14 Low Waste Toiletries to DIY

Whether you want to ditch toxic chemicals, say goodbye to disposable plastic, or a mixture of the two, you will probably need to start making some of your own products. While there are some natural, low waste brands out there, it can save you money to make your own products at home. Plus this way you can choose which ingredients you use to not only get great smelling products but ones that best serve your body’s needs. Here are some of my favorite low waste toiletries to DIY!

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I’m Not Perfect; A Note on My Personal Low Waste Journey

Now, before we get started, there are a few things you need to know. First off, you need to understand that I am not perfect. I am not living a fully zero-waste lifestyle, which is why I prefer to call what I do, low-waste. Cutting out plastic from my life has been a definite work in progress. Over the past year or so I have learned to make a lot of my own toiletries and I want to share these recipes with you so you can do the same.

Low Waste DIYs and Essential Oils

One great thing you can use when starting this DIY low waste journey is essential oils. If you’re new to low waste or ditching toxic chemicals and you’re planning to do a lot of DIYs, then essential oils are about to become your BFF. I grew up using essential oils I bought at natural health food stores. Just make sure you do your research on the brand of oils you choose to use as some are run by MLMs and/or pyramid schemes. I personally like the brand Saje Natural Wellness.

*** Please be aware that not every one of these recipes may work well for you. We all have different skin types, hair types, and sensitivities. So if one of these recipes doesn’t work well for you, hit the web again and find some other alternative recipes until you find one perfect for your own needs.***

Toothpaste

Did you know there are some really toxic chemicals in mainstream toothpaste brands? Have you noticed that toothpaste is almost always packaged in a disposable plastic tube? I really love being able to choose exactly what I put in my toothpaste and being able to make it waste-free.

The recipe below is kind of a mix of two different recipes I found online. I loved both of them and couldn’t decide which to use so I used both. Keep in mind when using this toothpaste that you make it in small amounts and you don’t dip your toothbrush in it while it’s wet. Since it’s a natural, homemade product there are no preservatives in it. So if you get the toothpaste wet and then close the jar it’s in, it creates an environment where bacteria can grow. Don’t worry though, just make sure you stick your toothbrush in while it’s dry, and then wet your toothbrush after.

The reason I used Activated Charcoal in this recipe is that it naturally pulls bacteria out of hard-to-reach places and then surrounds bacteria completely so that it cannot harm the body. Once you spit it out you have a much cleaner mouth and it naturally whitens teeth as well. That’s why there are so many activated charcoal face masks and tooth brighteners on the market today. If you don’t have activated charcoal on hand, that’s okay, you can skip it on this recipe or buy it from a health food store for next time. If you skip it, consider adding 2-3 tablespoons of the baking soda rather than 1-2 as that is what will be cleaning the teeth as well.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil
• 2-3 teaspoons Activated Charcoal (Optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons Baking Soda
• 1/2-1 tablespoon +/- Stevia or Xylitol (Optional/To taste)
• 5 – 10 drops Peppermint Oil

Instructions:

In either a double boiler or the microwave, heat up the coconut oil so it melts. Remove from heat and mix in the activated charcoal, baking soda, and Stevia/Xylitol. Make sure you have used enough Stevia or Xylitol so that it tastes sweet and not bitter. If you want to skip the Stevia/Xylitol you totally can but just know that your toothpaste will likely taste bitter or salty without it. Next, add 5 – 10 drops of peppermint oil and make sure to taste it periodically so the smell/taste isn’t overpowering. Pour mixture into a small mason jar and let harden/cool. Toothpaste is ready to use when it has hardened and should melt in your mouth.

Perfume

Yep, you read that right. It is totally possible to make your own perfume! I don’t know if you if you’ve noticed, or if this happens to you, but every time I walk through the perfume section of a store, I always get crazy headaches. This is because perfumes are also full of harmful chemicals. The recipe below will not only smell great, but it is actually good for your health, instead of being harmful. It can be made using any essential oils you like to mix together. I get anxious often so I  opted for floral oils that smell great and naturally relax the body.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 teaspoons Avocado Oil
• 15 drops Lavender Oil
• 15 drops Ylang Ylang Oil
• 15 drops Jasmine Oil

Instructions:

You can choose to keep your DIY Liquid Perfume in a tiny mason jar and apply it with your finger but I personally love using tiny, glass, roll-on tubes instead (you can buy these online). If you decide to use a roll-on tube, just make sure to fill the tube up to about 1/2 to 3/4 with the Avocado Oil, and then fill up the rest with your favorite essential oils. Next, put the lid on the roller tube and gently shake it so all the oils blend together well. If you’re using a little mason jar, just mix all the oils together and apply a few drops with your finger.

Deodorant

I’ll be honest. I’ve found some really nice natural and chemical-free deodorants for sale. I’ve even found some zero waste deodorants for sale. However, my skin is pretty sensitive and I’m always down for saving money so making my own deodorant is something I have been doing for almost a year now.

Just keep in mind that when you first use this deodorant it will make your armpits smell amazing. However, for a few days after your first trial, your armpits will likely smell pretty gross. This is because if you’re new to natural products or if you’ve used harmful antiperspirants in the past, your armpits will actually need to detox themselves.

This is why antiperspirant is so bad for you. It clogs your pores and blocks your ability to sweat. Your body doesn’t just need to sweat when it’s hot, it also sweats to release toxins from the body. So blocking yourself from doing that can cause you to have an imbalance of toxins in your body which can make you sick. Thankfully I’ve got this amazing, natural, and low waste deodorant recipe for you that won’t clog your pores! This deodorant will allow you to still sweat but it will ensure that you stay smelling fresh.

Please keep in mind that some people tend to have sensitivities to baking soda applied on the armpits. If you have a lot of sensitivity or itchiness after using this recipe, try this one that contains no baking soda instead, or try replacing some or all of the baking soda with arrowroot powder.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup Shea Butter
• 1/4 cup Baking Soda (or Arrowroot Powder for sensitive skin)
• 10 – 20 drops Lavender Oil
• 10 – 20 drops Lemongrass Oil

Instructions:

In a double boiler or microwave, melt the coconut oil and shea butter and mix well. Remove from heat and add baking soda, mixing thoroughly. Next, add essential oils of choice. Pour into a small mason jar and let cool and harden. Deodorant is ready to use when it has hardened and should melt slightly in your hands and when rubbing on your armpits.

Muscle Salve

Mainstream muscle salves and creams can be pretty expensive. Plus many of them are packaged in plastic. This muscle salve works wonders after a good work out or hike and it’s much cheaper than many others on the market.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup Shea Butter
• 10 drops Peppermint Oil
• 10 drops Eucalyptus Oil
• 10 drops Lavender Oil
• 10 drops Cedarwood Oil

Instructions:

In a double boiler or microwave, melt the coconut oil and shea butter and mix well. Remove from heat and add essential oils. Pour into a small mason jar and let cool. Muscle salve is ready to use when it has hardened and should melt slightly in your hands and when rubbing on sore muscles.

Vapor Rub

There are a lot of dangers of using Vick’s Vapo Rub. The main reason for this is that Vick’s contains some toxic ingredients and is made mainly of petroleum-based products. Plus, Vick’s comes packaged in plastic. The Vapor Rub recipe I have here for you today is all-natural and made from essential oils that are proven to help with fighting colds and flu. If you don’t have access to all of these oils, just use the ones you do have access to and make a mental note to purchase more later.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup Shea Butter
• 5 drops Tea Tree Oil
• 5 drops Rosemary Oil
• 5 drops Thyme Oil
• 5 drops Eucalyptus Oil
• 5 drops Peppermint Oil
• 5 drops Lemon Oil

Instructions:

Using a double boiler, or microwave, melt the coconut oil and shea butter and mix well. Next, add the essential oils and gently stir. Vapor Rub is ready to use when hardened and should melt in your hands and into your skin. Use topically on the chest and rub some on the bottoms of the feet as well. Be sure to cover the feet with socks afterward. You can do this during the day to fight cold or flu but it’s more popular to do this at night to ensure you sleep well and are able to breathe without congestion.

Face Mask

Who doesn’t love a good face mask am I right? Sometimes it is so nice to just come home, get the bath running and really give your skin some much-needed love and attention. Again, when it comes to cosmetics, we just don’t know what toxic ingredients could be in them due to poor regulation. Aside from that I often find face masks to be super pricey! The good news is, they don’t have to be pricey or unnatural any longer. This recipe will cleanse your skin of impurities all while leaving it fully moisturized.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon Activated Charcoal
• 1/2 teaspoon Bentonite Clay
• 1 teaspoon Water
• 1 drop Thyme Oil
• 1 drop Lavender Oil

Instructions:

In a small mason jar or bowl, mix together the activated charcoal, bentonite clay, and water. Next, add the two drops of essential oils and mix them together. With your fingers, apply the mask in an even layer over your face. If you have some mask leftover, use it on your neck, chest, back, or shoulders as well, or share it with a friend. Once the mask is dry, rinse off and follow with a natural toner or moisturizer.

Hair Mask

I am such a huge fan of hair masks. I have long, naturally thin hair so I make this mask once a week to make sure I am keeping my scalp and strands healthy. I also use this mask to help my hair grow thicker and longer. It’s so easy to make and way more affordable and natural than most hair masks on the market.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil
• 5-10 drops Rosemary Oil
• 5-10 drops Lavender Oil

Instructions:

In a double boiler or microwave melt the coconut oil. Remove from heat and add the essential oils. Using your hands, run the warm oil through your hair. Next, run a comb through your hair to make sure your scalp and strands are evenly coated. Give your scalp a good massage to increase blood flow to your follicles and promote hair growth. If you want to go the extra step with this hair mask then wrap your hair up in a warm towel. Let the mask sit for at least an hour (sometimes I just sleep with the mask in overnight) and then wash it out. Remember you have just thoroughly soaked your hair in oil so you will likely need to shampoo it 3-4 times to get all the oil out and ensure your hair doesn’t look greasy after.

Beard Oil

If you know me personally, you will know that I don’t have a beard. LOL. However, my fiancé has a beard and so do most of the men in my family. This past Christmas I made them all this amazing beard oil that they loved. It was so easy and inexpensive to make since I already had all my own oils anyways and it was a huge hit. In fact it’s only February but my fiancé, Arturo, is almost out! This recipe not only smells great, but it promotes growth and actually helps to keep the beard soft.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil
• 5 drops Vitamin E or Castor Oil
• 5-10 drops Rosemary Oil
• 5-10 drops Tea Tree Oil
• 5-10 drops Lavender Oil
• 15 drops Cedarwood Oil

Instructions:

You can gift this in a mason jar and apply it manually but I personally love using droppers a lot more. Mix all the oils together and bottle in either an oil dropper or in a mason jar.

Bath Salts

Showers are nice and all but I love a good bath. Bath salts can be used to ease muscle aches and pains or even to help alleviate cold and flu symptoms. Plus, with this recipe, they don’t have to be expensive! Bath salts are one of the easiest things to make and you can get really creative with them. If you don’t like my personal Lavender Lemonade bath salt recipe, you can play around with other essential oils or find a ton more just by searching for them on Pinterest.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Epsom Salts
• 15 drops Lavender Oil (Or oil of choice)
• 15 drops Lemongrass Oil (Or oil of choice)
• 1 cup Lavender Florets

Instructions:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients together well. Pour into a mason jar or two to keep or gift to a friend. When ready to use, pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the salts into the bath as the water is filling the tub. Soak and enjoy!

Bath Bombs

Ok, so while a lot of people know that you can make your own bath salts, not that many know that you can actually make your own bath bombs. Now, there are some really lovely, natural, bath bombs on the market right now, but making them at home can save you a ton of money! Plus sometimes bath bombs come packaged in plastic and if you want to avoid that then I have just the recipe for you. Keep in mind that some people experience skin sensitivity to citric acid so if that’s you then try one of these recipes instead. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Citric Acid
• 2 cups Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Avocado Oil
• 5-10 drops Ylang Ylang Oil (Or oil of choice
• 5-10 drops Jasmine or Lavender Oil (Or oil of choice)
• 1-2 tablespoons Crushed Lavender Florets or Fresh Lemon Zest for natural color
• Spritz of water

Instructions:

In a bowl mix together the citric acid and baking soda. Add the Avocado Oil and essential oils while mixing quickly with your hands. You need to make sure you mix quickly before the mixture has a chance to start fizzing. Next, add any natural colorants you want, such as crushed lavender florets or fresh lemon zest and mix well. Spritz just a little bit of water on the mixture until the powder is easy to form in your hands. You don’t need a special mold to make bath bombs, instead just press and pack the mixture tightly into a set of cupcake tins. Let dry for a few hours and then they’re ready to use. To store them, use a glass jar and be sure to use them within a few weeks as they will lose their fizziness over time.

Sugar Scrub

Sugar scrubs are so great if you need to really exfoliate your skin. Just make sure you use this one up quickly as there are no preservatives and you don’t want to have to deal with mold. I made this sugar scrub for my mom over Christmas and she loved it. I couldn’t stop smelling it either because I just love the smell of Jasmine, but you can use any Essential Oil you like.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
• 1/2 cup Organic Cane Sugar
• 5-10 drops Jasmine Oil (Or oil of choice)

Instructions:

In a double broiler or in the microwave melt the coconut oil. Remove from heat and add the cane sugar stirring well. Add the Jasmine Oil or other essential oil of choice and mix again. Store in a mason jar, cool, and enjoy!

Makeup Remover

Ok, this recipe is not really a recipe but just something I thought I would throw in here. As you can see almost all of these recipes include Coconut Oil. If you didn’t already know, Coconut Oil on its’ own can be used for so many different things. One of them is a makeup remover.

Ingredients:

• Finger full of Coconut Oil

Instructions:

Scoop out some coconut oil and rub gently on eyelids using fingers or a reusable bamboo round to remove makeup.

Shampoo

I personally, will likely never be able to use a low-waste shampoo because of a scalp condition that I have. I actually have to get my shampoo over the counter at the pharmacy as the kind I need contains medicine in it for my scalp. However, I have used DIY shampoos and conditioners in the past and the easiest of them all is this.

Ingredients:

• Baking Soda
• Water

Instructions:

In a small jar, mix together 1 part baking soda with 3 parts water. Work it into your hair the way you normally do with traditional shampoos. Just remember that this ‘shampoo’ won’t get sudsy, but it will still clean your hair well. It is easiest to use this shampoo if you store this mixture in an old squeeze bottle.

Conditioner

I sometimes still use this conditioner today on the ends of my hair (despite my scalp condition). It’s super easy, and makes your hair shiny and smooth.

Ingredients:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Water

Instructions:

All you need is 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar to about 3 or 4 parts water. If you tend to have really oily hair, then make sure to only apply this mixture to your ends. Again, this recipe is easiest to use when stored in a previously used squeeze bottle.

Thanks for reading!

PS. The labels on some of the handmade products were made by me using Canva and some old sticker paper my dad wasn’t using.

Other posts you might like:

• Wowe Lifestyle: Sustainable Toothbrush & Tongue Scraper Product Review
• How to Have an Eco Friendly Period: HighOH Reusable Pads Review
• Reduce Your Ecological Footprint: 23 Ways to Get Started
• Eco-Friendly Travel: How to Have a *Slightly* More Sustainable Flight

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