More Bathroom Recipes

I'm now on day 23 of my experiment - over half way through!  I'm not only getting used to these products, but I actually like them.  I've made the kids their own set of shampoo and body wash and even my husband asked me to make some "manly" smelling body wash for him too.  I'm up to the challenge.

The other day I bought some spray on sunscreen.  I was shocked by the over bearing smell of chemicals as I sprayed down my children before going swimming.  I have never been sensitive to it's smell before.  I think it got to me because I haven't been around a lot of chemicals recently.  On a side note, I would love to find a good sunscreen recipe but I'm too nervous to try.  I just can't justify not knowing if what I make REALLY is protecting my family from the dangerous sun rays.

I'm finally coming to the end of all the recipes I've been using lately.  I've told you about my hair products, shower items, smell-good things like deodorant and toothpaste, my facial regime...  What's left?  I have some odds and ends here to share the recipes for.

Tinted Lip Balm

1 part beeswax, shredded
2 parts coconut oil
a few drops of essential oil if you want scent - I used Grapefruit

This was the basic recipe I started with.  I used a tsp of shredded beeswax and 1.5 tsp of coconut oil.  I found if I used 2 tsp it was a little too soft for my liking.

I went through a lot of experimenting for color.  I wanted a tinted lip balm to replace typical lip gloss I was using.  I was determined to use a natural source.  A lot of websites suggested using an old lip stick to color your lip balm but what is the point of putting my old chemical infused lip stick into my natural lip balm?  So no lip stick.  I tried dehydrating strawberries and then using my mortal and pestle to grind it up.  I could never get it fine enough and my lip balm was gritty.  Next I tried grinding up dried hibiscus flowers.  Even though I was able to get it super fine, my lip balm was still gritty.  So I came up with a method that might sound weird.  I made my own dye.  In a small bottle I mixed rubbing alcohol with my ground dried hibiscus and let it sit for a while.  My thinking was that a lot of extracts are made with alcohol and maybe the alcohol part would eventually evaporate leaving the just the color.

It worked.  I used this "hibiscus extract" in my lip balm mixture and it successfully tinted it.  It did have a funny smell at first that went away.  I'm not sure if the alcohol evaporated or not but it does not dry my lips out and it's just a small hint of color.

Another method I haven't tried is to use natural food coloring.  I just didn't see any at Walmart and didn't want to go to another store with the kids.  If you try it, comment and let me know how it works!

Basic lotion

I liked this recipe because it only has 3 ingredients.  You can find the original recipe HERE.  I used coconut oil, beeswax, and Sleepy Time Tea.  I also used Tea Tree oil for a tingly feeling.  You can use other essential oils for different scents or skip that step all together.  I am going to try olive oil next and see how that works.  The coconut oil seemed to work well but I feel a little greasy sometimes.

Sunless Tanning Lotion

This one sounded crazy to me and I have to be honest, I'm not sure if it works.  Let me explain my purpose for such a product in the first place.  I work at a pool three times a week.  In my bathing suit. (Teaching Aqua Zumba.)  Now I know no one really cares, but for some reason, my upper body gets tan super fast and it takes my legs a while to catch up.  So I cheat by using sunless tanning lotion on my legs.  That is, until the weather turned nice and I started playing the yard with the kids everyday.  Now I'm brown all over and unlike before when I was trying to get tan, now I'm trying not to get too tan!  Ah, the things we do for perceived beauty.

Anyhow, I had found this recipe for a sunless tanning lotion to try.  It's very simple, you just mix your favorite white lotion with cocoa powder to your desired tint and then apply to your skin.  Over several applications you will supposedly see a change in your color.  I only did this once because as I said, I now am plenty tan.  If you use it and it works, comment and let me know!!!  I might be pulling this one out come fall and winter.

Hand Wash

I'm kind of cheating with this one because it's essentially my body wash, diluted.  You can find my body wash recipe HERE.  I tried to put this in a foaming dispenser but due to the glycerin it kept getting clogged.  So I put it in an old sanitizing bottle.  Just use half body wash and half water.  Give it a good shake before use.  We have been using this everyday for the kids.  Works well but does not get overly sudsy.