Making a GREAT All Natural Deodorant that works!

I think at this point, most of us have tried making our own DIY deodorant after learning about the dangers of aluminum-containing, store bought poison.

If you're anything like me, the first couple times were a disaster!

My first try seemed OK at first, until my boyfriend sat next to me, and with a puzzled look asked, "What the hell smells like furniture polish!?"

FABULOUS. I don't even use furniture polish (olive oil works great)

Back to the drawing board.

At the time I had been dabbling in making some healthier versions of a lot of things for my home, like laundry soap and toothpaste... even my own ear mite oil for the dog (success BTW, recipe blog?).

As a matter of fact, I became so obsessed, I couldn't wait to get home from work to scour through YouTube videos and blogs for different recipes and techniques to try ;)

Through all my trials, what I discovered is that baking soda burns. It works like a charm for odor protection though.

If you follow most recipes on the internet, they are very high in baking soda which is far too alkalizing for our skin in large doses. Some people have no issue with it, but, I am a walking, talking, bag of over-sensitivity, ouch.

I decided to play around with the recipe to remove the most amount of baking soda I could, while still keeping the effectiveness of it. 

The other dry component of DIY deodorants is corn starch... most corn is GMO, and I didn't like the texture it gave, so I started using arrowroot powder.

The arrowroot gave it a nice texture, but wasn't quite enough to compensate for the lower amount of baking soda as far as the whole 'odor-and-wetness' issue we use deodorants for.

Back to researching.

What I found was bentonite clay. This stuff is amazing for so many reasons and I use it in many of my creations!

It was perfect to help boost the recipe just enough so the baking soda wasn't missed ;)

I tried using just sodium bentonite initially, and then discovered combining it with calcium bentonite was more effective.

As well as the dry ingredients, you obviously need ingredients like solid butters and oils to bind them together.

A lot of recipes call for coconut oil, which is fabulous for so many things, but for me it wasn't stable enough, it melts too easily for solid deodorant in stick form ( I initially used old containers)

I tried shea butter, too unstable for my recipe because it gets really grainy under certain conditions.

I really never did try cocoa butter (hmm maybe someday).

What I settled on is mango butter! This stuff is creamy and soft and *sighs* just lovely!

I found that the mango butter worked best when combined with a little oil.

I have used many over the past 2+ years and what I finally settled on is avocado oil. 

It is loaded with vitamins and has great anti-bacterial properties (a SUPER plus because most body odor is caused by bacteria poop EWWW!)

If you are making your deodorant to put in a container to be scooped out and applied with your fingers, consistency isn't really THAT big of a deal, but I was trying to get it to roll up and apply like the stuff I had grown accustomed to (sans the crap!)

Beeswax was the answer. Not only did it make my recipe come together enough to be able to use from a deodorant tube, but the beeswax also provides MORE anti-bacterial power SCORE! *grins from ear to ear*

I also usually toss a little vitamin E into all of my recipes because it is a natural preservative, and it is great for the skin

• consistency, check.
• effectiveness, check.
• skin softening, check.
• natural preservative, check.

BUT WHAT ABOUT SCENT??!!

Certainly NOT going to use the furniture polish-smelling one.

I find it best to use essential oils because most of them are antibacterial and won't add chemicals and other crap to your healthy new recipe like the artificial scented oils will.

My favorite is Lavender Spearmint (OMG)

I hope that I have given you what you came to this post for.

DIY is always fun! Mixing and experimenting is my favorite part :D

I hope that your recipe turns out perfect for you!

If you wanna skip all the work and try my Mango & Avocado Bentonite Deodorant <----just click="" just--="">

I love to share my creations so if you see anything you like in my Etsy store and want to know how I make it, let me know in the comments below!

Don't forget to subscribe

xoxo

Jamiann

Great Way To Apply Coconut Oil!!

I have discovered an incredible way to apply coconut oil to my body without that initial greasy feeling!

I discovered it by accident (the way I discover a lot of awesome ideas!)

I heat-infused some lavender into coconut oil for a new product and while I was straining it out, a bunch of it spilled onto my counter top...

I grabbed a paper towel and soaked it up and left it on the counter because I was making a bunch of other products.

So, this morning i picked up the paper towel and was going to throw it away and thought "HMMM.. maybe I could just rub this on my skin so it doesn't go to waste"

Well, I did and it was awesome! I love the feel of coconut oil on my skin, but I don't like the initial greasy feel of it.

Strangely enough, the paper towel helped with that!!

These are pictures of the oil I made and it came out so incredibly AMAZING!!!

After I strain it, I add some Lavender essential oil for an added lavender boost!!

This is my newest product for the Bee Blissful product line and I couldn't be happier with it!

Especially for my dry winter skin!

If you would like to purchase some, you can click on the link below :)

Take me to the Lavender Coconut Oil!!


Have a blissful day ❤

Helping Rid Your Pet Of Fleas...Naturally!

Yes, here we are... in the midst of the dog days of summer!

So nice for us to have warmer weather, but to your pet that could mean pain, itching, and overall discomfort due to flea infestations...

Pets are a huge part of your family, almost like children, and you hate seeing them suffer!

 I prefer to keep my pets comfortable, because if our pets are happy, then they go out of their way to make us super-happy!

If you're anything like me, you have been trying to remove most of the un-natural chemicals and crap from your animal's environment as well as your own....
but how do we get rid of nasty fleas without pesticides and bombs and chemical sprays?

Here is the first way.
What goes into your pet's body is crucial to inner as well as outer health!
I started reading the labels of the pet food I was buying and was shocked at the ingredients, which were mostly inedible corn and grain, a little bit of meat or meat by-products (WTH is that anyway?), and sometimes there were vegetables...
I began a quest, looking for foods that were based in meats and fruits and veggies :)
I found some good ones!
Rachel Ray makes a nice food that my dog loves :)

Not only does our choice for our furry friend's food affect their digestion and shiny coat, but low nutrient and hard to digest food can also weaken their immune systems, which leaves them vulnerable to parasitic predators such as ticks and fleas!

Some years are worse than others for parasite infestations, and can just be pretty hard to avoid, no matter what we try :/
For those instances, I have found many tricks along the way to help lessen the attacks ;)
(including my own recipe, which I will share at the end!)

Aside from diet, here is a list of some of the other environmentally safe, and healthy for our pet tips I have compiled over the years:

• Brush your animal's fur daily, not only does it keep their coat shiny by releasing natural oils through stimulation of the skin, but can keep them free of  tangles where critters live and brushes away some of the nasty buggers
• Just plain old soap and water bathing once a week helps to get rid of pests and keep them away, it isn't necessary to use chemical-laden flea soaps and collars (use a natural soap like Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap)
• Keep a dish of warm soapy water near your pet's bed, fleas are attracted to warmth, and won't make it out of the dish alive
• Vacuum daily! But before vacuuming your carpets, sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth and leave for 15 minutes... it is deadly for insects and bugs, but safe for humans and pets!
• Put a teaspoon of vinegar in your pet's water, fleas dislike the bitter taste of the vinegar in the blood, and may leave them alone to find a tastier treat!
• Put a bit of minced garlic in their food as it creates the same bitter taste to the pests (before doing so, I researched this at great length and found that some advise against giving your animals garlic...my dog has had no adverse affects and enjoys the flavor! Use your own discretion, of course)
• Rub orange peel on the animal's coat, fleas hate acidity and the pungent aroma of the orange oils is a turn-off for them

Finally! My Recipe... I made a concoction of essential oils that are pungent and very unattractive to fleas (and other itty bitty icky critters) and added it to water. Here is the recipe:

• 20 drops each of these essential oils: rosemary, basil, tea tree, and lavender
• 24 ounces of tap water
• spray bottle

Shake mixture gently before using to combine the oils and spritz lightly over areas such as furniture, pet beds, bed linens, and carpeting. Fleas will hate you for taking away their comfort!

Use this recipe and the other tips in this blog at your own discretion, all pets react differently to these treatments, and be sure to do your own research as not all these methods will work for your animals. :)

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!