Most DIY bath/body/personal care recipes out there are she focused. While scent has no gender, generally products made for men have more of an earthy, musky fragrance. This aftershave can be used by anyone, but it is particularly great as a facial toner and aftershave. This contains none of the alcohol, preservatives, or artificial fragrance of store bought brands. Instead, this is a refreshing mix that can help soothe and tone freshly shaved skin, soften and moisturize, and also leave a wonderful fragrance behind that is natural, earthy, and not overpowering. My husband loves how this makes his skin feel soft and yet supple (with no overdrying) and that the aroma is warm and musky without being overpowering. I even sneak a spray of it on my scarf sometimes because I love the smell. 
DIY: Alcohol-Free AftershavePrint |
{wholly rooted}This recipe uses witch hazel instead of alcohol, which has been used for ages as an astringent, and to smooth skin without drying. Be sure to find a witch hazel brand that is fragrance and alcohol-free, so that you get the full benefit of the plant without the sting. Vegetable glycerin assists in retaining moistures, and acts as an emollient to soften skin. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. These ingredients combined with the essential oils make a wonderful gentle aftershave for even sensitive skin. {ingredients}
Instructions: 
It isn't always easy to find handmade and homemade gift ideas for the men in your life - and this recipe makes a great gift!
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 Summer means a lot of sunshine and even when careful, sometimes we get a bit too much sun. I am super careful about the sun - I spend a lot of time outside with the kids, in the garden, at the community garden, and at the CSA picking during the summer. I am also taking medication for my RA which makes me photosensitive, so I can burn easily. Aaaand there is the whole hot flashes business. So needless to say I find myself sometimes feeling like my skin is just on fire, even when we are careful about when and where and how much sun we get. This offers a cool refreshing immediate feeling of relief. I carry it in the cooler sometimes when I know we will be out for awhile, and I always have a bottle in the door of my fridge. This spray combines several gentle ingredients that have properties which can help reduce inflammation, soothe the skin, and promote healing. Supplies: One 4 oz. glass spray bottle or two 2 oz. bottles 3 oz. distilled water 2 tsp. organic apple cider vinegar 3 Tbsp. fresh aloe vera gel (use a plant or a good quality gel, not the neon green fragrance added goo from the pharmacy) 20-25 drops of lavender essential oil First, remove the gel from your aloe. Aloe is such a great plant everyone should have one at home! Simply remove one or two stems (depending on how large they are). On a cutting board make a slice down the entire length of one side and peel the stem open into one flat piece. Using a butter knife, gently scrape down along the stem from end to end, removing the liquid material, leaving the green outer shell. Once you have 3 Tbsp. of fresh gel, break up any thicker bits using the back of a fork, and then put all of your aloe in the spray bottle. Next, add the distilled water and apple cider vinegar, close the lid, and shake well for a minute. Finally, add your essential oils, screw on the top again, and shake well one last time. Clearly label your bottle and store in a refrigerator. This should keep in the refrigerator for at least a month. Shake well before using. Don’t spray directly on your face, spray onto your hands first and then apply to your cheeks/forehead/nose. When I feel like I'm burning up I often spray the mist into the air and walk into it, or spray my chest/neck.  A chilly refreshing healing spray feels SO good on hot skin. While it is best to not get burned, sometimes in the summer we get a little too much sun or just feel overheated (not to mention hormonal overheated) and this refreshing herbal spray can help provide quick relief. Optional :: Try reducing the distilled water to 2.5 ounces, and adding .5 ounces of a good quality organic witch hazel in the recipe. I prefer alcohol-free spray, but the really good quality witch hazel can give additional relief for those times you have too much sun. 
In this house, we love making our own beverages. We make infused water, shrubs, syrups, switchels, and teas. My husband even roasts his own coffee beans. I drink a lot of water, but having a variety of beverages is nice - so many flavors! Every summer I find myself making this blend of juniper, ginger, sage, and lime. This combination is tangy, sweet, and earthy. Very different, and *very* good.
My husband spent some time as a child in Germany, and so grew up on a little bit of syrup or fruit juice in a glass topped with seltzer water. These days we have a soda stream. We make all of our own syrups, but the little machine is a great fast way to fizz our own filtered water and use it to make drinks. This drink syrup is a base. You make the syrup, store it in the fridge, and when you want a drink, you make it right then. It is very easy. You simply add some ice to a glass, add a few tablespoons of the drink base (to taste), and top with seltzer water. It is cold, fizzy, and flavorful. DIY soda! And all homemade. Delicious! {Try making a cocktail version using syrup, gin, and seltzer!} DIY Soda: Juniper-Sage SyrupPrint |
{wholly rooted}Make your own syrup base and then use for homemade sodas. Add a little of the syrup base to a glass with ice, pour in seltzer water or club soda to fill, and enjoy! {ingredients}
Make sure you crush the juniper berries a little to release their flavor. 
Making your own drink syrup is very quick and easy, and homemade sodas taste fantastic! {{Juniper berries are the seed cone produced by juniper. When dried they have a fresh green piney aroma and flavor. Juniper berries are used a lot in scandinavian and european cuisine to flavor meats and fermented veggies - and juniper berries are the main flavor in gin. You can find dried juniper berries in the spices or dried herb section of most grocery stores. Online they can be found at places like iherb, Williams-Sonoma, Mountain Rose Herbs, Penzeys Spices, etc. }} |
denise cusackI am a certified aromatherapist, clinical herbalist, organic gardener, plant conservationist, photographer, writer, designer, artist, nature lover, whole foods maker, and mother of two unschooled boys in south central Wisconsin. 
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DENISE |
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