DIY EVERYTHING

HOMEMADE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

Handy tip: Never use baking soda to clean a stove unless you like pyrotechnics

Beeswax reusable food wraps Apartment Therapy

Wood polish: stale extra virgin olive oil or this stuff Humblebee & Me Beeswax Furniture Polish; you can use stale extra virgin olive oil instead of the other oil if you want. If the wood is visibly dirty, add 1 part white vinegar per 3 parts olive oil to clean as you polish.

Tub and sink scrub Humblebee & Me Tub Scrub

Liquid no-grate laundry detergent OGT By Jillee Any good dishwashing liquid can be used, not just Dawn.

Gel Bucket of Laundry Detergent Instructable

Liquid grate-your-own-soap laundry detergent Craftster

Homemade bar soap for laundry Mommypotamus laundry soap

A year's worth of powdered laundry detergent OGT By Jillee Strictly speaking, the OxyClean isn't necessary, and you can replace the Zote with Kirk's Castile, Dr. Bronner's, or even use your own homemade soap.

Dishwashing detergent Mommypotamus or Instructables

Citrus cleaning vinegar Mommypotamus

Window cleaner Mommypotamus Strictly speaking the cornstarch isn't necessary but should help

Beeswax candles Mommypotamus and Wick sizing chart OR these Little House Living

Stupid easy soft scrub Humblebee & Me

How to clean beeswax off metal Instructables

Shower cleaner OGT By Jillee You can use any dishwashing liquid for this

Miracle Cleaning Scrub OGT By Jillee

Enzyme cleaner OGT By Jillee

Chalk paint Instructables

Reed diffuser Little House Living

Napkins Instructables

Liquid castile soap uses listed under "Eco Friendly Recipes" in Go Green Resources

HOMEMADE TOILETRIES

Emergency toothpaste: 2 tbsp baking soda 1 tbsp calcium carbonate powder, 2 tsp vanilla extract, glycerin-free peppermint extract, or vodka. Mix well and store in a small sealable container, like an old yogurt cup. To use it, scoop out some with a spoon. It is better to use some calcium carbonate (chalk) powder in this stuff because it supposedly helps strengthen teeth. Frankly, this stuff is terrible and I prefer just buying it.

Deodorant DIY Natural's Homemade Deodorant Stick OR mix coconut oil and baking soda until you have a paste that's a consistency you like, then add 5 drops essential oil per 3 tbsp of blend. Store in a small tupperware or yogurt container and rub in a pea-sized amount each time to use.

Tick repellent DIY Natural's Tick Repellent

Mosquito/bug repellent DIY Natural's Mosquito Repellent

Glycerin soap DIY Natural's Glycerin Soap

Regular soap Drewmosser hot process soap Mommypotamus cold process soap a customizable plug-and-play soapmaking calculator Soapcalc and its Instructions

Toothpaste Super crunchy cheap recipe Don't add essential oils, just use peppermint extract for God's sake, essential oils on the consumer market are not cleared by the FDA for consumption

Shaving cream Modernhippiehw OR lather up some liquid castile soap and you're good to go.

Dry shave: get any razor. Hold whatever body part it is steady, and flex it in such a way that the skin is as taut as possible. In short, gentle but straight movements, shave small areas at a time, then get the hair off the razor between areas by running your thumb down it DOWN THE BLADES, NOT THE OTHER WAY. If it starts to clog, knock the razor on its side to get the hair off. This works for legs, face, whatever, but takes some practice. The easiest way to keep mess down is to do this outside. Also, never share razors, nail files, or nail clippers.

HOMEMADE BEAUTY SUPPLiES

Facial beauty routine goes like this. Apply all products to the front of the neck as well. Morning: Cleanse, tone, apply nutrients or serum, moisturize, apply sunscreen. Throughout the day reapply sunscreen. Evening: Remove makeup, cleanse, tone, apply nutrients or serum, moisturize.

Eye cream: a drop of castor oil applied around the eye area each night before bed.

Lip and hair treatment: just use a drop of extra virgin olive oil on lips before going to sleep; wipe any excess on hair to smooth that down. Can also be used on top of or instead of castor oil treatment for the eye area.

Lip balm for chapped lips: a drop of honey. Do your best not to lick it off for 10 minutes.

Hair conditioner Instructables

Mascara Humblebee & Me Mascara

Aromatic-infused oil: Choose about 1 tbsp of dried fragrant plant matter. For instance, use a vanilla bean, split down the side. In a saucepan on low heat, warm the vanilla bean in 1/2 c. sweet almond, jojoba, sesame, or apricot kernel oil, for 4 hours. Strain it through a metal strainer lined with a coffee filter. The oil should be infused with the scent. Other options include lavender, coffee, rosemary, dried orange peel, rose buds, or whatever else you wish, but be careful if using this on sensitive skin because some substances (cinnamon, clove, etc.) can irritate it. If the substance used is skin-safe, this can be used as massage oil. 10% by volume of castor oil added to the infused oil gives it more body and helps soothe sore muscles.

Roll-on aromatherapy perfume Humblebee & Me essential oil roller Note: the best essential oils are found at Liberty Naturals and Lotus Garden Botanicals. You can replace the essential oils in the recipe with whichever ones your heart desires, and also use aromatic-infused oil.

Aromatherapy salve Humblebee & Me lavender salve You can replace the essential oils in this recipe with whichever ones your heart desires. You also can use regular shea butter and beeswax if you prefer.

Hair rinse for shiny hair Humblebee & Me ACV Hair Rinse

Body bars Humblebee & Me Body Bars

Body butter Humblebee & Me Body Butter

Shampoo bars Mommypotamus shampoo bars

Hair gel Mommypotamus hair gel

Bay rum cologne Mommypotamus bay rum

Light and heavy hold hair pomade Mommypotamus hair pomade In the comments, Amalia Aragon contributed a heavy hold recipe

Face cleanser Humblebee & Me Worry not, for you can omit the allantoin, honeyquat, aloe vera powder, silk, and panthenol. Or, just use 1 drop of liquid castile soap and lather it up well with water before application.

Face lotion Humblebee & Me

Can't afford face lotion or moisturizer? Apply a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil in the afternoon. It softens skin.

Toner: 3 parts alcohol-free witch hazel, distilled water, double-strength cool green tea, or flower water (e.g. rosewater), 1 part apple cider vinegar. I like to use green tea if I know I'm not going outside anytime soon.

Possibly the cheapest beauty treatment that exists is face steaming. Get a bowl of just-boiled water and a towel. Stick your face over the bowl, cover with a towel, wait a few minutes, then rinse off the face with cool water. Avoid if you have cuperose skin.

Three salads a day and plenty of water will improve any complexion

Sunscreen is the most important beauty treatment there is. Always apply it before leaving the house. I use Kokua Sun Care because it is reef-safe, all-natural, and yet still works.

Cold, strong green tea can be used as a skin treatment after cleansing and toning in the evening. Or, it can be used on its own. However, never apply it during the day because it can increase susceptibility to sunburn.

Can't afford moisturizer for your face? Add 1 drop of your choice of oil to 3 tablespoons of warm green tea and smooth it on after cleansing and toning. Good choices here include sunflower oil, coconut oil, and argan oil, but I often end up using extra-virgin olive oil. Seriously, one drop, no more. You can use the same stuff on your hands, hair, whatever.

Makeup in general Humblebee & Me Makeup Archives Here ya go

DIY long hair haircut Instructables

If you have long hair, brush it from the bottom up before you bathe or shower, wash it only in lukewarm or cold water, and braid it before you go to bed. Save yourself a lot of heartache.

HOMEMADE MISCELLANY

Knockoff Tiger Balm Humblebee & Me White Tiger Balm You can replace the andiroba oil with extra-virgin olive oil or unscented sesame oil; no sweat. Never ever use yellow camphor oil; only white camphor oil.

Water distiller Instructables

Electric bicycle Instructables Note: More expensive than a used car. Of course, the mileage might pay for itself within a few years.

Washing Clothes the Hard Way The Plunger Method Better than the bathtub method. Note: let's be clear - the author of this page does not condone hysterically preparing for the apocalypse.

Learn DIY Stuff Instructables Collection

Hand Sewing Instructables

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