Toothpastes and Lip Balms

Recipes

Toothpaste

6 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon or cloves - OR
10-15 drops essential oil of peppermint - OR
1-2 teaspoons strawberry root
3 tablespoons glycerin

Mix well and put into a squeezable container. A small plastic bag with a tiny hole cut out will work if it is closed up again inbetween usage.

Lip Balm

1 teaspoon beeswax
1 teaspoon apricot kernel oil
1 teaspoon calendula oil
a few drops essential oil of lemon or orange

Melt the beeswax. Add the apricot and calendula oils, stirring contantly. Remove from heat while stirring, and when partly cooled, add the essential oil. Store in a small jar.

Soothing Lip Balm

1/8 ounce each powdered Comfrey and Marshmallow roots, and crushed Calendual and Chamomile flowers
4 ounce almond oil
2 teaspoons beeswax
1/2 teaspoon Alkanet powder for colour (optional)

Place oil into a pot to heat. Bring the temperature to between 27-38 C (80-100 F) and stir in the herbs. Keep this mixture at the same temperature, uncovered, for two to forty-eight hours. The length of time is determined by how quickly the herbs lose their colour and by the scent. Twelve hours is usually the average time. and a controlled crock pot is the best for accomplishing this.

When the herbs have lost their colour, strain well, first through a strainer and then a cheesecloth so that there is no grit remaining. Discard herbs, wipe out the pot, and return the oil to it. Melt the beeswax in another pot while the herbal oil is reheating in the crock pot. When wax has melted, combine the two and measure consistency by pouring a small amount onto a spoon. It should harden so that if the spoon is tipped sideways, the mixture adheres. Pour the liquid into jars to cool.