Did you know that you can make so many of the products that you buy? It’s true! And you can do it from scratch with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen cabinet!!
What?!
Yes. I’m talking about ingredients like baking soda, coconut oil, sugar, and sea salt. Forget the unnecessary colors, additives, and fillers that are always found in toiletry essentials such as toothpaste and makeup remover. By making your own products using minimalist ingredients found in your home, not only will you find yourself saving hundreds of dollars over the course of the year, but they are also amazing for the planet (and your body). These recipes are made with Organic ingredients (most of which can be purchased package free in bulk or natural product stores) and contain no toxic chemicals.
Toothpaste
You don’t need to buy that $5 tube of toothpaste from the drugstore. Instead, you can whip it up in under two minutes using only coconut oil, baking soda, and essential oil of your preference. Not only is making your own toothpaste easier than pronouncing the ingredient list on the back of a conventional storebought tube, but you are also doing the earth a favor. You are keeping a tube of toothpaste that is difficult or impossible to recycle out of a landfill.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons organic coconut oil
1 tablespoon baking soda
20 drops of organic essential oil (peppermint, spearmint, anise, cinnamon)
Directions:
Combine all three ingredients in a small jar. To use, spoon onto your toothbrush and brush as you normally would.
Makeup Remover
Who says the only way to remove last night’s smudged mascara is by applying onetime use pads drenched with abrasive toxic chemicals and synthetic fragrances? Instead of going for some expensive product or oil, one of the best (and most frugal) makeup removers you can find is coconut oil. Just use about a teaspoon on your face, rub it in,
and wipe off with a washcloth. Then follow with your normal face washing routine. If you have a coconut oil allergy, you can swap coconut oil for sesame, olive, or calendula oil.
Hand and Body Scrub
Make coffee in the morning? Throw away the grinds? If so, you are actually tossing an unsuspecting beauty item… hand/body scrub! Coffee grounds are one of nature’s most effective exfoliants. Just take the grinds and scrub your skin to remove dead skin and soften your hands or body. Because coffee grinds contain caffeine, it is a natural
anti-inflammatory, which thereby helps to enhance circulation and can help to boost the production of collagen. We won’t blame ya if you find yourself rubbing it into your rump now and again, it’s the perfect cellulite blaster!
Exfoliating mask
For a simple and effective face mask that is sure to fight acne, baking soda is the best goto. Baking soda is a gentle exfoliant and when 1 teaspoon is mixed with a splash of water and rubbed into your skin, the exfoliation process will remove oil, dirt, and dead skin. Leave the mixture on for about 5-10 minutes and then rinse with water for a mask that will help to prevent breakouts and blackheads in the future by removing excess oil.
Bonus: You can use a paste of baking soda and water as a spot treatment for pimples. The soda will help to draw out the infection and also dry out the inflamed area.
Lip Scrub
For a great lip exfoliant look no further than your sugar dish. Organic sugar is an amazing natural exfoliant, and you can eat it too! If you don’t want to use sugar, you can use a coarse ground salt for the same effects.
Lip Balm
Traditional balms come packaged in little plastic tubes, which are often too small to be recycled. Say goodbye to plastic waste and chapped lips with this DIY lip balm recipe.
All you’ll need to do is melt 1 tablespoon of Organic candelilla wax, 1 tablespoon of Organic unrefined shea butter, and 2 tablespoons of Organic coconut oil in a bowl over simmering water. Once melted, add 5- 10 drops of your favorite essential oil for scent and carefully pour the mixture into a small airtight container. If you have an old lip balm tin lying around, that’s perfect, or you can repurpose a tub or container you already have at home (just ensure that it is cleaned). Let the mixture sit in the fridge for 10 minutes until hard, and you’re done!
24 comments
Where can I find bulk coconut, and shea butter?
I buy mine from a company called naissance via amazon. Make sure its unrefined cold pressed and preferably organic.
Can you buy essential oils in bulk? What do you do with the empty bottles if you can't?
Great reminders, thanks!
Great!! Thank you. Any recipes for antitraspirant and sunscreen?? My skin is very oily and sensitive…
Sunscreen: COCONUT OIL … It's amazing. I used it last year on my trip to Turkey and I didn't get any sunburn.
Ximena I make my own deodorant from 2tbsp baking powder (aluminum free), 2 tbsp baking soda, 10 tbsp coconut oil and 16 drops of tea tree oil. It makes enough to last for months and I keep it in a jar and apply it like lotion to my underarms. It works fantastic. Sunscreen though I don't know – I know there are some great natural brands but I don't know about making my own. If your skin is oily and sensitive coconut oil probably won't work for you.
Some doctors say that baking soda is corrisive and bad for you teeth. What do you think about that?
I asked my dentist about this exact recipe (portions and all), and she rounded up a bunch of other hygienists and dentists in the office to talk about it with me. lol. They all agreed baking soda isn't abrasive (it's actually less abrasive than the ingredients in many conventional toothpastes) and the coconut oil helps hydrate your teeth. I haven't had any issues with it – except for the fact that it melts since it's so hot where I live. I am always running back a forth to my fridge. Good workout, though!
Thanks for the tips! Also, I think you mean to have the mask on for 5 to 10 minutes. 🙂
I like hemp seed oil for washing my face. It's great for acne-prone skin. And I'm going to make some toothpaste like you describe here as soon as I get some essential oils.
You can also mix together sugar and oil for a hand scrub, my Mum does this when she's cleaning her hands from the garden.
I love the coffee scrub, I always keep a jar with it in my shower. Super easy, super low cost 😉 Also, I love using a konjac sponge to remove my make up with the coconut oil. Oh and corn starch as dry shampoo (tried baking powder before, but that itches as hell).
Very good tips
does the makeup remover also work on waterproof mascara?
Yes is dose, waterproof mascara is oil based. I use it often…a great way to moisturize your skin too.
What do you recommend to replace floss? Is there any way around that?
Hello! I would like to know what do you use for shampoo and conditioner… There is some homemade recipe that could be used on substitution? Hugs from Brazil!
Yes!
For shampoo, rub 2-4tsp of baking soda onto scalp, rinse. Work coconut oil from the ends up for conditioning treatment and rinse. I also rinse with apple cider vinegar once a week.
I have used baking g soda in the past to brush with. I hate it! Kind of burns and tastes terrible! Then, I read rinsing g your both with coconut butter was good for oral hygiene – I gagged. But I had to try this….. I really liked it! My gums didn't burn or feel irritated, I did not feel like I had a mouth full of oil, so no gagging. This recipe is a keeper!
Very nice and i will have a try later, thanks for sharing
Hi, thank you so much for sharing. Keep up the great job here. Jenny@bestpressurecookershq.com
Hey guys! Do any of you have a recipe for a DIY hair conditioner? Thanks!