Simple Recipes
If you're planning to branch out to some slightly more complex recipes, but don't want to fuss with things like surfactants, these recipes are for you. There are some emulsifiers and preservatives, but I've tried not to list anything that needs a bunch of fancy ingredients to work. Happy making!Making Substitutions
What's with the waxes?
Help, I made a mess!
Chocolate Sugar Scrub Nuggets
The first thing I should get out of the way in regards to these Chocolate Sugar Scrub Nuggets is this: please don't eat them. You will be sorely tempted, and I'm guessing they probably don't taste all that bad. After all, they are mostly cocoa butter and sugar, and...
Winter Solstice Face Cream
I've had a lot of requests for a straight-up face cream, but for some reason or another, I haven't really strayed into that territory too much until now. That's mostly because I adore oil-based serums; my skin loves their potency, and when a serum is 100% oil based...
Winter Wonderland Body Lotion
Ok, so you know how some people get "hangry"? They get all kinds of cranky and irritable when they're hungry, sometimes leading their loved ones to carry around granola bars to avoid their low blood sugar induced wrath. I think there is a dry skin version of "hangry"....
Winter Wonderland Lip Gloss
This soft, sparkly Winter Wonderland lip gloss has a lovely champagne hue in the tube, but goes on sheer with a hit of shimmer and a hint of sparkle. It's also a bit thicker than some of my previous lip glosses, as per some reader requests, meaning it sticks around...
Orange Wax Cleansing Balm
I have to admit I'm pretty taken with orange wax these days. Its name is a bit deceiving—it isn't waxy in the slightest. In fact, it feels a lot like water on the skin despite being oil soluble. Orange wax is the wax pressed from orange peels, and it smells utterly...
Cranberry Clay Facial Scrub
As the days get drier, I am loving this soft, silky cranberry clay facial scrub that's lightly studded with wee bits of bashed-up cranberry seeds for a touch of exfoliation. It has a low, creamy lather that leaves your skin glowing, gently buffing away any dead, dry...
Relaxing Lavender Bath Milk Concentrate
A few weeks ago I was scrolling through Instagram, and happened to notice a post from Lisa Eldridge (she's probably my favourite makeup artist, she's incredible!). She shared a shot of this lavender bath milk, along with "So happy to get my mitts on this divine milky,...
Thin Mints Bath Melts
As the snow arrives (sadly I'm not kidding, it snowed here all last weekend!), hot baths quickly become one of my favourite ways to warm up and wind down. A good pumpkin ale, some Scrubs on my iPad, and I'm a happy lady. If that bath smells like cookies and leaves my...
Moraine Lake Body Lotion
I love few things more than the scent of the forest floor in the sun in the Canadian Rockies. A few weeks ago we took a trip out to Moraine Lake—one of the most famous lakes in the world. You might not know it by name, but you know the view; it's incredibly famous....
Pumpkin Shimmer Lip Gloss
It's still two days until it's "technically" autumn, but Calgary clearly missed that memo—our trees have been turning since late August. Along with coarsely knit knee socks, my scarf collection, and this awesome jacket that I bought on sale in May and haven't had a...
Soothing Oat Bath and Body Oil
This soothing oat bath and body oil was born from a recipe request from Claudia, who loves Aveeno's Skin Relief Shower and Bath Oil. She said that it was fantastic for dry winter skin and even helped with her son's eczema. Taking a look at the ingredients, first first...
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lotion
To me, macadamia nuts will forever evoke memories of Hawaii. I was last there with my family when I was seventeen, and I remember picking up a bag of some chocolate covered macadamia nuts in the airport on our way home. Those nuggets of chocolatey goodness were...
Deodorizing Yoga Mat Spray
I've been stepping up my yoga game over the last year or so, and I'm thrilled to notice I've gotten stronger and more flexible, and can now do a few things I thought were impossible a year ago. As I've gained muscle mass, though, it would seem my yoga mat has started...
Hydrating Rose Water Everything Spray
The idea for this Hydrating Rose Water Everything Spray came from watching a makeup tutorial on YouTube. Wayne Goss was chatting about how using a rose water/glycerin mist in combination with powdered mineral makeup let him wear loads of it and still have it look...
Soothing Aloe Pit Toner
If you suffer from itchy, irritated pits whenever you use powered homemade deodorants, you are going to love this soothing aloe pit toner. It's a lightly acidic, soothing toner that helps pH correct your armpits so the basic nature of [sv...
Silken Rose and Green Tea Lotion
I've had this Silken Rose and Green Tea lotion on my to-make list for ages, and thought it was high time I moved it from the "to-do" list to the "done" list! Everything about it seemed like a good idea; healing aloe, moisturizing silk and honey, calming rose, and...
Two-in-One Creamy Hair Conditioner
Ever since I started publishing creamy hair conditioner recipes a few months ago, readers have been asking about the possibility of including some vinegar in the water part of the emulsion to create a two-in-one conditioner that eliminates the need for a separate...
Natural Dry Shampoo Spray
I've been watching lots of hair tutorials on YouTube lately, and I can't help but notice how many of them use dry shampoo to achieve a bit of added texture and volume for updos. So, a few weeks ago when I was wandering the aisles of Costco a pack of Batiste dry...
Creamy Clay Cleansing Balm
This rich, gentle creamy clay cleansing balm is a hybrid between a cleansing balm and a clay bar. It pairs the cleansing powers of emulsifying wax and clay with nourishing oils to leave your skin gently cleansed and lightly hydrated. It also smells a bit like a...
Creamy Lavender Meadow Bath Melts
Love a hydrating, relaxing bath? These Creamy Lavender Meadow Bath Melts are about to become your favourite thing. These little nuggets of cocoa-shea goodness quickly melt into your hot bath, leaving your with a lavender scented tub of water to soak away your worries...
Restorative Hydrating Hair Conditioner
Perhaps you are thinking "but Marie, didn't you just publish a hair conditioner recipe?". And you wouldn't be wrong—it's barely been a month. But I am smitten. I love my Olive & Jojoba Silk Hair Conditioner. I've been asking coworkers to touch my hair to prove how...
Black Soap and Citrus Cleansing Balm
This Black Soap and Citrus Cleansing Balm looks like a green smoothie, which is definitely a bit weird. I wasn't expecting that at all when I measured everything out and got it melting, and then voila—green smoothie cleansing balm! It even smells pretty appetizing,...
Lady London Fog Body Lotion
This silky soft Lady London Fog Body Lotion is inspired by the London Fog latte—Earl Grey tea steamed with vanilla syrup and milk. This lovely lotion has notes of tea, bergamot, and vanilla, with an added note of rose for a slightly sweeter, more delicate experience....
Olive and Jojoba Silk Conditioner
This recipe for Olive and Jojoba Silk Conditioner was inspired by a request from Nick, who says "Came across your website and it's great. Despite being the manliest of men I do like the finer things in life and the rubbish mass produced stuff from the high street just...
