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Color Me Green

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In addition to my ‘Make, Do + Mend‘ mission for 2018, there’s another theme I’ve been embracing. Simply – if the book falls off the shelf – read it! That is to say, when I feel something in my gut or feel like the Universe is pushing me in a new direction, I should embrace it!

One particular aspect of that is a desire to go minimal and green with all of the consumable products in my home. I’m talking household cleaners, makeup, health and beauty. We already eat organic and hope to be supplying a lot of our own food in the future. I’ve been a fan of vinegar, baking soda and lemon to clean for years, I use cloth diapers and my detergents are free and clear but I know I could do better for myself and for my family.  I also know that I can’t do everything all by myself and sometimes I just have fall back on whatever works. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I’m ready to start laying a better foundation. 

So this is where I’m asking for your help. In the comments, could you share one or two things you’ve done to either a) make your own cleaning or health/beauty products OR b) found a product that’s effective with minimal ingredients? Could I use almond oil instead of body lotion (something I already do – but is there a better option?) I already use aluminum free deodorant (like… every three days or something?) but is there something else that works I could make myself? I’ve tried baking soda on my hair with ACV rinse but it was not successful. I know better than to trust every Pinterest claim of banana face masks (maybe they do work?) and DIY tooth whitening, but you guys must have some secrets to share, right?

Ladies! Give me your wisdom! 

Comments

8 responses to “Color Me Green”

  1. Cami Poss Avatar
    Cami Poss

    I make a homemade face wash that http://www.dessertfortwo.com posted on her Instagram stories last year. iT’S 3 T aloe vera gel, 1 T coconut oil, and 1 T jojoba oil. It works great my skin feeling really smooth. We compost and used this as our guide for making our own bin https://www.younghouselove.com/2008/08/younghouselovedotcompost/. We always try to use reusable grocery bags. I know it depends on hair type, but I only wash my hair 1-2x a week. I use coconut oil as lotion, especially on my daughter with super sensitive skin. I know there are a lot of things I bet most of us do in our day to day routine that don’t even cross our minds because they’re just second nature at this point. Those are a few simple things I do though!

    Reply
  2. Ashley Benson Avatar
    Ashley Benson

    I make my own laundry detergent (equal parts washing soda & borax mixed with a grated bar of Fels Naphtha soap) and use a variety of vinegar, castile soap, and baking soda-based homemade products for cleaning. You can add essential oils to any mix of liquids or scrubs you make with the above products as you wish.

    In terms of self care, I found homemade deodorant doesn’t work at all and stains clothing, too, so I stick with a deodorant that is NOT an anti-perspirant and just deal with the fact that humans sweat! I do make face & body scrubs from various food products (coffee grounds, brown sugar, kosher salt, coconut oil is fabulous and flexible, though leave out the coffee for your face). I make my own lotion bars rather than buying lotion, as it’s often made with petroleum-based ingredients (as are most beauty products, to be honest) using coconut oil, grated beeswax, shea butter, and essential oils for scent. An easy tip: pour all ingredients in a mason jar, seal it, and then heat the sealed mason jar in water to combine all ingredients, then pour into a mold. Reuse the mason jar when you want to make lotion bars next, and you don’t have to even try to clean it in between.

    That’s way more than a couple things, but I get excited when people want to talk about replacing store bought with homemade!

    Reply
  3. Whitney Mauer Avatar
    Whitney Mauer

    I used to have a recipe for homemade baby wipes solution. I kept it in a little travel size shampoo/lotion bottle. It had distilled water, liquid castile soap, olive oil (you can use other oil), a few drops of essential oil (make sure Bea isn’t allergic), and Vitamin E. Some recipes include witch hazel and aloe. For the wioes, I just used baby wash cloths because I had so many given to me from various people. But you can use old fabric scraps, like cotton flannel.

    I used to make my own laundry powder like another commenter. But I used a bar of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap. I like the citrus smell the best, but used peppermint to make gifts for friends.

    A friend of mine swore by olive oil as a hair product for her dry hair.

    Reply
  4. Kim Trouten Avatar
    Kim Trouten

    I love Norwex products for green cleaning. I can clean most of my house with just water bc the microfiber cloths are antibacterial. The cloths don’t get smelly (silver is woven into the cloth which inhibits bacterial growth) so I usually only wash 2 or 3 a week. And that’s using a cloth to clean my 10 month old after every feeding. I’m able to use way less paper towels too bc I can use the enviro cloth for everything. Their cleaning products are good for the environment and made with all natural ingredients.

    Reply
  5. Rachel Stewart Avatar
    Rachel Stewart

    I started using shampoo & conditioner from Ethique
    https://ethiquebeauty.com
    They are easy to use, last a lot longer than normal bottles and everything they post you it in is recyclable as well as the packaging.

    Reply
  6. M N Avatar
    M N

    I follow Kristin in her blog https://livesimply.me/

    I have tried/tweaked some of her DIY facial care recipes and have used them for 2-3 years now: facial wash, toner, moisturizer (2 types. One for summer, another for winter), and facial serum.

    There are other recipes for real food, body care and cleaning. 😀👍

    Reply
  7. Megan Zambito Avatar
    Megan Zambito

    I really enjoy the website nwedible.com. She wrote a book (I can’t remember the name) that has a whole section on cleaning products. She may also have some on her website. In general vinegar (and then various add ins) seems to be the best product. I use a crystal deodorant stick. When I first began it took a few days to get a lot of the "grossness" out from using a regular anti-perspirant so it was almost like a detox. It isn’t the best when traveling but overall, works well. I would love to see more posts about what all you guys have been doing.

    Reply
  8. Katherine Sparkes Avatar
    Katherine Sparkes

    Hi – I use Arrowroot powder on my hair as dry shampoo and it works great! I usually put it on before bed and it blends in by itself overnight. In the past I used Bumble and Bumble dry shampoo (and I still love and use their surf spray) but a couple of the ingredients are suspected carcinogens so now I’m using the arrowroot.

    Reply

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