DIY Vegan Body Butter Bars

I love the popularity of lotion bars these days.  Of course, I would rather make them myself to reduce wasted packaging and to ensure the ingredients are safe for my ridiculously sensitive skin.  With a little one, I wanted something safe to use around her.  I also wanted something without beeswax which is a common ingredient in many of the bars on the market as well as many of the DIY recipes I found on the internet.  So, after some testing, this was the recipe I used.

I choose coconut oil not only for its moisturizing properties as an oil, but also due to its high content of vitamin E which is known for its antioxidant properties in repairing skin.  Unlike palm oil, more is being done to ensure sustainable practices are put in place with the increase in popularity of coconut oil.  As always, it is best to do your own research before purchasing to ensure the company you are purchasing from is instituting these practices.

Shea butter is also high in Vitamin E.  It has some of the same moisturizers produced by our own skin making perfect sense as to why it has been popular with the cosmetics industry for some time.  The popularity of shea butter and rise in its fair trade have not only lead to increases in environmentally but also economically sustainable practices with its production.

I choose to use Lavender for my essential oil.  I chose lavender as summer is approaching, and lavender is known as a natural mosquito repellent.  Lavender is also known to be relaxing which I know as a mom to a toddler, I know I can use.

You can use whatever essential oil you prefer, however, you should take safety into consideration.  I would avoid any citrus based essential oils due to photosensitivity they may cause.  Also consider whether you will have little ones around.  Since I have a little one, I avoided peppermint and eucalyptus despite these being scents I enjoy.  Both are known to cause respiratory with small children.  If you have pets, you will want to take their sensitivities into consideration as well.  When in doubt, consult a certified aromatherapist before using any essential oil.  I also highly recommend checking out this site for further questions about essential oils including where to find a certified aromatherapist in your area.  I appreciate their emphasis on safety and testing.

So, here is my recipe:

Materials:

Mason Jar
Pot
Bamboo Skewer
Measuring Cup
Water
Canning Rack or Canning Tongs
1/2 cup Fair Trade Unrefined Shea Butter
1/2 cup Organic, virgin unrefined Coconut Oil
4-6 drops of Essential Oil
Silicone molds
optional: silicone mat

1. Boil water.

2. Measure out the Coconut Oil and Shea Butter into the Mason Jar.

3. Place the jar into the boiling water.

4, Keep the jar in the boiling water until the Coconut Oil and Shea Butter have liquefied and well mixed by stirring occasionally with your bamboo skewer.

5. Carefully remove your Mason Jar either using the canning rack or canning tongs.

6. Allow your mix to cool slightly before adding 4-6 drops of your Essential Oil.

7. Carefully pour your mix into molds.  The size of your mold will determine how many bars you make.  I made 4 with mine. If you are concerned about your ability to pour into the molds, you may wish to place a silicone mat underneath the molds to catch any spillage.

8. Allow to cool until fully set usually at least 4 hours.

9. Remove from molds and store in an airtight container in a cool area. Room temperature is generally cool enough to prevent them from melting with air conditioning though I still would not recommend keeping them in the kitchen as anyone who uses coconut oil can attest to in the summer months.

10, Rub between your hands or directly on the skin you wish to moisturize.  The warmth of your skin will melt the bar enough to moisturize your skin.  The bars will keep for up to a year kept in an airtight container when not in use.

This post is part of series of eco-sustainable Diys from a group of bloggers I know.  Please check their posts out as well.

DIY Upcycled Corkboard
http://thepinkpaperdoll.com/make-your-own-corkboard/
Slow Fashion - Sashiko

http://greenissuessingapore.blogspot.com/2016/06/slow-fashion-sashiko.html

How to make your own bug spray and bug bite sticks:http://littlesproutslearning.co/make-bug-spray-bug-bite-sticks/ ‎

How To Build Your Own Vermicompost Factoryhttp://www.everchangeproductions.co/build-vermicompost-factory/ ‎

springy toes

spring is here, and i needed a break after another slow day at work which is always stressful for a waitress. so, i decided to myself an all out springy pedicure. at first, i just wanted to do my toesies. then, i looked at my poor feet and with it being sandal season soon figured i really needed to go all out especially with my rough heels. look, i'm honest and i have terrible problems with dry skin on my feet especially my heels. and, in the in between ridiculously cold and rough on my skin winter that ended here about the second week of march until now, i've kind of let my feet go. so, here's what i did and how it turned out:

1. removed all the polish from my toenails. oh hush it. it was only 2 toes on each feet to wear peep toe shoes as i previously posted about.
2. i buffed my nails with a buffer. this helps remove any ridges and stimulate circulation in nails, or so i've been told. i just use one from avon that my mom gave me a couple years ago for christmas.
3. gave them a good soak. i got out the little tub i use for foot soaks which really is just a tub leftover from a hospital visit. no fancy whirlpool for me. not that i wouldn't love one, but i just haven't made it a priority. i don't really use fancy schmanzy store bought foot soaks. i like to make my own. i love bubbles as i have mentioned before, so i use a bit of bubble bath solution usually something scented from bath and body works since i am a bit addicted to them. they are not the cheapest, but you can usually snag their products for a decent price like $3-$4 at their semi annual sales. if you want to get the latest info on their sales, sign up for their mailing list which is on the bottom right hand corner of the screen. added bonus is that they also tend to send out some awesome coupons via email like freebies with a purchase. this time i used tropical passionfruit which is a discontinued scent. then, i add homemade additives to benefit my skin depending on my needs. this time i went with oatmeal which is good for dry skin. just a few tablespoons will do the trick. and then, just let your feet soak for 15-20 minutes. i find this is a good time to watch a bit of tv or read.
4. then, i exfoliate with once again a homemade scrub. i made my own with a tablespoon of honey and salt. this works best with epsom salt but kosher salt or sea salt will do in a pinch. not only does the salt help to exfoliate the skin, but i find the deep rubbing to be soothing. and yet again, honey is supposed to be good for dry skin.
5. pumice, pumice, pumice. i use a motorized pumice wand, but there are a ton of products out there. and, i've tried just about all of them.
6. now, i moisturize. i used body butter. at night, i use petroleum jelly. its cheap and wonderful for moisturizing. at night, i will slather on the petroleum jelly and either put on some old cleaned out bread bags then cotton socks or just cotton socks if i'm too hot. they really help keep the moisture in.
7. after a good rinsing and drying, your toenails should be soft and easy to cut and file.
8. then, i started with a clear base coat.
9. followed with 2-3 coats of yellow polish, and let it dry completely. its very important that it be dry so the colors don't mix.
10. i then dipped a toothpick in blue nail polish and made dots on my toenails. originally, i thought this would be springy like decorated easter eggs; but now i think they remind me of cupcakes. i guess i really have food on the brain.

and, now i have springy toes.

the miracle of the baby oil bath and its dangers

i know i can't stop talking about ways i've been dealing with my dry skin, but its really an issue for me this winter. since i was lucky enough to get my father's skin, i've been dealing with this issue for years. i know the order of strength of moisturizer from lotion to cream to body butter to oil. in fact, i have a saying i tell my dad all the time with his hands and feet. i tell him cream not lotion. he even repeats it back to me. its actually kind of cute but just to us. well, this is beyond a cream solution. i for some reason fall prey to pretty packaging and have been known to buy bath oils. to save money, i thought i would go old school and use baby oil. i started up by oiling up after the bath. this still wasn't helping in hard to reach places namely my back. so, i decided to start adding a capful to my bath at night after i had already washed my hair. works like a miracle. and, i must admit i still love the fragrance. problem is you really need to be careful or you'll end up like me with a some embarrassing bruises. the tub got slick thanks to the oil, and i had a nasty fall.

update on my wrinkle reducer post

to use the homemade wrinkle reducer i posted previously http://rebos2003.blogspot.com/2009/01/wow-way-to-deal-with-wrinkles-on-cheap.html, i've discovered you only need one or two pieces of pineapple rind. being a penny pincher, i've been trying to figure out a way to make the leftover pineapple rind last. obviously, it has a limited shelf life in the fridge. unbeknownst to me, you can freeze pineapple. just be sure to plan ahead and move the portion needed to the fridge to thaw several hours earlier like in the morning if you do it at night.

wow a way to deal with wrinkles on the cheap and be green at the same time

i am blessed in many ways that i apparently look much younger to the rest of the world than i am supposed to for my age. breath in, exhale, ok i admit it i am now in my 30s but just barely. and, i still get carded for ridiculous things like going to a rated "r" movie. it's gotten to the point that i honestly get a bit annoyed. i wish i see what other people see. about 2 years ago, i started noticing wrinkles on my forehead aka frown lines and absolutely freaked out despite my friends telling me how unnoticeable they are. i went to walmart thinking i might find several products to help with my wrinkles. i realized when i got to the aisle (yes there was a whole daunting aisle of anti aging products) i was clueless as what to get to deal with my frown lines. my mother is not one who is hung up on aging or beauty products. she unlike me has never dyed her hair and rarely wears makeup. she was not much of a resource and had not set much of an example. so, after polling friends and searching through magazines, all i figured out was to look for alpha hydroxy acids(aha's on many labels). well, i have super sensitive skin especially on my face. i have way too many horror stories of reactions to products even those made for sensitive skin. milk is the ultimate for curing the burning sensation you can get from a reaction to products. literally dab it on your skin. i promise it will help. and, i have dry skin. the combo of the two can be a problem because a lot of these anti aging products will both dry out your skin and cause reactions for those with sensitive skin as i have found through trial and error to the point that i have almost given up on how to deal with the wrinkles other than moisturizing. well, i may have stumbled upon a natural solution in this online article for cheap beauty tips http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-organic-beauty-tips-for-under-5.html. the first tip is to rub pineaple rinds which are loaded with aha's and coenzemye q10 also found in anti aging products on your skin, and then cleanse after 10-15 minutes. since i work in a restaurant that sells fresh cut pineapple year round, i am super excited about a basically free remedy from other peoples garbage.
well, i tried it. while i think it will take a while to tell if this really works, much like storebought product i felt a slight tingling not burning and could feel my skin tightening. after, i cleansed my face, my skin did feel smoother since it is supposed to act as a mild exfoilant as well.

homeade products that sound neato to make and save money

so, i've been looking at ways to save money on beauty and household cleaning products as a way of saving money since relying on tips to pay the bills is not really working out so well right now. there are lots of ones i found that either sound silly or just as expensive as the stuff i am trying to avoid buying in the first place.
first, i found this recipe for making homemade laundry detergent http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/03/15/how-to-make-your-own-laundry-detergent-and-save-big-money/. i found lots of variations on this, but this was the first one i found, so i'll give credit to it. we do about 2 loads of laundry a day with work clothes having to be washed every day. i want to try it but i hitting some hangups. you need a 5 gallon bucket and in a attempt to being uber cheap, i am looking to score a free bucket. even though i work at a restaurant, we don't get any product in 5 gallon buckets. so, i thought if i tweeted that i was looking for one i might get a response from a helpful friend. people gave me suggestions for where to buy one, but only one person told me they could definitely hook me up with one and he lives in another state. so, i am going to keep talking to friends in restaurants and construction hoping i can score a free one, and i do have about 30 loads before i run out which should last me about 2 weeks. second, i haven't been able to locate washing soda. i'm planning on trying tomorrow at walmart and hopefully will have some luck there. if i can get the supplies, i will definitely try this one and post the results. there are several sites that have recipes for making powder detergent, but i don't use powder detergent.
when i was looking up info on dry skin since mine has become painfully dry and itchy with the extremely cold winter we've been having this year, i came across this recipe for making homemade baby wipes. it sounds super easy. since i don't have kids, i doubt i'll try making now. http://www.diylife.com/2007/07/18/make-your-own-baby-wipes/07/18/make-your-own-baby-wipes/
here's a list of how to make a bunch of different cleaning products like soft scrub and windex http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/03/06/spring-cleaning-time-here-are-some-tips-for-cleaning-supplies-on-the-cheap/
4 super simple lip gloss recipes http://www.allfreecrafts.com/bath-and-body/vaseline-lip-balm.shtml i really want to try the chocolate one, and i bet a few drops of peppermint essential oil would turn it into mint chocolate lip gloss. now, i just need to figure out where to find small tins for the lip gloss. any suggestions?