My name is Tammy, but most of my friends call me Tams. I am an on again off again blogger here, where I talk about life issues and things that impact me spiritually. I am a wife, mom, and gramma. I work full time doing accounts receivables for a mid-sized print shop, volunteer about 4-5 hours a month at my church, and am working on my B.A. in Biblical Foundations through an adult degree completion program that is equivalent to 12 hours per semester.
So, with all the spare time on my hands (she says with tongue planted firmly in cheek), I recently decided to start using all natural cleaning products: face and body care, as well as household cleansers. Actually, this little journey started a couple years ago when one of my daughters posted on Facebook that she was very excited about her huge batch of homemade laundry detergent. Always up for a smokin' good deal, I offered to pay her for some of this miracle detergent to see if it really worked before making a 3-gallon batch of my own. It did work, and I soon made that huge batch. I am currently about 12-15 loads away from using up the last of my second big batch, but have since come across an even better smokin' good deal for laundry detergent.
But I get ahead of my self. Back to my original thought...
It was probably a couple months ago that I sat down and figured out how much I was spending on a monthly basis for facial cleanser, moisturizers, and anti-aging serums (you kind of need those once you've hit the big five oh). To be honest, I had not considered how much I spent on these items because I am a personal use consultant with a direct sales firm that manufactures them. So I couldn't be spending too much every month, since I buy everything at wholesale.
Right?
But, since the love of my life for the last 30+ years (Dick) and I are currently doing all that we can to cut back on expenses, I thought I should at least take a token look at the cost of my face care habit. Aaannnd...
OUCH!!
To say the least, I found that there was definitely room for cutting back in this area. Since I have a little friend who has made her own face and body care products for several years, and since I recalled her saying that she spends pennies on the dollar compared to national brands, I started combing the internet, reading recipes for face washes, moisturizers, deep cleansers, exfoliates, and anti-aging serums. What I found was a plethora of websites from which I have gleaned one recipe after another. And, more importantly, I have found a new love... one that rivals my loves for scrapbooking and knitting...
I have discovered the art of making soap.
Now, the last thing that the world needs is another person blogging about how to make soap, or giving recipes for face wash or citrus-infused vinegar all-purpose cleaners.
The world is getting just that, anyway. And the world is getting this simply because I am just too excited about the fun I have and the money I save by making all natural products for our bodies and and our home.
CAVEAT: when I say that I am saving money, that means that once I have purchased all the items I need in order to make all the products I want, the per use price of the finished product is less than the per use price of similar items purchased from the store. I tend to be gung-ho about things and go for a lot of stuff all at once. You will, no doubt, be more sensible by starting out with one or two items at a time so that your initial output doesn't make your spouse exclaim, "You spent how much on oils?" I'm just saying...
There is an additional benefit to DIY products that was not part of my original motivation for checking into this DIY thing... I know exactly what is going into these products, and I know it is safe for my husband and I to use. I make this point because yesterday I had an eye-opening experience. Since I have found all natural recipes for the face and body care items that I use, and since I like the idea of being able to pronounce the names of all the ingredients in my personal care items, I decided to clear my bathroom cupboard and drawers of those bottles and jars that I will no longer be using. My original plan was to pass them on to others who would be happy to have them. But I made the mistake (or not) of reading the ingredient list on the outer box of a tube of foundation. Down near the bottom (just after the word paraben) I saw the word aluminum. Now, I understand that the subject of aluminum's ties to Alzheimer's is a controversial issue, and that there are conflicting studies (so please do not write to me about this). However, the very idea that aluminum could be a factor in whether a person eventually has this debilitating disease should be enough to keep responsible cosmetic companies from putting this ingredient in their products. To be perfectly honest, I feel betrayed by this company to whom I have entrusted the care of my skin for the better part of 30 years. And, needless to say, my garbage can currently contains several jars, bottles, and tubes in this company's signature colors. After all, why would a give a potentially harmful product to another person?
So, here I am writing a blog about DIY face and body care, household cleaners, and the beauty of making soap. Speaking of which...
My very first batch of soap was one I found over at DIYNatural.com, which was designed to be used in household cleaners (you can find the recipe here), like the homemade laundry soap mentioned above. Yesterday I grated a chunk of this snow-white beauty and made a small batch of homemade laundry detergent with it. And trust me, that chunk did not cost in excess of $3 a bar!
I can't wait to finish up those last few loads' worth of detergent made with store-bought soap.
