Making Substitutions
Don’t have the oil or butter called for in the recipe? Here’s a guide on how to choose a good alternative from what you do have.
What's with the waxes?
Beeswax, carnauba wax, candelila wax, bayberry wax—how are they different? Can you use one instead of another?
Help, I made a mess!
My best tips for cleaning up your DIY messes 🙂
Bandits Oil
Frankly, I'm a bit surprised I don't already have a recipe for, err, "Bandits" oil up here (apparently the more common name is trademarked and the owners aren't shy about threatening bloggers with legal action, which is just charming... hence the different name), and...
Baby Bum Balm
When I posted my diaper creme recipe, Melissa commented to tell me about her recipe, which was basically a herbal salve loaded with , and the idea stuck. So, when a coworker's wife had a squishy little baby girl, I thought it was time to whip up...
Red Tiger Balm Pocket Roller
This fantastic little roller has all the punch of Tiger Balm, but without the greasy carrier oils or the smelly, tingling post-application hands. It's easy to apply at your desk at work (depending on where on your body you need it, I suppose...), and since it has an...
Hemp, Oat, & Shea Eczema Body Butter Bar
This vibrant green Hemp, Oat, & Shea Eczema Body Butter Bar is loaded with eczema conquering goodies. It gets its smokey green scent from the ingredients, so fragrance-sensitive users need not worry. It's also wonderfully easy to apply thanks to the wonderful...
Bee Propolis Tincture
Bee propolis is a wonderful ingredient for your DIY body products, especially when you want to encourage healing. Unfortunately, raw bee propolis looks like clods of dirt, and as such is rather difficult to add to things as is. So, before you can easily add it to...
DIY Mediterranean Wonderbalm
Back in September Carlee got in touch with a request—"Mediterranean Olive Almond & Sage Wonderbalm". I'd never heard of it before. Apparently Boots, the British chemist, makes it. Carlee described it as a deep treatment for dry lips, elbows, and hands, and...
Calendula & Shea Nose Salve
Just as cold and flu season ends, allergy season begins. Great. Thanks, world. Yet another reason to move to a tropical island. In the meantime, though, I suppose I shall have to make do with half of the seasons involving the sniffles at some time or another. I'm...
Essential Oil Headache Eraser
Headaches suck. I tried to think of some fun, interesting interlude to present as an introduction to this recipe, but that is pretty much the gist of my thoughts on headaches. They’ll ruin a good day or a good mood in a heartbeat, with little concern for what you need...
Palm Balm for Rock Climbers & Boo-boos
If you're a rock climber, by now you're well into your spring training regime (though if you live up here in Canada you probably aren't heading out to the mountains quite yet—brr!). And, unless you've been pretty diligent in the climbing gym all winter long, you're...
Quick & Easy Decongestion Oil (Homemade Liquid Vick’s)
I got a cold last month, and I've got another one right now. Ick. Gross. I hate colds. For me, my #1 symptom is a stuffy nose, and the sniffling drives me mad. During the day I have plenty of defences (tissues, nasal rinses, and decongestants), but overnight, well,...
Eczema Salve
When it comes to the vast majority of my DIY endeavors (especially the ones that are supposed to solve some sort of ailment), I'm my one and only guinea pig. That's hardly surprising, I suppose, as I am both cheap and very accessible! Sometimes my friends and family...
Hot Tiger Balm Massage Bar
I made this Hot Tiger Balm Massage Bar just before my first ski trip in two years. Pathetic, I know. I live at the foot of the Canadian Rockies and I work in the outdoor industry, and yet it's been two years since I've hit the slopes. Anyhow, I knew I would suffer for...
36 Hour Burn & Blister Salve
You know you have a DIY problem when you get a blister and your first thought is how to develop some sort of homemade something or other for it to help it heal/give you something to blog about. At least I didn't give myself the blister on purpose... that really would...
Sleepy Time Pillow Spray
I love dropping a bit of lavender essential oil on my pillows at night before I go to sleep, but in drop form you end up with small drops of highly concentrated scent, which manages to be both simultaneously overwhelming and underwhelming, depending on where your...
Soothing Sunburn Lotion
It's getting to be summer! And I have a sunburn! Which I doubt my skin appreciates, but I enjoy how I got it (sitting on a beautiful outdoor patio having thin-crust pizza with a friend). Anyhow, now that it's summer (knock on wood), it's time to make up a batch of my...
Homemade White Tiger Balm
A few weeks ago I went to my acupuncturist (she’s wonderful!), and afterward so gave me some White Tiger Balm for my legs and neck. I’d never tried it before, but it was love at first try. Awesome stuff. All cooling and delightful. The only un-delightful part was the...
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