We have composted for years and switched to mostly organic food, went mostly vegan for our health. I cannot tell you how many times I've watched Forks Over Knives!
I had been using Melaleuca products in my home until I discovered GoodGuide.com GoodGuide.comrates companies and products on three criteria: Health, Environmental and Social impact. Melaleuca did not rate very well and neither did the few Mary Kay products they had analyzed. I was becoming aware of the fact that what we put ON our bodies is just as important as what we put IN them. I left both companies.
The search began for new household cleaners and new skin care and cosmetics. There was a lot of trial and error and expense but I finally settled on MyChelle skin care products (expensive!) for my face, Aubrey Organics and and found several brands of laundry products that seemed to meet my needs: Method, Seventh Generation, Grab Green, BioKleen. I also discovered the wonders of hydrogen peroxide diluted with water (1:1) and I continued using white vinegar for my floors and my acrylic tub and shower walls.
I continued to prowl Vitacost.com for organic products and discounts. I thought the transition was complete until we ran smack into the credit card reality and began looking at budgets.
A week before Christmas, 2013, I came down with a nasty case of bronchitis. I coughed like crazy but my energy was good and I managed to get done what I needed to do for my Christmas Eve gathering. Every day I got better. New Year's came and went and I'm still coughing up junk but I feel pretty good. The biggest issue is that I am hypersensitive to smells. I am sensitive to fragramces anyway but the bronchitis/upper respiratory issues exaggerated the issue.
For some reason I was awake at 1:00a.m. on January 2 when my newly-showered husband came into the bedroom to go to bed. He uses baby powder to eliminate chafing issues and the smell of the baby powder made my nose itch and I began coughing and having trouble breathing. I immediately abandoned ship and headed out to the couch in the family room.
Being wide awake by this time, I began searching for natural replacements for Baby Powder. It's made with talc and fragrance and who-knows-what else and it had to GO.
Wandering around the interweb I came across an amazing website: WellnessMama.com
She has all kinds of DIY items you can make to replace the more harmful, more expensive store-bought products...including a natural replacement for baby powder: arrowroot powder mixed with a few drops of essential oils (I didnt' have the chammomile petals to grind up and add but by 2:00a.m. I had made a small batch of powder with arrowroot and a few drops of lavender and orange essential oils. Hub really liked it!
And so began my DIY journey! I've ordered approximately $150 of components and I will have materials to make remineralizing toothpaste, body lotion, body bars, shower gel, shave cream, shave bars, salt spray for hair, makeup, hairspray, lip balm, daily shower spray, foaming hand soap, facial cleanser.
I've begun printing out recipes and creating my own 'cookbook'. It's in a green binder, of course!
Follow me as I delve into this new world of DIY natural products!
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