Sage toothpaste and other frugal toiletries

I haven't spent a full week at home for ages so my weekly shops and meal plans haven't been weekly recently, but I thought it was about time for another post.

And I definitely have something to talk about. . .

My last post was about frugal house cleaning and this post is about frugal self-cleaning (sort of) and so I'll start with my favourite topic of the moment - sage toothpaste.

S's Mum has given us a tub of toothpowder she made from sage, myrrh and bicarb and I'm telling you, it's amazing. You just wet your toothbrush, dip it in and brush. My mouth has never felt so fresh. I tested my teeth with disclosing tablets before

I started using the powder and then again after a week and the results are astounding. Before I had a lot of plaque left after brushing, after a week of use twice a day my teeth were sparkling!

This toothpowder is cheap - sage is not expensive (particularly if you grow your own), bicarb won't break the bank and I've just checked online and you can get 12.5 g of myrrh for 61p. The recipe came from James Wong's second 'Grow Your Own Drugs' book - so I'd better not post it up, but find the recipe if you can and try it.

I try and steer clear of personal chemicals and say no to parabens (although I do use a nasty plasticy brand name shampoo. I used to use a good no chemical one but the manufacturers no longer make it). I use a crystal stick deoderant (pricey initially but they last forever, proividing you don't drop them) and I use cotton wool and water for N's bum. We use plain glycerine soap in the bath and shower (we don't use anything in N's bath except a couple of drops of lavender oil) and generally steer clear of other products. I do splash out on a moisturiser from Pure Nuff Stuff, but at £9.25 per pot, it's not an excessive expense.

There's a world of homemade beauty products out there to try. I've tried a papaya exfoliator (honey and papaya), vinegar hair rinses and oat scrubs to name but a few. All worth a go if you ask me - cheap and much more pleasant a pot filled with chemical nasties! And do try the toothpowder it really is amazing.