In my last post about giving green gifts, I suggested homemade bodycare products as a great gift. As an update to that, here are some recipes and suggestions to help get you started!

The wonderful thing about making your own products is that you know exactly what goes into them. Unlike typical commercially produced cosmetics that boast a list of ingredients a mile long (if they even list their ingredients), you can be 100% sure that your homemade products are natural, non-toxic and safe. Plus, they can work just as well as mainstream products. You can also opt for organic and local ingredients whenever possible, making them even more environmentally-friendly.

I’ve kept these recipes very open so you can experiment, use your favourite scents, and discover your preferences. Another great thing about homemade products is that you can modify them to suit your own needs—some people like a thick body butter, while others like a light lotion. Using the same ingredients in varying amounts, you can make either kind.

Likewise, you can use essential oils to create your favourite scents to create a product perfect for you! Not sure where to start? For something feminine try rose, vanilla or jasmine. Lavender and chamomile are wildly known to be relaxing, while mandarin orange, grapefruit and peppermint are very energizing. Feeling adventurous? Try patchouli, bergamot or cinnamon.

Easy Products

Lip Balm

1. Lip balm is much easier to make than you’d think. Start with a harder base, such as beeswax. (You can find beeswax in pre-cut pellets or a block that you can grate yourself.) You’ll also need softer oils, like a combination of sweet almond oil and coconut oil. I prefer a harder lip balm, so I use two parts beeswax with one part softer oils. You can experiment to get the consistency you like.
2. Combine the beeswax and oils in a microwave-safe glass bowl. Add a couple drops of vitamin E oil. This helps moisturize lips and will act as a natural preservative.
3. Heat the combination in the microwave until the beeswax is fully melted. The mixture should be liquid.
4. Add a few drops of any essential oils you like, such as vanilla, peppermint or rose.
5. Pour into a container and wait until dry.

Bath Salts

1. This recipe is about as easy as they come! Just combine equal parts Epsom salts and sea salt in a large bowl, and add any essential oils you like for scent. My favourite is lavender, and I like to add dried lavender flowers as well.
2. Mix well and store in a glass jar away from any moisture.

Bath Bomb

1. Combine equal amounts baking soda and citric acid into a large bowl.
2. Add a small amount of cornstarch to the bowl and mix with a spoon. For instance, if you used ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup citric acid, you would add ¼ cup cornstarch.
3. Add just enough sweet almond oil (or any other light vegetable or nut oil) so the mixture will hold together.
4. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oils for scent. You can also add dried lavender flowers or rose petals. Mix everything together.
5. Put the mixture into moulds (such as silicone muffin trays) and let dry for a day. When they’re dry, they should easily pop out of the moulds. Be careful with the bath bombs—they’re delicate!

Deodorant Powder

1. Like the bath salts, this recipe is extremely simple. Just combine equal parts baking soda and cornstarch with any essential oils you like and store in a shallow glass container. The baking soda neutralizes odor and the cornstarch absorbs moisture.
2. To apply, use a makeup brush to dust a fine layer of the deodorant onto your underarms.

One-Ingredient Miracle Products

If you’re recipe-challenged or just plain lazy, these one-ingredient products are for you!

1. Cornstarch Oil-Be-Gone Face Powder: For those who get shiny, oily faces during the course of the day, dusting a little cornstarch on your face with a makeup brush really helps. It can be used on its own or in combination with your regular face powder.
2. Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil can be used to treat anything from lice to foot fungus, but my favourite use is to combat acne. Just apply a drop to a pimple at bedtime and it should clear up overnight.
3. Aloe Vera All-Purpose Gel: Aloe vera is a plant known for its soothing and healing properties on the skin. It’s great on cuts and scrapes, blisters, sunburns, rashes, and even razor burn after shaving your legs. You can buy aloe vera gel from a drugstore or health food store. Even better, go to a plant store or nursery, buy a small plant and put it in your bathroom. Just break off a leaf whenever you need to use some and apply the gel inside the leaf.
4. Vitamin E Oil: Vitamin E is great for reducing the appearance of scars and moisturizing your skin.
5. Tea Facial Toner: Tea is a mild astringent and is packed with antioxidants so it makes a great toner. Green tea is a great choice, and if you have oily skin, chamomile is even better. Just brew up an extra-strong batch and store in the fridge in a glass bottle. To apply, use a cotton ball or a clean cloth.
6. Clay Masks: Clay comes in different kinds (green, gray and white) for different skin types (oily, normal/combination and dry/sensitive). It can be purchased at any health food store. Combined with a little water, clay makes excellent facial masks.

Where to go shopping

Your local grocery store should have ingredients like cornstarch, Epsom salt, sea salt, tea, and baking soda. Check out the bulk section for less packaging. Also, be sure to read the labels and get only natural products. For instance, sea salt can come with many additives, such as anti-caking agents. You want your bodycare products to be as pure and natural as possible so avoid additives.

For more specialized ingredients like beeswax, essential oils and citric acid, check out a health food store, farmer’s market or vitamin retailer. If they don’t have something in stock, they may be able to order it for you.

Containers

One of the great things about making your own products is the amount of unnecessary packaging you can save. There are a few options for finding containers for your products:

1. Re-use glass containers you have now. Any face creams or lip balms in glass containers can be cleaned out and sterilized by boiling them for three minutes in a pot on the stove. If you’re doing this, be careful—the glass gets very hot so don’t touch it with your hands. Use regular safety techniques when you’re boiling the jars. Also, never boil the plastic or tin lids, only the pure glass.
2. Although some people do this, I don’t recommend reusing plastic containers because over time they can’t be cleaned properly and the plastic can break down. You want everything to be as sterile as possible. If you are going to re-use plastic, make sure it’s a number 2, 4 or 5 plastic. Number 1 plastic is only meant to be used once, and numbers 3, 6 and 7 have various health concerns.
3. If you don’t have any containers to re-use, check out drugstores, specialty cooking stores and even dollar stores to find some good containers. Always wash them first!

Make Mittens from old sweaters

Everyone has an old sweater stuck back in the closet that you know you’ll never wear again – especially one of those tacky Christmas sweaters that your mother-in-law gave you as a gift. So why not give it new life? And what better way than turning them into mittens. Here’s a great how-to from Backwoods Home Magazine. Now, go build a snowman!

Turn a shirt into a fashionable wrap

You can make a fashion statement with a great wrap and it’s much easier than you may think. If you’ve got an old button down shirt in your closet… think outside the box and turn it into a wrap with these instructions from about.com.

Old T-Shirt into a tube top

I know… it’s hard to give up an old T-Shirt. But this way you’re really not giving it up, you’re just repurposing it. Try these easy instructions from ehow.com and you’ll be wearing a sexy (and if your summer has been as hot as mine), cool tube top in no time at all. I’m going to try this how-to from ehow.com over the weekend.

Fashioning a Bikini out of an Old T-shirt

Here’s one more interesting tip of how to fashioning a bikini out of an old t-shirt at DIY-Guides website. This one looks pretty good.

Turn an old pair of jeans into a skirt

This is a great idea for your favorite pair of jeans that you just can’t wear any longer as jeans or better yet, a pair of jeans that for one reason or another – you really just don’t like. You can turn them into something you do like, a denim skirt.

Whatever length you choose – short or long, you’ll be surprised at just how easy it is to do. Like this how-to from savyseams

Scarf and hat from an out-dated sweater

I started with a sweater, so let’s end with a sweater… not to mention, I saved the best for last. This idea is for the little ones in your life. You can turn one of your old sweaters into the cutest scarf and hat for your kids. And what a great gift idea! Try this how-to from Skip to my Lou for easy to follow instructions.

Note: You can always repurpose old clothing with new looks by adding appliqués, belts and jewelry.

So as you can see, there are several ways to save money, but most importantly be eco-friendly. I’m sure there are plenty more ways to turn out-dated clothes into a new fashion statement. You’re only limited by your creativity and imagination.

Remember these three words:

• Reuse
• Recycle
• Repurpose

And you can always donate or giveaway. Now, it’s time to go raid my closet and see what I can re-invent.

The USDA holds strict standards for organic food products but up to this point cosmetics and personal care products have been very loosely regulated in the US.  The new recommendation will require cosmetic manufacturers who use the term “organic” on their labels to either meet certain requirements, reformulate products that do not meet these requirements or cease use of the organic labeling.

This issue has been at the top of the list for the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) for some time now with their Coming Clean Campaign.  The OCA has started a Boycott/Buycott which lists brands who claim to be, but are not truly, organic.  The Buycott promotes those brands who are actually certified organic.  Prior to intitiating the boycott, the OCA gave manufacturers a chance to step up to the plate and do the right thing by pledging to either meet organic standards or cease false organic labeling.  Following are the companies who refused and are now being boycotted:

Amazon Organics, Avalon Organics, Desert Essence Organics, Earth’s Best Organic, Giovanni Organic Cosmetics, Head Organics, JASON Pure Natural and Organic, Nature’s Gate Organics, Organics by Noah’s Naturals

To view a list of companies with products that meet the USDA Organic Standard visit the follow this link.

Image credit:  oceandesetoiles at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

Beauty Balms ($33.95) are creamy colors that come in a a sleek twist-up tube (easily tote-able) and are made with good-for-skin ingredients, like olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil and aloe vera.  All are 100% natural and made with 85% certified organic ingredients and mineral-based pigments and packaged in recyclable material.

Now on to the fun part – you can use these luscious tints on cheeks, eyelids and lips.  A truly multi-talented gem.  Come in three hot colors:  Blushed – a rosy pink that will be perfect for fall, Sunkissed – a favorite of the moment that provides a peachy glow and Bronzed – for a golden-y glow, use this one to add a subtle smokiness to eyes.

Revolution Organics doesn’t stop there.  Add a Freedom Gloss ($25.95) to your makeup bag for stay put color that keeps lips soft and shiny.  Try Integrity, the perfect nude with just enough pink to go with everything, any time of day.  Come in four other stunning colors.

Image credit:  Saffron Rouge

Rare El’ements Salon Inspired Eco-Luxury Hair Care has totally taken care of this problem.  Not only does this indulgent hair care system leave hair strong, silky and smooth, but also helps to protect color.  Amazing!

The line consists of Pure Shampoo, Essential Conditioner and EL’ Treatment, a rejuvenating scalp and hair serum.  All products are made with pure, healthy ingredients and contain exotic oils from Africa to nourish and moisturize scalp and hair.  No sulfates, silicones, synthetic fragrance or parabens.

Now, let’s get to the nitty-gritty….my personal review.  I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten excited over a new all natural hair care line that boasts full, soft, shiny locks only to be (yet again) disappointed.  That is not to say that there aren’t a few brands out there really living up to their claims.  John Masters Organics hair care, for example, is a  very affordable line that works really well.  But my hair is fickle and moody (a combination of fine, dry and wavy/frizzy) that needs gentle care in order to behave itself. 

When I first learned about Rare El’ements from my friend Terri at The Nature of Beauty, I got all pumped again but reeled myself back in, expecting yet another disappointment.  Well, I could tell immediately that this was no ordinary natural shampoo and conditioner.  My hair was soft, smooth, wavy but not frizzy and really looked great.  And (the true test) continued to be so after several days of using Rare El’ements.  No honeymoon phase.

The bottom line is this;  yes, Rare El’ements is on the higher end – $34 for the Shampoo,  $44 for the Conditioner and the Serum is $44 as well – but is very concentrated and will last you quite a while.  And for the results, quite worth every cent.  Honestly, I plan to never be without the stuff.

You know there are certain ingredients that you don’t want in your cosmetic products.  But you may not know all of the name variations or even exactly why certain ingredients are harmful.

Well, leave it to Stephanie Greenwood at Bubble & Bee Organic to come up with an easy, convenient and (even) fun way to keep you in the know on toxic ingredient education.  With “Today’s Chemical” (Stephanie’s new chemical ingredient education service) you can ask a question about toxic ingredients in cosmetics, learn about chemicals and get recipes for homemade beauty products.

To get this free service you can either sign-up and have it delivered right to your inbox or subscribe to the RSS feed.  Check out Today’s Chemical now and get yourself informed.

Okay, so the economy is bad.  And, yes, we have all had to make changes and/or sacrifices in the name of saving a buck.  But can this whole mess be put to good use?  Yes it can!  While you are already watching your spending closely, try keeping an eye on what you buy and not just how much it costs.

We can blame the big corporations for getting us into this economic mess and much of it may be deserved, but we the people are out there buying stuff up, so let’s make it count.  We are still a capitalist country and true to this is supply and demand.  We buy it, they keep making it.  If we buy cheaply made, toxic-laden products, that is what the big companies will make.  If we purchase nontoxic, safe products made with pure ingredients, the makers of these products will keep making them.  Not only that, but the producers of organic, wild-crafted and natural ingredients will have to make more of them which is not only good for us but for the planet as a whole.

Our disposable way of living is a big part of what has gotten us into trouble, so not all of this can be blamed on the big corporations.  They are simply providing what we have asked for.  As Joshua Onysko of Pangea Organics put it:

The great thing about this mess we are in is that it started with us; therefore, it can end with us. “How?” you ask. Well now is the time to raise our consumeristic conscientiousness. I’m sure many of you reading this are already on the path, but there’s no time for walking it: start jogging.

Tell the corporations what you want and how you want it. Trust me; they will start doing it right.

Joshua has it right.  Now is the time to make every cent count.

Made with vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil to keep lips super soft and smooth, the balms are free from harmful ingredients, like petrolatum and parabens. 

Lip balm smooth spheres come in honeysuckle honeydew, summer fruit and sweet mint flavors. Lip balm smooth sticks offer vanilla bean, pomegranate raspberry and sweet mint flavors.  A pleasure to use and the cool, modern design makes them kid-friendly too.

Image credit:  eosTM

PETA, an animal rights organization based in USA, has named this year’s “Sexiest Vegetarians Next Door“. Over 200,000 people took part in the voting process which involved 32 finalists. The voters selected Amber, from Minnesota, and Monty, from California, as the “world’s sexiest vegetarians”. They both win a free trip for two to Hawaii.

If you are interested the PETA Files blog has an interview with the two finalists.

Maybe it’s just me. But how does a contest like this help an animal rights groups cause?

It is definitely time to get the sunscreen out, but with so many chemical and not-so-natural versions on the market it can be very difficult to choose one that is safe.  In the past natural sunscreen product manufacturers used zinc oxide to provide UV protection.  And though it is safe and effective, it leaves behind that ghostly white skin we all wish to avoid.  So the next scientific breakthrough was the use of nanotechnology, the creation of incredibly small particles — measured in nanometers (nm), or one-billionth of a meter. This took care of the white film, but recent evidence shows that these nanoparticles may pose risks to the environment.  Not a great trade-off.

Not to despair, there are some terrific sunscreen products on the market that are safe, effective, free from nanos and leave your skin, well – skin colored.  Vivesana is a new product line that presents major breakthroughs in organic sun care.  The products are free from harmful synthetic ingredients, nanoparticles and even water, providing a stronger sun product.

Vivesana (which means “live healthy” in Italian) products are at least 40 SPF, hypoallergenic, packaged in BPA-free containers and boast the highest organic content of any sun care products on the market.  Those at Vivesana take your health and sun protection very seriously.

The line includes three sun care products:

• Solar to Polar Ultra – Chock full of hydrating botanicals (jojoba and apricot) and powerful antioxidants (green tea and raspberry seed) this sunscreen provides 40 SPF and really stays put.  $29
• Solar to Polar Baby – SPF 42 to protect the most delicate skin Solar to Polar Baby is gentle and safe enough for little ones, but provides the strongest protection.  $32
• Dopo Elements – Dopo (meaning “after”) is for, you guessed it, after your day in the sun, water and dry air.  Jojoba, olive and avocado oils help to re-hydrate and nourish parched skin, while green tea extract gives it a healthy boost of antioxidants.  Coming soon.

Want to try Vivesana sun care products?  Use code orgbeauty&vive25 at www.vivesana.com and receive a 25% discount.

Image credit:  Vivesana