zero-waste "goo" recipes

My bathroom used to look like the one on the left, but now, it's the tidy one on the right!

Well, I'll have you know I did not accomplish this because I am all of a sudden just the most tidy person ever and clean/organize all the time. Plus, if you know my roommates, you would understand the literal GARBAGE I have to put up with to keep it this nice.

But I cannot put all the blame on them. I have said it before and I will say it again. I, Julia Gomez, am a goo hoarder.

A WHAT??????

You know, a new brand you like puts out a new line of face washes, gotta try it. A new hair treatment that supposed to give my flat, boring hair some volume? Bought two. And do not even get me STARTED on travel size/hotel products, lotions, or face masks. I had drawers, shelves, and containers FULL of all this kind of stuff. Most of it expires or dries up and is not even usable after a little while, but that did not stop me from buying more before I had even finished the first one.

I hoarded any goo I could get my hands on!!! I cannot stress enough how bad of a habit this was for me, and just is in general. I think this behavior is only perpetuated by people like beauty gurus on social medias because they get paid to try out and review products, but if they don't like it, that product goes in a drawer never to be seen again.

Slowly, but surely, I have been making my way through all of my non-expired goo, using it all up, and ever since I started this low-waste lifestyle, I have gotten significantly better at not purchasing new products.

IN FACT, I have made a huge effort to replace all my goo with waste-free, eco-friendly, natural, homemade, alternatives. This change has reduced the money I was spending, the clutter, and the impact I was making on our earth.

With the help of the internet, some experiments, and my very own mother, here are some of my favorites:

TOOTHPASTE:

I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs - Trash is for Tossers

• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon of baking soda

• 15-20 drops of essential oil - I like peppermint but you can try spearmint or cinnamon too!

Many recipes I have seen will also include Stevia to add sweetness (because this recipe is going to be much saltier than the regular, store-bought toothpaste you are probably used to) but I prefer not to.

DEODERANT:

• 1/4 cup of baking soda

• 1/4 cup of arrowroot powder

• 5 tablespoons of coconut oil

• 15-20 drops of essential oil - I like lavender best but other good options would be grapefruit or tea tree

• If you want antiperspirant, add 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch

Melt the coconut oil before combining all ingredients - makes it easier to mix.

This recipe is one of the little bit trickier ones because you might have to experiment with it it to find what you like.

I wanted a stick, so I up-cycled an old deodorant container for mine, but recipes with shea butter in them usually work better for this because it makes it harder/more solid. Another way around this (which is what I do) is if/when it gets too warm and the coconut oil liquifies a bit, I keep it in the fridge, but it is usually just fine on the counter.

I love this deodorant because I cannot stand the overly perfume-y smells in most of the ones sold in stores and it is soothing if I have razor burn. Plus, it actually works, I can get through all my dance classes during the day, with no problems.

HAIR CONDITIONER:

• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup of coconut oil

• 1 small aloe leaf (anywhere from 1-4 tablespoons of aloe vera gel)

Now this little concoction is NOT going to smell that nice, unless you really enjoy the smell of ACV. I tried adding a bit of essential oils but I don't think the outcome was worth it. Another thing: these things don't exactly mix well. It is kind of a weird messy situation, but I wouldn't tell you about it if I didn't think it worked.

A FEW TIPS:

1. Each of these also work relatively well individually

2. Put this only on the ends of your hair and let it sit as long as you can while in the shower

3. Shampoo AFTER - It seems backwards but just trust me. You're not going to want to smell like ACV, and it'll get the coconut oil out, but still leave your hair soft

REUSABLE MAKE-UP REMOVER WIPES:

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (fractionated is ideal, but regular is fine)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of witch hazel

• 10-20 drops of essential oil (I like 10 of lavender and 10 of tea tree)

• 2 tablespoon of green tea

• Water - depending on how many wipes you are making this amount will vary (basically enough to wet all the wipes)

If you don't have fractionated coconut oil, melt it before mixing everything together.

Cut up an old cotton t-shirt (or some people like to use flannel) into smaller pieces that will fit inside whatever type of container you choose - I made about 20, 5" by 3" pieces.

The witch hazel I got already has aloe in it, so I didn't need any additional aloe, but I really like to add it. If you chose just pure witch hazel, you can add about a teaspoon or two of aloe.

LOTION:

• 2 tablespoons of shredded beeswax

• 1/4 cup of coconut oil

• 1/4 raw shea butter

• 2 tablespoons of aloe

• 20 drops of essential oil (I like 10 tea tree and 10 lavender)

• Boil a pot about half full of water, and then create a double-boiler by putting another pot or a glass bowl inside.

• Combine beeswax and shea butter in the double boiler and allow it to melt.

• In a separate bowl combine aloe and essential oil - mix really well (hand mixer works best)

• Once beeswax and shea butter is melted together and has cooled for a few minutes, mix with aloe and essential oil (again, hand mixer is ideal)

BEESWAX:

Avoid white beeswax because that means it's been refined and bleached. Try to get it locally if possible.

SHEA BUTTER:

Avoid refined shea butter, it has most of the natural healing properties removed and sometimes has chemicals mixed in. Chose raw shea butter to get more benefits such as Vitamin A and E!

VEGAN ALTERNATIVE:

Replace beeswax with ORGANIC soy wax.

This is the only lotion I use now, for EVERYTHING (yes, even my face) - I love it because it is extremely moisturizing. Beeswax is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory (super soothing on painful breakouts), and contains Vitamin A (helps cell turnover rates). Lavender is a soothing oil, and tea tree is a purification oil - so the combination of all these keeps my skin soft and healthy.

Why I replace?

- There are a lot of ingredients in regular products that I do not particularly desire to have in or on my body

- No waste!

- SO much cheaper, especially because I buy most of these things in bulk from the co-op and use them for many other things

I hope any, or all, of these are useful to you! Feel free to message me if you have any questions about the recipes.

xoxo