Frugally and Healthfully caring for our Skin, Hair and Teeth

    As the years have passed I have started to learn and try out more and more methods for natural body care. This has been a fun journey for me as I am able to use things that are healthy and natural and generally much cheaper too! They do require a little bit of work but it is very, very little and very infrequently (like making a batch of deodorant or lip balm) and actually the natural hair cleaning method saves me time each day.

 I thought it would be nice to collect the different things that I am doing all on one page so here they are:

 

Deodorant

I have been using homemade deodorant for two years now and I am completely happy with it! The link above goes to a recipe. This deodorant also doesn't cause pit stains the way some deodorants do.

 

How I clean my hair

 

I use baking soda and apple cider vinegar to care for my hair. I have done that for a couple years as well and I am so glad to not use shampoos anymore. As far as our children - Mara (13 years old) uses the same method I do and the younger ones rarely use anything but water on their hair. The boys' hair is very short and I had read for young children like Megan that products really aren't necessary. I think that it true as all of their hair looks clean and smells fine.

 

Soap -Natural Garden Soaps and Dragonfly Soap

   For washing hands at the sink and the body in the shower I use bar soap. The reason being that the ingredients are more natural and their is no Sodium Laurel Sulfate which takes moisture out of the skin (and then causing you to have dry skin). My dream is to eventually make all of my own soap (and I do now have all the supplies on hand so I am making progress!) but for now if possible I get homemade soaps that others have made (I have been blessed to do reviews, win giveaways and have been able to barter for some local soaps - as unfortunately buying homemade soap is a little expensive - though I am a little willing to splurge in that area) or I buy bar soaps at the store.

 



 

Toothpaste - Bentonite Clay Toothpaste

Using Baking Soda for toothpaste and other thoughts on tooth care.

I did also recently find a recipe for tooth powder which I think I might try next as we can harvest part of the ingredients from our own land. It is made from 3 parts oak bark powder (break up dried oak bark into small bits and grind finely. Strain out larger pieces. ), 1 part fennel seed powder, 1 part baking soda and 1 part cinnamon. That mixture is supposed to help with gum disease, weak gums, bleeding gums and mouth ulcers.

 

Diva Cup and Cloth Pads for Menstruation

I have used this for years now and I so like not having to create a lot of trash at that time of the month and being able to use things that don't have the possibility of creating life threatening health problems (like tampons). This also saves us a large chunk of money. 

 

 

Lip Balm and Lotion Bars 

Since I don't use soaps very often that have SLS in them anymore (unfortunately my dish soap does still have it as I can't seem to find a good natural substitute) I don't find myself needing much in the way of lotions but once and a while when I do I really like the lotion bars that we made ourselves. Our homemade lip balm has also worked very well.

 

 I think that is all the skin care products that I use as I don't use make-up or sun screen. Do any of the rest of you have any additional natural and frugal products that you use that you could tell us about?

 

I am linking this to the Homestead Barn Hop hosting by the Prairie Homestead and New Life on a Homestead