Body & Foot Deodorants

1) Add a few cups of tomato juice to the bathwater, soak for at least 15 minutes. This is an old, well known remedy for deodorizing pets and people who have been sprayed by a skunk. . . if it works on that odor, any other body odors are a piece of cake.

2) Add an infusion of parsley to the bath water as a deodorizer

3) Witch hazel is a very effective deodorant. Simply apply to underarms with cotton balls or gauze.

4) Use 4 tablespoons of baking soda in the bathwater. After bathing and drying, apply baking soda under the arms

5) Apply cornstarch under the arms

6) Apply vinegar under the arms

7) Use pine soap when bathing

8) Wear all cotton clothing that breathes as opposed to synthetic fibers which cause perspiration and retain odors.

9) For problem odor, avoid eating the following strong smelling and choline rich foods which cause body odor when sweated out.

10) Eat fresh parsley daily (when juicing garlic, I always wrap the clove in a bunch of parsley.  So far I have had NO complaints about bad breath)

Cream Deodorant

1/2 ounce cocoa butter
1/2 ounce beeswax
1 Tbsp glycerine
1 Tbsp rosewater
Melt cocoa butter and beeswax slowly in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat, add glycerine and rosewater. Add several drops of one or more of the following deodorizing esssential oils: calendula, coriander, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, rosemary, sage, or thyme. Stir before use if cream seperates.

Herbal Deodorant Powder

2 parts powdered sandalwood (for fragrance and anti-microbal properties)
1 part powdered white oak bark (an astringent)
1 part powdered lovage root (for fragrance)
Pulverize herbs in a blender or food processor until they become a very fine powder. Transfer powder into a clean, dry iron skillet and very lightly pan-roast to set resins and scents. Fill muslin draw-string bags with the powdered herbs, or use handerchiefs tied with a string or ribbon. Pat bags under your arms or on feet.

"No-Sweat" Tea

The following herbs, when brewed and drunk as a tea are reported to reduce perspiration within 2 hours of use with its effects lasting several days:
4 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon dried hops
1 teaspoon stinging nettle
1 teaspoon fresh cut rose petals
1 teaspoon fresh or dried strawberry leaves
1 teaspoon fresh walnut leaves
3 tablespoons of dried sage leaves
Combine all ingredients, cover and steep for an hour. Strain and sweeten with honey if desired.

Radish Deodorant

Extract the juice from about 2 dozen radishes, add 1/4 teaspoon of glycerin. Pour into a squirt bottle and keep refrigerated. Squirt under arms after a bath or pour some into the palm of your hand and rub under the arms. 

Stick Deodorant

4 ounces cornstarch
2 ounces baking soda
1 ounces liquid chorophyll
2 ounces vodka
2 ounces distilled water
8 ounces beeswax
10-15 drops of honeysuckle, rose, coriander or essential oil of your choice.
Mix all ingredients except wax and chorophyll in a bowl, stir thoroughly. Melt wax in top of a double boiler over very low heat, remove from heat. Add the other ingredients and blend well. If the wax thickens too much to be workable, heat again. As the mixture begins to cool, but before it hardens, add the liquid clorophyll and essential oils. Pour into molds. Let harden. Remove from molds. Store in a tightly closed container away from heat to avoid shrinkage.

Turnip Deodorant

Apply the juice of fresh raw turnips under the arms

Deodorizing Foot Bath

Soak the feet in the following solution:
1/2 cup white vinegar
5-6 Tbsp Epson salts
1 gallon warm water

Sage Foot Bath

Soak your feet in a bowl of warm/hot water with 2 drops of essential oil of sage every day for a week.

Pine Foot Bath

For foot odor, bathe the feet in a mixture of witch hazel and essential oil of pine

Sage Foot Deodorant

Pulverize some dried or fresh sage, sprinkle the powder into shoes before wearing.

Sage Deodorizing Foot Powder

1 tablespoon of baking powder
2 drops of Sage essential oil
Mix baking powder and oil in a plastic bag, shake well. Allow to dry. Break up any clumps that may have formed. Dust feet regularly with the powder and add a teaspoon in the shoes overnight.

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Tooth, Gum & Breath Care

Breath Fresheners

1) Chew fresh parsley to sweeten the breath.
2) Chew fennel seeds to freshen the breath.
3) Chew anise seeds to freshen the breath.
4) Chew a few peppermint or spearmint leaves or drink a cup of peppermint tea
5) Add 1 drop of myrrh oil to 1 cup of cooled, boiled water. Use as gargle/mouthwash. tea

Old Fashioned Tooth Powder

2 Tbsp dried lemon or orange rind
1/4 cup baking soda
2 Tsp salt
Place rinds in food processor, grind until peel becomes a fine powder. Add baking soda and salt then process a few seconds more until you have a fine powder. Store in an airtight tin or jar. Dip moistened toothbrush into mixture, brush as usual.

Basic Toothpaste

1 Tsp of the Old Fashioned Tooth Powder
1/4 Tsp Hydrogen peroxide
Mix into a paste and brush as usual.

Loretta's Toothpaste

1 Tsp baking soda,
1/4 Tsp hydrogen peroxide
1 drop oil of peppermint
Mix to make a paste, dip toothbrush into mixture, brush as usual.

Lemon Clove Tooth Cleanser

Mix:
Small amount of finely powdered sage
1 ounce of finely powdered myrrh
1 pound powdered arrow root
3 ounces powdered orris root
20 drops oil of lemon
10 drops oil of cloves
12 drops oil of bergamot
Rub oils into the powdered ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

Strawberry Tooth Cleanser

1 Tsp of the above Old Fashioned Tooth Powder
1 Tbsp crushed ripe strawberries
Mix strawberries and powder into a paste and brush as usual.

Vanilla & Rose Geranium Toothpaste

1/2 ounce powdered chalk
3 ounces powdered orris root
4 teaspoons of tincture of vanilla
15 drops oil of rose geranium
Honey, enough to make a paste
Combine all ingredients and mix until you have a paste the consistency you like. Store in an airtight container. Use a clean stick (popsicle) to scoop paste onto brush. Store the stick in same container.

Tooth Care

1) Mash some fresh strawberries and use as you would any other "tooth paste"
2) Using fresh sage leaves, rub over the teeth to clean and whiten.

Rosemary-Mint Mouthwash

2 1/2 cups distilled or mineral water
1 tsp fresh mint leaves
1tsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp anise seeds
Boil the water, add herbs and seeds, infuse for 20 minutes. Cool, strain and use as a gargle/mouthwash. If you wish to make up a larger quantity, double or triple the recipe then add 1 tsp of tincture of myrrh as a natural preservative.

Spearmint Mouthwash

6 ounces water
2 ounces vodka
4 teaspoons liquid glycerine
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel
10-15 drops Spearmint essential oil
Boil water and vodka, add glycerine and aloe vera gel. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly. Add spearmint oil, shake well. Pour into bottle, cap tightly.
(Recipe By: Wendy Robbins)

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From Kitchen Cosmetics