Energizing Leg Gel

 You may have surmised from my absence that we were on vacation.  It was a long time in the planning, and it was a blast!  Before I left I made some energizing leg gel from the book Eco Beauty.
I was quite happy with it, and still use it when my legs are tired and feet burn.  The first batch I tried to harvest my own aloe.  That was a mess, and did not work.  I guess I need to learn a better method. 

 See, a mess.

 The second go round I just bought some aloe from the store, added the witch hazel, peppermint and corn starch and viola!, I had energizing leg gel.  I highly recommend it as it is cheaper to make your own than to buy the peppermint foot and leg lotions they sell. 

Anyone have another lotion or gel they like to use when they have walked all day?  

Yucky summer feet

I have had calloused feet for as long as I can remember.  I remember as a kid my feet would sometimes be black from walking around without shoes during the summer, and no matter how hard I scrubbed it never all went away.

I still have that problem with my feet.  I also have a problem wearing anything but sandals to work in the garden, so that lovely black dirt works its way into the crack of my feet where it just doesn't want to come out.  Talk about being grounded!!!

Anyways, last winter I actually had my feet to a point where they were dry and hard in spots, but not cracked.  They looked like feet.  Fast forward to now and they are cracked, dry and sometimes painful.

I needed something moisturizing to put on these footsies.  So off to my books I went, this time using Natural Beauty for All Seasons by Janice Cox.

She has a recipe for Summer foot creme that is AWESOME!

I used apricot oil instead of almond, and used a little extra instead of evening primrose oil.  Instead of oil of geranium I used Tangerine oil.  All that with the glycerin and coconut oil make it smell DIVINE!  It also keeps my feet moisturized throughout the day.  I may even use it as an all over lotion I love it so much.

Laundry Detergent Recipe 2

I have previously commented on how I should have just tried what my friend over at Green's Going Green has posted instead of what someone else posted. But I googled when I made my first laundry soap, and forgot she had posted until I was having issues with the soap I had made.   So I tracked down the post she did from February 2011, and went to work.  You can find her original post here:  So Fresh and So Clean, Clean.  I did not use the same brand of soap as she did.  I used Kiss My Face Olive Oil Soap.  One 8 oz bar gave me enough to make 2.5 batches of the recipe. 

 Remember when I said I love my new kitchen aid mixer?  Well.....I REALLY LOVE IT.  I finally pulled out the grater yesterday and I had this soap grated into small pieces in no time.  It was grate!  :-)  It did take a little while though, it was a lot of soap!

I mixed in my Borax, Washing Soda and Baking soda, put it in a pickle jar of course and I was ready for use!  Instead of Lavender oil which Big L and I are both a bit bothered by, we decided on sage.  My towels smell and feel very clean after using this.  For fabric softener I have just been adding vinegar to the softener dispenser.  It works wonderfully, and we aren't allergic to it! 

Face cleanser? Not for me!

The other day I ran out of face wash/cleanser.  So I went to my book, Eco Beauty, and found a recipe for Honey Bear Cleanser.

It is simple, honey water and liquid soap, and I have been using it for a week now, but I can honestly say I don't like it.  I will likely use it until it is gone, but then I am going to find another face cleanser.  This one smells a little funny and is too runny to really rub into your face so you feel clean.  With warmer temps getting hotter by the day I need something refreshing that will make my face feel clean.  Honestly, this is not it!  But I tried.

I also had to make more laundry detergent, and after this second batch I think I am going to be trying a different recipe.   Everything can't work perfectly. 

Laundry Detergent

I am out of laundry detergent.  Actually I just ran out and I had this premade from last week, but today is a good day to post about it because I actually USED it.  Can I just say, yeah oh yeah!

I used:

1 1/4 Cup Vinegar

1 Cup Baking Soda

1 Cup Washing Soda

1 Cup Borax

1/4 of my homemade liquid soap

Mix in large non metal bowl.  Place in vinegar then stir continuously as you add all of the powders.  Keep stirring until it flakes and crumbles.  Use 1/4 cup per load. 

I of course used an old pickle jar, but I may have to find a smaller jar next time! I used it today and can I just say, yum?  I mean, my clothes smell cleaner and feel softer without using a fabric softener!  The next test will be when I hang the clothes on the line.  I couldn't do that today I am trying to limit my outdoor time because our air is YUCKY right now.  I also need to make sure it doesn't bother the kids, but it is scentless, seems gentle, and has no chemical additives, so I have high hopes.

Body Gel-Scented for morning energy!

I am an evening bather, but I am starting to exercise in the morning, which means a morning shower some days as well.  I have been using the hubby's regular soap, but I am afraid it is really drying my skin.  I have been meaning to buy some body wash for awhile, but just haven't found one I want to use that is natural and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. 

So here is where I tell you how I made my OWN shower gel.

 I gathered up my olive oil soap, almond oil, vitamin E and two essential oils. 

 Plus my Eco Beauty book.  
I mixed the soap, oil, vitamin E and two drops each of rosemary and sweet orange.  It blends really well together and doesn't seem to have problems with separation. 

This time I washed out a finished conditioner bottle to put it in.  It squeezes out nicely and works well on my scrub brush.  The smell is awakening.  I wrote on it with Sharpie, but it appears that I should use a different label.  I put a warning on it that it has almond oil so the little ones stay away, but I like it so far.  It is nice enough that twice a day showers are not hurting my skin. 

My own lovely shampoo....

I am usually the last one I make natural stuff for.  It is usually the kids who go first.  However, we still have product from California Baby for them, and I was out of shampoo/conditioner.

I perused my latest book purchases again.

Eco-Beauty
Basic Shampoo
1/2 cup water (distilled)
1/2 cup liquid soap (olive oil or castile of any kind)
1/2 tsp light vegetable oil

Place ingredients in a shower safe container, not like my glass one, I was short of good containers.  You don't want to stir just mix gently.  It will separate so do so with each use.  I added some essential oils to give me a nice smell.  The only thing I will say is I need to get my rear in gear and make a nice rinse because after a week my hair is well moisturized and actually bordering on oily.

I do like it though, my hair is clean, and not dry.  I can't get in to the new dry shampoo movement, so this is awesome for me. 

Soap? Coconut Allergy?

I don't like to buy regular old soap or kids body wash at the store for my kids.  I want something natural.  Something the EWG (Environmental Working Group) doesn't list as toxic.  This is harder to do when your child is allergic to coconut, because it seems like EVERYTHING has coconut oil in it. 

To be honest since she was a wee babe Big L has been using California Baby Sensitive Shampoo/Body Wash and Conditioner.  I know it has coconut oil in it.  It didn't really bother her, and it was not a large portion, at least that is what I tell myself.  However, it is EXPENSIVE!  Can you say 120-150 dollars a year on ONE child's shampoo/conditioner/body wash needs. 

Well, I have had enough.  I was searching the internet for soap recipes and came across this:

DIY 100% Olive Oil Castile Soap

Well praise the heavens and HALLELUJAH!  I have read about and wanted to replace all of our soap with castile soap, but EVERY one in the store has SOMETHING my daughter/s are allergic to.  This was an awesome find. 

Here is how I did it.  First, I did not use my crock pot, just a stock pot.  I also wrote everything down because my computer is not open to printing web page information in a nice matter. 

You need to have distilled water, a bar of kiss my face pure olive oil soap and something to make it in.  

 I cut the soap into thin slices. 

 Placed it in four cups of distilled water. 

 Then waited......stirred.....and waited.....

until, voila, I had liquid soap safe for my kids, and all natural! 

I am quite the happy mommy now.  I have all sorts of plans for this soap, from hand soap, to dish soap, to shampoo, to laundry detergent, and to a bathroom cleaner. 

I will be sharing more, but this was the first step.  Next time though I am bypassing the pot.  I store things in pickle jars, or other jars, so I will be just putting the soap (2 bars) and water (8 cups) in the jar, waiting, stirring and waiting, then it is where I need it to be!

This was SUPER simple.  I have already used a good portion of it, and have plans for more soon!