So I am trying to ditch anything with a lot of things it that I don't understand. I was thinking this morning about why women so often get cancers and things more than men. Sjogren's included. As I put on my makeup, I had a moment. Makeup? Hair dye? Scented everything?
So, back to the lotion bars. Dry skin for me, of course. But in the move we have all got dry, itchy skin. Including scalps.
So I googled a bit and made the following things: solid lotion bars or a solid body butter and whipped shea butter.
I melted them together and everything is good! Beeswax, coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter. Melt and add essential oil, if you wish, and allow to come to solid. Done. Feels wonderful and silky.
Whipped shea butter... a bit more of a challenge so far in the melting and cooling and whipping. Anyway it is (ie. whipped, solid, liquid) it is so moisturizing so I am not worried. I got a diy whipped shea butter instruction from National Geographic.
It is the time of year for cracked hands. All natural shea butter and cocoa butter have wonderful properties. I added in olive oil too because I love it. I even used some on my daughter's hair to get out tangles and add some moisture, her hair is so dry.
Just wanted to share.
Well look at you! Little miss resourceful!
That's neat. It sounds really soothing.
Thanx for sharing.
Where did you get all the ingredients?
Does it make you hungry for a mounds bar?
Hey 4kids! That sounds wonderful! I am terribly allergic to coconut, so could I just use the she a butter and coco butter and bees wax, and delete the coconut? Or is coconut the binder?
What a wonderful idea! I have tried to use more pure/clean/organic items in my daily life so I would love to try this. Is there a website for a "formula" to make these? I live in a small town with not many places to shop so I would need to order ingredients online. Any suggestions?
I want to get my dry hands on some avocado oil and shea butter mmhmm
My immunologist recommends Dove soap or glycerine soaps. They don't dry out the skin like others.
Joe, you make me think I should call it Nutter Butter. lol. It doesn't smell coconutty or like anything at all, really. I put some bergamot essential oil in some; you apply it and smell the light fragrance and then it dissipates.
I got the supplies at the old fashion foods in my area. It's a natural health store that specializes in supplements, organic foods and vitamins, all natural cleaning products, bulk food supplies, etc.
Can I post the links?
Here is one if so:
onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/make-your-own-moisturizing-body-butter.html
It is selling nothing.
And the lotion bar:
onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/02/make-your-own-moisturizing-body-butter.html
You can use any oil or butter you like to replace the coconut oil. I would go butter (ie. shea butter or something soft that melts easily. Cocoa butter is quite hard and firms things up. But you could use almond oil, extra virgin olive oil, avacado oil, macadamia nut oil, etc.
My kids are no longer scratching themselves raw and I even put it in my dried out hair (our farm has terribly hard, iron water) and my daughter's blond, somewhat curly hair. Wonderful.
I also make my own laundry detergent with Zote soap if anyone is interested.
Basically you grate half a bar of zote soap. Mix that with 2 cups washing soda (laundry aisle) and 2 cups Mule Team borax and 2 cups Oxyclean. Voila, super cheap, he safe, low foaming, unscented, pure and highly effective (scarily effective because it is so cheap) laundry detergent. The Zote makes your laundry so fluffy it is amazing. Make sure you treat stains. I use 2 tbsp per load here, with crappy water. In the city we used to live, I used 1 Tbsp because it was better water and a front loader.
4Kids,
You are so talented! What I would give to have a gift like yours.
Someone on here pointed my towards the Aveeno Skin Relief Hand Cream. A big thanks! It lasts through hand washings. You can do a google search for it. In my search I found the Aveeno Active Naturals POSITIVELY NOURISHING? Comforting Whipped Souffle. It has cocoa and shea butter and I think oatmeal. Don't know if it has stuff that's bad for us, probably does. But since I can't make my own I'm using it. It's like heaven in a bottle! And no, I don't work for Aveeno.
4Kids.. I really like Zote and Fels Naptha. These soaps got out stains in off white wool carpets ( I really H8te them). I wetted the bar, rubbed on spot and then let the carpet cleaner brushes do the work.
I really like "Awsome" liquid cleaner found in the dollar store; needs to be diluted, I spray it on and just wipe it off. If you spray if test: it is strong.. so follow directions.
New find is "Odor Ban" and it really does, and works on mildew, disinfects, great for my current situation.. another product that gets diluted 1oz to 10 oz of water in a spray bottle, one cap-full in laundry, etc. I bought Eucalyptus .. but, people say it smell like baby powder. When I took Max the Labrador to the Rehab I sprayed it on his brush, safe product.
Fabric sheets I cut into 1/3; it is all you need. I no longer buy very much in the chemical/household aisles. I use vinegar, baking soda and the above products.
I love soap with as much glycerine in it as I can find. It's amazing.
susanep :)