Originally, castile soap was an olive oil based soap made in the Castile region of Spain. Today, “castile” refers to any soap that is made from vegetable oil rather than animal fat and synthetic substances. Liquid castile soap is natural, biodegradable, and versatile product with numerous effective applications. I know 12 great uses for castile soap, are there any I missed? I would love to hear your ideas!

1. Hand soap and everyday body-washing. Get wet and pour 2-3 drops of soap onto hands or washcloth. Lather up, scrub down, rinse off, and tingle fresh and clean.

2. Shampoo

Castile soap shampoo recipe 1:

• 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 tsp olive, grapeseed or jojoba oil
• ~5 drops essential oil of your choice

Dissolve the soap in the hot water. Stir in the oils. Enjoy your new natural shampoo.

Castile soap shampoo recipe 2:

• 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 tsp olive, grapeseed or jojoba oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Whip until smooth. Use immediately and put any leftovers into the refrigerator and use the next day or two.

3. Baby bath
Pour 1/4 cup of liquid castile soap in running water for a natural, gentle, and safe baby bath. As with any baby wash, be sure to keep it out of baby eyes.

4. Bubble bath
Luxurious castile soap bubble bath recipe:

• 1/2 – 1 cup liquid castile soap
• 5-8 drops essential oil of your choice
• 2 ounces of coconut oil

Pour the bubble bath mix into the running bath water. Relax!

5. Shaving

6. Pet shampoo

7. Laundry
Use 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for one regular load. Adding a dash of baking soda makes it even better.

8. Household cleaner

1 part castille soap to 40 parts water for light cleaning, 1 part castille soap to 10 parts water for heavy duty cleaning.

9. Dishwashing detergent
Natural automatic dishwasher detergent recipe:

• 1/2 cup liquid castile soap
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup white vinegar

Blend all ingredients together. Store in a squirt top bottle. Use 2 tablespoons per load of dishes, shake well before use.

10. Veggie/fruit wash

11. Toothpaste. I’ve heard that pure liquid castile soap can be used for brushing your teeth! Has anyone tried this?

12. Backpacking. Because castile soap is so versatile and biodegradable you can take one small bottle with you and use it for everything without fouling up the environment.

Think twice about what you’re rubbing into your skin or scalp if your products include any of the following ingredients:

1. Cocoamide DEA (diethylalomine) TEA, MEA,– detergent in most shampoos, moisturizers and more Studies also show that DEAs (including cocamide DEA) directly inhibits fetal brain development in laboratory studies by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance.

2. Propilene Glycol - industrial antifreeze – in deodorant, shampoos, shaving gels, and moisturizers.

3. Sodium lauryl sulfate and flouride garage floor cleansers, detergents – in shampoos and toothpastes.

4. Benzaldehyde (in perfume, cologne, hairspray, laundry bleach, deodorants, detergent, Vaseline lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, bar soap, dishwasher detergent).

• Narcotic
• Sensitizer
• Local anesthetic
• CNS depressant
• Irritates the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract
• Causes nausea and abdominal pain
• May cause kidney damage

5. Benzyl acetate (in perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, soap, hairspray, bleach, after shave, deodorants)

• Carcinogenic
• Linked to pancreatic cancer
• Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects

6. Benzyl alcohol (in perfume, cologne, soap, shampoo, nail enamel remover, air freshener, laundry bleach and detergent, Vaseline lotion, deodorants, fabric softener)

• Irritates the upper respiratory tract
• Causes headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and drop in blood pressure
• CNS depressant
• Death in severe cases from respiratory failure

7. Ethanol (in perfume, hairspray, shampoo, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, laundry detergent, shaving cream, soap, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, nail color and remover, paint and varnish remover)

• Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list
• Irritates the eyes and upper respiratory tract
• Causes initial stimulatory effect followed by drowsiness, impaired vision and ataxia
• Causes central nervous system disorder

8. Ethyl acetate (in after shave, cologne, perfume, shampoo, nail color, nail enamel remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid)

• Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste List
• Narcotic
• Irritates the eyes and respiratory tract
• May cause headache and narcosis
• May cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to the liver and kidneys

9. Linalool (in perfume, cologne, bar soap, shampoo, hand lotion, nail enamel remover, hairspray, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, bleach powder, fabric softener, shaving cream, after shave, solid deodorant)

• Narcotic
• Causes respiratory disturbances in some cases leading to death
• Causes central nervous system disorder

10. Methylene Chloride (in shampoo, cologne, paint and varnish remover)

• Banned by the FDA in 1988
• Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list
• Carcinogenic
• Causes headaches, irritability, fatigue and tingling in the limbs
• Causes central nervous system disorder

Are you sure that organic cosmetics is safer than the conventional varieties? Not necessarily. When shopping for organic cosmetics there are specific ingredients that should not be on the label. These are:

11. Grapefruit Seed Extract. It derives its antimicrobial properties not from grapefruit seed, but from toxic chemicals, primarily benzethonium chloride, and to a lesser extent from triclosan and parabens.

12. Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is toxic to the immune system and can cause dermatitis and other allergic reactions.

13. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein. Anytime you see something that is hydrolyzed there is a hidden source of MSG that is absorbed into your bloodstream when it comes in contact with your skin.

14. PEG – Studies have shown that any ingredient that contains PEG in its name can be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane.

Unfortunately, these hazardous chemicals are going to remain quite legal in the use of personal care products for many years to come, as manufactures care about their convenience and profit, not about your health. But you do not have to expose yourself to toxic chemicals! Protect yourself by learning the truth about the products that you use (you can find a lot of useful info at Cosmeticsdatabase), and switch to products made with safer ingredients.

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!”

Audrey Hepburn’s favorite beauty tips that she often quoted in public were written by Sam Levenson. Levenson wrote “Time Tested Beauty Tips” for his grandchild. Audrey read it to her children on her very last Christmas Eve.

1. Buy a humidifier. Humidifiers give off get more moisture in the air, which helps prevent your skin from drying out. For best indoor comfort, health, and beauty, a relative humidity of about 45% is ideal.

2. Winter sun, combined with snow glare, can damage your skin.30 minutes before going outside, apply a sunscreen lotion to skin that may be exposed to maintain a good protection from the UV rays. Choose a product that combines oil-based moisturizing cream with sunscreen.
Related post:
How safe is your sunscreen

3. Protect your beauty from the wind and cold: wear scarves, gloves, hats and hoods.

4. Moisturize and protect your lips with natural lip balm with SPF 15 or higher. Don’t lick your lips, as it makes chapped lips even worse.
Related post:
Natural home remedies for healthy and attractive lips

5. Hot water removes the essential oils of the body that maintains the balance of a normal skin. Take warm rather than hot showers and stay in the water a shorter amount of time. As well, wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water.

6. Use a creamy moisturizing cleanser or a mild soap when bathing. Do not rub your skin with a towel, instead, softly pat it dry. Apply moisturize while skin is still damp to seal in moisture.

7. Use moisturizer that’s oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. Moisturizers that come in ointment form contain 80% oil.

8. Avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners, as they strip skin of protective natural oils. Use mild, milky cleansers, toners with no alcohol, and hydrating masks. Pay attention to elbows, hands and feet, which tend to be drier than the rest of the body.
Related posts:
Homemade masks for natural beauty of your skin
Homemade foot care recipes

9. Exfoliate at least once a week using a gentle natural scrub. This will remove dead cells and allow the skin to absorb extra moisture. It’s best to scrub skin when it’s dry.
Related post:
Homemade body scrub recipes

10. Nourish you skin by adding a few drops of jojoba oil or almond oil into your bath.
Related post:
Homemade baths: aromatherapy milk oil and sal bath recipes

11. Hydrate your skin from within by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which are dehydrating.
Related post:
Some more reasons to drink water

12. Avoid blow drier. Hot air dries out your hair and scalp and can irritate your skin as well. If you can’t imagine your life without blow drier, buy ionic ceramic hair dryer.  Ionic ceramic hair dryers offer less blow dryer related damage, and reduce dryness, frizziness, and flyaway hair related to static electricity.
Related posts:
Natural home remedies for damaged hair and dry scalp
Natural homemade shampoo recipes

13. Omega-3 fatty acid may moisturize your body from the inside and soothe super dry skin. Good sources of Omega-3 are: flaxseed oil, walnuts, and cold water oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines.

14. Make sure you get enough vitamins A (can be found in liver, cheese, eggs, cold water oily fish, carrots, red peppers, mango, melon and apricots), C (parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, oranges, lemons, and Brussels sprouts) and E (olive, soya, and corn oil, nuts, seeds, and wheat germ), which are powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals.

15. Exercise regularly. This keeps you fit, stimulates blood circulation and rejuvenates your body!
Related posts:
How to make exercise a habit
Living the active life

8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Metabolism is active.  Great time for beauty care! Clean your skin, moisturize and apply a day cream for your skin type.

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Ideal time for hair care: haircuts, hair color, hairstyling. It is easy to conquer even dry, flyaway hair.

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
The best time for facials! At this time, you are also less sensitive to physical pain: epilation, eyebrow threading, or beauty injections.

9 p.m.
Remove your make-up. Your skin needs relaxation and a breath of fresh air. Prepare a warm relaxing bath. Use a gentle scrub to remove dead skin cells. Apply a night cream.

11 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Regeneration of skin cells and activation of anti-aging processes. Regeneration of cells is eight times more active during deep sleep than during any other time of a day. For the sake of your beauty, go to bed till 11 p.m.

Now, about the time when beauty procedures become almost ineffective:

1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
At this time, your skin is very sensitive and vulnerable. Do not experiment. Wait till 6 p.m.

After 11 p.m.
Have not applied your night cream yet?  Do not waste an expensive product now: your skin is sleeping already, and the cream will be useless.

Health benefits of coconut oil

• Coconut oil strengthens the immune system. It helps in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as influenza, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis and even HIV.
• Virgin coconut oil balances out-of-range cholesterol levels in the body.
• Coconut oil helps reduce risk for heart disease and stroke.
• Coconut oil helps reduce risk of cancer.
• Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar.
• Coconut oil enhances weight loss. Fats contained in coconut oil are easily converted into energy quickly, thus giving it no time at all to accumulate in the body. Coconut oil also speeds up metabolism, and boosts energy and endurance.
• Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing anxiety and stress.
• Coconut oil helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its antioxidant properties.
• Coconut oil helps in improving the digestive system and thus prevents various stomach and digestion related problems. Coconut oil also helps in absorption of important nutrients.
• As coconut oil improves the ability of our body to absorb important nutrients (including minerals, such as calcium and magnesium), it helps in getting strong bones and teeth.
• Coconut oil helps in preventing liver, kidney and gall bladder diseases.

Add coconut oil to your daily diet! It can be a healthy alternative to butter or margarine. It is also ideal for frying foods, as it possesses a high smoking point. Moreover, coconut oil is very stable, and has a long shelf-life.

Coconut oil for a healthy hair
Virgin coconut can give you stronger, shinier and healthier hair.  It strengthens your hair shaft and root, reducing split ends and hair breakage. Coconut oil is the best hair treatment for dry, damaged hair and itchy scalp. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs.

Coconut oil hair treatment recipe:

• Scoop out some coconut oil into a cup. Put the cup in a pot with warm water to melt the oil.
• Pour some of the warm oil into hands and run your fingers through your dry hair.
• Coat your hair with the oil. Use just enough so that the oil will penetrate the hair, without leaving an oily or greasy look. Use more oil at the ends, less in the middle and near the roots.
• Put on a shower cap. For very dry hair, leave the treatment overnight; for oily or normal hair, leave it for an hour.
• Wash out hair with a gentle shampoo. Skip using a conditioner.

• For dandruff treatment, combine coconut oil with two-three drops of tea tree, rosemary, geranium, or cedarwood essential oils.

Coconut oil for a healthy skin
Virgin coconut oils will moisturize and nourish your skin using only its pure natural ingredients, without any preservatives, chemicals or solvents. It improves skin lipid levels, increases hydration, reduces roughness and scaling, and fights viruses and bacteria.

Deep skin moisturizing and conditioning treatment:

• Shower and exfoliate all over your body.
• While still in the shower take some virgin coconut oil and rub between your palms to melt the oil.
• Massage the oil onto your skin.
• After covering your body in coconut oil, rinse off in warm water.
• Step out of the shower and use your towel to gently pat dry your skin. This will leave a nice thin layer of coconut oil on your skin.

Do this treatment right before going to bed, several times a week, and you would not experience any dry itchy skin symptoms – even during the cold dry winter months.

• Virgin coconut oil is safe to use as a facial moisturizer. It does not clog pores. Moreover, it can help reduce acne symptoms.
• Coconut oil is gentle enough to use as eye makeup removal, and it can lubricate the skin for shaving.
• Coconut oil make it a great topical remedy for rosacea, psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and diaper rash.
• Coconut oil makes great massage oil. It is easily absorbed by the skin and promotes healing. It will make your skin soft, shiny, smooth, and mmm… yummy!

Egg shampoo recipe

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp – olive oil, wheat germ oil or almond oil
• 1 tsp – lemon juice
• 1 tbsp – castile soap
• 1/2 cup – water or herbal tea

Blend the ingredients together, wash your hair and rinse well.

Aromatherapy shampoo recipe

• 1 tbsp – castile soap
• 1/2 cup – water
• 5 drops – essential oil.  Choose essential oils according to your hair type:

Dry hair: sandalwood, ylang ylang, lavender essential oils
Normal hair: rosemary, rose, lavender, geranium essential oils
Oily hair: lemon, sage, lemon, tea tree, lavender, geranium essential oils
Dandruff and itchy scalp: rosemary, tea tree, lemon, chamomile, lavender essential oils

Blend the ingredients together, wash your hair and rinse well.

Herbal shampoo recipe

• 1/2 cup – castile soap
• 1 tsp – olive oil
• 1 tbsp – aloe vera juice
• 1/3 cup – herbal infusion

To make an herbal infusion, pour one cup boiling water over a handful of dried flowers (chamomile for blondes, rosemary for brunettes, hibiscus for redheads). Cover, cool and filter. Blend the ingredients, wash your hair and rinse well.

Honey shampoo for dry or damaged hair

• 2 cups liquid castile soap
• 1/2 half cup of honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vitamin E liquid.

Blend well. Wash massaging into the scalp.

For extra shine, add a dash of apple cider vinegar or a couple of drops of pure lemon oil to your final rinse.

Ingredients to avoid

• DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea (toxic contaminants);
• Fragrance and dyes (allergies, cancer, nervous system);
• Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone (allergies, nervous system);
• Parabens or “-paraben” (hormone effects);
• “PEG” and “-eth” (toxic contaminants);
• Sodium lauryl or laureth sulphate (skin damage, toxic contaminants);
• Triclosan and triclocarban (thyroid and environmental concerns);
• Triethanolamine (TEA) (allergies, toxic contaminants).

Products to avoid

• Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA, and BHA acids
• Hair dyes with ammonia, peroxide, p-phenylenediamine, diaminobenzene; all dark permanent hair dyes
• Liquid hand soaps with triclosan
• Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde
• Skin lighteners with hydroquinone

Sunscreens

• Avoid sprays and the ingredient oxybenzone;
• Use 7% or higher zinc oxide or titanium dioxide;
• Avoid added bug repellent.

Children’s products

• Avoid boric acid and sodium borate in diaper cream;
• Avoid 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol in baby wipes;
• Avoid toothpaste with fluoride for children under 2;
• Avoid play makeup like lipstick, perfume, and nail polish.

Download a pocket-sized cosmetics guide: http://www.ewg.org/files/EWG_cosmeticsguide.pdf

For more information, visit: http://cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Dandruff is an extremely annoying skin disorder of the scalp. Dandruff can be a result of hormonal disturbances, faulty diet, emotional stress, an increase in serbum production, or a fungal infection. For a very stubborn case of dandruff, consult your health care provider; otherwise, the following recipes work quite well.

Rosemary softening rinse (Source: Tourles, S. (2007). Organic body care recipes.)
Heady with the heavy, stimulating scent of rosemary, this product gives any hair type luster and body.
4 cups water
½ cup dried rosemary
1 teaspoon borax

Bring the water to boil and remove from heat. Add the rosemary and the borax, stir, cover and allow steeping for 20 minutes. Strain into plastic squeeze bottle, refrigerate. Use as the final rinse after shampooing or simply conditioning. Do not rinse out. Use approximately ½ to 1 cup per application. Please note that this rinse may stain towels.

- Apply plain yogurt to your scalp and leave it for 30 minutes. Then use a regular shampoo.

- Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and spritz it on to your hair and scalp. Cover your head with a towel or a shower cap and leave for about 30-40 minutes. Wash your hair. Repeat 2 times a week until your dandruff goes away.

- Crush 10 aspirin and add them to 1 tablespoon shampoo. Wash hair as usual, massaging the scalp gently. Let the mixture sit for a minute and rinse.

- Instead of shampooing, take a palm full of baking soda and rub it on your wet hair. Wash it off with water.

- Massage your scalp with carrot juice once in a week to cure dandruff.

- A teaspoon of fresh lime juice or cider vinegar added to the final rinsing water after shampooing helps to prevent dandruff.

Now you are ready to wear black

If your hair is dry, damage and has lost its shine, try this revitalizing mask:

• 1 avocado for long (½ for short) hair
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix together until creamy. Apply to hair, cover with plastic shower cap or plastic wrap, and leave for 0,5-1 hour. Rinse, then shampoo and condition hair as normal.

Yogurt mask will bring back the moisture, leaving your hair silky and manageable.

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix the ingredients. Massage into wet hair, cover with plastic shower cap or plastic wrap, and leave for 0,5-1 hour. Rinse, then shampoo and condition hair as normal. Rinse with cold water.

Fruit smoothie will leave your hair nourished and replenished with a beautiful healthy shine.

• 1 banana
• 1/4 cantaloupe
• 1 tbls wheat germ oil
• 1 vitamin E capsule

Blend the ingredients. Apply to hair, cover with plastic shower cap or plastic wrap, and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse, then shampoo and condition hair as normal.

Try to make your own fresh shampoo, using a shampoo base that has been purchased. Peppermint and teat tree shampoo is simple yet effective for really dry problems scalp:

• 2 drops peppermint essential oil
• 2 drops tea tree essential oil
• 4 tbsp shampoo base

Mix the oils thoroughly with the base. Shampoo as usual, leaving the lather in the hair for a few minutes before rinsing