eco friendly DIY

once i moved out on my own; well for one i was broke, and two i learned a lot about my space, myself, and what i was and was not willing to spend my hard earned money on.

some of you may know these hacks, but if you don't, here are some of my favorite ways to save energy, save money, recycle, and get clean

coffee scrub:

instead of just tossing those used coffee grinds after making your morning joe, put them in a little container. i like to keep the glass containers my candles come in, and use those to put my used coffee in. candles typically come with tops, that i store aside specifically so i can use the jar once i've burned up the candle. coffee scrub is a great exfoliator, i also mix mine with coconut oil to shave my legs instead of buying shaving cream

sugar scrub:

i prefer coconut crystals but any sugar will work great in a scrub! I've used turbinado (raw) sugar a bunch of times as well. the larger the crystal the more exfoliating the scrub. add some coconut oil and essential oils (i prefer peppermint) and you've got yourself an inexp, organic DIY body scrub.

for peppermint scrub try:

½ c. plus 2 Tbsp. sugar  ¼ c. coconut oil (liquid) 20 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

cleaning solutions

a great deal of multipurpose sprays + wipes contain decyl glucoside, glycerin, sodium lauryl sulfate, and more; often times derived from unsustainable palm-oil. but thankfully there are some easy, budget friendly, and eco friendly ways to create your own! 

toilet bowl cleaner:

most store brands have so many chemicals that are bad for you to breath in, plus they tend to be a little expensive. A Cultivated Nest has a great DIY that utilized citrus fruit (just keep the peel from your orange) and some essential oils to get the insides of your bowl sparkling 

for the rest of your cleaning needs? i always keep the peels of citrus fruits: lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, and mix them with white vinegar in a spray bottle. i let it sit for about a week and then use it to clean all my floors, countertops, you name it! safe for my animals and for me! 

window | glass cleaner:

All You blog has a recipe for window and glass cleaning solution that i've tried and LOVED as well.

it costs about 29 cents to make too...

laundry detergent:

you could DIY, there are a ton of options online to try out, I haven't found any I personally like BUT i did stumble across UnEarth Malee that offers a palm oil free detergent that i swear by.

mask it out: hair + face masks

coconut oil: 

incase you are new to my blog, i am a HUGE advocate of using just plain coconut oil on the ends of my hair (personally i never put it close to my scalp) as a hair mask overnight.. but here are a few other masks for your hair and skin that are life-changing and much less expensive than even those drug store brands

Avocado, Banana and Honey Face Mask: 

½ mashed avocado,  ½ mashed banana, and 1 teaspoon of honey

Honey, Essential Oil and Almond Oil Mask:

2 tablespoons of raw, unfiltered honey with 2 tablespoons almond oil and 2 drops of 100 percent pure essential oil—my faves are rose, lavender, and lemon.

Tomato Mask to remove impurities:

combine 1 ripe tomato, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of oatmeal until a paste is formed.

makeup remover

4 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of melted (cooled) coconut oil. Seriously... that's it. you're welcome.

healing by way of plants 

Turmeric:has antibacterial and antiseptic characteristics that can help in fast healing of wounds. after thorough cleaning of the wound, pat dry the area before you sprinkle a small amount of turmeric on the wound. 

Honey:provides a humid healing environment. It rapidly reduces inflammation and it clears infection. this is why honey is used to treat wounds and burns through-out history.

Aloe: acts as an analgesic, acting to help relieve pain of wounds. it is great for applying topically to burns, abrasions, psoriasis and even to bug bites