Day Sixteen:
Do you spend a lot of money on high end toiletries? Or alternatively, do you purchase cheap toiletries that just get the job done?
Have you ever thought about the plastic waste created from many different toiletry items? Not to mention all the nasties that are put in toiletries and then put onto our skin or hair which readily absorb such things. Even if you purchase organic, healthy toiletry items there will always be preservatives in them to lengthen their shelf life as well as possibly the container being lined with plastic that contains BPA & Phthalates without you even knowing.
The only answer I felt comfortable with is to make my own. At least then you know exactly what is going in them. Not only is it better for your body and the planet but it is waaaaay better for your wallet too ;-).
I now make pretty much 90% of my toiletries as well as my partner's (which he loves!). Here is one of the items I made over the weekend for my partner. We made two versions of this. The first attempt was more of a Pomade and he found it too oily and didn't have enough hold so we melted it down and added some Kaolin clay and veolia!...we had the perfect hair moulding clay that he said was better than his previous chemically laiden, expensive pot of hair styling product. He applied a very small amount to towel-dried hair and it took about 20 minutes for his hair to absorb the oils and leave a matt look as well as leaving the hair looking thicker; well texturised and re-mouldable...WIN! Not to mention the essential oils I chose promote hair growth as his hair is quite thinned.
- 2tbs organic natural Beeswax
- 3tbs organic unrefined Shea Butter
- 4tbs organic Jojoba oil
- 5tbs Kaolin clay
- 25 drops of organic essential oils of your choice (we chose 10x Rosemary; 10x Peppermint; 5x Lime)
Heat some water in a pot and place a clean, small steel bowl in the middle so the water is about halfway up the bowl. Place the Beeswax & Shea Butter in the bowl and gently stir with a clean, teaspoon until melted. Add Jojoba oil and stir, then remove bowl from the pot. Let the mixture cool for 2-3mins and add your essential oils & Kaolin clay. Using an electric hand mixer (you only need the one beater and not both) blend the mixture until it thickens and becomes smooth. The finished product should look like hair clay but will still be a thick, wet consistency that resembles cake dough. Scoop into 120ml glass jar (should just fit) and let it stand for a few hours, it should harden a bit more in this time. Apply as needed :-).
If you would rather purchase your own hair product then it is best to try and find one in a glass jar as opposed to plastic and also avoid a long list of unnatural ingredients where possible. Alternatively, I am happy to take orders!
Re-think your thinking...