Nature has everything we need to live a wonderful life. Nature is filled with wonderful herbs that care for our skin, hair, teeth and body. In this recipe booklet, I dive into some recipes of everyday products we use, and can be made at home using ingredients that are easily available around us. If you are someone who is passionate about natural living, eco-conscious living, or simply just want to care for your body then let's explore together.

There is so much traditional wisdom that our grandparents and ancestors had on how to harness the power of nature to care for the body. Many of us have memories of childhood, of using shikakai to wash the hair or besan + malai on the body. Even today in many places these traditional and natural practices and recipes are alive. Most of the recipes in this booklet are an adaptation of those recipes.

Disclaimer:
The recipes shared in this booklet are intended for personal use, for DIY at home. These recipes are not meant for selling products. If you wish to sell then I would recommend to understand formulation, understand the science, safety and legal requirements before

The information shared here is only a guide, to share my knowledge and understanding. I am a self-taught formulator, who has been exploring natural body care since 2019.

Please use the recipes and information with your discretion and understanding. The author is not liable for any products, processes, usage and consequences thereof.

The information in this booklet is not to substitute any medication or to solve any medical issue. For any medical issue kindly consult your medical practitioner.

If you are pregnant or nursing - check to see if the ingredient is safe for you before using, especially with essential oils.

Most of the recipes are meant for children above 3 years of age, for those below 3 years please check if the ingredients are okay to use before using the product.

Not all ingredients suit everyone - Always patch-test a new recipe, product or ingredients before using. Apply a little of the product on your inner arm or elbow and leave for some time. Observe if you are having any reactions or allergies.

All information in this book is Copy-Left, Open for anyone to use, download and share.

2. WHY NATURAL PERSONAL CARE

Reason 1: Harmful ingredients - Have you ever read the label behind your cosmetic product? Did you know many times baby shampoos contain a few harmful ingredients? When I began researching about the common ingredients in my personal care products, I was shocked to know that on a daily basis, I am putting many handful ingredients on my body. Immediately I decided to throw away all the commercial products and started searching for natural alternatives.

Of course, not all ingredients in the products are toxic. ‘Chemical’ is not bad, after all even water has a chemical composition - H2O. It is about using ingredients that are safe for the body and safe for the planet.

I have noticed as we have moved towards a society that uses more synthetic ingredient-based soaps, shampoo, make-up and beauty products, we have created many problems for ourselves. Hair fall, early greying of hair, unhealthy skin and teeth have become more common. Many people from the older generations have much better skin, hair and teeth than current generations because they have been using natural and traditional methods for body care from a young age.

Reason 2: Contamination to the planet - Have you heard of the Bellandur Lake incident in Bangalore, the lake gets filled with white cloud-like foam on top and sometimes catches fire due to the toxic chemicals from the dumping of untreated sewage water and industrial waste in the lake. Some harsh ingredients in our products, especially in cleaning products contaminate water and soil.

Many brands use animal testing - which is simply cruel and unjust to animals.
Also, most products generate a lot of single-use plastic waste, piling up in landfills and harming the earth and life on it including us! Also, many synthetic ingredients are petro-chemical meaning a dependency on non-renewable resources which is not sustainable

Reason 3: Embracing Natural beauty - Another huge issue I find with commercial personal care and beauty products is a distorted image of ‘beauty’. The marketing used by most big brands feeds on our insecurities and overall the brands, celebrities and media portray an unrealistic image of beauty causing not just physical issues in people but also mental and emotional trauma. For me, using natural body care has also been a journey of redefining ‘Beauty’ and embracing my natural beauty.

Check the resources section for links to know more.

3. UNDERSTANDING ‘NATURAL’

The word ‘natural’ has many different perspectives and definitions. There are many levels of natural ingredients and natural products. A product can contain direct plant materials or plant based ingredients. A product can contain no preservative or have a safe preservative.

There are different types of natural ingredients. Broadly, they can be categorized as

1. Purely Natural: 100% Natural denotes only ingredients that are purely derived by botanicals with minimum processing (only powdering, drying, or extracting through heat mechanisms.

Ex: Shikakai powder, Essential oils, Kokum butter

2. Naturally derived: Naturally derived denotes that the ingredients have been sourced from botanicals but have gone through a chemical process to get them to the state they are in. They may or may not use preservatives, maybe chemically altered, and artificially coloured.

Example: Commercial Aloe Vera Gel, Vitamin E Capsules

3. Natural identical: Pure synthetic preparations where the end product resembles what may be naturally occurring on Earth. Example: Flavour oils, Citric Acid Powder, Lye

Every ingredient/product has its benefits, has its uses and properties. I think there is no right and wrong, no black and white when it comes to Natural ingredients or products. It's what I want to use. For me, it is about having an understanding and making an informed choice.

For example for Soap: You can use bath powder - using only natural ingredients or

use a cold-pressed natural soap, which uses a chemical called lye in the making process but is safe and natural you can use a commercial soap which can contain harmful chemicals.

It's about what I choose to use. In this booklet, we explore recipes using the first category of ingredients - natural ingredients.

Using Local natural ingredients in a sustainable way is important for me. How and Where do I procure is an important question when sourcing ingredients. I personally prefer buying with as less plastic packing as possible. I think Natural or Sustainable is important in every step.

4. UNDERSTANDING MAKING NATURAL PRODUCTS

It is important that any product is Anhydrous - meaning no water. Anything with water will attract microbes or mould in 2-3 days since we are not using any preservatives, you need to ensure the products we make are anhydrous.

How to make sure the product is Anhydrous?

Make sure that the ingredients you use are 100% dry.
Make sure all the equipment you use to make the products is clean and dry. Sterilize the equipment before use by washing in hot water or keeping in heat for a few minutes or using rubbing alcohol.
Use dry and airtight containers to store the products. Sterilize the containers beforehand by nicely cleaning them with hot water and drying.
It is important that there is no contamination of water during the making process.
While using the products, make sure to take them with dry hands to keep them moisture-free.
The products don't have very long shelf lives. Make small batches and use fresh.

Lastly - Give yourself space to explore, experiment and enjoy the process of making and using natural products. I am just sharing recipes that I have curated with my own exploration.

This booklet is just a reference point for you, customize each recipe for your own use. Research, understand, experiment and enjoy!

It is a beautiful process to make products so make mistakes, try different things, have patience and connect with nature!

UNDERSTANDING THE INGREDIENTS AND PROCESSES

It's important to know the ingredients we are using. That's the benefit of making your own products, knowing what you are using and really experiencing how it works for you

BASE OILS

In Natural care products, we use natural vegetable oils. They serve as a base for the products, they also are moisturizing, nourishing and healing. They also serve as a carrier for essential oils. Thus can be called carrier/base oils. Some common examples are Coconut oil, Sesame oil, Almond oil and many others. There are also oils non-native to India like Olive, Argan, Jojoba and many more.

It's good to use pure and good quality base oils.

Cold-pressed base oils are recommended to use because the extraction process is chemical-free and causes less damage to oil due to very little heat.

How to choose which oil to use?

There is no right answer for this, choose the oil based on personal preference, availability, properties of the oil and how it will be in a certain recipe. Every oil has certain properties, benefits, composition and usage, so understand and research about the oils to choose wisely.

One thing to look at when choosing a base oil is the comedogenic value/rating.

Comedogenic rating is the ability for the oil to clog your pores. It starts at 0 and goes through 5. The higher the number the higher chances you have of the oil clogging your pores. Using a low or non-comedogenic oil means that oil will not clog your pores.

It is recommended for

Acne-prone and oily skin types to use oils that have a 0-1 rating

Normal/Combo skin type to use oils with ratings up to a 2

Dry/mature skin type to use oils with ratings up to a 3-4

Especially for face products like face butter, it is recommended to avoid high rating oils if you have acne-prone or oily skin.

Always keep in mind your skin is yours, you know it best so always listen to your skin. In the end, it's really what works for you.

Even though coconut oil is a high rating oil (4), it's one of the most common and skin-friendly oils that is used in natural products so check out what works for you.

Just google comedogenic value to get access to the rating, composition and properties of the oil you wish to use. Some links are also there in the resources section.

COSMETIC BUTTERS

Cosmetic butters are created from natural sources, including beans, nuts, and seeds. While those ingredients might sound more like food than skincare, these natural products have numerous benefits for the skin. In addition to their moisturizing benefits, they can also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and often contain vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Butters is a great natural alternative for skin products and a great moisturizer for all skin types.

Choose which butter to use based on the comedogenic value, availability, properties and also the hardness of butter that will suit the recipe.

Some common butter are
1. Kokum Butter

Extracted from the kokum fruit seed, It is one of the “harder” butter, though it melts easily in contact with skin. It is moisturizing and nourishing for the skin, especially sensitive skin.

Comedogenic rating: 2

2. Cocoa Butter

Extracted from the cocoa bean pod, This butter has a rich smell of chocolate. Cocoa is a hard butter. Lots of healing properties and good for anti-ageing, removing scars/marks and blemishes. Naturally high in vitamin E to help hydrate and soothe skin.

Comedogenic rating - 4

3. Mango Seed

Extracted from the mango seeds. The butter is soft and has a mild scent of mango. Provides deep nourishment, skin softness, soothing, moisturizing and is a natural emollient.

Comedogenic rating - 2
4. Shea Butter - Non-native to India

Extracted for the Shea fruit. This is very soft butter. A very common butter used because of its smooth texture and skin healing properties. An intense moisturizer, anti-ageing and good for sensitive skin.

Comedogenic rating - 0-1

WAXES

Waxes are used in products to solidify the oils and provide a base. They also have moisturizing and nourishing benefits.

There are essentially two kinds of waxes - Beeswax and plant-based waxes.

Beeswax is a natural wax. Bees make it to build the walls of the honeycomb where they’re going to raise their children and store their pollen. Beeswax is a good ingredient in natural products, especially lip balm and other skincare products. It can be an ethical issue to use an animal product like for vegans, so there are plant-based waxes like sunflower or candelilla wax.
Personally I use Beeswax but make sure to source it from ethical sources. Where the bees are not killed to get the wax, rather it's collected once the bees abandon the hive.

When sourcing waxes, check how ethically it is made and also if it is pure and natural.

Waxes have to be melted in a double boiler in order to use in any recipe.

DOUBLE BOILING

Double boilers are two pots that use steam as a heat source to melt or cook. They are made up of two pieces, a large pot that is filled with hot or boiling water and a smaller pot that fits inside and uses the steam from the hot water to heat or cook. We use Double boiling in cosmetics to melt oils/butters/waxes. We use the double boiling method so that the ingredients don't get very high harsh heat. If you don't have a double boiler you can simply make one by using one big and one small pot. It's best if the smaller bowl is not touching the hot water, kind of like fitted on the mouth of the big pot to receive the steam. If not then the smaller pot can be placed inside the bigger pot. Important to make sure the gas is on sim or off when the water reaches boiling point, to make sure no water sputters into the smaller pot and contaminates it.

OIL INFUSIONS

Oil Infusion is the process of transferring flavour/scent/colour and healing properties of a herb into a base oil. There two ways to do it - cold or hot. Best to use shade-dried herbs for the infusion to prevent any contamination of water.

How to do a cold infusion

1. Clean the herbs well and dry it thoroughly in semi-shade/shade.

2. Take a clean sterilized glass container (preferable), fill the jar 3/4th with the herb. Pour the preferred base oil over the herb.

3. Ensure the entire herb is well covered by the oil. Do not, however, fill the oil up to the brim. Do leave at least 10% empty space. Stir the contents once and close the lid,

4. Keep this container in a window sill that may receive mild sunlight or on the top of the fridge (so that the heat may help with the infusion).

5. Shake the container daily and make sure that the herb is completely immersed in oil with no visible parts outside the oil layer. If there are any, fill up with more oil to immerse the herb

6. The cold-infusion process takes 2-6 weeks to ensure all the oil-soluble components of the

herbs get transferred to the oil. Continue to shake the contents daily.

7. After 2-6 weeks, filter the oil out with a muslin cloth.

8. Your infused oil is now ready! Store in a clean bottle in a dark and cool place.

9. Use up within 6 months to benefit the maximum from the herb infused properties.

How to do Hot Infusion

1. Take around 10-20% of the herb for the total oil weight- example 10-20 grams herb in 100 grams oil. Best to use the dried form but can use fresh / powder form

2. If using fresh then grind the herb into a slight paste with minimum water or no water

4. Immerse the herb in the oil and cook on a double boiler. Make sure the herb is completely immersed in the oil

5. Cook for 30-60 minutes on the lowest flame possible. Stir frequently to make sure nothing burns.

6. Let this be overnight. Next day strain through a muslin cloth.

7. Your infused oil is now ready! Store in a clean bottle in a dark and cool place. Use up within 6 months to benefit the maximum from the herb infused properties.

NATURAL COLOURANTS AND FRAGRANCES

We can infuse natural colour or fragrances in the base oil and use that oil in a recipe to get the colour/fragrance. Since we are making anhydrous products, we infuse in the base oil and not water. Use a cold or infusion method.

If you are infusing colour and fragrance in the same base oil - first infuse colour and then fragrance. Natural fragrance can also be achieved very well with essential oils.

For natural colour, we can only use herbs that transfer their colour to the oil.

Some herb examples for Natural colour:

Alkanet root - Purple-pink colour

Bixa seeds - Orange-yellow colour

Turmeric - yellow colour

Red sandalwood - red

Dried tomato powder - red

Manjistha root - reddish or orange

Calendula flowers - orange-yellow colour

For natural fragrance, Do only cold infusion, Hot infusion can spoil the fragrance.

Some herbs examples of Natural fragrance and which part to use for infusion.

Dried lemon/orange peel - use Fruit peel

Cinnamon - use bark

Rosemary - use leaves

Basil - use leaves

Vanilla pods - use fruit

Cloves - use fruit

Cardamon - Use fruit

Rose petals - Flower

Jasmine - Flower

Frangipani - Flower

Any fragrant flower

Frankincense / Sambrani - use the resin (can be hot infused)

Gum dammer - use the resin (can be hot infused)

ESSENTIAL OILS

What are Essential oils?

Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent and flavour, or ‘essence’. Essential oils are obtained through steam distillation or other processes. Essential oils are used in the practice of Aromatherapy. We use essential oils in natural products for its fragrance and healing properties.

Some important points for using essential oils in natural personal care

Essential oils should not be used in its pure form. It must be diluted, in carrier oils to use.
Use a maximum of up to 1% of essential oils in any recipe. Example: 1 gram of essential oil in 100 grams of base oil. Since essential oils are concentrated, very little is enough. Using too much can cause skin reactions and other problems.
Keep away from pets and children. As a general guideline, It's not advisable to use essential oils for pregnant women and children below 3 years.
Use essential oils with understanding. Research and know about the essential oil before use- its properties, uses and safety measures.
Use only pure and natural essential oils.
Do not swallow or eat any pure essential oil. Check for safety before adding in any edible product.

Overall it is important to use essential oils with care and understanding. Essential oils are wonderful ingredients to use in natural personal care, so don't be afraid to use them.

How to choose which essential oil to use?

There is no right answer to this, It is what you want to use. Based on personal preference, availability and of course the properties of the essential oil.

There are three categories of essential oils. Generally when using a blend of essential oil, one mixes all three kinds to create a perfect blend

Top Notes: Essential oils that give the first impression, evaporate fast and not very long lasting. They tend to be light, fresh and uplifting in nature and are generally not very expensive.

Like Peppermint, Tea tree, Lemongrass, Orange, Eucalyptus, Basil etc.

Middle Notes: Normally give body to the blend and have a balancing effect. The smells of middle notes are not always immediately evident and may take a couple of minutes to come into their own right and are normally warm and soft fragrances.

Like Lavender, Rosemary, Geranium, Chamomile, Pine etc.

Base Notes: Normally "heavy" oils with their fragrance are evident, but will also slowly evolve and be present for a long time and slow down the evaporation of the other oils. Their fragrances are normally intense and heady. They are normally rich and relaxing in nature and are also the most expensive of all oils

Like Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Clove, Cedarwood, Cinnamon etc

To know which essential oils come under which notes, google it or check the resources section.

5. ORAL CARE

Brushing is such a small but important task in our daily routine. I was shocked to learn about the harmful ingredients in my toothpaste, so I set out to find natural alternatives.

I began my journey of natural brushing by using Neem tree sticks. I enjoy using ‘Datun’. Using fresh tree twigs of Neem, Meshwak, Babul, mango, and other trees is one alternative to toothpaste. However, this option is not always available.

TOOTHPOWDER

Toothpowder is a mix of herbal powders to care for the teeth, a completely natural and traditional way of oral care. Of course, one can buy toothpowders available in the market but I enjoy making my own toothpowder as I can make it to suit my taste, know for sure what all is in it and save on packaging.

Herbal Tooth Powder Formulation

Makes around 100 grams of powder

Shelf life - 6-8 months

Ingredients	Function	Approx weight	Percentage
Guava Leaf powder	Base, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial	50gm	50%
Cloves powder	Refreshing, antibacterial and wound healing	10gm	10%
Fennel seeds powder	Refreshing, anti-bacterial and cleansing	10gm	10%
Himalayan pink salt / Sea salt	Antiseptic and whitening	5 - 10 gm	5-10%
Tulsi leaf powder	Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain relief, anti-fungal/	5 gm	5 %
Cinnamon powder	Refreshing, anti-bacterial	2 - 5 gm	5%
Cardamom powder (Optional)	Refreshing, anti-bacterial	1 gm	1-2%
Neem powder (Optional)	Antibacterial	3 gm	2-5%
Licorice root powder (Optional)	Adds natural sweetener to balance flavour and is good for gum health	10gm	5-10%

Direction to make:

Notes: IMG_20180703_085555097

Adjust proportions based on your taste. Experiment with the ingredients and find the best formulation that suits you. Based on the availability of resources and preference you can also add or subtract the ingredients.
Neem will give a bitter taste so skip it if you don't like the taste of neem.
Since we are making it for home purposes don’t worry too much about the exact weight – do approximately if you don't have a weighing scale. 1 tablespoon of powder is approximately 10 grams, though it can vary slightly from powder to powder depending on the density, but you can approximate and make.

To Make:

Collect fresh leaves of Guava, Mint, Neem, and Tulsi. Shade-dry the leaves on a plate till completely dry and can be made into powder.
Dry roast the spices like the clove and fennel before grinding for better flavour.
Grind all the ingredients together. If making a large batch you can grind each ingredient separately into powder and then mix.
You can also procure ready-made powders - like clove powder, guava leaves powder from a trusted source that gives pure powders.
Mix all the powders well. Sieve through a super-fine filter or muslin cloth and mix well. The tooth powder must be a fine powder so that it's not abrasive to the teeth.
Your very own tooth powder is ready! Store in a dry airtight container. Very important to keep it moisture-free and take it with dry hands.
Make sure to use only edible and dry ingredients in your toothpowder.

Other optional ingredients that can be added to the toothpowder

Peppermint Essential oil: Gives a nice minty flavour and adds freshness to the mouth.
Add 1 drop to 10 grams of tooth powder and mix well ( do not exceed 0.5% of essential oil). Peppermint essential oil is not safe for children below 3 years or pregnant women.

You can use 2% dried peppermint leaves instead.

Mango Leaves powder - up to 20%
Banyan bark or Babool bark powder - 20-40%
Activated Charcoal - up to 10%
Bentonite Clay powder - can be used as a base in the toothpowder - up to 50%
Triphala powder / Amla powder / Lemon peel powder / Orange peel powder - 5-10%
If you are using any citrus ingredients in your tooth powder, it can cause sensitivity in teeth. If so use it in intervals - give breaks to using tooth powder with citrus ingredients.
Ingredients for preventing plague: Pomegranate peel powder, orange/lemon peel, guava leaf, and amla
Ingredients for teeth whitening: Activated charcoal, salt, turmeric, baking soda. You can also rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth. Use baking soda sparsely. Long-term use is not good.
To make the toothpowder in paste form - mix some coconut oil and use. Mix oil in a small qty of toothpowder and store in an airtight container, scope with a dry spoon and put on toothbrush or finger. Shelf life 1-2 weeks

How to use toothpowder.

Use a dry spoon/hand to take the powder. Take a pinch of powder in your palm. Use your finger or toothbrush to brush. Gently brush with a toothbrush, not vigorously like you do with toothpaste.
Gargle well with water.

Tips - massage your gums and use tongue cleaner. Ditch the plastic toothbrush and switch to a bamboo toothbrush

Additionally, you can do oil pulling for oral health

Happy brushing!

MOUTHWASH

A great way to freshen your breath after brushing with toothpowder is a peppermint mouthwash! Mouthwash is used not just to freshen the breath but also to maintain oral health. A super simple way is to use salt water rinse or explore these three ways to make your own mouthwash at home.

Peppermint Hydrosol Mouthwash Formulation

Makes 100 ml
Shelf life 2-3 weeks

Ingredients	Function	Approx weight	Percentage
Peppermint / Spearmint hydrosol	Freshness to mouth	10ml	10%
Water	Base	90ml	90%
Salt	Anti-bacterial	To taste

Direction to make:’

Mix the peppermint hydrosol, water and salt in a clean and dry bottle. Use within 2-3 weeks.

Hydrosols are a by-product of steam distillation process for essential oil extraction. You can purchase hydrosols from any good raw material supplier. (recommendations at the end of the pdf). You can replace Peppermint hydrosol with any other hydrosol which is good for oral health like spearmint, clove or cinnamon.

How to use: After brushing, swish around the required quantity of mouthwash in your mouth and spit out - do not swallow.

Peppermint Essential Oil Mouthwash formulation:
The same mouthwash can be made with essential oil instead of hydrosol. Put 0.5 - 1 % of peppermint essential oil in 100 ml of drinking water with some salt to taste. You can also use clove, cinnamon or any other essential oil. Use only up to 1% of total essential oil in the water. Do not swallow.
Check essential oil safety before choosing.

Water Infusion Mouthwash formulation:

Boil some cloves and a bark of cinnamon in 250 ml of drinking water for 10-15 min. Switch off the gas and put some mint or peppermint leaves (fresh or dried). Once cool down store it in a bottle. Optional - add some salt or 0.5% peppermint essential oil.

Shelf life is 2-3 days. Store in the fridge for a longer shelf life.

DISCLAIMER: Always check essential oil safety before using - Peppermint Essential oil is not recommended for children below 3 and pregnant women

DO NOT SWALLOW THE MOUTHWASH - Especially if it contains essential oil. For kids avoid the use of essential oil, instead use a simple salt water or spice water infusion

6. HAIR CARE

Smooth silky hair that bounces perfectly is a picture created by the media and I was one of the many who desired such hair. This unrealistic desire made me disconnected from my hair and made me put tons of chemicals on the hair in the form of shampoo and conditioner. When I started using a natural shampoo, I began connecting with my hair when I washed and combed it. I have begun to appreciate the natural beauty of my hair. Check out the recipes for liquid shampoo, hair wash powder and hair oil to have healthy and happy hair.

LIQUID HAIR SHAMPOO

Ingredients	Function	Approx weight	Approximately
Shikakai pods	Cleansing	10 grams	Handful
Soapnut	Cleansing	10 grams	Handful
Hibiscus flowers and leaves	Conditioning and hair nourishing	5 grams	5-10 flowers and leaves
Fenugreek seeds	Conditioning and hair nourishing	5 grams	1-2 teaspoon
Amla powder (Gooseberry) dried or fresh	Conditioning and hair nourishing	5 - 10 grams	2-3 fruit
Curry leaves - dried or fresh	Conditioning and hair nourishing	5 grams	Handful of leaves

Additionally, you can add any herb good for hair like aloe vera, neem leaves, bhringraj, etc

Directions to make:
Boil all the herbs together for 15-20 min in around 500ml of water, Once cool down, squish and extract the liquid. Use as a shampoo. To remove hair oil, may need to wash twice.

Substitute the plain water to make the shampoo with rice water to make the shampoo more conditioning. Use aloe vera gel or flax seed gel as a conditioner.

To thicken the liquid - soak 5 grams almond pisin overnight, and grind it with a little water into a paste. Mix it in the shampoo liquid to thicken the paste. Or add 1% Xantham or Gaur gum powder ( Mix the powder in a little water and then mix the paste with the shampoo liquid)

Shelf life - Use within 1 day or keep in the fridge for 1 week.
To preserve naturally - mix 5-10 ml bio enzymes and store in an airtight bottle.

Use:
Use as a regular liquid shampoo. May need to wash your hair twice to remove hair oil. Avoid contact with eyes, may burn.

HAIR WASH POWDER

Hair wash powder formulation

Approximately makes: 500 grams

Shelf life: 1 year

Ingredients	Function	Approx weight	Percentage
Shikakai Powder (Acacia Concinna)	Cleansing	200 grams	40%
Soapnut powder (Sapindus)	Cleansing	125 grams	25%
Chigaru / Arappu powder (Albizia Amara)	Conditioning and cleansing	100 grams	20%
Hibiscus powder (Petals/leaves)	Conditioning and hair nourishing	50 grams	10%
Amla powder (Gooseberry)	Conditioning and hair nourishing	25 grams	5%

Directions to make: Mix the dry powder and sieve the mixture to make it into fine powder. Store in a dry airtight container.
Notes: Additionally, you can add - Neem leaves powder, Fenugreek seeds powder, Curry leaves powder, Bhirgaraj powder or any herb powder good for hair - add 5-10%

You can play around with the proportion as per your choice and feel free to add or subtract ingredients too! Experiment with which hair wash powder combination suits your hair.

Shelf life: 10-12 months. Store in an airtight container, use it with dry hands and keep moisture free.

How to use: In the required quantity, add water to make a paste.

Apply thoroughly on hair and scalp and massage well. Leave for 10-20 minutes. Wash hair thoroughly with water.

Avoid contact with eyes, they can burn.

For oiled hair, if needed wash twice. The second time don't need to keep it for some time.

To use as a hair pack - mix curd or aloe vera gel in the paste, leave on hair for 20-30 minutes and wash off with water.

Natural ingredients are mild and gentle and need your patience to care for your hair. It can take a few washes for you and your hair to get adjusted to the hair wash powder.

HERBAL HAIR OIL

This simple homemade hair oil recipe to make rich and nourishing hair oil.

Ingredients :

Base oils:
Coconut oil - 200 ml
Sesame oil - 50 ml

You can also use only one single oil.
The oils can be substituted with any carrier oil like mustard oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil.
It is recommended to use cold-pressed oils. If not cold-pressed then any good quality oil. Additionally, you can add 5ml of Neem oil or Castor oil. Avoid castor oil for very dry or thin hair.

Herbs for Infusion: Completely DRIED herb - Around 5 grams or a handful of 5-6 herbs of your choice. Use the herbs based on your preference and availability.

Herbs to choose from: Curry leaves, Hibiscus flowers/leaves, Tulsi, Amla, Fenugreek seeds, Neem leaves, Hibiscus flower/leaves, Tulsi leaves, Moringa leaves, Gooseberry. Bhringaraj leaves, Fenugreek seeds, Black sesame seeds, Mustard seeds, Brahmi leaves, Black seeds(kalonji), Licorice, etc.

Directions to make:

Cold infusion method -
This is the preferred method to retain the maximum benefits and nutrition of the oils and herbs.

Take a glass or steel container. Do not use plastic containers.
Fill the container up to 50% with DRIED herbs and pour the carrier oils on top.
Make sure all herbs are covered. Do not fill till the top, leave some space for herbs to expand. Cover the mouth of the container with a muslin cloth and then close the lid.
Keep in a cool and dark place for 4-6 weeks.
Strain through a fine sieve and store in an airtight container.

Optional add Essential oil of choice - 0.5 to 1%
Add 10 drops of essential oil of your choice. Make sure essential oil is only 1% of the oil weight, not more. Some suggestions are Tea tree, Rosemary, Lavender, and Peppermint essential oil.

Hot infusion method -
In a vessel, heat the base oils and cook the herbs to infuse.
In hot infusion, you can use fresh herbs. Cook over gas (lowest flame possible) for 20-30 minutes, for dried herbs 10-15 minutes also will be enough.
Stir frequently to prevent burning. When using fresh herbs, the oil will boil and rise, just stir the oil frequently. Cook in a vessel with enough space for the oil to rise. The cooking process is to infuse the herbs into the oil and to remove water content.
Once the oil cools, sieve through a muslin cloth and store in an airtight bottle – best if glass. If using any essential oil, add essential oils after straining.

Usage: Use when required. Recommended 2-3 times a week, 1-2 hours before hair wash
Shelf life: 6-8 months

HAIR PACK

Hair Pack powder with Herbal powders -

This Hair pack works wonderfully for nourishing the hair and also as an anti-dandruff
Makes 100 grams of powder

Shelf life: 1 year

Ingredients: Take equal qty of Neem leaves powder, Curry leaves powder, Hibiscus flower powder, Fenugreek seeds powder, Lemon peel powder, Tulsi (Indian basil) powder, Shikakai powder, Bhringaraj powder, Brahmi powder and licorice powder in equal quantities - 10 grams each

Mix all ingredients, sieve through a fine sieve, and store in a dry airtight jar.

Hair pack with Fresh herbs -
Soak for min 1 hr and grind Fenugreek seeds, lemon peel, curry leaves, hibiscus flowers and tulsi leaves into a paste. Optional - Add some shikakai liquid/powder and curd. Sieve if required to get a smooth paste. Apply as a hair pack for 20-30 mins and wash off.

How to use: Make a thick paste with the hair pack powder or use the fresh herb paste.
For dandruff recommended to add curd or aloe vera gel and a few drops of lemon juice to the paste. Lemon can burn slightly on the scalp, esp if the scalp is red or wounded, avoid it in that case. Apply on the hair for 20-30 minutes. Wash off well with water.
Use once a week for a month for results. This pack will not work as a shampoo.

Regular oiling of hair, 1-2 times a week along with a mild natural shampoo helps with dandruff, dry scalp, hair growth and overall healthy hair.
Disclaimer: If you have severe dandruff or your dandruff persists - visit a doctor to understand the root cause and treat it accordingly. This pack is only to help with mild cases of dandruff and overall to nourish the hair.

Tips for Natural Hair Care

Oil Hair Regularly: Massage your hair and scalp with warm oil 1-2 times a week to provide nourishment, prevent dryness, and improve blood circulation.
Gentle cleansing: Wash your hair twice a week with a natural and mild shampoo to cleanse the scalp without stripping it of natural oils. Use lukewarm or cold water for washing, as hot water can weaken hair and cause dryness.
Deep nourishment: Apply a hair pack or mask at least twice a month for deep nourishment. For issues like dandruff, hair fall, or thinning, use a hair mask weekly
Hair drying: Allow your hair to air dry instead of using heat tools like hairdryers, which can damage hair cuticles.
Comb: Comb hair with a wooden comb to reduce static and prevent breakage and split ends. Wooden combs are also eco-friendly and gentler on the scalp.
Night routine: Comb and braid or tie your hair loosely before bed to avoid tangling and breakage.
Internal health matters: A balanced diet rich in greens, vegetables, and fruits is essential for strong, healthy hair. Include natural hair-friendly foods like curry leaves, amla, flaxseeds, and nuts in your diet. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and ensure adequate rest and sleep. Staying stress-free also helps to keep those hairs intact!
Remember hair goes through its cycles, not every day is a good hair day!
If you experience excessive hair fall, dandruff, or other persistent hair issues, consult a doctor or dermatologist to identify and address the root cause.

7. SKINCARE

BATH POWDER

Bath powder has been used by our ancestors and is part of our traditional wisdom. The wonderful thing about bath powder is that we can make it ourselves at home with ingredients in the kitchen and it's good for all ages and genders!

When I started using natural personal care products I began to unlearn many prenotions I had around body care.

For soap, I began to understand that lather is not required to clean.

I began to understand that If I use a soap that doesn’t remove all the natural oil on my skin,

I don’t even need to always use soap to bath, just water is also cleansing!

I enjoy bathing with bath powder. I feel very fresh and clean after a bath.

Bath powder formulation

Approximately makes: 150 grams

Shelf life: 6 months

Ingredients	Function	Weight	Pct%
Base: cleansing / nourishment
Green Gram Flour	Provides nutrition, Cleans and Exfoliates	25 grams	25%
Bengal Gram flour	Provide nutritions, Deep cleansing, Exfoliates and Removes excess oil	25 grams	25%
Rice Flour	Soothes skin, Anti-inflammatory	10 grams	10%
Herbal powders for Nourishing and Healing ( choose what you want to add)
Turmeric / Kasturi Manjal powder (skip for men)	Lends Aroma, Detoxes body, Heals skin issues, Helps acne and Eliminates odour	5 grams	5%
Kachoor white turmeric	Balances heat, Lends Aroma, Strengthens muscles, Anti-inflammatory, Heals wounds	5 grams	5%
Neem Leaf powder	Anti-bacterial, Healing properties and Helps clear blemishes	5 grams	5%
Orange peel powder	Improves skin tone, Balance body heat, Clears blemishes and Antibacterial	5 -10 grams	5 - 10 %
Papaya Leaf powder	Moisturize and Nourish	2 gms	2-3 %
Avarampoo flower - Senna Auriculata	Lends Aroma, Removes body odour, Heals skin and gives a glow to the skin	5 grams	5 %
Licorice powder	Healing properties for the skin	5-10grams	5-10%
Tulsi Powder	Antibacterial, Antifungal and Anti-inflammatory properties	5 grams	5%
Fenugreek seeds powder ( has a slimy property)	Heals wounds, Balances heat, Gives shine And moisturizes the skin	5 grams	5%
Pomegranate peel powder	Improves skin tone, Balance body heat, Clears blemishes	5 grams	5%
Vetiver powder	Balances heat, Takes care of overall skin health, Lends aroma	5 grams	5%
Rose petals powder	Pleasing fragrance helps strengthens skin, Cooling & emotionally nourishing	5 grams	5%
Hibiscus flower powder	Balances heat, helps with skin irritations	5 grams	5%

Direction to make: Make sure all ingredients are 100% dry and fine powder - Sieve if needed.

Step 1 : Base: Mix Green gram, besan and Rice flour

For very dry skin only green gram flour is recommended. Besan and Rice flour can attract insects, so put neem leaves to store and make small batches.

Step 2: Add in the herbs in the base - choose whatever and how many ever you wish to add. Choose based on availability and preference.

Apart from the list above, there are other herbs also that can be added like red sandalwood powder. The list of herbs is so long that it can be overwhelming - I suggest starting with ingredients available to you easily.

For men it is advisable to not use Turmeric powder or in very little percentage as it can stud hair growth. For women, it's great to use turmeric.

Step 3: Mix all ingredients well and store in airtight dry container to use

For babies use only Green / Bengal gram flour with rose petals. Add Turmeric for girls.

You can use the same formulation to make a face pack - you can use Multani mitti or any other clay as a base.

How to use the bath powder? images (1).jpg

A patch test is recommended before use - apply little on a patch of skin to test for any reaction/allergies

Use Instead of Soap.

In a container, take the required quantity of powder with dry hands. Mix into a thick paste with little water.

Wet body, apply on the whole body and wash off thoroughly.

You can also add milk/milk cream/rose water / any oil into the paste. If you have dry skin then adding oils like coconut oil is recommended.

Your kitchen is a magical place to care for your skin. Explore and enjoy it!

MOISTURIZER-BODY BUTTER

First, let's understand our skin a little

Skin is the body's largest organ. The skin protects us from microbes and the elements help regulate body temperature and permits the sensations of touch, heat, and cold.
Skin’s outer layer provides a waterproof barrier. This layer is home for pores. It also keeps shedding off dead cells and replacing new cells.

Skin needs nourishment from within through the food and drinks we consume
Moisturizer from outside is for protection, moisturizing and helps in removing any

skin problems / blemishes / wrinkles and helps to keep it healthy.

For moisturizer to be 100% natural, it has to be Anhydrous (meaning no water)

Anything with water will attract microbes/mold within 2-3 days. For 100% natural moisturizer make an oil based moisturizer with no water content in it. If you are using any water based ingredient then you will need to use within a few days or use safe preservatives.

Range of Natural Moisturizing options

Just oil: Apply a thin layer of oil after bath. Any healing oil, best if cold-pressed. Use coconut oil, badam oil, sesame oil or any of your preference.
Herbal infused oil: Infuse herb in a carrier oil to give some extra boost to the oil, examples like Basil oil, Rose oil, Carrot oil.
Fruit / Nut Butter: Use any cosmetic butter for the skin. Apply the butter directly after bath. Examples: Kokum butter, Cocoa butter, Shea butter, Mango seed butter.
Body Butter: Make a body butter with oils, butter, wax, herbs and essential oil.

Body Butter formulation

Approximately makes: 50 grams

Shelf life: 6-8 months

Ingredients	Pct	Function	Weight
Base Oil - Coconut/Almond/Jojoba/Sesame/any oil of your choice	20-30%	Oil Base - For moisturizing	10 -15 grams
Hard butter - Koum / Cocoa	40%	Butter base - for moisturizing	20 grams
Soft Butter - Shea / Mango seed butter	30-40%	Butter base - for moisturizing	15 - 20 grams
Essential oil	0.5% to 1%	Fragrance and healing properties	0.5 - 1 gram

Directions to make:

Step 1: Sterilize the equipment. Measure all ingredients except essential oil in a vessel. Melt the butter and oil in a double boiler and combine well

Step 2: Cool down the butter till it slightly hardens ( can also refrigerate for some time) and whip well with an electric hand blender. Whip for 5-10 minutes, the butter should become light in colour and fluffy. Add essential oil and whip once again to make nice whipped body butter. Whipping makes the butter soft, smooth and fluffy.

Step 3: Transfer into a dry airtight container to use.

To use:- Whenever required, take a little bit and rub between palms to melt, then evenly massage on the skin to moisturize. Take with dry hands and Store moisture-free. Recommended to use after bath.

Body butter is not light and creamy like lotions or creams which are generally water based, body butter is oil based, it is thick and heavy but very nourishing for the skin, using all natural ingredients.

If whipped butter melts in the heat, once it hardens back it will lose it's whipped property.

If you don't have an electrical hand blender then after melting the butter and oil in a double boiler, take off the gas stove, add essential oil and mix well. Pour into an airtight dry container and let it cool down and harden.

If consistency is not achieved properly, re-melt everything and fix using more oil for softens and more butter for hardness.

How to choose Carrier oil:
Choose based on your skin type.Use what's locally available, what oils suit your skin.
You can choose heavier oils like coconut for dry skin and lighter oils like almond and jojoba for oily skin. In the end choose what oil suits you.

You can also use the guide of comedogenic value of the oil to choose which carrier oil to use. Comodogenic value is a rating system that roughly indicates how likely an oil is to clog pores. Google for comedogenic scale to get the rating for different oils/butters
For oily skin / Acne-prone skin, especially for a face butter use a below 3 comedogenic value oil
For dry skin use any oil.
In the end-use the oil that suits you. Coconut oil is the most commonly used oil, though high in the comedogenic scale, it suits most skins.

You can Infuse fragrance or color in the carrier oil and use. check the understanding oils section to know-how.

You can use any essential oil of your choice - some suggestions are lavender, peppermint, frankincense, vanilla, sandalwood, rose, juniper berry, cinnamon, jasmine, sweet orange, grapefruit. Use only up to 1 % of Essential oil.

LIP BALM

Can you imagine eating petroleum? That is what lip balms mostly available in the market contain – petroleum jelly.

Lips need our care to keep them moisturized. A simple alternative is to apply coconut oil or ghee or milk cream (malai) on the lips.

Basic and Simple recipe:

Shelf life - 1 year
Approximately makes - 10 boxes - 100 grams

Ingredients	Pct%	Function	Weight
Pure Coconut Oil – Best if cold-pressed	70-75%	Oil Base - For moisturizing	70-75grams
Natural Yellow Beeswax / vegan wax	25-30%	Wax Base - to solidify, seals moisture and protects lips	25 - 30 grams
Essential oil	0.5% to 1%	Fragrance and healing properties	0.5 - 1 gram

You can use any pure essential oil, some suggestions are lavender/peppermint/vanilla/

cinnamon/juniper berry or any of your choice. Important to not exceed beyond 1%

Directions to make: In a double boiler melt the coconut oil and beeswax. Make sure that no water enters the vessel so keep the gas on simmer. Once melted completely, switch the gas and add essential oil. Immediately sieve and pour into bottles. Let it cool down and it's ready.

Notes :

You can add 1 spoon of pure honey or ghee in the mixture as well if you wish.
Avoid water contamination, while making and using. Use with dry hands.
You can adjust the proportion as per your choice and weather. Add more oil for winter and more wax for summer. You can use a different oil also like sesame or almond.
If consistency is not achieved properly, re-melt everything and fix using more oil/wax.

Exotic Lip Balm Recipe with colour

Approximately make 10 boxes - 100 grams

Shelf Life: 1 year

Ingredients	Pct	Function	Weight
Carrier Oil - Coconut/Almond/Jojoba/Sesame/any oil of your choice	40-50%	Oil Base - For moisturizing	40 grams
Castor Oil	5-10%	Emollient/shine	5 grams
Natural Yellow Beeswax/vegan wax	20-30%	Wax Base - to solidify the balm, seal moisture and protect lips	25 grams
Butter - kokum/shea/cocoa/,mango seed	20-30%	Butter base - for moisturizing	30 grams
Essential oil	0.5% to 1%	Fragrance and healing properties	1 gram
Alkanet root or Arica seeds infused in a carrier oil		Colouring - Infuse 10% in Carrier Oil	10 grams

Direction to make: In a double boiler melt the coconut oil, castor oil, butter and beeswax together. Make sure that no water enters the vessel so keep the gas on simmer. Once melted completely, switch the gas and add essential oil. Immediately sieve and pour into bottles. Let it cool down.

Note: Colour of lip balm will not very strongly give colour on the lips, just the joy of a pinkish-red lip balm.

DEODORANT
Approximately make 100grams

Shelf life: 6 months

Ingredients	Pct	Function	Weight
Baking Soda or Food grade Diatomaceous Earth	10-30%	Neutralize body odour	10 -30 grams
Coconut oil - Best if cold-pressed	20%	Natural Microbes Control, Anti-inflammatory	20 grams
Arrowroot Powder or Corn starch or Kaolin clay powder	40-50%	Absorbs Moisture	40-50 grams
Natural Yellow Beeswax / Vegan wax (optional)	10%	Wax Base - to solidify the deodorant	10 grams
Multani Mitti (optional)	10%	Absorbs Moisture	10 grams
Kokum Butter / Shea butter (optional)	10%	Nourishment, Moisturizing, Solid Feel to product	10 grams
Essential oil	0.5% to 1%	Fragrance and healing properties	1 gram

Directions to make:

Melt the wax and the butter (if using) in a double boiler. Add Coconut oil, melt, and mix well.
Once the butter and oil mix cools slightly, add the essential oils (either any one or a combo as per your fragrance preference). If using more than one essential oil, pre-mix them separately and then add. Some suggestions are Lavender, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Orange, Lemon, Tea tree, Rosemary, Geranium or any of your choice.
Add the arrowroot powder (or substitute) and baking soda/diatomaceous earth and mix well to form a thick consistency.
Add more coconut oil if required to form a thick paste. Remember that if you are using Kokum butter/ wax that they will harden once the entire mix cools down completely.
Some people may be allergic to Baking Soda or their skin might turn very dry. If so skip the baking soda
Transfer to an airtight container while still soft and let harden naturally or refrigerate.
If consistency is not achieved properly, re-melt everything and fix using more oil/wax.

A simpler version of this is 10% Baking Soda, 50% Arrowroot powder, 40% coconut oil and 1% Essential oil. Use as much coconut oil required to achieve desired consistency)

Over low flame, cook the oil+powder till everything melts and combines well. Let it cool, add your choice of essential oil and store in a dry airtight container.

How to use:

Always use with dry hands only. Take a pinch or two (a little goes a long way) and apply to your underarms and rub gently.
Applying immediately after bath is a good idea.
Make sure you keep a watch on how your body reacts – if you get some irritation it could be the baking soda or the essential oil used.

SOLID PERFUME

(Not to be used during pregnancy and if having any major skin diseases)

Approximately makes 100 grams

Shelf life: 1 year

Ingredients	Pct	Function	Weight
Base Oil of Choice (Coconut/Jojoba/Badam)	20%	Nourishment, Moisturizing, Base	20 grams
Natural Yellow Beeswax or Vegan Wax	20%	Solidness, Nourishment	20 grams
Essential Oils of choice ( Check understanding essential oils section to know more) • Base essential oils - 10-20 drops • Middle essential Oils – 30-40 drops • Top Essential Oils – 10-20 drops	2-5%	Fragrance	20-50 drops
Kokum/Mango/Cocoa/Shea Butter (Optional) Increase oil/wax to compensate if not using)	50%	Nourishment, Moisturizing, Base	50 grams

Directions to make:

Blend all the essential oils together carefully in a small container. Use 10-30 drops per essential oil category keeping in mind that you want the oils to be not more than 2 – 5% of the overall recipe quantity.
Melt the wax and butter in a double boiler. Add the carrier oil. Mix gently.
Switch off the flame and remove from heat. Strain
Add the essential oil mix and stir in. Check the smell
Pour quickly into your storage container and let it harden.

How to use:

Before starting to use - Do a patch test, apply some on your wrist to make sure you have no reaction towards the perfume. Due to the high quantity of essential oil there can be reactions. Solid perfumes are not meant to be overpowering but rather very gentle and subtle. So do not add more essential oils. Essential oils need to be used with caution as higher amounts can cause some allergies.
Take a pinch or two and slightly warm it in the palm of your hands. Rub gently on your pulse points (wrist, neck, back of ears, etc.).
DO NOT OVERAPPLY. Since this recipe contains a higher quantity of essential oil, the perfume has to be used as a perfume and NOT body butter.
As your body warms up the perfume, the fragrance will emit in a gentle whiff around you.

You can make also make a liquid version by simply mixing a carrier oil such as Coconut oil or Pure Badam oil and essential oils with it (in the ratio of 100 parts carrier oil to 2 or 5

parts essential oil). Transfer to a roll-on bottle and just dab the oil in your pulse

points/cloth corners

For making a perfect “perfume” blend, use the three different notes of essential oils in the following ratio:

o Top notes: 20-30%

o Middle notes: 40-80%

o Base notes: 10-25%

( see understanding essential oils section to know more)

There is also something called the “Fragrance Wheel” which can help you

come up with better blends based on whether an essential oil is more

floral/fruity/herb/green/woodsy, etc.

Another option for eliminating body odour in using a mineral stone.

Rub an Alum stone (Fitkari, a naturally occurring mineral salt) under your arms immediately post bath while your skin is still slightly damp. Repeat once more in the evening if required.

Alternatively, wet the stone a little bit and rub on the skin. Make sure the stone is smooth and has no sharp edges. See if this works for you to remove body odour and make sure to check if

your skin reacts in any way to alum, if so don't use it.

MOSQUITO REPELLENT CREAM

Approximately makes 100 grams

Shelf life: 1 year

Ingredients	Pct%	Function	Weight
Coconut Oil	70-75%	Oil Base - For moisturizing	70-75grams
Natural Yellow Beeswax / vegan wax	20-25%	Wax Base - to solidify, seals moisture and protects lips	25 - 30 grams
Essential Oil Blend of Citronella, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Geranium	1-2 %	Fragrance and insect repellent properties	1-2 grams
Neem Oil (Optional)	2-5%	Repels mosquitoes	2-5 grams
Edible camphor ( optional) Infused in the coconut oil	5-10%	Repels mosquitoes	5-10 grams

Directions to make:
Pre blend the Essential oils separately. You can use equal quantities of each of the essential oils you are using. The total quantity however should come to 1-2% of the balm you are making.

• Melt wax on a double boiler and add the coconut + Neem oil. Once combined well, remove from heat.

• Add the blended Essential Oils and mix well.

• Transfer to a storage container and let cool.

Do a patch test to make sure there are no reactions to essential oil blend.

Neem oil has a strong smell so use accordingly.

DUSTING POWDER (Talc free)

Approximately makes 50 grams

Shelf life: 1 year, best to use within 3-6 months

Ingredients	Pct%	Function	Weight (50grams)
Arrowroot powder or Corn flour	55%	Absorbs sweat and oil	25 grams or 2.5 tablespoon
Kaolin clay or Multani mitti	30%	Absorbs sweat and oil	15 grams or 1 tablespoon
Rose or Sandalwood powder	10%	Natural fragrance and cooling properties	5 grams or 1/2 tablespoon
Neem leaf powder (Optional)	5%	Anti-bacterial properties	3 grams or 1/4 tablespoon
Essential oil of choice Sandalwood/Rose/Jasmine/Lavender/Geranium	0.5%	Fragrance Avoid for babies	5-10 drops

8. HOME CARE

Detergent has a whole lot of chemicals. Have you ever noticed that detergent cakes or powders don’t have ingredients written behind them? Detergents contain very harsh chemicals that are harmful to the skin.

These chemicals flow into our water systems contaminating the water and where does the water go? To the rivers and what is the river used for? For agriculture. It's a vicious cycle of bad health for you, me and the planet.

DISH WASH POWDER

Makes approximately 500 grams
Shelf life: 1 year

Ingredients	Function	Approx weight	Percentage
Soapnut powder (Sapindus)	Cleansing	200 grams	40%
Shikakai Powder (Acacia Concinna)	Cleansing	100 grams	20%
Wood Ash	Removing oil	75 grams	15%
Citrus Peel powder	Fragrance, Removing oil, Shine	75 grams	15%
Chigaru / Arappu powder (Albizia Amara) (optional)	Cleansing and foaming	50 grams	10%

Directions to make:
Very simple, mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Dish wash powder, there is no standard recipe - adjust the proportions based on your preference. Subtract/Add ingredients and create the formulation based on your preference and availability of resources

You can add used coffee grounds, used tea leaves, Washing soda, Mahua oil cake powder and any other ingredient that will help clean the dishes.

To Use: In a bowl. Mix the required quantity with water to make a thick paste. Use instead of detergent to wash dishes with a scrubber. For oily vessels use dry powder.

Best when prepared and used fresh.

SOAPNUT THE MAGIC NUT

LIQUID DISH WASH, LAUNDRY AND MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANER

A handful of soapnut berry is all you need for a day's hair wash, body wash, dish wash, hand wash and laundry wash!

Soapnut is an amazing natural alternative to all cleaning. It is completely safe for the body, even safe for babies, it is healthy for our water systems, it's eco-friendly and it's economically viable.

Soap Nut is different from a normal cleaner in terms of colour, smell, feel and to some extent function. It does froth but it's different. So one needs to try it out with an open mind and see if it works for you.

Making Soap nut Liquid

In 2-3 cups of water put 1 handful of whole soap nuts and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cool does, squish the seeds, strain and use.
Or you can Pressure cook the whole soapnut seeds for 1 whistle. Squish the seeds, strain and use. I personally prefer pressure cooking.

This soapnut liquid can be used for laundry, dishwashing, hair wash and as a multi-purpose cleaner. The shelf life of this soapnut liquid is 2-3 days if refrigerated maybe a few days longer. Since there are no preservatives added in the liquid, it doesn't have a long shelf life. Soapnut liquid is best when it's fresh.

Soapnut liquid can be substituted with soapnut powder. Soapnut powder is in dry form so has a long shelf life

LAUNDRY :

Separate your whites and light colour clothes when washing with soap nuts.

Option 1. In a cotton muslin bag / old sock put 8 to 10 whole soap nuts, soak the bag in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes and then put the bag and water with the laundry load in the washing machine.

1 bag of nuts can be used for multiple loads. Used nuts can be used as compost.

Option 2. Pour soap nut liquid in your washing machine load.

Option 3. Make a laundry powder by mixing soapnut powder

(preferable deseeded soap nut powder), washing soda, Baking soda, Rock salt and lemon peel powder/essential oil.

If washing laundry by hand then soak your clothes in water with soap nut liquid for about 30 minutes. Don't soak white and lights for more than 10 minutes. For tough stains rub used lemon peels on the stain.

DISHWASHING :

Take 3 parts soap nut liquid and 1-2 parts water and use for washing vessels. For oily and greasy vessels mix bio-enzyme or wood ash to your soapnut liquid.

SHAMPOO :

Soapnut liquid can be used as a shampoo. Only soap nut liquid can be dried so mix with shikakai powder or chigaru powder curry leaf or amla powder in the liquid.

Or you can Boil soap nut berry, shikakai pods and any other herb like gooseberry, neem, curry leaves, hibiscus or methi. Strain and use the liquid as shampoo.

CLEANING :

Soapnut liquid can be used to clean toilets, cars and can be added in mop buckets, it's a multi-purpose cleaner. It's wonderful in combination with bio-enzymes. Mix 1 part soapnut liquid with 1 part water and 1/2 part bio-enzymes and use for any cleaning purpose.

HAND / BODY WASH

This liquid can also be used for hand wash and body wash, though this depends on personal preference. For body wash you use undiluted liquid to clean the body, you can add upto1% essential oil for fragrance.

For hand wash take 30% bio enzyme and 70% soapnut liquid and store in a hand wash bottle. Will last for 3-4 days. You can add up to 1% essential oil if you like. It can be used without bio-enzyme also but will last only for 2-3 days.

BIO ENZYMES - THE MAGIC FERMENTED LIQUID

The Bellandur lake in Bangalore caught fire, you read right a lake caught fire. The bellandur lake is literally a sewage tank, as sewage and other waste is regularly dumped in the lake. The toxic chemicals in the sewage water caused the lake to foam up and even catch fire. There are other factors to the foam and fire but one is definitely the toxic chemicals in the sewage water - that comes out of households.

It is interesting that behind many detergents or cleaners there are no ingredients listed. There are some harsh and toxic chemicals in the detergents and cleaners. They are not good for our health and of course not good for the planet.

Bio-enzyme cleaners are organic solutions produced by fermentation and are a perfectly natural way to manage your home cleaning needs. It is simple to make. It is best made with citrus peels but you can make use of peels of other fruits and vegetables too.

How to make

Ingredients: 1 part jaggery/brown sugar, 3 parts citrus peels ( orange/lemon/mosambi), 10 parts water.

(You can use a cup, mug or vessel to measure your ingredients according to your needs).

Dissolve the jaggery completely in the water - if needed heat the water to dissolve well.
Fill an airtight plastic bottle/container with the citrus peels. Make sure you use a plastic bottle/container, not metal/glass. Make sure 10-15% space if left on top, don't fill till the top.
Pour the jaggery water in the bottle - if heated then let it cool down and then pour.
Label the bottle with the date of creation and keep in a dark place like in a kitchen cupboard or under the sink.
Now comes the patient, tough part - It takes 3 month - 90 days for the bio-enzyme to get ready.
Once the solution starts fermenting, it will start releasing some gases that will get built up in the empty space in the container. Before this gas becomes too much and “pops” outside, you will need to release them. Hence, you will need to open the lid once in a day (for the first one week at least), air it out for a minute or so (no need to stir or do anything else), put the lid back on, keep it back in the dark place.
From the second week onwards, the gas activity will reduce a bit and you need not open every day - you can open every other day. After 3-4 weeks you can open once-twice a week.
After 3 months-90 days. It's ready!
Filter the bio enzyme and store for use. Bio-enzymes have no expiry date.
The leftover pulp can be used as a concentrated cleaner or as a starter for the next batch or you can compost it.
There are two ways you can make this process faster. Option 1: You can add a small teaspoon yeast - regular bakers yeast. This will make the Bio Enzyme ready in just 20 days. If adding yeast stir the enzyme for the first few days of fermentation. Option 2: You can add the leftover pulp of a previous batch. This will make the Bio Enzyme ready in 30 days.

Uses of Bio-enzymes

As a surface cleaner: Floor Cleaner, Tile Cleaner, Toilet Cleaner, Stove/Chimney Cleaner. Use diluted or undiluted based on the toughness of the cleaning. You can also sprinkle the liquid and leave for 15-20 minutes and then scrub and clean. It's a multi-purpose cleaner, Use diluted bio enzyme to clean refrigerator, cabinets, mirrors, car and any surface.
Floor cleaner - Put around 50ml of Bio Enzyme to a bucket of water to mop the floor.
Laundry liquid - Use only bio-enzyme or mix with soapnut liquid. Pour around 100ml for washing machine load or put 15ml in a bucket of water, soak clothes and hand wash.
Dish wash - Pair with soapnut or shikakai in liquid or powder form to wash vessels.
Pet wash - You use diluted bio enzyme to give your pets a wash
Hand wash / Body wash - Use diluted bio-enzyme or pair with soapnut liquid.
Washing vegetables/fruits - Soak and wash Vegetables/Fruits in Bio Enzyme and Water(1:10 Dilution)
Natural plant fertilizer - For plants, the bio-enzymes need to be diluted 1:100 with water.

9. RESOURCES

CONTACT ME

Connect with me for feedback, doubts, questions, I would love to hear from you

Email id: asawari.mathur@gmail.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DhanakNaturals
Instagram page: www.instagram.com/dhanaknaturals

Dhanak is an entrepreneurial initiative to create the possibility of natural personal care for everyone through ideas, recipes and products.
Check out Dhanak Naturals online store: https://dhanak-naturals.mini.store

This is a free open source booklet offered in the spirit of gift culture. If you feel called to offer any contribution towards the work I have put to put this booklet together then reach out to me. You can contribute via money or any other way like sharing your skills/gifts.

Payment to Asawari Mathur
Goople Pay/Paytm - 9600746672
Upi - 9600746672@upi

RAW MATERIAL SOURCES

Start with checking your kitchen, garden, neighbourhood and local market for the ingredients you need. A lot of the ingredients in the recipes shared can be found around you.
You can check in local vegetable markets, ayurvedic or herbal stores, organic stores, puja shops, grocery and supermarkets to source many of the ingredients.

Some online raw material suppliers to make DIY products are:

For herbal powders - they have some of the herbal powders

NatureVit - also available on Amazon: https://naturevit.in/
Pracheen Vidhaan - https://www.praacheenvidhaan.com/

Different cosmetic-making ingredients like herbal powders, herbs, clays, butters, essential oils, carrier oils, hydrosols, chemicals like surfactants, preservatives, emulsifiers, thickeners and more

VijayImpex - https://vijayimpex.co.in/
Suriya Naturals - https://www.suriyanaturals.com/
Aethon International - https://aethoncart.com/
AsesChem - https://ases.in/
Pursenco - https://purensoselect.in/

Ethically farmed Beeswax - Honey day Bee farm - https://honeyday.in/products
Cold pressed oils - Standard cold pressed oils - https://standardcoldpressedoil.com/

RESEARCH RESOURCES

Why natural personal care
Safe cosmetics.org - know what's in the products

The truth about cosmetics - know what's in the products

The ugly truth - Injustice in the beauty industry

Environmental impact
Hidden secrets

Unrealistic beauty standards

Toothpowder

7 sinful ingredients in our toothpaste: click here

Oils
Carrier oils a detailed guide: click here

Comedogenic value and other compositions oils/butter/waxes: click here

Infusion - click here

Butter