We are a somewhat earth-friendly family. We recycle a lot. We try to use "green" household products where possible. We've talked about starting a compost and installing a rain barrel, and likely will do both at some point (like the next time they go on sale at Costco...does that counteract the good we'd be doing by buying them?).
We at the very least try to make responsible choices where possible. Which is why I was intrigued when I read a recent post by Christie at Honoring my Health. She made her own deodorant. What?! Yes, it's true, and it's not as scary as it might sound.
I really suggest you go to her site and read the full post, but basically you take 8 tbsp of melted virgin coconut oil (available at Whole Foods), 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup baking soda. You mix it all together, then pour it into an empty, clean deodorant tube and put it in the fridge for an hour.
I tried it. I made sure I wound the thingy (technical term) all the way to the bottom and then poured in my magic mixture. Here's the hitch. I used an old Dove deodorant tube. The "thingy" had holes in it, so the liquid seeped through and when it solidified it wouldn't budge an inch up the stem...another technical term.
I chiseled it all out, remelted it and put it into a different container that had a more solid thingy. Worked like a charm! Thank you, Christie, for showing me the light. The only info I would add to her post is to be careful when selecting your used deodorant tube and to make sure your thingy is solid...um, yeah. Always make sure your thingy is solid. Advice for the ages, really.
On a somewhat related sidenote:
Another reason I wanted to try this was that, in addition to trying to be earth-conscious, we are also trying very hard to eliminate parabens from our home. Parabens are preservatives and are used in a LOT of personal care products. They can actually mimic estrogen and have been linked to breast cancer. Breast cancer can be caused by the exposure of estrogen to mammary cells over time, so why on earth would we want to expose our body's largest organ to MORE of it?!
Even some products for babies contain parabens, which completely blows my mind. It's an uphill and expensive battle to try and get parabens out of our home completely, but we are definitely trying. Cosmetics Database is a fantastic source of info, but you might end up throwing EVERYTHING in your house out if you take it as absolute gospel. Everything in moderation, right?
Hey, you should check with city hall for compost and rain barrels. Vancouver has had programs in place for years that has rain barrels and worm compost kits available at a discounted rate for residents. Maybe North Van has a similar program?
ReplyDeleteOlga
Hahaha! I need to add that to my post, I haven't had that issue, I always used secret before.
ReplyDeleteSolid thingies. You are right, it really IS advice for the ages. You are a sage.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried making my own deodorant, but I live and die by the Cosmetics Database. I wash my face with honey and I wash my hair with baking soda and apple cider vinegar. I could totally see trying this, too.