(Don't you judge me for that pink linoleum. It was a rental and we don't live there anymore. ;) )
So in the spirit of crafty-thriftiness-involving-three-steps-or-less-that-can-be-completed-in-less-than-a-nap-time, I bring you some easy-peasy recipes for a few of my favorite things:
Cana doesn't often have problems with diaper rash, since her cute little bum can breathe in her cloth diapers. And my all-time favorite cloth-diaper-friendly salve is CJ's Butt Butter, but as this works just as well (just not as yummy-smelling), it's hard for me to justify the extra expense. This cream is made with coconut oil, which is awesomely antibacterial and antimicrobial... and it's a really healthy cooking oil, too! This recipe is also good for eczema, dry skin, etc. But the Shea butter makes it kinda stinky, so I'd throw some of your favorite essential oils in there if you're using it for that purpose.
Homemade Diaper Rash Cream:
1/8 c coconut oil
1/4 c raw shea butter
3-4 tablespoons talc-free cornstarch or arrowroot powder (optional, to thicken)
Combine it all with a mixer and you're done. (I do use liners with our cloth diapers when we use this cream, just to be on the safe side.) Waaay cheaper than store-bought stuff, and so nice to know all the ingredients going on your little one's nether-regions. :)
(Compliments of Passionate Homemaking)
I might have posted this recipe before-- shoot me. I love homemade soup, but I am a pretty sucky soup maker. I don't actually know if Kristi "came up" with this recipe (if it can even be called such, since it is so easy!) but it is guh-ood. Hubby doesn't care for beans (what the world?!) so I save this for an easy lunch for the girls and me. They inhale it. I throw in a bunch of fresh basil and garlic, and whatever else I have around; I'm excited to make this with fresh tomatoes from our garden this summer (provided I don't actually kill said tomatoes with my black thumb of death).
Kristi's Yummy Tomato and Bean Soup
Large can of tomatoes
2 cans cannelloni beans (or whatever kind of bean tickles your fancy)
Fresh/dried herbs, garlic, onion, add-in veggies-- whatev.
Throw it all in the food processor or blender, heat it up on the stove, and enjoy. So good!
I'm not a huge fan of all of the chemicals and metals they put into commercial deodorant. Do they cause breast cancer? I don't know. I try not to be too much of an alarmist when it comes to stuff like that. But if there is an easier and cheaper way to use something that's completely natural...? Then I see no reason for not doing it. Also, commercial deodorants are expensive, and all the natural ones that I have personally tried-- work marginally at very best. I have tried several different homemade recipes, some involving making a paste and then shoving it all into an old deodorant tube. But I think this one works better, and is way easier. I guess feel free to correct me if you've been around me lately and I stink to high heaven. But fyi, that might have more to do with not having time to bathe than a homemade-deodorant-fail. Just sayin'.
Cheapo Homemade Deodorant
1/4 cup baking soda
10 drops tea-tree essential oil (I was sensitive to this for the first couple of days that I used it, but the ol' pits got used to it. Gah. I just used the word "pits" on my blog. That's disgusting.)
10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Or you can be all crazy and do 5 drops of two different kinds. I used lavender and patchouli, 'cause I am a dirty hippy like that.
Mix it all together. The EO will kinda glob up, so you either need to mash it all up with a fork or send it through the food processor to get it really fine. I store mine in an old jar I saved from the recycling bin, and I apply it with a big powder brush. A little messier than traditional deodorant, but what's a little mess when you're avoiding potentially toxic, cancer-causing elements? Sign me up!
3 comments:
I made deo w/ virgin coconut oil once. It worked pretty good too! It also had EO's, baking soda and some cornstarch. I'd have to look up the recipe. However, the baking soda was too abrasive on my ol pits. LOL I have heard some ppl use straight coconut oil too, but I think that would be a bit messy too.
Now I'm on the 3/9 plan. That's 3mos on the chem stuff, 9 mo on the natural stuff.
(Wow that was a long comment about deodorant.)
mama k, I tried that recipe as well. I didn't like that the coconut oil liquifies in the warm weather... it made it too messy to apply, for me. But man do I love me some coconut oil!
aww I made it to your blog
I totally got that from some hippies
hmm I don't know about the coco oil
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