Grapefruit Lotion from Scratch

My first lotion experiment went well, but I wanted to make a slightly thicker product. I modified the original recipe by adding shea butter to thicken and replacing half of the almond oil with apricot oil just to mix it up.

My second lotion recipe:
5 cups of Water1/4 cup Sweet Almond Oil1/4 cup Apricot Oil
1/2 cup Emulsifying Wax1/4 cup Stearic Acid
1 Tbsp Raw Shea Butter1 Tbsp Citric Acid1 Tbsp Potassium Sorbate1/2 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil1 teaspoon Grapefruit Essential OilRed Cosmetic Grade Colorant(yields 48 oz of lotion)

Pot one: emulsifying wax, almond oil, apricot oil, stearic acid and shea butter

Pot two: water and potassium sorbate

Both pots are heated. Pot one removed from heat as soon as wax has melted completely. Pot two is removed from heat right before boiling and citric acid is added. Pot two is slowly added to pot one while stirring. 

I stirred for 5 minutes and then let my lotion cool, stirring again every 20 minutes. After an hour had passed, I added vitamin E oil, grapefruit essential oil and red colorant to achieve the color and scent I desired. The lotion had to cool for another 2-3 hours before I could bottle it. 

While I waited for my lotion to cool, I created an ingredient label and a picture label for my lotion bottles:

Grapefruit Lotion
Handmade with Love by Audrey
Use within a year

Ingredients:

Water, Emulsifying Wax, Almond Oil, Apricot Oil, Stearic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Vitamin E Oil, Grapefruit Essential Oil and Cosmetic Grade Red Colorant

4 Ingredient Home Made Deodorant (Coconut Scent)

I originally tried natural deodorant when I got one in a monthly subscription box from VeganCuts. I had not put much thought into my deodorant choices in the past, I'd been using men's Old Spice for years. I was hesitant to try this new five-ingredient deodorant. I wasn't sure if it would actually work and the consistency was different than traditional deodorant. I have been using the natural deodorant for about six months now. It last longer than old spice ever did for me. The scent is more subtle but it truly does the job. My first natural deodorant was from North Coast Organics. I have since discovered a similar 6 ingredient deodorant from The Fanciful Fox.

 

I really liked this deodorant. As it started to near the end of the tube, I read the ingredient list and realized I could easily make this. I went online to compare recipes and ended up with this based on what I had in my apartment. Other recipes use different types of waxes or oils. I like coconut oil for the tropical smell. Coconut oil has a pretty low melting point (76F) which makes it easy to work with and it wont be hard to apply because it wont get too solid. I live in New York. If you live in a warmer climate I would definitely suggest using a more solid base for your deodorant. My first batch with just 4 basic ingredients came out looking like this:

Recipe for DIY Coconut Deodorant:

4 Tablespoons Virgin Coconut Oil

1 Tablespoon Shea Butter

3 Tablespoons Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

*optional 5-10 drops oil for scent

- Makes 100mL

- Store at above 77F to keep it solid

DIY Body Scrubs

I like to use a mix of fine and coarse ground sea salt in my body scrubs. Finer salt is more gentle so better for people with sensitive skin. Coarser salt is able to exfoliate more and help your skin get clean.You can find these at any grocery store,should only cost a few dollars. Then I add oil. Different oils have different benefits and treat different skin issues. For example, grape seed oil strengthens and tightens skin while moisturizing to fight aging. Grape seed oil has anti-inflammatory properties that make it good for people with sensitive skin. Coconut oil has a nice smell and contains vitamin E to help repair damaged skin. In my own experience, coconut oil really makes my skin smooth. I got my oils at the Queens Health Emporium my local health food store. I'm sure they could also be ordered online.

The essential oils and extracts are mainly used for scent since salt and oils don’t have much of a smell. Fresh fruit juices or shavings of peel can also be used. Citrus fruits are great because the smell really comes through, especially if it’s fresh. I have used fresh lime and grapefruit in the past and I highly suggest it, I loved the smell. I found these other essential oils at the health food store and on amazon. (just regular lime juice from the grocery store)

One example of a scrub I made contained sea salt, apricot oil, coconut oil, orange extract, and lime juice. 

The ratio and ingredients are up to you depending how you want the finished product to be. I like mine the constancy of wet send. I usually start out by filling a container halfway with salt. I add oils until it is saturated, mix it and then add more salt and fragrances. It’s so easy and inexpensive compared to similar products on the market now. One 200 mL jar sized batch usually lasts me 2-3 weeks. My skin feels great and I feel good about what I'm using to clean my body. Many commercial body care products contain a long ingredient list of chemicals. I prefer something with a few simple ingredients that I know and understand. There are some of natural products on the market now, but I find many of them are cost prohibitive. The oils and extracts will last a while. I haven't run out of any of mine and I've made seven or eight batches. I've had to buy more salt but it's pretty inexpensive.

DIY Acne Spot Treatment/Toner

Audreys DIY Acne Spot Treatment/Toner

Compare to “Grease Lightning” spot treatment from LUSH

These simple ingredients are all you need for a spot treatment that cleans dirt and destroys bacteria while softening and moisturizing the skin. I have been using the LUSH version for the last five months and loving it. I made my own version that I have been using for about four weeks now. It’s a little more liquidy than the version LUSH sells but it still seems to work. In the future I might try incorporating some other ingredients like thyme or grapeoils but I think this basic mix is pretty effective. I use it after I wash my face and whenever I get a bad breakout I cover it in this stuff. You just apply it to skin and let it dry. I like it because it helps with acne as well as making my skin smooth and soft, neverdried out. To make just mix these ingredients useing only a few drops of the oils:

Ingredients:

Witch Hazel Hamamelis-comes from small bushes native to North America, used by Native Americans as medicine, astringent (closes pores) & antioxidant, great for your skin, anti-aging effects, treats acne, blisters,and eczema. Can be used on bug bites

AloeVera gel-has been used for thousands of years in herbal medicine, strengthens and hydrates skin

Tea Tree Oil Melaleucaalternifolia-comes from the leaves of a tree native to southern Australia, antiseptic, helps with acne without drying out skin, also used as dandruff cure

Grapefruit Essential Oil Citrus paradisi- I have added this for the smell because the tea tree is a strong odor. Grapefruit contains antioxidants like d-limonene that nourish the skin