Handmade toiletries

Tubs with deodorant and tooth powder — My handmade deodorant and tooth powder

It can be very satisfying to create and then use your own handmade toiletries. I’d been thinking about attempting some for a while, and then came across some useful websites with tried and tested recipes.

If, like me, you’ve tried all the natural/eco/vegan deodorants available (in the UK) for the last 20+ years and still not found one that works for you (it’s a very personal thing!), then you may want to branch out into the possibly wacky world of making your own. I know, you may feel you’ve stepped over some sort of line, but, if ‘normal’ antiperspirants leave your skin irritated, it’s worth a go. (Note, antiperspirants try to stop you perspiring, one of the body’s natural systems, often with things like aluminum, whereas deodorants mask the odour of the bacteria produced by your sweat).

I read a few blog posts on it (such as this one, this one and this one) and then decided on making a solid one (for at home) and a spray one (for in my bag). The recipes I used are:

Solid

2-3 dessert spoons solid coconut fat
1 tsp coconut fat melted
2 dessert spoons baking soda
2 dessert spoons corn starch
3 drops lavender essential oil

Method: mix the baking soda and corn starch in a bowl, then add the solid and melted coconut fat and keep stirring to make a smooth paste. Add your essential oil, stir some more, then store in a jar or tub. (NB some people say products with essential oils should not be kept in plastic tubs so you may prefer a glass jar.) To apply I use a previously acquired spatula thing.

Liquid

two parts witch hazel
one part aloe vera gel
essential oil drops

Method – mix in a jug and then pour into a spray bottle.

I find they both work very well. The solid one does go a bit soft when the temperature rises, so you might want to keep it in the fridge if you live somewhere hot.

It’s not just deodorants, you can also make your own tooth powder! I came across this blog post with links to various natural tooth powders. I’d switched to a commercial natural tooth powder some six months ago as the packaging was recyclable and it seemed more natural then even the eco-vegan ones in tubes, and then I thought ‘these ingredients are quite simple, you can probably make your own.’ And you can! And it seems to work fine, and in fact, if I get the beginning of a mouth ulcer (stress induced) it then disappears in a day unlike when I used to use ‘normal’ toothpaste.

Here’s the version I used:

4 tablespoons bentonite clay or calcium powder or a mix
1 tablespoon sodium bicarbonate
1/2 tbsp. finely ground sea salt
Essential oils for taste (e.g. 20 drops) – optional but mint, sage, orange or cinnamon are good, or 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon powder or clove powder

Method: Mix the ingredients in a bowl or tub and store in a small glass jar with a lid. I then put a smaller amount into a tub for daily use.

And the connection with yoga? Well, if we think of yoga as a holistic system and way of living, and view planet Earth as a precious living being, then finding the most natural ways to navigate our life on Earth, making the wisest choices, seems to fit with several of the tenets of yoga such as ahimsa and sauca.

2 thoughts on “Handmade toiletries”

Bethan says:

August 4, 2015 at 9:12 am

Just read these recipes Alyson – very interesting. May I pass them on to friends? I’m using Faith in Nature at the moment but it’s nice to have the personal touch and you can vary the oils you use (I don’t like lavender, except to treat insect bites!). Diolch.

LikeLike

1. alysontyler says:
  
  August 4, 2015 at 8:56 pm
  
  Of course Bethan, use and enjoy! I just cobbled them together from information on the Internet. The deodorant makes quite a reasonable size pot so if someone is starting out they may want to halve the amounts. I think I fancy jasmine for the next batch, but that could be a year away!!
  
  LikeLike