Body Butter Recipes

This is one of many posts about how to reduce toxins and harmful chemicals from your life by making more DIY cosmetics, household products, and more. You know exactly what is going into your products, so you know if it is safe. Any of these recipes are capable of being changed and tweaked to fit your specific needs.

The basic proportions are:

Body Butters

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils

Moisturizing Bars

• 25% wax
• 35% soft oils
• 40% hard oils

Body butters are thicker than creams and lotions. This allows them to stay on one spot better for more moisturizing capabilities. Body butters need to be in jars with wide enough mouths to be scooped out. They are typically too thick to be put in lotion bottles or bottles with pumps. They are used for general and spot moisturizing. The more soft oils used, the softer the final product. The more butters used, the firmer the final product. Firmer body butters are harder to spread, but stay in place better and keep their shape better after being whipped.

Why can't I just use plain shea or cocoa butter directly on my skin?

• You can! Plain shea or cocoa butter is great for moisturizing skin! It can be a little hard for some people to spread around – this problem can be solved by adding a soft oil. Another bonus is that you can add other ingredients easily, like essential oils.

Directions for Body Butters

Choose a recipe and decide how much finished product is needed. Because these products do not go through any chemical reactions, they are only being melted and mixed together, the measurements do not need to be exact; it does not matter whether or not they are measured by weight or volume.

• Take the percentage you are wanting to use and turn it into a decimal. A percentage is out of 100, so divide the percentage by 100 (or move the decimal two places to the left) to get the equivalent decimal. (50% = 0.50; 20% = 0.20; 75% = 0.75)

Measure out the oils. Choose the best melting method for your needs (for the most part, they are arranged from fastest method to slowest method but this can vary). If you have a really good blender or mixer, this does not need to be heated - just incorporated very well.

• Melt in the microwave in a microwave-safe jar, cup, bowl, or other container.
• Melt over low heat on a stove.
• Melt in a double boiler.
• Melt in a slow cooker.
• Note: Shea butter likes to get grainy if heated up too high so a slower method is advised.

Once everything is completely melted (or blended/mixed well) and combined, remove from heat and add any remaining ingredients (i.e. vitamin e, essential oils, clay, charcoal, etc.). Mix everything together very well and pour or scoop into final containers or molds. Let cool completely before using. It can be used right away if you used the non-heating method. The cooling process can be sped up by placing it in the refrigerator.

I am going to make a basic body butter with sunflower oil and shea butter.



A benefit of using canning jars is that they typically have measurements along the side of the jar for easy reference. My jar has three reference marks (since I am basing my recipe on volume, I do not need to even know what the marks actually measure!). I am going to do 40% soft oils and 60% hard oils (3 * 0.40 = 1.2; 3 * 0.60 = 1.8). I pour the soft oil first because it will not have spaces between it throwing off the measurement. My pouring is very approximate. I pour until I pass the first marker and stop a little less than a quarter to the second mark. I then put the shea butter in and make sure I push it down below the soft oils (to get a more accurate measurement) until I hit the third mark.



I slowly heated them on low/med-low in a double boiler, constantly stirring, until they were all completely melted together. This took about 15-20 minutes.



I took it off the heat and left it alone to cool. I let it cool over night. To cool it down faster, you can put it in the refrigerator. After it had completely cooled down, I stirred it to make it easier to scoop out and spread.



Since shea butter is one of the softer butters, I'd recommend using a smaller amount of soft oils than what I used in this recipe (unless you want this really spreadable). The recipe shown is very soft and melts quickly when it comes in contact with body heat.

This basic recipe can easily be altered to suit your needs.

They can also be stirred periodically while cooling or whipped to make it easier to scoop out of a jar and more spreadable.



Basic Body Butter Recipe

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Calamine Body Butter (not tested, concept recipe)

• 10-47.5% soft oils
• 40-77.5% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• or 80-95% base recipe
• 5-20% calamine powder or zinc oxide
  • calamine powder is 99.5% zinc oxide with optional 0.5% ferric oxide (also known as iron (III) oxide – which gives it the classic pink color)
  • also it is suggested to use non-nano zinc oxide – sources have suggested that zinc oxide powder that is nano-sized can enter through the skin into the bloodstream and potentially cause harm
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Calendula Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with calendula flowers
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Calming Lavender Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with lavender flowers
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• lavender essential oil
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Coconut Body Butter

• 20-50% coconut oil
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Coffee Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with coffee bean grounds
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Comfrey Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with comfrey leaves
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Chamomile Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with chamomile flowers
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Chocolate Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% cocoa butter
• optional: cocoa powder (for color)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Charcoal and Clay Body Butter (not tested, concept recipe)

• 14-47% soft oils
• 45-77% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• or 89-94% base recipe
• 1% charcoal powder
• 5-10% clay (bentonite, kanolin, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Cuticle Butter

• 20-50% soft oils (recommended: grapeseed)
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• ???
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Dandelion Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with dandelion flowers
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Eczema Body Butter

• 17.5-48.5% soft oils (recommended: jojoba or almond) infused with chamomile and calendula flowers
• 48-79% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• or 95-97.5% base recipe
• 2.5-5% colloidal oats
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
• because of the nature of the ingredients in this recipe (i.e. the oats), it is recommended to either add a preservative, store in refrigerator, and/or only make enough that you can use within a week – this is to prevent mold and bacteria growth

Face Butter

• 20-50% soft oils (recommended: safflower, sunflower, jojoba – low pore clogging)
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.; recommended: shea)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Foot Butter

• 20-50% soft oils (recommended: grapeseed)
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• ???
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Frankincense Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• frankincense essential oil
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Magnesium Body "Butter" (not tested, concept recipe)

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• magnesium oil (preferred double strength, but normal strength will work)
• may need emulsifier??
• can magnesium chloride flakes dissolve in oil or wax??
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Mint Chocolate Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% cocoa butter
• mint family essential oil (peppermint, spearmint, etc.)
• optional: cocoa powder (for color)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Neem Body Butter

• 5-45% soft oils
• 5-15% neem oil
• soft oils and neem oil together should total 20-50%
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Oats and Honey Body Butter (not tested, concept recipe)

• 17.5-47.5% soft oils
• 47.5-77.5% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• or 95% base recipe
• 2.5% colloidal oats
• 2.5% raw honey (normal works too)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils
• because of the nature of the ingredients in this recipe, it is recommended to either add a preservative, store in refrigerator, and/or only make enough that you can use within a week – this is to prevent mold and bacteria growth

Pine Tar Body Butter

• 0-45% soft oils
• 5-20% pine tar
• soft oils and pine tar together should total 20-50%
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Plantain Leaf ("Medicine Leaf") Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils infused with plantain leaf
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Pumpkin Spice Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils (optional: infused with paprika or annatto seed - for color)
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• cinnamon, clove, orange, EO
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Stretch Mark Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• ???
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Sun Screen Body Butter

• 17-40% soft oils
• 48-70% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• or 80-95% base recipe
• 5-20% zinc oxide
• also it is suggested to use non-nano zinc oxide – sources have suggested that zinc oxide powder that is nano-sized can enter through the skin into the bloodstream and potentially cause harm
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Vapor Body Butter

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• eucalyptus, peppermint essential oils
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Witch Hazel Body Butter (not tested, concept recipe)

• 20-50% soft oils infused with witch hazel leaves and bark
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

If you have any other ideas for body butters please let me know.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Moisturizing Bar Recipes

This is one of many posts about how to reduce toxins and harmful chemicals from your life by making more DIY cosmetics, household products, and more. You know exactly what is going into your products, so you know if it is safe. Any of these recipes are capable of being changed and tweaked to fit your specific needs.

The basic proportions are:

Body Butters

• 20-50% soft oils
• 50-80% hard oils

Moisturizing Bars

• 25% wax
• 35% soft oils
• 40% hard oils

Moisturizing bars are similar to body butters because they can have equal ratios of hard and soft oils, the only difference is the added wax to the bars. This allows them to remain in a solid bar form to be held. It tends to not be as messy and is for general moisturizing. Body butters need to be in jars with wide enough mouths to be scooped out. They are typically too thick to be put in lotion bottles or bottles with pumps. They are used for general and spot moisturizing.



Directions for Moisturizing Bars

Choose a recipe and decide how much finished product is needed. Because these products do not go through any chemical reactions, they are only being melted and mixed together, the measurements do not need to be exact; it does not matter whether or not they are measured by weight or volume.

• Take the percentage you are wanting to use and turn it into a decimal. A percentage is out of 100, so divide the percentage by 100 (or move the decimal two places to the left) to get the equivalent decimal. (50% = 0.50; 20% = 0.20; 75% = 0.75)

I use wax pellets because they are easier to measure. Measure out the waxes and oils. Choose the best melting method for your needs (for the most part, they are arranged from fastest method to slowest method but this can vary).

• Melt in the microwave in a microwave-safe jar, cup, bowl, or other container.
• Melt over low heat on a stove.
• Melt in a double boiler.
• Melt in a slow cooker.
• Note: Shea butter likes to get grainy if heated up too high so a slower method is advised.

Once everything is completely melted and combined, remove from heat and add any remaining ingredients (i.e. vitamin e, essential oils, clay, charcoal, etc.). Mix everything together very well and pour into final containers or molds. Let cool completely before using. The cooling process can be sped up by placing it in the refrigerator.



I am going to make a basic moisturizing bar with grapeseed oil, shea butter, and beeswax.



I measured the volume of my molds with water. They each hold about 1 tablespoon and I want to make 6 bars so the total volume I am going to use for the recipe is 6 tablespoons. I am going to do 33% wax, 33% soft oils, and 33% hard oils (or equal parts of each ingredient - 6 tablespoons/3ingredients = 2 tablespoons of each ingredient). I measured out 2 tablespoons of each ingredient and put them in my heating container.



I slowly heated them in a double boiler (a canning jar in a pot of water; stove on low, slowly increasing as needed), constantly stirring, until they were all completely melted together. This took a while because I did not want to overheat the shea butter. Shortly after hitting 145 degrees (pictured on the far right below), I turned off the heat because the beeswax was starting to melt; I stirred it until everything was completely melted.



I carefully poured it into my molds and left them alone to cool and harden. I set them aside for a few hours before unmolding. To cool it down faster, you can put it in the refrigerator.



This basic recipe can easily be altered to suit your needs.



They can also be poured into screw-up containers and used as a lip balm or moisturizing stick.

• Note: Candelilla wax is harder than beeswax, so smaller amounts are used to produce the same consistency. It is suggested that you only need to use half the amount of Candelilla wax compared to beeswax. Just decrease the percentage wax used and increase the soft or hard oils; other portions should not have to be changed.

Basic Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Calamine Moisturizing Bar (not tested, concept recipe)

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Calendula Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with calendula flowers
• 50-80% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Coffee Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with coffee bean grounds
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Comfrey Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with comfrey leaves
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Chamomile Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with chamomile flowers
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Charcoal and Clay Moisturizing Bar (not tested, concept recipe)

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• charcoal powder
• clay (bentonite, kanolin, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Dandelion Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with dandelion flowers
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Eczema Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils (recommended: jojoba or almond) infused with chamomile and calendula flowers
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• colloidal oats
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Neem Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 20-30% or 18-28% soft oils
• 5-15% neem oil
• soft oils and neem oil together should total 35% or 33%
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Plantain Leaf ("Medicine Leaf") Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with plantain leaf
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Pine Tar Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 15-30% or 13-28 soft oils
• 5-20% pine tar
• soft oils and pine tar together should total 35% or 33%
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Stretch Mark Moisturizing Bar

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Witch Hazel Moisturizing Bar (not tested, concept recipe)

• 25% or 33% wax (beeswax, soy, Candelilla)
• 35% or 33% soft oils infused with witch hazel leaves and bark
• 40% or 33% hard oils (specifically butters: shea, cocoa, mango, kokum, etc.)
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

If you have any other ideas for moisturizing bars, please let me know.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Are Plastics Making Me Fat?

We have all heard that BPA, which is used in some plastics to make them more rigid, is bad for you. But why? It is considered an endocrine disruptor. What that means is that, when it gets into the body, it messes with our hormones. BPA specifically mimics the estrogen hormone. But BPA is not the only endocrine disruptor that we come into on a daily basis. Plastics are now advertising that they are BPA-free, but what they are replacing it with, BPS, may be more harmful. What other chemicals that are being used in plastics can leach out and be detectable in our bodies?

Studies

One small-scale observational study wanted to compare BPA levels excreted in urine and BMI level of children. This is only a correlation, not causation. "Higher levels of urinary BPA were associated with a higher odds of obesity (BMI > 95%) and abnormal waist circumference–to–height ratio. Longitudinal analyses are needed to elucidate temporal relationships between BPA exposure and the development of obesity and chronic disease risk factors in children." Breaking this down: maybe the overweight children ate more pre-made meals, which exposed them to more plastics, and the lower BMI children ate more fresh food or food made from scratch at home, which exposed them to less plastics. The BPA levels could be indirectly related to BMI and more directly related to the type of diet, i.e. processed or fresh.

Another study was conducted over a longer period of time on the same topic. "In this low-income Mexican-American population, we found that higher BPA concentrations in children’s urine at 9 years of age were associated with increased odds of obesity and increased BMI z-score, waist circumference, and percent body fat at age 9. However, we found that higher prenatal urinary BPA concentrations were associated with decreased BMI z-scores, percent body fat, and obesity in girls at age 9 years. No association of prenatal BMI and body measurements was seen in boys. BPA concentrations in children’s urine at 5 years of age were not associated with any body size parameters at age 5 or 9 years."

Where is it found?

BPA, or Bisphenol A, is found in many common plastics. It is found in very high levels in thermal receipt tape - this can be a big problem for cashiers. It is in the inner coating of a lot of canned products. Cosmetics, hygiene products, house dust (when particles of BPA fall off the original product), recycled paper (if it is recycled with thermal paper), water bottles, and many more products you may find around your house.

Possible development in utero when exposed to BPA

• Hyperactivity
• Learning defects
• Insulin resistance
• Weight gain
• Female: Tumors of mammary glands
• Female: Abnormal ovarian pathologies
• Male: Prostate cancer
• Male: Infertility
• Male: Genital abnormalities - incomplete descent of testes into scrotum

Something to think about:

Tupperware, a common plastic food container brand, first came out to the public in 1948. If a mother started using these plastic food containers while pregnant in 1948, her child could be almost 70 years old now. Most of the medical problems have been for people a bit younger than that, probably when Tupperware became more popular. More use of plastics can greatly increase the presence of BPA and other endocrine disruptors in the body; this increase during pregnancy, and therefore development of the fetus, could possibly explain some of the health problems that we are starting to see more and more, especially starting in the 40-65 age range. We have been using more and more plastics since it first became popular in the home and have been seeing more and more health problems become apparent and in earlier ages.

• early puberty
• obesity and diabetes
• masculinizing female fetuses
• feminizing male fetuses
• more children born intersex
• infertility
• hyperactivity and learning problems
• thyroid problems
• immune system problems

BPA
BPS (being used in place of BPA in "BPA-free" products)
Endocrine disruptor
PBDE
Pthalates
PVC

Films

Bag It (2010)
Chemerical (2009) - Hulu
Our Chemical Lives (2015) - YouTube - 28:39
Our Daily Poison (2011)
Plastic Planet (2009)
The Great Invasion (2010) - YouTube - 51:50
The Human Experiment (2013) - Netflix
The Idiot Cycle (2009)
Toxic Baby (2016)
Unacceptable Levels (2013)
Why Am I Still Fat? (2015) - YouTube - 28:26

Sources

Eng, D.S., Lee, J.M., Gebremariam, A., Meeker, J.D., Peterson, K., & Padmanabhan, V. (2013). Bisphenol A and Chronic Disease Risk Factors in US Children. Pediactrics, 132(3), e637-45. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-010. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/early/2013/08/13/peds.2013-0106.full.pdf

Harley, K.G., Schall, R.A., Chevrier, J., Tyler, K., Aguirre, H., Bradman, A., Holland, N.T., Lustig, R.H., Calafat, A.M., & Eskenazi, B. (2013). Prenatal and Postnatal Bisphenol A Exposure and Body Mass Index in Childhood in the CHAMACOS Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives 121(4), 514-20. doi: 10.1289/ehp.1205548. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/121/4/ehp.1205548.pdf

Lambrot, R., Muczynski, V., Lécureuil, C., Angenard, G., Coffigny, H., Pairault, C., Moison,D., Frydman, R., Habert, R., & Rouiller-Fabre V. (2009). Phthalates Impair Germ Cell Development in the Human Fetal Testis Vitro without Change in Testosterone Production. Environmental Health Perspectives 117(1), 32-7. doi: 10.1289/ehp.11146. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/117/1/ehp.11146.pdf

Ünüvar, T., & Büyükgebiz, A. (2012). Fetal and Neonatal Endocrine Disruptors. Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology, 4(2), 51–60. doi: 10.4274/Jcrpe.569. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3386773/

Vom Saal, F.S., Nagel, S.C., Coe, B.L., Angle, B.M., & Taylor, J.A. (2012). The Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) And Obesity. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 354(1-2), 74–84. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2012.01.001. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3306519/

How to Make Salves and a Petroleum Jelly Alternative

This is one of many posts about how to reduce toxins and harmful chemicals from your life by making more DIY cosmetics, household products, and more. You know exactly what is going into your products, so you know if it is safe. Any of these recipes are capable of being changed and tweaked to fit your specific needs.

The basic proportions are:

Salves

• 20-30% wax
• 70-80% soft oils

Balms

• 40-50% wax
• 50-60% soft oils

Balms tend to have a higher ratio of beeswax, making it harder. Salves have more soft oils, making them easier to spread. Any of these recipes can be changed into balms by increasing the wax ratio to soft oils.

Salves can also be used as a lip balm and poured into a twist-up lip balm container when it is still in a liquid state. Please read all safety instructions for any essential oil used, especially regarding how old a child should be before use. Oils can become very hot – use proper protection to prevent any injury.



Directions for Salves

Choose a recipe and decide how much finished product is needed. Because these products do not go through any chemical reactions, they are only being melted and mixed together, the measurements do not need to be exact; it does not matter whether or not they are measured by weight or volume.

• Take the percentage you are wanting to use and turn it into a decimal. A percentage is out of 100, so divide the percentage by 100 (or move the decimal two places to the left) to get the equivalent decimal. (50% = 0.50; 20% = 0.20; 75% = 0.75)

I use wax pellets because they are easier to measure. Measure out the waxes and oils. Choose the best melting method for your needs (for the most part, they are arranged from fastest method to slowest method but this can vary).

• Melt in the microwave in a microwave-safe jar, cup, bowl, or other container.
• Melt over low heat on a stove.
• Melt in a double boiler.
• Melt in a slow cooker.

Once everything is completely melted (or blended/mixed well) and combined, remove from heat and add any remaining ingredients (i.e. vitamin e, essential oils, clay, charcoal, etc.). Mix everything together very well and pour or scoop into final containers or molds. Let cool completely before using. The cooling process can be sped up by placing it in the refrigerator.

I am going to make a basic salve recipe with almond oil and beeswax.



I have a 4 oz glass jar. It is for storage, but since it is microwave safe, I will be melting the ingredients in it as well. I measured how many tablespoons will fit in the jar by testing it with water. It came out to about 8 tablespoons with a bit of extra room (you do not want to fill it to the rim). I am going to do 75% soft oil and 25% wax (8 * 0.75 = 6; 8 * 0.25 = 2). I measured out 6TBS of almond oil and 2TBS of beeswax and put them in the container.



I microwaved the glass jar for 30 seconds at a time on high. If your container is not microwave safe or you are unsure, you can microwave the ingredients in something else then pour it into the final storage container once completely melted. I stirred each time I checked it. It took only 90 seconds with a little stirring to become completely melted.



Give it one final stir to make sure it is incorporated and leave it alone to cool and harden. Mine took about 30 minutes to harden, but it was still a bit warm. To cool it down faster, you can put it in the refrigerator. I do not recommend putting it in the freezer.



This is just the basic recipe, but there are many variations. Here are a few that I've made.

Left to right: basic salve, pine tar salve, and neem oil salve.

Note: they can be mixed while and/or after hardening to make a softer consistency, more like petroleum jelly. This is easier to do when the mixture is not completely solid. If mixed periodically while cooling, it produces a smoother, less clumpy end product. If mixed after it is completely cooled, it is harder to incorporate and clumps may still be left behind. Any clumps left will melt on your skin, so it does not have to be completely smooth.

The salve on the left was mixed after it hardened – see the clumps? The salve on the right was periodically mixed while it cooled – looks a lot smoother and was easier to mix.


This basic recipe can easily be altered to suit your needs.

• Soft oil - any oil that is liquid at room temperature. Coconut oil is not typically put into this category but, since it melts so close to typical room temperature (especially in warmer climates), it can be used in this category for at least part of the soft oils if wanted.
• Different oils have different properties. Some clog pores more than others; the more likely the oil is to clog pores the higher the comedogenic rating is for that oil. Oils that have a high comedogenic rating are likely to cause acne if applied to the face. Other oils are better at hydrating the skin while others do not hydrate as much. Some leave more of an oily feeling than others. You can search the web for properties of certain oils or just test them out yourself.
• Candelilla wax is harder than beeswax, so smaller amounts are used to produce the same consistency. It is suggested that you only need to use half the amount of Candelilla wax compared to beeswax. Just decrease the percentage wax used and increase the soft oils; other portions should not have to be changed.

Basic Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Acne Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 65-75% soft oils (optional: infused with turmeric root)
• 5% neroli, neem, tamanu, argan, jojoba, or more soft oils
• tea tree essential oil
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Anti-Itch Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with calendula flowers, rose petals, and/or St. John's wort
• peppermint essential oil
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Calendula Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with calendula flowers
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Coffee Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with coffee bean grounds
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Comfrey Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with comfrey leaves
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Chamomile Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with chamomile flowers
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Dandelion Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with dandelion flowers
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Drawing Salve

• 15-29% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 65-79% soft oils
• or 90-98% base recipe
• 1-5% clay (kaolin, bentonite, etc.)
• 1-5% charcoal powder
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Eczema Salve (not tested, concept recipe)

• 19-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 66-79% soft oils (recommended: jojoba or almond) infused with chamomile and calendula flowers
• or 95-99% base recipe
• 1-5% colloidal oats
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Ginger and Cayenne Salve (people use this recipe for aches and pains)

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with ginger root and cayenne
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Neem Salve (people use this salve for acne and eczema)

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 55-75% soft oils
• 5-15% neem oil
• soft oils and neem oil together should total 70-80%
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Ouch Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 67.5-77.5% soft oils
• or 97.5% base recipe
• 2.5% raw honey (normal works too)
• tea tree and lavender essential oils
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Pine Sap Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 40-70% soft oils
• 10-30% pine sap
• soft oils and pine sap together should total 70-80%
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Pine Tar Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 50-75% soft oils
• 5-20% pine tar
• soft oils and pine tar together should total 70-80%
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Plantain Leaf ("Medicine Leaf") Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with plantain leaf
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Vapor Salve

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 55-65% soft oils
• 15-25% coconut oil (or palm oil or tallow)
  • the soft oils and coconut oil should add up together to equal 75-80%
• Eucalyptus, lemon, and rosemary (and optional cedar leaf, peppermint, pine needle, tea tree) essential oils
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

Witch Hazel Salve (not tested, concept recipe)

• 20-30% wax (beeswax, soy, or Candelilla)
• 70-80% soft oils infused with witch hazel leaves and bark
• optional: vitamin E oil and/or essential oils

If you have any other ideas for salves please let me know.

For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Maintaining the Humidifier

During winter that air gets really dry, and therefor drying for the skin. This really affects my boyfriend, especially if he is breaking out from eczema. One way we help reduce that is by using a humidifier at night in the bedroom. We have a Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier and have been using it for a couple of years now. One problem we ran into is cleaning it. Our tap water likes to produce a pink slime on anything it is allowed to sit in for longer than a day, and though we dumped and refilled the tank and basin daily and cleaned it with vinegar weekly, it would always grow this slime.

I started looking online about what to do. I came across a few websites saying to rinse it with vinegar diluted in water daily instead of the weekly. We did that for a while but it took up some extra time to do this so I looked online some more. A few people said that their primary care provider suggested that they pour a couple of tablespoons per gallon into the tank for use (to keep mold from growing), not just cleaning out. We have been doing this for the past couple of months now. There is no more slime growing - it looks brand new! The one downside is that it makes the room smell like vinegar, but we have gotten over that since I also clean regularly with vinegar.

Humidifier water:

• 1-3 TBS white distilled vinegar
• 1 gallon water

For this humidifier, this lasts about 10-12 hours on the highest setting and about 24 hours on the lowest. One thing to remember is that the humidifier still needs to be cleaned regularly using the manufacturer's instructions.

What are "fragrances"? Are they toxic? Are they causing my rashes?

When buying products, do you ever look at the label? You have probably seen the ingredient labelled "fragrance" or "parfum" but what is it? Companies are allowed to put approximately 2,500 different chemicals and ingredients in a product and label them as "fragrance" and are considered trade secrets and are there to "protect the product's formula" from duplication. On average there are at least 10 ingredients hidden under the "fragrance" label, but there can be many more.

There are different guidelines for what things have to be labelled based on whether it is put on the skin directly or not. Perfumes, colognes, deodorants, shampoos, soaps, etc. are put directly on the skin so are regulated as cosmetics and therefore regulated directly by the FDA. Laundry detergents, dryer sheets, cleaning products, candles, etc. are not directly put on the skin so they are regulated by the CPSC. These ingredients are "innocent until proven guilty" in the fact that they do not have to be tested by an outside, reliable, unbiased source before being put into a product. This is a major safely concern to many.

People who have problems with their skin breaking out with contact dermatitis, especially on areas where cosmetic products are applied, may be having reactions to ingredients labelled under fragrance. "Fragrances" are one of the biggest causes of contact dermatitis, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Even products that are labelled as unscented may still contain fragrance products to "mask the smell" of other ingredients. One source mentions the US guidelines for using the term "unscented" on a product is that it has to contain less than 0.2% fragrance. The term "fragrance-free" on a product means that it cannot have any "fragrance" but can still contain a masking fragrance/agent (and masking agents do not necessarily have to be labelled). In the UK laws regulate that "parfum" must be listen on the ingredients list "if their concentration exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products (e.g. a moisturizer) and 0.01% in rinse-off products (e.g. a shampoo)".

The only list that I have found that says what is allowed under the term "fragrance" is on the IFRA's website.

What are some other ingredients I should be aware of?

The EPA says that there are certain chemicals that are allowed to be in cosmetic products, even products specifically made for infants and children, that can degrade into formaldehyde. Though these levels are small, chronic exposure and the fact that the chemical can become airborne after using the product makes these products potentially harmful to your health and the the health of the people and animals around you. These chemicals include (though may not be limited to):

• 5-Bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane
• Bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol )
• Diazolidinyl urea
• DMDM hydantoin
• Hydroxymethylglycinate
• Imidazolidinyl urea
• Quaternium-15

Petroleum products are all around us. They are used to help the skin keep in moisture or as a cheap filler. The problem is that it does not allow the skin to breathe and may cause the skin to appear more aged. It has not been linked to cancer or directly to other serious health effects but it is a by-product of the oil industry and therefor not a sustainable resource. Choosing plant-based oils is better for the environment and potentially more beneficial than using these products:

• Mineral oil 
• Paraffin
• Petrolatum
• Petroleum jelly

Parabens are used to preserve and help prevent the growth of bacteria in cosmetic products but have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and fertility problems. Yet, they are still allowed in so many products we put directly on our skin. Some examples are:

• Butylparaben
• Isobutylparaben
• Methylparaben
• Propylparaben

Phthalates are a type of plasticizing chemical that has been linked to birth defects, disruption of the endocrine system (hormones), and damage to certain organs.

• DBP
• DEHP
• DEP

Propylene Glycol, as well as PEG and PPG, can be harmful to the liver and heart and in higher doses linked to central nervous system damage. It has been directly linked to eczema, hives, and allergic reactions.

What can I do to stay away from these potentially dangerous ingredients?

One problem is that if you can smell someone else's fragrance product, you are getting exposed. Besides that, there are many ways you can get rid of these ingredients. One of the best ways would be to make your own products. There are many different recipes online of toothpaste, laundry detergent, lotion, etc. for people who want to get toxins out of their life.

Here are some recipes (will be updating links as I test/create them):

• All-purpose cleaner
• Candles
• Deodorant
• Dish soap
• Dishwater detergent
• Dust spray
• Face mask
• Goo remover
• Hair gel
• Laundry detergent
• Lotions, creams, and body butters
• Perfume
• Salve (non-petroleum jelly)
• Shampoo
• Shaving lotion/soap
• Soap (bar)
• Soap (liquid)
• Toothpaste
• Window cleaner

Sources and informational links:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm388821.htm
https://phthalates.americanchemistry.com/Research-Phthalates/Reproductive-Studies
http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/perfume-allergies/en/index.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/consumer_safety/docs/sccs_o_102.pdf
http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/perfume-allergies/
https://blog.honest.com/fragrance/#
http://www.cctfa.ca/site/consumerinfo/FragranceReport_Final.pdf
http://www.thefactsabout.co.uk/files/237201013545Allergy_Card.pdf
https://www.dandruffdeconstructed.com/contact-dermatitis/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/vaseline-petroleum-jelly_n_4136226.html

Want a Life Without Waste

A lot of people nowadays know about recycling and reducing waste to help the environment. Do many people really care though? They go to the grocery store and buy produce and prepackaged foods. Sure, they bring their own bags, but how much is that saving compared to the other stuff they are bringing home? Produce comes packaged or is put in the plastic produce bags, but why? Prepackaged foods come in un-recyclable plastics or have multiple layers of packaging that are really unnecessary. Is any thought given to the packaging of the product before buying? When the products get home, how much is actually being recycled properly? Not everything can be recycled or recycled in a sustainable or healthy manner.

I have started thinking about the packaging before buying a product, and sometimes is a make-or-break decision for me. How am I taking steps to reduce my waste or my plans for reducing waste?
I try to buy from the bulk bins at stores if they are available, unfortunately most stores do not have these bins or there are better deals for prepackaged products. Products like flour or sugar are commonly packaged in paper products and, at least where I live, can get very cheap when they are on sale ($1 (normal price around $2.50) for 4lb bag of name brand white granulated sugar or $1.50 (normal price around $3.50) for 5lb bag of name brand white flour). Who on a budget would resist prices like that? Beans are also sold in the bulk bins, the prepackaged beans are typically in plastic.
Other bulk bin options around where I live include: salt, oats, oat bran (not wheat bran), nuts, legumes, dried fruits, candies and a small selection of spices.

I would like to see more options in the bulk bins like a bigger selection of spices and dried fruits and vegetables, protein powder, and more cosmetics without it being over-priced, just to name a few. What about non-dry products? One can fill up a growler of beer or cider, why not do that for milk, non-dairy milks, or vegetable oil? I do not think I have seen milk packaged in glass and only expensive oils packaged in glass. Not everyone wants their food in plastic, especially since the plastics industry likes to lie about the potential health effects of plastics, or some people want fresh products, packaged products can sit on the shelves for months, if not years.

This is not even bringing into account the gas and other energy for bringing the products to the store. To help reduce this, one could buy locally - like from a local farmers' market. This would help the local community and one could ask the farmers directly to grow certain things and express their concerns. This, however, does still use gas (unless it was hand-farmed and transported via an electric car, horse and buggy, bike, etc.). The only way I can think to completely get rid of that extra energy usage would be to grow the food by yourself on your land.
What I want to know is how much land is needed to feed one person for a year?
How can we reduce that area (i.e. year-round greenhouse growing, earthship greenhouse, vertical gardening, square foot gardening, etc.)?


Useful links and information:
http://environment.about.com/od/earthtalkcolumns/a/recycleplastics.htm
http://www-tc.pbs.org/strangedays/pdf/StrangeDaysSmartPlasticsGuide.pdf
http://www.savemobile.org/blog/plastic_types_jan07.pdf
http://www.ryedale.gov.uk/attachments/article/690/Different_plastic_polymer_types.pdf
http://www.economist.com/node/9249262
http://www.cleanuptheworld.org/PDF/au/cua-plastic-recycling-fact-sheet.pdf

Borax - Should I be using it?

Many people today have been trying to get toxic things out of their home. One easy place is their cleaning products. Vinegar, baking soda, and borax are favorites to use. But is borax safe to use? Is washing soda safe to use? What about some of the other chemicals? I keep getting mixed answers.


BORAX
Borax Toxicology Sheet

Boraxfree.com
Is borax safe or not?
Borax: Not the green alternative it's cracked up to be
Boron deficiency
WebMD - Boron


WASHING SODA
Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate) Toxicology Sheet

BAKING SODA
Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) Toxicology Sheet

It seems to depend on how much you use, what you are using it for, and if there is enough of a residue left that could be inhaled or eaten. These chemicals are potentially harmful by themselves, but most of the time they are diluted with something else. Caution needs to be used to make sure these chemicals are not being inhaled or eaten in any significant amounts, especially by pets or children.

One way to prevent inhalation is to mix these outside or in a well ventilated area and slowly add them to prevent the dust from becoming airborne. Another way would be to dilute them in water, i.e. instead of making a powder form of laundry detergent, make a liquid form.

Slowly Starting

I have been slowly trying to become more environmentally conscious. Internet searches have been mostly telling me similar things. How to make laundry detergent from scratch, how to reduce toxins from your home, how to reduce waste, etc. But are these suggestions really helping?

I have been making my own homemade soap, with lye and oil, for a couple years now. It started because my boyfriend is sensitive to some strange things: petroleum-based dyes (especially red 40), potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, sodium benzoate, benzoic acid, propylene glycol, and a couple of others that are potential but haven't been tested. On top of that, he has sensitive skin that likes to dry out. I flirted around with the idea of making soap for a year or so before that but he gave me a good reason to start.

I started out with a basic Castile recipe, which is 100% olive oil (I have read other people refer to Castile soap as just 100% plant oils). I then made some soap with a bit of coconut oil, ground oats, and honey. I stuck to those two recipes for a year or so. I expanded a bit more but not much until about 6 months ago. I got into a soap making kick. There was way more information online about making soap from lye then there was when I first started. I made coffee soap, pine tar soap, chamomile soap, salt soap, etc. I learned how to infuse things in oil and that I could use other liquids than water. I expended to using a variety of oils and added clay, charcoal, or other ingredients to the soap at trace. The possibilities are endless to what one can make. One thing I want to sick to is using natural ingredients, organic and food grade if possible.

The soap that has really helped my boyfriend's skin issues is the oatmeal chamomile soap. I used chamomile tea as the liquid for the lye solution, used mostly olive oil for my oils, and added colloidal oats at trace. I did not add any fragrances or essential oils to keep it as simple as possible. The soap mildly smells like chamomile, very pleasant.

Within the past couple of weeks I have started making liquid soap (which is NOT the same as grating a bar and diluting it in water). It involves using a different kind of lye. People typically use sodium hydroxide as their lye for soap making, but this kind of lye does not like to stay suspended in water. Potassium hydroxide is the ideal lye for liquid soap. I have only found ways to make this using the hot process method and it takes about 4 hours to cook after it has gone through the hardening phase. One site suggested that it only needs to cook for about 30 minutes for it to be usable but that it will not be translucent. This does not bother me, but if I were to sell it I would probably cook it. When you are done cooking the soap it is called soap paste and needs to be diluted before using.

Different oils that are used in the soap have different dilution levels. There will still be solid soap if you try to dilute it less than that level. Pure olive oil soap dilutes at about 20% and pure coconut oil soap dilutes at about 40%. The properties of the liquid soap are similar to the hard soap if the same oils are used.

What I have had trouble finding online is how to use this soap paste or the diluted soap for things around the house. The shampoo recipe did not turn out well. The laundry detergent recipe is being tested. I want to make a dish soap recipe. I want to make a liquid soap for bathing pets. Are there other things I can use it for? Do I have to dilute it for everything? How do I thicken it with natural, harmless ingredients or methods?