Rosehip Oil Moisturizer

I've been using a new mixture as my face moisturizer for the past few weeks - and I'm loving it! I use it in the morning before heading out for the day and at night again before I go to sleep.

The back story: I have a dear friend in her 40's with absolutely beautiful skin. I was staying over at her house lesson planning a few months back and she shared her secret - rosehip oil! It was a tiny little bottle of magic, about $13.00 for 30ml. I shared with another friend that I wanted to make rosehip oil and she too was interested so of course we, both wanting to know how and if we could make it on our own, turned to Tracey Tief at Anarres to ask what a great mixture would be for this kind of face moisturizer.

A little bit of research: Tracey suggested that I blend the rosehip as follows:
100ml carrier
10-15 % rose hip oil
1-2% essential oil

The reason she suggested this mixture is that rosehip oil, in high concentrations can aggravate acne. So mellowing it out a bit with some other oils is best! Once I had the above percentage I looked up rosehip oil a bit more. Anarres said that "rosehip oil is extremely high in essential fatty acids and is known to treat dry, irritated, weathered skin. It is also suitable for treating burns, scars, and stretch marks."

Sold!

Except, I didn't know what to do with the percentages she gave me (what does 10-15% look like??) What would be the best carrier oil? And what would be the best essential oil to pair with it?  She suggested geranium essential oil. It's wonderful as well (you can read the link) but it does act as a hormone balancer so it's not to be used during pregnancy. For the carrier oil, she suggested rice bran oil.

Into action: I went to Anarres Natural Health's brand new store to pick up the goods, and I was the first customer to fill the order in the new place!

Tracey filling up my 10ml of geranium essential oil, the first order in the new space!

I got the 100ml bottles, rosehip oil, geranium essential oil and rice bran oil. I also asked her to put the percentages in layman's terms for me. So here it is folks!

Recipe and instructions:
Once the three oils are at room temperature:
1. Add 40 drops of geranium essential oil to a 100ml bottle
2. Add 20ml of rosehip oil (about 1 tbsp + 1tsp)
3. Fill the rest of the bottle with rice bran oil and give it a little shake.

There it is! And the cost when you make it on your own? $7.50 for 100ml and refills are $6.00 (since you don't have to pay for the bottle again).

Over and out.

Water Kefir

Keith and I started drinking water kefir this past Spring and LOVE it.

The biggest difference I saw when using it was with my skin - it totally cleared up and got "the glow. I threw out our batch a few months ago because I thought it went bad (but it didn't, oops!) but have finally started it up again last week. I can't wait to see the difference in my skin again.

We love this stuff and Keith was so upset when I threw it out! He said "it's like you threw out our children!" Why did he say that? Because the grains are alive. Kefir is a bacteria, an awesome kind of bacteria. It's a dairy-free, fermented probiotic so it's great for your gut. We think of it as our cost-efficient way to have probiotics. We used to pay heaps of money on probiotic capsules but now we just drink this. It's also like "nature's pop" since when you leave it for a certain amount of time, you get the fizz!

It smells funny but tastes great. We kinda nickname it "baby puke" because it smells like that - gross right? But so good! Depending on how long you let it sit for (48-72 hours) the less sweet it will be. We usually do the 72 hour wait since we like ours a bit more tangy than sweet.

It's so easy to start and make yourself. The only thing you need is:

• water kefir grains (we got ours from Big Carrot)
• water
• organic cane sugar (we get ours from Moberly Natural Foods) 

The best way to learn how to do it is go to Cultures for Health (the brand of water kefir grains we got) and watch their videos. Here they are!

1. Watch this one to know how to hydrate your grains when you first buy them.

2. Then watch this one when you're ready to make your first batch!

Then repeat every 2-3 days or so.

We're sold. And I won't throw out this batch, promise.

New Toothpaste Recipe

Wow, the last post was August! Can you tell I'm a student?

We've continued to use and make all of the things we've posted over the past few months and years, still loving them! Today I tried a new toothpaste though so I thought I'd share!

We've been using this toothpaste recipe from David Suzuki since October 2012 and love it. Every time Keith and I go to the dentist they don't stop commenting about our teeth and gums - it's a constant "wow" from them. When I was there last week the Hygienist said "you have no stains on your teeth, you don't drink coffee do you?" and I said "I sure do!" and she said "through a straw?!" I laughed and in my head thought my homemade toothpaste is awesome. Keith gets comments like this all the time as well and neither of us tell them we make our own toothpaste because we think they'll say something against it once they know it's homemade and natural.

This week I ran out of vegetable glycerin and haven't had a chance to pick up my order yet so we've been using the sample toothpaste from the dentist. Blech. But today I found this other recipe and made a batch until I pick up my vegetable glycerin. 

Natural Tooth Soap and Paste Recipe

• 4 tsp baking soda
• 2.5 tsp coconut oil 
• 7 drops of peppermint essential oil

That's it! It felt a lot more smooth than the other one we use and a bit more sour for some reason? But my mouth still felt fresh and clean once I was done.

Good to have another option on hand. If we continue to like this one, we'll probably alternate recipes every time we run out.

Do you have another toothpaste recipe you like?

Another Try at Deodorant

Last month thanks to Tyler Sammy - I was rescued in terms of deodorant.

I had posted that my magical coconut oil plus baking soda combo started to cause redness and rawness under my armpit after about 8 weeks. It could be the abrasiveness of the baking soda? Or a PH reaction to the baking soda? I'm not sure. All I know is that I was bummed that my awesome find didn't last too long.

Tyler shared this awesome recipe with me that's "strong enough for a hippie." And yes, it's true. I wore it all month and didn't feel unfresh once.

Here are the ingredients to Smells Like Green Spirit by Lesley Clayton:

• 1 tablespoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoons grapeseed oil

• 3/4 teaspoon shea butter

• 3/4 teaspoon vegetable glycerin

• 3 drops each peppermint, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils

Combine the grapeseed oil, shea butter, and vegetable glycerin and microwave for 5 to 10 seconds until the shea butter has melted and the mixture has a uniform consistency. Stir in the baking soda and essential oils and store it in an airtight container.

This portion above lasted me exactly one month and I really love it. The pepper mint actually makes my armpits feel fresh, and not just smell fresh. 

I think the heating part helped dissolve the baking soda and I didn't have the reaction above this time around.

For the next bit, this is what I'm using until I have to "trick" my armpits with a new mix of oils. 

DIY Dry Shampoo

I've been meaning to wash my hair less for years now. I've always washed my hair daily but have heard for years and years that we really should be washing our hair 1-3 times a week.

Yikes!

This is a scary thought when you have oily hair.

What's interesting though is when I ask people with long, beautiful,shiny hair how often they wash it, the common answer is 1-2 times a week.

For about a month now I've been training my hair to be washed every 1-2 days. I actually like how it looks on day two! Day three I'm thinking ya, I need to shampoo...

What's made this doable for me is dry shampoo. Super easy to make and super easy to use.

Mix together. Rub it in your scalp. Done.

There's a recipe here that has ingredients for both dark and light hair - if you don't rub it in properly you could look "dusty." I haven't had this problem though, I find it rubs in quite nicely and naturally.

Since I didn't have all the ingredients listed in the link above, I've just been using this mixture:

• 2 tbsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 5-7 drops of lavender essential oil

I just mix it up in a bowl and put it in a spice shaker.

This mixture has been working perfectly fine for me and it smells great too!

Oil Pulling

A few months ago our friend Iris pointed Keith and I to an article on Oil Pulling by Morgan Potts (a Certified Holistic Health Coach). Like most things we read that lean towards being more natural/toxin-free - we thought, let's try this! We emailed her to ask a few more questions and she was so friendly and helpful. After we learned this doesn't replace brushing but supplements it, we began!

Well Keith did. Way more faithfully than I did! I started off doing it 2-3 times a week and then kept forgetting. But I think after reading Keith's reflections on it below - I'm totally going to be more consistent with it. Without further ado, the blog on Oil Pulling...written by Keith!

- Beka

Oil Pulling 

I once told my dentist that I didn't use regular toothpaste… she did not approve. I figured she wouldn't understand, unless it's fluoride or anti-bacterial, everything else is hokey in her eyes. So, on my next visit, a year later I didn't bring up the whole natural thing again, and she didn't remember. She asked me if I use regular toothpaste or sensitive toothpaste, I just said "regular", and without any bias she checked my teeth, did some cleaning and said "Everything looks great! Keep doing what you're doing." I will! All that to say my teeth were pretty good before I started oil pulling, so that will be my base starting point. I've been doing oil pulling for around 2 months now. Pretty consistently, but missed a few days here and there. 

Here's how you do it:

Take 1 tablespoon of oil, put it in your mouth, and gently swish around your mouth for 10–20 minutes. Preferably on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Spit it out in the garbage. 

That's it! The proper oil to use is either sesame oil (cold pressed, and preferably organic) or sunflower oil (organic if you can). Use sesame oil if you don't mind the taste, if you don't want any taste, use the sunflower oil. Supposedly those are the 2 best oils to use, other oils are reportedly less effective. That said, I haven't used either of those oils yet. I intend to get the sesame oil, but it just hasn't happened yet. So I've been using, what most people agreed is the next best thing, coconut oil. 

Time is key. I find anything less than 10 minutes is not satisfying at all. Be sure to keep swishing it around your mouth and between your teeth until enough saliva has been mixed in so that the oil is clear and watery. Spit it out in the garbage, rinse well and brush your teeth. 

Oil pulling helps clean, melts plague away, whitens teeth and… possibly adds 20 more years to you life… who knows. Now, supposedly, oil pulling helps pull the toxins out of your body and into the oil as well. So when you spit it out, that oil is toxic, make sure you dispose of it cleanly. I don't know how much of that is true. There hasn't been any studies done on it. But, this Ayurvedic practice has been done for thousands of years. Just because there is a lack of graphs doesn't mean it can't be true. I read a blog online who vented that oil pulling does not work, the only reason their oral health is better is because they spend more time and care cleaning their teeth hence better health as a result. Or… maybe it does work?  

Anyways, whether it works or not, the overall result is better oral health. I feel fantastic after oil pulling it. It helps with bad breath, and I love that coconut aftertaste… despite it being supposedly toxic in my mouth. I've never gotten compliments on my teeth before, and after a week of oil pulling both Rebeka and my mother in law both commented on how white my teeth looks. WHAT? 

The first time swishing was awkward. I keep thinking I was going to swallow it, or worried that my gag reflex would be in a huff. But you get use to it after a few practices. If you're squeamish, it may take a few tries.  

So, in conclusion, my teeth feel whiter, fresher and overall cleaner. It also feels less sensitive. Most importantly, it didn't dissolve my teeth away. Will post an update when I get the sesame oil. 

Verdict: Love it! Highly recommend you try it, your mouth will love you for it.

- Keith

The coconut oil we use from Costco at the moment (Image from: ohsheglows.com)

New Fave Deodarant

About a month ago my friend Lisa suggested that I try using a lime slice as my deodorant. What?! I'd never heard of that one before in all the years I spent looking for and trying natural deodorants. I'm always up for trying new things though and love testing out natural, toxic-free and cheap ways of living so you know I just had to try it! I was definitely skeptical though as I have b.o. and armpits that are very picky. Barely anything "natural" works on me. What works for others always has me smelling by mid-day.

I cut a sledge of lime and applied it to my underarms after my morning shower. At the end of the day - no smell. What?! Crazy.

I did this for 4-5 days or so, (even after I shaved one day which I thought would sting but didn't!)

Lisa has been doing this lime slice thing for a while and loves it. It works great for her and other people I've looked up love it as well. I was surprised that it actually worked for me too! If you're looking for a simple cheap deodorant, try the lime slice! Cut a wedge and keep it in the fridge in between uses. I used one wedge for 2-3 days. Just make sure you don't expose your armpits to sun! Citrus and sun do not mix. That goes for any citrus creams or other things you put on yourself as well. Don't go in the sun with them.

However, after a week or so I wasn't smelly per say, but I also didn't feel "fresh." This lead me to my discovery of my new favourite deodorant as mentioned above.

I looked up if I could add baking soda to the lime to see if that would help make me feel fresh and completely non-smelly longer. I wanted to make sure lime and baking soda could mix and wouldn't cause a chemical reaction on my skin (which shouldn't by the way! But it could be harsh for some people on their armpit skin) This lime and baking soda search led me to this incredible discovery.

Coconut oil and baking soda.

I quickly went to my kitchen, took my organic coconut oil and mixed it with equal parts baking soda.
I mixed:

• 3tbsp of coconut oil 
• 3 tbsp of baking soda.

Then put it in a glass jar with a lid.

I've been using this for a whole month now. I'm still using the original one I made a month ago so that 3 tbsp lasts a long time! It's incredible. It's so much easier to use than the salt stick and baking soda one I've been using for a few years now. And even easier than the lime wedge!

Why I love it:

• has a slight, beautiful coconut scent
• works all day, even 24 hours
• soft to apply
• easy to apply
• I don't have to keep it in the fridge, I can keep it in the bathroom mirror
• There's no multiple steps (ie. go to fridge, get lime, squeeze and apply, put back in fridge OR wet armpits, wet salt stick, pat with baking soda)
• I am completely smelly-free and have not been self conscious once this month of my smell

So I'm completely sold. This stuff is magical. The lime wedge led to an amazing discovery!

So for those of you still looking for that perfect natural deodorant that works for you, I hope either the lime wedge or coconut oil suggestions work for you.

Like I always say, everybody's different and every body's different. Don't give up. Find the natural, toxic-free thing that works for you.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: July 8, 2013
After about 8 weeks of using this, I found my armpits got a bit raw. *sad face*
I'm wondering if the baking soda is too abrasive on my armpits for daily use. Or if the PH in it is reacting against my body's PH? Either way. I'm back to the search of a deodorant that works for me. C'est la vie!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE: August 12, 2013
Found another recipe and tried it...so far love it! Here it is --> Another Try at Deodorant