These are suitable for older babies onwards. I wouldnt do them with a newborn though, because the bicarb might upset the pH of their skin.
1 container of Bicarbinate of soda
1 container of Cream of tatar (both found in the baking aisle of supermarkets)
a few drops of essential oil (lavender is good for babies)
If you arent making for a baby - add some dried lavender, or glitter, or both
Mix together
Fill a spraybottle with warm water. Add to the power a few squirts at a time, stirring well, until the mixture starts to stick together - starts to resemble the breadcrumb consistancy seen in the 'rubbing in' method of baking.
Divide into sections of a silicone ice cube tray, leave for a few hours.
Pop out and leave to dry for 24 hours
Showing posts with label toiletries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toiletries. Show all posts
Monday, April 13, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Moisturisor and nappy cream!
This is kind of a weird texture because the cocoa butter tends to set in 'bits', but once you rub it in it doesnt make a difference, and it is gorgeous and works really well.
Once you've got the hang of making it, you can adjust the proportions. More aloevera makes it more mattifying, more jojoba oil makes it more moisturising. Swap for olive oil for very dry skin.
2 bars of cocoabutter, cut into small pieces for easier melting
jojoba oil, roughly equal to cocoabutter. Swap for olive oil for very dry skin
2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel (available from Holland and Barrett) OR 1/2 tablespoons of fresh aloevera gel squeezed from a real aloevera plant. The shop bought stuff tends to have alcohol in it, and makes the finished product smell like chocolate liquers. Fresh is better for your skin though.
Melt cocoa butter and oil together in a double boiler or in 20second blasts in the microwave. After a 3/4 of blasts, the oil is usually hot enough to melt the rest of the cocoabutter, with vigourous stirring. blast again for another 10 seconds to heat the mixture.
Add aloevera to hot oil mixture and beat with a fork until VERY well mixed. If you cheat, the final product will feel a bit weird, although it will work the same.
Add a drop of teatree oil if you are prone to spots or greasy skin.
Transfer into clean glass containers. This mixture usually makes 2 small empty face cream pots full. If you want a solid that you melt with your finger, Wait until it cools slightly, and then set in the fridge to help it set evenly. If you want a more liquid texture, do not put in the fridge :)
EDITED TO ADD - add a few drops of teatree oil to make a nappy cream
Once you've got the hang of making it, you can adjust the proportions. More aloevera makes it more mattifying, more jojoba oil makes it more moisturising. Swap for olive oil for very dry skin.
2 bars of cocoabutter, cut into small pieces for easier melting
jojoba oil, roughly equal to cocoabutter. Swap for olive oil for very dry skin
2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel (available from Holland and Barrett) OR 1/2 tablespoons of fresh aloevera gel squeezed from a real aloevera plant. The shop bought stuff tends to have alcohol in it, and makes the finished product smell like chocolate liquers. Fresh is better for your skin though.
Melt cocoa butter and oil together in a double boiler or in 20second blasts in the microwave. After a 3/4 of blasts, the oil is usually hot enough to melt the rest of the cocoabutter, with vigourous stirring. blast again for another 10 seconds to heat the mixture.
Add aloevera to hot oil mixture and beat with a fork until VERY well mixed. If you cheat, the final product will feel a bit weird, although it will work the same.
Add a drop of teatree oil if you are prone to spots or greasy skin.
Transfer into clean glass containers. This mixture usually makes 2 small empty face cream pots full. If you want a solid that you melt with your finger, Wait until it cools slightly, and then set in the fridge to help it set evenly. If you want a more liquid texture, do not put in the fridge :)
EDITED TO ADD - add a few drops of teatree oil to make a nappy cream
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Face wash for sensitive skin
1 teaspoon of ready-brek or other instant porridge
1 teaspoon water/milk/rice milk/oat milk
1 teaspoon honey
Mix well, apply to face and leave for a couple of minutes to dry if required. Rinse thoroughly, and dry carefully.
I tried this this morning and found it really soothing. It didnt dry my skin out at all, and I usually find even plain water drying. My skin felt very smooth and nourished. If you wait for it to dry a bit, it exfoliates gently as you wash it off
1 teaspoon water/milk/rice milk/oat milk
1 teaspoon honey
Mix well, apply to face and leave for a couple of minutes to dry if required. Rinse thoroughly, and dry carefully.
I tried this this morning and found it really soothing. It didnt dry my skin out at all, and I usually find even plain water drying. My skin felt very smooth and nourished. If you wait for it to dry a bit, it exfoliates gently as you wash it off
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Mutli purpose Bath Melts
Recipe sourced from the Green Parenting Forum. This can be used as bath melts, massage tablets, and moisturising bars.
Melt some cocoabutter in a bowl, either over a pan of boiling water or at 10/20second intervals in the microwave. Organic fairly traded cocoabutter is available from www.akamuti.co.uk.
While this is melting, you prepare your icecube trays. Silicon pop out ones are the best, sometimes found in supermarkets, Poundland, and Ikea does nice heart shaped ones. If you want to use botanicals in your bath melts, half fill each segment with one that matches your chosen essential oils. If you are making massage bars or moisturiser bars, you dont need the botanicals. Add one or two drops of essential oils to each segment.
Top up your icecube trays with melted cocoabutter and pop them in the fridge for an hour or two to set.
Remember - cocoa butter smells of chocolate. Bear that in mind when choosing your oils. Peppermint oil+cocoa butter = mint chocolate scented bath time!
Melt some cocoabutter in a bowl, either over a pan of boiling water or at 10/20second intervals in the microwave. Organic fairly traded cocoabutter is available from www.akamuti.co.uk.
While this is melting, you prepare your icecube trays. Silicon pop out ones are the best, sometimes found in supermarkets, Poundland, and Ikea does nice heart shaped ones. If you want to use botanicals in your bath melts, half fill each segment with one that matches your chosen essential oils. If you are making massage bars or moisturiser bars, you dont need the botanicals. Add one or two drops of essential oils to each segment.
Top up your icecube trays with melted cocoabutter and pop them in the fridge for an hour or two to set.
Remember - cocoa butter smells of chocolate. Bear that in mind when choosing your oils. Peppermint oil+cocoa butter = mint chocolate scented bath time!
Bath salts
Fill your chosen container (an empty, clean, dry glass bottle or jar is best. Appletizer bottles are pretty and good for presents. Coffee jars are good for large amounts for everyday use) with coarse sea salt. http://www.summernaturals.co.uk/ sell good bulk qualities. If you want a small amount as a one off, or to try before you commit to making loads, sainsburys sell nice jar-sized containers for about 69p.
Empty the salt into a bowl and add about 10 drops of your favourite essential oil. Lavender and Jasmine is relaxing, lavender and peppermint is good for soothing aches and pains, and lavender and tea-tree is healing to postnatal women. Can you tell I like lavender. Stir vigorously until thoroughly mixed.
If you have some 'botanicals' ie dried flowers, add these and stir to distribute them. Botanicals are available from http://www.summernaturals.co.uk/ although check your local market first. Mine does them very reasonably.
Transfer back into your chosen container and label. A funnel can be useful to avoid making a mess. Remember, the salt will have expanded slightly with the oils, so the may not fit back in the bottle quite the same. Give the bottle the occasional tap on the table as you fill, to level the salt properly.
Empty the salt into a bowl and add about 10 drops of your favourite essential oil. Lavender and Jasmine is relaxing, lavender and peppermint is good for soothing aches and pains, and lavender and tea-tree is healing to postnatal women. Can you tell I like lavender. Stir vigorously until thoroughly mixed.
If you have some 'botanicals' ie dried flowers, add these and stir to distribute them. Botanicals are available from http://www.summernaturals.co.uk/ although check your local market first. Mine does them very reasonably.
Transfer back into your chosen container and label. A funnel can be useful to avoid making a mess. Remember, the salt will have expanded slightly with the oils, so the may not fit back in the bottle quite the same. Give the bottle the occasional tap on the table as you fill, to level the salt properly.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Wet Wipes Solution
Home made baby wipes are practical, cheap, and chemical free. This solution can be used with either cloth wipes (old fleece cut into squares or cheap flannels) or large (preferably organic) cotton wool pads as a disposable option. Cloth wipes can be dunked, squeezed and stored in a tupperware box, or you can pop the solution in a spray bottle to spray onto either wipe or babybum at the appropriate moment, and are chucked in with the clothnappy load. The cottonwool goes into nappysack with your 'sposie.
If you use tea-tree oil, the wipes are antiseptic and can be used to wipe down highchairs, tables etc.
Traditional Version
1 chamomile tea bag
2 mugs of boiling water
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 drops of lavender oil and 2 teatree oil
Stir
Busy Mama version
Pour a small amount of boiling water into container
Add chamomile tea-bag and stir vigourously with a spoon until small amount of strong chamomile tea is made
Remove teabag and top up with cold water (this means you can make up your wipes immediately and not waste time waiting for it to cool)
Sprinkle with essential oil of choice (I prefer teatree)
Other variations
Chamomile and Honey teabags
Glycerin instead of olive oil
Adding 1 blob of natural baby wash to traditional version
Plain water with small amount of babywash
Newborn version - plain, warm water
Nappy rash version - strong chamomile tea and liberal sprinkling of lavender oil (antiseptic, but gentler than teatree and doesnt sting)
If you use tea-tree oil, the wipes are antiseptic and can be used to wipe down highchairs, tables etc.
Traditional Version
1 chamomile tea bag
2 mugs of boiling water
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 drops of lavender oil and 2 teatree oil
Stir
Busy Mama version
Pour a small amount of boiling water into container
Add chamomile tea-bag and stir vigourously with a spoon until small amount of strong chamomile tea is made
Remove teabag and top up with cold water (this means you can make up your wipes immediately and not waste time waiting for it to cool)
Sprinkle with essential oil of choice (I prefer teatree)
Other variations
Chamomile and Honey teabags
Glycerin instead of olive oil
Adding 1 blob of natural baby wash to traditional version
Plain water with small amount of babywash
Newborn version - plain, warm water
Nappy rash version - strong chamomile tea and liberal sprinkling of lavender oil (antiseptic, but gentler than teatree and doesnt sting)
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