Frugal and Energy Efficient Living

silverweb

(16,402 posts)

40. Are you including oral care here?

Fri Mar 29, 2013, 05:09 PM

Mar 2013

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]I haven't bought a tube of toothpaste in a couple of years. Instead, I use 50-50 salt-baking soda with peppermint essential oil mixed in. Works just fine, also as a rinse, and the savings are substantial.

If you want fluoride, one of the commercial fluoride rinses will take care of the lack of it in the cleansing powder.

On edit: I've also seen a recipe for a paste version, mixing coconut oil and baking soda into an appropriate blend, and adding the essential oil as desired (maybe clove or cinnamon oil instead of mint?).

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What kind of shampoo and body-care products do you use? [View all] Flaxbee Jan 2013 OP

Baking soda was the talk of the town last year. Betsy Ross Jan 2013 #1

Really? Just plop it on your head and rinse? See, even though I am definitely a frugal at heart, Flaxbee Jan 2013 #2

dry rub Viva_La_Revolution Jan 2013 #4

I am not sure about the ethics of these products, Curmudgeoness Jan 2013 #3

Suave is owned by Unilever... Flaxbee Jan 2013 #7

I appreciate your commitment Curmudgeoness Jan 2013 #14

A friend turned me on to Black Africa Soap from Whole Foods. cbayer Jan 2013 #5

That sounds like shampoo/soap bars from Lush Flaxbee Jan 2013 #8

Looks like you can also order it online. cbayer Jan 2013 #10

cool! thanks - yes, Lush is quite $$, but I don't know how long they last Flaxbee Jan 2013 #12

Dr. Bronner's... now there's a blast from the past. cbayer Jan 2013 #13

Dr. Bronner's peppermint in the summer - Snow in a bottle! n/t TexasBushwhacker Mar 2013 #34

Or just to wake up! silverweb Mar 2013 #37

They sell it by the gallon at Vitacost TexasBushwhacker Mar 2013 #38

Wow, thank you! silverweb Mar 2013 #39

Trader Joes stopwastingmymoney Jan 2013 #6

Huh. I always forget about TJ's because we don't have one nearby.. Flaxbee Jan 2013 #9

I have found that buying TJ's products online is super expensive. cbayer Jan 2013 #11

I like the Black African Soap too The empressof all Jan 2013 #15

Do you think the Wen products are better, or do you just enjoy them? Flaxbee Jan 2013 #16

I have very fine hard to manage fly away type hair The empressof all Jan 2013 #18

Huh. My hair is fine (but there is a lot of it) and I have an oily scalp; I HATE having to wash and Flaxbee Jan 2013 #20

Your hair sounds just like mine The empressof all Jan 2013 #22

I use olive oil soap from Kiss My Face. kcass1954 Jan 2013 #17

that sounds excellent. I usually like the smell of olive-oil products. Flaxbee Jan 2013 #19

Hmm. TxRider Jan 2013 #21

I use a shampoo bar. athena Jan 2013 #23

I agree with you about us having been brainwashed into thinking that we need cbayer Jan 2013 #24

I know, about plastics. I'm planning on making my own laundry detergent, and doing other things Flaxbee Feb 2013 #26

My daughter mzteris Feb 2013 #25

wow - glad she found something that worked for her! Flaxbee Feb 2013 #28

I don't know. mzteris Feb 2013 #31

Anything unscented... meeshrox Feb 2013 #27

do you order Earth Science online? Flaxbee Feb 2013 #29

If I think far enough ahead, I can order it on Amazon for pretty cheap meeshrox Feb 2013 #30

migraines and plastic greymattermom Mar 2013 #35

Message auto-removed i am me. i am free. Feb 2013 #32

Shea Moisture products on my hair TexasBushwhacker Mar 2013 #33

I need to use fragrance-free stuff LiberalEsto Mar 2013 #36

Are you including oral care here? silverweb Mar 2013 #40

interesting! I've been considering making my own toothpaste, and have been Flaxbee Apr 2013 #41

I've seen a few "recipes" for homemade deodorant. silverweb Apr 2013 #42

What I heard is that you first "condition" the skin with lemon juice or vinegar, to get the PH right MADem Jul 2013 #49

I hadn't heard that before. silverweb Jul 2013 #50

Ancient Persian secret!!! MADem Jul 2013 #51

Almost none. ConcernedCanuk Apr 2013 #43

Must be a mechanic thing sue4e3 Jul 2013 #45

nope - it's a WISE mechanic's thing. Very few out there . . ConcernedCanuk Jul 2013 #46

I furgot sumthing - WELCOME TO DU! ConcernedCanuk Jul 2013 #47

Here is a simple recipe Shankapotomus Jul 2013 #44

I have used Dr. Bronner's for EVERYTHING RoccoR5955 Jul 2013 #48

Replying to my own thread to tell you I've found a fantastic deodorant. Fantastic. Flaxbee Jul 2013 #52

This is a particular weakness of mine laundry_queen Jul 2013 #53

Shampoo update. silverweb Aug 2013 #54

Whatever is on sale. I don't buy anything that is tested on animals. n/t RebelOne Aug 2013 #55

aubrey-organics lunasun Sep 2013 #56