Ok so I really like the thought of natural living, whole foods, home made cleaning liquids and all that mainly because my youngest daughter had terrible eczema. So in my search for natural ways to alleviate her suffering and to eliminate any possible allergens and triggers I attempted to go the natural living route.
To date, here are the things I've tried out on that DIY Home made All natural wagon :
1. Orange enzyme cleaner
Lots of orange peel, brown sugar and waiting later... I have no idea if it really works.
I first came across this citrusy natural cleaner when some nuns of the Franciscan order (I think... ) had a booth at church and they were promoting... Um, something.
That's how long ago it was. I don't make any now of course.
2. Baking soda shampoo & apple cider vinegar rinse
I really wanted this to work for me but I think given the 88% humidity and 34°C climate in Singapore, I just couldn't tolerate not sudsing up and rinsing out all that sweat and heat trapped under my thick hair. It also made my hair dry and frizzy... NEEEEEXXXTTT....
(It works pretty well for my daughters' braid extensions though so we still make this in our house)
3. Natural baby wipes
I was quite pleased with this actually. Too bad I only came to know of it when the twins were on the brink of potty training. So, I only made a few batches and then none. They worked pretty well. Here's how you can make some without getting frustrated with a list of ingredients you can't find. My recipe was the same except mine had a drop of tea tree oil in it but this recipe looks like it's gonna work just as well.
4. Orange Peel Vinegar
This is still infusing in my cupboard but I think it could work. Vinegar is a superb natural disinfectant and I use distilled white vinegar and water to mop my floors at home. But given the sharp sour smell, I'm looking forward to trying this next week.
5. Beeswax food wraps
I made a few to wrap veggies and bowls of leftovers then my helper put them away so well that I couldn't find them. I made a couple of cute sandwich wraps for a friend... I wonder if she's gotten to try them out. They're great cos they mould to the shape of whatever your wrapping, it's all natural (just cotton cloth and beeswax), water proof, easy to clean... Maybe I ought to make some more and stop buying cling wrap like I intended.
6. Mustache wax
My husband grew a pretty thick mustache and beard and he was looking for something to help style his beard. Online waxes were gonna cost some $30-40 and there was no way we were gonna spend that kind of money of grooming a mustache! So thanks to the Internet, we found a recipe for it and tah-daaaah! Turned out great. I gave some to my father-in-law too to use as hair wax. My husband uses it for his head of hair too that used to be styled with olive oil or almond oil.
7. Pressed powder
The flour and cinnamon was just too hard to get to the right tone. Ditched it.
And finally lucky number 8:
This I tried out only because in November last year, my husband had an infected hair follicle in his armpit that swelled and was so painful that when he finally got some medical attention, they had to surgically remove it and had to cut out a lot of the flesh around it too.
And I mean a lot! It was a 5cm diameter swollen lump that resulted in a 14cm long, 11cm deep op wound. No kidding. 2 months of daily dressings at the clinic later, he was advised not to use underarm deodorant anymore.
And so I tried making some natural underarm deodorant for him.
I personally never liked underarm deodorants because I don't like that icky sticky feeling when you first apply it. I use powder. But I thought I'd try my home made deodorant since it was all natural so it definitely beats using powder. I've also got very powerful olfactory senses and I cannot stand the smell of most perfumes, mothballs and air fresheners. I only became this sensitive to smell after having the twins 4 years ago. Before that, I wasn't too bothered by artificial fragrances. Now, I won't take a cab if it's got car air fresheners or mothballs in it. I literally have difficulty breathing and feel light headed or nauseous. Everyone else around me is fine though.
Anyway, 3 days in and I was sold. I loved that it actually felt fresher than when I used powder on my underarms and that I smelled of lavender and peppermint through the day. Even in our sweltering 34°C, 88% humidity climate, I did not sink at the end of an active day at the childcare centre.
Then came day 6...and I got 2 red burning patches. Oh they burned. I couldn't find relief till I had a shower that evening after work. Then I remembered reading that some people have these reactions to the baking soda in the deodorant.
However, the hubster loves the deodorant and continues using it.
So, back to the drawing board for a deodorant of my own.... Though I'm glad the deodorant's intended purpose was fulfilled.
I'll probably try this recipe from Mommypotamus... She's got a recipe for deodorant for sensitive skin.
Sigh... So there you have it. My adventures with the DIY ALL NATURAL- SMATURAL life style. In the end, my daughter's eczema only went away with the help of Dr. Lynn Chiam. You can get a referral to see her at KK women & children's hospital, pediatric dermatology department or at her private clinic - Children & Adults.
http://www.childrenadultskin.com.sg/
What have you tried that worked out or didn't quite do it for you? Let me know ;)
