DIY Vapor rub

Vick's vapor rub is one of my favorite products, I just do not think I can live with out it.  But I just do not like the petroleum jelly it is made from.  I have read about petroleum jelly and see that it has some great benefits.  { I believe only come from its sealing ability on the skin} I think those benefits are the same for other oils like coconut oil and Shea butter.
Here is the list form Vick's of ingredients:
Inactive Ingredients
"Regular: Cedarleaf oil, nutmeg oil, special petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil
Lemon: Cedarleaf oil, lemon fragrance, nutmeg oil, special petrolatum, thymol, turpentine oil"
Reference: http://www.vicks.com/products/vapo-family/vaporub-topical-ointment/

Do you want turpentine oil on your skin?

You may not think that a topical use product needs to be organic or used from non petroleum products, I would suggest doing a test.  Cut a clove of garlic and rub it on your heel.  It takes a minute for the taste of garlic in your mouth.  You can also do this with Vick's and feel the coolness go through your blood as it moves up your legs.  Your skin is taking it inside your body.  This means your organs have to clean it out of your blood.  Another reason I did not want to use Vick's is that petroleum jelly should not be placed in the nose.  Guess where everyone puts Vick's?   If it is inhaled it collects in the lungs and can cause a rare disease called lipoid pneumonia.

Reference: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/petroleum-jelly/an00947

It is easy to make some at home and you can customize it for your family.

I started with an empty vitamin container and some coconut oil.  Any oil will do to get the essential oils on the skin.  Even a lotion base will work.

Coconut oil 2-3 tablespoons
Rosemary  oil7 drops  Great for relieving pain and clearing congestion
Eucalyptus oil 10 drops Great for clearing sinuses
lavender 6 drops Clears sinuses and relaxes
peppermint 8 drops Clears sinuses

You can also try Thyme, cedar, and campor { which is in Vick's} Pine, spruce.
There are many oils that improve congestion, coughing, and asthma symptoms.  I added lavender to help calm and help sleeping.  I just used what I had on hand.  You may try sharing your oils with friends to make all the different mixes with out buying it all yourself.

Once you choose your oils and carrier oil like Olive oil, Grape seed oil, Shea butter, Ghee {clarified butter}, or plain lotion.  Add in your essential oils  to your liking.  I rub it on the chest and heels of the feet.  It works for about four hours.  I have been using it for Little mans teething.  It clears up his constant runny nose from his new incoming teeth well.

I did melt my coconut oil and mixed in the essential oils.  I wanted it to dry smooth to look more store bought.  I am still a sucker for pretty things. 

Soon to come is making Homemade Ghee.

Vapor bath balms.


Other uses for essential oils.



Eucalyptus Oil  Uses
Rosemary Uses
Lavender uses
Peppermint uses

Homemade Lavender bodywash

Having a great scent in the morning shower is always helpful in rising and shining.  Shining is not always the case, especially here in Portland.  I thought I might add some great scents that are beneficial too. 

I started with a nice glycerin soap.  It is made locally in Sherwood, Or.  I love buying fancy soaps but I never use them.  They smell great, look pretty, and everyone reaches for the liquid soap instead.  This is a great way to use up those  soaps you have laying around.

Bar of glycerin soap
1 tsp glycerin
4 drops of Tea tree oil
 10 drops or more to your liking of Lavender essential oil
2 Tablespoons of Oil {Olive oil and grape seed works well.}
Aloe Vera and Vitamin E
 1 gallon water
 I have found that using different soaps brings different results.  I always start with half the water.

 I used Meadow foam Oil, I have it on hand for some soon to be made body butter.

Add the grated soap and melt.  Then I add the rest of the ingredients and let it sit over night. 
The last Body wash I made was very liquid for many hours so I poured it in to my container.  It turned to gel overnight and was difficult to pour out.  I have learned to let it sit overnight.  This soap was still liquid in the morning.  I decided to heat it and let the liquid evaporate off.  I let it simmer with the lid off for a half hour and then let it cool.  By the afternoon it was lumpy and gel.  I then blended it with my hand blender.  It came out creamy and very nice.

I used a recycled soap bottle and added a quick label with chalk paint.  The oil in the wash does not leave a residue but does leave my hands soft and not dried out like bar soaps usually do

.
Tips:
Cheaper soaps may need more glycerin while better quality soaps may not need it at all.  It is a bit of a gamble on how much of water, glycerin, and oils.  The best thing to do is start with less water and let it set.  If it is to stiff then add in more water and blend.   I check the soap by using some to make sure I am not watering it down to much.  A smaller bar will use less water.  

Here is m first Body wash How to.   

Linked at http://www.pincushioncreations.com/ 
 http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

How to make Dry laundry detergent, Homemade

It is time to make a new batch of laundry soap.  I have really liked my last batch and am excited to keep using more.  The amount of money saved on making your own is certainly worth it and it is easy!  Our family has had no sensitivities to it and it cleans great.

This is the liquid laundry soap recipe

Start with 1 cup Washing Soda and 1 cup Borax and finely  grate 1/3 a bar of soap or 1/2 cup soap flakes.  I decided to buy a box of soap flakes.  This way I avoided shaving the soap and it mixes better for a dry mixture.

Shake!!!
Stir!!!
and flip a few times while saying bibly bobbly boo....
It's like magic your done.  { bibly bobbly boo is optional though recommended.


2 tablespoons is all you need per load, increase as you feel. 
Now add a great label on a recycled bottle. Think about how much you saved.

Tips..

To boost your detergent for a dirty load you can add baking soda. or Washing soda or Borax.  All are boosters and add extra cleaning help.  Vinegar is also great for reducing odor, {I have three boys!!}  and it also reduces static cling.

Homemade laundry soap

Last year I was talking with some of the mom's in my sons class about ways to save on our budgets.  One mother talked about making her own laundry detergent.  I don't know why I never thought of making my own detergent before but I am amazed on how much money it really does save.  I usually buy from Costco the Eco's brand at around $18 for 64 loads.  I do have a High Efficiency machine and it works well.  The homemade detergent is also great for HE machines as it does not have sudsing.  Bubbles are made from fillers in detergents, they also can leave residue on machines and clothes.  This detergent is great for those of you that use cloth diapers as it does not have waxes and repellents in it. 

1 Cup Borax

1Cup Washing Soda

1/3 bar of Zote or Fels-naptha bar

10 drops of Tea tree oil

Fragrance

                                                                               24 cups of water.

Grate soap and add to 6 cups of hot water, heat until soap is melted, add in borax and soda until diluted.  Mix in 6 cups of water and stir.  Set until cool add in remaining liquid, tea tree oil and fragrance, set overnight.  It will be chunky and soupy.  I needed to stir and mix mine periodically.  It will need to be shaken before each use.  I use about 1/4 cup per load

I used a halved creamer bottle for a funnel, I can never find one when I need one.  Reused my old laundry bottle.  This one is a bit big so I use the creamer bottle and just refill as needed.  

Here is a container I used to mix the soap and store it.  I was surprised to see this label on it.  I had bought this with smaller ones inside.  I use those for my food but not any more.  They were sold at Winco for food storage containers.  It says This product contains chemicals even lead, that are known to cause cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm in California.  Good thing I do not live in California.    I am going to Ikea and replacing all my plastic with glass. 


Here are some Laundry tips
Here is how to make Dishwasher soap

                                      

                             

Costs of each product runs at- Borax $4.89, Washing soda $2.39, Fels-Naptha on Amazon is $.98.  If you wanted to add tea tree oil it is around $10 a bottle and also fragrance between $5-$9 a bottle.
I have plenty of soda and borax to make much more.  It was $8.26 to make and I can still make more. The tea tree oil is for disinfecting.  It is not necessary but does add that in.  I also use it in my homemade cleaners.  The soap bars have a fragrance so none is needed, it smells lemony.
Tips on finding products:  Fred Meyers had the Washing soda, it was the hardest to find.  It does sell on Amazon.com and is a great price there.  Home Depot sells the Zote bar and Fels-naptha is at Whole foods or New Seasons.  Borax is in any laundry isle.

As seen http://www.getouttamyheadplease.com/2012/02/show-it-off-link-party-10.html?utm_source=BP_recent  Link party.