Use the crockpot soapmaking tutorial pages offered on this blog to make this soap. It's great for hair as well as cleaning your body. Most people that I know who use bar shampoo don't bother with liquid shampoos any more. All weights are gathered using a kitchen scale. If you eyeball it or go by liquid measurement, you will not get good results.
Ingredients
9 ounces coconut oil
9 ounces olive oil
5 ounces castor oil
3 ounces jojoba oil
2 ounces shea butter
2 ounces cocoa butter
1 ounce beeswax
4 ounces water
6 ounces coconut milk (or an herbal infusion of water)
4 ounces lye
Optional Essential Oils
Rosemary and peppermint for dark hair
Lavender and lemon for blonde hair
Lime and coconut for all types
*Use approximately 0.5-1 ounce of essential oils for this recipe.
Directions
Place the water and coconut milk into a large glass measuring cup. Measure out the lye by weight into a 1 cup measuring glass. Carefully add the lye into the liquid and stir to combine. (Adding the liquid to the lye could cause and eruption so be careful. The liquid is caustic.) The outside of the bowl will be extremely hot. Allow the lye mixture to stay under a vent and cool down while you prepare the oils.
Measure all oils, by using a kitchen scale, and pour into a pot. Warm oils and beeswax on low heat until all are melted. Pour melted oils into a crock pot. Be sure the crock pot is on the lowest setting.
Add the lye/liquid mixture to the oils in the crock pot and stir. Note: Any equipment the lye touches needs to be neutralized in a mixture of vinegar, soap, and water. Vinegar will neutralize the lye. After a brief stir, grab your stick blender and get to work! Blend the oils, lye, and liquid in the crock pot for at least 3-5 minutes. We are working toward ”trace.” Blend until the mixture becomes a thick, pudding like consistency.
Once the mixture is pudding-like, cover the crock pot and “cook” the soap for approximately 1 hour. By the end, the mixture should have folded in on itself and it should be completely transparent. Turn off the crock pot. Prepare the molds. Add the essential oils (if using). Spoon soap mixture into molds.
Allow soap to cool and harden for 24 hours. Remove from mold on to cutting board and cut into 1 inch thick bars. Place bars on a tray with good airflow so that they can harden further.
5/29/13
Natural Flea Regiment
Harsh chemicals and poisons don't belong on your pet. They simply don't. Look up how many pet deaths are attributed to reactions to major flea treatments and dips and you'll be horrified, I swear. This is the natural regiment that I use to treat fleas. Ticks I remove by hand.
Shampoo
1/3 cup glycerin
1 cup liquid castile soap
1 cup white vinegar
1 quart of hot water
10-15 drops rosemary essential oil
10-15 drops clove oil
Mix well and apply to dry dog. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Wetten slightly and scrub pet until sudsy- especially in areas like under the tail, arm pits, ears and other infestion hot spots. Rinse with cool water.
Lemon Rosemary Flea Spray
Four sliced lemons
1 tablespoon of salt
6 cups of hot water
15 drops of rosemary essential oil
Bring lemons, salt and hot water to a boil, then allow to rest for 24 hours. Remove lemon casings, squeezing to remove retained juice. Fish out seeds. Add rosemary oil. Pour into a spray bottle.
Apply after the dog is bathed or as needed during an infestation. Can be used several times a day.
Flea Powder
Diatomaceous earth
Dried rosemary
Dried fennel
Dried yellow dock
Dried wormwood
Dried eucalyptus
Crush all herbs in equal part then mix with the mass herb's equal part of diatomaceous earth. Rub through the dog's fur and sprinkle in his bed and play areas.
Flea Collar
Normal nylon collar
2 tablespoons almond oil
5 drops rosemary oil
5 drops cedar wood oil
5 drops of clove oil
Mix oils together and soak into nylon collar.
If all else fails....
Rub neem oil into your pet's skin and hair drops at a time using your bare hands.
Shampoo
1/3 cup glycerin
1 cup liquid castile soap
1 cup white vinegar
1 quart of hot water
10-15 drops rosemary essential oil
10-15 drops clove oil
Mix well and apply to dry dog. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Wetten slightly and scrub pet until sudsy- especially in areas like under the tail, arm pits, ears and other infestion hot spots. Rinse with cool water.
Lemon Rosemary Flea Spray
Four sliced lemons
1 tablespoon of salt
6 cups of hot water
15 drops of rosemary essential oil
Bring lemons, salt and hot water to a boil, then allow to rest for 24 hours. Remove lemon casings, squeezing to remove retained juice. Fish out seeds. Add rosemary oil. Pour into a spray bottle.
Apply after the dog is bathed or as needed during an infestation. Can be used several times a day.
Flea Powder
Diatomaceous earth
Dried rosemary
Dried fennel
Dried yellow dock
Dried wormwood
Dried eucalyptus
Crush all herbs in equal part then mix with the mass herb's equal part of diatomaceous earth. Rub through the dog's fur and sprinkle in his bed and play areas.
Flea Collar
Normal nylon collar
2 tablespoons almond oil
5 drops rosemary oil
5 drops cedar wood oil
5 drops of clove oil
Mix oils together and soak into nylon collar.
If all else fails....
Rub neem oil into your pet's skin and hair drops at a time using your bare hands.
Pain Relieving Cream
As I have fibro and TMJ- not to mention the herniated discs in my back- I go through a lot of tiger balm and Icy Hot. Where as I have no issues with tiger balm, Icy Hot is not exactly what I'd call a very natural product. One Good Thing by Jillee offers this recipe for a homemade alternative.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
2 teaspoons Beeswax pellets
2 teaspoons Camphor crystals or 5 drops Camphor oil
2 teaspoons Menthol crystals or 5 drops Peppermint oil
5 drops Eucalyptus oil
Melt the coconut oil and beeswax together. You can do this in the microwave, in a double boiler, or what I did was set a small saucepan on the stove for a minute or two and then turned the burner off and added the coconut oil and beeswax. Stir until melted.
Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then add the camphor crystals or oil, the menthol crystals or oil, and the eucalyptus oil.
Put in a container and allow to cool completely. When it is completely cooled it will be a solid rather than liquid…but the minute it hits your warm skin…it will liquify again. That’s what coconut oil does, which makes it perfect for massaging onto sore muscles and joints.
This amount of camphor, menthol and eucalyptus seems to be working for Kell…but you can increase the amount of each until you achieve the desired level of effectiveness for you without causing irritation.
And finally, if you don’t want to mess with making your own “base” cream just purchase a jar of Vitamin E Cream at just about any grocery, dollar or drug store and add the oils to that, and mix. Voila! Done.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
2 teaspoons Beeswax pellets
2 teaspoons Camphor crystals or 5 drops Camphor oil
2 teaspoons Menthol crystals or 5 drops Peppermint oil
5 drops Eucalyptus oil
Melt the coconut oil and beeswax together. You can do this in the microwave, in a double boiler, or what I did was set a small saucepan on the stove for a minute or two and then turned the burner off and added the coconut oil and beeswax. Stir until melted.
Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then add the camphor crystals or oil, the menthol crystals or oil, and the eucalyptus oil.
Put in a container and allow to cool completely. When it is completely cooled it will be a solid rather than liquid…but the minute it hits your warm skin…it will liquify again. That’s what coconut oil does, which makes it perfect for massaging onto sore muscles and joints.
This amount of camphor, menthol and eucalyptus seems to be working for Kell…but you can increase the amount of each until you achieve the desired level of effectiveness for you without causing irritation.
And finally, if you don’t want to mess with making your own “base” cream just purchase a jar of Vitamin E Cream at just about any grocery, dollar or drug store and add the oils to that, and mix. Voila! Done.
Basic Body Wash and Hand Soap
Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a no-no in my house. Yes, it technically is natural, but I have an allergy to it, so I can't use just about all soap found on the market. In the case that I'm too lazy to make my deluxe body wash, this is my standby using goats milk castile bar soap.
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) bar of castile soap, any type
1 gallon distilled water
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerine
essential oils (optional)
Store unused soap in a cool, dark place. If you're a nervous Nelly type, you can store it in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) bar of castile soap, any type
1 gallon distilled water
2 tablespoons vegetable glycerine
essential oils (optional)
Store unused soap in a cool, dark place. If you're a nervous Nelly type, you can store it in the refrigerator.
Bring
the water to a boil in a large non-reactive pot (stainless steel or
glass). Grate the bar of soap on a metal box grater. Add the soap
shavings and vegetable glycerine to the boiling water, stirring
frequently, until the soap shavings are completely dissolved into the
water. Remove the pan from the heat, cover tightly, and let rest
undisturbed overnight or for at least 8 hours.
After
it has rested, break up with an egg beater or with a hand mixer until
smooth. If it is too solid, warm over the heat again, add a little
distilled water and let cool again to test the consistency. Repeat until
you reach the desired viscosity for your soap.
Put
a funnel into the now empty distilled water jug and ladle the soap into
the jug. Ladle any extra soap into empty hand soap bottles or jars with
tight fitting lids.
Store any unused soap in a dark, cool place. It should have the consistency of snot (eww). If it is too thin, add more soap shavings. Too thick, add more water. Do not use typical bath bar soap as the extra additives in it will not come out correctly 9 out of 10 times.
Non-Toxic Toilet Bowl Cleaner
My dogs drink out of the toilet sometimes. I hate it- I wish they would stop it, but two of them can open the lid, so it's difficult to keep them out of it. I won't use store bought products because of how toxic they are. Instead, take a cue from Sara at My Merry Messy Life and use an all natural toilet bowl cleaner.
Ingredients:
¼ cup liquid castile soap
1¾ cup water
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 teaspoon of essential oils (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a 16 oz. or larger squirt bottle and gently shake or swish. Squirt in the toilet bowl and use a brush to scrub it clean.
Ingredients:
¼ cup liquid castile soap
1¾ cup water
2 tablespoons baking soda
1 teaspoon of essential oils (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a 16 oz. or larger squirt bottle and gently shake or swish. Squirt in the toilet bowl and use a brush to scrub it clean.
Natural Hair Spray
This lovely DIY comes from A Blossoming Life. A nice, light, lovely hairspray without a ton of goop in it.
Ingredients:
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
10 to 15 drops of essential oil
fine mist spray bottle
Dissolve sugar in hot water. Let mixture cool completely and mix in essential oils (if the water is too hot the essential oils may decrease in smell). Fill spray bottle and its ready to use.
To use: Lightly mist over hair, wait 30 seconds to dry, and reapply if needed. Be careful not to over spray and soak your hair. Plus, this stuff is strong and a little goes pretty far.
Ingredients:
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
10 to 15 drops of essential oil
fine mist spray bottle
Dissolve sugar in hot water. Let mixture cool completely and mix in essential oils (if the water is too hot the essential oils may decrease in smell). Fill spray bottle and its ready to use.
To use: Lightly mist over hair, wait 30 seconds to dry, and reapply if needed. Be careful not to over spray and soak your hair. Plus, this stuff is strong and a little goes pretty far.
4/22/13
Antimicrobial Bathroom Cleanser
The bathroom is the bleachiest part of the house. And I don't use bleach. I use this stuff:
Ingredients:
14 oz. water or rosemary hydrosol
3 tbsp castille soap
15 drops of tea tree essential oil
15 drops of oregano essential oil
Use this cleaning spray to disinfect your bathroom surfaces. You can use the Super Surface Spray to rinse away any residue left behind by the castille soap.
Ingredients:
14 oz. water or rosemary hydrosol
3 tbsp castille soap
15 drops of tea tree essential oil
15 drops of oregano essential oil
Use this cleaning spray to disinfect your bathroom surfaces. You can use the Super Surface Spray to rinse away any residue left behind by the castille soap.
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