Ten Reasons to Make Your Own Stuff—Plus Our Favorite Recipes
Today I stumbled upon a website I love! Yes, I found it because the website said very nice things about our book (Google alerts, yo!), but that’s not why I love it.
I love it because it’s cute and thoughtful and smart all at the same time. It’s called The City Mouse, and it’s positively charming.
I particularly liked this list she put up about reasons why she wants to start making her own stuff, DIY-style. I especially like numbers 4, 5 and 6, but I also like the idea that when we make our own stuff, it really does feel good, beyond the obvious economic, environmental and health benefits.
Here are some DIY recipes we have shared in the past:
Stuff you can do with baking soda (other than put out fires in your oven)
A vitamin C recipe for your skin
A bunch of beauty product recipes from scratch
A honey face wash from the kitchen
And here are the city mouse’s awesome 10 reasons to go DIY:
1. It doesn’t take as long as you think.
2. It’s productive – while you are making something, you are not watching TV, or Youtube, or checking status updates and tweets.
3. What you make will taste/feel better than the store-bought version.
4. You will not be eating chemicals or putting them on your skin.
5. You will not be releasing chemicals into the soil, air, water.
6. Homemade products don’t require wasteful packaging.
7. You will feel proud and satisfied.
8. You will learn something.
9. You will likely save money.
10. You have the freedom to customize your products.
Check out her site, here. And tell us: What is your favorite reasons to go DIY—or your favorite recipe?
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My favorite reason to go DIY is to reduce the toxins I put on to and in my body. The more I read about chemical additives, the more I want to steer clear of them. As I am at a high risk for developing cancer again, it’s even more important. However, I do love how proud and thrifty I feel when I make my own products, and I’m enjoying finding out more about how to make the products that are best for MY skin, and being able to play around with different recipes without spending tons like when I tried out different commercial products.
My favorite recipe is the one that started me on this whole DIY beauty kick a couple years ago. I wrote about it on my blog today. I call it the “Roman Matron’s Bath”. It’s a natural milk, honey, and oil bath to help soften dead skin and moisturize the body. http://www.awakeatheart.com/2010/11/the-pleasure-and-ritual-of-the-bath/. And to think this all started because a commercial bath fizzy turned my tub pink…
Just be careful using undiluted essential oils–most are very irritating to the skin, and many of the naturally occurring compounds in them are actually pretty toxic (not much of an issue if the oils are very diluted since you’re getting a tiny dose, but prolonged use is probably not a good idea).
My fave DIY is probably a common one: Bentonite Clay mixed with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. 50-50 of each. See the magic work and then put on skin. It will release all impurities (might get a bit bad before it gets better)… brings so much light to your skin! it felt amazing every time!
I agree with Leslie; just because something is natural doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe. Be care, educate yourself and be safe.
my favorite reason to DIY is that it’s empowering. when you make one thing by yourself it makes you wonder what else you can also make! a friend of mine made her own leather boots (and they looked great) – how amazing is that?
I’ve been using a DIY vitamin C serum for the last two weeks and LOVE it.
So I decided to step it up a bit and try to make an A, C, E serum.
I Googled it and didn’t find too much on mixing all three.
SO
I went and bought vitamin A in a capsule form (beta carotene & retynyl palmitate) & liquid E. I mixed my usual C serum and added the vitamin A and the E and also a dash of fish oil.
I’M ORANGE LIKE AN OOMPAH LOOMPA! lol
I didn’t even think to see how the A was composed. HAHAHAHA. Ladies, if you venture into the kitchen chemist territory I do believe the skin benefits can be super fabulous BUT please, please, please don’t use beta carotene on your face. :)