Easy Substitutions from an allergic life

Conditioner
Marshmallow root
Hibiscus flower
Chamomile flowers

Steep in boiled water for 10 minutes.  Use immediately.


Air Freshener
1 bottle Isopropyl Alcohol
3 vanilla beans snipped into 1 inch pieces.

Drop beans into bottle.  Cap.  Put in cabinet.  Retrieve 4 weeks later.  Sieve out solids.  Put liquid into spray bottle.  Use as wanted.

Can also use citrus zest, pieces of fresh mint plants, lavender flowers, chamomile flowers, etc.


Flavored salt/sugar
Layer citrus zest, vanilla beans, fresh mint, etc. into crushed salt or sugar.  Store in GLASS, Opaque bottle or in GLASS clear bottle in a DARK PLACE.  Shake every couple days.  Ready in about 4 weeks.

Syrup Substitute:
In a slow cooker, place 2 cups fruit chunks.  Add spices and sweetener to taste.  Turn onto low.  Cook 12 hours.  Use hand blender to puree.  Sub for any type of THICK fruit syrup.  If you want it thinner, add water when putting all things into slow cooker.

New batch of No-Poo (shampoo alternative) - Nicely scented

Well, got a little frisky for the summer - wanted some "smell good" shampoo.  So...

To the 10 EcoNuts (http://econutssoap.com/) Brand soap nuts, I added 2 tablespoons marshmallow root (for conditioning and humectant properties - http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/bulkherb/m.php) and 1 Tablespoon of Rainforest Tea (http://www.republicoftea.com/rainforest-full-leaf/p/V00668/).  Ground these things to dust in a coffee grinder.  Added it to 1 1/2 cups baking soda.

Now, have a scented "shampoo".


Also cause it is summer, will spritz my hair with a mixture of witch hazel (powder soaked in distilled water with a touch of isopropyl alcohol - http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/witch_hazel.php  http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/bulkherb/w.php#h_w_hp), Now Orange Essential Oil (http://www.nowfoods.com/Personal-Care/Products/Aromatherapy/100-Pures/Orange-Oil-1oz.htm#.Uadwu0CTiZg), and Now Bergamot Essential Oil (http://www.nowfoods.com/Personal-Care/Products/Aromatherapy/100-Pures/Bergamot-Oil-1oz.htm#.Uadw20CTiZg).  Also a couple drops of Now Jojoba oil.

Recipes without links:

10 EcoNuts
2 tablespoons marshmallow root
1 tablespoon rainforest tea
1 1/2 cups baking soda

Use 1 tablespoon of mix in 2 cups of warm water (let steep a couple minutes) to wash hair.  Rinse well.

To control frizzies -
Mix witch hazel with a couple drops each Now Essential oils (Orange and Bergamot) and a couple drops of Now Jojoba Oil.  Shake bottle well before spritzing.

IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES - please be sure to use safe for you ingredients!!

Shampoo and Soap - What if you are allergic to corn, coconut, and wheat? What about other things? WHAT DO YOU DO?

My allergy and reaction list is fairly extensive.  So, I have learned to make some of my own products.  These are some of the recipes:

SHAMPOO

I use soap nuts (Econuts work for me, other types cause itchies, but no hives) ground into powder (do not buy preground soap nuts which are sold in Indian stores - itchies x 10) in a coffee grinder.  Add about 8 soap nuts into powder to about 2 cups baking soda.  Mix well.  Keep in capped bottle.  Before shower, dump about 1 tablespoon (more if you have long hair, mine is short) into a bottle and add 1 cup or so of WARM TO HOT water.  Let sit while you wash your body (or while you just enjoy the shower).  About 3-5 minutes later, pour over already wet hair and scrub through.  Do again.  Rinse really well.

CONDITIONER

For conditioner, I am steeping marsh mallow root, cinnamon, hibiscus flowers, and a tiny piece of vanilla bean in boiled water for 1/2 a day.  Then strain and put into spray bottle.  Keep in refrigerator.  After shower, and before I make coffee, I spritz my hair.

Been doing this for many months now - very fine hair is shiny, healthy, and frizz free - also not limp or fried.  The no poo with vinegar (and now I react to apples, so no ACV) was rough on my hair.  This is working quite well.

SOAP

For soap, I use a local crafts person's lye soap (lard, ash, water).  It WILL toast hair, but seems perfect for my skin.  I am not yet adventurous enough to try making my own.

HAND SOAP

For hand soap, I have a talc shaker with baking soda in it.  Wet hands, dust with baking soda, scrub, rinse.  For really "yuck" hands, I do the soda, and then rinse with peroxide.

For on the go cleaning I have an empty pill bottle filled with soda and a spray bottle (purse perfume bottle) with peroxide.

CLEANING

I also use isopropyl alcohol for sanitizing and cleaning. - but rarely.  I prefer peroxide.

Skin Care

For skin care, I use Shea butter (the unrefined one that is bright yellow) and beeswax from a local bee keeper.

DEODORANT

For deodorant, I mix baking soda (about 1 tablespoon) and zinc oxide (about 1 tablespoon) (NOT THE MICRO SMALL ZINC) into melted Shea butter - between 1/4 and 1/2 cup.  Last batch I used cocoa butter, but that made the deodorant too"Thick" to spread well.  Also, I am not sure that I do not react to cocoa butter, so it is not something I am using much.

Homemade Hair Conditioner

Homemade conditioner

by Laura A Collins (Notes) on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 6:37pm

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Marshmallow root + herbal tea (hibiscus flowers, cinnamon, nutmeg, rose leaves, red clover, etc. - just a bunch of herbs I threw together) doused in boiling water, let sit overnight. Strained. Small bottle in shower for after baking soda "shampoo". Rest frozen until needed. Couple spritzes on hair before out of shower. No rinsing out. Hair smells nice all day, no frizzes or fly-away, no itches, no greasy look, no tangles. We will see how it continues to go.