Just starting a thread in regards to what healthier ways we can moisturize, wash our hair, brush our teeth, wash our bodies etcetc.
All the information seems to be scattered around on the forum, so I'll try and put some together.
Face
Most forum members see lard and olive oil with essential oils to be the greatest kind of moisturizers, and of course coconut oil. Itellsya informed me that coconut oil can be known to clog the pores, I did a little research and that IS the case for some but not for others.
Eyes
I found a website which had a few natural ways to replace the nasty chemicals in makeup, I made the mascara which is awesome, and it comes off straight away with just your fingers! :http://ditchthewheat.com/all-natural-homemade-mascara-and-other-homemade-beauty-products/
I've used cacao powder for eye shadow or a kind-of blush, but it easily goes clumpy or whatever when your face has just been moisturized, so I'm not sure how that would work for others.
Hair
Baking Soda & Apple Cider Vinegar are real good ones, especially when you get Bob Red Mill's baking soda. Only thing is, your hair gets used to whatever you try and use..
I then tried Cacao powder & Lemon juice, which is good but the real problem is measuring them out at different quantities and either over doing it or under doing it
Eggs
Aloe Vera gel & Coconut milk
Soap Nuts - these are really good for washing your clothes also!!
Most of these needs some kind of acidic component to balance out the pH level in our hair.
Teeth
I've been using this recipe:
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Peppermint Oil
Bicarbonate of Soda
Calcium Carbonate
Xylitol
Salt
That seems to work great, but sometimes I get lazy and only use bicarb (which leaves the toothbrush smelling foul)
I know my friend uses Kingfisher Baking Soda (Flouride free) toothpaste, I've used it a few times and it's really good! Especially if you like the whole lathering process and want a minty fresh after taste
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingfisher-Toothpaste-Baking-Fluoride-100ml/dp/B002E2N8YC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1423663174&sr=8-2&keywords=kingfisher+baking+soda)
Washing the body
The toothpaste kind of recipes work well for scrubbing those parts that sweat! Coconut oil and bicarb tend to be pretty good for cleaning. I'm not too fond of all the soaps like Castille and Soap nuts, they tend to make the skin pretty dry. I'm sure if you made a kind-of coconut milk/ aloe vera/ soap nut recipe that would work well. But as for most of us being allergic to coconut milk, I'm not entirely sure it'd be the best to start rubbing it on your skin
I'm guessing most of you guys have your own little nacks on 'beauty regimes', and I'd love to hear about them!
All the information seems to be scattered around on the forum, so I'll try and put some together.
Face
Most forum members see lard and olive oil with essential oils to be the greatest kind of moisturizers, and of course coconut oil. Itellsya informed me that coconut oil can be known to clog the pores, I did a little research and that IS the case for some but not for others.
:http://coconut-oil-tips.com/beauty/does-coconut-oil-clog-pores/Does Coconut Oil Clog Pores?
Coconut oil seems to block some people’s pores but not others. Why? Coconut oil is considered to be fairly comedogenic. A comodegenic substance is one that is likely to block pores of susceptible people. Comodegens aren’t guaranteed to block or clog pores, but they could. On a scale of four where four is “most comodegenic”, coconut oil rates as about a two. However:
Whether a person is susceptible to getting clogged pores boils down to their skin type. First of all, pores are clogged when debris like dead skin cells, natural skin oil and bacteria get blocked in, resulting in a blackhead or whitehead. Large pores are easier to clog than small ones: If you have large pores and tend to get blackheads, then yes, coconut oil might clog your pores if you use it as a face moisturizer — especially if you don’t exfoliate first.
You can tell you have large pores if you have oily skin. Small pores, on the other hand, are too narrow to secrete enough of the skin’s natural oil and often mean dry skin. For that matter, small pores aren’t big enough to hold much debris at all, and therefore don’t have much to clog in the first place. People with small pores and non-sensitive skin will likely have better success with coconut oil.
Eyes
I found a website which had a few natural ways to replace the nasty chemicals in makeup, I made the mascara which is awesome, and it comes off straight away with just your fingers! :http://ditchthewheat.com/all-natural-homemade-mascara-and-other-homemade-beauty-products/
Ingredients
2 tsp coconut oil
4 tsp aloe vera gel
1 tsp grated beeswax (grate then measure)
1 – 2 capsules of activated charcoal (for black)* OR ½ tsp cocoa powder (for Brown)
Instructions
Put coconut oil, aloe vera gel, and grated bees wax in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until beeswax is completely melted.
For Black Mascara: Open 1 – 2 capsules of activated charcoal (depending on desired color, about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp) and pour into oil mixture. Stir until completely incorporated. Remove from heat. For Brown Mascara: Mix in Cocoa Powder.
Pour into a small plastic bag, pushing the mixture down to one corner. Then cut a very small hole in the opposite corner of the bag.
Fold the corner with the cut whole until you have a small tip that you can push into the empty and clean mascara container. (It’s much easier if you have an extra set of hands nearby to hold the tube in place!) Make sure the tip goes far enough into the tube or you’ll have a big mess on your hands! (You can also use a syringe for an ever easier experience).
Keep the small-hole-end securely in the tube (or get your helper to hold it in place). Begin pressing the mascara mixture toward the tube. Don’t move too quickly or it will come out and you’ll have mess to deal with. (I highly recommend doing this with a paper towel or napkin underneath.) Keep moving the mixture into the tube until it’s all in.
Place the inner cap in place and then twist the wand on tightly.
I've used cacao powder for eye shadow or a kind-of blush, but it easily goes clumpy or whatever when your face has just been moisturized, so I'm not sure how that would work for others.
Hair
Baking Soda & Apple Cider Vinegar are real good ones, especially when you get Bob Red Mill's baking soda. Only thing is, your hair gets used to whatever you try and use..
Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in just enough water to make a paste. Apply this to your roots only; work it in and let it sit for a minute.
In order to stimulate blood flow, clean your pores and get off built up grime, use your finger tips to scrub your scalp. Start by making a circle on the top of your head in the area you’d wear a crown. Focus on the back of this circle to begin with. Next, fill in the circle. This is where your part will be; grease here affects the way your hair looks. Trace while still scrubbing with your fingertips around the bottom edge of the circle. Keep making scrubbing circles underneath each one, drawing lines in circles around your head.
Lastly, scrub the back of your skull and your temples/sideburns. This will result in less grease and more growth. After doing this, your scalp will feel alive. Many women swear their hair grows faster after a visit to the salon — it does, and this massage method is why.
Next, pour about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a cup and add water. (I keep two plastic 12-ounce cups in my shower and just mix when I get in.) After you rinse the baking soda out, pour the apple cider vinegar over the ends of your hair, let it sit for a minute and then rinse it out. That’s all there is to it!
I then tried Cacao powder & Lemon juice, which is good but the real problem is measuring them out at different quantities and either over doing it or under doing it
Eggs
Aloe Vera gel & Coconut milk
:http://www.thankyourbody.com/ph-balanced-shampoo-recipe/Ingredients
1 can of Coconut Milk (or about 1 1/2 cups if you like to make it yourself.) (like this)
1 3/4 cups pure aloe vera gel (like this)
Optional: Essential oils (learn how to get my favorite essential oils at wholesale prices here.)
Directions
1. Mix both ingredients in a bowl using a wire whisk to fully incorporate.
2. Pour mixture into ice cube trays. (I used two full trays.)
3. Put in freezer and wait a few hours until frozen completely. At this point you can transfer them to some sort of bag or container, or just keep them in the trays.
To use: Take one cube out before you want to use it (at least the night before) and keep it in a small container or bowl in the fridge until you are ready to shower. Use as you would normal shampoo (about a quarter size amount).
Work into the scalp and then move toward the ends of your hair. Let sit for 30 seconds or so and then rinse completely. This will not lather… so don’t keep adding more thinking it will get your hair “more clean.” Like all good things in life, a little goes a long way. I would also HIGHLY recommend using an apple cider vinegar rinse, especially if you experience that ‘waxy’ feeling after using this.
Place any remaining mixture back in the fridge to use next time you wash your hair. The shelf life of each cube is about 1 week in the fridge. Just be sure to take a new cube out when you use up the other one.
Soap Nuts - these are really good for washing your clothes also!!
Soak a handful of soap nuts (about 8-10 for medium-length hair) in about 300 ml of water overnight.
Next morning, squeeze and pulp the softened soap-nuts with your fingers. Discard the seeds.
Use the resulting liquid just as you would use a shampoo, only more liberally.
Use a natural conditioner if you find your hair too dry. You can use a beaten egg (leave it on for a few minutes,once you are ready in the shower), or coconut oil (applied and massaged into the hair 30 minutes in advance) before using the soap-nut solution.
Apply, leave it on for 2 minutes, and wash off.
It's okay if some of the pulp gets into your hair - it'll all wash off. It will leave only a fresh clean feeling and a faint whiff of leaves.
Most of these needs some kind of acidic component to balance out the pH level in our hair.
Teeth
I've been using this recipe:
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Peppermint Oil
Bicarbonate of Soda
Calcium Carbonate
Xylitol
Salt
That seems to work great, but sometimes I get lazy and only use bicarb (which leaves the toothbrush smelling foul)
:http://paleoleap.com/brush-your-teeth-the-paleo-way/Basic ingredients:
1/4 cup raw coconut oil – antibacterial properties
1-2 tablespoons baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) – used as an abrasive, deodorizer, and tooth whitener
Mix together to the desired consistency.
Use any of the following ingredients as variants:
Abrasives: salt, pumice, kaolin, bentonite, calcium carbonate (chalk), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
Antimicrobials: Antimicrobials prevent the development of bacteria, some viruses, and fungi. Use oils of basil, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, lemon, oregano, peppermint, tee tree, thyme, or grapefruit seed extract.
Peppermint also inhibits biofilm (plaque) formation.
Cinnamon essential oil has antiseptic properties but may irritate mucous membranes for some
Grapefruit seed extract is a broad spectrum natural antibiotic with antioxidant properties. It can also act as a natural preservative.
Sweetener (for fussy children): Stevia powder or liquid
Preservatives: Coconut has antibacterial properties, but to further ensure that your product won’t spoil, add a few drops of one or more of these antibacterial essential oils – sanguinarea extract (1), myrrh extract (an antioxidant with antibacterial and astringent properties), lavender, grapefruit seed extract, lemon, oregano, or tea tree.
I know my friend uses Kingfisher Baking Soda (Flouride free) toothpaste, I've used it a few times and it's really good! Especially if you like the whole lathering process and want a minty fresh after taste
(http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingfisher-Toothpaste-Baking-Fluoride-100ml/dp/B002E2N8YC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1423663174&sr=8-2&keywords=kingfisher+baking+soda)
Ingredients
Glycerin (Vegetable)
Sodium Bicarbonate
Aqua
Calcium Carbonate (Chalk)
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosnate (Palm oil)
Cellulose Gum (Plant fibre)
Mentha Piperita & Limonene (Peppermint)
Mentha Viiridis (Spearmint)
Washing the body
The toothpaste kind of recipes work well for scrubbing those parts that sweat! Coconut oil and bicarb tend to be pretty good for cleaning. I'm not too fond of all the soaps like Castille and Soap nuts, they tend to make the skin pretty dry. I'm sure if you made a kind-of coconut milk/ aloe vera/ soap nut recipe that would work well. But as for most of us being allergic to coconut milk, I'm not entirely sure it'd be the best to start rubbing it on your skin
I'm guessing most of you guys have your own little nacks on 'beauty regimes', and I'd love to hear about them!