Visit here for part 1 of this post.
Here are a few more additional recipes for all natural body products! Enjoy!
Liquid Soap – Fill your empty soap dispensers with Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap. It is rather thin on its own so dilution is not recommended.
Shampoo – Baking Soda & water (approximately 1 Tbls soda to 1 cup water)-make use of your old dispensers! Combine these two ingredients for an excellent shampoo. I make a paste with baking soda and water, massage this into my scalp and rinse well. It definitely does not have the soapy feel of your regular shampoo, but it actually feels like it is cleaning your scalp more thoroughly. This is called the no-poo method.
Here is another shampoo recipe using apple cider vinegar. ACV works effectively as a conditioning agent. This substance must be refrigerated between uses.
Add the following ingredients in a blender:
1 oz. Olive oil
1 egg
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ACV.
Use as you would a regular shampoo
Conditioner - Apple Cider Vinegar (Approximately 1-2 Tbls. cider to 1 cup water) – Spray this solution to the ends of your hair and again rinse well. Cleans and detangles. Makes hair feel very soft. I do not recommend using an old cleaning spray bottle (I washed it in the dishwasher too!). I did this at first and it added a horrible smell (probably not good for the hair, either). Use a small spray bottle. The smell takes a little getting used too, and I increased the water quantity to decrease the scent. It would be worth trying to add an essential oil of some kind to overcome the ACV smell.
Apple Cider Vinegar has not only proved beneficial to take internally but also offer as many topical health benefits too. When you incorporate apple cider vinegar into your body-care regimen, you will quickly find that you don’t need many of the commercial beauty aids. Many of which contain preservatives, and synthetic perfumes. Apple cider vinegar (ACV), on the other hand, is an all-natural remedy that helps the skin/scalp Ph balance. Healthy skin has a protective acid mantle that can be stripped away by overuse of alkaline body soaps. The skin is the largest organ of elimination; so maintaining an acid mantle assists the normal detoxification process.
For refreshing and deep cleansing face wash
Add 1 c. of ACV to basin of warm water to use as a refreshing face wash. For a steam deep cleanse, add 3 tablespoons of ACV to a pan of boiled water and lean your face over it. Cover your head with a towel for five minutes, allowing the steam to open up the pores and loosen any impurities from the skin’s surface.
Hope that helps with a few ideas for natural body products! Any other ideas?
I just came across this website that has many more wonderful body product recipes. Some are similar to what I have tried above. Check it out!
Here is another site a reader sent me on going shampoo free. Very interesting information! Thanks Jerilyn!
I used the baking soda shampoo method, as well as a aloe gel/jojoba oil concoction and also tried castille soap. All of these things left my hair way too greasy. (except if I got too much baking soda, my hair dried out, but I could never find a “medium”). I finally gave up on trying to get regular shampoo out of my regime. However, I did come up with a nice compromise; I have a huge aloe plant that I harvest gel from every once in a while. I blend up that gel and mix it 1:1 with my shampoo. I do the same thing with my conditioner (which I actually just use as a shave cream and it will work for your man too. I have very bad hirsutism leaving me with a beard like a man’s and this concoction works wonderfully.) I also add it in the same ratio to my face wash (desert essences tea tree/ awapuhi) which I also use as a body wash. I use vinegar water for my actual hair conditioner and a coconut/jojoba/ lavender oil mix in a jar for my face lotion. Another plus about the aloe– My “beard” has been a huge source of frustration for me. Before I started adding aloe to things, I had a bad problem with the skin I shaved on my face being very irritated, bumpy and rough. So, even though I got rid of the hair, it was still very noticeable that I had a beard. This problem with my skin has started to go away. I do, sometimes, just put straight aloe gel on my face and let that dry before putting on my oil combo. I wanted to add that even though it’s here for all the world to see because I’m hoping this info might help another woman who struggles with this issue.
To any of you having acne problems (I saw a couple of posts)- try putting a clean towel on your pillow every night. Washing the pillowcase helps, too.
Lindsay,
I must say your website is very inspiring. I am blessed to come across this website! Thank you for allowing God to lead you and share many resourceful information with us! I believe God has used you to make me realize that I need to work on my pride issue when I read your testimony.
Thank you again.
Blessings!
For a mild clean fresh weekly face wash I use about 1/2 teaspoon of dry baking soda…..it is only slightly abrasive and leaves my face feeling very fresh and clean. Been doing it for years.
I also began using 100% shea butter for face and body. For my body I just take about 1 tablespoon (for my legs, arms, feet, hands…. and rub it between my fingers for 30 seconds to render it smoother…..goes right on.
For my face I mix olive oil with the shea butter, I use a canning jar in 2 inches of water….put about 4 Tablespoons shea butter and perhaps 2 teaspoons olive oil, let melt slowly over very low heat…and,voila! Let it cool, I put it in the refrig for a while…..my skin is quite soft and no chemicals!
thank you for your recipes! I am going to try a shampoo recipe. For hand soap I buy a foam pump dispenser and refill it with Dr. Bronner’s and some water (there is a fill line on the foam dispensers). I use this in my shower too!
thanks lindsay for posting recipes like this! you are amazing!
i tried some of them and these are my results…
1) coconut oil for body lotion is AWESOME!!! i’m never using another lotion again. it moisturizes and softens and, for the cherry on top, it adds this glowing shimmer in the sunlight. i can’t believe it! love love love it.
2) so i used this shampoo recipe and followed it exactly:
1 oz. Olive oil
1 egg
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ACV.
…and it made my hair soooooo soft and smooth in the shower. i can tell it definitely nourished and conditioned it. only problem: my hair was still super greasy when i got out of the shower and it dried.
so i took another shower and shampooed it because i had to go meet someone. i’m pretty sure it was the olive oil that made my hair greasy. i’m planning on using it in the future as a very hydrating, nourishing conditioner but i’m only going to put it on my ends, not my roots. too bad!
3) i’m passionate for putting on my skin only things i would eat but i have yet to discover the perfect shampoo. a few days ago i used “the only baking soda and water method” and even though i lathered 3x, it still managed to miss 2 large spots where my hair looked dirty at the roots.
did anyone have either of these problems?
Yes I have found the ‘no-poo’ method to not work at cleansing my hair. I have also tried a coconut-oil mix as a conditioner for my hair. It soothed my irritated scalp and smoothed my hair, but left it very oily. Thankfully I didn’t have to go anywhere that day so I just left it. The next day I used commercial shampoo and it got the oily-ness out, taking care not to rub it deeply into my freshly soother scalp. So the coconut oil conditioner works better, for me, as a ‘treatment’ rather than a daily use.
I am going to try the baking soda and water concoction. I was curious if your husband uses this as well? What recipe are you currently using for shampoo?
For facial cleansing, I use the “Oil Cleansing Method.” Basically, you customize to your skin, but a good place to start is 80% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 20% Castor Oil. You rub/massage all over your face, then take a hot wash cloth to place over your face, opening your pores. After the cloth begins to cool, gently wipe away some of the oil. Repeat the hot wash cloth and gentle wiping approx. 2-3 times. This removes dirt, oil, and make-up! If your skin feels slightly tight afterwards, simply take a little of the oil solution and use as a moisturizer.
If you find your skin needs more moisture, change the ratio to have more olive oil. If you need stronger “cleansing,” change the ratio to have more Castor oil. I was skeptical of this at first, but absolutely love it! It does NOT make your skin greasy, is natural, and inexpensive!
i’ve been wanting to try the oil cleansing method for several weeks but i am def skeptical because i have problems with acne off and on (like 3-5 zits on my chin every other week). i got encouraged by what you just wrote and how you say you love it. i want to try it again but i’m wondering… do you or anyone you know struggle with acne and this method works for them?
I started using the OCM about 4 weeks ago & love it! I have oily skin, but live in ND where it is fairly dry. I started with 50/50 ratio EVOO & castor oil (which is, btw, a baby laxative- I had to ask for help finding it in CVS). I’ve stuck with that ratio, but like you said Erin, if needed- I jusr put on some extra EVOO after washing it all away. I’ve gotten compliments on my skin, which never happened before! Only thing I want to change is how I keep it- I want to get a small glass bottle to keep it in, rather than plastic. Good Luck to anyone willing to try it- still trying to convince my mom too…. lol
I was wanting to let you know about this link (it’s the one from Jerilyn) . If you stay on the link it’s ok, but if you start looking around the website be careful! I was shocked to see/read some things that are not appropriate. Since this is a Christian website I wanted to warn people that the link is not!
I am also wondering if anyone has an alternative to the egg for this shampoo recipe because my son also has food allergies to eggs (among other things). I know for cooking you can substitute 1.5 Tablespoons water + 1.5 Tablespoons vegetable oil + 1 teaspoon baking powder for an egg. I will try the substitution without the baking powder and let you all know how it goes.
Thanks!
Thanks for everyone’s posts and thank you for doing this blog. My baby boy is allergic or sensitive to every skin and hair care product we have ever tried and I have been using a lot of the information on this blog to care for him. I have been using a borax solution “shampoo” and it has been making my scalp really dry (which is bad as I am prone to psoriasis). Thanks to Mrs Taft for the info using borax for skin or hair care. I will be dumping what I have been using and trying out the new recipe listed above!
I’ve been using Dr. Bronners Lavender for my hair ( shampoo) and then using 1 TB of lemon juice, 8 oz water and lemon essential oil. My hair is shiny and healthy. I tried the baking soda but found I didn’t care for it.
I thought I saw a recipe for shanpoo on your site that used Dr. Bronners soap. If I did I am unable to find it now. If you did have it can you re-post it?
You can find it here: http:/2008/08/homemade-natural-hair-care-shampoo-recipe.html
Thanks for these great recipes! For the shampoo, is there a substitute for the egg? (as I don't use animal products) Thanks heaps
sorry, I just read the last comment and saw that I wasn’t the first one to come up with this idea =) Anyway, this method is probably cheaper than the name brand dispensers. Also, I peeled off the sticker label, so it looks a bit better at the sink, but it’s still plastic. I’d love to find a classy stainless steel or ceramic foam soap dispenser.
re: using Dr. Bronners in the hand soap dispensers.
Since the consistency is so runny, it is perfect to use in foam soap dispensers. I bought five foam soaps for $1 each and dumped out the soap that came with it. Then I put a big squirt of Dr. Bronners (I like peppermint) and the rest water (about 1/4 soap to 3/4 water). It works really well and since it is so diluted, it is SUPER frugal for liquid soap at all the sinks in the house. I think the runny, watery consistency of Dr. Bronners would shoot out of a regular soap dispenser and make a mess.
Just a quick note on using Dr. Bronner’s castille soap – my Mom got me some AWESOME new Cuisipro soap dispensers for our bathrooms, and they turn soap into foam. You put your soap of choice into the dispenser up to the first line (very low on the bottle) and then fill the rest of the way with water. I use them with Dr. Bronner’s, and the foam comes out smelling just as strong as straight soap, but using like 90% less! Makes it a lot easier to pay for castille soap!!
Hi Christine, where I can find the cuisipro soap dispenser . Help me please
do you also use the homemade shampoo and conditioner on your children? i am trying to find a kid friendly homemade shampoo and conditioner that wont hurt them. thanks
Do you know of a good facial exfoliating cleanser? Exfoliating 1-2x/week helps me not break out. Thanks!
I’ve used baking soda for an exfoliater and it worked well. I also have found that’s the only way to keep me from breaking out. Microfiber also works.
1-1/2 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 tablespoons water. Use 2-3 times a week.
Just wondering what type of spray bottles you use for your vinegar based conditioner and cleaners? I seem to be going through bottles like crazy! It seems that the vinegar must be doing something to the spray mechanism, as after a month or so the sprayer will stop working. It gets to the point that I can’t srapy at all. Have you had that problem?
Thanks for sharing your wisdom- God bless you,
Michelle
I have had this exact same problem! I had two identical spray bottles, one for my shampoo and the other for my vinegar rinse. The shampoo bottle is fine, but the one with the vinegar has stopped working completely!
Greetings to you AndiFrank, my your little one is active. Not to worry. Did you think of giving him his own mixing bowl and set him up like yours? He will go to his own and leave yours alone. Just keep him supplied with fake ingredients and he will love it and you will not have to worry about him ingesting anything harmful. Look for substitute ingredients on line under just that Substitute soap, etc. Okay? Hope that helps.
Dear Lindsey,
I love your website. I’d like to weigh in on the borax discussion: Borax toxicity is dose dependent, but we must remember that infants, small children and pets will be adversely affected at low concentrations.
I recently ushered my four year old to the ER after finding him mixing and drinking concoctions from the bathroom supplies (including liquid soap). He was fine, but we learned a few lessons about child behavior: First, tasting awful will not keep a child from drinking something; Second, children go through phases and previous adversions or adherence to motherly directives will not predict future behaviors; and third, watching me mix up household products in the kitchen possibly inspired his newfound fascination with bathroom “bartending.” So- how toxic is not always as important as how it will be “used.”
For what it is worth, I find I can stretch out liquid soap (nearly any kind) for hand washing by reusing a foaming soap bottle and diluting the less expensive regular liquid soap by as much as 50%. I also keep a jar of sugar & cooking oil for scrubbing my hands after gardening.
Hi Lindsay,
I was just looking around your blog for skin care ideas…I have made the deodorant and like it quite well.
May I ask if you use make up? If so, what kind. I am also wondering what you might use as a daily facial moisturizer. I am trying to be careful about what I put on my skin on a regular basis.
Hope you are having a good day.
Thanks for all the hard work you put into this blog.
~Stacy
Hi Stacy,
I have been looking for non-toxic make-up as well. I found a company called healing-scents, and they have a full line of make-up, skin care, and pretty much all of your product needs. Also a company called Ava Anderson Non-Toxic has a skin care and basic make-up line, but it was started by a 16 year old girl,which is pretty amazing!! I am hoping to try some of these products soon when the budget permits…hope this was helpful!
Lindsay, Just wanted to let you know that I bit the bullet this morning and decided to try the “shampoo-less” method with baking soda and vinegar instead. At first I didn’t “feel” or think the baking soda was working, but after a few minutes, I could definitely tell something was happening! I didn’t have any ACV, so I used regular white vinegar instead and it did fine. My hair has a very faint scent of vinegar to it, but it’s nothing anyone would know about but me. I was pleasantly surprised to see how soft and voluminous my hair is now, with no product in it! Score! Thanks for your help!
What do you use for baby soap?
thanks!
Check out my Natural Body Products on A Budget – part 1. I discuss using Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild soap for all our needs. I use this for our baby as well!
good posts. I have been using some of these ideas for a while now. I think I’m going to try to implement a few more though.
Thanks for sharing a link to this post! Someday I will try the baking soda shampoo… maybe when I get my hair cut next… I’ll be braver about trying something new.
Yeah that’s weird, that comment posted fine but not the other one. The other had html and links in it, which may be why. I had a bunch of links for you, but if you type in “is borax safe to use on skin?” you’ll find a plethora of good information such as this:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=705996¬hanks=1
I am not sure my other comment posted, but basically, you may want to do some research about using borax as a skin product, it seems to generally not be considered safe or sufficient for skin care. It’s not safe for pregnant or nursing women to use, as it is toxic for unborn babies, and it is also toxic to small children and can cause anemia in them. It must not be ingested, and it may be absorbed into the skin which isn’t good as it has been linked overseas to cancer and is phased out in a lot of things or even banned overseas for that reason. It also will dry out and brittle the skin over time. Also, it’s an emulsifier, which simply allows the oils on your skin to mix with the water around it, rather than a true germ remover like the saponified properties in soap (which is why it works great in the laundry but dries out your skin). Any skin application of boric acid must be washed off.
Lindsay,
This is a super series! Thank you!
Does the baking soda shampoo really work on oily hair? It sounds like more of a exfoliant…but if it really removes the oil and dirt, I want to try it! And borax is okay straight on the skin?
My hair is not really oily, so I couldn’t say personally. I think you will just have to give it a try. I have heard from others that it works for them. As far as borax goes,I have never heard it being harmful for the skin. I made a slight change in the recipe above. You are only using a small amount anyway and leaving the borax powder behind.
Thanks for all these! When you say “liquid soap” (the first recipe), do you mean hand soap? Or body soap? I’m just wondering what you use that for.
I was referring to hand soap, like that which you would have by your bathroom sinks. Thanks for clarifying.
These are great ideas!
Thanks so much for sharing. I am always looking for new ideas in this area.
Stacy