Adventures in Drool:  Make it yourself

Constantly worried about money? Or are you worried about chemicals in your every day products?

Solve both in one swoop – where I come from we call that killing two birds with one stone.

At-home bath and beauty products work just as well, and many can be made with items you already have in your kitchen.

Problem: Expensive deodorant that doesn’t work well

My skin hates the constant underarm shaving, but powder deodorants usually keep the bumps at bay. I recently heard that baking soda – one of the main ingredients in powder deodorants – works just as well as any deodorant you could buy in a store.

After a shower, just apply a dab of baking soda to your armpits, and see if you feel fresh all day.

What I did:

1 - Put about a quarter cup of baking soda in a shallow dish. It’s probably a good idea to have a dish with a tight-fitting lid to keep pets and children out. After each shower, use your finger to dab the baking soda and then rub it under your arms. Try it for a couple days and see what you think. Plus it’s free because baking soda generally lasts for quite a long time, and you likely already have it in your baking supplies.

Problem: Smelly or paint-covered hands

Solution: Make your own lemon-scented hand scrub. I found this recipe while looking for a scrub to soften my hands. I don’t know about you, but this dry winter weather is hard on my skin. I wanted something I could easily make at home, so I could control the ingredients (and the cost)! This one really gets out the smell, plus removes paint from that last do-it-yourself home project and leaves skin vibrant.

What I did: Lemon-salt scrub recipe:

1 cup sugar

½ cup kosher salt

Zest of a large lemon

3/4 cup (or less) olive oil – to get the texture you want

I have also heard of people who add pure lemon extract, which helps with the scent, but I didn’t have any, so I didn’t use it.

Mix it all together, place in a jar with a tightly-fitting lid and keep near the sink. Next time you spill paint on yourself, you will be happy to have this pretty lemon scrub standing by. It also is great for removing onion and garlic smells from hands. And, it’s a great gift.

Problem: Again, dry winter skin

Solution: Lotion

This one is from Mommypotamus. See her blog here: www.mommypotamus.com.

When I tried this it was love at first touch, smell, sight – take your pick. I strayed a bit from the original recipe (surprise, surprise), but for the most part this stuff is great.

Ingredients:

¾ cup oil (I used olive oil because I had it, but I would love to experiment with coconut oil)

3 tablespoons beeswax (found in candle-making shops or from local beekeepers)

1 cup water or herbal tea (I used herbal tea)

(Optional essential oil for fragrance – I didn’t have any so I skipped it.)

First grate beeswax, then melt with oil on stove.

Create double boiler with glass bowl on top of pot of water. Pour in olive oil, then beeswax. Bring water to boil and continue stirring until beeswax disappears.

Add the cup of tea or water or rose water to food processor or blender. While it is processing, slowly add oil mixture. Process, process, process. Should start to look creamy and lotion-y. Here’s where you would add essential oil and then process more.

Store on counter for about two weeks or in refrigerator for up to three months.

Other great homemade ideas:

1- Baking soda shampoo. I remember when I was a kid and my mom used to whip up a quick baking soda shampoo – just 1 tablespoon baking soda to about a cup or less of water. Mix, swirl or shake. One great idea is to use an old, cleaned out shampoo bottle and shake up your new shampoo whenever you need it.

2- For dry hair, try olive oil. Once a week, massage olive oil into your hair. Let it set for up to 10 minutes, then rinse. It will improve the texture and elasticity.

3- Rough knees? Use coconut oil. Also try coconut oil in your hair or in homemade lotions or soaps.

4- Limp hair? Try beer shampoo. Yes, I said beer. Reduce one cup of beer in a saucepan on the stove until it is about ¼ cup. It will boil up and then simmer. Add the reduced beer to one cup of shampoo you already have or the homemade one listed above. Shampoo away, and feel free to drink the rest of the beer, but maybe wait until you get out of the shower. The beer adds bounce and body to hair.

That's it for today, and, as always, keep it real in the kingdom of drool. Happy Monday!