Grooming done naturally — more cheaply and effectively, too!
It’s been six months since I started my journey into natural homemade beauty care and I’ve finally reached a point where all my basic grooming supplies are made naturally, by me — in MY kitchen.
I wasn’t always like this. Like many others I had my favorite brands, scents, and a closet full of beauty supplies . . . most of which I never even touched. My journey began when I went to visit my boyfriend at the time, in Egypt. I wouldn’t call him a health guru per se, but he paid close attention to what he put in his body and how he took care of it — including planning meals weeks in advance. Okay, so he is a total and complete health guru. Anyway, I noticed his deodorant stick in the bathroom. The label was ripped off, and some kind of weird spotted mix was coming out of the top. Turns out his friend had started making her own homemade deodorant. Now at that time, the thought of deodorant itself was terrifying to me (I was a staunch antiperspirant user, clinical grade!), let alone homemade deodorant. Nevertheless, it sparked my interest. I found myself reading the back of shampoo bottles in the shower, unable to pronounce or even recognize more than three ingredients, and thinking to myself, all THAT is going into MY body?! Your skin is your largest organ and we’re putting just about anything on it — it suddenly didn’t make sense. I was questioning my use of everything I’d ever bought to beautify. With my fist raised ready to carry out a full-blown revolution on beauty supplies, I took to Google!
My Googling turned up hundreds of recipes for natural beauty supplies, but they all had the same core ingredients, ingredients I could count on one hand — ingredients I could EAT!
Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, Baking Soda
Five items I had previously classified as food and only food now held the secret to all natural homemade beauty care.
I started small: shampoo, toothpaste, and moisturizer, and kept the recipes simple. There are some out there for natural beauty care, but I didn’t have the time to be mixing ten different ingredients, melting down, shredding, grading, etc. Besides, I saw no sense in going all natural if I couldn’t still get those supplies if, say, the world grids shut down. Alright, maybe too doomsday of a view for beauty care, but what I’m getting at is natural beauty care should be easy, simple, and involve three ingredients at most.
Making the jump to all natural homemade products was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. My skin, hair, and scalp feel amazing and using natural products meant my natural oils could come in — and they did, resulting in longer-lasting soft skin, not to mention stronger, shinier, and softer hair. I used to use lotion twice a day to keep the ash away. Since I’ve switched, I use none. And all these benefits came while saving a decent chunk of money.
Below are some basic recipes. Keep in mind, everyone’s body is different and some recipes may require minor tweaking. This being said, these are a great baseline to take the jump, as they’re the simplest, quickest, and most readily available recipes, requiring ingredients usually sitting right in your cupboard.
Take the jump and enjoy the journey — you won’t regret it!
Shampoo /Conditioner
Mix equal parts honey and apple cider vinegar into warm water. Rub into scalp and hair in shower. Rinse thoroughly. Although this is a shampoo /conditioner mix, it’s moisturizing to the point of never needing a commercial conditioner again.
Body Wash
Mix equal parts honey and olive oil into warm water. Use as normal body wash. It won’t foam, but it is working!
Toothpaste
Combine equal parts coconut oil and baking soda in a small dish or tube to store. Use as regular toothpaste. As a bonus baking soda is a natural whitener!
Moisturizer
Two words here: olive. oil. A little goes a long way!
Shaving Cream
Two more words: coconut. oil. Note that the coconut oil may need to be heated prior to applying.
Facial Toner
Pour a little apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball; use as regular facial toner. Don’t worry, the scent only lasts a few moments.
Make-up Remover
Dab olive oil on cotton pad, use as regular make-up remover. It’s wonderfully moisturizing as well! Will strengthen eyelashes and repair damage from frequent mascara use.
Deodorant
Final two words: coconut. oil. I know it doesn’t make sense that an oil would be an effective deodorant, but it’s the best I’ve ever had! Coconut oil is naturally antibacterial; you’ll smell way better than any chemically scented store-bought sticks.
