Creating a product that works for you is really a matter of figuring out which oils and butters have the properties that suit your skin. Typically, people with drier skin prefer butters, and people with normal skin or combination skin prefer lighter oils, such as grape seed or sunflower oil. If you have oily skin, you may not need to put anything on it to keep it from drying … [Read more...]
Ecothrifty Skin Care – Waxes and Butters
Waxes are another popular ingredient in skin care products. Unlike oils, which tend to go rancid within a few months to a year at room temperature, waxes last a long time. Beeswax — In addition to being used to make candles and to polish furniture, beeswax is a popular ingredient in lotion, lip balm, soap, and other skin care products. It moisturizes skin by helping retain … [Read more...]
Ecothrifty Skin Care – Oils
It is not difficult to make your own body care products. In fact, a single ingredient works well for many purposes. You may need to do a bit of research, and you may not get the ingredient that suits you best the first time you try, but don’t give up. It is sad to see people give up on natural products when the first try doesn’t live up to expectations. Just as every commercial … [Read more...]
Ecothrifty Skin Care
The beauty industry, which has been around for less than a hundred years, is one of the most profitable industries on the planet. Americans alone spend $50 billion a year on skin care and makeup. If you ever thought you might be overpaying for cosmetics and skin care products, you were probably right. Although many Americans believe that the United States Food and Drug … [Read more...]
Another Mason jar gift: Peppermint Body Butter
Peppermint Body Butter? How wonderful! Today's guest post by Beth Hedrick explains how to make this soothing moisturizer just in time for the cold winter months ahead. Peppermint Body Butter Winter is almost upon some of us, while others have already had their first snow, and with the weather getting colder (and the air getting drier) the skin can … [Read more...]
Don’t want toxins on your skin?
But you don't want to make your own body care products? I get it. Really, I do. There are dozens of reasons why most people don't want to make their own soap, moisturizer, sugar scrub, toothpaste, and so on. Even I don't want to make all of those things all the time. But I don't want to put toxins into my body. That is non-negotiable! Before I wrote Ecothrifty, I thought … [Read more...]
Ecothrifty creams and moisturizers
Creating a product that works for you is really a matter of figuring out which oils and butters have the properties that suit your skin. Typically, people with drier skin prefer butters, and people with normal skin or combination skin prefer lighter oils, such as grape seed or sunflower oil. If you have oily skin, you may not need to put anything on it to keep it from drying … [Read more...]
Is your soap really soap?
Most of the bars of “soap” in the store are not really soap. They are actually detergents, and in fact, advertising campaigns have even focused on the difference, claiming that soap leaves a film on your skin that the advertised product does not. The message in the advertisement is that a soap film on the skin is a bad thing, but nothing could be further from the truth. When … [Read more...]
The miracles of baking soda
In EcoThrifty, baking soda is mentioned in several chapters as an inexpensive substitute for many commercial products. Here is a sample -- Facial scrub -- Put a little baking soda in your wet hand, rub your palms together and then gently apply the baking soda paste to your face. Rinse off and pat skin dry. It's a great exfoliator, and your skin will feel so soft! Scouring … [Read more...]
Make your own body scrubs
Although soap does a great job of removing oil and dirt from your skin, it does not necessarily remove dead skin cells. To exfoliate your feet or your back, you can use a loofah, a natural sea sponge, a specially made buffing sponge, or a rough towel. A loofah can be grown in the garden, costing almost nothing and having no transportation costs. You can also use it for … [Read more...]
