I'm making hot process soap today which is a lot of fun. Ten or twelve years ago, I had a very short lived soap making business that I quit when I got pregnant with number two. We rendered fat for tallow to use in our soaps and the smell was revolting to me. So were all the smells of the fragrances. I hated the smells so bad, in fact, that that's why I didn't make another batch of soap or lotion up until a couple of months ago. The smells were still nauseating to me. To this day, I can't stand the smell of Tommy Hilfiger cologne. It's what hubs wore before I got pregnant with number one and it's the one thing I still haven't gotten over. I loved it before that so it's kind of funny to me. Anyway, I have a bunch of supplies that are still good so I've had some fun with it here recently. I used to make cold process soap which seemed like such a huge chore looking back because the information I got all came from books which really stressed the exact timing and temperature of every single stinking step. Now, after revisiting soap making and the wonderful Internet, I know the process isn't such exact science and there's room for errors. I like the hot process better only because I can use the soap right away. It does get a little harder and gentler with age, say at least another 4 weeks of cure time, but even using the soap within the first 24 hours it isn't bad soap. I've made several recipes including cold process which is just now ready to use...finally, and I've used soapcalc.com to make them up myself. We just finished up the first batch of hot process soap that I made roughly 2 months ago (one pound.)
I also have a fresh batch of homemade lotion. I feel a lot better about using it over commercial products because I know exactly what's in it and that it safe. Our skin is our biggest organ and it's very porous and absorbent. All the toxic crap that gets absorbed goes right into our bloodstream, so I've read. That has lead me to try using baking soda in my hair rather than shampoo. Today was my first time using it and I was pretty impressed. My scalp is EXTREMELY oily and needs to be washed daily to keep from looking like a total grease ball. It's usually oily looking by the end of the day too. It supposedly takes a couple of weeks for the scalp to adjust to the new routine and once it has, it should look just as clean and healthy as regularly shampooed hair. Or, even better according to people who've actually tried it. This being the first time, I was surprised at how clean it looked. It wasn't perfect because I could see a little bit of oiliness in my hair, but it looked more like it was working its way down my hair and not so much on my scalp, which looked fine. I pulled it into a ponytail, so you'd never know I did anything different.
Okay, I've also made and have used for years, homemade toothpaste and within the last couple of months, we've also started using homemade deodorant. It works way, WAY better than any, ANY commercial deodorant I have ever used in my ENTIRE life! It's safe and aluminum free too! The key ingredient is baking soda which you have to dilute greatly or it's to harsh on the skin. I mixed mine as 1 part baking soda and 4 parts cornstarch and it probably could still stand to be weakened further. I also mixed it into a lotion bar formula and scented it with sweet orange essential oil. That way I could pour it into an old deodorant bottle and apply it like usual. Well, almost as usual. I literally just lightly touch it to my underarm and then rub it in with my finger. It's almost like nothings there at all but I guarantee it's there and it's working overtime on me. I sweat way more than my husband and have always required stronger deodorant than him which needed to be reapplied every single day. This stuff works with just one very light application for at least 48 hours...that's the longest I've gone without a shower and therefore reapplying. It's awesome! Hubs likes it too.
I probably sound like a crunchy granola, but if you ever ran into me in person, you'd never guess I was into such things just by looking at me. It's nice that it all saves money, but I only do this for our health. It's nice to know that there are so many alternatives to the chemical laden commercial products that work just as well and often better that only cost pennies to make. And yes, I also make my own laundry detergent. I'm happy with how well it seems to work although I have noticed a slight buildup starting to show inside my washing machine that looks like soap scum. It may be building up in my clothes too, but I really can't tell a difference if it is. They appear just as clean as they would with commercial brand detergents.
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