Home Made Organic Deodorant

Deodorant can be a VERY controversial topic when it comes to personal hygiene. This is something that cannot be skimped on. Even the most organic, all-natural individuals will opt for the store bought brands with aluminium for fear of body odor. But there are recipes that work! Recipes that are organic and natural and work! 

Something to note when switching to an all natural, organic deodorant such as the recipe below: There is a learning curve. The body needs roughly 1-2 weeks to fully adjust to the new deodorant. During this time some odor may be experienced. This is merely built up toxins leaving the sweat glands. I suggest switching over during the winter months. 

The following images and text are courtesy of We Support Organic. The article on organic deodorant can be found by following the link below. 

How to Make Long Lasting Organic Deodorant

Image: wellnessmama.com

Below is my favorite deodorant recipe. It is AMAZING!!! My husband can ride his bike 70 miles in the blazing summer and still no BO! I also love that it’s a great alternative for my girls who are just reaching the age of needing deodorant. It’s easy to use and you can add essential oils for a “pretty smell”, if you want.

Deodorant Recipe

Ingredients:

6-8 Tbsp Coconut oil (solid state)
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch (arrowroot is preferred)

Directions:

Combine equal portions of baking soda & arrowroot powder.

Slowly add coconut oil and work it in with a spoon or hand blender until it maintains a firm but pliable texture. It should be about the same texture as commercial deodorant, solid but able to be applied easily. If it is too wet, add further arrowroot powder/cornstarch to thicken.

You can either scoop this recipe into your old deodorant dispensers or place in a small container with lid and apply with fingers with each use. Makes about 1 cup. This recipe lasts about 3 months for two people with regular daily use.

Source: Heal Thyself

Natural Ways to Clean Indoor Air

With winter approaching, our homes are beginning to get stuffy and dry as the heat turns on and the indoor pollution increases. There are a few ways to counteract this including the use of humidifiers and air purifiers. Here are a few natural ways to help keep the indoor air clean this winter. The following text and images are courtesy of Wellness Mama. See the full article here. 

3 Natural Ways to Clean Indoor Air

Turns out that indoor air can often contain more toxins and chemicals than outdoor air. Everything from mattresses to pots/pans to kids PJs can contain harmful chemicals in indoor air.

It’s best to reduce chemical exposure in any way possible, but in today’s world, it is practically impossible to completely avoid harmful chemicals.  For the remaining chemicals in indoor air, there are some natural ways to help reduce your family’s exposure.

I’ve mentioned houseplants before and they are a great option for improving indoor air (read my full list of recommended plants here). We have about eight indoor plants and I’m hoping to add more soon. For those who don’t want the upkeep of indoor plants or can’t have them due to pets/kids/etc, there are some other natural options.

Besides indoor plants, these are my top three natural air cleaners (and I use all three):

Beeswax Candles

Regular paraffin candles are petroleum derived and can release chemicals like benzene,  toluene, soot and other chemicals into the air. These types of candles do more harm than good for indoor air quality and should be avoided.

Pure Beeswax Candles on the other hand burn with almost no smoke or scent and clean the air by releasing negative ions into the air. These negative ions can bind with toxins and help remove them from the air.

Beeswax candles are often especially helpful for those with asthma or allergies and they are effective at removing common allergens like dust and dander from the air. Beeswax candles also burn more slowly than paraffin candles so they last much longer.

I personally only use beeswax candles in our house. We buy them by the case and our favorites are:

• Tea-light beeswax candles
• Votive size beeswax candles

Salt Lamps

Salt lamps are another natural way to clean indoor air. They are made from himalayan salt crystals and just like the beeswax candles, they release negative ions in to the air to help clean it. They are also a beautiful light source. The only downside…. my kids like to lick them!

“The Himalayan Natural Crystal Salt Lamp also works as an air purifier. When lit, the lamp emits negative ions that fight against positively charged particles that cause you to feel stuffy and sluggish. The lit salt crystal clears the air naturally of allergens like smoke, pet dander, pollens, and other air pollutants. It dilutes odors so that you can breathe easier. People with asthma often find it helpful in reducing their symptoms. You can keep the lamp lit for as long as you like to maintain this purifying effect.” (from this description)

We don’t do night lights in our kids rooms, but if we did or if we need a light source at night for reading, we use salt lamps. The natural orange glow doesn’t disrupt sleep hormones like fluorescent or blue lights do and I find it very relaxing.

We have an 8-inch salt lamp that we use regularly (it is also the most cost effective for its size, as the bigger lamps can get very pricey).

Bamboo Charcoal

Another natural air cleaning option I recently discovered is bamboo charcoal. I’ve talked about one of my unusual uses for charcoal before and we use a charcoal block water filter to remove toxins from our water.

Charcoal can have the same toxin-removing effect on the air. We use bamboo charcoal in burlap bags in our house. They work wonders for odor removal and removing toxins from the air:

“Moso air purifying bags, made of linen and filled with bamboo charcoal, absorb unpleasant odors and dehumidify the air. The porous structure of the high density bamboo charcoal helps remove bacteria, harmful pollutants and allergens from the air and absorbs moisture, preventing mold and mildew by trapping the impurities inside each pore. The Moso air purifying bag has been scientifically proven to reduce the  amount of formaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, and chloroform gases emitted from everyday items such as paint, carpeting, furniture, air fresheners, chemical cleaners, rubber, and plastics. Toxin free, the bags are safe to use around pets and children. The bamboo charcoal rejuvenates when the bags are placed in sunlight once a month. You can reuse the bags for two years, after which the charcoal can be poured into the soil around plants to fertilize and help retain moisture. (source)

I’ve found that these are also great for removing odors from cars or from the bathroom (especially if you have recently potty-trained boys who don’t always have perfect aim!).

We use these Mosu bags in every room of our house.

All Natural Homemade Sunscreen

With summer approaching it is time to start stocking up on those summer essentials to keep our skin happy and healthy. But be wary of what you put on your body.

The average drugstore sunscreen contains toxic chemicals as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals that studies have shown to promote skin cancer growth as well as free radicals in the body. Many of these ingredients are even found in some “all-natural” sunscreens.

Making your own sunscreen is simple, but it does require some tools and materials that cannot be found at your local grocery store. If you prefer to stick with the store bought stuff or need some sunscreen on the go, stick to the brands listed here. These are the best on the market. My personal favorites are Badger and California Baby, both relatively easy to find at your local Whole Foods and some drugstores.

Be aware that the sun provides are bodies with vitamin D, an essential vitamin for health. We need about 20 minutes of full face and arm exposure (no sunscreen) every day  for adequate vitamin D absorption, even more in the winter months. As most people do not work outdoors, it can be a challenge to get enough sun, especially when the majority of people apply lotions or makeup with sunscreen on a daily basis. Vitamin D deficiencies have increased with the rise in use of sunscreen products as has skin cancer.

Do not use sunscreen every day and steer clear of any sunscreens with harsh chemicals. When planning for a long day in the sun, limit your exposure by wearing a wide brimmed hat and clothing that provides more coverage. In a situation in which sunscreen is required, either pick up one of the brands noted above or try this homemade remedy from Wellness Mama:

Natural Homemade Sunscreen Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup oil (coconut, olive, almond or grapeseed are good)
• 5 tsp Zinc Oxide (available online or in many stores on the diaper aisle, just make sure it is pure zinc oxide)
• 1 TBSP Beeswax or emulsifying wax
• 3 TBSP natural aloe vera gel (not the kind with alcohol or propylene glycol)
• 1/2 cup distilled water or brewed green tea (strained)
• 2-3 capsules of Vitamin E oil (optional)
• 10 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract (optional)
• Essential Oils of Coconut Extract for scent (optional) [Note: do not use citrus essential oils since they can actually cause burning]

How To Make Natural Sunscreen:

1. Heat Oil and beeswax on double boiler until just melted.
2. Remove from heat, and add vitamin E and essential oils.
3. Put into bowl that will not be used for food, and add zinc oxide powder, set aside.
4. In small pan, heat water or tea and aloe vera until just warm.
5. Add the water/aloe mixture slowly while whisking vigorously or use an immersion blender.
6. Add any additional essential oils or fragrances (except citrus)

Additional Notes:

• This sunscreen is not completely waterproof and will need to be reapplied after sweating or swimming
• Make sure not to inhale the Zinc Oxide- use a mask
• This recipe has an SPF of about 20, though adding more Zinc Oxide will increase the SPF
• Add more beeswax to make thicker sunscreen, less to make smooth sunscreen
• I recommend coconut or vanilla extract or lavender essential oils for fragrance
• Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge
• I prefer to store in a small canning jar and apply like a body butter. It will be thicker, especially if you use coconut oil in the recipe.

Enjoy, stay safe, and have a wonderful summer!