Clean Hair, Clean Teeth

Soft Hair, Toned Face

Clean Body, Clean Hands (Bonus:Clean Dishes)

Clear Skin, Healthy Hair

Soft, Hydrated Skin

If I were allowed to splurge, then I'd buy a little bottle of this stuff to add to the argan and coconut oils. Lavender is a dream come true.

Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar, Castile Soap, Argan Oil, Coconut Oil, Lavender Essential Oil.

What products can’t you live without?

Also, if you haven’t entered the mantra perfume giveaway then you probably should. ; )

When Clementine and Winston ran out of their latest tube of store bought toothpaste, I decided to try and make their next batch to save a little money. I used a simple recipe that called for only salt, baking soda, and vegetable glycerin. I’ll admit that I was a little worried they wouldn’t like it since I didn’t add any sort of meaty flavor to it, but they loved it just as much as their old expensive stuff! Maybe I’ll treat them next time and pick up some low sodium beef broth, like the recipe suggests. One thing’s for sure, though: my days of paying an arm and a leg for dog toothpaste are over.

Do you have a pet whose teeth you brush? If so, then maybe you should give this stuff a try as well!

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the perfume giveaway!

I recently read an article that put 5 Homemade Toothpaste Recipes to the test, and the author seemed to hate each and every concoction for one reason or another. I’m not sure I even gained any valuable information from the article, but it did leave me with the following questions: Does anyone like homemade toothpaste? Are there any recipes that aren’t too salty, harsh, and/or nasty? Should we, as adults, sacrifice taste for performance? All the homemade toothpastes I’ve tried in the past don’t freshen my breath as much as I’d like, and (as far as I’m concerned) that’s kind of a necessary feature for toothpaste.

How about you guys? Any awesome or awful homemade toothpaste recipes to share? I hate fluoride and sulfates just as much as the next conscious consumer, and sometimes it’s hard to find even natural brands without those pesky ingredients.

• Do you own any of the Three Essential Oils to Keep in Your Medicine Cabinet? Tea tree oil works like a charm on mosquito bites. I promise!
• A friend of mine sent me an article that lists Seven Surprising Uses for Baking Soda, and there were a few that were new to me. I can’t wait to put baking soda to the test with blemishes, baths, and tummy aches!
• I am dying (an exaggeration) to try several of the Top Natural Beauty Picks from No More Dirty Looks. In a perfect world, I’d own one of each.
• This article on Eight Natural Beauty Savers includes tips for getting the most out of products in your pantry like oatmeal, honey, oranges, and lemons. There’s also a Zinn Beauty Collection Giveaway at the bottom of the article, so be sure to enter!

Danielle made Angry Chicken‘s version of homemade deodorant a while back, and while she found the tiny heart bars (pictured above) she made using a silicone muffin pan very easy to apply, the combination of ingredients didn’t eliminate and prevent her body odor like she’d hoped. Danielle promptly went back to her prior homemade deodorant, and left her unused bars in our refrigerator. I’m always up for trying new things, especially those that are health and beauty related, and Danielle knows this. So when she rediscovered two of her heart bars in the fridge a few days ago, she gave them to me to try out!  I gladly obliged.

I made sure to set the bar low for this new deodorant, since I tend to find something wrong with every deodorant I’ve ever used (even if it’s something completely insignificant). Proof:

• Tea Tree Oil- It eliminated and prevented odor like a dream. Sadly, even after being diluted, this stuff really irritated my armpits.
• Erbaviva Lemon & Sage Organic Deodorant- It was easy to apply and it kept body odor at bay, but the smell wasn’t quite feminine enough for my liking. I’m also not a huge fan of spraying alcohol on my body daily.
• Erbaviva Jasmine & Grapefruit Organic Deodorant-  A more feminine scent than the above product, but its performance wasn’t anything to write home about. Also this product had a tendency to burn my armpits (another reason alcohol isn’t my fave).
• Danielle’s preferred homemade deodorant- Since the coconut oil probably wouldn’t allow this deodorant to hold together as well in bar form, it is instead stored in a small jar. This makes for messy fingers and a slightly messy application. Also, depending on the essential oil I used, this deodorant would occasionally cause an armpit rash.

Still, I’ve been using my deodorant bar for several days now, and I’m having trouble finding anything to complain about. The cocoa butter makes my armpits smell a little like chocolate, and I feel pretty great about that fact. The initial white residue fades within minutes, and my armpits are as smooth and as fresh as ever. Even in a soap dish in my bathroom, the bar remains in solid form and is impressively easy to apply. My fingers might get a little residue on them while applying, but it’s nothing a quick wipe with a hand towel can’t remedy.  However, since this deodorant has vitamin e in it, it’s best to wait a few minutes for it to dry before getting dressed. An oily spot on a new dress is the opposite of attractive. Trust me.

If you’re searching for a natural deodorant that works for you, then you should definitely give this stuff a try. I realize body chemistry varies from person to person, which is probably why this product didn’t work as well for Danielle, but there’s always a chance it’ll work wonders for you like it has for me. I’ll keep my fingers crossed!

Shampoo-free for five days, and my bangs still don't look wet. Amazing!

I’ve always longed for the kind of hair that never has to be washed but still looks great. Danielle was lucky enough to be born with such hair, but some people have to work for it. I’m one of those people, and I’m finally starting to work for it. For the past three weeks, I’ve been washing my hair only once a week, and I’m actually starting to see a difference in my hair! It’s shinier and it requires less heat styling to make presentable. You might be wondering how a greasy-headed girl like me could possibly get away with shampooing her hair only once a week, so I’ll let you guys in on a few haircare secrets below.

• After going two or three days without shampooing my hair, it starts to feel a little weighed down and dirty. I’ve found that rinsing my hair with either a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water or baking soda and water works wonders. When I’m feeling brave, I use cool or cold water to for extra shine.

• Surprising as it may be, conditioning daily with a light conditioner does not make my hair oily. My hair is healthier for it, and it keeps it smelling nice and minty.

• There are days when I cover my hair with a water resistant head wrap in the shower or simply wet my hair and forgo all rinses and conditioners (usually the day after shampooing), and my hair looks as clean as it ever does.

• I’ve been brushing my hair right before bed and before my morning shower with a boar bristle brush.  Not only does it help move the oil from the roots to the ends, but it also helps remove dirt and other nasty stuff from my hair (if you’re skeptical, then you should buy one and use it for a while without cleaning it…it gets pretty gross). Boar bristle brushes are also great for people with sensitive scalps. Translation: I don’t feel like I’m yanking all my hair out when I encounter tangles.

• When I do shampoo, I try to use as gentle a cleanser as possible. This ensures a minimal amount of damage and makes me feel better about myself.

Thinking of shampooing your hair less? I hope some of my tips encourage you to take the plunge! Or if healthier hair all around is what you’re after… here’s a Care2 article that suggests a few ways to achieve it.

I finally got around to making and using the All-Natural Fabric Softener that I recently posted about wanting to try. Not only was it super easy to make, but it also might be a match made in heaven with my homemade lavender dryer sheets. The barely there scent of lemons combined with the rich lavender scent is near perfect!

Lemon Juice, Baking Soda, & Cold Water

Making this fabric softener is as simple as combining the above ingredients in something that has a lid, like a large jar, and shaking the covered container.  Proportion-wise, you’ll need the juice of four lemons (or around two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice, which was a complete guess on my part), one teaspoon of baking soda, and two cups of cold water. Pour the mixture in with your laundry when it begins its final rinse cycle, and get ready for some seriously soft clothes/sheets/towels!

I wish you could see how they smell and feel.

Below are a few pictures that were taken this past Saturday at a party/picnic in the park. My friend Allie organized a small get-together to celebrate her dog Zeus’ birthday, and fun times were had by all!

Here's Zeus, the birthday boy. Isn't he cute?

Kiss My Face Whenever Shampoo-  This product has a hazard score of three on the Cosmetic Safety Database. The good news: it’s not linked to cancer (phew!) and it’s intended for frequent use, which leads me to believe that it’s intended for people with oily hair. I certainly felt like it got the job done when it came to cleaning my hair.

Aveda Rosemary Mint Conditioner- Like the Kiss My Face Shampoo, this conditioner also has a hazard score of three. It isn’t linked to cancer either. Rosemary Mint Conditioner never weighed my hair down like some other conditioners tend to do. It might be perfect for oily hair.

John Masters Organics Lavender Rosemary Shampoo and Lavender and Avocado Intensive Conditioner are two of my faves. They literally gave me salon hair. The problem: I can’t find them on the Cosmetic Safety database, and when I search the ingredients individually there are a few that are linked to cancer. I still feel like the hazard score of the shampoo would be lower than a five, though, and I’d also recommend it. The conditioner might be too heavy.

Another option would be to cut back on shampooing and see if your scalp begins to produce less oil, but I feel like my friend (like me) has probably already tried this countless times.

My last suggestion would be to occasionally use baking soda instead of shampoo. Danielle swears by it. Even though she has dry hair, I’ve tried it before and it really does cut down on the oil.

I hope this at least helped a little! If anyone else has any suggestions or recommendations, then please feel free to say so.

I'm still using this brand of Tea Tree Oil. Maybe I'll upgrade one day, but this'll do for now.

I’ve been swiping a little tea tree oil under my arms for the past few days with a cotton swab instead of using deodorant, and I think I’m going to make a habit of it. The strong scent (which is pretty reminiscent of licorice) fades within ten minutes, and it keeps my armpits fresh until nightfall. I was a pretty huge fan of the homemade deodorant that I’d been using, but I feel about as okay with  putting tea tree oil on my skin as I do baking soda, and tea tree oil leaves no white residue.

And another thing:

Have I mentioned how pumped I am about Lake Charles having a Hobby Lobby?!

I only look disappointed because I just realized that I don't have the head shape for hats.

Kirby's excited too. Also, what a dreamboat!

I tried this first. I always put tea tree oil on anything and everything that looks suspicious.

When I realized that the rash was likely Poison Ivy, I immediately used this stuff. It's been in my bathroom closet at home for years.

Luckily, I found some of this in a toiletry bag of mine. It's helped a good bit with the itching, but gross is all I have to say about the ingredients.

I made a paste with this and the vinegar pictured below, let it dry on my hands, and then scrubbed the rash with it.

The paste needs a few tablespoons less vinegar than it does baking soda. Otherwise, it'll be too watery.

I poured this all over both of my hands, and the smell was so strong that it actually made me feel a little light-headed.

The tea tree oil and the anti-itch lotion help with the itching.  The soap is obviously preventing spreading, for the most part.  The paste dries the rash out a little, and the alcohol burns a lot. Still, nothing seems to be making it go away. Any suggestions? I hate poison Ivy.