Three natural products you can make at home
In collaboration with the ladies from Dans Le Sac.
Are you interested in making your own beauty products in the comfort of your home? We sure are! In addition to limiting your comings and goings at pharmacies and knowing exactly what your product is made of, you'll also reduce your ecological footprint.
Since the lockdown is the perfect excuse to start new projects while staying in your pajamas, we're suggesting three recipes for natural products that you can make at home with ingredients you probably already have on hand (or which you can purchase online from a local retailer).
These products are just as effective as their store-bought counterparts and safe for you and the planet, in addition to being very easy to make. Now you just have to add the following to your "to do list" during this lockdown period: the homemade preparation for face lotion, body butter, and deodorant.
Deodorant stick
This homemade deodorant is as effective for men as it is for women. Once again, you can choose the fragrance you prefer! And to be honest, we've had some bad experiences with commercially available natural deodorants, but this one is loved by the whole family!
Ingredients
- 20 g of arrowroot or corn starch
- 12 g of aluminum-free baking soda
- 8 g of soya wax
- 15 g of coconut oil
- 10 g of zinc oxide
- 15 g of shea butter
- Around ten drops of essential oil (Palmarosa, Tea Tree, and others for aroma)
Method
- In a bain-marie, melt the soy wax, shea butter, and coconut oil.
- When everything is melted and well mixed, let it sit at room temperature for one or two minutes.
- Add the other ingredients.
- Mix and pour the mixture into the sticks.
- Wait a few hours (the mixture will need at least 24 hours to solidify).
Tip #1: Use an old store-bought deodorant tube or a small, wide, and shallow Mason-type jar to put the mixture in.
Tip #2: For more sensitive skin, don't use baking soda, or replace the baking soda with white clay.
Basic face lotion
This face lotion* is easily customizable according to your tastes and needs. In addition to being very economical, it smells wonderful and will moisturize your skin with comforting ingredients. Keep it in the fridge for a refreshing effect!
* Recipe provided by Hunzaroma, the aromatherapy specialist.
Ingredients
Oil phase
- 30 g of jojoba oil (argan, olive, coconut, etc.)
- 5.6 g of Olivem 1000 emulsifying wax or plant-based emulsifying wax
Aqueous phase
- 40 g of rose hydrosol (Labrador tea, lavender, neroli, etc.)
- 16.6 g of aloe vera gel
- 1.3 g of vegetable glycerin
Aromatics
- 5 drops of vitamin E
- 12 drops of essential oil (lavender, rose, tea tree, cedar, etc.)
Method
- Thoroughly clean and sterilize your pots, utensils, and containers.
- Melt the ingredients of the oil phase in a bain-marie, then mix.
- Heat the ingredients of the aqueous phase over low heat in a bain-marie, then mix.
- Whisk the mixture from the oil phase with a small mixer for 5 to 10 seconds, then take a 5-minute break.
- Add the aqueous phase mixture to the oil phase mixture, then whip again for 10 seconds. Take another break and mix again until the emulsion has properly set (the mixture will become whiter and the texture will be more whipped).
- Let it cool in the refrigerator.
- Add the essential oils and vitamin E, then mix.
- Transfer the mixture to your containers and store in the refrigerator.
Body butter
This nourishing butter with a whipped texture contains only three ingredients. Apply on your body, lips, and hands. You'll wonder why you didn't make it sooner because it's so simple to concoct. To be honest, it's kind of like making cake icing!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of shea butter
- 1/4 cup of sweet almond oil
- 1/4 cup of coconut oil
Method
- Mix the shea butter, sweet almond oil, and coconut oil in a glass bowl or pot to go in the bain-marie.
- Melt the mixture using a bain-marie by stirring and making sure that the mixture doesn't burn.
- When the mixture has completely melted, let it sit in the refrigerator for one hour.
- Whip the mixture using a stationary electric food mixer for a few minutes until it has an airy texture and a whitish colour.
- Transfer your body butter to a clean container. Pure magic!
Trick: Add the essential oils of your choice for a more fragrant body butter (15 drops). Our winning combinations: lavender/orange, ylang-ylang/vanilla, geranium/grapefruit.
Warning: Don't add essential oil if you're pregnant or wish to use the butter on the skin of small children. Moreover, as some essential oils are photosensitizers (lemon, grapefruit, bergamot, mandarin oranges), you should avoid sun exposure for six hours after applying the butter if you choose to add these oils.
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Don't hesitate to get your little ones involved in the creation of these homemade beauty products. A great way to introduce the whole family to zero waste!
For more home projects, visit the Dans le sac blog (in French only) and check out our book, Minimal (in French only), for a sustainable lifestyle.
