DiY'ing - Part 2

Deodorant Ingredients/Recipe (approx. 1.3oz.):

1)1.7fl oz spray bottle from CVS
2) Frankincense oil: 10 drops
3) Lemongrass oil: 10 drops
4) Lavender oil: 10 drops
5) Witch hazel to get to approx 1.3 fl oz.

Why these oils:
Frankincense: Anti-cancer properties and encouraged to be used in an area of the body with numerous lymph nodes...don't try to drink it.
Lemongrass: Anti-fungal/bacterial (and boy does it smell like a fresh spring day!)
Lavender: Eliminates waste and has calming, anti-inflammatory properties

Cost breakdown:
Container = ~$1
Frankincense oil = $28.25 (hot tamales!)
Lemongrass oil = $7
Lavender oil = ~$12

vs. one bottle of Crystal all-natural roll-on deodorant: $3.99 --- BIG DISCREPANCY

However, in each of these essential oil bottles there are hundreds of drops or more. While my Crystal roll-on deodorant lasted me for 3 months, these ingredients will last far longer.

Drum roll please....

I did NOT like this at first. It teased me with an epically delicious fragrance that made me want to go spray-crazy but turned out to be quite the weakling. Mind you, I'm a mighty sweater and tend to break through the best of deodorants so I don't know why I thought this would work right away.

Oh wait, yes I do...I believe in the almighty power of essential oils!

After a few uses I realized, that with a full day of work and then a workout, I was going to eventually knock someone out in the weight room. Fixes needed! I went back to the drawing board and thought about what I could do to improve the situation. Ah-ha! Add more essential oil drops!

I grabbed my now partially depleted bottle (I tried to spray a lot on in hopes it would work, #fail) and added several more drops of each of the oils.


Drum roll me again...


Ta-da! Far more successful! Mind you, I'd steer clear as I raise the 20lb bar above my head in a squat at the end of a long day, but otherwise, my pits feel great! Plus, spraying that delicious concoction in the morning is better than any air freshener I've used before. So refreshing!

I have continued to use this unless I know I'm going to be around guests late in the day or am showering in the morning after the gym (it doesn't travel well...see a trend here?).

I'm happy with the new recipe mix and will absolutely continue to make and use this product. I also think that attempting this in the middle of a hot, humid summer wasn't the smartest of plans!


PS. The website I obtained this recipe from (as linked above) makes me really happy and takes me down a deep, deep DiY rabbit hole that I LOVE getting lost in. There's so much you can do around your house for far less $$$ than any store bought product AND it's far more natural and less harmful to you and yours! Happy DiY'ing!

Summer catch-up, Part One!

It's been a strangely hectic few months filled with family, friends and lots of fun. Let's share, shall we?

I kicked off the summer at Free Press Summer Fest and got to see a slew of fantastic artists. No pictures, sadly, but just know it was epic. The weather on Sunday was perfect after a mid-day storm and I cannot WAIT for next year!

The next weekend, I stuck to my musical guns and finally got to see Mumford & Sons in concert. I am so in love with them it's sometimes frightening. Their music is stunning, beautiful, moving and even more incredible live than any studio recording could EVER accomplish. It was a great weekend with Tanner and my good friend Jess and her sister.

Maria's Taco X-press and it was DELICIOUS! Plus, unlimited horchata...dangerous.

Also a fan.

Visiting the Capitol! I finally went inside, woohoo!

B-e-a-utiful!

My boys!

Main squeeze! Plus it was a great concert with AWESOME weather. Truly lucky!

One of my many attempts at a selfie of us in front of the original Kerbey Lane ON Kerbey Lane, boom. #winning

Maintaining the status quo (get ready, this is big time foreshadowing), the following weekend I traversed on a nice warm evening to Miller Outdoor Theater and watched...

With my great friend Silva next to me, we sang the night away and trust me when I say, the two leads were FANTASTIC. We were blown away EVERY time they sang and danced. Stick to the status quo!

You'd think that three weeks of back to back music sessions would warrant a break...but no ma'am, that is far from the case considering how badly I desire living in a musical. Silva and I met up once again, but this time it was for a marathon of musical movies at my abode with a delicious dinner cooked by hers truly. Boom!

Yes, we watched HSM again, but only skipping to each of the musical numbers.

Ba-dee, ba-dee, ba-dee, that's not all, folks! Hold on to your hats for the fabulous ongoing month of July next time!

DiY'ing - Part 1

I've been on a kick for quite a while now to alter what I put on and in my body. Unfortunately, for the latter half of that statement, this still includes cake, brownies and ice cream. They're so tasty!

But as far as ON my body goes, here's what I've taken upon myself to tackle recently:

Face moisturizer
Laundry detergent (clothes go on my body!)
Deodorant

 
Today let's chat about my successful...face!

Face Moisturizer Ingredients/Recipe (approx. 1oz.):

1) 1.oz container
2) My base oil (2/3): Grapeseed oil
3) My bonus oil (1/3): Tamanu oil
4) My essential oil (8 drops): Peppermint oil

Cost breakdown:
Container = $1 at the grocery store
Grapeseed oil = $7 at the Greek Festival
Tamanu Oil = $20
Peppermint Oil = $8.25

$36.25 vs. one bottle of moisturizer, same fl. oz. = ~$35


Do I like it? Yes. Do I prefer it to store-bought? Yes (most days)!

My reasons: natural ingredients, I love the feeling of the peppermint as it cools my skin, I feel like it cleared a bit of my rosacea up, price

My dislikes: it smells odd (it's oil, duh), it goes on oily to the point you're concerned it won't absorb but it does after a bit, there's no SPF in it.

My improvements for next time:
1) Use a better container the first time around. I used an old night cream screw top container at first and it made for grabbing a good amount of moisturizer quite difficult. I transferred this to a click top container and I've vastly preferred using that. However, it doesn't travel well. Still gotta figure that one out...
2) Use more peppermint: 10 drops vs 8. I think I'd appreciate a little more tingle.

WINNER: au naturel...how, you ask? Because the amount of oil I used in this container leaves me with the ability to make 3-4 more batches. Cost breakdown per bottle if I make 4: ~$9/bottle which lasts several months.

I will definitely maintain this little gem and will eventually figure out the traveling bit...

Stay tuned for more DiY'ing!