Learn to make a homemade laundry soap and stain sticks using just three ingredients. Also included is my easy recipe for laundry detergent! Unlike my other natural soap recipes, this one is intended for laundry purposes only. It has no extra oils or fats in it, making it better suited for cleaning tough stains on…
This tricolored soap was dreamed up by newsletter reader Patricia who wanted to make her friends a cute soap for Valentine’s Day. She requested a soap with three layers – chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, and wanted it to smell like strawberries and chocolate. While my version doesn’t smell like strawberries since I have family members…
This nourishing whipped body butter recipe is perfect for softening and soothing dry hands and body! It features a trio of herbal flowers: dandelion, sunflower, and calendula, that help repair and condition chapped skin. Today I’m excited to share a recipe that was inspired by my friend Colleen’s brand new book, Healing Herbal Infusions. If…
These relaxing DIY lavender bath bombs get their pretty natural color from purple Brazilian clay and delightful scent from pure lavender essential oil. The shea (or mango) butter helps to hold the bath bomb together, without the need for a lot of added witch hazel. If shea or mango butter isn’t available, a mixture of…
These natural homemade dog shampoo bars feature neem oil, which is especially helpful at repelling fleas and treating a variety of skin complaints. Since neem has a fairly strong aroma, I also included some lavender essential oil to help mellow the scent and to add a calming note to bath times. After washing your dog…
Have a dog with bad breath? Try this DIY doggie breath freshener treat recipe, made with all natural ingredients that are good for your pup! We love to spoil our pets, but our little dachshund’s tummy can’t handle most commercial dog treats. And, let’s face it. “Dog breath” didn’t become a commonly used insult for…
Supercharge your Epsom salt bath with this natural detox bath recipe featuring charcoal infused sea salt, baking soda, and bentonite clay. A natural detox bath is an amazing way to cleanse your skin and refreshen your body. While there are many different recipes that you can follow, this is my favorite one – adapted from…
Jewelweed is an excellent natural remedy for poison ivy, poison oak, bug bites, and general itchy skin conditions. If you’re fortunate to have any growing around you, be sure to harvest some now to preserve for year ’round use! Lately there’s been an increase in reader interest and questions about jewelweed, so today I’m sharing…
Learn how to adjust for and add lanolin to soap recipes, plus guidelines for using it. Kimberly asked a great question the other day, about how to include lanolin in a soap recipe she’d recently made. She also wanted to try including it in my Dandelion Scrub Bar recipe, but wasn’t sure what changes to…
Lavender flowers are only around for a short time, but there are plenty of uses for lavender leaves! Learn how to harvest, dry & use them in DIY projects. First though, you may wonder – what are the health benefits of lavender leaves? While the leaves haven’t been studied as specifically or extensively as the…
This easy DIY sinus and headache balm is an all-natural remedy that helps relieve stuffy noses, allergies, and headaches. I created this balm recipe specifically for a relative with chronic sinus problems that kept them from sleeping well for years. She reported that it helped immensely and she even regained some lost smell after using…
We all have soapmaking fails. This ultimate troubleshooting guide breaks down the reasons and solutions for 30+ common cold process soap problems. On a daily basis I receive emails from readers about problems and questions encountered while making soap. (Currently, I have 70+ of those emails in the queue to answer!) A few months ago…
Elderberries and apple cider vinegar combine with honey, butter, and vanilla to make these delicious antiviral elderberry vinegar honey caramels. We’ve made elderberry syrup and elderberry tincture, now it’s time for elderberry vinegar! I’ll also show you how to turn that vinegar into a delicious honey caramel treat with an antiviral boost. Step 1: Make the…
Elderberries (Sambucus nigra) are a fantastic home remedy for colds and flu and are backed by both science and traditional use. They’re often turned into a sweet and tasty syrup, like homemade elderberry syrup made with honey, but can also be preserved and dosed in other ways, including this elderberry tincture. I chose to add a…
Beautiful blueberry herbal vinegar features ingredients that are good for your brain and body! Learn how to make blueberry vinegar, plus how to turn it into a brain boosting oxymel (herbal sweet and sour syrup). This recipe was inspired by an interesting study I read about blueberry vinegar and its potential to improve cognitive function….
Learn how to turn common field daisies into easy DIY daisy lotion bars perfect for soothing chapped, dry, sore hands. Shasta daisies will work well for this project too! Found in fields and on roadsides, the common daisy isn’t just for making flower crowns. (Or seeing if he loves me, he loves me not, he…
This red, white & blue swirl soap is naturally colored with botanicals and clays, and scented with a blend of essential oils. Credit for the design inspiration goes to Kapia Mera Soap Company (see their lovely soap video HERE), only instead of cutting a thin layer to use for rimmed soap, I cut a thin layer…
Learn how to create your own natural homemade aftershave with herbs, spices and other healthy ingredients. I also include 3 aftershave recipes to get you started: Bay Rum, Juniper Woods, and Cedarwood & Vetiver. Several months ago, my husband requested that I create some natural aftershave recipes for him. In preparation, I spent a long…
Learn why you need lye to make soap and how to handle it safely. Our great great grandmothers made soap without having to use a caustic chemical, so why do we? The short answer is that our grandmothers manufactured their own caustic chemical of sorts, called potash, by combining hardwood ashes and water. This created…
Learn how to make this non-toxic homemade natural deodorant recipe that features sweet orange and frankincense essential oils, along with herbal infused coconut oil for extra skin-soothing properties. This recipe makes a cream style natural deodorant that you store in a jar and spread on with your fingers. You only need a small amount to…
