Hi there! On this wonderful Monday morning I have decided to share some of the low waste DIY products I use during my morning routine each day. It is important to be mindful of waste and to avoid plastic whenever possible. It can be difficult to live a life of zero waste but every effort counts!
"We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly." -Anne Marie Bonneau
Here are some of my favorite products I would like to share with you! For storing each one I like to re use old containers. I will save glass jars, empty moisturizer bottles, and spray bottles that way I can replace the product with my own recipe.
Rose Water
This is a lovely recipe to make using flowers in your garden or dried petals that you have at home. Rose water is beneficial in treating skin redness and irritation, anti-aging, headaches, and is said to enhance your mood. It can be used as a face rinse and toner or you can mist it on yourself with a spray bottle to feel energized and have a fragrance boost.
What you will need:
- Rose Petals (fresh or dried)
- Water
- Pot/Stove
- Jar or Spray Bottle for storage
For this recipe you can trim a rose and peel the fresh petals off into a bowl. You will get a lot of petals and will only need ⅓ of them depending on how much rose water you plan on making. I usually will dry the rest of them to use at a later time.
If you are using dried petals you will only need a handful.
Place rose petals (fresh or dried) in a pot, fill the pot with a cup of water, boil and cover until color of petals has faded. Keep the pot covered and remove from heat until cooled. Once the water is room temperature, filter through a strainer or cheesecloth, and pour into a container. You can fill a jar or a spray bottle depending on which way you want to use it! Keep refrigerated to use within a week, otherwise it lasts 3-5 days.
Eyebrow Gel
Instead of purchasing eyebrow gel makeup at the store that usually comes inside of a plastic tube I choose to make my own! This is also great to use if you are not wearing makeup for the day, it keeps your hairs in place without the hassle of doing your brows.
What you will need:
- Soap
- Container
- Bowl
- Eyebrow Brush
I like to reuse containers instead of discarding them and I do so for this, you can choose to do the same or use new containers. I have kept the small, round containers from skin care products I’ve had in the past, so I like to use those to store the gel. I also use an old eyebrow brush that I have as my applicator. If you have a mascara that you are no longer using you can clean that brush and use it for this as well!
All you have to do is take a small part of a soap bar or glycerin squares if you have and either microwave or melt in a double boiler. Once melted, pour into your container and allow the product to harden completely before using.
Mouthwash
A DIY Mouthwash is not for everyone, in that case there are plenty of companies that sell mouthwash tablets in biodegradable packaging and others in glass bottles. Personally, I found this recipe works so I like to use this one!
What you will need:
- 1 cup of Distilled water
- 2 tsp of Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp of Salt
- Measuring cup
- 2 drops Tea tree oil
- 5 drops Peppermint oil
Mix ingredients and pour into a jar or bottle. I like to save my glass kombucha bottles and use them to store my mouthwash. Make sure to shake the bottle before each use.
The mouthwash will stay good up to a month.
The combination of the oils and baking soda/salt rinse will help fight bad breath, kill germs, and can be gargled to soothe a sore throat.
It is important to be mindful that essential oils are not meant for swallowing so make sure you completely spit it out when rinsing.
Body Scrub
This is a coffee sugar scrub, it is great for exfoliation and a boost of energy!
What you will need:
- 1/3 cup of Coffee Grinds
- 1/3 cup of Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup of melted Coconut Oil
- 1 tbsp of Almond Oil
- Container for storage
Mix ingredients into a bowl until well combined. Find a jar or any sort of container and fill it with scrub. Can be used as soon as made!
Lip Scrub
What you will need:
- 2 tbsp of Sugar
- 1 tbsp of Coconut Oil
- A few drops of Peppermint Essential Oil
Combine all ingredients evenly and then fill a small container with product. Ready to use immediately!
Body Moisturizer
What you will need:
- 1/2 cup of Shea Butter
- 1/2 cup of Almond Oil
- Essential Oils of choice
- Container
Mix shea butter and almond oil evenly, add drops of your favorite essential oils until you are happy with it, fill a container with product.
I hope you find this post helpful and enjoyed these DIY projects. It is very hard to be completely zero waste but every effort matters!
Will you be adding any of these to your morning routine?
@JoeTether Haha, that is so true! A coffee sugar cookie could definitely be a morning essential too!
Yes, you absolutely could experiment with other flowers! Try researching the flowers you want to work with to see if they have any benefits. Lavender and chamomile would be great alternatives to try!
The body scrub recipe is a few cups of flour and 350 degrees away from a delicious cookie :D Can you use other flowers than roses to make the water too?