DIY Shampoo

Dry shampoo is great, but every now and then you need a good cleaning (or at least I do, with my current routine I can only go about 3 days between washes). I haven't hopped on the no-poo wagon completely because I did not like the baking soda method, and after about 3 days my dry shampoo just doesn't cut it anymore...my hair starts feeling oily and heavy from all the dry shampoo still in it. While I can (and sometimes do) rinse out my dry shampoo, there are days when I just need a good clean.

Commercial shampoos are full of all sorts of chemicals, but making your own is not that easy. I've been testing out shampoos for a few months now, and finally have a formula I am happy with. Even though thee ingredient list is natural, it's not short. Granted, you likely could use liquid castille soap (either straight up or diluted with water), but you can add ingredients to help renourish your hair after stripping all the dirt, grime, and oils.

Homemade Shampoo
1/2 cup liquid castille soap
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vitamin E oil
1 tsp jojoba or castor oil (I do half & half)
1 Tbsp honey
1-4 Tbsp herbs (optional)

Steep herbs in hot water for about 30 minutes (if using). Strain water into bottle and add remaining ingredients. Gently rotate the bottle to mix completely (if you shake too hard, you will cause foam in  the bottle.

This shampoo will be very liquidy. It is not the same consistency as commercial shampoo. When using this formula, I recommend using a squeeze bottle and gently squeezing out a small amount directly onto your scalp. I tend to do this in a few different locations to help me get even distribution.

This formula makes about 10 oz of shampoo. I have shoulder length hair and with fairly regular washing (about every other day), this amount has lasted me about 2 months.

Why herbs?
You can steep the herbs in water and get some extra benefits for your shampoo. They also add some scent. My herbs of choice are 1 Tbsp lavender, 1/2 Tbsp rosemary, and 1 bag Tazo Zen tea (green tea with lemongrass). Lemongrass is an effective cleaner and deodorizer. Rosemary is said to be good for people with oily hair as it helps control sebum production. Lavender is good for people with mixed skin types and moisturizes dry skin. All 3 are known to sooth irritated/itchy scalps which will reduce dandruff. Green Tea helps prevent hair loss and improves shine. All 4 are also said to have properties that will promote hair health & growth.

This recipe has a very herby/earthy smell. If that is unpleasing to you, you could try adding essential oils. I have not personally done this yet, but I would say 10-15 drops of scents you find pleasing (or scents that compliments your herbs) should be sufficient. I would likely use equal parts lavender, lemongrass, and rosemary as they are all beneficial to hair and would be inline with the herbs I use as well as the scent for my dry shampoo.

DIY Herbal Mouthwash

Let's round out the past few weeks of oral care before moving onto a new topic. As I mentioned in my remineralizing tooth powder post, I've been looking for a way to replace my mouthwash. I used a remineralizing mouthwash previously, and now that I've found a toothpaste to help supplement the need for that particular mouthwash, I was on the hunt for another DIY.

Once again, I turned to Wellness Mama for some inspiration. However this time I didn't use her recipe as a springboard, but pretty much used it unadulterated. The only difference is that again I leave out the essential oils. Even though you are not swallowing the mouthwash, I choose to leave essential oils out of my oral care items due to the fact that they are not recommended for ingestion. Either way is fine.

Herbal Mouthwash Tincture

8 oz vodka or grain alcohol
1 tsp clove powder
2 Tbsp peppermint leaf
2 Tbsp plantain leaf
1 Tbsp rosemary
water






Combine your dried herbs into a jar and pour over enough boiling water just to cover (you want to get the herbs damp enough to release their oils). Then pour in vodka and cover jar. Let steep 4 weeks, then drain through cheesecloth. Store your tincture in a glass bottle. I tend to keep a master batch in our basement, and a small 1oz dropper bottle on the bathroom sink.

To use your mouthwash, combine 1 dropper full (about 40 drops) with 1 oz (about 1 mouthful) of water. I like to keep a small shot glass in the bathroom for this purpose. Swish for 30 seconds as you do normal mouthwash, then expectorate.

So why these herbs?

Wellness Mama explains it well, but I'll give you a quick rundown... 

Clove has been historically associated with oral care due to it's antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It is also known to sooth oral pain specifically, from small wounds to toothaches. 

Peppermint (or Spearmint) has been used in oral care a bunch as well (think of most store bought toothpastes and mouth washes). This is because it has antimicrobial and cooling (soothing) properties. 

Plantain is also antimicrobial and antifungal, but mostly it is touted for it's ability to help in healing wounds, which makes it a great addition for minor oral scratches, bleeding gums, and braces. 

Rosemary is again antimicrobial, but also has cooling (soothing) properties and is known particularly to help soothe sore gums.

I've been very happy with this combination of herbs, but if you dislike the flavor of one, or are allergic, or just can't get ahold of them, there are others you can consider:

Echinecea is antimicrobial, draws out infection, and boosts your immune system which makes it great to fight colds & the flu. However this also benefits your oral care, and in fact this herb has been called the toothache plant due to it's effectiveness.

Oregon Grape Root is another anitmicrobial herb, but is is also an astringent and will help tighten and tone your gums. This is a great herb to add if you often have swollen or inflamed gum tissue.

Orange Peel has been known to remove surface stains and can help with teeth whitening (we use it in homemade cleaners, so imagine what it does for your teeth). It also helps freshen your breath and soothes sensitivity.

Cinnamon* is antifungal and antibacterial. It is well known to fight off the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Myrrh is an antiseptic and soothes your gums. It has historically been used to treat mouth ulcers and support gums in general, which may be because it helps circulate blood flow in the gums.

Tumeric is antimicrobial, and anti-oxidant. It also helps reduce inflammation, making it a great choice to help soothe gingivitis and peridontitis. Tumeric has also been shown to aid with a variety of gum tissue and muscle problems, soothe oral cancer patients, and generally ease toothaches.

Propolis (beehive resin) is antimicrobial and used worldwide to treat tooth infections.

What about mouthwash alternatives?

If you want to stay away from mouthwash, oil pulling with coconut oil or a salt water rinse are both very beneficial.

*I personally would recommend staying away from cinnamon. While I've heard good things, and even seen cinnamon toothpaste commercially, I have also read that it can be irritating to your gums. Women seem to be particularly more susceptible to irritation from cinnamon than men, but as I find it expensive to switch over to a natural DIY lifestyle (definitely more sustainable once you get there, but that initial switch has a price), I didn't want to waste a batch of mouthwash to find out it does more harm than good.

DIY Mineralizing Tooth Powder

I had been using my whitening toothpaste for months now, and I really like it. It cleans my teeth well, and I do feel the whitening is occurring (although it's not an instant fix by any means). However, I have very tightly packed teeth and cavities are always a concern for me, so I wanted to investigate a toothpaste that could help repair my enamel. I currently use a repairing mouthwash, but as that is also on my list of projects to tackle, I wanted to ensure I could still get the benefits.

Now, credit where credit's due, I took a lot of my recipe from Wellness Mama. She is associated with Lea Harris over at Using Essential Oils Safely, and I find her very reliable. However, I did find myself making some adjustments to her recipe. I never use Xylitol (or really most sweetener alternatives) because it is highly toxic to dogs and I don't want and chance of it being near my pets. I also choose not to use essential oils in my toothpaste because not all oils are suitable for kids and very few are suitable for ingestion (and while we all know you aren't supposed to swallow toothpaste, why risk it?). And finally I do not use cinnamon because it can actually cause gum problems (this doesn't affect everyone, but women are more susceptible so again, why risk it?.

Remineralizing Tooth Powder

1 tsp calcium powder
1 tsp bentonite clay
1/4 tsp diatomaceous earth
1/4 tsp activated charcoal
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp sea salt (or less to taste)
1 dash cayenne pepper (optional)
4 drops trace minerals (optional)

This recipe will just about fill a 2oz jar. Mix everything together in a small bowl before transferring into your jar. For a powder, you will want to make sure your orange zest is dried or use a mortar and pestle to mix fresh zest more thoroughly (then let your powder dry a bit).

The cayenne pepper is optional. If you choose to add it, do only use a dash (very small amount). It can help numb any oral pain you may be having, but too much can also cause irritation so use sparingly if at all.

Toothpaste variation: add 1.5 Tbsp coconut oil (or a combo of coconut & sesame oil, which give a softer consistency). This will still fit perfectly in a 2 oz jar, or you can use a 2 oz squeeze container. If making a toothpaste, you can also use fresh range zest.

What sets this apart from my other toothpaste?
If you checked out my other recipe, I'm sure you noticed it seems I've mostly added ingredients and swapped out the flavoring. That is partially true, I've made additions to help rebuild the minerals in my teeth, but the "flavors" each have their own purpose as well. Here's a quick rundown of the new ingredients:

Diatomaceous Earth is an abrasive (and tends to be more abrasive than the other ingredients, so you can always leave it out especially if using baking soda), but it also contains trace minerals and silica which help with remineralization.

Calcium Magnesium Powder is integral to the remineralization process. Calcium, as we know, benefits bones (and teeth!), and the magnesium is what helps the calcium to be properly absorbed.

Trace Minerals are also a big part of the remineralization process and can help restore tooth enamel. They are recommended if you drink things like reverse osmosis water (which removes all the bad stuff, but also all the good stuff).

Clove has been historically associated with oral care due to it's antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It is also known to sooth oral pain specifically, from small wounds to toothaches.

Orange has been known to remove surface stains and can help with teeth whitening (we use it in homemade cleaners, so imagine what it does for your teeth). It also helps freshen your breath and soothes sensitivity.

Cayenne offers pain relief with a warming, numbing sensation. It is also known to relieve gum inflammation. However, be careful, as too much capsaicin can cause irritation (or if you are allergic like me, worse). Even though I have a topical allergy, I find a small dash does not cause me discomfort.

Sesame Oil is another oil traditionally used for oil pulling, but it's main purpose in this recipe is to help with the texture as coconut oil will harden while your toothpaste sits in your cabinet.

DIY Whitening Toothpaste

I really hate most toothpastes. I'm not a big fan of strong mint flavors (I like wintergreen and fresh mint, spearmint is ok in small doses, and I absolutely hate peppermint), so once I realized you could make your own toothpaste at home, I knew I had to give it a try. I started my research with Ask the Dentist, and use his chocolate lovers recipe as a springboard for this one.

A few things of note in regards to what I chose to include and remove for my first try at a homemade toothpaste. I will not use Xylitol. This is twofold: 1) I am weary about many sweetener alternatives and tend to stick with very basic and natural sweeteners such as raw sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, and agave nectar. 2) Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs so I will not even keep it in my house, let alone use it in anything because the risk is too great for my pets.

The other point is about essential oils. I've come across a lot of recipes that include essential oils. I opt not to for a few different reasons. Not all essential oils are kid safe, and young children should not be exposed to them at all. Also, very few essential oils are considered safe for ingestion, and unless under the guidance of a doctor and certified aroma therapist you should not be ingesting them (and it will be a very rare occurrence it is recommended for you). While you should not be swallowing toothpaste, it's just not worth it to me to create any risk of ingestion.

Whitening Toothpaste

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 Tbsp bentonite clay
1/2 Tbsp activated charcoal
1/4 tsp cacao powder
1/8 tsp finely ground mint leaves
1/8 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp water

Simply mix all your ingredients together in a small bowl. This is enough to fill up a 2 oz jar or squeeze container, but use at least a 1-2 cup bowl to mix this thoroughly.

You may not need to full 1 Tbsp of water. This is more for consistency. If you are using a squeeze container, you may want the full amount or even more, if you are using a jar you can go with less and have a more firm or powdery consistency. Alternately, you could completely leave out the coconut oil and water, creating a tooth powder.

Something to note when using activated charcoal, it will turn everything black! Your measuring spoons, your bowl, your counter, your mouth, and your sink! It wipes up fairly well, but you will feel a bit odd the first few times you use it n_~

Why these ingredients?
Each ingredient serves a purpose. Granted, as this was my first attempt, I followed the lead of Dr. B, but I also did my research. So here is an explanation behind the ingredients in my toothpaste:

Coconut Oil is known to increase the microbiome in your gut as well as prevent candida in the mouth. Limited research also suggests it may help prevent cavity causing bacteria. We use coconut oil for the ayurvedic practice of oil pulling (swishing oil in your mouth for about 20 minutes to draw out toxins), so it seems a natural addition.

Bentonite Clay is a natural polisher without being too abrasive. As an alkaline, it also helps reduce acid levels in your mouth which in turns helps prevent erosion of enamel.

Baking Soda, much like bentonite clay, is a gently polisher, but it's primary benefit to toothpaste is its alkalinity which helps maintain proper ph balance in your mouth.

Sea Salt again adds some abrasion, as toothpastes primary job is to add some grit to help scrub away dirt, but it is also healing. Think about how you use a sea salt rinse for bleeding gums, or gargle it for a sore throat.

Cacao Powder made from ground cacao nibs is a safe polisher, but also helps promote remineralization (said to be even better than flouride).

Mint is primarily added for flavoring, but mint also has antimicrobial and soothing properties.

DIY Hair Refresher Spray

So, it's been a while since I did a DIY post for hair care. I've been testing out 3 different recipes though, and finally have one I am happy to share.

Six months ago, I shared my personal dry shampoo recipe. I am very please with it and really would not change much. If I had a spice grinder, I would try to get the nutmeg a more fine/powder consistency. And I have not tried out arrow root powder or clay, so can't say if I would want to swap out the corn starch. I find my dry shampoo works best when applied to my roots with an old make-up brush either before bed (so it can work over night, and is gone/brushed out in the morning), or about 15 minutes prior to a bath or shower (where I work it in with my hands and rinse it out). Both methods are good ways to avoid residue and powder build-up. The only downfall, if I try to do this multiple days in a row my hair gets dry and staticky; it is no longer soft and just doesn't feel good.

So, I've been digging into what seems to be called a "hair refresher" spray. I used to have one that I liked a lot, but I have no idea what was in it. I mean, seriously, I could not pronounce most of those ingredients. Plus it was expensive. So I've been doing some digging and finally found a home made version that I like and works great. It is also easily adjusted to match your scent preference. As a bonus, this basically functions as detangler or leave-in conditioning spray.

Hair Refreshing Spray
3/4 cups water
1.5 Tbsp slippery elm bark
1.5 Tbsp marshmallow root
1 cup witch hazel
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp aloe vera
20 drops essential oils (optional)

Steep the slippery elm and marshmallow root for about 30 minutes in hot water. Strain (I do this through cheesecloth or flour sack towels, and squeeze--you will notice the liquid gets almost gel-like as you squeeze out the last bits). Mix with witch hazel, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, and essential oils. Pour into spray bottle and spritz hair when needed.

I tend to use 4oz spray bottles and store the rest in an amber glass bottle until I need a refill.


Herbs: Slippery elm bark and marshmallow root both stimulate hair growth, soften hair (provides slip and glide), and soothes your scalp. Marshmallow root also adds shine to your lackluster locks. If you don't have or don't want to use these herbs, you can leave them out completely. Or feel free to sub with other herbs, tea, or hydrosols (in place of water).

Essential Oils: Without essential oils, this spray will have a more herby/earthy scent. I personally like to use 6-7 drops each of lavender, lemongrass, and rosemary. This is the same combo I use in my dry shampoo, and I will be using this blend in my DIY shampoo & conditioner. However you can use whatever oils you like the scent of, or which best suit your hair needs. Or leave them out--this is up to you.