DIY Diva: Crafty DIY Bath & Beauty Products for the Ladies (or Metrosexuals)

Crafty, creamy & makes you smell purdy!

Heyo – the DIY Diva here with a practical quartet of crafty do-it-yourself bath & beauty products that you can make for yourself or as awesome gifts for your hipster friends.

I don’t know about you, but I could easily – EASILY – spend a $100 per visit in the bath and beauty sections of Whole Foods, Berkeley Bowl or any other crunchy and organic store snapping up yummy, smell good products to use in the bathroom.

It is one of my few my girly trappings.  I love scented soaps, scrubs, oils and all products to make you softer, scentier and more sensual.  I suspect I am not the only one with this affliction or the only one who has had their personal budget suffer on a monthly basis due to what I like to call “excess product spending.”

The thing is that you can totally make these products yourself with very little effort for half to two thirds the total price on what you’d spend on a pre-packaged product… Not only is it cost-efficient to do this, but it is sustainable, as well, due to the fact that you’re making in bulk AND reusing containers AND eliminating manufacturing costs.  That is a eco-friendly win-win-win!

Plus, if you’re creative about the packaging – using antique bottles and handcrafted labels and pretty ribbons and such – these homemade products make great gifts.  (Or, creative things to sell in an Etsy shop to make a little extra cash.)

The only requirement is that in any of these recipes you not use patchouli oil as your essential oil, EVER.  Seriously we don’t need more dirty hippy smell in the world!  I will personally hunt you down and smack your ass up with a yardstick like a crazed DIY nun if I hear of anyone making any of these using patchouli.  For realzie.

Here are four recipes for DIY bath & beauty products sure to please the ladies or metrosexuals reading this website:

DIY Deodorant:
What you need…
-A quart glass measuring cup
-A two quart pot
-Three tablespoons of unrefined shea butter
-Three tablespoons of baking powder
-Two tablespoons of arrowroot powder
-Two tablespoons of unrefined cocoa butter
-Two Vitamin E gel caps (puncture the caps and squeeze the oil out)
-10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil
-A pretty 1/4 pint jar

How to: Place the glass measuring cup into the pot (filled with water) and place it on the stove. When the water is boiling place all ingredients into the measuring cup and continue to simmer until they melt. Give the mixture a good stir, combining the ingredients well. Pour them into the pretty jar and add 10-20 drops of your essential oil. Close the jar tightly and put into the fridge for a couple of hours to solidify the mixture. Take it out and store it at room temp for use. You will use your fingers to scoop out a small amount to spread onto your wet armpits after a shower and the jar should last you for two to three months, at least, depending on how stinky you actually are.

Lavender Sugar Shower Scrub:
What you need…
-One cup of raw sugar
-One ounce of sweet almond oil
-One Vitamin E gel cap (puncture the cap and squeeze the oil out)
-One tablespoon of unrefined cocoa butter
-6-10 drops of essential oil
-A large glass mixing bowl
-A pretty jar with a lid that screws on

How to: In the large glass mixing bowl combine the raw sugar and almond oil. Once it is well combined add in the Vitamin E, the cocoa butter and your essential oil. Mix well and place into the jar, making sure to cover it tightly. You can add more or less almond oil and cocoa butter as desired if you have really dry skin or would prefer a dry scrub mix. Use a shower puff or sponge with the scrub for the best results.

Happy-Peppy Hand Sanitizer:
What you need…
-One cup of rubbing alcohol
-One ounce of tea tree oil
-Two Vitamin E gel caps (puncture caps and squeeze out the oil)
-20 drops of lavender or rose essential oil
-A small spray bottle

How to: Combine the alcohol, tea tree oil, lavender or rose essential oil and Vitamin E in the spray bottle. Close tightly and shake to combine the ingredients. You will want to shake the bottle each time before use.

Tea Tree Facial Toner:
What you need…
-A large cosmetic squeeze or spray bottle (16 oz)
-16 ounces of Witch Hazel
-Four ounces of tea tree oil

How to: Combine ingredients in the bottle and shake well. Apply to your face using a cotton pad or ball. Can also be used to take the sting or itch away from mosquito bites, bee stings and small scrapes or cuts.

Happy crafting!!

[Image via Angry Chicken]