First Question: What is going on?
I’ve made something that heals from without, deliciously affecting within. It will not cause a build up of toxic ingredients in your cells like most commercial personal care products will do. It is increasingly hard to do something positive in this business without highlighting the negative but it’s too important to ignore and we cannot collectively dodge this issue. Let’s get real.
First, why are we allergic to the world? What on earth is in our environment to cause this? As long as we’re distracted by contrived problems in the world centered around the tired themes, we stay asleep. Where are the journalists, the truth hungry, the warriors? We are allergic to the truth. And of the eve of economic disaster, global unrest, and class wars, who honestly wants to have a conversation about lotion? I do because we have the responsibility to share truth and knowledge of our own discoveries with the others. What the others should share, I have no idea.
The idea itself is endangered. It could be that we are standing on the shoulders of giants and that all the good ideas have been thunk up and thought out so that all we have left to do is scrape the peanut butter from the jar and get nutty. But maybe, we are better than that. We are evolving, albeit slowly. Snails are groaning, sloths are moaning, that we can’t get things done except by committee but we know there is a better way. So we slog on.
So look, I combined my education in biological science with the perils of parenting 4 kids with PIA skin problems to create solutions that my childhood friend affectionately called my “lotions and potions.” Yet, I hope my mission is clear; I am educated, aware, and agitated. My goal is to create safe and effective products for our families. My formulas are pure, organic, and simple with no added fragrance, parabens, triclosan, phthalates, carcinogens, or hormone disruptors because those are a gross and under estimated health risks that ultimately cause disease, allergies, immune dysfunction, and other uncomfortable realities.
Still, it begs the question: Why are we all of the sudden so sensitive to every dang thing? Was there a single kid besides those lovable asthmatics growing up in your ‘hood allergic to a anything beyond pollen or bee stings? Credible sources have quantified our years of observation to show a strong correlation between personal care products and allergies. The Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) is committed to product safety however their solution leans toward more government regulation while at ms.fresh, we believe giving more power to those who are already corrupt and failing is decidedly unwise. Here is a compelling article if you feel like a deeper dive:
https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/2006/08/25/fragrance-allergic-reactions-sensitization/#.WqTGr2inHrc
Meanwhile, I want to start sharing some of my toxin free recipes that I don’t sell but have been using for years. I have researched and experimented with the entire Internet to develop the stuff that works for me. Fun fact, with a small army of 8th grade biology students, I created controlled experiments to test how these cleaners stand up against national brands and guess what? They had the same, even better, pathogen destroying power as national brand cleaners in several tests. I hope you are empowered by the realization that you can make safe and effective products with a small shelf of pantry staples. And for God sakes, please ditch the antibacterial
soaps and detergents - you’re destroying your microbiome and weakening your immune system. Please and thank you;)
I want to make…*
Stuff You Need...
To do this...
All purpose cleaner - wicked versatile!
32 oz.Spray bottle (check any cleaning supply aisle from WalMart to Whole Foods)
¼ cup with white vinegar
Fill rest with water
Add essential oils for scent and organic antibacterial properties (I switch between lemon, tea tree, orange, sage,
Simply mix, shake and spray. It works!
Daily sanitize countertops, doorknobs, phone. Spot clean bathroom sinks, faucets, toilets. Neutralize and clean pet urine and scents
Laundry Detergent - he washer and septic safe
One cup washing soda (found in laundry aisle of most grocery and department stores)
One cup metaborate powder - commercially sold as Borax. (this is not organic BUT is does no contain perfumes and fragrances )
One bar fels naptha soap grated. I chop the bar up with a knife then use a food processor to grind the chunks to the texture of grated cheese.
Blend the 3 dry ingredients in any container.
To use: Mix one Tablespoon of detergent with approximately one pint of water (I keep a jar by my washer just for this) and pour into washer as you would any liquid detergent.
Safe for high efficiency washers. I’ve used it with my he for 10+ years without issue. A
Also septic friendly:)
Foaming All Purpose Lemon Mint Soap - multi purpose (hand, body, dishes, etc.)
8 oz. distilled or boiled water
1 Tablespoon liquid castile soap
¼ teaspoon sweet almond or jojoba oil
3 drops of lemon essential oil
2 drops of spearmint essential oil
Pour water and oils into any old sanitized bottle with a foaming pump. I’ve reused store bought and ones purchased on amazon.
Pour in castile soap LAST or it will add Bobby Brady buble elements to your recipe.
Add any essential oils you like if you don’t love my combo.
This will safely sanitize, cut grease, smell swell.
*All recipes are easily modified to different proportions based on personal needs and preferences. For example: when I make laundry detergent for my family of 6, I literally use 10 cups of each powder and 10 bars of grated fels naptha. Thus I get 6 months of laundry done for under $20 in detergent. #soyouknow