix the oils with the witch hazel. We tried this out on my parent's farm this weekend with great results. When my hubs didn't wear it, he ended up with a tick. The patchouli is supposed to be a tick repellent. For young kids, try to spray mostly on their clothing,especially. If you are using for adults, away for a day of hiking in the woods, you could use 24 total drops for a 2% dilution. Oils are happiest cold, so you can store this in the fridge when not using. It will be fine in your bag, etc...it just won't stay potent as long. 

Now, if you get those pesky bug bites, heat rash, etc, use this recipe: 

In a 2oz bottle combine, 

5 drops lavender (lavandula angustifolia)

2 drops Frankincense (boswellia frereana) 

3 drops Tea Tree (melaleuca alternifolia)

Fill the rest with witch hazel. You will also want to shake this one vigorously before spraying. 

With all essential oils, it is better to start with a low dilution and work your way up to get the results you want. Most of the the time it only takes a small amount to get a desired effect! Also remember higher dilutions carry more risk for sensitazation and be extra careful with dilutions of kiddos! 

Hopefully these will make your summer much easier! They've already improved ours! 

DIY foundation and deodorant!

In my quest to create my own natural products, I made a DIY foundation and deodorant this week. Both have worked really well for me and I'll give you a basic run down of how I made them. They were much easier to do than I thought! 

First, DIY foundation---you can find the full recipe and instructions at www.scratchmommy.com. I won't retype all of that here! Her website is awesome! 

Ingredients for foundation and where I found them:

Organic cacao powder- Whole Foods 

Zinc Oxide powder- Amazon

Almond oil- Whole Foods 

Shea butter- Whole Foods 

coco butter- Whole Foods 

Liquid Vitamin E- Whole Foods 

Beeswax- Whole Foods 

organic cinnamon powder- Whole Foods 

You basically create a double-boiler; I used a glass pyrex bowl. Another little item you will need is a kitchen scale. I got this one for $20 at Target and it works great. 

Melt all the oils and butters together and then add your powdered ingredients. The foundation sets up really fast. I used my 4oz mason jars. This recipe makes 4oz and I divided it between two jars to share with my BFF. I also made this pretty light as I am pale, pale, pale! You can add as much cacao powder as need to get the tint you want. Scratch Mommy has instructions for doing that! The Zinc Oxide also adds an SPF of 20, so you get sunscreen too! You can apply using your fingers or a makeup wedge. I'd call this a light coverage foundation, more like a tinted moisturizer for me. You'll still need a concealer to hide any blemishes! Oh, and it smells great! 

Now, for the deodorant! This is also a recipe from www.scratchmommy.com. You can go to her website for the full instructions. One reason I chose her recipe was because it doesn't contain baking soda, which is an irritant for a lot of people. I have been using Toms and it does irritate my skin from time to time (plus it still has some icky chemicals). 

This recipe contains:

Coconut oil- Trader Joes 

jojoba oil- Whole Foods 

Shea butter- Whole Foods 

Beeswax- Whole Foods 

Arrowroot powder- Whole Foods 

Liquid vitamin E- Whole Foods

Diatomaceous Earth--(this is a powder substance and you MUST use Food Grade!) Amazon---and you may want to order a smaller box....I apparently ordered the jumbo and can make deodorant with it for the next 100 years! 

Essential oils: I used lavender and tea tree oil (melaleuca--it has great anti-microbial properties)

You use the same set up as before with your kitchen scale and double-boiler.

^^^kitchen Scale

^^^^double-boiler

It gets all meted up and I poured into my 4oz jar. This also set up really quickly. I love the scent with the lavender and tea tree oil. You could also use patchouli or geranium would be nice too!  

How does it work? I have to say this worked better than Toms for me! Usually if I am really active, I have to reapply, but I didn't have to with this. I applied it with my fingers, which isn't a big deal. It feels nice! I felt like it was too liquid to pour into deodorant molds...there might be a way to hack that though! Remember that this deodorant is not an antiperspirant, so it won't stop you from sweating but it willl keep you smelling nice. Also, be aware that if you are switching from a conventional deodorant to a more natural one it may take several days before your natural version functions at 100%. I've experienced this with Toms and crystal deodorants. This is super healthy and easy to do! 

Stay tuned for a post about bug spray and an anti-itch blend! 

DIY Foundation Powder

If there is one thing I never pictured myself doing, it was making my own beauty products. I am a pretty down-to-earth, simple girl who doesn't wear much make-up, but when I do I want something natural and also something that doesn't break the bank! I've been shelling out way to much $$$$ on expensive, natural make-up that still has some of the chemical ickness that I am trying to avoid. So, when I stumbled upon the blog "Scratch Mommy", I was pretty thrilled to see some awesome looking recipes for foundation, sunscreen, deodorant, etc. While I was checking out her foundation recipe, I clicked on the link to a facial powder recipe that she uses and decided to try it out! You can check out the recipe and the how-to, including a video here: Live Simply 

The powder includes these ingredients:

I'll list them and where I bought them:

-Cacao Powder (organic) Whole Foods
-Arrowroot Powder (organic) Whole Foods
-Liquid Vitamin E (organic and non-GMO) Whole Foods
-Ground Nutmeg (organic) Whole Foods
-Ground Cinnamon (organic) Whole Foods
-Ground Ginger (organic) Whole Foods
-Bentonite Clay - Amazon
-Lavender Essential Oil- DoTerra

Following the directions are pretty easy and the recipe yields about a cup of powder. I bought cute little 4oz. Ball Mason Jars at Target to use as containers and filled them both. The powder (with the original recipe on the blog) is a light shade, perfect for a red-head like me! You can add additional Cacao to get the right shade for your skin tone and test on your arm as you go. I really love the light feel of the powder and the smell is heavenly! So far it is working out great and the supplies I purchased should make many more jars of powder at a fraction of the cost I was paying before---and I'll be healthier too :)

The finished product! 

Cosco Chair Makeover

This past Saturday two of my best friends and I hit some antique stores after a fabulous tea at the 

Greentree Tea Room, here in Lexington. One of my favorite stores is a booth-type store where I have found several goodies. Towards the end of our trek, I spied this vintage Cosco step-stool chair. I have to admit I debated getting it, but the fact that I have wanted one forever and the great price sold me. My bestie, Savannah, owed me some cash so she had the proud right of purchasing this lovely! It's all mine though:). 

While we were checking out, I remarked that I was thinking of painting it "pink". The cashier looked at me like I was crazy, but when I told her about my vintage Pyrex collection, I think I earned some cred. 

Anyway, I carted her home and started to dissemble her---when I need hubby's help I just start doing something and he'll come to the rescue. He finished taking it apart and after a coat of pink spray paint,  matching Gooseberry, of course, the chair is as cute as a button and looking awesome in my breakfast area! 

It's been too long!

As many of you know, we moved from Saint Peters to Lexington, Kentucky! We technically moved in October and stayed with my parents until we bought and closed on our new house this January! Now that we have a house the decorating, unpacking, and crafting is going full steam. Here are a few photos of what I've been up to and some of the Pyrex I've collected lately! 

I am definitely a ditz about the price of paint! When did that stuff get so expensive?! Here are some of the colors I have been looking at for accent walls, the girls' bathroom and our bedroom! I'm thinking of being brave and choosing Emerald Isle for our master bedroom. I think it will look nice with our new white iron Ikea bed! 

 

This is our tiny breakfast nook! I haven't painted in here yet, but the walls are going to be a teal called "mermaid's song". The unfinished pine table will be painted white and we have wooden chairs to match that will be painted a slightly darker turquoise color---matching Butterprint Pyrex, of course! The funky white chairs are for or our dining room. The Billy bookcase with glass doors from IKEA will house my favorite pieces of Pyrex!!

This is the living room wall--well a section of it! You can see the lovely boxes of our wooden chairs in here too :). I'm painting the wall here "Fresh Peaches" and will accent the room with shades or orange and turquoise. 

This is my awesome reclaimed mantle! Thank you Aunt Betty! There are additional "boxes" that make the bottom chunkier. This will go in the living room, probably with some cool fabric filling the opening until we install an electric fireplace or something in a few years. Should I leave it rough or finish it by filling in the wood and painting bright white?!

I have found a bit of Pyrex lately. This Bridal promotional casserole is so cute, especially for spring! It was just $6.99 in great condition! 

Here's another divided dish (I'm the queen of divided dishes!). I love this black scroll promotional and plan to use it for Halloween! 

My best friend Savannah surprised me with this Christmas promotional dish! I will have to share the whole story and post a better photo later. Let's just say I am completely oblivious when shopping! I love this dish and have wanted it for so long. I kept passing it up at this one store probably three or four times! Now it's mine! 

Here's a bit more of the the kitchen. Notice the utter chaos that is this house :) 

This is the dining room area near the front door. The accent wall is a Salmon color that I love! I plan for the space by the window to be a sitting area. 

I love this black extendable dining table form ikea! It can seat 10! My funky white chairs will go with this and a funky light fixture that I also got from ikea, below, and the art work sitting by the table will also go on the wall. I think I need a rug though...

Pillows with cute covers that match the orange shades and turquoise in the living room! 

This is my funky dining room light from Ikea. It's made of awesome white paper flowers. It will probably take me 3 to 5 years to assemble! 

As you can see we are busy...and that's just the main level of the house! I have the girls' rooms and bathroom to paint, our bedroom to paint, guest room to fix up, a loft/play/school area to make pretty, and a whole basement to deal with! There will be lots of posts :)

We also have a much smaller backyard, so it's my goal to see what kind of garden we are going to do! Raised beds, definitely and probably lots of focus on the principles in the book "The Square-foot Gardener"--growing vertically! We're close to my parents, so we have access to fresh strawberry fields, chickens (and hopefully eggs soon!), a barn and country fun too! 

Looking forward to making this house...home! 

~Priscilla