Part I: Top 10 items (& DIY recipes) to have at home for chemical-free, low-cost living

I’ve always been one to encourage use of natural remedies. Mainly for facials & hair masks, but after moving away from home & having to budget massively to survive, I also got pulled into cleaning without chemicals, i.e. saving money not having to buy stain removers to remove wine stains.

For my first ever blog post I decided to share the (first) top 5 items to have at home for natural - chemical free and cost-effective living. This piece will not only give you insight into the use of these items but also the preservation of them (where needed). (Click on bold, blue text for product recommendations off Amazon)

Read, enjoy & please leave feedback if you've tried any of these recommendations - or ideas for more items to add to the list!

TURMERIC

(This one is my personal favourite so it had to go first!) The turmeric plant (curcuma longa) is a herb closely related to ginger. It contains a yellow-coloured chemical called curcumin. It is usually used as a spice in South Asian curries but it also has its medical benefits. The curcumin substance of turmeric is known to be the holder of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This can be used for both, natural healing from sicknesses like the flu, or chesty coughs and to remove blemishes or fight off acne.

SKIN-CARE BENEFITS (FACE MASK): Turmeric is great for facials, it helps to get rid of acne and blemishes as well as reduce dark circles and soothe dry skin.

Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1/2 tablespoon of natural honey (see further down), lime juice, 1 tablespoon of milk/yoghurt or 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and mix it together until you get a nice thick paste. Apply the mask using a clean foundation brush all over your face and neck. Leave the face mask on until you can start to feel it dry up (roughly 15-20 mins). Use warm water to wash off the face mask thoroughly then cold water to finish off your face wash. Then apply your daily moisturiser. Remember do not leave it on for too long or add too much turmeric powder or you’ll end up looking like a simpson for the rest of the day. I would recommend repeating this once every 10 days to see results.

Turmeric can also be used on your body! It helps to reduce stretch marks, skin lightening and reduce hair growth. Ever feel conscious about having dark underarms? Why not try a turmeric paste for your underarms which will help lighten it as well as reduce the hair growth! Remember with these remedies you will need to give it some time and be consistent.

SKIN-CARE BENEFITS (EYE MASKS):

Turmeric, mixed with a few other ingredients, can create a great eye mask to use at home to reduce pigmentation, puffiness and wrinkles around the eyes.

Mix together ¼ avocado (mashed and chilled), 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of lactic acid (buttermilk). Once you’ve mixed your concoction together you should get yourself a nice sticky paste that you can spread onto a cotton pad and leave it on your eyes for 25-30 mins. Try this once every other day for 10 days and you’ll start to see a difference.

TEETH WHITENING:

It sounds a bit scary, putting turmeric on your teeth, but it actually works to whiten your teeth when mixed with coconut oil (see next post for more on benefits of coconut oil). The abrasive nature of turmeric also helps with oral health and dental pains.

Mix together 1 teaspoon of turmeric and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil at room temperature. You should get yourself an yellowish-orange paste ready to apply to your teeth. Get yourself a toothbrush (separate to the one you use daily) and brush the paste onto your teeth in circular motion. Leave it on for 5 minutes, then rinse it out. You can then brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste to leave your mouth feeling fresh. I would recommend repeating this once a week to see results.

WHITE VINEGAR

Vinegar is an amazing nontoxic cleaner, but white vinegar has proved to be the most preferred product for green cleaning. This was one of the amazing discoveries I made after moving abroad to live alone for 2 years. A lot of you are probably familiar with using white vinegar in your cooking; poaching eggs, baking or marinading. However, white vinegar came to my attention when I had a terrible red wine stain to remove off my cream sofa - see the mixing process below. You can also use white vinegar to clear clogged pipes and combine it with baking soda to remove plaque from your retainers! If you have enough storage space I would recommend purchasing a 5 litre bottle: Golden Swan Distilled White Vinegar.

CLEANING WITH WHITE VINEGAR: Using white vinegar you can make an all-purpose disinfectant by simply mixing it with water. You can store this in an empty spray bottle for quick use in emergencies. Remember to label the bottle.

Mix white vinegar and water in the ratio 2:1 (⅔ cup white vinegar and ⅓ cup water for example). You can increase the concentration of white vinegar for stronger cleaning jobs.

This mix can be used on wine/food stains or to clean hardwood floors and leave it with a shine. For flooring make sure the vinegar concentration is kept to a minimum to prevent any damage!

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar is another ingredient which is not only used in cooking, but in cleaning, washing hair and improving skin function. A dose a day is also known to help reduce fat and increase metabolism (mixed with water). Here's one that you can purchase off Amazon: Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar 1L

SKIN CARE BENEFITS (See turmeric post above for use of ACV in face masks to help keep skin clear and acne free) I have personally used ACV during break-outs & seen great results:

Wash your face and make sure it’s clear of any products. Mix equal parts water and ACV in a bowl. Then soak the cotton pads in the mix and dab it on your skin. Repeat dabbing on break-out areas. Leave it overnight. You’ll find that in the morning the spots will have reduced. Remember if it is a breakout you may have scarring - so maybe use the face mask recommended above twice a week to help get rid of scars over time.

WEIGHT LOSS & HEALTH BENEFITS: ACV has its benefits as an ingredient, but more recently people have been recognising it for its health benefits too. It has been proven to tackle health issues such as: controlling insulin levels, preventing cancer and increasing energy. The use of ACV has become increasingly popular to tackle weight loss. However, people consuming ACV with any health issues must consult a doctor before doing so. There are also some negative side effects so the method of consumption is key.

Important: Due to the highly acidic nature of ACV, it must be diluted with water first and consumed through a straw, or it could cause tooth enamel erosion. Mix 1 tablespoon of ACV with 1 cup of water & drink with a straw (some prefer luke warm water). Do this on an empty stomach first thing in the morning everyday and you should start to feel a lot lighter after 10 days.

NOTE: You can search other recipes for ACV if it still tastes unpleasant for you - but mixing it into your diet routine can definitely help you see results!

TACKLING BODY ODOUR: Apple cider vinegar also has been proven to be a tool to tackle body odour. It’s acidic nature raises the pH of your skin to create less odour and neutralises the smelly bacteria in your underarms.

Mix equal parts water and ACV in a bowl. Soak 2 cotton pads and apply onto each underarm like a sheet mask. Leave on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with water. I would recommend repeating this once a week to see results.

HAIR CARE: Not surprised that ACV can also be used on your hair, to clear your scalp and bring back shine. I would recommend this mix for people who have had dandruff or dry hair issues. Again a mix is crucial here to prevent any damage.

Mix water and ACV in the ratio 3:1 (¾ water and ¼ ACV) in a spray bottle. You can also add a few drops of 100% Pure Cedarwood Essential Oil. Then starting from your scalp at the front, work your way down to the bottom of your hair spraying the mix and rubbing it in. Try and make sure you have enough mix to finish in one session. Then leave it in for 5 mins before washing out thoroughly with your regular shampoo. Once your hair is washed and dried you will see that you have a cleaner scalp, as well as more volume and shine in your hair. Once a month is enough for you to see results.

RETAINER CLEANER: By using white vinegar to clean your retainer you can get rid of calcium deposits and tartar build up. See below for another retainer cleaning mix using baking soda.

Mix together equal amounts of white vinegar and luke warm water in a small bowl. Soak your retainer in the mix for 20 minutes! You can then use your retainer cleaning toothbrush to scrub any residue off.

RAW HONEY

There is no doubt that raw honey has more health benefits than regular honey. In short, the health benefits of honey come from its antioxidants and enzymes, these can be lowered with commercial honeys since they are processed. Raw honey can also be consumed in replacement of normal honey - for example used as a dip or with dressing.

Manuka honey is a highly recommended raw honey, promoted by health professionals all around the world. It has been proven to have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. It can be used for healing wounds, promoting oral health and improving digestive issues. The catch is that Manuka honey is quite expensive. It originates from New Zealand and is sold with different proportions of MGO. This is one that I recently purchased off amazon: Nelson Honey New Zealand Manuka Honey (100+) 250g. If you already know the benefits of Manuka honey and wish to go for a higher MGO rating, I'd recommend this product: Manuka Health MGO 550+ Manuka Honey, 500 g

NOTE: Raw honey should never be given to an infant less than a year old, since it can carry harmful bacteria which will largely impact infants.

HEALTH BENEFITS: Since I’m writing this blog post while in self-isolation due to the spread of the Coronavirus, it is crucial that I mention the health benefits of honey which can help cure a sore throat during cold/flu symptoms.

Mix a cup of hot water with a tablespoon of honey and combine it with a slice of lemon (squeeze the lemon juice into the cup first, before letting it soak in the water). Some people also like to add ginger to this mix or let a tea bag soak in for a few seconds (a dash of turmeric with some black pepper can also help - see above for its healing properties) This natural remedy will soothe your throat in no time!

SKIN BENEFITS: Raw honey helps balance the bacteria on your skin, which makes it great to use in face masks (see above for face mask ingredients), but you can also use raw honey scrub on your lips to make them naturally pink again. To do this you will also need some brown sugar.

Mix together 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Remove the dry skin off your lips by lightly rubbing a toothbrush against it. Then apply the scrub onto your lips by rubbing it on your lips a circular for about a minute. Leave it on for a few minutes before washing it off. Keep the mix in a small container to repeat the process every 2-3 days.

LIP SCRUB:

One of my personal favourite uses of raw honey. Ever feel like your lips are getting darker and you’re slowly losing the natural blush pinkness of it? Fear no more. Make some natural home-made lip scrub to use and you’ll start to see a change.

Mix together 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of raw honey, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon powder & 3 drops of vanilla oil (just to add some flavour). You should get yourself a scrub like textured paste which you can store away in a small tub to repeat the process every other day. Once the mixture is ready, take a little on your fingers and scrub into your lips in a circular motion for 30 seconds, then wash it off. Keep repeating this 3-4 times a week and you’ll start to see your lips come back to life!

Keeping hydrated throughout the day is another way to keep your lips pink and fresh. Recommended amount is 2 litres a day!

The great thing about raw honey used on your face or lips, is that you can never have too much of it. A daily dosage of honey in your skin/lip care routine and you’ll start to see a difference. Consistency is key!

BICARBONATE SODA

Bicarbonate soda also known as baking soda has been commonly known for its use in cooking, specifically baking. However if used correctly it can also be a more cost-efficient and chemical way of keeping your home (and teeth) clean and odour free! Bicarbonate soda can be used to clean those extra greasy dishes, or get rid of that foul smell in your fridge (just by leaving a pot in there for a few days to absorb the odour). It’s a great item to have at home & can be stored away in the kitchen for a very long period of time. Best thing is that it's cheap but can be used for so many DIY moments around the house & for yourself. Here's the one I'd purchased most recently - 1kg for just 4 quid: Wholefood Earth Sodium Bicarbonate Baking Soda 1kg

TEETH WHITENING:

Bicarbonate soda’s alkalinity allows it to help eliminate tooth discolouration by removing plaque on the tooth’s surface.

Mix 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate soda and 1 tablespoon of water. Once you get yourself a nice thick paste you can take a different toothbrush and start brushing your teeth with it for approximately 1-2 minutes. You can then use water to gargle and remove residue. If you do this every other day you will start to see your teeth whiten naturally.

RETAINER CLEANER:

Previously we’d seen how white vinegar can act as a retainer cleaner when mixed with water. As well as whitening teeth, bicarbonate soda can also remove yellow discolouration from retainers. Since it controls bacteria without harsh chemicals, bicarbonate soda can prevent a retainer from developing pH balances that could harm the mouth.

Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with ½ tablespoon water. You are trying to create a paste that is thick enough to stick to the retainer. Then take a toothbrush (set aside for cleaning your retainer) and gently scrub the retainer with the paste. Then use water to thoroughly remove residue.

Disclaimer: As with any skin care regimen, always do a test patch first to see if your skin is allergic to any of the ingredients. Results can vary from person to person. Please discontinue use if your skin does not react well to the regimen.

That’s all for now. Click here to read the next post which will include 5 more amazing items you can have at home to live a low-cost, chemical free life. Please leave a comment or feedback.