Homemade Salves and Lip Balm

Hello, Friends! Did ya miss me? Sorry I've been out of the loop for a while, but I've had quite a bit going on and to deal with, so blogging had to take a back seat. (Actually, forget the back seat, blogging had to stay home!) I'll give some quick updates before I get into the salves and lip balm.

• So far my dear hubby has made 1/2 gallon of syrup, and 1 quart of it has already been consumed!
• DH has about 5 more quarts that are nearly finished to syrup, with more out on our "arch".
• I finally bought a magazine about the different chicken breeds and have made my final decision about what kind of chicks we are going to buy. (I'm keeping it secret for now, just in case I change my mind!)
• I've made some plans for the garden, deciding to put the annual herbs in containers and not in one of our raised beds. Then I'll transfer the perennial herbs into 1 bed by them selves, making more room for veggies.
• Also in gardening, I've decided to plant carrots this year, despite vowing that I never would again. Then I learned that carrots have been on the "Dirty Dozen" produce list in the past. Potatoes have been, too, so I'm giving them serious consideration as well.
• I'm getting all of my seed starting paraphernalia together so that I can get them planted SOON. At least the bell peppers!

And now for the moment you've been waiting for!!!!!!! Salves and lip balm! (By the way, I can't seem to locate the cord that connects the camera to the computer, so I don't have pics, but as soon as I do, I will!!!;o))

If you've been reading my blog for a little while now, you know that I have committed my self to getting rid of chemicals in my family's toiletries/personal hygiene. A few weeks ago I actually hoed out a closet in my bathroom and filled a garbage can of tubes and bottles that contained sulfates and parabens. (Most of the products were old or nearly gone.) Now I am trying to replace these things with all natural products from the store (be sure to read the ingredients, some products labeled "natural" can still contain chemicals) or even better, make my own.

So back a Sunday or two ago, I got home from church and shoo-ed everyone out of the house, because I was going to make the kiddo's body wash, some lip balm and salves. I grated like a maniac, and heated, poured, and stirred as well. The only thing I really had a recipe for was the lip balm.

Here is the link. for that. Now, I don't now what I did wrong, but the honey did not mix well with the other ingredients. I'm not sure if it's because I didn't allow the mixture to heat long enough together or not, but the honey was left on the bottom of my measuring cup. And this recipe make more than 1/2 an ounce as the recipe states. Make sure to have plenty of little lip balm jars! I used a drop of peppermint oil, but it wasn't necessary. I keep a jar of this on my night stand and (try!) to use it every night before bed. I gave the other jar to Princess, who is a lip gloss/balm collector. She was super-dee dooper psyched when I gave it to her.

For the kids' body wash, I grated a bar of Kirk's Natural castile soap and added it to about 2 cups of hot water, heating it on medium over the stove until the soap flakes were dissolved. I added more hot water and let it cool a bit before pouring it into a couple of mason jars. Unfortunately I didn't dilute it enough, so I had to reheat it and add more water a couple of days after because it had turned back to a solid. I have to work on the correct water/soap ratio for this, but it was a start.

For the salves, again I didn't measure, but I used a combination of olive, sweet almond and Castor oils. I used about 1 cup of oil in all, pouring it into a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup that sat in a medium sized bot of water over medium heat. I added my grated beeswax and stirred until the beeswax was completely liquefied. Then I removed the measuring cup and added lavender essential oil. I poured this all into 2 small mason jars and let the salve cool before putting the lids on. I (again, try!!) rub this on my hands every night before bed, slipping on some cotton gloves after. I've also used it before heading out when it's been quite cold and I'll be wearing gloves. This salve is a bit greasy, but it works well on keeping my hands soft and free of cracks and dry skin.

The next salve I want to make is a calendula salve that I have read is good for eczema. I've developed to patches of it on my face, on either side of my chin. I look like a little baby that is chapped from drooling! And, although I can't find the exact place that I read it, I'm going to give it a try. I even bought a package of seeds so I can grow my own calendula this year.

Well, Friends, I now this post seems rushed, but I still have lots more to get to up here on my hill, including taking a shower before I head to town. If you have any questions or comments for me, please feel free to leave one below, email me at HomespunInspirations@gmail.com or "like" my face book page. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to visit me.

Blessings,
Kelly