Tuesday, January 27, 2009

10 Minutes To Smelling Minty Fresh

The time had come for me to make our own deodorant. Skin sensitivities and questionable ingredients in anti-perspirant/deodorant had alarm bells ringing in my mind for quite some time. I've tried many different brands - even "natural" ones and found only disappointment in ingredients and performance.

After a quick search on the net, I found this post. My husband and I have given it a go for almost 2 weeks and could not be more satisfied. It takes 10 minutes to make, smells fantastic and works wonderfully! Even my dear H has told me that he is really happy with it. Here's the recipe:

2 Tbsp cocoa butter
3 Tbsp shea butter
3 Tbsp baking soda
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp liquid glycerin (optional)
2 vitamin E oil capsules (puncture and squeeze out the oil)
15 drops of Essential Oil (I used peppermint)

Melt all ingredients (except essential oil) in a pan on low/med heat. Stir. Remove from heat. Add essential oil, pour into smallish jar. (I used two leftover baby food jars.) Cool in the refrigerator for a half hour or so. Scoop out a pea-size amount, rub it in and your done!

With the cocoa butter and peppermint combination, the mixture smells like irresistable chocolate mint. However, I do not smell like a cookie when I wear it. Only slightly pepperminty. I'm definitely on the road to making more everyday products... stay tuned.

On a tangent... Last year, I received a gift subscription to Cottage Living. (Cute style from folks who live in small spaces.) In December, I received a letter informing me that Cottage Living was no more. I then had a visible frown. But not to fear, the letter continued, you'll be receiving Sunset magazine instead! Waaaait, a second, I remember seeing that magazine on my elderly neighbors coffee table for years. Isn't that for old people??

I received my first issue and found it wasn't sooo bad. It wasn't my ideal magazine, but it didn't look that old. Then I received this yesterday -
My subscription info was apparently sold to Coastal Living magazine...who are offering me the Senior Citizen Special! I always believed that my first hint at being old would be the application from AARP...

7 comments:

The Queen of Fifty Cents said...

I believe Sunset publishes Coastal Living, so once they had your name they didn't need to buy it again. I sometimes subscribe to Sunset when they send me a cheap enough offer--their recipes are good, and I enjoy the garden parts. I do get irritated at their promotion of extremely expensive goods and services. Can't forget the lovely fountain I saw on their pages that turned out to cost $6000! Sheesh! But it will turn up at a garage sale someday and I'll be there to buy it!

Cottage Mommy said...

Thanks for visiting my blog...your blog is such fun! I have to say I am mighty impressed by your homemade shaving cream and deodorant! That is so funny about Sunset. My Mom gets it and I think she has given me a subscription in the past. There are always interesting things in it but Cottage Living and Country Home are more up my aisle! I think I am supposed to be getting a subscription to This Old House magazine in lieu of my Cottage living. I haven't heard what I'm getting in place of my Country Home. They were still trying to get me to extend my subscription after the news that they were folding came out! I didn't get that! Sorry for the long and rambling comment!

casch said...

Clever, clever girl you!! I love the ideas.

Senior Citizen Special??!! No way!

Anonymous said...

I love Sunset magazine!! It always had such great recipes and makes me want to get outside and work in my yard. Although, I haven't actually picked up a copy for myself in awhile :)

btw: my hub just got his AARP application in the mail. I had a good laugh about that! Since I am sooo much younger than himself :))

Jamie @ Bungalow Bee said...

I didn't see this post!

I signed up to get the first issue of Cottage Living for free as a "trial". Didn't think it was worth the money so I didn't pay for it. They kept sending me letters and I was like "It was free - what do you want from me?!"

I love that you make your own body products. I'd love to do that once I'm a SAHM (my dream job!) :)

Patty said...

I don't know why but when I was in my thirties, I used to get junk mail encouraging me to buy insurance for my grandchildren. Oh and senior discounts from Sears portrait studios. I only subscribed to Cottage Living for a year but I really loved it. I always wanted to go visit the neighborhoods they featured. I just read on another blog that Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion had ceased publication and also Country Home. How sad to lose these magazines.

Missa said...

Wow, so many magazines are closing up shop lately. Someone gifted me a subscription to Cottage Living last year too and we already subscribe to Sunset, I wonder what they'll offer me.

So, are you gonna take 'em up on the senior citizen's special? ;)

P.S. Chocolate Mint... mmm.

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