Hi,
It has been hazy, hot and humid for too many days now. I am NOT a fan. Hence, I have spent the entire weekend in the house. Not that I'm complaining... I'm a loner by nature and after the hectic work week, I crave the solitude I get on weekends without plans.
I did laundry yesterday and used wind and solar energy to dry it. It was "done" in an hr, but I let the whites stay out there to get a little sun bleaching. They look great now.
I think I mentioned in my last post that I've reverted to pioneer days in my house. Have removed a lot of chemicals by making my own beauty and cleaning products, buying organic everything when available. So, this time, I thought I'd share a few of the "recipes".
Here's the one for homemade laundry detergent that cost PENNIES and smells great and makes your clothes SO soft.
1 cup Borax ~ 1 cup Washing Soda ~ 1 bar Fels Naptha soap, which you grate and mix with the other ingredients. If you have sensitive skin, grate a bar of Ivory instead. The boxes of Borax and Washing Soda will make many tubs, but you will need to buy a bar of soap each time. These are all available in the laundry aisle. You use only about 2 tbs per load. This fits nicely into a cool whip container, which is a great way to reuse some plastic.
Body scrub... LOVE this stuff!
1 cup coarse sea salt. Add olive oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, almond oil...whichever you choose. Grapeseed oil is lighter than the others and good for summer. Pour it in a bit at a time and mix so that the salt is coated but not saturated. For scent, you can add a few drops of any essential oil...lavendar, grapefruit, almond, vanilla...whatever pleases your nose. Be careful in the shower because it can get slick. Also, it will build up in the pipes, so you need to treat them every couple of months so you don't get a clog. To do that WITHOUT the toxic chemicals of DRAINO, pour a half box of baking soda down the drain and follow it with a half cup or so of white vinegar and let it foam up. Leave it for 10 minutes or so, then rinse with boiling water. A tea kettle full will do.
Face mask...you will love this! I have been making it for about 20 years. I don't even really have the original recipe anymore, so the quantites are a guess. Adjust as needed.
Put 2 cups of oatmeal in a blender/food processor/coffee bean grinder...whatever you have... and pulverize to a powder. Add 1 cup of POWDERED milk. Grind 1/2 cup of sliced almonds until they become very fine...DO NOT MAKE ALMOND BUTTER! :) Mix with the other ingredients and store in a pasta sauce jar or some other container that you save from the dump. To use, put a heaping tbs in a dish and add a little water until it becomes the consistancy of cooked oatmeal. Drizzle a little honey and stir. It should be loose, but not watery. Hold a warm washcloth on your face for a few seconds to open pores, then smear the face mask on. Let dry for about 15 minutes. You will feel your face begin to tighten up. Rinse off with warm water and follow with moisturizer. I use 100% aloe vera gel. The oatmeal will sooth any irritation, the milk will soften, the almond meal will moisturize and the honey, which is an anti-bacterial and humectant, will hydrate. On the plus side, you can always have it for breakfast in a pinch. :)
I'll share my recipes for homemade deodorant and lip balm next time. Enjoy your day!
Peace,
Kay
Comments