The Oil-Cleansing Method
I started using a pricey acne fighting method (seen on TV) about two months ago to try to help clear up some acne scars that I had from the random pimples that came my way. My skin is not really acne prone, but when it came, they were big and bad. So for two months, I used this stuff, but didn't have the "fabulous" results they boasted about on the TV. Their gentle cleanser was apparently too gentle to even clean my face. When I used the toner, there was tons of dirt on the cotton ball. I thought the cleanser would have taken care of most of that??
I found the following link on Pinterest about the Oil Cleansing Method, read a little more about it, and figured I didn't have anything to loose. You can read about it here: The Oil Cleansiing Method via SimpleMom.com.
After two weeks I'm totally sold on it! The pimples on your cheeks are usually the hardest to eliminate and that's where I had the most issues. The pimples have not yet gone away, but they are flatter and less red. When a new one does come, it is usually down again less than two days later. I can say it works because while using it, I did not adjust my diet, because I know that can play a part in your skin's health also...
So... if you are tired of your commercial cleanser not giving you results or you are just wanting to try something new... give this a try... its is relatively cheap. Like all home remedies you have to give it time and be sure to know what kind of skin you have. If you are unsure... start with the 50/50 blend. I do it once a day with a little witch hazel as an occasional toner.
Home-Made Laundry Detergent
Again, got the idea off of Pinterest. Most of the recipes are the same basic ingredients: 1 bar of soap (I used Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile), 1 cup of Borax, 1 cup of Washing Soda (found mine at Harris Teeter), and 2 gallons of water.
Put one gallon of water into a large (2.5 - 3 gallon) pot and put on high to start warming. Shred the soap into the pot or onto a large piece of wax paper. The smaller the shavings, the better, but I wouldn't go too small. Deposit the shavings to the water and wait for them to melt. When melted, add the borax and the washing soda. Let it come to a boil and then turn down the heat and stir constantly to make sure it is all melted and incorporated together. When everything is "mixed" then turn off the heat and add another gallon of COLD water. Once the mixture is cool enough, use a filter to put it into the gallon jugs or some other container.
You might find that the mixture bubbles up, so keep your pot holders on standby to lift it off the burner if needed. The original recipe says that the mixture will congeal as it boils, but I didn't really see that happening. It congealed after it cooled, but not by much. If you're fine with a runny mixture, then the above portions are fine. If you want more consistency, add more soap shavings. Beware though, you may get snot like soap, but it works just as well. I'm guessing that if you want more smell, you can use some essential oils, but just be careful with them. Dr. Bronner's makes a variety of smells. The peppermint smell is faint in the clothes, but mostly I like that they smell clean.
