The destruction of the environment includes the exploitation of the soil, the pollution of water, air and nature. Even now chemicals contaminate much of the world’s food and water.
Getting Rid of Chemicals
A clean home and body can be achieved using organic cleaning agents like vinegar, wood ash lye, soda, citric acid, essential oils, horse chestnut or soap nut. Recipes for homemade preparations are widely available. These naturally sourced preparations can be used in communal buildings to provide hygiene.
Cosmetics without synthetic ingredients are increasingly available and if you are feeling adventurous, with a little investment of time and using a few good ingredients, you can prepare aluminium-free deodorant and lipstick without animal fat or artificial ingredients.
Try natural remedies for minor ailments. For example, try the Vedic culture’s ancient science of life, Ayurveda. Pollution from medicines is a significant burden on the environment and human health. This burden can be avoided by using medicinal herbs and disease preventing methods by using natural products and living a healthy lifestyle. However, when necessary, you must take the medicine prescribed by your doctor.
Make your own Homemade Beauty Treatments
Good recipes for homemade beauty treatments can be found on the Internet, in books and magazines, and there are even courses on the subject. It is possible to switch from synthetic based treatments to more natural homemade versions. Nature provides us plenty of alternatives in cleaning and skin care, adapting the recipes according to our own taste, skin type, or issues. But there are some disadvantages with homemade cosmetics.
Natural products go bad quickly, as they do not contain artificial preservatives. Avoid this problem by making small quantities and using it in a short space of time.
The use of inferior ingredients can be as harmful as synthetic ones.
If necessary, keep creams in the fridge.
Allergic reactions can also be caused by natural products, so make a skin test before every new product is used.
Kitchen & Household Products
VINEGAR: It has a softening effect, is a great conditioner for the hair, and cleans clothes and dishes.
VINEGAR HAIR RINSE
Wash your hair, then add 1 tablespoon vinegar-acid (or apple-vinegar or lemon juice) to 1 litre of warm water and work through hair.
The result will be shiny hair which is easy to comb.
If you want a nice scent too, add 1-2 drops of your favourite essential oil.
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ESSENTIAL OILS: Besides their therapeutic qualities in aromatherapy and healing, essential oils also have preservative qualities. Some of them are fungicides so they protect product from mould (e.g. lavender and oregano), and some are bactericide (e.g. lemon and tea-tree).
ASH: With some water and wood ash we can produce lye, a liquid washing detergent, very simply. Wet wood ash is an effective cleaner for the bath, sink, and other hard surfaces (use with caution when cleaning delicate surfaces).
ASH-LYE WASHING DETERGENT
Ingredients: 5 litres water, 2 litres ash-lye, 100g soap.
Making ash-lye: Into 1 litre of wood ash slowly add 3 litres of boiling water. Cover this mixture and leave it for a few days. After the ash sinks to the bottom, carefully pour off the water, straining it through a cloth. This liquid is ash-lye which is relatively strong. When handling it carefully follow good recipes and wear rubber gloves.
How to make soap with ash-lye: Melt the soap in a little water, then pour into a pot, adding 2 litres of lye.
Stir together, and then add 5 litres of warm water.
Mix well, cover, and put aside overnight. The resultant washing detergent will be thick.
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BUTTERS: Ghee (clarified butter), coconut butter, cocoa butter etc. can also be used as ingredients for creams and skin care, as they add consistency to the mix.
VEGETABLE OILS (preferably coldly pressed):
Vegetable oils nourish the skin, can be used for massage, and as an ingredient in creams, masks, soaps etc. Most often we use olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil in the household, all of which nourish the skin.
LIP CREAM
Ingredients: 1 tsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp butter, 1-2 drops of essential oil (e.g. orange, lavender, or vanilla).
How to prepare: Melt the butter over steam and mix the essential oil into it. Keep stirring until it is cold. Store in small jars.
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POWDERED SPICES (e.g. mint, cinnamon, fennel, clove):
For teeth cleaning, and for adding natural scent to soaps, teeth cleaners, and powders.
DRIED HERBS (e.g. nettle, chamomile, lavender):
Dried herbs beautify and cure, and are good for skin washing, baths, homemade soaps, and creams.
SALT: Can be used as an exfoliating skin scrub, it also emulsifies and cleanses.
SHAMPOO TEA
Ingredients: ½ litre of nettle tea (for dark hair) or chamomile (for blond hair), 2 tbsp of baking soda, 1 tbsp of salt, 1 tsp of honey.
How to prepare: Strain the tea after soaking, then mix in baking soda and salt. When cool, add honey.
Note: Shampoo tea will not create a foam, but it cleans the hair and scalp nicely. Rinse shampoo-tea from the hair with water, then wash hair with a slightly sour rinse made with 1 tbsp of lemon juice or apple vinegar mixed in 1 litre of water. Rinse again. Nettle keeps the hair and scalp in good condition, and baking soda gently cleans the hair. Salt emulsifies the skin and honey is nourishing.
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DAIRY PRODUCE: Ingredients in face-wash, masks, baths, and soaps.
HONEY: Nourishes, hydrates, reduces inflammation, helps cure wounds, sterilises, and preserves.
FLOURS: (oat, rice, corn starch): Help skin problems, and solidify liquid products.
FACE MASK FOR TIREDNESS
Ingredients: 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp cream, 1 tbsp mineral water.
How to prepare: Make a large amount of this to use it for your whole body. Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to 1 tbsp of oat flour to make a body scrub. This mixture freshens and nourishes the skin.
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We wish you good luck and fun in making and experimenting with your green household products at home.
Find more recipes on the following webpage: http://www.natureanddevotion.com
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