Preparing for Summer Naturally - Without Breaking the Bank!
About 11 years ago, we completely changed our diet due to food allergies, and thus began the feat of reading labels. Every. Single. Label. (PAINSTAKING...Those of you who have had to do this as well, I give mad props to you! It is no small feat). We increasing our food budget (because we had no choice) and majorly altering our lifestyle. UGH... to be honest, I was completely and utterly overwhelmed with the task! And boy was I in for a shock and surprise when I learned that most of the ingredients in our food were fillers and toxins, devoid of all nutrition. It did get easier, and now I don't even give the scanning a second thought.
While my husband and I were on this journey of learning how to prepare food in a way that actually nourished our bodies, my eyes opened to the other areas in our lives that were less than healthy for us, and were actually harming us! When I learned about the dangers in most mainstream sunscreen (see HERE), I decided I would spend the extra money on a tiny tube of non-toxic sunscreen recommended to be my my naturopath. It was a WONDERFUL sunscreen, but given the fact that our family of 3 at the time is VERY pale and prone to burning in the sun, it would have cost us a fortune to provide protection over the summer alone! No joke- we contemplated buying stock in organic sunscreen, lol. I did a bunch of research and found a recipe that I have found works REALLY well, lasts a really long time, and is overall nourishing for the skin while providing protection from the sun! I make one batch and it lasts me about 2 summers! It is cost effective and convenient as well.
Non-Toxic Homemade Lotion Jars
Ingredients:
1/2 cup shea butter (I buy this)
5 Tbsp beeswax (here)
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp Zinc Oxide (I found it here)
½ tsp Vitamin E oil (can be omitted if you don't have it)
¾ tsp essential oil for scenting the bar (citrus oils increase photosensitivity so do not use those!) I like carrot seed, lavender, and frankincense!
Melt coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter in a double boiler. (If you don't have a double boiler, you can put a Pyrex measuring glass in a pan of boiling water).
Let cool a little bit and add essential oils and zinc.
Stir well. If you want, you can pour into silicone molds, but I just put in small 4 oz mason jars and store in the fridge or pantry.
I purchased the shea butter, beeswax and zinc oxide on amazon- I haven't had to repurchase supplies in over 3 years! So it will last you a very long time
*Need help understanding essential oils? If you have any questions regarding how to find a good quality essential oil, please feel free to comment!
Another one of my favorite summer support products is after-sun spray! We rarely need that thanks to the great coverage of the above sunscreen, but on the occasion that we do need some after sun relief, this recipe is great!
Homemade After-Sun Spray Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup witch hazel
2 tablespoons pure aloe vera gel (try to find some without food coloring)
10 drops of pure lavender essential oil
10 drops of pure peppermint essential oil
4 oz (or larger) spray bottle
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into spray bottle, shake well, and apply generously to skin that needs cooling. Be sure to avoid spraying around the eyes, as it will sting.
To your wellness,
Andrea Jones
