Make Your Own Toothpaste

Most toothpastes, even the ones found in natural food stores, are filled with ingredients that really do not need to be there, including toxic chemical, parabens, and petroleum by-products. When Tom's of Maine was purchased by Colgate-Palmolive several years ago, I started making my own tooth powder. Now I add glycerin to it and it is toothpaste.

This recipe takes minutes to make and I make a little cup of it for each of us. Because there are no preservatives in it, I only make about a month's batch at a time. I use arrowroot because it is less abrasive than baking soda or salt on our gums. I also like mint in my toothpaste but any flavored extract could be used here or none at all.

Ingredients:

3 Tbls Baking Soda

1 Tbls Arrowroot

1 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Peppermint Oil (food grade)

3 Tbls Vegetable Glycerin (may take a little more)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until lump free. You can put the final product in a squeeze tube or a small cup. Too keep it sanitary, I typically use either one container per person in the family, or the squeeze tube.

This makes almost 1/2 cup and depending on how much and how often you use it, should last at least 1 - 3 months.

To make whitening toothpaste, add 1/2 Tbls ground sage.

Natural Homemade Deodorant

5 - 6 Simple Ingredients to make a natural and homemade deodorant - and yes, it works, even in this hot, hot Florida humid summer.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Aloe Juice (or water)

1/4 cup Grain Alcohol, or Vodka

1/2 Tbls Chlorophyll

Zest of 1 Lemon

3 - 5 drops of Lavender Oil (or your favorite essential oil - pick one that compliments lemon)

3 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract (optional)

Yields 4 oz

Put all ingredients in a glass jar and let sit for 24 hours. Strain lemon zest, then pour into a 4 oz or larger spray bottle. Apply by spraying under arms. The alcohol content in this is no more than most other deodorants, so you can even use this right after shaving. The aloe helps for sensitive skin, but water works just fine.

What does each ingredient contribute:

• Aloe Juice soothes sensitive skin and dilutes the alcohol
• Alcohol helps extract the lemon zest and essential oils from the zest
• Chlorophyll is the active deodorizing ingredient - some people take it internally to reduce all sorts of funky smells
• Lemon is also deodorizing, plus the acid is neutralizing to sweat and it has a nice clean smell
• Lavender Oil is antiseptic, cooling and mild
• Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) is a preservative and anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. If you do happen to get a little funky in your pits, a little GSE will kill the bacteria, yeast, or whatever fungus you may have developed. The formula stays fine in a bottle for 6 weeks so you do not have to use GSE.

This is a pretty frugal formula too. I have not calculated the cost per batch yet, but I estimate it to be around $1 for the 4 oz which lasts me 6 weeks. Please note that in very hot and humid weather, or based on how much you personally sweat, you may have to reapply during the day. This formula is not very effective for workouts - but I have yet to really find something that is.