Spring, is that you peeking out?
Our weather has been outstanding over the past week and is only getting better. I love it! I am so excited to get outdoors for runs. I think a lot of the snow and ice will melt this weekend.
First up, three Project Natural Glow product reviews!
I bought these at Whole Foods on Feburary 6th.
1) Activa Organic Coconut Oil
My review: I love this coconut oil. For whatever reason, it doesn’t get super firm like some of the other ones I have tried. I use coconut oil as a body moisturizer while in the shower. After washing with soap and rinsing, I rub coconut oil on my skin. Rinse as usual and when you get out of the shower, lightly pat the skin with a towel, but try not to rub off all the coconut oil. This leaves your skin very soft.
2) Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste
From the website: “Desert Essence Pure Aromatic Tea Tree Oil comes from the bountiful outback of Australia. We have also added baking soda, which actively helps to fight plaque. Flavored with pure essential oil of Ginger for a unique and refreshing taste. Free from harsh abrasives, synthetic sweeteners, or artificial flavors.”
My review: Since I have had such great success with their tea tree oil, I was eager to try out their toothpaste. I liked everything about this toothpaste except for the flavour. I had serious doubts about a ginger flavoured toothpaste, but it was the only flavour that Whole Foods had in stock so I bought it anyways. The ginger just didn’t give my mouth a fresh feel (and tasted gross!), so I switched back to the regular stuff for now. Any natural toothpaste recommendations?
3) Dr Mist
This is a spray on natural deodorant. It is aluminum free, fragrance free, stain free, colorless, and non-oily and non-alcohol based. It claims to get rid of body, foot and underarm odor effectively and can also be used for mosquito and insect bites, open wounds, acne, eczema and other skin itchiness caused by toxins.
My review: Despite these exciting claims, Dr Mist was very ineffective for me as a deodorant. It simply did not work. I have not tried it for things such as insect bites or acne, but I will probably give it a shot just to see for myself.
So what does a girl do when a natural deodorant fails?? She makes her own!
I have heard from some of you that swear by homemade deodorant. I came across Passionate Homemaking that features a homemade deodorant recipe. Unfortunately, this deodorant did not work for me.
I also put the leftovers in a small plastic container:
I was really excited for this homemade deodorant, but it did not work for me personally.
Have you ever used a homemade deodorant? What did you think?
My St Ives facial scrub also ran out, so I decided to make my own!
Lemon Sugar Scrub
[From Tip Nut]
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 TBS lemon zest (grated)
- I also added a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice (1 teaspoon)
Directions: Mix together and put in a container!
My review: This stuff is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very refreshing. You must make this! :) It is just awesome and left my skin sooo soft. I used it in the shower and it was amazing. I also tried it on my face and it was good too. The only thing I didn’t like was that it left my face very oily so I had to use a cleanser afterwards to get off some of the oil. I am hoping that it doesn’t cause breakouts on my face because I really thought this was so effective. A very cheap and effective way to exfoliate. I loved the touch of lemon too. A+++++
Have a great Saturday :)
Ooh, I can’t wait to hear if the homemade deodorant works! I’ve been researching homemade options lately, so this is quite well-timed. :)
I can’t wait to try the Passionate Homemaking deodorant. Her blog was the first I ever started reading a year ago, and I just love it. I have tried many different natural toothpastes, and by far my absolute favorite is Kiss My Face Aloe Vera whitening toothpaste. The flavor, feel, effectiveness, price, etc. are terrific. My husband just went to the dentist today after not going for a long time, and the dentist said his teeth look amazing and so clean. I’m going on Tuesday, so we’ll see! :)
Hi Angela!
Wow, those homemade products look great. I never thought about making homemade deoderant before.
I actually make and sell homemade beauty products! This is my website – www.beecalmbalms.com.au
Em xo
That is the same recipe for deo that I use and it works great. Even my husband likes it. But, I do melt the coconut oil first, it stirs much easier that way. I just pop it in the fridge and it is fine.
Hi Angela,
Try to keep the snow a little longer :)
I’m heading over to Toronto in 10 days (counting down) from Australia and I can’t wait to order some Glo Bars – I can finally try them!
You ‘ll be getting an order to be sent to North York in the next couple of weeks. I’m thinking it’ll be a big one so I can take them home in April…
Angela,
I’ve just recently fell upon your blog and absolutely love it! Your story is sincerely inspiring, and I love your “healthy size” post so much. What TRUTH to bring to women all around the world who are on the journey of full well-being and healthiness.
Your homemade deodorant is awesome! I even saw coconut oil at the grocery store today and thought about picking it up to make some :)
Have a great rest of your weekend!
Trishelle
I LOVE the idea of homemade deodorant. I always worry about what the store bought stuff is doing to me. I definitely think I’ll be trying this!
I’ve been using Tom’s of Maine toothpaste for almost a year. I love the spearmint gel.
It’s so gorgeous here too… Couldn’t wait to get outside and just came back in!
I use coconut oil for a body moisturizer, but never as a face moisturizer. Did you find that you had any issues with breakouts when you first started using it, or was it an easy transition from your former face moisturizer?
I am a fan of TOm’s of Maine products- I use the lavendar deoderand and it is fantastic, keeps me from stinking and is totally natural! As well as Burt’s Bees spray-on deo (it smells a bit like old spice though)
Also, Tom’s fennel toothpaste is also wonderful. It seems like an odd taste for toothpaste but I like it and it’s very freshening!
Come out to the west coast – it was 16 C today!
I like the idea of a natural underarm product, but I could never go with just a deodorant. I am a sweaty pig, and need an anti-perspirant. I know, I know, they aren’t good for you, but I am not walking around all day with giant pit stains.
I don’t think I could deal with ginger toothpaste either. Mint is the only flavour that makes my mouth feel fresh.
Wow, love this post! I will have to try some of this. Thanks Angela!
I LOVE the idea of making my own deodorant. I’m allergic to most conventional deodorants. amd I have a salt spray deodorant, which does work for me. Although honestly, most of the time I go without. Its like, over the years of not wearing real deodorant, now I sweat less. Anyway, I still love the idea of making my own. And I’ve made sugar body scrubs before, and that scrub souds like it’d smell amazing!!
As far as natural toothpastes, I do like Tom’s of Main. I’m not sure if it was theirs, I think so, but my last toothpaste was a fennel flavor, which I personally loved, it made my mouth feel really clean.
I made this (and see that it got linked above) and just wanted to say it seriously does work! I love it. And I had all the ingredients on hand, which was even better. I’m smelling all coconutty fresh as I write this comment :)
http://ultimatemoneyblog.com/make-your-own-toothpaste-2
Here’s my toothpaste recipe if you ever decide to make your own. You can add in tea tree oil too, if you want! The glycerin makes it just like regular toothpaste. Let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks for Deo recipe. I am definitely trying it out. I don’t have sweaty armpits and I don’t reek even when working out. So this might be a perfect substitute for the chemical-load deo I’m currently using.
I am going to make both of these! How do you use the sugar scrub, though? All over or just on your face? Do you just kind of rub in on and rinse it off? I made a similar scrub once (but without the lemon–love that addition) and it just made me feel kind of waterproof and made the shower really slippery.I’m still going to try it again, though, because I love the idea and am determined to like it. :)
I use it on my face and body. It does make you feel waterproof (love that analogy!), so I always wash my face afterwards with my tea tree oil cleanser by desert essence. Just a tiny bit of the scrub is leftover and my skin feels moist. In the shower you can follow the scrub with your cleansing soap, but I find a good towel off leaves my body nice and soft.
Thanks! I’m off to make this right now. No time like the present. :D
I take chlorophyll supplements and dont have to use deodorant at all. Have you looked into it at all?
New here but wanted to comment anyway, I make all of my own body care products. I use them as well as retail them. My body scrubs consist of demerera sugar and lemon juice…..that’s it! Just add enough juice to make it a pasty consistency, put it in a container and use 2-3 times a week–in the shower only!! Do Not use this in the bath, it WILL bring on a yeast infection. Also, toothpaste…..baking soda and some peppermint EO, a few drops’ll do ya, leave it in a container in the bathroom. I make up one container for each member of my family so there’s no worry about double dipping. My dentist is pleased with the results and so am I!
I know this is an older post, but I just stumbled across it from the link to today’s.
For toothpaste, Weleda has a salt toothpaste that I love. The peppperminty taste is good, and the salt leaves my mouth refreshed. My children don’t like the salt so I get the Plant Gel toothpaste; it has a much milder flavor.
With regards to deoderant, My Hero and I have been using salt crystal deoderant sticks for the past 4 to 5 years. There was a HUGE difference when I got him to switch. He sweats profusely. Sometimes I wondered if he ought to take 2 showers a day. But after he switched from regular deoderant (from Wal-Mart) to the salt crystal deoderant, he sweat a lot less and the odor was almost unnoticeable (not the case before).
I like the homemade scrub idea. I love your blog. It’s happy, friendly and uplifting. I read it every day.