Earth Week Tips – Part III
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If you’re looking for a way to cut costs on your beauty & body care regiments, a great way to start is to look into your pantry! Staple items like olive oil, coconut oil, various spices, honey, some citrus, eggs and sugar can be combined in different ways for various purposes. There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Week than doing things the natural way!
Not only are these ingredients multi-functional (hello, you can bake some cookies after with the same stuff you put on your face!) but they are harmless to the environment and far gentler on your skin than even some of the softest beauty products.
Let’s get going; we’ve got you covered from head-to-toe!
DIY Shampoo
You’ll Need:
1/3 Cup Liquid Castille Soap
1 Teaspoon of an essential oil of choice (for scent!)
1/4 Cup coconut milk
1 tsp Apricot Kernel oil
1/4 cup baking soda *ONLY FOR VERY OILY HAIR!
An old shampoo bottle/container or a soap dispenser that foams (for awesome lathering quality)
First, combine all the ingredients into your container of choice. If you want to use a foam dispenser, make sure to add 1/3 cup of water. Shake it well before use.
Done! That’s it! It should be good for a month to a month and a half at a time.
Want ideas for scents? Great essential oil choices include sweet orange, mandarin, lemongrass, cinnamon, lime, lemon, tea tree oil and more. Check out this essential oil infographic for more ideas and applications!
DIY Dry Shampoo
You’ll Need:
1 cup Rubbing Alcohol
1/4 cup Cornstarch (potato starch also works)
1/4 cup Distilled Water/Filtered water
A spray bottle with a fine-mist nozzle
Mix all the ingredients together into the spray bottle and you’re ready to go. A word of warning: don’t just douse your hair with this spray. Your hair should not be soggy. Just lightly dampen your hair, run your fingers through your hair. If needed, give your roots a quick blow-dry. The alcohol will dry up any oils on your hair and the cornstarch will prevent more from spreading onto the strands from your scalp.
DIY Body Butter
You’ll Need:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil OR jojoba oil OR apricot kernel oil OR cold-pressed castor oil
1/2 cup shea butter
30-40 drops of your favourite essential oil for scent (optional)
2 Mason Jars or other containers of choice
Melt the coconut oil and shea butter on a low heat and mix together. Add essential oil drops if you desire. Mix well and remove from heat until the mixture is completely solid. This can take up to 45 min (a good time for a face mask!). Once completely hardened, put the buttery mixture into a mixing bowl
and beat with an electric mixer until it’s white and fluffy looking (like whipped cream). Place into your jars of choice immediately and seal. You’re done! Slather on immediately after a shower for the best effects. Contrary to popular belief, oil on your skin doesn’t cause break outs. These oils absorb into the skin and help you retain moisture. These two jars should last you a long time, but thankfully they’re cheap to make!
Honey & Nutmeg Exfoliating Mask
You’ll Need (for a 1 time application)
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp nutmeg
.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl until you have a thick, gooey paste. Apply the mask in an upward motion all over your face, avoiding the delicate areas near your eyes. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes and wash it off with warm water. The lemon juice might sting a little bit on sore spots, so avoid the juice and replace with water if your skin is very sensitive. Otherwise, the lemon juice will act as a natural toner while the nutmeg exfoliates dead skin right off. If you accidentally get any on your lips, don’t worry – take a nibble, it’s the most delicious mask you’ll ever have!
There you have it – affordable, earth-friendly beauty regiments that will both save you money and make you a little bit greener! Best of all, these recipes can be doubled and tripled as needed, so you can give them as gifts for friends and family!
Did You Know:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been used by women in the Mediterranean as a beauty aid for centuries? Next time you need to remove a ton of eyeshadow and mascara from your lids, don’t reach for that expensive and harsh remover – dab a little EVOO on a cotton ball and wipe your lids until clean. Rinse gently with some mild soap or pure liquid glycerin. Dab another clean cotton ball with a little EVOO onto your eyelashes and the soft skin under and around your eye. EVOO is one of nature’s best conditioners and over time, will do wonders on your lashes and help you combat fine lines. Who knew a salad dressing base could be used on your face?
Baking soda has way more uses than in cooking (or on your face!) Check out our list of baking soda cleaning applications right here!
Remember, if you need a short term loan before your next pay day, head on over to GoDay.ca to apply!
