I have made laundry detergent, deodorant and toothpaste!
I have used aromatherapy oils for 20 years now. I am sensitive to artificial fragrances and started using essential oils in college for the enjoyment of the smell and to combat a cold sore (I have never had one since!)
Recently, while reading and using the book, "Organized Simplicity" by Tsh Oxenreider http://tshoxenreider.com/organized-simplicity/ I discovered some other great uses for aromatherapy.
I already use fragrance and dye free laundry soap, but what a neat idea to make your own and if you would like, add a natural fragrance.
I have always liked to used baking soda for tooth powder as well. Tsh blends it with a few other ingredients to make a paste. Add essential oil!
Deodorant is another issue for me. Many store bought types, even the natural ones make my armpits itch. I have not tried what I made today, but I will be updating you on whether there is an itchiness problem in the future.
I will share these recipes and my tweaks below. I suggest her book for easing your life into simplicity at its finest, but still looking like YOUR life. It was free for a while as a Kindle download, not sure how long that lasted, so check out Amazon.com.
Laundry Detergent
1 cup unscented, dye-free soap (such as Ivory), grated I used King's Coco Castille
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 borax
Essential oils are optional, but I doubled this batch and then added about 1/2 oz of Bergamot oil.
Basic Homemade Toothpaste
2 tbsp. of coconut oil Coconut oil is solid under 76 degrees Fahrenheit, so sit your jar in warm water to melt to make it easier to use.
2 to 3 tbsp. of baking soda I ended up using more, it seemed runny. May be too hard when the oil solidifies again.
1/4 tsp. stevia powder
A few drops of pure essential oil. Not all essential oils are safe to ingest internally, but these are fine. Peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, lime, clove, cinnamon or licorice. (A note here: do not use to much essential oil. Cinnamon and peppermint are strong and only a few drops are needed. Clove helps with toothaches as well.)
Homemade Deodorant
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 to 6 tbsp. coconut oil (I used a bit more. Once again, it may not be right when it solidifies. I'll let you know.)
Empty deodorant container.
Mix the baking soda and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the coconut oil, a tablespoon or so at a time, until all the dry ingredients have been mixed in.
Pack into the empty container. May need to refrigerate to solidify the oil again.
I used an essential oil blend that is good for bacteria and odor. Lavender, rosemary, sandalwood, juniper berry and eucalyptus. Mixing this into the dry ingredients first works best.
Tsh has more information on her website.
This may not sound like simplicity to you. But for me, avoiding fragrances that make me itch or sneeze and using natural products simplifies my life by taking harsh side effects out of my daily routine. One less thing I have to worry about.
Enjoy!
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