DIY Febreze/Air Freshener WITHOUT the Icky Chemicals or Alcohol!

So let's be honest.

People can be stinky. 

It just happens. Life is messy and sometimes sweaty people sit on your couches or make your house smell like a locker room. I'm a dancer and I am 100% guilty of this. Sometimes you just forget to put on deodorant! O_O

But personal hygiene aside, I had been looking for a natural fabric refresher and an air freshener for John-John and I's bathroom for a while now, but everything in the store was either: 1. Aerosol (contains propellants and just plain bad for the environment), 2. Had a s**t ton of chemicals, or 3. Had an ungodly fake fragrance. 

So of course crafty-Andy decided to simply make his own! 

I was thinking back on my recipe for my DIY Lavender Deodorant (which btw still is the BEST deodorant I have EVER used) and thought to myself there was no reason this same base couldn't work to freshen up not just my armpits, but my entire home!

Except the thing is, this recipe is even EASIER AND SIMPLER! CRAY!

Here's what you'll need:

• Spray Bottle
• Enough water to fill your spray bottle
• Baking Soda
• Essential Oil of choice (Peppermint, Lemon, Grapefruit, or Orange are all great, I used OnGuard by dōTERRA)

          Cost: less than $2!!!

Steps:

1. Put your water in a small pot and heat until just before it boils.
2. Take off the heat and stir in baking soda 1 teaspoon at a time until dissolved (I used about 4 teaspoons for my 4 oz. bottle). Be sure not to add too much baking soda as it will clog your nozzle if it is not fully dissolved.
3. Allow your mixture to cool for a few minutes and stir in your essential oils. The amount you use is totally up to your personal preference how strong of a fragrance you want. I put in about 10-12 drops of essential oil.
4. Allow to fully cool before transferring to your spray bottle.
5. DONE!

Easy as pie and done in less time than it takes to do your eyebrows. 

I use this stuff all over my house, on the couch, blankets, directly in the sink and toilet, and in the air! You could even use this as deodorant in a pinch! The baking soda neutralizes any foul odors and essential oil leaves an uplifting and clean scent! The OnGuard oil was a gift from my mom before I left for London (thanks Mom!) and it is awesome! It is supposed to boost immune function when inhaled, applied to skin with a carrier oil, or taken orally. So every time I spritz this stuff I make sure to take a good inhale and breathe deeply. It relaxes me and I can breathe happily knowing there is absolutely nothing bad for me in it!

Happy spritzing! <3 xoxo

Flower Cascade DIY: An Andrew Kenshin DIY

Flowers. I love them. Like LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE them. If I could have a vase of fresh flowers in my kitchen everyday that would be heaven. But alas that is certainly not cost-effective nor is it environmentally friendly. (LET THE FLOWERS LIVE!)

Anywho...

I found this glorious piece of art over at Brit + Co. while searching for decoration ideas for my wedding. Here's the original: http://www.brit.co/faux-flower-ideas.

Gorgeous right?! 

Now here's the price tag: $1,800!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know about you but that is INSANE for a stick with some fake flowers stringed on. 

So of course I made my own for like a billionth of the price. Plus I got to use my favorite flowers, roses!

Here's what you'll need:

• A long branch of your choice. I went for a walk in the forest in my backyard and found mine within 5 minutes. If you live in the city go for a hike somewhere and search search search! Price: free <3

• Fake flowers of your choice. I found all my flowers at Michael's. The roses were a steal! Michael's carries rose bouquets for just $13 each and each bouquet has over 15! Individually fake roses can run you $3 each!  For this project I used 3 rose bouquets, one roll of ivy, one orange flower branch, and one white flower bunch. Price: $59.12

• Hot glue gun and 3 glue sticks. Price: basically free <3
• Twisty ties (I cut the ones that came with the rose bouquets). Price: free <3

Steps:

1. Cut all your roses off from the bouquet (leave a 2-3 inch stem).

2. Map out how many flowers you want in each row and how many rows you want total. For the roses I did one row of 15, one row of 11, one row of 10, one row of 7, and one row of 6. I then added 3 rows of ivy, 3 of my orange flower branch, and 3 of the small white flower bunch. Total of 15 rows.

3. Plug in your glue gun and start gluing your flowers together. This is the most time-consuming part of the project as you have to wait for the glue to dry between each flower. Make sure each flower is nice and secure. I found gluing the stem of the flower to the base of the previous flower worked very well. Also attaching them behind a leaf worked too.

4. Continue gluing until you have completed all of your rows.

5. Now get your twisty ties (I cut mine and spray painted them gold for fun) and space them out on your branch.

6. Now the tricky part. Twist your tie once onto the branch and then attach the top stem of a row and twist the rest of the tie around it. Now hot glue the stem and twisty tie together. Don't be skimpy on the glue!

7. Continue until all your rows are securely attached to the branch. Go back and add more glue if needed.

8. Allow the glue to really dry before you move it!

Done!

Now you have a GORGEOUS piece of art that will last forever! I used this as a backdrop decoration at my wedding but this would look great in a living room or even as an awesome headboard!!!

Backdrop for our wedding <3

Now it's a BEAUTIFUL headboard!

Get creative with color and flower combinations! The possibilities are endless!

Oh, and this DIY cost a grand total of $59.12! And there were extra roses at the end! SAY WHAT?! That's WAYYYYYYY cheaper than the $1,800 original but that's also way cheaper than buying a headboard or even making one!

Enjoy lovelies! <3 xoxo

Frugal-chic Tea-riffic Face Wash: An Andrew Kenshin DIY

I have a confession to make.

I'm guilty.

Of not posting in FOREVER due to wedding CRAZINESS the last month (my apologies).

But not only that, I'm also super guilty of paying WAY too much money for face wash.

I mean $35 is a bit steep for something you're literally washing down the drain (no matter how flawless and glowing the label says it's going to make your face look).

So newly married and newly frugal Andy decided to make his own!


The base of this face wash is organic green tea, chock full of healing antioxidants and anti-aging properties. And the lavender and tea tree oils fight bacteria and acne while the witch hazel and baking soda refine your skins texture. What's not to love?!


So here's what you’ll need to make some tea-riffic face wash:

• 3/4 cup Organic Green Tea. Make sure to use distilled water and allow it to cool to room temperature.
• 2 tablespoons of Baking Soda
• 2 tablespoons of Witch Hazel
• 2 tablespoons of Raw Honey. Or for a vegan version substitute with Avocado Oil.
• 1 tablespoon of Liquid Castile Soap (I used Dr. Bronners Lavender)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
• 1/4 teaspoon of Vitamin E Oil
• 15-20 drops of Tea Tree Oil
• 8-15 drops of Lavender Oil
• 6-10 drops of Peppermint Oil

Mix all of your ingredients together in a blender until everything is fully combined.

My trusty magic bullet :)

 Transfer your delightfully fragrant concoction into a jar or bottle with a pump and voila! All done!

Fresh batch of Tea-riffic face wash and some leftover wedding flowers <3

I've been using this stuff for about 2 months now and I have to say it is the BEST stuff I have tried. It exfoliates very gently and just enough to not irritate my face, and it also gets my face super clean! Plus all the essential oils and witch hazel have refined and shrunk my pores. My face has never been this clear and happy since before I started getting acne! 

This recipe will last for about 2 months and it costs less than $6! Frugal AND effective!

Pair this with my Lavender and Rose Night Cream and you've got yourself a dream team! <3

Try it out and post in the comments how you like it! :)

Akin Lavender & Rose Night Cream Copycat: An Andrew Kenshin DIY

ANOTHER DIY for all you wonderful readers out there! I'm on a DIY kick and I have to admit it is soooooooo very addicting. Just the fact that most things turn out the same or BETTER than their conventional counterpart is incredible and also I'm saving SO much money while controlling what I put on my body. For us Type A's, that's just blissful. ;)

I discovered Akin, a natural Australian brand, while in London and this is my absolute FAV of their products. It has kept my skin clear and glowing and moisturizes just enough without being greasy. It's my favorite part of my nighttime routine.

However, I have not been able to find this brand here back in San Diego which totes bumms me out! It is already really pricey and I just can't justify paying for shipping on top of the hefty price tag.

So, what's the next best thing? Make it myself! I took a look at the ingredient list for my beloved cream and incorporated the main ones into a cream that I must say is, dreamy.

It has a thick texture that melts into your skin and smells DIVINE. And all the ingredients are completely natural and have tons of anti-aging benefits to keep that face smooth and happy. I might even go as far as to say its...exquisite. ;)

Here's what you'll need:

1. 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel or Juice (anti-inflammatory)
2. 1 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil (reverses wrinkles and fine lines)
3. 1 teaspoon Jojoba Oil (non-greasy moisturizer)
4. 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil (anti-bacterial and fab moisturizer)
5. 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil (non-greasy moisturizer)
6. 5 drops each of Lavender and Rose Otto Essential Oil (lavender combats acne and rose is just amazing)
7. Little Jar (I reused my old Akin jar)

Here's what to do:

1. Combine all your ingredients together in a small bowl and adjust your essential oils to your preference.
2. Let it settle together for at least 10 minutes.
3. Pour concoction into your jar and place in the fridge to solidify.

Done!

This night cream DOES need to be kept in the fridge if you live in a warm climate as it will melt if left at room temperature. But I find applying the cold cream at night is an invigorating experience.

This cream costs less than $10 to make! Compare that to the Akin $40 price tag!

Enjoy the soothing aroma of lavender and rose petals as you massage this wonderful cream into your face and decollete. The vitamin E is going to soften any wrinkles and fine lines as the oils and aloe vera calm and nourish your skin, repairing any damage done during the day.

Get ready to wake up to glowing and happy skin! xoxo

Note: This cream is quite rich and can be VERY oily so use just a little eraser sized knob. And I find my skin absorbs it much better if I tone my face with witch hazel before applying the cream.

Hippie Hair Oil for Rough Unruly Hair: An Andrew Kenshin DIY

So I have a combination of Japanese and Irish hair. That makes it wavy/curly and also super duper thick. AKA it can be all sorts of out of control if I don't tame it.

I have been using the Moroccan Oil Treatment for a while now and I like the product but it seems almost too light for my hair. Plus it contains silicone and other ingredients that are less than desirable when getting absorbed through my scalp.

All this brings us to my creation: Hippie Hair Oil (Trademark pending. JK. Or am I?)

This concoction is a combination of 4 nourishing oils with a simply lovely grapefruit scent that gets me hyped up for my day. No icky chemicals or lab-created fragrances means your scalp is safe and happy!

Completely natural. Completely AWESOME.

Here's what you'll need (all organic if possible):

1. Jojoba Oil

2. Avocado Oil

3. Olive Oil

4. Vitamin E Oil

5. Grapefruit Essential Oil (or Orange or Tangerine)

6. Bottle with Pump Dispenser (I reused my old Moroccan Oil bottle)

Here's what to do:

1. Fill your bottle about half way or a little bit more with Jojoba Oil.

2. Add Avocado Oil until it's a little more than 3/4 full.

3. Add just a dollop of olive oil (add sparingly as it is a bit greasy)

4. Add 10 drops of Vitamin E Oil (about 1 teaspoon)

5. Add 10 drops of Grapefruit Essential Oil

6. Screw on your pump and shake shake shake!

Super duper easy and your hair is going to thank you!

This DIY cost about $10 to make! That's less than half of Moroccan Oil!

Note: These ingredients can be a bit pricey to purchase when you're buying everything new. I've found the absolute cheapest place to get great quality products is LuckyVitamin.com. It's cheaper than AMAZON!!!

Try it out and let me know what you think! xoxo

Lavender-Mint Spray Deodorant: An Andrew Kenshin DIY

Hello lovely people!

I apologize for the temporary hiatus, life gets cray-cray and sometimes you just gotta focus on a million things at once.

But I promise I have a good reason...

I GOT ENGAGED! On June 30th 2014 I proposed to my boyfriend John-John and we are getting married THIS October. Yes. THIS OCTOBER. So I've been running around trying to plan a wedding while getting back to dancing and catching up with loved ones.

You know what that means...there will be a string of wedding posts coming your way. GET EXCITED!

For now though I have this awesome and super simple DIY for all you people out there trying to cut out chemicals from your daily beauty routine and for those of us who simply can't afford to spend $10 every time you need deodorant. SERIOUSLY. What's up with natural deodorant being so freaking expensive?!

While I was in London a few months ago I was looking around Whole Foods for a new deodorant. Now I sweat A LOT due to the nature of my work so I need something that actually WORKS. I decided to splurge (10 pounds, which is practically $17!!!!) and bought the honey and milk Lavera spray deodorant.

This stuff smells awesome and it actually makes putting on deodorant kinda fun, but unfortunately it was not the most effective product I've ever used. If you don't do much physical activity during the day, it would probably work just fine for you.

But the take away from this trial and error was that I discovered I much prefer spray deodorant to a roll-on, and also John-John would kill me if I  kept spending $17 on deodorant ;). So I decided to make my own version so that I could customize my scent, save a ton of moolah, AND still have a luxurious experience with something as mundane as covering up body-odor.

Here's what you'll need:

1. 1/2 cup Witch Hazel
2. 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel (or juice)
3. 1 teaspoon Baking Soda (or more if you want it to be stronger)
4. Essential Oils of your choice (I used Lavender, Peppermint, and Eucalyptus)
5. Spray Bottle (bonus: I re-purposed the old Lavera bottle. At least that softens the blow of the price tag a bit.)

Instructions:

1. Combine the witch hazel, aloe vera, and baking soda in a cup with a spout for easy pouring later (you could alternatively use a bowl and a funnel).
2. Add around 5 drops of each essential oil to your mixture and adjust to your preference. (I find the Eucalyptus is what really makes the fragrance fresh)
3. Pour into your bottle and DONE!

Seriously I don't think it gets any easier than this.

And not to mention that all these ingredients are totes natural, good for you, and pretty household standard. The witch hazel is anti-bacterial which will help keep odor causing bacteria at bay, the aloe will soothe your underarms as it's an anti-inflammatory, the baking soda neutralizes odors, and the essential oils also combat bacteria and make you smell oh-so-nice. Plus the spray aspect gives a wonderful cooling sensation on those hot hot days.

All together this product cost less than 5 bucks! What a steal!

Try it out and let me know what you think!

Note: This is NOT an antiperspirant. I am a firm believer that our bodies know how to take care of themselves and I am not about to get in the way of a process that cleanses and detoxifies our bodies.

UPDATE: Today I put this deodorant to the ultimate test. I went for a 2 mile run in 95 degree weather (call me crazy) and then did a full ab workout with lots of pushups and some weight lifting. I was completely drenched by the end and guess what? I was B.O. free! This stuff is serious business and I am SO happy with how effective it is!