Fun, cheap, natural

For those of you who have asked, here are some of the recipes I've been using for natural home and body products:

I have all the ingredients for the household cleaners, but have not needed to use them much yet b/c I am still finishing up the expensive but delightful Mrs. Meyers products I got with a gift certificate still left from my wedding two years ago. (We bought them 3 or 4 months ago. As a plug for them they are natural and have nice gentle scents like, geranium, lemon verbena, and lavendar.)
The ingredients I have for the cleaners are:
Baking soda - (Used it today with a bit of peroxide on a sponge to scrub the tub. It worked great and the best part was that since it was all natural and gentle I was able to scrub the tub with my baby in it!- *If anyone knows a reason why that was a bad idea please let me know.)
Borax (found in the laundry aisle of most major supermarkets) - around $3 Its a laundry booster and great disinfectant. Mix 1/2 c. borax w/ 1 gallon hot water and your favorite fresh herbs, strain after 10 min if you want. Store in a spray bottle and use as a disinfectant spray.
White Vinegar - I use it most often with baking soda to dump down my drains, followed in a few minutes by a pot of boiling water - helps unclog and freshen them. Its also a great glass cleaner.
Castile Soap (I got Dr. Bronners online 32oz for $8 at IHerb I think, but I think something like Murphy's would work and be cheaper.) - this can be used for anything - dishes, skin, deodorant, floor soap etc. Its supposed to be even gentle enough to be used as a baby soap! (I'm not sure if its safe for eyes though so watch that.)Its super concentrated so almost always dilute it. Mix it with baking soda or borax and lots of water to mop your floors.
Lemon juice - Can be combined with hot water and lemon juice in a spray bottle as an air freshener.
Hydrogen Peroxide -

They suggest using essential oils to scent them, but that starts making them pricy...
(I got almost all of my ideas from a funky website (that I can't promise is legit in any way, but I like what I've tried) called Loretta's place. Not super professional but it has "worked for me!" It has tons more recipes so go there to continue learning.)


For skin care my mom found these sweet little apothecary bottles at a thrift store, disinfected them and gave them to me, so my concoctions are oh so pretty and it makes all of this more fun.

In the mornings I use either an apple cider vinegar "balancer" or a lemon juice witch hazel combo.
Apple cider is 9 parts water to every 1 part vinegar.
1/2 c lemon juice, to 1 cup water, to 2/3 cup witch hazel.
Store and apply with a cotton pad.

Then I moisturize with organic coconut oil. Strange I know, but my old roomate did it and it worked wonders for her skin and made her glow and smell yummy all the time so i've been dying to do it. I can't vouch for this one for my skin yet bc I just started using it. I also have slight concerns that it will make me fry in the sun. Even at pricey whole foods you can get 15 oz for 7.99, and you only need a tiny bit each time. Don't go overboard or you will look like a grease monkey!

At night I clean my face with... sesame seed oil. Ben laughs that I smell like food, but he likes it whenever I do anything funky like that. Rub it on with a cotton pad and wash it off with a hot, wet, wash cloth. Follow with one of the toner options. I'm currently spoiled bc my mom shared a gift certificate with me to the lovely L'Occitane store and I am using their almond apple creme at night and their olive something eye treatment. Bye bye dark circles and those faint hints of beginning wrinkles! But, alas, I'll never buy them again bc they are uber expensive. (Also, if you ever find yourself with a gift card to a place that sells Origin products, their "have a nice day" cream is the best I've ever used.)

If I have a blemish I put a bit of straight lemon juice on it and it disappears overnight.
For blackheads make a mask of oats, honey, and a bit of hot water and leave on for 10 minutes. I've thought it was better than Biore Strips.

I've also been brushing my teeth with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. No, it doesn't taste great, but it costs pennies, is natural, and my teeth feel smoother and cleaner than with normal toothpaste.

All right, well that's all for now. I hope that answers your questions. But please remember with the skin products how different every one's skin is, so even if it works for me it might not for you.

PS Mom, if you got this far, I finally gave lil boy his first real haircut, sides and back.
And, he adopted a candle stick and ran around our apt singing, bobebobe baaaaaaahhhhh!!! At the baaaaah! portion he would throw his arms open and sing to the sky. Where does he get this when we don't have a TV? Worship at church? Anyways, super funny!