*SIMPLE* DIY Baby Wipes (Cloth OR Disposable!)

Some people think I am absolutely CRAZY for making my own baby wipes...I mean who has time for that?? Well, we all do actually. When I realized how incredibly easy it could be I started that day with ingredients I already had around the house.

 

I was reading up on cloth diaper wipe solutions and found one that resonated with me:
1 tsp of Baby Castile Soap or other non-toxic baby wash - to remove waste from baby's bum
1 Tbsp of olive oil - moisturizing, antibacterial and prevents future waste from sticking to baby
2 drops each of Young Living Lavender and Melaleuca essential oils
      Lavender is great for calming inflamed skin and relaxation;
      Melaleuca is a calming antimicrobial
      * I only trust my family with Young Living essential oils because of their exceptional
      quality standards  (learn more here)
Mix all ingredients into a squirt bottle (most everyone I know received one after having our babies) and shake to mix.

I was exclusively cloth diapering at the time so I poured the solution over my wipes in a wipe warmer and continued to do so for months until I traveled home for a couple of weeks and wanted to use disposables. I am NOT a fan of commercial wipes and the toxic ingredients in them, even the "natural" brands, so I decided to bring my solution in a squirt bottle and use paper towels - SO simple.  I've found that you definitely need to use a high-quality paper towel such as bounty because bargain brands typically do not hold up, believe me I've tried ;). I just tear a select-a-size towel off, give the bottle a shake and  wet the towel with the wipe solution. That's IT.  I hope you are inspired to give this simple swap a try. Let me know how it works for you!

The Oil Cleansing Method - Done RIGHT!

So, anyone who talks to me on a regular basis knows that I'm pretty obsessed with coconut oil. I use it for pretty. much. EVERYTHING! I use it in my hair as a mask, on my skin as a lotion, on my babies, husband, in my deodorant - everything... Until now.

For the last few years I have used the Oil Cleansing Method to wash my face with, you guessed it, coconut oil. (Don't know what OCM is? Check out this post) While I was happy with how well it took makeup off, how soft my skin was and the smell, oh I LOVE how coconut oil smells!,  I started to notice that my pores were growing larger - GROSS - who wants that?!? So I had awesome-smelling, clean skin but the pores of a 90-year-old man. I just thought it was genetic or something and kept on my merry (large pored) way. UNTIL my friend Carlea told me that some oils (coconut, Nooooo!) are comedogenic and may clog your pores over time. UH, ya think?! So that night, after doing some research, I popped out my non-comedogenic jojoba oil. I chose it over sweet almond oil because I don't have naturally oily skin and I had some success with using it in my face serum in the past several months.  (See why I'm called Oily Allie ;)) So I "washed" my face with the jojoba oil and used a mildly hot washcloth to wipe my face clean after rubbing the oil in and VOILA!
I kid you not, I saw my pores shrink to nearly half their size within a few nights! I've been happily using a few drops of jojoba oil (almost) every night since and the results are incredible. I SO wish I had before and after photos because I could totally be a sales rep for jojoba oil at this point ;)

I usually add a drop or two of Young Living Essential Oils for added benefits - Frankincense or Melaleuca for anti-wrinkle/scar repair/pore shrinking! and or Lavender for relaxation and healing.
(learn more about therapeutic grade essential oils)

Does anyone know if it's bad to have pores clogged or if it's just unsightly?? I still use coconut oil for many other things but I don't want clogged pores all over! I haven't noticed them anywhere else so maybe it's just because our faces are naturally oily so they get clogged.