Category: Natural Living

Gentle Baby Soap Recipe

Babies are notorious for spitting up, which usually means their neck rolls can get pretty smelly. Having a gentle baby soap on hand is essential! This easy and quick gentle baby soap recipe can be made in a pinch and kept in the bathroom to make bath time easier. 

The gentle baby soap recipe is great when used for any age, even older kids. The scent and color used in the soap bar are interchangeable, or optional, with whatever you choose to use. When making a gentle baby soap, you can omit the coloring and essential oils if your baby has sensitive skin. If you want to add a fragrance to the soap, Essential oils are great natural scents for soaps. Colored soap is also easy to do, I love adding mica powder to make the soap bar a fun color for my older children. 

Natural Gentle Baby Soap Recipe

Ingredients Used in a Gentle Baby Soap Recipe:

Oatmeal Soap Benefits

Oatmeal is a great addition to any gentle baby soap recipe. Oatmeal is gentle, so it is safe to use on babies, and it is a great natural exfoliant for the skin. It gently exfoliates the dead skin cells which helps to keep skin soft and smooth. This process is so gentle, that oatmeal soap can be used every day. 

Oatmeal soap is also beneficial for soothing skin irritation often caused by eczema or allergies. It is also a great moisturizer, aiding in keeping your skin soft and smooth. To learn more about the benefits of oatmeal soap, check out this article. 

Although there are great benefits to using a goats milk soap base, oatmeal melt and pour soap base is another great option to enhance the benefits of oatmeal soap.

Goat Milk Soap Base Benefits

Goat milk melt and pour soap base is my favorite natural soap base to use for a gentle baby soap recipe. You might be wondering, why is goat milk soap good for your skin? Well, This soap base is very gentle and can offer some great benefits for the skin. Goat milk soap can help gently cleanse the skin, keeping it soft and moisturized, as well as relieving irritation and inflammation on the skin’s surface. 

Essential Oils for Soap Making

Many people often wonder what they can use to scent homemade soap. A great natural option is to use essential oils for soap making. Essential oils are pure, natural scents with no artificial fragrance. When making a gentle baby soap recipe, it is important to not use any artificial fragrance as that can be extremely irritating on the skin. 

Gentle Oatmeal Baby Soap Recipe

Which essential oil is good for soap making?

The short answer to this question is any essential oil. This comes down to preference. Here are a few of my favorite essential oils for soap making:

Essential Oil Blends for Soap Making

Floral

Earthy

Tropical

Citrus

Essential Oil Singles for Baby Soap

Lavender

Bergamot

Blood Orange

Clary Sage

Pink Grapefruit

Tangerine

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Gentle Baby Soap Recipe

How to Make a Gentle Baby Soap Recipe

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Start by creating a double boiler, this is a pot of water, filled 1/3 of the way up, and brought to a boil. Place a glass, heat-safe, bowl on top of the pot of boiling water.
  2. Add soap base to a heat-safe bowl and stir until it has melted.
  3. Once the goat milk soap base has melted completely, turn off the heat and add your remaining ingredients. Stirring continuously until mixed.
  4. Pour into a soap making mold, I use these ones.
  5. Allow the soap to set, usually around 3-4 hours. 

Notes:

Many different soap bases can be used. If you’d prefer to use an oatmeal melt and pour soap base rather than adding actual oatmeal, you can find that here. 

Mica powder is a natural soap coloring, derived from a mineral called muscovite. This is an optional ingredient but it is important to note, that soap will turn brown once dried if there is no coloring added to it. The brown soap is still safe to use as normal, it just does not look pretty. If you would rather use food-grade soap colorants, check this out. 

If your baby or child has sensitive skin, feel free to leave the essential oils out of the gentle baby soap recipe. I like to wait until around 2 months before adding essential oils to baby products. 

Watch the Full Video Tutorial on How to a Make Gentle Baby Soap Recipe:

Print

Gentle Baby Soap Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Start by creating a double boiler, this is a pot of water, filled 1/3 of the way up, and brought to a boil. Place a glass, heat-safe, bowl on top of the pot of boiling water.
  • Add soap base to a heat-safe bowl and stir until it has melted.
  • Once the goat milk soap base has melted completely, turn off the heat and add your remaining ingredients. Stirring continuously until mixed.
  • Pour into a soap-making mold, I use these.
  • Allow the soap to set, usually around 3-4 hours.

Notes

Many different soap bases can be used. If you’d prefer to use an oatmeal melt and pour soap base rather than adding actual oatmeal, you can find that here. 
Mica powder is a natural soap coloring, derived from a mineral called muscovite. This is an optional ingredient but it is important to note, that soap will turn brown once dried if there is no coloring added to it. The brown soap is still safe to use as normal, it just does not look pretty. If you would rather use food-grade soap colorants, check this out. 
If your baby or child has sensitive skin, feel free to leave the essential oils out of the gentle baby soap recipe. I like to wait until around 2 months before adding essential oils to baby products. 
Gentle Baby Soap Recipe

Check out these other products you can make at home!

Homemade Diaper Rash Cream

DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

4 Ingredient Bath Salt Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

Dealing with bugs in the summer is inevitable, especially mosquitos. These little insects love to eat me up all spring and summer. That is why I decided to make my own DIY bug repellent lotion. When using this lotion, I notice a significant reduction in the number of mosquito bites I get when I’m outside, it has been a life saver!

How Do You Make DIY Bug Repellent Lotion?

You might be wondering, what can I put on my skin to keep bugs away? The key to this DIY bug repellent lotion is the essential oils, this is what will help repel the mosquitoes, as well as other bugs. There are a few different essential oils you can use to repel certain bugs, for example, citronella is a great oil to use when you want to repel mosquitoes. 

DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

Essential Oils for Bugs

Citronella

Citronella essential oil is great for repelling mosquitoes. If you have ever purchased a “bug-off” spray from the store, this usually contains artificial citronella fragrance. 

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil is truly one of the most versatile essential oils, especially when it comes to pests. It is one of the strongest natural insect repellents. This essential oil can be effective at repelling ticks, mosquitoes, moths, spiders, you name it. 

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus essential oil is great for repelling mosquitoes. There was a study done in 2014 that showed eucalyptus oil provided more than 95% of protection from mosquitoes for up to 3 hours. *not recommended for use in children under the age of 7.

Shoo Fly Blend

Shoo Fly is a great all-in-one blend to have on hand. This blend combines the citronella and eucalyptus essential oils plus a few others, making it very effective at repelling mosquitoes. 

Kid Safe Shoo Fly Blend

If you plan to use this DIY mosquito repellent lotion on little kids, I recommend using the Shoo Fly ‘Ok for Kids’ Blend because it is has been diluted enough to be deemed kid-safe.

Shea Butter Mosquito Repellent Lotion

Shea butter is my favorite ingredient to use in my homemade lotion recipes. Once melted and solidified, shea butter truly feels like butter on your skin. Although shea butter might feel a bit oily, it is extremely moisturizing for the skin. You can purchase the shea butter I use right here. 

Coconut Oil for Skin

Coconut oil is a versatile ingredient, having benefits when used in the kitchen and your skincare. According to this article, “There are different mechanical and chemical processes that are used to manufacture coconut oil—for use in skincare, unrefined (virgin or extra-virgin) cold-pressed coconut oil is what’s recommended.” This is because when coconut oil is cold-pressed, meaning the oil is removed without the use of heat, the process is thought to retain more of the oil’s nutrients compared to other processing methods.

How to Use DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

Using this lotion is simple, just apply the lotion to areas you find mosquitoes bite you the most. Me, I am often a bit on my legs and arms therefore I always apply the lotion in those places before going outside during the spring and summer.

DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

DIY Bug Repellent Lotion Recipe:

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  • Set up a double boiler on the stove, this is a pot filled 1/3 of the way up with boiling water and a heat-safe bowl placed on top.
  • Once the double boiler is hot, add your shea butter and coconut oil into the heat-safe bowl. Stir continuously until both have melted completely.
  • When the shea butter and coconut oil are melted, turn off the heat. 
  • Add the essential oils and stir until combined.
  • Working quickly, pour the hot mixture into your lotion container, I like using mason jars since they are heat-safe. 
  • Allow the DIY mosquito repellent lotion to set completely on the counter, this will take a few hours if it is hot inside your house. You can also put it in the fridge to set up quickly.
  • Once completely set, take a small dime-size amount of lotion and apply it to your body. A little goes a long way!
  • **Eucalyptus is not recommended to be used on children under the age of 7.
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DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Set up a double boiler on the stove, this is a pot filled 1/3 of the way up with boiling water and a heat-safe bowl placed on top.
  • Once the double boiler is hot, add your shea butter and coconut oil into the heat-safe bowl. Stir continuously until both have melted completely.
  • When the shea butter and coconut oil are melted, turn off the heat.
  • Add the arrowroot powder and essential oils, and stir until combined.
  • Working quickly, pour the hot mixture into your lotion container, I like using mason jars since they are heat-safe.
  • Allow the DIY mosquito repellent lotion to set completely on the counter, this will take a few hours if it is hot inside your house. You can also put it in the fridge to set up quickly.
  • Once completely set, take a small dime-size amount of lotion and apply it to your body. A little goes a long way!

Notes

**Eucalyptus is not recommended for use on children under the age of 7
Natural Insect Repellent for Kids

Want to make a bug repellent candle for your home? Check out this recipe!

DIY Bug Repellent Lotion

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

How to Make Antibacterial Hand Soap with Essential Oils

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by learning how to make antibacterial hand soap with essential oils, don’t be. It is a quick, easy, and inexpensive process that can be done at home. If you’ve ever read the ingredients on a bottle of hand soap from the store, chances are most of the ingredients were unrecognizable to you. Unfortunately, store-bought hand soap can be full of toxic chemicals and artificial fragrances which are absorbed through our largest organ, our skin. 

This recipe makes four bars of soap so you can put it in all of your bathrooms or just save the other bars in a bag and pull one out when needed. The beauty of soap is it doesn’t go bad.

If you want more information on how artificial fragrances are detrimental to our health, read this article. 

Ingredients to Make Antibacterial Hand Soap with Essential Oils

Germ Fighting Essential Oils

The main ingredient in this antibacterial hand soap with essential oils recipe that makes it antibacterial is the essential oils. Many essential oils can be used for germ-fighting, here are a few:

Germ Fighting Essential Oil Blends:

It is important to note some kids may be sensitive to certain essential oils, here are a few generally kid-safe essential oil blends you can use if this soap will be used by children. 

Kid-Friendly Germ Fighting Essential Oil Blends:

Germ Fighting Essential Oil Singles:

Antibacterial Hand Soap with Essential Oils

Shea Butter in Soap

Shea butter has been used for a long time to nourish and moisturize the skin, making it a great addition to soap. Have you ever used soap and felt like you had dry hands? In my experience, when adding shea butter and vitamin E oil to soap, I don’t have dry hands. 

Shea butter is also very gentle on the skin making it safe for everyone. However, just make sure the essential oils you choose are kid-friendly if you intend to use this soap with your kids. This is a great kid-friendly germ-fighting essential oil blend. 

This article has more information on the benefits of shea butter in soap.

Natural Soap Dye

Using soap dye is purely for appearance purposes. Soap typically turns brown once it has been set if no dye was added. The soap is still fine to use if it turns brown, it just doesn’t look pretty. If you don’t care about the appearance of the soap, simply leave out any dye. If you’d like to use a soap dye in the antibacterial hand soap with essential oils, I’d recommend something naturally derived. This is a great kit from amazon for natural soap dyes.

If you do not have a natural soap dye kit around, there are a few household things you can use to naturally dye your soap such as Turmeric, Spirulina, Paprika (not good for sensitive skin), Green tea (ground into a fine powder), Beet powder, Cocoa powder, Activated Charcoal, Dried Carrot Powder, etc.

Antibacterial Hand Soap with Essential Oils

How to Make Antibacterial Hand Soap

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  • Start by creating a double boiler. This is a pot of water filled 1/3 of the way with water, bring to a boil, and a heat-safe bowl put on top of the pot.
  • Once the water is boiling, add your melt + pour shea butter soap base into the glass bowl.
  • Stir continuously until the soap has melted into a liquid. 
  • When the soap is a liquid, add the natural soap dye if you’re choosing to use one. I used turmeric in this one. Mix thoroughly until there are no clumps.
  • Turn the heat off, remove the brown from the double boiler, and mix in your remaining ingredients (vitamin e oil and essential oils).
  • Pour soap into molds, I use these silicone molds.
  • Allow sitting for at least 4 hours, until completely hard. 
https://youtu.be/8TkM5Ssck1c
Antibacterial Hand Soap with Essential Oils

Want More Essential Oil Recipes? Look at These!

Lavender Rose Bath Soak Recipe

Green Tea Soap Bar

8 Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

8 Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

I love summer, it is a tie between spring and summer as my favorite time of year. The trees fully blooming, the warm sun on my skin every day, and the birds chirping in the morning make me so excited to get up every day. When I think of summer it usually relates to nature. There are so many different essential oil diffuser blends for summer that starting your day with any of these blends is sure to put you in a great mood.

Diffusing essential oils is a great natural way to make your home smell nice. When you diffuse oils there are no chemicals, artificial fragrances, or any of the harmful additives typically found in store-bought candles, wall-plug ins, etc. Another great perk to diffusing oils is the scents are never overwhelmingly strong. 

What You Need:

  • Diffuser
  • Essential oils
Floral Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

Different Types of Essential Oil Diffusers:

There are a few different ways you can diffuse essential oils. 

Mist Diffuser

This is the most commonly used essential oil diffuser. This uses water in the machine and blows a small mist out of the top which disperses the scents of the essential oils. These are typically set up inside your home and plugged into the wall.

Travel Diffuser

This is a great option if you want to diffuse essential oils on vacation. I like this travel diffuser because it is small and comes with a case which makes it easy to take it anywhere. 

Ceramic Diffuser

The ceramic diffuser is a unique design in the way that it requires no electricity to operate. In short, this is a ceramic stone that is unglazed, allowing the oils to seep into the stone and the aroma subtly comes off of it. This is a great option for using on a desk at work. The downside of this diffuser is the scents don’t come out so it is best to use the same essential oil blend on the stone every time. 

Diffuser Jewelry

Using jewelry as an essential oil diffuser is a unique concept. You simply put your essential oils onto the jewelry and rub them in. You will be able to have the scents with you all day while wearing the jewelry. This Etsy shop makes great diffuser jewelry. 

How to Diffuse Essential Oils

Start with your diffuser, every diffuser should have a fill line on the inside. You will need to put room temperature water in your diffuser up to the fill line.

Once your water is in the diffuser, add any blend from down below, put the lid back on, and press the start button. It is that simple!

Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

Tropical Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

Tropical Oil Blend 1

Tropical Oil Blend 2

Tropical Oil Blend 3

Citrus Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

Citrus Essential Oil Blend 1

Citrus Essential Oil Blend 2

Floral Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

Floral Essential Oil Blend 1

Floral Essential Oil Blend 2

Sweet Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

The combinations can truly be endless, and the beauty of diffusing essential oils is that you can choose whichever oils fit your preference. If you wake up and dream of being on the beach, diffusing one of the tropical essential oil diffuser blends for summer would be a good fit.

Want More Essential Oil Recipes? Check These Out!

Natural Sunburn Relief Cream

Homemade Shampoo Bar Recipe

Diaper Rash Cream

Floral Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Summer

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

Natural All Purpose Cleaner

A typical all purpose cleaner is full of toxic chemicals, including artificial fragrances. These things are said to be unsafe for everyone, pets and babies included. Finding a non-toxic all purpose spray can be expensive when it’s so easy to make at home and much less expensive!

This cleaner can be used for everything, it is truly an all-purpose cleaner. I use it on my glass stovetop, vinyl floors, countertops, cabinets, literally everything! 

Note: This recipe uses white vinegar, there is controversy about whether vinegar is safe on real hardwood floors. I have vinyl flooring in my home so this is not a concern for me. My mom has real hardwood floors and has been using this cleaner for many years and never had an issue. It is really up to you whether it’s something you want to try or not! 

Vinegar for Cleaning

You might feel unsure about using vinegar due to the smell, however, when vinegar dries it is scentless. Adding in the lemon essential oil allows the fresh citrus scent to stick around once the cleaner has dried on the surface and the vinegar smell should be completely gone!

Essential Oils for Cleaning

Any essential oil is fine to clean with, however, there are a few in particular that are great for cleaning.

Essential Oils for Fighting Germs:

If there is a cold going around your house and you want to disinfect your surfaces, this Germ Fighter oil blend is great.

Wanting to avoid an illness that is going around? Try this Immunity Blend oil in your all-purpose cleaning spray!

This Respiratory support oil blend is great for those nasty viruses that hit your household!

You can buy a bundle with all of these oils right HERE, I suggest keeping them on hand for many things, including to use in the all-purpose cleaning spray. You can even use all three oils in your spray at once!

Tea Tree Oil is also great for fighting germs, this study found that using tea tree oil can kill the influenza virus up to two hours after exposure. Talk about powerful!

Essential Oils for Pests:

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you might remember that I live in the south, Tennessee to be exact. This means, BUGS! RODENTS! PESTS! it is a serious problem here. I use these essential oils for pests all the time, many times I sprinkle them outside around the back patio to deter pests as well.

Peppermint essential oil for pests is truly one of the best. Every winter we get mice in our garage since it is warmer in there than outside. This year, I sprinkled peppermint essential oil all over the garage and the mice left after a few days. I also love to use peppermint essential oil in an all-purpose cleaning spray when I notice more insects around, usually during spring and summer.

Eucalyptus essential oil for pests is also a great option. If you haven’t checked out my bug repellent candle recipe, you should! In the bug repellent candle, I always combine peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella. Eucalyptus in particular is known for repelling rats.

Citronella essential oil for mosquitos is another option you can add to the all-purpose cleaning spray. Before we put up a back door screen to keep mosquitos out, you can get one here, mosquitos were a big problem inside our house. If you have this problem too, simply add citronella essential oil to your spray and clean as usual. The smell should help deter more mosquitos from coming inside.

Do you have a problem with ants? Cinnamon essential oil is the answer to your problem. Cinnamon is commonly used to kill and deter ants. Replace the lemon essential oil in this natural all-purpose cleaning spray recipe with cinnamon essential oil to help with your ant problem.

homemade all-purpose cleaner

How to Make the Best All Purpose Cleaner

What you will need:

How to make it:

  • Mix everything together in a spray bottle and use! 

Note:

The oil might separate from the mixture and rise to the top, simply shake the spray before using.

You can always add more essential oil if you feel the smell is not strong enough, this is just based on personal preference.

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

Natural Sunburn Relief Cream

With summer quickly approaching (it has definitely arrived in the south already!), many of us are probably spending lots of time in the sun. I love to use this natural sunburn relief cream on my whole family. Even with using sunscreen, which by the way, I would recommend using a natural sunscreen like this one, there are times when sunburn is inevitable.

Sunburns can be avoided, for the most part, by limiting your time in the sun to increments of 2 hours and using a natural sunscreen if desired. When sunburn does appear, it can be painful and uncomfortable. I love to use this sunburn relief cream on my whole family. The aloe vera brings instant relief from that burning feeling while the shea butter moisturizes the skin, aiding in quicker healing of the sunburn. 

Tips for avoiding a sunburn:

Unfortunately over the years, many people have had the belief that the sun is bad for us, but it really isn’t. The vitamin D we receive from direct sunlight is essential for optimal health and overall wellness. With that being said, sunburn is one side effect of being in direct sunlight. There are a few things we can do to avoid sunburn when possible, such as;

  • Limit sun exposure to increments of 2 hours, taking a small brake inside or in the shade before going back out for a few hours.
  • Use a natural sunscreen, this is a great one that our family loves. 
  • Wear a wide brim hat to protect the most common areas where our skin burns, such as our face and shoulders. 

Aloe vera for sunburn:

Growing up at the beach meant lots of sunburns for me when I was a child. My mom would always apply aloe vera to my skin after a long day in the sun, however, it was always the bright green kind from the drugstore. After learning more about harmful ingredients, I have come to realize this artificial aloe vera we see on most store shelves is actually toxic. It is full of artificial dyes, preservatives, and many other hormone-disrupting ingredients. 

If you do not have access to an actual aloe vera plant, where you can use the gel inside the leaves of the plant, using a pure aloe vera, with ingredients that are easily pronounced and understood is the next best option for our skin. This aloe vera has the best ingredients for something that is shelf-stable, at least that I have found. 

According to this article, “Aloe vera is soothing and moisturizing, and it has cooling properties. This makes it an ideal and inexpensive choice for soothing the pain of minor sunburns at home. Sunburned skin loses moisture, and applying aloe may help retain skin moisture due to a substance called mucopolysaccharides found in the plant.”

Make sure the aloe vera you choose is a gel, not a liquid. This will help the mixture solidify once cooled. 

Shea butter for sunburn:

Sunburns usually cause the skin to become dry and peel off. Applying a natural sunburn cream with shea butter, like the one in this recipe, can help to moisturize the affected area. Once the area has become moisturized, the skin can begin to heal. 

According to this article, “One suggestion for an especially potent sunburn moisturizer comes from Dr. Ernest Brown, founder of Doctors To You: shea butter. “In addition to moisturizing the skin (which helps to reduce infection), shea butter is packed with nutrients and vitamins that increase its healing properties.”

Lavender essential oil for sunburn:

Lavender essential oil is great for natural pain relief. When adding the oil to the natural sunburn relief cream, be sure to only use a few drops since essential oils are very potent. 

According to this article, “Just like chamomile, lavender oil also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to treat sunburn, says Dr. Sobel. A 2004 study refers to lavender as “one of the mildest of known plant essential oils,” making it a safer pick if you have sensitive skin.”

Sunburn Removal Cream for Face

How to make sunburn relief cream:

What you need:

Directions:

  • Begin by setting up a double boiler, this is a pot of water filled 1/3 of the way up, brought to a boil, with a glass or heat-safe bowl on top. 
  • Once the double boiler is ready, add in your shea butter. 
  • Allow the shea butter to melt completely.
  • Once melted, turn off the heat. 
  • Add in the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. 
  • Pour into your container of choice, remember this is a lotion so you will not be able to squeeze or pump this out, a wide mouth jar like this is a good option. 
  • Once cooled, put cream in a stand up mixer or mix with a handheld mixer using a whisk attachment. (see notes)
  • Apply as needed

Notes:

Although whipping the cream is an extra step, it helps to ensure the aloe vera and shea butter mix completely. During the cooling process, the aloe vera gel and shea butter tend to separate, therefore mixing them together after the natural sunburn relief cream has cooled allows the cream to provide its full benefits.

how to make organic sunburn face cream

Want more DIY recipes? Check these out!

Anti-Aging Green Tea Eye Cream

Homemade Diaper Rash Cream

How to Make a Bug Repellent Candle

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

How to Make a Bug Repellent Candle

It is that time of year again, the bugs are out and trying to come inside. Living in the south, bugs are something we deal with all year however, the mosquitos, flies, gnats, and a whole host of other bugs show up in great quantities during the spring and summer. This bug repellent candle is simple to make, only requires a few ingredients, and is effective at keeping (most) bugs away.

Before learning about the negative effects artificial fragrances and chemicals can have on our bodies, I, like most people, would go to the store and buy a generic brand bug repellent candle. Now, once educating myself on how harmful these candles can really be, I make my own every year using this recipe.

To learn a little bit more about creating beeswax candles, check out my blog post HERE. 

bug repellent candles indoor

Two Ingredient Bug Repellent Candle

There are only two simple ingredients needed to make this DIY bug repellent candle:

For this recipe, I used a combination of essential oils including peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella, although using just one can still make an effective bug repellent candle.

Bug Repellent Essential Oils

Citronella

This is a classic scent used in most generic brand mosquito repellent sprays and candles. As I mentioned before, the artificial fragrances and chemicals used to make these repellents can be toxic for us to inhale. When using a pure citronella scent, like with this essential oil, there are no artificial fragrances or chemicals. With that being said, this scent is great for repelling a lot of bugs but in particular, mosquitoes. 

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil can be effective for many different things throughout the home. I personally love using peppermint oil in my garden to keep pests away as well as in a candle like this bug repellent candle to keep most insects away from the inside of my house. 

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil is great for keeping mosquitoes away. There was a study done in 2014 that showed “eucalyptus oil provided more than 95% protection against mosquitoes for 3 hours.”, You can find that study here.

Thyme

Thyme is another wonderful essential oil to use when making a bug repellent candle, There was a study done that showed thyme to be a more effective mosquito repellent than DEET. You can see that study here.

Clary Sage

Clary sage essential oil is typically associated with women’s health, particularly in its ability to induce labor naturally (I would know, it induced my second labor very quickly!), however, there are also properties to the essential oil that help to deter many insects including mosquitoes. 

Creating a combination using any of these essential oils to make a bug repellent candle can be an effective method to keep bugs away from your home. 

best natural bug repellent candles

How to make a beeswax candle:

What you need:

Directions:

  • Make a double boiler by filling your pot with water 1/3 of the way up. Once the water is boiling, add your glass bowl or measuring cup on top of the pot so the water is hitting the bottom of the glass. 
  • Add the candle wick to the candle container.
  • Pour in beeswax pellets and stir consistently until they are completely melted.
  • Once the beeswax has melted, turn off the heat, add your essential oils, and continue to stir.
  • Immediately pour melted beeswax into your candle container, the beeswax will harden quickly so this process must be fast. If your beeswax happens to harden before you are able to pour it into the candle mold, turn the pot of water back on and reheat the glass bowl or measuring cup until the beeswax melts again. 
  • Allow the candle to completely set before using, mine usually takes around 30 minutes – 1 hour depending on how big the candle container is.
  • I like to burn my candle near the back door so when the door is open to let the kids or dogs in and out of the backyard, the bugs aren’t tempted to hurry inside while the door is open. 
Print

How to Make a Bug Repellent Candle

Equipment

  • 1 Glass Bowl or Measuring Cup
  • 1 Utensil to Stir
  • 1 Stovetop Pot to Boil Water
  • 1 Candle Container
  • 1 Wick

Ingredients

  • ⅔ Cup Organic Beeswax Pellets
  • 10 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
  • 10 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
  • 10 Drops Citronella Essential Oil

Instructions

  • Make a double boiler by filling your pot with water 1/3 of the way up. Once the water is boiling, add your glass bowl or measuring cup on top of the pot so the water is hitting the bottom of the glass. 
  • Add the candle wick to the candle container.
  • Pour in beeswax pellets and stir consistently until they are completely melted.
  • Once the beeswax has melted, turn off the heat, add your essential oils, and continue to stir.
  • Immediately pour melted beeswax into your candle container, the beeswax will harden quickly so this process must be fast. If your beeswax happens to harden before you are able to pour it into the candle mold, turn the pot of water back on and reheat the glass bowl or measuring cup until the beeswax melts again. 
  • Allow the candle to be completely set before using, mine usually takes around 30 minutes – to 1 hour depending on how big the candle container is.

Looking for a topical bug repellent to use on you or your kids? I love this one!

Check Out Some of My Other Posts!

Green Tea Face Toner for Glowing Skin

Homemade Shampoo Bar Recipe

Lavender Rose Bath Soak Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

Homemade Diaper Rash Cream

Making your own homemade diaper rash cream is easy and just as effective, if not more, than the conventional products. Diaper rash is something most moms have had to deal with, and it is not fun for anyone. Seeing your sweet baby so uncomfortable from the rash on their bum can break a mama’s heart. Most of the pre-made products sold marketing a fix for diaper rash are full of chemicals, and often not cloth diaper safe. 

Natural Homemade Diaper Rash Cream Recipe

Every new mom researches everything safety-related for her baby, but what about the chemicals we put on their skin? This is often something not thought about because there are so many baby products out there, we almost assume they are all safe for our kids because that’s what the marketing says, right? Unfortunately, it is hard to find a truly natural diaper rash cream that you can easily go to the store and buy. 

After researching what was in diaper rash cream and which ones were cloth diaper safe, I decided to make it easier on myself and create my recipe. This recipe is something I have been using on my kids for a while now and it works wonders. The shea butter and vitamin E oil are great for soothing the discomfort babies feel when dealing with diaper rash and the coconut oil is helpful with moisturizing the rash, allowing it to go away quicker. 

What is Diaper Rash?

According to this website, “Diaper rash is a common form of inflamed skin (dermatitis) that appears as a patchwork of bright red skin on your baby’s bottom. Diaper rash is often related to wet or infrequently changed diapers, skin sensitivity, and chafing.”

Homemade Diaper Rash Cream

How to Make Homemade Diaper Rash Cream:

Coconut Oil

Shea Butter

Vitamin E oil

Arrowroot Powder 

(Optional) Essential Oils

Benefits of Coconut Oil on Skin:

Coconut oil is well known for reducing inflammation on the skin, which is why it is so commonly used in skincare products. When it comes to diaper rash, the baby’s skin is red and inflamed due to the irritation on their skin. The use of coconut oil in the homemade diaper rash cream is great at treating the diaper rash and providing relief.

Antibacterial is a word commonly associated with coconut oil. Diaper rash can sometimes turn into a yeast infection if it is not cared for immediately. Luckily, keeping this diaper rash cream on hand can help prevent that if used right away due to the antibacterial properties of coconut oil.

Benefits of Vitamin E Oil on Skin:

  • The moisturizing properties of vitamin E oil aid in healing the diaper rash quicker.
  • Temporary relief from itching that is caused by having dry skin is another benefit to using vitamin E oil topically. Since the oil is so moisturizing, it helps to moisturize any dry skin therefore taking away the itching that dry skin can cause.

What is Shea Butter?

Shea butter is the fat content that comes from the nuts of a shea tree. According to this article, “Its high concentration of vitamins and fatty acids — combined with its easy-to-spread consistency — make it a great product for smoothing, soothing, and conditioning your skin.”

Benefits of Shea Butter on Skin:

Just like with most of the other ingredients in this recipe for homemade diaper rash cream, shea butter has moisturizing properties. 

Shea butter is anti-inflammatory which can be very beneficial when dealing with diaper rash. Visually looking at a diaper rash you will see it is red and slightly inflamed. The shea butter allows relief that the rash causes.

Once again, shea butter, just like coconut oil, is anti-bacterial. If you keep this diaper rash cream on hand and use it at the first sight of diaper rash, you should hopefully be able to avoid a yeast infection thanks to the antibacterial properties of coconut oil and shea butter in the recipe. 

Cloth Diaper Safe Diaper Cream

What You Need:

How to Make Natural Diaper Rash Cream

  • Start by creating a double broiler with a glass bowl. You can do this by putting approximately 2 cups of water into a saucepan and letting it come to a boil on the stove. 
  • While the water is coming to a boil, measure out your ingredients. The shea butter typically comes in blocks so it will need to be cut to fit (doesn’t have to be perfect) a 1/4 cup measure. You can purchase the exact shea butter I used here.
  • Once the water is boiling, use a glass bowl (or anything that can tolerate heat), setting it on top of the saucepan.
  • Add the coconut oil and shea butter to the glass bowl that is on the double boiler. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix the two as they start to melt. Be sure to keep your eye on this because it melts fast and needs to be stirred often. 
  • When the coconut oil and shea butter have melted, add in the 1/4 Tsp vitamin E oil and lavender essential oil if you choose to use that. Mix.
  • Take the glass bowl off the heat, setting it on a stable surface. Slowly whisk in the arrowroot powder. This may take a few minutes to ensure there are no clumps.
  • The mixture should be smooth at this point, quickly pour it into whatever container you will be using for this diaper rash cream and set it in the fridge to set. You can also leave this at room temperature on the counter to set however it will take much longer.
  • My homemade diaper rash cream takes about 2-3 hours to set in the fridge. Once set, pull it out and let it come to room temperature. If the cream is smooth and silky, it’s ready to use! 
https://naturalrootedhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/blog-video-diaper-rash-cream.mov
How to make homemade diaper rash cream

Notes:

  • Store this in an airtight container and use it as needed. When using more than once during a single diaper change, be sure to wash your hands before dipping back into the jar to not create cross-contamination between the rash and the cream.
  • I use this on my cloth diapers and have had no issues.
  • If you are dealing with a yeast rash, I highly recommend using this product.
Print

Homemade Diaper Rash Cream

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Glass Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Airtight Container with Lid

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Start by creating a double broiler with a glass bowl. You can do this by putting approximately 2 cups of water into a saucepan and letting it come to a boil on the stove. 
  • While the water is coming to a boil, measure out your ingredients. The shea butter typically comes in blocks so it will need to be cut to fit (doesn’t have to be perfect) a 1/4 cup measure. You can purchase the exact shea butter I used here.
  • Once the water is boiling, use a glass bowl (or anything that can tolerate heat), setting it on top of the saucepan.
  • Add the coconut oil and shea butter to the glass bowl that is on the double boiler. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix the two together as they start to melt. Be sure to keep your eye on this because it melts fast and needs to be stirred often. 
  • When the coconut oil and shea butter have melted, add in the 1/4 Tsp vitamin E oil and lavender essential oil if you choose to use that. Mix.
  • Take the glass bowl off the heat, setting it on a stable surface. Slowly whisk in the arrowroot powder. This may take a few minutes to ensure there are no clumps.
  • The mixture should be totally smooth at this point, quickly pour it into whatever container you will be using for this diaper rash cream and set it in the fridge to set. You can also leave this at room temperature on the counter to set however it will take much longer.
  • My homemade diaper rash cream takes about 2-3 hours to set in the fridge. Once set, pull it out and let it come to room temperature. If the cream is smooth and silky, it's ready to use! 

Notes

  • If you are dealing with a yeast rash, I highly recommend using this product.
  • Store this in an airtight container and use it as needed. When using more than once during a single diaper change, be sure to wash your hands before dipping back into the jar in order to not create cross-contamination between the rash and the cream.
  • I use this on my cloth diapers and have had no issues.
Lavender Essential Oil Diaper Rash Cream

Check Out This Post on 8 Natural Sleep Remedies for Kids!

This post may contain affiliate links, I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. 

Blossoms Preserved: Crafting Beauty with Dried Flower Ornaments

Welcome to a world where nature meets artistry, and timeless beauty is captured in delicate petals. Dried flower ornaments have emerged as a captivating trend, offering a unique and sustainable way to bring the enchantment of blooms into your life. In this blog post, we’ll explore the art of crafting with dried flowers, discovering the charm, versatility, and eco-friendly appeal of these botanical treasures.

dried flower ornament
  1. The Beauty in Preservation:
    Dried flowers unlock a world of possibilities by preserving the beauty of blossoms in their natural state. Whether it’s the vibrant hues of summer or the muted tones of autumn, dried flowers allow you to enjoy the elegance of nature’s palette throughout the year. Discover the magic of preserving flowers at their peak and creating ornaments that encapsulate the essence of each season.
  1. Crafting with Nature’s Palette:
    Dried flower ornaments provide a canvas for creativity, allowing you to express your artistic flair with the rich hues and textures of preserved blooms. From wreaths and garlands to framed art and hanging ornaments, explore various crafting ideas that showcase the diverse ways dried flowers can adorn your living spaces.
  2. Sustainability in Bloom:
    Embrace eco-friendly living by choosing dried flowers over fresh blooms. Drying flowers not only extends the lifespan of floral arrangements but also reduces waste and environmental impact. Learn about sustainable practices and how incorporating dried flower ornaments into your décor can contribute to a more planet-friendly lifestyle.
  3. DIY Delight:
    Unleash your inner artisan with step-by-step DIY tutorials on creating stunning dried flower ornaments. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a beginner, these projects are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Gather your favorite blooms, follow the instructions, and revel in the satisfaction of crafting your own botanical masterpieces.
  4. Meaningful Gifts:
    Dried flower ornaments make for heartfelt and personalized gifts. Explore the sentiment behind gifting a piece of nature that has been carefully preserved. From weddings and birthdays to housewarmings and holidays, discover how dried flower ornaments can convey emotions and create lasting memories.
dried flower ornament

As we journey through the world of dried flower ornaments, we find a harmonious blend of nature’s beauty and human creativity. These timeless creations not only bring joy to our homes but also contribute to a sustainable and mindful way of living. So, why not embark on your own floral adventure, and let the beauty of dried flowers blossom in your life?

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