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DIY Recipes

Okay, here are the recipes for some of the items I have made recently.

1. Homemade Deodorant (my favorite)

The original recipe calls for Castor Oil and Beeswax, but we heard that the beeswax can stain clothes so I made it without it and it works fine.

2 1/2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (I recommend Wildtree coconut oil)
1/8 cup Arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
1/8 cup Baking Soda
Essential oils -- I did 8 drops of Lavender and 8 drops of Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree oil)

Put the coconut oil into a saucepan and melt over low heat. Remove from heat and add the Arrowroot powder and Baking soda. Stir until it is dissolved. Add the essential oils and stir to combine. Using a funnel, pour the mixture into a clean deodorant container. Put container in the fridge to help it firm up.

This recipe makes one stick of deodorant. I usually double/triple it and make more than one stick at a time. When using the deodorant, you only need to apply a thin layer under your arms. If you roll it up too much, it'll end up making a mess. ;)

2. Homemade Hair Gel

This is SUPER easy to make. You must keep it in the refrigerator and is good for two weeks.

1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (http://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Unflavored-Gelatin-Kosher/dp/B0008D6WBA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419274017&sr=8-1&keywords=kosher+gelatin)
1/2 cup hot distilled water
4-6 drops essential oils (I used lavender)

Add the water to the gelatin in a glass bowl and stir until dissolved. Put bowl in fridge for around three hours. Remove from fridge and add oils. Using a funnel, pour into container. I used a glass spray bottle. The recipe is thin enough to just spray it onto your hair. If you prefer something thicker, you can used 1/2 teaspoon gelatin (instead of 1/4 teaspoon) and put it in a glass jar.

3. Homemade Shampoo

Still not sure what I think about it, but feel free to try it for yourself. If you live near me, I can even lend you the ingredients!

This is the basic recipe. I added some peppermint oil and tea tree oil to mine.

1/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup liquid Castille soap (I used the Dr. Bronner's unscented baby mild -- shockingly, I found it the cheapest at Whole Foods!)
1/2 teaspoon JoJoBa oil (or grapeseed oil)

Mix all the ingredients in a bottle. Shake before using. This shampoo is thinner than commercial shampoos, so you can just pour the shampoo right on your head.

4. Homemade Conditioner

This is basic, but the idea is that it balances the pH in your hair from the homemade shampoo.

1 Tbsp raw ACV (apple cider vinegar)
1 cup of water

Mix together in a squirt bottle. Shake well before applying to hair. Gently massage into hair and scalp for a minute or two then rinse it out. The smell rinses away -- don't worry!


I hope you have fun trying these out. I'm having a blast creating new things with my oils and other natural ingredients. :)


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