This is one of those posts that if my family happens to read it they're going to think: Oh no, what is Mum up to now? What strange things is she going to foster on us next? Do I dare take a bath next time I'm home? Etc, etc.
That's okay. They don't have to like it. And one day they may even thank me for limiting their exposure to chemicals.
In the meantime it gives them something to laugh about, complain about, tease me about, moan about, and wonder about.
Bath Bombs
We made these simple bath bombs at work with a group of new mothers that I'm working with. They seemed to really enjoy it and when I trialled the bath bombs they worked quite well. However I still prefer a herbal teabag thrown into the bath but if you're looking for a homemade gift these are quick and easy and can look really special when presented in a pretty jar with ribbon.
Materials needed:
2 Tbs citric acid
2 Tbs cornflour (corn starch)
1/4 cup baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
4-6 drops of essential oil (be aware that some essential oils are not safe for pregnant or nursing mothers to use and that some oils can burn the skin - however in the amount used in this recipe most should be safe but please do your own research and check first)
3-6 drops of food colouring (it will leave a faint ring in the bath so you might want to consider this when deciding on a colour)
3 Tbs oil (olive or avocado are good but any oil that can be used on the skin is okay)
Mix all the dry ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil, essential oil, and colouring. Mix well. Roll the balls into 1" circles (or smaller if you prefer) and place on waxed paper.
If you find that the balls do not keep their shape then the mix is probably too wet. Add a little extra cornflour or baking soda. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a little extra oil. The balls should be easy to roll and should keep their shape when placed on the paper. Empty egg cartons are also good to place the bombs in especially if they have to be transported.
The bath bombs will be semi-hard within 2-3 hours but allow 24-48 hours for them to be dry before storing in a sealed container away from moisture.
All-Purpose Cream
(Container at front in picture)
I use this as a face moisturiser, general sun screen if I'm not going to be spending a great amount of time in the sun (but then I rarely burn), hand cream, dry skin cream, a cream to soothe insect bites and sunburn, night cream (when I remember) and it could even be used as a deep treatment for hair if you add heat and leave it for an hour before washing (I haven't tried it for this because my hair isn't that keen on shea butter as a leave-in but try it and see how you like it).
Materials:
2 Tbs softened shea butter (stand in hot water, in the sun, or place in microwave oven for approximately 30 seconds)
1 Tbs aloe vera gel, optional (it makes the cream more spreadable but it's not necessary)
1 Tbs oil (olive, avocado, almond, etc - I prefer avocado because I now have - ahem - mature skin - but use what you prefer or have available)
5 drops of Essential oil (leave out if pregnant or a nursing mother)
1-2 Vit E capsules, broken open and the oil squeezed out (preservative)
Mix all ingredients together and pour into clean jars - preferably glass. Allow to harden in a cool place (refrigerator is fine). Use as desired. Discard if it changes colour (has only ever happened to me once but I suspect it was a sign of contamination - better to be safe than sorry).
A similar recipe can be found here.
Solid Deodorant
(Container at back in picture)
I got the recipe from here and changed it a little. I didn't have cocoa butter so just doubled the shea butter and I only made half a batch. It works fine although is a little hard. I don't know if cocoa butter would make it softer or not. I just scrape it out with my fingernail and apply. Since it was DH's allergy to commercial deodorants that got me started on natural skincare products all those years ago (that and my interest in natural hair care) it's amazing that it's taken me this long to make my own deodorant. But I've finally done it and it didn't take long to convert DH at all. In fact, he seemed to want to be converted. Guess that means next time I'll have to make two batches.
Another recipe is here. I might try adding aloe vera gel next time to my recipe but I think I'll give the coconut oil a miss. I don't want oily underarms!
Eat My Words
Since writing this post I've discovered that the solid deodorant can be just a little too solid on cold mornings. It still works okay but I wanted to see if I could make it a little easier to apply. So I added some coconut oil since I had that available. I had aloe vera gel available too but I didn't know whether or not it contained parabens - something I'm trying to avoid while the evidence is still mixed as to whether parabens cause some hormone-related cancers.
So this is what my recipe ended up looking like:
2-1/2 Tbs shea butter, melted in the microwave for 10 second intervals (or stand over hot water until it melts)
1 Tbs coconut oil, melted over hot water
1-1/2 Tbs baking soda
1 Tbs cornflour (corn starch)
1 Vit E capsule, pierced and the oil squeezed out
5 drops Lavender Essential oil
Mix together well and pour into container. Allow to set.
It works! Better than the original. I think I'll be keeping this recipe for future reference.
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