natural care.

With Burt's Bees now owned by Clorox and Colgate-Palmolive holding an 84% share of Tom's of Maine, organic cosmetics seem to be going the way of many organic food labels. (To see a map of who owns what in the organic food industry you can visit here.) Homemade lotions, soaps and other items are often on sale at local farmer's markets and health food stores but if you'd like to make your own, here are some simple alternatives to corporate owned products. (The website Kitchen Cosmetics also has recipes for anything you might need.)

Mint Toothpaste 

6 teaspoons baking soda

1/3 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin

15 drops peppermint, mint or tea tree oil extract.

Mix to a paste consistency and store in a glass container.

Honey Butter Lip Balm

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon grated bees wax

1/2 teaspoon shea or cocoa butter

1/2 teaspoon honey

flavored oil to taste

1 Vitamin E capsule

Melt the oil, honey, wax and butter over low heat. Allow a few minutes to cool and then add the flavoring and contents of the Vitamin E capsule. Stir to blend and then pour into containers. If you would like a firmer lip balm, just add a little more wax.

Honey Oatmeal Facial Scrub

1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal 

2 1/2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon warm water

This scrub has no shelf life so it should be used as made.

Orange Lotion

1/2 oz cocoa butter, melted

1 oz. olive oil

1 oz. of orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 drops essential oil

Mix all ingredients together in a blender until fluffy. If you want to create larger quantities to keep, you can store the lotion in the refrigerator.

Soaps and Shampoos

Many soap and shampoo recipes call for lye, which should be handled carefully, but there is a wealth of books and online instructions available to walk you through the process. Here are just a few of the resources that i found at my library:

-The Natural Beauty and Bath Book by Casey Kellar

-The Complete Soapmaker by Norma Coney

-Making Natural Liquid Soaps by Catherine Failor

-Clean, Naturally by Sandy Maine

please feel free to comment with any other recipes you've tried.