Natural Family Awareness

Finding soap without alot of additives can be difficult. Many soaps include fragrances and irritants that can cause problems for those who are sensitive. Other soaps may be too drying, requiring moisturization after you wash.

First, here is the recipe. Below you will find many uses for this soap.

How to make:

Slice 1 lb. block of Olive Oil Soap Base into size pieces.
Melt one piece at a time, microwaving for 20-30 seconds each, or until melted.

Add 15 drops essential oil of your choice (I like Lavendar or Peppermint) after melting, and stir. Pour directly into a soap mold. Let set several hours, or overnight. That’s it! Keep in mind this soap is concentrated - a little goes a long way. Safe for babies and those with sensitive skin.

Uses:

Skin: I have discovered, as with many skin care products, that in order to be sure what I’m putting on my skin is safe, I simply need to make it myself. That is why I love this soap. I get cleaning power, and moisturization. This is an all-body soap, gentle enough for your face, and great for use with shaving.

Hair: I use this as a shampoo, and love the results - shiny, silky hair. To use: Rub the soap across a wet hand just a couple of times, then rub both hands together and lather well. Apply to hair, particularly to any areas that tend to be greasy for you (as in ends or scalp). As this soap is alkaline, you will need an acidic agent, such as apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to balance it out. Think of the soap as a shampoo, and vinegar/lemon juice as the conditioner.

Babies: This is the only soap I will use in my daughter’s bath. I don’t have to worry about it setting on her skin or being occasionally swallowed while playing with her bath toys.

Soap scum: This soap is a must-have for bathrooms. It makes shower and tub clean-up a breeze. To use: Rub soap across wet sponge a couple of times. Wipe down shower/tub. Re-apply as needed. When done, rinse with water. No scrubbing required!

Stains: I have actually gotten out stubborn stains with this soap. To use: Wet the stained area, then take your bar of soap and rub soap across stain once or twice. Massage soap in until you get a nice lather, then rinse the stain out with cool water.

Greasy pans/stoves: Because “like removes like” oil-based soap is great for greasy jobs. Use on your stove, or for cleaning greasy pots and pans, as you would any other cleaner. A little goes a long way!
Please don’t forget to let me know how this works for you
-Lea

Many baby wipes on the market contain ingredients that irritate a baby’s skin. When my daughter was born, I found a natural solution cleaned and soothed without causing irritation or rashes. Here’s the recipe I used:

Add together in spray bottle:

1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup aloe vera concentrate (not the gel)
1/4 cup olive oil (or almond, avocado, or jojoba)
15 drops Lavendar Oil
10 drops Tea Tree Oil

Shake well before using, as the oils will separate.

I would spray on a hemp cloth (pump 2-3 times), then wipe. I also used this solution to pour over a conainter (wipey-sized) full of hemp cloths. These were better for messier clean-ups, as they soaked up the solution well. Just be sure not to over-wet. The solution should just dampen the cloths.
This also works well as a hand sanitizer, although instead of Lavendar Oil I like to use Sweet Orange Oil.

-Lea

Here is an effective, safe, teething gel recipe. Safe for babies.

Mix together:

1 drop Clove oil
1 tablespoon Olive oil

Apply to sore gums.

Clove oil is also good for adult tooth pain. Apply clove oil directly to affected area.

-Lea

My skin gets very dry in the winter months. I have used oils, with success, but often I’d apply too much and then I’d break out. It’s easy to over-do it with oils.

I have since discovered shea butter is a wonderful moisturizer. It’s more forgiving, and allows you to apply a generous amount and still not break out. Shea butter also has healing properties and is great for acne. There are lotions that include shea butter, because of the many benefits. Shea butter is also safe for babies, and has a calming effect when used with lavendar essential oil.

So why not eliminate the extra synthetic ingredients and go straight for the shea butter?

Well that’s what I did.

There are many sources for shea butter available online. Be sure you are purchasing fair-trade, unrefined shea butter. I have purchased from http://www.agbangakarite.com/ and am very pleased with their shea butter.

-Lea

Here is a simple alternative to common mineral oil. Safe for babies.

Simply add together:

10-15 drops Lavendar essential oil
1 cup almond oil.

Alternatives
Substitute avocado oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil for almond oil.

-Lea