Living Unrefined: beauty

Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts

Homemade Deodorant in Under 20 Minutes!

Hello to everyone visiting from Pinterest! I'm so happy that you've found my little corner of the Internet :) There's quite a bit here to explore, so please have a look around! Also, I'd love it if you would join us over on Facebook:

Husband is a stinky man. Seriously. Stink-y.

He, therefore, is a deodorant addict. An aluminum-preservative-and-fragrance-laden deodorant addict.

Correction: he was a stinky, deodorant addict. Cue the homemade deodorant!

I can make a batch (about 1 cup) in way under 20 minutes, including cleaning time. The beeswax and shea make cleaning a bit of a pain, so I've culled one of my old pans to use just for recipes with the messy ingredients in them. The greatest part is that it actually works! Day one of testing went something like this (ok, it went exactly like this)...

It looks like a lot of expensive ingredients, but you can make enough deodorant for the rest of your life from these. Also, I use everything here in other concoctions. Arrowroot powder is a great corn starch sub for thickening sauces (and is non-GMO!), beeswax & shea go in my balm, I put orange oil in with my vinegar/water cleaner, and tea tree oil is great for minor scrapes and cuts.

The "bare bones" recipe is just coconut oil, baking soda, and arrowroot powder. Here's what the rest of the ingredients do (so you can decide if you want to use them, too):

Orange oil - smells yummy
Tea tree oil - natural antimicrobial (so it helps to kill the stinky bacteria)
Beeswax - thicker texture and helps emulsify
Shea - moisturizes & promotes smoother pits

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup GMO-free baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons beeswax
2 tablespoons shea butter
1/4 teaspoon orange oil
1 teaspoon tea tree oil

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the orange and tea tree oil in a small pan.

2. Cook while stirring over medium heat until everything is dissolved.

3. Stir in the orange and tea tree oil.

4. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

5. When the mixture just starts to thicken, stir and pour into a glass container (Hobby Lobby!)

Usage

A little goes a loooong way! Scoop a tiny bit on to your finger and rub in under your pits. If you get too much, you could leave greasiness on your clothes (ick). I have a big jar of it in the bathroom and a little travel container in my desk drawer. This stuff is powerful, so I can often skip days and not have any smelliness!

Homemade Beeswax Balm {multipurpose}

I was at a fancy spa last week and fell in love with a line of natural smelly-good body products that they carried: Zents. The smells were fantastic, and their balm, Concreta, was fantastically formulated. Then I flipped the cute little sample boxes over. Holy Cow! $34 for 1.25 ounces of balm! I'm pretty sure I audibly gasped...

Then I read the ingredients: beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil, scented oils. Seriously. That was it.

And, just like that, a new DIY project was born.

I added cypress essential oil for its muscle relaxation properties, rose hip seed oil for its skin regeneration properties, carrot seed oil for its anti-aging and detox properties, and orange oil for an energizing scent. You really can go wild, though, and add in any essential oils for their medicinal properties or their scents!

I think I'll be making another batch with calendula oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil, and tea tree oil and use it as a healing balm (just like All Good Goop!).

Ingredients

3 ounces unrefined beeswax (3/4 cup if you get the same size product as me)

Unrefined beeswax is yellow, so your balm will be
yellow. The Zents balm must have used refined
beeswax, since their product is so white.

3 1/2 ounces unrefined shea butter (1/2 cup)

5 ounces unrefined coconut oil (3/4 cup)

1/8 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon cypress essential oil
2 teaspoons rose hip seed oil
1/2 teaspoon carrot seed oil
1 tablespoon orange oil

Directions

1. Combine the wax, shea, coconut, and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. The texture will be weird and soupy, since the coconut oil melts at 76 degrees and the beeswax doesn't melt until 140 degrees.

2. Stir the mixture until the beeswax starts to break apart. This may take a little white, because you are waiting for the mixture to come up to 140-ish. {Note: do not stick your candy thermometer in the mix, because you will NEVER be able to wash the waxy balm off of it... Still trying...}

3. When the wax starts to melt, whisk until it all makes one happy pool of clear, yellow liquid. Remove from heat. Dip a spoon into the liquid and then let it cool. Check the texture. If you want it more solid, add more beeswax and put it back on the heat until it melts. If you want it more creamy, add more coconut oil or olive oil.

4. Add it your essential oils and stir well. If the oils make the mixture re-solidify, just put it back on the heat until its all melted again.

5. Spoon or pour into jars. I found these adorable 4-ounce jars at Hobby Lobby to use as gifts {teacher appreciation week and Mother's Day!} I filled 6, so you should get about 24 ounces out of this recipe. If you need less, you can half the recipe.

I ended up spending about what I would have spent on 1.25 ounces of the fancy Zents Concretas on what will make about a lifetime supply of the exact same recipe!

A few hints to make your process a little smoother than my first go at it was:

Don't use anything that can't go in the dishwasher.
Be careful not to get the ingredients or the final product on your countertops - they are really hard to get completely cleaned off.
When you're done, stick the pan and utensils in the dishwasher and wash on hot with vinegar. Then, run it again with dishwasher soap.

Aloe Vera Gel Hair Mask - One-Ingredient, One-Hour to Healthy, Shiny Hair!!!

I'm absolutely NOT retracting my love for my coconut oil hair mask, but I have found another new love! One of the commenters on the coconut oil mask post suggested an aloe treatment. Since aloe gel is relatively inexpensive, and since I have an obsession with trying new natural remedies, I couldn't wait to give it a go...

Step 1: Wash, condition, and towel dry your hair as usual.

Step 2: Apply a generous amount of REAL aloe gel to your hair, root to end. Don't buy the blue crap (or the clear crap next to it) in the sun-care aisle of your supermarket. Go to the natural care section and look for real aloe gel, or get it online (I found it at about half the price online!).

The good stuff!

Even this "100% Gel" version has crummy ingredients!
(Aloe Vera Gel, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate,
Carbomer 940, Tetrasodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin,
Diazolidinyl Urea) - Talk about misleading marketing tactics!!

Step 3: Put a shower cap on and wait about an hour.

Step 4: Rinse hair and dry/style as usual! So shiny and clean!

For me, at least, I like the aloe better for dull or icky-feeling hair, while the coconut oil is better for dry, damaged hair. In my world, that translates to coconut oil in the winter and aloe in the summer (with a little overlap here and there).

Have you tried both? Which is your favorite?

What's on the Outside Counts, Too!

Until I was pregnant with Little Bear, I never thought twice about what was in the soaps, cosmetics, lotions, or other body products that I used. The fact that everything that goes on your body eventually ends up in your body was not something that I concerned myself with - at all. I was the biggest fan of yummy-scented Bath and Body Works products, paraben-laden name-brand hair products, and tons of other stuff drenched in the "bad" ingredients that I now steer away from.

Straight from FDA website...

I thought that if the FDA allowed it to be sold, it must be (at least mostly) safe. After tons of research (online, not in a lab - I missed that calling a long time ago) and as a much wiser and more cynical person, I've learned that it's almost always better not to trust your health and well-being to someone else, including the government.

Did you know that the FDA doesn't even regulate the cosmentic industry? In fact, no one does! That's not to say that the government and the consmetic companies have bad intentions or are intentionally harmful, but I'm just not willing to give control of my health over to companies who, as they arguably should be, are out to make a dollar (or a billion). Why wouldn't they use toxic chemicals that make their products cheaper and seem more effective to consumers if it made more money for their shareholders?

I'm also not saying that it's necessary to go 100% natural and give up all of your beauty favs, but it's at least worth thinking about. Rather than undergoing a full beauty overhaul - which can be super expensive since body products and cosmetics are generally NOT cheap - I, for the most part, phased out my products one-by-one as they ran out. I kept a few guilty pleasures (ahem, Got2b Powderful Texturizer), but have switched out most of my beauty regimen for all (or mostly all) natural products. I found my new favorite brands, and haven't missed my old ones one bit! For the most part, there truly is a natural alternative that works just as good if not better than its conventional counterpart.

As a guide, I use the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database to look up products and check their toxicity rating. EWG is an independent company based out of California that does not receive any funding from any cosmetic or beauty product corporation. Along with great articles about product safety, they've rated thousands of products from 0 to 10 based on the available research (or lack of research) that's been done on the products' ingredients. This is such a great, free resource for learning more about the effects your beauty products could be having on your health.

If you're strapped for time, the EWG has put together a few quick-reference guides:

Some biggie ingredients to avoid are parabens (a common preservative), PEGs, sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate (in most soaps, but it wreaks havoc on your skin), oxybenzone (in sunscreens and other SPF products, but is linked to cancer), and phthalates (linked to male infertility, among others).

I know it seems like a lot, but your health is so worth it!

As a cautionary aside - be careful with labels that claim that a product is "organic" or "natural," because often times the actual list of ingredients only contains some organic or natural ingredients. I've been duped by misleading labels enough times to be very skeptical about products with these claims (especially from brands that also make conventional products). If you're going to try the natural body products, take the time to read the ingredient list before making your purchase!

Some of my favorite brands that I've found to be pretty trustworthy with all-good ingredients are:

Yes to
Burt's Bees
Shea Moisture
La Mellite
Bare Escentuals
Kiss My Face
Mrs. Meyers

Seventh Generation
California Baby
Yes to Baby Carrots
100% Pure

Not Everything Causes Cancer!

I was at Target looking at a new cosmetic line that they are carrying that is supposed to be more natural and pure than conventional brands. I picked up a moisturizer and saw "methylparaben" on the ingredient list. I commented to the product spokeswoman that I was surprised to see a paraben preservative in a line that was advertised to be even somewhat natural with all of the research linking them to cancer. Her response was, "Yeah, but everything causes cancer these days." REALLY?

I am so tired of hearing this excuse for not making healthy choices! NO, not 'everything' causes cancer! YES, most processed, altered, "foreign,"fake foods/products probably are linked to cancer. But, I highly doubt that we'll ever see a study linking quinoa or coconut oil or organic carrots to cancer.

It's very unfortunate that the vast majority of the grocery and health products available do have ingredients that are cancer-linked. But, it's inaccurate to think that it would be impossible to make healthy choices and avoid a good bit of the risk-raising products.

Since so many of our food and health products are filled with GMOs and artificial everything, it's true that a huge majority of the available foods/products are dangerous at some level. The pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides used on conventionally grown crops, and the manmade artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors that are put in so many non-organic, processed foods, and the GMO feed, appalling farming techniques (feeding corn and chicken feces to cattle!), hormones, and antibiotics associated with modern animal production are the real problem.

It's not fair to say that "everything causes cancer" or that "there's a new study everyday saying that a food/product is unsafe." In reality, more accurate statements would be that "everything artificial causes cancer" and that "there's a new study everyday saying that an artificial food/product is unsafe. I'd hardly say that veering away from artificial, refined, and processed food and health products is far from impossible.

When the only goal of conventional food production is to make the most money while spending the least, would you really expect that the products that come out of this industry to be beneficial to your health? It's generally only after newly-invented, manmade products have been on the market for a while that researchers (and consumers) start to notice the harmful side-effects of these products. **Cue the daily reports on which products are unsafe and cancer-causing**

That's my rant for the day/week(?)... What is your take on the topic?

PERFECT Hair Mask (Yet Another Reason Why Coconut Oil Is the Best)

It's no secret that I'm in love with about five single-ingredient products: coconut oil, chia seeds, bee pollen, witch hazel, and beer. Wait. Beer... what? I mean... coffee. Yeah, coffee.

Anyway, back to coconut oil. I literally use coconut oil for everything. EVERYTHING. Frying, baking, spreading, facial moisturizer, body lotion, after-sun care, nutritional supplement, hand cream, boo-boo cream (I have a 2-year-old, so give me some slack. It's boo-boo and potty and wee-wee for now, ok?). One of my favorite coconut oil uses, though, is as a hair mask. I have really fine hair. When it's healthy, it shines like crazy. But, when it's dried out, it's crunchy and frizzy. Not pretty wavy and textured, but crunchy (I know you know what I mean...).

I figured one day several months ago that if I use coconut oil for everything else, why not in my hair?! Here's how it works:

Start with an unrefined coconut oil (I'm a big Nutiva fan, and it can usually be found for pretty cheap on Amazon).

It'll be a solid in the tub, but will quickly melt in your hand.

After your shower at night, take between a teaspoon and a tablespoon-sized glob (it's a word) in your fingers, depending on the length of your hair.

Work quickly to massage it through your hair. You'll want to make sure you've covered all the way from your roots to your ends. Use extra oil, if needed.

Find a way to pull your hair up and back so it's not flopping around. I braid the bottom of my hair and then secure it to the back and top of my head with bobby pins. For some reason I always feel like Katniss Everdeen when I do this (laugh if you want, but it's the little things that get us through, right?).

Sleep with your hair this way (use a shower cap, if you are worried about greasing up your pillowcase).

In the morning, wash and condition your hair as usual. When your hair dries, it'll be super silky, shiny, and soft! For me, it lasts about a week in turbo hair mode and then starts to wear off.

Depending on your particular hair type, repeat every week to two weeks, as needed.

Let me know if you've tried this before or if you give it a go for the first time - I love to hear feedback on my favorite things (good and bad!)!

Homemade Pore Strip Mask!

I came across a similar recipe on Pinterest and then did some research. Everything I read was positive, so I gave it a try... LOVE!

It was soooo cheap to make ($2.18 for four envelopes of gelatin), and it really did work! One cautionary word - it hurts like a B (as in Biore, of course) when you pull it off. Be careful around your eyebrows and hair line! If it hurts to badly when you're peeling, just dampen the mask with a little bit of water, and it'll soften up (but, no pain no gain!).

Also, this is so great to do right after a clay mask. The clay draws the toxins to the surface, and the mask peels the leftovers away!

Getting Dirty!

I have found the best and cheapest skin care product EVER! Seriously, ever. Are you ready for this? Really ready?

It's Dirt!

Well, clay actually, but dirt's dirt, right?

I read about clay's incredibly complex characteristics and uses over at A Real Food Lover and figured, "what the clay"! [my mom thinks I'm funny. I swear.] I've had skin issues since Little Bear was born, so I figured I'd add it to the list of supposed magical remedies and get to trying it eventually.

I found it in a grocery store for just 7 bucks, so I thought Mom and I could try it out. Oh Em Gee! (ordinarily I hate that phrase, but it seems very fitting here...)

Not only did it extract all the ickies from my pores, both clogged and not, but it also closed my gaping pores up without a trace of Little Bear left on my face! My mom likened it to a microdermabrasion, but I never cared for them and I LOVED this.

I'd definitely say that this is something to move to the top of your "to try" list, especially with a price tag of around 7 bucks or less (usually less than $6 on Amazon)!

Where to find it? You should be able to pick a jar of clay up at a health food store, a natural health store, or even online. I've been using this brand, but any clay powder should work relatively similarly. I wouldn't get hung up on the "type" of clay or the brand (e.g., bentonite v. kaolin). Dirt's dirt, right?

The How's and the To's The process is a little messy, but the procedure is super easy.

Mix equal parts of clay powder with equal parts water (or for really deep cleaning, use raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar). Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.
Once most of the lumps can be stirred out of the mixture, apply liberally to your face. You will want to really cake it on - a minimum of 1/4-inch thick. You'll probably feel like the swamp thing, but this can be used to your advantage [think about how many veggies your little ones will eat while the swamp thing is watching them, or how much more willing your loud neighbor will be to turn their d**n music down when the crazy swamp thing lady next door asks them].
Cover your face with a damp cloth (or plastic wrap, if you're desperate - don't suffocate!).
Let the mask set for 20 minutes to an hour.
Use a wash cloth to remove the mask, and wash your face well.
Dry, tone and moisturize your skin. DONE!

Notable Notes A few things to keep in mind:

You're not supposed to let the mixture come in contact with anything metal, including the mixing spoon and bowl, but if you're having trouble mixing the paste, the mini food processor is really helpful! Otherwise, make sure to use glass, ceramic, or plastic for mixing and applying.

If you don't have time to sit still long enough to cover your face with a damp cloth, you can let the mask dry without a cover. From what I've read, the cloth helps the mask be more effective, but I've had good results without a cloth, too.

You will most likely feel your face pulsate a few minutes after application. This is normal (and really cool). I think it has something to do with drawing your blood to the surface and helping to detox.

Once you've removed the mask, your black heads will be all loosened up and a pore strip will be super effective. I read a review on Amazon to this effect, so I tried it. SUPER CLEAN SKIN!

In addition to your face, try using the mask on your feet (especially the bottoms of your feet). Your feet are a major "port of detox" for your body, so a good foot detox really helps to detox your whole body.

You can make the clay mixture thicker and use it to pull out infection or other skin maladies just about anywhere on your body. I used it to cure a little hangnail infection (darn those suckers are annoying) in just two one-hour applications. The clay actually drew out all of the nasty infection stuff (let's just say it was really gross when I removed the clay...) and made the infection go away all together. It's also wonderful for pulling the poison out of insect bites (fire ants!). I saved Little Bear from a nasty slew of itchy ant bites by caking on the clay and wrapping his ant-bite-ridden feet in plastic bags for 45 minutes. They never even made him itch!

There are a ton of other uses for clay, but I haven't had a chance to try them out. If you're interested, I highly recommend checking out my inspiration for this post over at A Real Food Lover!

Tricky, Tricky

I could write a whole book on this one, but I've really been frustrated with it this week so just a quick rant for now.

It seems like as the market for natural products grows (yay!), so does the prevalence of misleading product labels (boo!). I understand that it is not the big companies' jobs to make sure that we are making the best choices for our health, but do they really have to twist every word and even exploit possible syntax confusion just to make an extra sale?

To me it comes down to integrity. It just goes to show that you really have to own your own health. You cannot rely on other people or companies to make smart decisions for you. Reading ingredient labels is key, because packaging claims are simply not dependable. If you don't know what an ingredient is, look it up (or ask me and I'll look it up for you)!

I put some pictures together, but I left off the company names. I did this because there are so many companies who use misleading labels that I didn't want to single out just a couple to make my point. I'll probably be writing a product review about some of these shortly (let me know if there are other products that you have questions about - I'll be happy to try them out/read up on them!).