Magic Powder

Six years ago, I posted my first homemade cosmetic recipes on the French blog. Included was a deodorant talcum powder which I quickly abandoned because it wasn't convenient to use. I then switched to a very efficient cream deodorant made with coconut oil, arrow root and baking soda with beeswax to use it a stick deodorant. After years of satisfied use, I eventually dropped it because it still had too many drawbacks (baking soda didn't dissolve properly resulting in over-concentration in places and was irritating my skin; during the summer, you had to keep it refrigerated to prevent melting; it was difficult to apply when reaching the end of the container; and it was such a pain in the neck to clean the container to make some more). I also tried a baking soda-free gel deodorant made with aloe vera before stumbling upon a French online shop of homemade natural cosmetics and was thrilled at their idea of using a roll-on to apply a deodorant powder — why didn't I think of that?

So I used the list of ingredients of their product as a basis to create mine with some additions and I find it very convenient to use all year, ultra quick to make, virtually unlimited storage life (kept in a dry place) and easy to recycle. Also, it is perfectly suitable for adults and children alike even with the most sensitive skin.

Ingredients

Makes 40 g:

- 15 g white clay
- 12,5 g arrow root powder
- 10 g baking soda
- 2,5 g orris root powder
- 6 drops lavandin super oil (optional)

Properties

Orris root (also called “violet root” because of its most sought-after fragrance by perfumers) protects the sensitive skin of your armpits while relieving irritation and preserving its elasticity. White clay absorbs excess moisture whereas arrow root retains the powder on your skin rather than on your clothes. Finally, baking soda eliminates the bacteria responsible for unpleasant body odours.

Instructions

All you need to do is whisk all powders in a glass or ceramic bowl, then add the essential oil and stir well with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a recycled roll-on container. If you don't have any, you may find one in specialised shops online. Otherwise, an old recycled baby powder container or a compact will do. You may also apply with a powder brush, but it won't be as convenient as a roll-on.

NOTE: You may skip the essential oil or substitute the lavandin super (hybrid lavender) for another oil, but make sure you get all the information you need about its properties and uses as some oils (such as cinnamon or oregano for instance) can be highly dermocaustic or photosensitising (all citrus oils are). Some safe options are palmarosa, tea-tree, sage, geranium, sandalwood, vetiver. Some (such as vetiver) have a very strong fragrance, so you may want to reduce dosage and test by adding one drop at a time.

It should also be said that this deodorant won't block perspiration which is essential to the elimination of toxins, but will regulate it and prevent bad odours. Therefore, if you had previously been using an astringent deodorant to tighten your skin pores, expect a fortnight period for your body to adapt. You may also use it on your hands and feet if you sweat a lot.

Whack! Bad smells off!

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Smells Like Midsummer Night's Spirit

Quality perfumes are not only very expensive, but most of them contain harmful chemicals such phtalates and glycol, both infamous endocrine disrupters (which affect your thyroid and reproductive organs). Basically, you pay a fortune to get poisoned and pollute the atmosphere, whereas a perfume is normally supposed to provide well-being and raise your spirits (and not designed to mask odours — for that, use soap and shower instead).

So here is a recipe to make your own sweet and delicate woody fragranced eau de toilette suitable for both men and women. All this for a much lower cost, pollutant-free, and with genuine well-being effects as an added bonus.

Ingredients

Makes 50 ml :

- 50 ml organic denaturated surgical spirit
- 50 drops amyris EO
- 35 drops Atlas cedar EO
- 20 drops rosewood EO
- 50 drops benzoin EO

Instructions

Transfer spirit into a glass spray bottle and add all other ingredients. Shake to stir well and leave to stand for at least 4 weeks in a cool dark place to allow the fragrance to infuse. Shake the bottle now and then.

NOTE: If you find the fragrance doesn't stay long enough, leave it to stand longer and always make sure you shake the bottle before use. You may substitute Ho Wood for rosewood oil (more expensive) as they have quite similar fragrances. Same as for amyris which can be replaced with sandalwood (although amyris is much cheaper). Benzoin is what provides a warm, spicy, vanilla-like scent but it is also used as a perfume fixative.

You're now all set to captivate wood spirits!

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Provencal Shower

A home-made recipe to let springtime into your home since you can't go out. This soft non-toxic shower foam with scents of Provence is very easy to make. It won't dry out your skin and it'll turn showering into a sensual delight. You may find all ingredients on specialised online shops (hoping that deliveries are still allowed).

Ingredients

• 22 ml babassu moss surfactant
• 14 g foaming moss (disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate)
• 120 ml mineral water
• 30 drops Cosgard preservative (benzylic alcohol)
• 27 drops EO lavandin super (hybrid lavender)
• 1/2 pinch blue oxide (optional)
• 1 pinch pink oxide (optional)

Instructions

Dilute the oxides with water until you obtain a smooth violet mix. Add in surfactants, avoiding contact with skin until they are not fully diluted. Still well after each addition and pour in essential oil and preservative. Transfer to a 200 ml foaming bottle. Let stand 24h before use. The mixture will thicken.

Should keep approximately 3 months, but you'll probably empty it long before that.

NOTE: If you don't have a foaming bottle, you may transfer to a recycled shower gel or liquid soap container. However, since the foam needs air to form, you may not get the same lather.  As for optional colouring, you may use violet oxide instead in the same proportions. You may also replace lavandin oil with lavender oil, though I find the scent of lavandin is nicer.

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Spring Clean

To celebrate the equinox, I'd like to share a couple of homemade recipies to rejunevate your skin, whiten your teeth, and blacken and strenghten your eyelashes with one single magical ingredient known and widely used since times immemorial: activated charcoal.

Activated charcoal is pure carbon resulting from the carbonisation of ash/poplar wood or coconut shells. A special treatment gives it a high capacity to capture and retain toxins such as heavy metals and poisons. In addition to its detoxifying and antipoison properties, activated charcoal may also prevent hangovers when drinking too much alcohol, clean up your digestive system, relieve bloating, lower bad cholesterol and purify water. As a cosmetic ingredient, it removes stains from your teeth, cleanses your gums, reduces body odours, acts efficiently against pimples, insect bites, itching and even snake bites. It also has anti-ageing properties.

Solid Toothpaste

Ingredients

• 13,3 g calcium carbonate (precipitated chalk)
• 5 g stearic acid
• 1,3 g mild surfactant
• 7,3 g coconut oil
• 5 g vegetable glycerin
• 1 g activated charcoal
• 14 drops spearmint (or peppermint) essential oil

Instructions

Melt carbonate, stearic acid, surfactant, coconut oil and glycerin in a double boiler. Stir well until you get a smooth mixture. Remove from heat and add charcoal and essential oil. Transfer to a small silicone mould or jar. Let stand for 30 minutes in the freezer and wait 48 hours before using.

NOTE: Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid usually found in vegetable fats and oils (shea butter, cocoa butter, palm oil). It is used to add texture to the mix, which otherwise would crumble.

Just wet your toothbrush, rub it against the toothpaste to pick some up, then brush as you normally would. A small quantity does it and note that it won't foam. After a couple of weeks you should notice your teeth are whiter (of course, do not expect to have a perly white smile as shown in commercials). Should keep at least 6 months.

Exfoliating Detoxifying Mask

Ingredients

• 0,6 g activated charcoal
• 3 g olive kernel powder
• 40 g white clay
• 38 ml rose water (or any floral water)
• 10 drop tea tree essential oil

Instructions

Mix powders together and progressively add floral water until you obtain a smooth moist consistent paste. Add essential oil then transfer to a small 100 ml jar or airproof container.

NOTE: Use on a clean wet face as a scrub to rub off dead skin or as a mask by applying a thick layer and keep 10 minutes before rinsing off with clear water. Should keep for a month. Probably longer is stored in a cool place.

Cake Mascara

Ingredients

• 1,5 g bee wax
• 1 g candellila wax
• 3,75 g castor oil
• 1,25 g shea butter
• 1-3 drops liquid honey
• 1,2 g acacia gum
• 0,45 g cellulose fibres (optional)
• 1,2 g activated charcoal
• 1 drop vitamin E
• 1 drop natural rose fragrance (optional)

Instructions

Melt wax, oil and butter in a double boiler. In the meantime, mix acacia gum and cellulose fibres with a few drops of honey to get a sticky mix. Incorporate to oily mix then add remaining ingredients, stirring well to obtain a smooth paste. If too thick, put back on heat before transferring to a 15 ml jar or a couple of eyeshadow tins. Let stand for an hour in the fridge to accelerate hardening.

NOTE: Just wet a lash or mascara brush, rub it against the cake to pick some up, then apply on lashes as you normally would. Don't forget to clean the brush with soap and water before and after use to avoid bacterial contamination. This is very important since this mascara doesn't contain any preservative (and zero risk to irritate your eyes). Charcoal is used here for its black colour but also its protective effect (it's a major component of the famous khol used in India by women and men alike to protect their eyes from pollution and prevent eye infections); castor oil is known for its strengthening effect and to promote growth; cellulose fibres are used to extend the length and thickness of eyelashes.

If this recipe reminds you of my natural shoe-shine, it's because that's how I got the idea to create it. Unlike regular tube mascaras from organic brands I've tested, this one won't smudge or dry out. It won't leak and will keep your lashes soft. You may have to apply several coatings to obtain your desired effect whether for a natural or sophisticated makeup. You may also use it as an eyeliner with the proper brush (I personally prefer my DIY liquid eyeliner) or eyeshadow and even use it on your eyebrows if they're dark enough. I can't tell you how long it keeps, but provided you always keep your brushes clean, it should last very long since there is no water in it.

Last but not least, I forgot to mention at the start of this article that all cosmetic recipes require that you disinfect your equipment, containers and work surface.

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Sweet Sugar Kisses

Gotcha! Sorry, couldn't resist the cliché. If you're still there, worry not I haven't fallen into shallowness and sensationalism to gain more clicks (what's the use since I haven't chosen those ugly ads that ruin my blog and for which I do not get a penny?). I just thought it was fun to hijack a (commercial) special occasion to write about a minor yet annoying problem which affects most of us, men and women alike, on a daily basis: dry, cracked or chapped lips.

We generally use moisturisers and weather protection on our faces, but we tend to neglect our lips which are yet continuously exposed to UV radiation, pollution, wind, cold or dry air. The skin of our lips is actually a continuation of the lining of our mouth and its complete absence of sebaceous glands and melanin pigments is what makes it so vulnerable.

Of course, there can be other aggravating factors such as dehydration, vitamin deficiency, the consumption of some medicines and drugs, or if you tend to breathe through your mouth. But in most cases, you can prevent all this by exfoliating and moisturising your lips. This is what I'm proposing with the following simple DIY recipes suitable for everyone, men included.

Raspberry Sugar Lip Scrub

Ingredients

• 0,5 g bee wax
• 0,4 ml vegetable glycerin
• 4,5 ml oil extract (fig, vanilla, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon cane sugar
• 0,01 g pink oxide (optional)
• 4 g raspberry natural flavouring (or any other)

Instructions

Melt wax and oil in a double boiler. Add remaining ingredients, stirring well after each addition. Transfer immediately into a small 10ml jar. Let it stand for 30 minutes in the fridge to harden. May keep for 6 months.

Use once a week before bedtime. Spread a little on your lips and rub gently to remove dead skin. Remove surplus with a tissue or cotton pad.

NOTE: The colouring and flavouring are optional. I've added them to make it more pleasant to use. You may make your own oil extract or use a simple regenerating vegetable oil. These are usually rare and expensive but you may find them in small bottle (typically 10 ml for less than 2€) in specialised shops, which is a good way to test different oils for a ridicule cost and avoid wasting a large bottle because it turned rancid. Personally, I've used fig oil for its both regenerating and restructuring properties and the raspberry flavouring makes it irresistible!

Cocoa Almond Lip Balm

Ingredients

• 1 g candellila wax
• 2,5 g cocoa butter
• 2,5 g hazelnut oil
• 1 drop vitamin E
• 1 drop bitter almond essential oil

Instructions

Melt wax, butter and oil in a double boiler. Add remaining ingredients and transfer immediately into a lip stick or a 10 ml jar. Let stand for 30 minutes in the fridge to harden.

NOTE: I've already posted a lip balm recipe with coconut oil, but I prefer this one which is smoother and more moisturising. The bitter almond essential oil is a killer, but you may replace it with any natural flavouring (4 drops) such as strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, etc., or another essential oil. However, use with care and check the properties of the oil you want to use and respect dosage as some oils can have irritative or photosensitising effects.

Natural Lip Gloss

Ingredients

• 9 g vegetable lanolin
• 10 drops vegetable glycerin
• 2 drops natural flavouring (optional)
• 0,2 g beige mica powder

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and transfer to a small bottle or 10 ml jar.

Use to make up and protect lips or over lipstick for glossy effect.

That's all folks! Now smiling won't crack your lips open and your kisses won't feel like sandpapering anymore.

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Exotic Homemade Shampoo Bar

For a couple of years I've been happily using my own homemade solid shampoo with shikakai and castor oil (a recipe available in French only) until I found a new formula that worked magic on my ultra dry and fine hair upon the first application. It comes as no surprise though, since shea butter has always agreed with my hair.

Ingredients:

• 30 g SCI surfactant
• 5 g mineral water
• 5 g coconut oil
• 2,5 g shea buter
• 27 drop silk proteins
• 10 drops peppermint oil (optional)
• 4 drops vitamine E (optional)

QSF 50 g

Properties:

SCI (sodium cocoyl isethionate) is an esterified derivative of fatty acids from coconut oil in powder form (IMPORTANT NOTICE: it is advisable to wear protective gloves and glasses and mask until fully melt as SCI powder can be potentially irritant). This key ingredient has mild cleansing properties and provides smooth latter. No need to remind you again of the many properties and countless benefits fo coconut oil (or butter) used in this formula for its nutritional, moisterising and revitalising qualities combines with shea butter to prevent hair dryness. Silk proteins effectively strengthen and protect the hair fiber while leaving it tangle-free. Vitamine E is used for its antioxidative properties. As for peppermint oil, it provides pleasant freshness to the scalp while purifiying it and promoting hair growth. It may be substituted with ylang-ylang oil or with natural monoi fragrance as both combine well with coconut. I for one enjoy so much the invigorating effect of peppermint to try anything else.

Instructions:

Place SCI in a double-boiler and progressively add water to dilute until you obtain an homegeneous lump-free mixture. Add coconut and shea butters to melt and stir well. Remove from heat and incorporate the other ingredients before transfering to a silicone soap mould. Leave for an hour in the fridge to harden. Release from the mould and ideally leave at room temperature for 24 hours before using.

NOTE: Use like a soap bar, rubbing it on wet hair. This solid shampoo is really cost-effective not only because it won't cost you much to produce, but also because ou won't need to use any hair conditioner and it will last you much longer than any liquid shampoo provided you don't leave it in the shower and let it dry thoroughly before storing in into a dry sealed box (use paper towels to remove water and foam). Should you fail to observe these instructions and observe mould growth or even any change in odour, better discard it. This happened to me only once because I'd stored it while not fully dry.

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Something to Get Your Breath Back

While it's very cool to keep your feet cool, breathing fire is definitely not. Please note I'm talking about dragon breath not feral breath (which might be a symptom for mouth, teeth or digestive disorders you should take seriously rather than merely trying to suppress). One may be natural and wild without going feral and sometimes need a little breath-freshening (kiss-kool effect) not just when dating. Lucky you, your good fairy godmother Ey@el (also known as the wicked Don't-Mess-With-Me fairy) found the magic solution to carry with you in your bag or pocket at all times.

Ingredients:

• 10 ml (2 teaspoon) vodka
• 0,02 g menthol crystals
• 0,5 ml vegetable glycerin
• 1 drop lemon EO
• 5 drops peppermint EO

QSF 10 ml

Instructions:

Dissolve menthol crystals in vodka, making sure they don't accidentally come in contact with your skin or mucous membranes (wear protective mask, gloves and glasses).

Dissolve essential oils in vegetable glycerin then stir into the menthol-vodka mixture.

Transfer to a small sterilised essential oil glass bottle with a spray cap (or a perfume bag spray).

NOTE: Spray in your mouth and be careful not to spray in your eyes. I find it also brings relief in case of nausea or indigestion. Do not over-use.

CAUTION: Not suitable for children, pregnant women and epileptics. Don't use with homeopathic treatment. And make sure not to spray near a flame as this is a flammable product. Keep out of reach of children.

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