Make your own toiletries?

[Little Star]

For a very long time people did just that!

These toiletry recipes come from The Project Gutenberg's The Whitehouse Cookbook (1887), by Mrs. F.L. Gillette.

Here’s a sample:

HAIR WASH.
One penny's worth of borax, half a pint of olive oil, one pint of boiling water.
Pour the boiling water over the borax and oil; let it cool; then put the mixture into a bottle. Shake it before using, and apply it with a flannel. Camphor and borax, dissolved in boiling water and left to cool, make a very good wash for the hair; as also does rosemary water mixed with a little borax. After using any of these washes, when the hair becomes thoroughly dry, a little pomatum or oil should be rubbed in to make it smooth and glossy—that is, if one prefers oil on the hair.

There are some pretty good free food recipes in the cookbook too. A free recipe book is a good thing, no? If nothing else it's free entertainment.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13923/13923-h/13923-h.htm#Page_577

[Kaleva]

1. Here are the recipes I use for mouthwash and fabric softener

Mouthwash

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to every cup of water. I use a Planters Peanuts glass jar which holds 3 cups.


Fabric softener

6 cups water
3 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner

Next time I make the fabric softener, I'm going to mix the water and vinegar in a pot and heat it to near boiling on the stove before adding the hair conditioner because it took me a long time to get the conditioner to thoroughly mix by slowly string it in cold water and vinegar.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. I wonder how much is "one penny's worth of borax".

I love old "how to" books. Also have some medical books from the late 1800's that are a riot.

[roody]

3. I love Weleda spray deodorant

which costs $13 for 3.4 oz. I finally got wise and mixed rubbing alcohol with a small amount of essential oil and the product is as good as Weleda.

[AnneD]

4. My laundry detergent....

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1 cup grated soap of choice

I grate my soap on a fine grate. You can use Ivory or what ever is on sale or what fragrance of soap you like. I let the soap dry out before I use it as it seems to mix better. My last batch was made with hard milled french lavender soap and has been the best batch ever.

I put it in a big bowl and mix it thoroughly. Store in an airtight container. I use about two tablespoons of soap to load (I use a measuring container from a concentrated soap box). It is low sud sing so don't think your clothes are not getting cleaned.

I can find the ingredients at my local Kroger with the other detergents so I don't think it is that hard to find. I think last time I totaled the cost, it was about 12 cents a load, but trust me...I save so much money I will never go back.