CASTILLE SOAP. BOM DIGITY.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links--->

As a new blogger I think its time we had a little talk. In this environment misunderstandings are common and things can be easily misconstrued. I can hide behind my little computer screen as you hide behind yours. We're save from confrontation and hold the power to delete before reading. We have the know how to read and not respond, the right to agree or disagree, and to support virtually anything we want, here on this safe inter web that is.

Or is it really so safe? It may be easy for some bloggers to advertise or promote products to make money from your clicks, whether a worthy cause or not. Seeing as I did not enter the blogging world with the intention of monetizing my site I have no reason to advertise or convince you that the products I use are as awesome as I always say they are. I'll let you decide what you want about all the suggestions I make. Because they are just that, suggestions or recommendations even. Heck, you may think half what I say its total bologna! And that is okay, I promise, I won't take offense. 

With that said I want to make a promise to you, my readers, my family and friends, even those acquaintances who I would love to know better. I will not EVER post, write about, or claim to love products that I don't actually use on my homestead, daily or weekly, and literally love! I will NEVER lie to you, I will only show you what I do and what has been a success for me. I will NEVER EVER preach about a product that does not deserve the praise 100%. I simply want to educate and share my experience with ya'll, in a safe and positive way. I wish to encourage you to think outside the box and retrospect a little, back to the basics of a lifestyle forgotten. 

Now that I have that out of the way! I want to talk about a product that I DO deeply love. Castile soap... I'll say again...... Dr. Bronners Castile Soap!!! I've been using it exclusively for about 2 months now and I can honestly say I will never go back to regular shampoos or bath soaps. My hair is softer, stronger, fuller, and substantially less greasy. I don't absolutely have to wash my hair every day either. After having tried every brand of hair product out there my hair would still be greasy after just the first day. No more! Done are my days of spending ungodly amounts of money on hair products. With so many uses from shampoo and body wash to a safe non-toxic household cleaner, its safe to say Dr. Bronner new what was up! 

There are so many variations of this wonderful soap available through Amazon here. Specifically, this is the one I purchased! 32 ounces of goodness baby! Yes a little spendy, but I have used it for every shower. That's a shampoo and body wash. And every bath for Ireland, shampoo, body wash, and bath bubbles. Same bottle, two months deep..... and I've only used about 2 inches of it, and that one big bottle! Not sure how many ounces used that is but I bet I've only used 10% of the bottle! It goes a very long way and leaves you feeling squeaky clean. Not to mention the great affects the lavender has on Ireland before bedtime. The essence of lavender is enough to relax and make this mama happy, fo eva, seriously, girlfriend loves her some lavender! Did you know they even make a baby Bronner's?!?  You can bet I'll be adding that to our orders for next month in preparation for baby Gardner #2,!!!

Do I even need to dive back into my GMO rant to make ya'll understand how happy that little butterfly up there makes me?!? Okay good, didn't think so.....

And I bet ya'll never thought that even your shampoos, conditioners, household cleaners, face washes, lotions, etc, all most likely have GMOs...

Kinda freaky huh? The general judgement on GMOs is that roughly 85-95% of our grocery store shelves are GMO. Yikes! That's enough to make me wanna pack up my family, move to the woods, and rough it! But before you catch me running around the Three Sisters Wilderness in a loin cloth and bunch of lavender in hand, I'll just take some Dr. Bronner's! Its organic, non-GMO, smells great, lasts forever, and you can use it all over your home. What more could a hippy homesteader like me ask for?

Recently I found some recipes for a homemade shampoo and a laundry soap that both call for castile soap. You can bet I'll be giving that a whirl in April! 

Cleaning with Castile.

Q

DEODORANT...FROM SCRATCH!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links

If you've read my previous post on baking soda, you'll well know, I love that stuff! For oh so many reason, I buy this great household product in BULK! Namely, this bad boy!

Another household must have that I love and must buy in bulk, coconut oil!!! I buy this brand at Costco. Boy do I love seeing that GMO free label on more and more products in the glorious shopping experience that is Costco. I'm not going to lie when I embarked on my families GMO-free transition, I was convinced that a huge company like them wouldn't make this change a priority like so many Americans. Well folks, I'm not always right..... weird huh? 

I was oh so gratefully wrong. And that doesn't come often for a hard headed county gal like myself! During my monthly shop at Costco I was able to buy nearly everything I normally do in a GMO-free or non-GMO form (yes there is a difference, basically to be GMO-free they must be verified by the GMO-free project, non-GMO products are from those companies who have opted against verification, I imagine for cost sake, or are still awaiting their verification). I was AMAZED! Almost everything you can buy at this wonderful warehouse has a non-GMO or GMO-free counterpart. 

After so much turmoil and anxiety about our food, I can put my mind at ease. I digress. We're here to talk about pits! What... we are! Armpits that is, and if you're anything like me, stinky ones.

What can I say? I spend a great deal of my time actively working around the homestead or breaking a sweat as it were, pun intended! As I want so greatly to provide my family a completely GMO-free diet, I just as direly wish to provide us with everyday products that are free of harsh chemicals. Most times I can find what I need on my go site, Amazon. Even more often I can find ingredients on Amazon to make my own homemade products. This includes homemade deodorant! My first batch of which I whipped up last night.

Mixing up this recipe was so easy and painless! Better than a distracting and irritating trip to the store to pay way too much for a product full of chemicals whose origin is a complete mystery. And why do they have to put all that crap in there anyway?!? Take a minute, go grab your deo and tell me... 

How many ingredients does it have?
How many are virtually unpronounceable ingredients do you find? 
Do you know what they are? 
What they do? 
Or why they are in even in there? 
Do they really help to fight odor? 
And is antiperspirant safe or even necessary?
How much did this product cost you? (You couponers out there keep your opinions to yourself!)

Now let me do they same thing for my handmade deo...

There are 4, count em', 4 ingredients in this recipe
None.... Coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, and essential oils
Yes I do, all of them
OH yes.
Uh huh.
Heck yes they fight odor! I've been testing this theory ALL day.... What? hospital work makes me sweat!
No, antiperspirant isn't necessary. Wanna know what is? Your bodies need to sweat and rid itself of toxins. Why deny such a complex machine such a vital process? In my personal opinion the antiperspirant makes you smell worse when you do sweat.
Let's me do the math....ya'll can check your local Costco for exact pricing on your CO, but I paid about $25 for 54 ounces, $15 for that 13.5 oz. bag of baking soda (also purchased at Costco), and 1 pound of Arrowroot powder from Amazon for under $9. The essentials oil pricing will vary depending on where you chose to purchase. For me that is Doterra, for further inquiry on the oils themselves follow this link. 

Geez can we see the dang recipe already?!

Okay here ya go!!!

6 TBSP Coconut Oil
1/4 C Baking soda
1/4 C Arrowroot Powder
10-15 drops essential oil(s) of choice

In a medium size bowl combine together arrowroot powder and baking soda. With fork or spoon work in coconut oil until smooth. Add drops of essential oil and mix in evenly. Bada bing, bada boom! I chose to throw mine into a trusty ole baby food jar from my friend Megan, but it works great in an old deodorant container or ones you can order here!

As far as the EO's go, I gave a range of drops, for preference sake I advise you to use however much you are comfortable with or can tolerate using. I put a little more than what the recipe originally called for. Gotta make it mine a little right? And personally I love the smell of EO's and wanted to mask the coconut smell a bit. 

But Quincy I have no idea what oils to use! 

Don't fret! You can use so many different oils its crazy! Due to supply's sake I used oils I already had in my possession. I chose wild orange and lavender for my first attempt and when I was amazed at the ease of preparation I decided to throw together a wild orange and cedar wood mix (which I happen to be sporting right this second! And odor free might I add after almost 8 hours of crazy work)!!! Wild orange has antibacterial properties that help to kill the germs associated with body odor and the essence can be uplifting. Lavender is just amazin' for any grooming/bathing products and helps to relax and soothe those pits from possible razor burn! Personally I just love the musty smell of cedar wood, it acts wonderfully in hygiene products as it aids in healthy skin and efficient breathing! All of these oils can be researched further and purchased through my DoTerra wellness advocate website here.

So far I have been so very happy with the results I have had. Normally by this time in a work day I have sweated through whatever I am wearing and I might just stink! Even if I was wearing my ex-usual dove deo.....  Anyone think the smell of deo + body odor is worse than regular B.O.? Say aye... AYE!!! Sorry Dove, I'm over you.

Smell checking the pits! What? quality control :) 


Q

MY ROAD TO ESSENTIAL OILS.

I'll be honest, I used to snicker at those folks who would suggest oil use to me in the past. I was stuck in a mindset where using essential oils and eating organically was some yuppy hippy mumbo jumbo that I would just never understand.

Well friends, this is one ignorance I can say took me a few years to overcome. Becoming an adult and then a parent (soon to be twice over) opened my eyes in ways I never thought possible. I went through a denial phase for sure.....

Our diets aren't that bad... are they?

The food we're eating can't possibly be detrimental to our health....

Essential oils can't really help. pharmaceuticals have to be a better route....

I'm a medical professional, these granola hippies can't really know more than the medical industry...

If my food isn't safe and neither are our medications and supplements then why would my doctor recommend and advocate for it....?

So many questions raced through my mind about what these "essential oils" really were. Why are they so 'essential' and is this all just a sham? If they really are so amazing and life changing how come I'm just hearing of them and why don't doctors advocate for them?

Funny side note I actually used to get irritated when I would walk into a knitting or bohemian shop in the greater Portland area. Chances are if anything along the lines of artisan, organic, or hand-made graces the window of these shops you'll be bound to smell essential oils the instant of your entrance. Commonly the smell of patchouli is the one that smacks you right in the olfactory nerves. Granted, I love it now... but in those years as an ignorant and close minded youth, I just got head ache from what I had dubbed the 'hippie stink.' Alas those days are behind me and now I respect and appreciate every drop of essential oil on this planet. And I would never describe any oil with the word stink ever again!

Essential oils can now be observed all over my house and in almost every aspect of my life. The first oil I gave a chance was the ever wonderful, peppermint. Being pregnant at the time finding medications and supplements safe for consumption and application was proving difficult. I had a terrible head ache so my friend applied one drop to her pointer fingers, massaging it into my temples and base of my skull. Within minutes I experienced relief that had me flabbergasted. I was taken aback by the speed and effectiveness at which it worked its magic. You can consider that to be the moment that changed my mind forever. It left me pain free and feeling relatively energized, though it was late afternoon and the baby belly needed some couch time.

There you have it, that was 3 years ago, and I and my families lives are forever changed. It wasn't until this last fall that I decided we needed yet another change. Essential oils had slowly began taking over our medicine cabinet replacing Tylenol, Advil, NyQuil, and I could forever go on about what the oils have replaced in our house, and all the money we actually save because of this. The best part about them is as I just mentioned.... The oils take over, you begin to realize how many wonderful uses these natural entities actually have and how many ailments can be solved with their simple application.

- Grapefruit to help curb my appetite helped me with postpartum weight loss.

- Lemon and peppermint decreased my nausea or morning sickness.

- Lavender I put on the kiddo before bedtime, this is an essential to our relaxation bedtime routine.

- Eucalyptus is amazing as a fever reducer/pain releiver (peppermint and lavender aid the tea trees effect) and also helps to maintain healthy feet and avoid athlete's foot.

- Peppermint under my nose when dealing with hospital odors changed world!!! Seriously, what would rather smell... duty or amazing peppermint?

- The immunity blend on the bottoms of our feet at night before bed is a great immune booster if you feel something coming on, or just because it smells great and has amazing disinfecting properties.

- I diffuse the respiratory blend in Ireland's room nightly when she has a cough/cold to encourage deep and relaxed breathing while sleeping.

- Deep Blue, used for deep tissue and muscle pain, does wonders in promoting realization in an achy back. I use the lotion rub version on my burly farm mans aches and pains and he loves it, plus the aroma is wonderful as a night time relaxant.

- For a tasty addition to water I add a few drops of grapefruit or lemon, just for fun, and its tastes great!

You see the possibilities are endless and I only mentioned my favorites. Before you know it you'll be an oil fanatic like myself, urging family and friends to give them a chance, or by golly just convert to essential oilism!

That brings me to this change I said we made last fall. After much consideration and fast deliberation we decided that becoming wholesale members of DoTerra would be the best option for us. With so many ways to utilize these treasures and the their adding up around the household, and some not so cheaply, it was just a no brainer. We made a leap of faith and are so happy we did! Seeing so many amazing changes with the help of oils, from behavioral improvements in our moody two year old to resolution of skin allergies in our dog, I can't think of a better way to keep my family safe and healthy.

NO MORE of those unpronounceable words you find on medications these days. How can a matriarch find piece of mind with all those chemicals??? The answer is you wont, with essential oils you'll never have those worries again.

So for all you oil skeptics out there, take a chance! Open your mind to the endless benefits and capabilities of oils, don't be like I was! Don't profile people who smell like patchouli they're probably happy oil users who know something you don't!

To find out more about the wonder of essential oils visit my business page here!

Dreaming of diffusing lavender when I get home!

Q

YOU USE BAKING SODA TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH...? And SO MUCH MORE!!!

Call me crazy but for a while now I have been brushing my teeth with baking soda!

Say what???

Oh yeah and I'm loving it!

I don't know about ya'll but here on the HD homestead we try to be as frugal as we can, and that usually means mama cuts out the simple consumer pleasures and goes for some DIY homemade ones! And in this case its homemade tooth paste. Not that paying $4 a tube isn't much easier and a way of instant satisfaction not to mention the vast flavors, textures, and brands available just down the road at your local store. I feel I can use that $4 more efficiently somewhere else, don't you?

But wanna know my secret?

I rarely go to the store, aside from our once monthly big shop for food, our others necessities are usually shopped in once a month. I have eliminated those "runs" to the store that turn into a $50 exchange. I know myself way too well, well enough to know once mama is in the store all bets are off and there's no telling what might end up in my cart when I only went because I needed deodorant.... 

Instead I leave with the deodorant, (if I wasn't too distracted to remember) a jalapeno cheese round, because girlfriend simply cannot resist jalapenos, some treat I knew Ireland would have to have, I'll usually stumble on some fruit to snack on throughout my shop (low blood sugar pregnancy problems), and maybe my favorite salad dressing! I go through it so fast and have yet to find a recipe that replicates it perfectly, ole Newman really knew what he was doing! 

I can use that $4 better somewhere else... Yesterday I spent $.96/ syringe on 4 syringes to vaccinate/de-worm our pigs, once each this month and then once each a month before slaughter.... See! And I always try to buy more than I need when it comes to the homestead animals giving me less to think about later. Indefinitely re-purposed money in our household goes in our homestead fund, and saved for something more important than a tube of toothpaste. 

Now that I'm done rambling!!! 

There are so so so many DIY tooth paste recipes on the web these days! Take your pick! Personally I chose to simply store a pint mason jar full on my bathroom vanity. I just wet my brush and dip the brissels in the soda and go to brushing. Once I got past the initial tasteless grit I really began to enjoy it, especially the cheapness of that whole idea! We already have baking soda in our house. 

Hint: to liven up your brushing add a drop of your favorite essential oil to the BS once you've gotten some on your brush!!! I use evergreen or peppermint :D

(this post contains affiliate links)

Aside from the small box residing in my fridge for deodorization, I keep one of these bad boys on hand! It is such a multi-use product that you cannot go wrong with, not to mention the work it did on some major stains on my carpet , with this recipe:

In your own or borrowed (in our case) carpet deep cleaner, we used this one, combine 1 Tbsp baking soda, 1/3 cup vinegar, and hot-boiling water....

I doubled up on the portions since I had some really bad set in animal stains and it worked like charm and it deodorized better than any carpet shampoo I have ever used without leaving that wet carpet yucky smell!

Boom there's my baking soda tangent ended!

Seriously try your hand at some baking soda magic.

Finding new ways to be frugal,

QB