My favorite place for buying essential oils is mountainroseherbs. High quality, ethical practices, plenty of information, diverse items. It can get pricey but is well worth it.

I usually buy the 8oz colled pressed butters, give them a little warming and mix them with cold pressed oil and essential oil. It has to be the best emolient going and lasts ages. In the long run, much cheaper than buying crappy store bought lotions.

For the BOB or medical kit tea tree oil is a neccesity. It is really potent and shouldn't be used neat, but I do sometimes!

Another nice one for bathing is a bath tea bag. Basically take cheese cloth or a muslin bag. Fill it with dried or fresh herbs, oatmeal, black tea and hang it off the faucet whilst you run the bath, or put it straught in the bath water. It is wonderful for the skin and relaxing for the mind (or energizing, depending on the choice of herbs. Sage is especially nice) Get a good herb book to see what types of medicine you are looking for.

A strong Rosemary tea rinse for the hair. Epsom salt for bath. Baking Soda for teeth whitening.

Something I would like to try out is oil pulling for the teeth. Basically you swish around some sesame or sunflower oil around in your mouth and kind of pull it through your teeth to clean and emoliate your gums.

Rice or bean bags. Make a mini pillow and fill with rice or beans. Keep them in the freezer for awesome and instant cold packs or pop them in the microwave for approx 40 seconds give them a shake and you have an awesome hot pack. Make great gifts by the way!

Inhalers. Take a piece of cotton, drop on esential oils of rosemary, eucalyptus and peppermint. Place in sealed bottle (I us amber bottles and have even made them into little necklaces!) open and sniff as needed. You could also use lavender oil for calming, rosemary oil for mental work, or clary sage for euphoria!

I could go on forever, but I'm a little muddled this morning. Time to go hit the rosemary oil I guess, and the coffee pot. I'll be back later to give the thread a good read through as I only scanned through. I'd really like to get into some soap making! Thanks for the thread. Back later.

Love this thread,I am going to have to come back and do more than scan through it later.

In glancing through the posts I noticed that borax was mentioned a few times. I love Borax it is on my must have list., along with vinegar and baking soda. I have no documented proof, but for the last 20 years I have used it in my cleaning water, and I am convinced that it helps keep bugs away.Even when I haved lived in apartment buildings that have had them in other apartments, I have not gotten them and I am not the most sterile housekeeper. just thought that I would pass this along. it works for me

Originally posted by gypsycat
Love this thread,I am going to have to come back and do more than scan through it later.

In glancing through the posts I noticed that borax was mentioned a few times. I love Borax it is on my must have list., along with vinegar and baking soda. I have no documented proof, but for the last 20 years I have used it in my cleaning water, and I am convinced that it helps keep bugs away.Even when I haved lived in apartment buildings that have had them in other apartments, I have not gotten them and I am not the most sterile housekeeper. just thought that I would pass this along. it works for me

A very old lady I work for told me that they used to put little lines of borax by the doors and window sills to keep the ants out, so there may be some truth to this!!! Thought you might like to know.

Vinegar is an awesome cleaner and after the initial stench of it, the smell goes away, it actually neutralizes smells. Also, if you are a bather like me a shot glass full in the bath helps to keep the tub clean.

I was wondering if anyone else here, that uses homemade soap, has noticed that their bathtub/shower stays cleaner longer? I mean no soap scum rings and the like? I guess that is a bonus right there since that is one of my most hated cleaning jobs.

Originally posted by gypsycat
Love this thread,I am going to have to come back and do more than scan through it later.

In glancing through the posts I noticed that borax was mentioned a few times. I love Borax it is on my must have list., along with vinegar and baking soda. I have no documented proof, but for the last 20 years I have used it in my cleaning water, and I am convinced that it helps keep bugs away.Even when I haved lived in apartment buildings that have had them in other apartments, I have not gotten them and I am not the most sterile housekeeper. just thought that I would pass this along. it works for me

Sounds like it's time for me to restock on borax. A bit sprinkled around where dry goods are stored, is in my plan for this week. TY for the reminder gypsycat...

Des

Careful about buying lots of Lye, it can get the attention of the DEA...

Originally posted by eywadevotee
Careful about buying lots of Lye, it can get the attention of the DEA...

Links to reputable lye distributors for making soap, are posted in this thread...if you have any you would like to add, please do. It's not difficult to purchase lye for soap making. Granted it's not as easy as it used to be, due to meth lab use of it. It's still on the market.

Thanks for your input...greatly appreciated...

Des

Sticking a garlic clove into your ear is reputed to draw the pain out.
Peel and cut it to the right size, wrap it in gauze or fine cotton and replace it every few hours.

For toothache, especially broken teeth or the start of an abscess, if you can't get straight to a dentist, crushing a clove of garlic, a pinch of salt - together with a pinch of baking soda and packing it in and around the affected area will numb the pain and stop the infection in it's tracks for a while.

Ginger poultice will help a pounding headache.
Add a little water to 1 tablespoon of ground ginger - heating gently in a little saucepan till it forms a paste. When you can be sure it won't burn your skin spread the paste on your forehead making sure you get none in the eyes - go have a nice lie down in a dark room and leave the poultice on your noggin until it has cooled. A rosemary oil scalp rub also can lift a headache.

Four thieves vinegar can be taken internally, diluted, used in the bath or as a sick room cleanser.
Blend 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic with two teaspoons each of dried lavender, rosemary, sage and mint. Put the herbs in a screw top jarand cover with a pint of cider vinegar. Leave in a warm place for two weeks before straining and decanting into a clean bottle. Internally take 2 teaspoons, 3 times a day to help provent infections.
(The original recipe includes mugwort and rue and being powerful should be used with caution)

Take half a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of hot milk for colds. Turmeric is used in some countries as a natural antibiotic.

Lavender Vinegar diluted with water is a refreshing skin tonic.
One cup of freshly picked lavender flowers in a screw top jar and cover with white vinegar. Store in a cool dark place for a week and shake once a day. Strain and pour into a clean jar for later use.

Peeled / washed raw potato can restore moisture to small burns and ease the pain.

Originally posted by Destinyone
My Grannie used to crush up left over candy canes from Christmas, and put them in a mason jar of moon shine...made a real thick syrup she would dole out for the croup. About a cup of crushed peppermint candy canes to about 2 cups of shine. or 100 proof vodka if you don't have shine. Put in fridge or cabinet, stir twice a week until all dissolved.

One tablespoon for bad cough. Do not give to infants.

My sister-in-law's family does something similar.

To 1/3 cup of hot water, add honey, lemon juice, peppermint candy (if you have it handy), and bourbon. Everyone needs a bottle of bourbon on hand, imo.

I had to take a couple of photos of some of my hand made soaps and other products tonight....thought I'd post one here.