Personal Care/Household Recipe: Liquid Soap

Good morning all!

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This is just a quick post.  The hubs and I decided to try our hand at liquid soap a few weekends back and I’m very pleased with the results.  The process was relatively easy and much cheaper than purchasing the safe, corn-free soaps that are available.

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Ingredients

• Organic Bariani Olive Oil
• Organic Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
• Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
• Berkey filtered water

Tools / Equipment

• Crock pot
• Immersion Blender
• Scale
• Spatula
• 2 and 4 cup pyrex measuring cups
• Pot (for boiling water)
• Small container for measured KOH
• Chop stick or some other stirrer for the KOH / water solution

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I followed the wonderful provided by Cindy from Our Life Simplified.  I did change a few of the instructions to fit our situation and ingredients.

• I increased my cooking time from 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
• This was to compensate for using Olive oil instead of olive oil pomace
• I also changed the time because I do not have 60 ml 1% Phenolphthalein in Ethanol Solution Indicator (it just screams corn to me…and I have issue with fumes from chemical solutions) and had no intention of testing it on my tongue, so I need to make sure to cook it longer to ensure that it was done.

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It is a pretty good soap.  It will leave spots on your dishes, similar to what happens if you use the Dr. Bronner’s soaps, but they are not as noticeable.

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Instructions from her website sans pictures:

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How to make Quick & Easy Supermild Liquid Soap:

 

1. First, weigh the crock pot. This weight will be needed after cooking to calculate the dilution water needed.

2. Heat measured oils in a covered crock pot on high to 160°F.

3. When the oil is just about heated, mix measured lye into the measured distilled water. It will naturally heat to the range of 140-150°F. Our goal is 140°F.

4. When oils are at 160°F and lye is at 140°F, mix the lye into the heated oils slowly (almost a dribble), stirring constantly.

5. Now, off to trace! Turn the crock pot to low–trace will happen faster when the mixture is at (or around) 160°F. Using a stick blender, use small bursts–on, off, stirring around. Bursts actually bring soap to trace faster than constant blending. Trace with this recipe usually takes about 20 minutes.

6. Give the blender a rest every few minutes also, this helps prevent overheating (and burning up) the blender and it stopping in the middle of a batch.Let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes. Trace is reached, if after setting, there is no separation of the lye (clear liquid at bottom) and oils (usually floats to top). I cover it the crock pot…if there’s no separation, the cook period is beginning now.

   1. Liquid soap trace is different than hard soap trace. We reach the hard soap trace rather quickly. But keep going!
   2. It seems to break up into an applesauce-like consistency.
   3. Then back into a pudding texture.
   4. And starts to get thick.
   5. Then, less than a minute later, VERY thick–like a taffy.
   6. All of a sudden, the blender won’t blend. You’re done.

7. If there is no separation, turn the crock pot to high and keep covered. This will give a cooking temperature range from 180°F – 200°F.

8. Stir every 15 minutes. Stirring is important. Unlike hard soap, where I just cover it and let it do its thing, liquid soap paste can trap air, slowing down saponification.

9. While you’re waiting for the paste to cook, boil the dilution water. This is added after the soap is done, but it needs to be boiling. A 1-pound batch of soap usually takes around 70 ounces of dilution water.

10. Soon (around 40-45 minutes), the paste takes on a vaseline-mashed-potato appearance.

11. Test for neutrality. This can be done with the tongue-zap test or with 60 ml 1% Phenolphthalein in Ethanol Solution Indicator. With phenolphthalein, drop 1 drop onto a small amount of soap (out of the pot!).

    1. If it stays clear, the paste is neutral…and done. To clarify–the paste is done, but you can continue to cook it until it looks more like vaseline and less like mashed potatoes. Either way is fine! The more vaseline-like it is, the more clear the end liquid soap product it is. I was looking for a quick and easy liquid soap. I have no problem if the soap I use here at home is cloudy.
    2. If it turns any shade of pink, there is excess alkali and it is not done. Continue cooking.

12. When the paste is done, weigh the crock pot (with the soap in it) and subtract the beginning crock pot weight. The result is the soap paste weight.Pour boiling water into the crock pot (that is still on High). Stir around, breaking up the chunk of paste.

    1. High olive oil recipes need a 3:1 ratio of water to paste to fully dilute without using an emulsifier. If it’s not fully diluted, the liquid will start to congeal, or thicken, on top working its way down through the soap, leaving a thick mass. Remember, since this is a simple, easy method, we’re not adding anything, so it needs to be fully diluted. To figure the exact dilution water needed, multiply paste weight by 3.

13. Cover and let sit a few minutes. Stir, break it up some more. You can leave this sit all by itself, but the process will take longer. It’s up to you! This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.

14. When it is fully diluted, the resulting soap is thin. It is up to you if you want to thicken it or leave as is. I personally like to keep some of the soap thin. I use it in the foamer in the bathroom. Also I keep a bottle at the kitchen sink. One squirt on the scrubby washes many dishes without filling the sink.

15. To thicken the soap without adding anything, put it in a pot on the stove. This will evaporate the excess water. I know this sounds insane to add all that water then evaporate it back out, but all of that water is needed so it doesn’t congeal. Leave it to simmer, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan, until it has reduced. I use a guide of about 25%…or 8 ounces down to 6 ounces (this fits in a pump bottle well).

16. You can also add 1-2 ounces of glycerin per pound of diluted soap for a more moisturizing, lathering, and emollient liquid soap. I have not done this. I just use the evaporation method now. BUT glycerin liquid soap is next on my list to try. It’s fast and easy, too! Liquid soap can be thickened with sodium hydroxide, also. Another experiment in the works!

17. To fragrance the liquid soap, add up to 2-3% of the diluted soap weight of fragrance or essential oil to hot diluted soap. You can add fragrance to the whole batch of soap in the crock pot (or pan if thickening) or pour the soap into individual jars and add a different fragrance to each one. I generally use 1 1/2 tablespoons of fragrance per quart jar. But it’s your own personal preference! This recipe make 2 3/4 quarts un-evaporated soap or 2 quarts evaporated soap.

Instructions by Cindy of Our Life Simplified.

Last Day: KOL Corn Free Meat

Hey guys!  Quick post.  Today is the last day to order corn-free meat from KOL.  I’m pasting their email below.

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100% Corn-free, Grass-fed Beef and Lamb. Order by June 13th!

If you have corn allergies, now is your moment to order.  Our corn-free products are running low – stocks will not be replenished until spring 2014!

Our animals eat a 100% corn-free diet, and no corn is present in the processing.  Healthy and pure by definition. And if you order for the year now, we can store it for you in our freezer and send it to you whenever you ask*.

Order by Thursday, June 13
Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, while supplies last.

How to Order:

1. Place an order online
2. During checkout, write, “Corn Allergy” in the comments box.
3. For a year’s supply, contact us at info@kolfoods.com

Available Cuts:

Lamb:

Rib chops & racks

Shoulder chops & roasts

Shanks

Ground

Beef:

Flat Iron steaks

Petite medallions

Rib eye steaks & roasts

Minute steaks

Cowboy steaks & Butcher’s roast

Pepper steaks

Strip steaks

Packer cut brisket

Whole shoulder roast

Ground beef

Stew meat

Hot dogs, brats, kielbasa & merguez

*A $15 monthly storage fee applies.  Separate shipping charges will be applied to each shipment.

Personal Care Recipe: Simple Calendula Herbal Oil

This recipe is a simplified version of my Calendula Infused Herbal Salve.  I have removed coconut oil and all of the essential oil to make this recipe usable to us in our current state.  We are continuing an extended break from all things coconut.

Remember the blog post by Mountain Rose Herbs concerning the healing aspects of Calendula?  We have been using calendula for healing skin rashes since I read that particular post.  I try not to run out of the dried flower.  My goal is to grow my own, but that hasn’t come to fruition as of yet.

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Why Calendula?  From MRH

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Calendula officinalis, also known as pot marigold or garden marigold, has been used for centuries to heal wounds and skin irritations. Calendula has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, antifungal, antiviral, and immunostimulant properties making it useful for disinfecting and treating minor wounds, conjunctivitis, cuts, scrapes, chapped or chafed  skin, bruises, burns, athlete’s foot, acne, yeast infections, bee stings, diaper rashes, and other minor irritations and infections of the skin. Plus, it stimulates the production of collagen at wound sites to help minimize scarring and assist with stretch marks. This versatile botanical can be incorporated into baths, creams, compresses, washes, salves, ointments, massage oils, baths, facial steams, tinctures, and teas. It is also gentle enough to use for babies, children, or animals. Internally, gargling with Calendula infused water may ease a sore throat, sores in the mouth, and inflammations in the mouth and throat.

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This oil is very easy to make and very important to keep on hand.  It smells absolutely wonderful but it is very oily and makes for a slippery Yipiyuk until it is absorbed into her skin.  I keep one bottle in the cabinet for daily applications and one in the refrigerator for those rashes that seem to be uncomfortable, and a little coolness is desired for comfort.

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Simple Calendula Herbal Oil

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Ingredients:

• Dried, organic calendula flowers (about 2 cups or so)
• Enough Organic Olive oil to cover flowers

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Materials/Utensils

• Ceramic or glass bowl for flowers and oil (make sure it fits nicely into pot)
• Small pot, to be used as the base of “double boiler”
• Small strainer
• Clean, sterilized glass container for storing oil
• Water

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Procedure

• Add flowers and oil to ceramic or glass bowl.  Make sure the oil covers the flowers.
• Place water into the pot and put that on the stove on the low setting.
• Place bowl over pot (make sure it never runs out of water).
• Let it simmer for at least 1 hour
• Remove from heat, let cool.
• Strain into glass storage container

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Directions From MRH:

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This medicinal oil is simple to prepare and has so many uses. The gentle, soothing, and healing oil is perfect for cradle cap, diaper rash, chapped or chafed skin, bruises, and sore or inflamed muscles. The oil can be used alone, or incorporated into salves, massage oils, lip balms, ointments, creams, and lotions.

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Organic Olive oil
Organic Calendula flowers

1. Place Calendula flowers in a clean, dry glass jar. If using fresh Calendula, wilt for 12 hours to remove most of the moisture (too much moisture will cause the oil to go rancid) before adding to the jar. Pour olive oil into the jar, making sure to cover the flowers by at least 1” of oil so they will have space to expand. Stir well and cap the jar tightly.

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Heat Method: … heat can be applied if you need the oil quickly. To prepare, follow step 1 from above, but place the Olive oil and Calendula flowers in an uncovered container. Warm over low heat at approximately 100 degrees F for at least 3-5 hours, the longer the better. A yogurt maker, double boiler, or inside the oven with a pilot light on are all effective ways to heat the oil, just make sure to check the temperature occasionally to ensure that the oil isn’t getting too warm. Once the oil has infused, strain out the herbs using cheesecloth and package the infused oil into glass bottles.

Bellaphoria Sale: Corn Free Makeup

Hi guys!

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I just received this email from Bellaphoria.  They are having a site-wide, 30% OFF, three-day sale.  Some of the products offered (foundation, blush, and eye shadow come to mind) have been used by corn-allergic/intolerant individuals.  I am not sure if ALL of the products are corn-free.  Read the ingredients and email the owner if you all have any questions.  Check it out!

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KOL Foods – Corn Free Meat

This is late and I am very sorry.  KOL Foods has corn-free meat available!  This is the meat that is usually available only during Passover and is company confirmed corn-free.  We now have a private source (email me if you’re interested and you live in the South-East), so we no longer mail order meat from KOL but we were doing fine with the meat two years ago.  If you are looking for corn-free / lactic acid wash free meat, KOL Foods might be an option for you and your family.

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According to their website, KOL Foods will now have corn-free meat available year round.  I would really research this and speak with the company extensively before buying but it could possibly be another option for those looking for corn-free meat options year round.

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There are special instructions to follow when ordering your meat.

• Be sure to mark on your order “CORN ALLERGY-CORN FREE”
• Any lamb is corn free, as well as the Grassland Range (GR) beef
• The American Traditional (AT) beef is NOT CORN FREE (link)
• This meat should be available through mid-April

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Please read this thread from the Delphi Forum concerning KOL Foods for more information.  Many thanks for AGinPa for doing the leg work on KOL Foods this year and many thanks to KOL Foods for providing corn-free meat options to those who desperately need it!

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**Someone mentioned on the Forum to email Leah@kolfoods.com with your order number and mention that you have a corn allergy as a safe guard against your order going awry.  Sounds like good advice to me!

The Search for Corn Free Paint

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I’ve been researching paint and paint companies for well over a year now.  While I don’t have a specific paint that I can recommend to others (haven’t taken the painting plunge as of yet), I am beginning to feel as though one company may potentially be safer than the other “environmentally friendly,” no-VOC, no odor companies that are out there.  My goal is to find:

1. a no-VOC
2. No-odor
3. Chemical-emitting-off-gassing free
4. Corn derivative free
5. Soy derivate free
6. Latex free … paint for my home.

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♫  To dream the impossible dream… ♫

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We are in no hurry to paint, that is a task for after diagnoses and treatment; but I would like to be as prepared as possible when the times comes.

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Here are some nagging similarities I noticed between the commercial paint companies:

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1. Most of the companies had a desire to capitalize on the “green” marketing, so they decided to have a “green” product.  Unfortunately, after reading the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), it seems that the “green” products are just as toxic as the non-green counterpoint. These companies usually labeled their paint as “low-VOC.”
2. Most of the “no-VOC” or “no odor” companies still list either formaldehyde, acetone, ammonia, “ethyl” something or some masking agent on their MSDS.  Masking agents are just another unnecessary chemical that hides nauseous fumes that will off gas from the paint.  No VOC does not mean no toxic ingredients.  These paints can have toxic ingredients exempt from government regulations.  Go here to read more
3. It took an act of GOD to get a response from these people (I’m still waiting to hear from a few companies).  I am so thankful for Google and the ability to search for the MSDS for popular paint manufacturers.
4. So many companies use latex based paints…”The majority of emissions from latex paints occurs after the coating has dried.”  (see The ABCs about VOCs)

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After months of researching the more commercially available paints from Lowe’s, Home Depot, and the like, I finally came across Mythic and AFM Safecoat paints.  Thank you, Google.  I read all of the MSDS and contacted the companies.  Both companies have fantastic customer service and answered all of my question (well…not all) promptly.  Please keep in mind, the correspondence occurred May 2012.  Manufacturing processing can change very quickly in the avoiding corn/soy/chemicals world.  You will need to contact the companies yourself to ensure that the manufacturing processes have not changed.

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Corn derivatives are like ninjas when it comes to finding their way into paint.  Polyols, organic acids, modified starch, unmodified starch, cellulose, thickening agents, additives are all ways in which corn derivatives can be used in paint.  Soy can also be used in the same way as corn.  We have to avoid both.  …sigh.  Here are a few links listing corn derivatives as ingredients in paint manufacturing:

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• Good things come from Corn
• It begins with a kernel
• Corn Uses
• The Wonderful World of Corn
• Corn:  America’s Renewable Resource

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Here are a few links concerning the use of soybean oil and paint:

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• SOY COATINGS: POTENTIAL TO REDUCE VOCS AND LOWER RAW MATERIALS COSTS
• Soybean oil based polymers help paint industry reduce VOCs and lower raw material costs
• How Soybeans are Used

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The following are the questions I used for contacting Mythic paint and AFM Safecoat concerning chemicals, corn and soy.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  I am currently awaiting the reply from AFM Safecoat concerning their acrylic copolymer.  I want to ensure that it is not derived from soy.

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TO AFM SAFECOAT AND MYTHIC PAINT:

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Most household paint uses some kind of modified and/or unmodified starch in their manufacturing process and the starch is typically derived from corn.

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• I was told your paint is created with MCS sufferers in mind. Does this still hold true? (I removed this question when I emailed Mythic Paint)
• Do you know if any modified and/or unmodified starches are used in the production of your paint as a thickening agent, additive or something else?
• If so, can you research and see if the starch is derived from corn?
• If not, what are the thickening agents and/or additives derived from that your company uses?
• Do you all use any organic acids?
• If so can you research to see if the organic acids are derived from corn or soy?
• Do you all use any polyols in your manufacturing processes?
• If so, can you please research and let us know if they are derived from corn?

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We react to many things that are deemed safe by the FDA and even our allergist. My line of questioning comes from purchasing things and attempting to use them with sometimes disastrous results. I understand that some of your ingredients maybe proprietary, but if you can at least tell me if the product would be safe for us based on the aforementioned questions, I would greatly appreciate it.

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Thank you for any help you can provide.

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AFM SAFECOAT TO ME:

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1. “Most household paint uses some kind of modified and/or unmodified starch in their manufacturing process and the starch is typically derived from corn. Do you know if any modified and/or unmodified starches are used in the production of your paint as a thickening agent, additive or something else? If so, is the starch is derived from corn?”

• There is no starch used in the manufacturing process.

2. “If not from corn, what are the thickening agents and/or additives derived from?”

• Cellulose (derived from wood and cotton).

3. “Do you use any organic acids? If so, are they derived from corn or soy?”

• None used.

4. “Do you use any polyols in your manufacturing processes? If so, are they derived from corn?”

• None used.

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MYTHIC PAINT TO ME:

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Thank you for your interest in Mythic paint products. I have discussed your questions with one of our chemists and have been informed that there is a possibility that our raw materials are manufactured alongside other materials containing corn and/or soy. For this reason, we cannot recommend using our products. We wish you the best in your search.

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I would not recommend mythic paint to a corn and/or soy avoider.  I would also be hesistant to recommend it to an individual suffering from multiple chemical sensitivity.  Their MSDS lists latex, additives, and fillers.   “The majority of emissions from latex paints occurs after the coating has dried.”  (see The ABCs about VOCs)  I appreciate the company’s honestly in telling me to avoid their product due to potential cross contamination issues, but I would have appreciated more specific answers to my questions.  If you are a consumer not interesting in avoiding corn and/or soy derivatives, latex and additives/fillers, then Mythic Paint might be good for you.  If that fits your description then check out this review.  If that doesn’t describe you, check out the comments section on the aforementioned link.  These people did not fare well at all with Mythic Paint.

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AFM Safecoat might be a possibility for my household.  Their MSDS lists water, acrylic copolymer, titanium dioxide, limestone, and calcined kaolin clay on the ingredients list.  I am awaiting their reply concerning the the acrylic copolymer and the possibility of soy derivatives.  I will update the post when I receive their reply.  You can visit this site to see more products offered by AFM Safecoat and to also download other MSDS sheets for those products.

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As an aside:  Someone on another site mentioned FreshAire Choice paint.  I’ve been to the website on Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and I cannot get the MSDS sheet to download.  I searched Google (I love you, Google) and found this information:

• Sodium aluminosilicate
• Titanium dioxide
• Calcined kaolin clay
• Water
• Vinyl acetate / Acrylic copolymer
• All in a latex base

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You can contact that particular company for more information concerning the source for the suspect ingredients and any hidden ingredients.

Personal Care Recipe: Easy Homemade Conditioner

Yipi and I need a good conditioner for our dry hair.  After doing research and trying in vain to solely use the conditioner from GFSoap, I decided to get in the kitchen and whip something up.  I turned to Youtube, of course, and found a few tutorials that were very interesting, but they did not work out for me.  I can’t use the preservatives, emulsifiers, or activators that they require.  Back to square one.  I gave up for a while…until Saturday night.  Eureka!

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Please keep in mind, since I am not using a preservative I will need to use the conditioner within the week so that no bacterial growth occurs.  Water containing personal care products are prone to grown bacteria rather quickly.  Make sure you whip up an amount that you will be sure to use within a week.  I did not use enough borax in this recipe, I’m experiencing slight separation of oils and butters.  I’ve made changes and will include them below.  The changes have not been tested as of yet.

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If you do not have some of the ingredients, like camelina oil, jojoba oil, or calendula infused herbal oil, use what you have!  Go to this site to learn about the different properties of oils.  Corn allergic/intolerant individuals:  Make sure which ever oils you decide to use are processed without the use of de-gummers, solvents, or any potential corn derivatives.  I choose lavender and tea tree essential oils for this recipe but you can use whichever combination you like.  Experiment, make mistakes, learn.  This is not the first conditioner I’ve tried.

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This conditioner is fantastic!  Why?  It feels silky and spreads through my hair very easily (I have thick, curly hair).  It leaves my hair feeling soft and conditioned.  It helps to make my curls more manageable though it is a bit heavy, definitely won’t need a leave-in.  It is thicker than the watery GFSoap conditioner.  It is 63% cheaper than the GFSoap conditioner (YAY!!!) and it would be even cheaper if I did not use the jojoba oil or camelina oil.  It is VERY easy to make and took less than 45 minutes.  A little goes a long way.  Start with a small amount on your hair and work up to the desired amount.  My next recipe will use a higher percentage of filtered water, possibly some calendula or honeysuckle hydrosol.

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Here are a few suggestions for substitutions.  I used the arrowroot starch as my thickener but you might be able to substitute this with a safe tapioca starch and even potato starch if you’re daring.  As I mentioned before, if you do not have jojoba, camelina, or calendula infused oil, use more coconut and olive oil.  You can use any essential oils (organic, steam distilled) you like and have around the house.  If you do not have shea butter you can use cocoa/cacao, illipe, kokum, or mango butter.  I think the cacao or mango butter would smell wonderful.  If you decide to use cocoa or mango butter be careful with essential oils.  They might not blend well with the two scents.  Illipe, kokum and mango butters are harder than shea so you may have to adjust the amount of candelilla wax.  You can use beeswax or carnauba wax instead of candelilla wax.  Beeswax is softer than candelilla so you might have to use slightly more.  Carnauba wax is harder so you might need slightly less.  I would you give a more definite measurements but I can’t use these waxes.

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Ingredients:

• 8 oz filtered water
• Used:  1/4 teaspoon of borax (1.25 ml)
• Probably needs:  3/4-1 teaspoon of borax (4.8 ml)
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (5 ml)
• 2 oz organic shea butter
• .5 oz candelilla wax
• 3 oz organic coconut oil
• 1 oz organic olive oil
• .5 oz organic jojoba oil
• .5 oz organic camelina oil
• .5 oz calendula infused herbal oil
• 10 drops of organic tea tree essential oil
• 20 drops of organic lavender essential oil

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Equipment:

• Digital scale
• Glass or ceramic bowl
• Wooden stir stick (I used a chopstick)
• Two sauce pans
• Measuring cup/spoon:  1 cup and teaspoon
• 1 quart glass measuring cup or similar container
• Silicone spatula
• Immersion blender

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Procedure:

• Add the water, borax and arrowroot powder to a saucepan and heat until powders are dissolved.
• Add the oil, butter, wax in a glass or ceramic bowl.  Melt over a “double boiler.”
• Transfer the melted oil/butter/wax mixture into a 1-quart pyrex measuring cup.  Use silicone spatula to scrap the bowl.
• Add the water solution to the melted oil/butter/wax mix.
• Blend with an immersion blender, in 4-6 second bursts, for about 5 minutes.  Continue blending every so often as the mixture cools for the next 10 minutes.
• Add to desired container and use!

Personal Care Recipe: Simple Soap

Amanda over at the LovinSoapBlog posted a FANTASTIC cold process soap recipe.  My goal for this soap making session was to make an easier soap, use fewer ingredients, and I wanted to avoid using the crock pot…to be completely honest, I wanted to avoid cleaning the crock pot afterward.

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The recipe is fantastic for a few different reasons:

1. I was able to successfully reduce the amount of ingredients to four (if you leave out the EOs) instead of eight.
2. The soap lathers extremely well and feels wonderful on my skin.
3. The soap is not as drying as the Tropical Traditions unscented bar soap (thank you shea butter!).
4. The soap was SUPER easy to make.
5. It would be very easy to dress the soap recipe up for gifts; it can be easily colored with clay or scented with EOs.
6. It is much cheaper to make the soap at home, I know exactly what’s in it and it took less than one hour!

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I will definitely make these soaps again.  I followed her instructions but changed the recipe a bit.  The recipe yielded about four pounds, a little over 60 ounces, of soap.

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Simple Soap

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Simple Soap Recipe:

• 40 oz organic coconut
• 4 oz organic shea
• 7.24 oz food grade sodium hydroxide / lye (lye calculator)
• 14 oz filtered water (I used filtered Berkey water)
• 25 drops organic lavender essential oil (EO) – optional (regular organic, not the spike)
• 10 drops organic tea tree essential oil (EO) – optional

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Simple Soap – A few of the more interesting bars

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How did we achieve the (not really but pictures are deceiving) uniform shape?  The hubby purchased pre-cut 2 ft, 2″ PVC pipe, threaded adapter and glued it onto the end, a flat end cap, and threaded end cap.  He drilled a hole in the threaded end cap and screwed in the air compressor fitting.  He ozoned the molds for two weeks, washed them out really well and gave them to me to make the soap.

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PVC Mold

Personal Care Recipe: Bug Repellent Salve

Mosquitoes.  I hate those little bugs but oh how they love me.  They either view me as their queen and have to be near me or they view me as a very yummy, irresistible snack.  I also have a knack of attracting spiders, gnats, flies, really, any bug outside (or inside) will make it’s way to me for a quick snack or to just say hi.  In the hopes of becoming slightly less visible to my insect friends, I decided to make a bug repellent.  I was hoping to find a good, allergen free bug repellent this year, as I was unable to find one last year; alas, this was not the case.  The closest thing I found was the Beat It product!  This product may work very well for some of you with less sensitive contact reactions; we unfortunately cannot tolerate some of the essential oils used in the product.  Unplugged Sunday posted a great recipe for DIY bug repellent and that is the recipe I will be using.  Making toiletry/personal care items is usually the safest way to protect my family from unnecessary allergen exposures.

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Figuring out essential oils (EOs) is always the most difficult part of a recipes for me.  I have many essential oils in my cabinet.  Occasionally I ask myself this question:  Which of my essential oils go well together?  Mountain Rose Herbs does a great job of listing complementary essential oils on the “Learn More” tab for each individual essential oil.  I decided to compile a list from the information on their site and wanted to include it here.  All of the EOs listed below can be used as insecticides:

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• Cajeput – goes with lavender, rosemary
• Cedarwood – goes with eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary
• Lavender – goes with cedarwood, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, tea tree
• Eucalyptus – goes with cedarwood, lavender, peppermint, rosemary
• Peppermint – goes with eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, tea tree
• Tea Tree – goes with eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rosemary
• Rosemary – goes with cedarwood, eucaluptus, lavender, peppermint, tea tree

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Homemade Bug Repellent

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Equipment:

• “Double boiler” – pot and a glass bowl
• Fine strainer
• Silicone Spatula
• Glass measuring cup with spout
• Glass bowl, or a second glass measuring cup
• Chopstick, for stirring
• 9-2oz cosmetic tins or jars with lids

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Ingredients:

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• 1 cup dried calendula
• 1 cup fresh rosemary  -  I didn’t have any uncontaminated rosemary so I left it out this time
• Enough olive and coconut oil to cover herbs (as carrier oils)
  • I used about  1 1/4 cup of oils
• 4 tablespoons kokum butter
• 2 tablespoon candelilla wax
• 20 drops organic Rosemary essential oil
• 20 drops organic Cajeput essential oil
• 10 drops organic Lavender essential oil
• 10 drops organic Eucaluptus essential oil
• 5 drops organic Tea Tree essential oil

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Procedure:

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1. Put water in your pot and set the bowl on top.  Bring the water to a boil and turn the heat down until the water is lightly simmering.
2. Put 1 cup dried calendula into your bowl. Pour in enough olive oil and melted coconut oil to cover your herbs (I used more coconut oil than olive; 2 part coconut / 1 part olive oil).
3. Cover your bowl and let the water simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not overheat the oil or allow the water the boil.
4. Pour the mixture into a glass measuring cup.  This would be a great place to use your spatula.  -  I skipped this step and really wish I hadn’t.  Oil was EVERYWHERE!
5. Strain the oil into your second glass measuring cup.  Press the herbal infused oil with the spatula to expel as much oil as possible.  I ended up with 1 1/4 cup of herbal infused oil.
6. Put the oil back into the “double boiler” with the kokum butter and candelilla wax. Melt over low heat.  Stirring occasionally.  -  I sat the glass measuring cup into the pan to let the butter and wax melt.
7. Once the butter and wax are melted, turn off the heat and add your essential oils.  Stir gently.
8. Pour the liquid into your cosmetic containers and allow the salve to set up. Once the mixture is completely cooled, cover with tight fitting lids and store in a cool, dry place.

Personal Care Recipe: Homemade Sunscreen

Frugally Sustainable posted a great recipe for homemade sunscreen and I think I’m going to borrow it and make a few adjustments.  We are not able to use beeswax or vitamin E oil and I am not 100% certain of the candelilla wax.  Instead of trialing that much candelilla wax without more of a buffer of oils and butter I think I will instead substitute the wax with extra shea butter.  I was going to use kokum butter, as it is harder than the shea, but time only permitted the use of shea butter.  I will substitute the vitamin E oil with…nothing.  I did locate a Vitamin E oil, supposedly sourced from sunflower seeds; however I think additional questions pertaining to processing and refinement need to be answered before trying the product.  Please ensure that your ingredients are unrefined and corn free (processing and manufacturing).

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Homemade Sunscreen

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Ingredients:

• Organic Coconut Oil (unrefined) - 0.75 ounce
• *Organic Shea Butter (unrefined) - 1.75 ounce
• Organic Jojoba Oil (unrefined) - .25 ounce
• (Substitute .75 ounce of shea with .75 ounce candelilla, carnauba, or beeswax if you can tolerate it)
• Zinc Oxide – .3 to .36 ounce (~10%)
• 30 drops of organic, steam distilled essential oils (we’re using lavender and tea tree)

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Procedure:

1. Gather ingredients and kitchen tools. 
2. Melt oils and butters in a “double boiler” over low heat.
3. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool.
4. Add the zinc oxide powder.  Note: Wear a mask when working with zinc oxide. Although it has not been proven harmful when used topically, inhaling the substance can be dangerous.
5. Return to “double boiler” for approximately 20 minutes (may need less time).  Stir constantly to dissolve zinc oxide.
6. Remove from double boiler.  Add essential oils.
7. Mix with an immersion blender until completely combined.
8. Pour into a container (I’m using these.  It would have been nice to find a safe push up container).
9. Allow to cool to just under room temperature, stirring every so often.
10. Refrigerate until set (stir before refrigerating).
11. Remove from refrigerator and let set / harden on the counter overnight. (Only if you use wax)

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*If you have kokum butter, then use .75 oz of kokum and 1.00 oz shea.