Homemade Soap.

 
With a kid in diapers, I was my hands a lot during the day.  Because of that we go through soap like mad around here.  I've read a bit about antibacterial soaps with all their nasty ingredients and their effects on our bodies and the environment and I've realized it's best to just avoid that stuff all together.  Of course a plain ol' bar of soap is just as effective at killing bugs as the liquid variety but there is something sort of gross about a slimy bar next to the kitchen sink or in a guest bathroom. So I decided to make my own.  Here's how you do it:

Homemade Tea Tree Oil Soap:

• 1 part Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap (or any other concentrated castile soap)
• 5 parts tap water
• 10 drops 100% tea tree oil
• foaming soap dispenser (optional but ideal)

1. To figure out how much your soap dispenser holds, fill it with water and then pour that water into a glass measuring cup. Do a little math to figure out what your 1 part and 5 parts will be.
2. Fill the soap dispenser with the castile soap and water and then top it off with the drops of tea tree oil.
3. That's it. You've just made hand soap.

You don't necessarily need a foaming soap dispenser, it just makes the delivery much easier (and neater!).  And the cool thing about tea tree oil is that it's naturally antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral and doesn't add to the growing super-bug problem.  Plus if, god forbid, you get a pimple, you can dab a bit of that minty oil right on the blemish and it'll vanish in no time.

P.S... For more amazing natural skin care tips, check out Lindsay's blog.