WAX WRAPS LOSE THEIR COATING AFTER 6-12 MONTHS. USE THESE TIPS TO RE-WAX YOUR EXISTING PRODUCTS.
Instead of buying expensive food wraps online, you can make your own using a few simple ingredients. I modified this to include jojoba oil and pine resin, as I have learned that this makes the wax wrap more pliable and easy to work with.
Materials
Instructions
Slide content
Slide content
Slide content
Make Your Own Drawstring Bag
Instructions (pdf)
INSTRUCTIONS
We are all used to using a stick deodorant, so applying something under our arms might take a bit of time to get used it. Usage wise, though, I think this product works great.
I got this recipe from the Prairie Homestead.
https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2012/12/diy-coconut-oil-deodorant.html
Materials and Ingredients
Instructions
*I have read that some people have reactions to the baking soda. Be careful not to use extra baking powder in this recipe, and be sure to do a spot test on your skin.
SIX MONTHS AFTER STARTING TO USE DIT DEODORANT
After 6 months of use, I wanted to share some experiences that I have had with making my own homemade deodorant.
After following the recipe above, I was amazed at how effective it was. It smelled great with essential oils and I never sweat. I started using it in the summer, so that would have been the best time to find out how effective it was.
Keep in mind that coconut oil turns to liquid in the warm heat, I learned quickly that less coconut oil should be used in the summer, and more in the winter. This will help you when you determine how loft or hard you want your product.
After extended exclusive use (four months), I noticed that I started developing dark skin under my arms where I was applying it. I looked it up online and sure enough, this is a common side effect. Having too much baking soda can cause your skin to darken and irritate. As a result, I stopped using it all together for about 3 weeks. Discontinued use brought my skin back to pre DIY deodorant state within a week.
I have since made a new batch with less baking soda, and I alternate between that and an all natural store bought product. It is a happy compromise because I am still lowering my waste output by half. When a local store offers a zero waste option, I’ll be excited to try that.
I think that it is wise to warn anyone who wants to make this product at home of the side effects. I recommend it for trips that need to be chemical free. Camping, cottaging and other nature inspired vacations would be best suited for this product’s use because if you shower there, any chemicals you put on your body will eventually wash into the ecosystem.
Stay tuned for an updated recipe that has given me no long term side effects. Keep in mind though, that we all react differently. Your tolerance might be higher or lower than mine.
-Ashley
INSTRUCTIONS
I found out about this recipe after learning that it is important to keep myself well moisturized when I was pregnant. It is important to moisturize the belly, thighs, breasts and butt throughout the pregnancy to reduce the chance of stretch marks.
This recipe was found on the Wellness Mama website. I have found this site to be exceedingly helpful in finding a starting point for my sustainable home projects.
The final product will feel like whipped frosting. The body butter has a smooth application and feels very nourishing. It smells like chocolate!
https://wellnessmama.com/6544/whipped-body-butter/
*If you have a double boiler, use that to melt the ingredients. I don’t so I used a glass bowl over a pot of hot water.
Materials and Ingredients
Instructions
I must admit, my husband uses this way more than I do. I made a small batch initially, and told him that he had to get through the entire bottle before making a decision on whether he would continue using it or not. I am very pleased to say that he finished it and is happy to make the switch.
It tastes a bit salty from the baking soda, but adding the peppermint essential oils make it quite tolerable. He says that it doesn’t leave your mouth burning, like most over the counter products do. If you like the burning feeling, this might not be the right place to make a sustainable switch.
Materials and Ingredients (First batch)
Instructions
FOAMING HAND SOAP
This is probably one of the easiest way to reduce your waste. Once you have the bottle, you can just refill it. Before I give you any more of my perspective on this, be aware that I googled recipes to make this. There are tons of sites that already have lots of information on how to make foaming hand soap. It’s so easy! However, I have created this particular post with the help of the site I’m listing below.
There are only a few main ingredients that I used to make this.
-distilled water (this is a water based product)
-Castile soap (Traditional Booking School’s recipe calls for 2 tablespoons. I eyeballed around that amount)
-Carrier Oil (I used almond oil)
-essential oils ( I used DoTerra’s OnGuard essential oils since it is a time of year when there is lots of sick people out there right now. I put upwards of 20 drops of that stuff because I like the scent)
-a glass foaming soap dispenser. (I got mine at Walmart, it wasn’t packaged in anything, and brought my own shopping bag to the store so it was a waste free purchase on my end)
Put the water in first and then the Castile soap so that the water doesn’t foam up in the bottle. Other than that, combine ingredients and that’s it!
In 2020, Green Goals began a new chapter with Sustainable Milton by joining together to emulate the true purpose of the Green Goals seals program. Together, we are able to develop the true essence of community by working together to share and celebrate local businesses that want sustainable business practices to be the norm. We are proud to be expanding our bubble.