14 May Magic ingredients

I get freaked out about branded products with chemicals and additives. I realize they’re formulated to do a good job, but I saw one too many articles on Facebook about potential carcinogens and rolled up my sleeves to make my own deodorant and toothpaste from baking soda once I was pregnant with Henry. No more pthalates and sodium laureth sulfate for this crunchy mama!

Here’s are my top 5 magic hippie-dippie multi-purpose ingredients, in case you want to follow my stinky lead:

5. Vinegar. I mix with water and wash the floors with it. Just kidding, I don’t wash my floors. But you could. Wash my floors, or yours, that is. Dilute and use on your hair as a detangler instead of conditioner. If you want to smell like potato salad. (Just kidding. The smell goes away when it dries. Mostly.) You can also mix with baking soda and unclog all that vinegary hair out of your drain, just like a science fair volcano.

4. Lavender & Tea Tree Essential Oils. Few drops of lavender in the tub (yours or baby’s) for some relaxing aromatherapy that’s good for the skin and helps with sleep. Both oils are good for eczema and dermatitis, dandruff and are antiseptic, which means you can use it for baby wipes, and for all that cleaning you’re doing. Mix with oil for a bug repellent.

3. Baking Soda. No, really, I did make deodorant. I lazied it up and just mixed with coconut oil, but it does work. You can use it as a scrub for sinks and showers, too — and your teeth, according to the internet, but I’ll tell you from experience that toothpaste is perhaps best left to the brand names.

2. Dr. Bronners Castile Soap. Use as baby shampoo, body wash for both child and mama, facial cleanser, or mix with water (one part soap, four parts water) to use in your foam soap dispenser. We also mix with water and a couple of drops of lavender & tea tree oil to spray on flannel squares and use as washable baby wipes. It’s less gross than it sounds.

1. Coconut Oil. Use as baby lotion, body lotion, face lotion, hand lotion, massage oil, healing ointment, cradle cap treatment, diaper cream and lip balm (not at the same time). Good healthy fats if you want to cook with it, too! The coconut oil is actually ideal for high heat cooking. You can also make vegan chocolate chip cookies with it, which is probably the best hippie-dippie thing I can think of.

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