Take your aloe up a notch by infusing it with herbs. I love to add calendula to enhance the skin-soothing benefits of aloe. Plantain would be a great option as well.  Place dried herbs in a clean jar, just how you would if making an oil infusion. (so, about 1/3 of the jar). Pour aloe juice or aloe vera gel over the herbs so it fills most of the jar (leave an inch of headspace in the jar so the herbs have room to expand the absorb the aloe).  Cover and let steep for 3-4 weeks.  Strain. Use the herb-infused...

Essential oils are concentrated substances. It is easy to use too much and cause skin irritation or sensitization. How can we use them safely when making DIY skinacre products? There are many factors to consider when creating your own natural body care and skincare products. Essential oils are an important part of many homemade products and must be diluted correctly in order to be safe. I have written about diluting essential oils for use in natural body care in the past, but that post is a very general overview. In it, I share the basic guidelines for creating safe products...

If you've been interested in natural living for any length of time, you've probably considered switching to natural deodorant. You may have also heard that it can be a difficult switch to make. Since transitioning from conventional deodorant to natural deodorant can be somewhat tricky, it's important to know why you are doing it.  It's pretty tough to do something difficult when we don't have a good enough reason, right? Today we will discuss the top three reasons to make the switch and I'll share my best tips for making it easier.  So, let's get right to it: Why use...

Natural remedies can feel intimidating at times.  Many seem simple enough to make, but it's easy to wonder if you are doing it correctly.  When it comes to our health and the health of our loved ones, we want to get it right. It's a little scary when you first start out, not knowing exactly how to prepare home remedies and feeling uncertain about how to administer them.  But, with a little practice, you can get the hang of it.  That said, you may not want to make your own remedies, which is completely valid. Or maybe you do want to, but...

If you have tired muscles, Arnica and St. John's Wort are your best friends. A simple salve is one of the best ways to apply these herbs topically. The salve can be further enhanced by adding comfrey or cayenne, depending on your needs. Add comfrey for a gentler salve. Opt for cayenne in you'd like to create a warming version. Mountain Rose Herbs' Arnica and St. John’s Herbal Oil makes it super quick and easy to prepare this salve. Arnica and St. John’s Herbal Oil is already infused and ready to go. You could easily dilute it with olive oil...

We all want our homes to look as appealing as possible – and, more than that – to actually feel comforting, uplifting, and cosy, as well. To that end, we all typically go to some pretty significant lengths to decorate our homes with ornaments and trinkets that we find appealing, and to ensure that we have the kinds of appliances in place that can make our lives a bit easier and more blissful. Unfortunately, though, home ornaments, appliances, and other goods, are not immune from the issues of pollution and environmental unfriendliness that affect so many goods on the market...

DIY green cleaning is a great way to reduce the toxins in your home. Get started easily with a few simple ingredients and recipes.  This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The wonderful thing about green cleaning is that is doesn't take much more effort than cleaning with toxic chemicals. If you're making your own cleaning products, you'll save money too! Another bonus: using natural, non-toxic cleaners means my kids can help with cleaning tasks! No need to worry about locking up harmful cleaning supplies. And I don't have to do all the cleaning myself....

Quick and easy DIY Green Cleaning recipes for floors, walls, windows, bathroom, kitchen, and more.    Use these natural homemade cleaners to reduce toxins in your home and save you time and money.       We covered the reasons why you might want to make your own cleaners here. If you're not sure you'd like to make your own, read that post to help you figure out if making cleaning products is right for you.  Once you've decided you want to make natural cleaners, it's time to gather your ingredients.  You'll need: white vinegar Castile soap baking soda hydrogen peroxide...

With the myriad of carrier oils and base oils available today, how do you know how to choose the right carrier oil for homemade skin care products? This handy guide will help you select the carrier oil that's right for your skin type and well-suited to the specific skincare product you are making (whether it be body scrubs, facial serums, body butters, lotions, creams, or anything else). But first, what are carrier oils? Carrier oils are botanical oils derived from vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and kernels. Often used to dilute essential oils for topical application, carrier oils are also a...