DIY

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DIY Natural Whitening Toothpaste by Jenn

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This blog post was written by Jenn, who is a Customer Service Specialist at the store by day and an Industrial Design student by night! She also designs and handcrafts some beautiful wooden necklaces that we carry. She has a passion for herbs and DIY body care. Read her tips for making your own natural and effective toothpaste below!

Natural & Whitening?! What kind of witchcraft is this?! For most of us, when we think of a whitening toothpaste, our first thought isn’t necessarily "natural" - but with a little help from an unlikely source it can be! Like most of you, I am a huge proponent of all things natural, and if I can make it myself - well, that's even better!

Glazed Red Pepper-Fennel Almonds

This delicious recipe was passed along to us by Louise Rasmussen, the incredible cook at Wallowa Llamas in Eastern Oregon. Not only are these almonds incredibly addictive, but they provide a great, healthy energy boost whether you’re hiking the rocky slopes of Eastern Oregon or trekking through the snow to catch the T. We carry most of these ingredients at the store. If you’re avoiding sugar, you can substitute any great, local raw honey or maple sugar.

DIY Sugar Lip Scrub

I’m not sure about you, but my lips have it rough in wintertime—pun intended. They crack, they peel, and no matter how much lip balm I use they still end up raw and chapped by the end of the day. Not the most attractive look, and it certainly doesn’t feel that great either. For dry skin in winter time, I always use a salt or sugar scrub in the shower—so I thought, why not for lips too? A little exfoliation goes a long way towards sloughing off that dry skin and keeping your lips soft and moisturized. This recipe is easy to make at home with a few ingredients, many of which we stock at Cambridge Naturals.

You’ll need:
¼ cup granulated raw cane sugar
2 tsp coconut oil
5-6 drops Jojoba or Argan oil
3 drops vitamin E Oil
2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil (I like lavender or peppermint)

Mix ingredients together in a small bowl until sugar is fully coated by the oil. There should be a little residual oil at the bottom of the bowl—add more sugar or oil as needed. Store in small airtight glass container; it should last at least 2 months.

To use:
2-3 times per week. wet lips with a little water. Take a pinch of the sugar scrub and massage onto lips with fingers for 30 seconds. Wipe off with a warm washcloth and apply your favorite lip balm.