Insane and unheard of ideas to save money - Make your own deodorant!

The reasons why you want to make your own deodorant are many. Saving money seems to be almost trivial compared to the many health implications regular use of main stream brand deodorants has.
The aluminum chloride omni present in all the big brand deodorants has been linked to Alzheimer's and breast cancer and even though the industry spends billions of dollars trying to disprove any connection of their products with any bad effects on health - I remain skeptical. After all how thorough and truly truth finding can an industry sponsored study be?

Our friends at the Environmental Working Group point out a staggering array of chemicals in deodorants that promote endocrine disruption, allergies, mutation and growth of cancerous cells in the lab.

So, the answer would be to switch to the natural brands of deodorants proudly promoting their Aluminum hydrochloride free bliss - only two problems - first they are not all as wholesome as they seem - I was shocked to find Jason’s deodorants as one of the worst offenders in the EWG’s cosmetic database and of course even the good ones come with a staggering price tag.
Shopping for my son’s favorite deodorant at Whole Foods the other day - I simply could not stomach the $18.95 !!!! price tag and I had had enough. What are these magical ingredients that make up this 1.7 oz of elixir - is liquid gold part of the concoction?
Of course reading labels is always enlightening, amusing and infuriating all at the same time!

So, comparing three different brands Weleda, Dr.Hauschka, and Crystal,
the most common ingredients seem to be - not surprisingly - some form of alcohol, mineral salts - can you say table salt?, fragrance = a couple of drops of essential oils and lots of water.
So, here is my recipe for homemade deodorant - as always - experiment wildly and have fun creating your own!

Deodorant recipe - you will need:

Some form of alcohol
Fragrance
Water
a spray bottle or reuse and old roll-on deodorant bottle

1. Some form of alcohol - just like for making perfume - vodka works well - you could even try flavored - I am sure citrus would give it a nice base tone. You don’t need a whole lot since you are going to cut at least two parts water to one part alcohol.



2. Salt - add a tiny bit of regular table salt - should neutralize the bacteria a bit, but salt is a very optional ingredient.

3. Fragrance - a couple of drops of essential oil - whatever you have at hand. You could produce you own - by squeezing citrus peel or infusing flowers or bits of spice in your deodorant - add a small dash of ground ginger or cinnamon - costs cents.

4. Add water - just enough so it will flow but not too much to make it runny - you will have to play around with it.




5. A nice addition which I use instead of alcohol is Thayer’s Orginal Witch Hazel Formula which has alcohol in it and works really well as a base. The Aloe Vera formula is very nice for sensitive skin.



6. All you need now is a bottle - The insanely expensive Dr.Hauschka deodorant at least buys you a reusable glass bottle that looks very nice and can easily be refilled. Most plastic bottles cannot be reused. In that case a little spray bottle should do.

Please check out the list of harmful ingredients in deodorants here. may be that will give you the inspiration you need to make your own.

Making your own toothpaste -part deux of the insanity!

So, after promoting making your own toothpaste - I researched the price of tubes to refill. If you don’t know what I am talking about, check it out here.
I was quite shocked to learn that Pearl Paint, one of the cheapest art supply stores in the world charges $1.04 for them. Plus shipping. So that got me thinking. It irks me to put cents worth of homemade tooth paste into a container, that costs $1.00. Since when is the container supposed to be more expensive than what’s inside. So, I looked at what I already have at hand. And then it hit me “Eureka”! Why not use the tube I already have: namely - the old toothpaste tube. So, I went to work.



1. I unravelled the end and cut off the last bit. This would only work with metal tubes. Shame on you, if your toothpaste comes in plastic tubes!



2. Then I inserted my homemade toothpaste - which admittedly was a bit messy. Careful don’t overfill! because then..



3. you have to reseal the end. A small pair of pliers works best.


4. Voila - done - of course you could also use a small container. If you want to be boring…

You are going to be able to do this two or three times only and the tube is going to get shorter each time, but it stays out of the trash -Green- and it is free -Cheap-, but it is definitely insane, although fun!

10 Beauty Tips that are close to free!

Ten budget eco beauty tips:

1. The first thing that comes to mind is of course to eat as much raw food as possible. The more water the food contains the better. A lot of highly paid models switch into raw food mode when they have an important shoot coming up. When I say raw food, I mean raw fruits and vegetables. Some people swear raw eggs give them glowing complexions but personally I would be too afraid of food borne illnesses to even consider that.

2. As you use these raw foods - two stand out in particular. Avocados and Papaya. While you prepare your yummy avocado or papaya dishes DO NOT throw out the peels. Rubbing the insides of either of these two all over your face makes a completely free super effective mask, that when left on for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes nourishes the face and leaves your skin re-hydrated and smooth. Of course do not forget to rinse off after 15 minutes especially if you are expecting guests! Cost: free!

3. For oily skin and acne an egg white mask is particularly good. It draws out impurities and absorbs oil. Directions: beat an egg white until it is frothy - apply to face - let it dry and set - you will want to lie down - after all you have egg on your face! - leave on for 15 to 20 minutes - rinse with water. Your skin will be tight and balanced. Cost: cents

4. Everybody knows the "old tea bags on the eyes trick". Again you are using something you would otherwise toss out. The tannin in the tea acts as an astringent that helps to shrink puffy tissue. Cost: free

5. Dandruff solution: Dissolve two or three aspirins in a warm glass of water - pour on scalp and let it sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with cool water. The salicylic acid in the aspirin is often an active ingredient in over the counter expensive dandruff remedies. Cost: cents

6. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps promise on their labels 18 different uses and indeed you can be very creative with these little treasures. They come in several different scented versions, everything from rose to lavender to peppermint. Even somebody who does not like the idea of mixing and combining different ingredients will love these.
All you have to do is dilute, dilute, dilute. For about 3$ you will get a 4 oz bottle that is a little powerhouse. Dilute ½ tablespoon in one cup and you will have an extremely affordable, mild shampoo, hand soap, body wash and shaving soap. The beauty applications are almost endless while at the same time you can use the same product in a stronger dilution to clean floors, pets, dishes, laundry, cars, countertops, baths and toilets!
Dr. Bronner’s only uses 100% recycled bottles, the soaps are 100% fair trade, organic, vegetable based and biodegradable and the company prides itself never to have paid for advertising. It has grown for over 100 years strictly on word of mouth! Cost: about 3$ for 4 oz of concentrate that will produce a gallon of soap.

7. Deodorants are easy to be made at home. You will want to avoid the over the counter ones because they contain aluminum which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and the aluminum free ones do cost a lot of money.
Natural alternatives include using orange or lemon peel - just rub under your arm. You could also use freshly cut slices of lemon or orange, just not right after shaving or if you have sensitive skin. Aloe vera juice is also refreshing and soothes sensitive skin. Just pinch a leaf and use the gel.
A recipe for a spray deodorant would have to include equal parts alcohol - clear vodka works well - water - and a couple of drops of essential oils -pretty much your choice - rose, lavender, citrus comes to mind. Mix, put in a spray bottle - ready. Cost: Depends on the kind of vodka. Lol, no seriously - definitely under five dollars.

8. For a free hand treatment make it a habit every time you cook to use a little oil on the back of your hands. Any oil will work fine, favorites include olive oil and coconut oil.
As you measure and pour the oil into the pan for stir-fry or bowl for salad dressing, simply tap the cap of your oil container on the back of your hands, rub the two backs of your hands together and leave on during cooking. Afterwards you could rinse off the excess oil, but often you will find that the oil has absorbed completely! Cost: free

9. Several fruits make excellent masks not only for your face but also for the hair. You can mash bananas, melons,berries, avocados and mix with a little olive or coconut oil. Apply to hair, wrap head in warm, moist towel and wait half hour, then wash as per usual. Cost: around one dollar, depending on fruit used.

10. Salt Glow: you can bring this spa treatment home by simply mixing two tablespoons sea salt and two tablespoons oil of your choice. Just rub on any part of you skin that needs softening such as elbows, knees or heels. Cost: under one dollar.