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Deborah Tosline wrote and published “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” in 2015. Her approach to skin care is based on a scientific background, love of research and over 30 years of DIY skincare experience.
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Writing a monthly blog on skin care amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 Coronavirus disease feels unnecessary and a little out of touch. Hopefully, this short list compilation of home and personal care product recipes will be helpful.
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My heartfelt condolences go out to those struggling without work, income, and experiencing huge business or financial losses – good health, be well, be safe and to those who have contracted COVID-19, are in contact with inflicted folks and may have lost loved ones – good health, peace and blessings to you.
Thank you to our brave and devoted medical care workers for helping us heal and be well while risking exposure. Thank you to our essential workers for their hard work to supply America. Good health, peace and blessings to you and your families: I hope that you are well, safe and get what you need and more.
Basic Living using Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Household and Personal Care Products
This short list of DIY recipes is for today and the future. I’ve searched the internet for DIY recipes that I currently use (or plan to use) to make basic household and personal care products.
Over time DIY products save money, reduce exposure to synthetic chemicals, reuse containers and reduce trash, promote clean air with fewer store trips, and allow you to use high quality ingredients.
With DIY, once you have the basic ingredients, you will be able to make several to many new batches of your products. Supplies are available now, however folks have hoarded herbs, essential oils, carrier oils and more. Fortunately, many ingredients may be substituted and some excellent suppliers like Mountain Rose Herbs (I am not affiliated) have products available with a slower than usual turn-around time to honor physical distancing for their workers.
I maintain a base supply of carrier oils, butters, essential oils, emulsifiers and other ingredients to make many DIY personal care products. I also keep a small supply of advanced skin care ingredients to add to my products.
Are you ready to begin your DIY adventures?
Over the past year, I’ve made the following products using simple ingredients and great recipes that I found on the Internet.
· Deodorant – I adore this deodorant recipe. I think that this DIY deo is better than the wonderful but pricey natural deodorants on the market these days. This product is so darn good that I forget that I even ever stink ha ha, true. It’s so creamy fine that it’s a pleasure to use. I use a cosmetic spatula to remove a half-pea sized amount from the container (to reduce contamination), apply it to a finger and rub it into the armpits. Deodorant recipe here.
· Toothpaste – I transitioned from store-bought toothpaste to baking soda to fresh Aloe Vera and I love Aloe Vera as a toothpaste!! I love Aloe Vera so much (for skin care) that I always grow it and keep several long slender leaves in a glass jar in the bathroom for skin and mouth care. When the green part of the Aloe Vera leaf is cut it produces a resin; do not use the resin and note that the resin can stain clothing, only use the gel portion. I cut a half-inch piece from the leaf, immerse my toothbrush into the gel and then brush. It foams up like toothpaste and if you swallow a little, enjoy the health bennies! Read about how to brush your teeth with Aloe Vera or read about the 2009 study that showed Aloe Vera to be as effective as two retail toothpaste brands.
· Face cream – I only recently began making face creams. I had tried over the years without much success. I really wanted to make my own creams so I kept trying and it finally worked when I purchased an emulsifying wax. Many recipes call for beeswax but I learned that beeswax must be treated with borax in order to become an emulsifying wax (see below). I tried it once and when it didn’t work for me, I purchased an emulsifying wax. I also added Cosgard Broad – Spectrum Preservative to my cream at the recommended concentration. I recently tried using this preservative in some of my products; it is approved by the Environmental Working Group. I made a batch of this recipe in November 2019 and am finishing the remainder of the batch this week, and love, love, love it! I kept a one-week supply in the medicine cabinet and stored the remainder in a labeled glass jar in the refrigerator. You may choose the specific oils and butters that you use for this recipe; I used coconut oil, avocado oil and cocoa butter in my November batch. I will try a shea butter/cocoa butter blend this next batch. This cream is for the face and is fantastic for the body as well. Add zinc oxide to a portion of the cream to make your own sunblock! Face cream recipe here.
· Sunscreen – In June 2019 I made my first ever batch of sunblock and super loved it! Oh, the savings you’ll reap when you make your own sunblock and… its good. Tested in the jungle summer sun in Mexico this DIY sunscreen proved that it could block the sun’s penetrating power and protect the skin. Once you get the Zinc Oxide, you may add the powder at the suggested use to any lotion or cream that you buy or make. Zinc Oxide is a respiratory irritant and requires special handling during usage. Wear a mask for fine particulates and do not breathe the powder when using. Sunscreen recipe here.
· Powder Laundry soap - I began making laundry detergent using this recipe in 2019. I am now ready to make my third batch. The clothes and washables come out clean and smelling fresh. At first, I could not believe that such a small amount would clean the clothing, I used too much and sometimes dark cloths came out with powdery smudges. Now I use it according to the recommendations, a tiny amount for a large load, and all is well. A vinegar rinse helps with hard water. I wash delicates and jeans with this laundry soap. I love that there are no fragrances or synthetic chemicals in this soap! I discharge the washing machine wastewater to a small patch of white clover grass in the backyard and the grass looks fantastic. Try it, it is so simple. Powder Laundry soap recipe here.
· Liquid Laundry soap – I had been using store bought liquid laundry detergent so I made DIY liquid laundry soap too. I followed the instructions except that I did not use 5 gallons of water, I only used 1.5 gallons and made a concentrated solution. My modification resulted in a solution that is too thick but can be diluted to make a cleaning solution for wall washing or whatever and for laundry too. Liquid Laundry soap recipe here.
· Bar soap – I made my first and last batch of bar soap with a friend a couple of decades ago. I recently found one of the bars of soap that I had previously made and used it. I guess homemade soap gets finer with age ha ha. It motivated me to make my own soap once again. I have the necessary oils on hand and purchased the lye. I plan on using a recipe from this well-seasoned soap maker. Looks like one batch will fill my bar soap needs for a year and I’ll customize the ingredients to my liking. Bar soap recipe here.
· General home cleaner – I’ve been using the super concentrated DIY liquid laundry detergent as a general cleaner. Wellness Mama provides a nice summary of DIY cleaning ingredients and with easy recipes for beginners here.
Standard Ingredients:
Skin care:
· Beeswax – This is not an emulsifying wax but may be made into one using Borax. Read how to make beeswax an emulsifying wax.
· Emulsifying wax – This wax has already been treated and will help to blend oil and water to make a cream.
· Essential Oils (EO) NOT fragrances. These are 100 percent pure plant oils, they are not diluted, not blended and highly concentrated. Please - never use fragrances, which are made with synthetic chemicals, have no beneficial value, and are likely to be harmful. The best Essential Oils are steam distilled or cold pressed and not processed with chemicals. Essential Oils have been used through time immemorial for health and beauty. Only use Essential Oils to scent your products.
· Carrier Oils – These are vegetable oils and are often used to blend and dilute Essential Oils for use on the skin. The best oils to use are organic, raw, cold-pressed vegetable oils. Cold-pressed oils retain their nutritious foundation although organic, cold-pressed are challenging to find in brick and mortar stores. I purchase my oils online, primarily from Mountain Rose Herbs and other online sustainable retailers. Most are suitable, select an oil based on the properties that you want for example Grapeseed Oil is light and Olive Oil is heavier. I love and use Avocado Oil for its nutrients.
· Butters – Cocoa, Shea, Mango, etc. I’ve only tried cocoa butter and am excited to try Shea next. Each has different properties but all melt at higher temperatures than oils and provide thickening as well as moisturizing.
· Water portion – I love Aloe Vera so much that my last batch of DIY cream was 50% Aloe Vera. Later I read that too much Aloe Vera can be drying. I used my Aloe Vera cream daily for 5 months and found it to be nourishing. You may use a variety of ingredients for the water portion of the recipe including floral waters.
· Zinc Oxide – This ingredient comes as a fine powder, wear a dust mask and do not breathe it while using. Once you have a small bag of zinc oxide, you can make sunscreen all year long, probably longer!
· Aloe Vera – I always grow and use fresh, next best would be a good Aloe Vera product. Know that Aloe Vera must be preserved when bottled, fresh is best.
Laundry soap and general home cleaners:
· Washing Soda – I bought a gallon container, about 20 pounds and made 4 batches of laundry detergent (2 dry and 2 liquid) and have more than half left.
· Borax – This is a handy ingredient to have at the home. It is used to cut through greasy messes and has other uses as well.
· Castile Soap – The recipes that I used called for grated castile soap. It is easy to grate. I used Dr. Bronner’s castile soap. Maybe I’ll use my own DIY soap in the future.
Bar soap:
· Lye – When lye is combined with fatty ingredients, the saponification process or chemical reaction of the two ingredients produces soap. Lye also seems to be a handy ingredient for sink clogs. Lye is alkaline, caustic and must be handled and stored with care.
· Carrier Oils – You may use a variety of different vegetable oils to make soap. Different oils will have different soap properties, Coconut Oil is more lathering, Olive Oil is fatty.
· Essential Oil – Pick your fave smelling EO or pick an EO for its special benefits.
If you need more information, go to the library, search the Internet, read my past Blog articles, or get my book “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare”
Take good care of yourselves!
XO Deborah
This article is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, be used as a medical treatment program, diagnosis, or cure of any disease or medical condition. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the effectiveness of the practices described in this article. Products or substances discussed herein are for educational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations of the author.