Stasie McArthur - Spa Apothecary: Natural Products to Make for You and Your Home

To CMM and KTM

I love you both more than you will ever know.

Thank you for always believing in me and all my crafty endeavors.

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, its not.

The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss

Thank you to Dover Publications and Jennifer Feldman for believing in me and this project. Special thanks to Terri Geus and Susan Rattiner for being the most amazingly patient editors. Thank you to Ellen Kraft for creating such a fantastic cover and to Marie Zaczkiewicz for the wonderful layout. To the entire Publishing team at Dover from Art, Customer Service, Editorial, Marketing, Production, and Sales ... thank you from the very bottom of my heart for your friendship, support, and professionalism.

Photographs by Brian Kraus

Copyright

Copyright 2019 by Stasie McArthur

All rights reserved.

Bibliographical Note

Spa Apothecary: Natural Bath & Beauty Recipes is a new work, first published by Dover Publications, Inc., in 2019. The recipes and remedies contained in this publication are not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. The author and publisher are not responsible for any adverse or allergic reactions to ingredients used throughout this book. All trademarks and product names identified in this book are used in editorial fashion only with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: McArthur, Stasie, author.

Title: Spa apothecary : natural bath & beauty recipes / Stasie McArthur.

Description: Mineola, New York : Dover Publications, Inc., [2019]

Identifiers: LCCN 2018034211| ISBN 9780486827728 (paperback) | ISBN 0486827720 (paperback)

Subjects: LCSH: Naturopathy. | Beauty, Personal. | Handicraft. | BISAC: HEALTH & FITNESS / Beauty & Grooming. | HOUSE & HOME / Cleaning & Caretaking. | CRAFTS & HOBBIES / Candle & Soap Making.

Classification: LCC RZ440 .M393 2019 | DDC 615.5/35dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018034211

Manufactured in the United States by LSC Communications

82772001 2019

www.doverpublications.com

Contents

Introduction

My earliest memories of crafting were with my Gram. She very patiently taught me how to crochet when I was just ten years old. I was able to spend a lot of time with her as I was growing up and it was so nice to have this skill in common with her. We would often sit and talk while crocheting together. Because of her influence, I am inspired to create every day. I often look at things and try to figure out how I can make them. The reasons are varied. Sometimes it is due to my budgetokay, a lot of times it is due to my budget, but I really do enjoy making things and I would rather spend a little money learning and mastering a new skill than spend a lot of money on a consumable item. Basically, that means I have a lot of hobbies; I am an intermediate crocheter, knitter, sewist, and upcycler, and I also enjoy creating new recipes for spa and bath products. I have more flexibility and creative control in my purchasing decisions because of these skills. Plus, I love to give gifts, and that can be expensive.

On any given day, I am juggling trying to be healthier, save money, recycle more, reduce waste, and reduce chemicals. Since I have started making my own products, I have discovered that all these initiatives are very closely related. Whatever your reason for being here, welcome! I am here to show you the methods I use to make some of the products I have introduced into my familys daily life and we use regularly. The beauty is that you can use them as is, or you can adapt them to your preferences for scent or texture.

You do not have to be crafty to use this book. All you need are basic cooking skills and a few simple ingredients, and you will be on your way to making small batches of spa and bath products that contain no chemicals or harmful ingredients. In the following pages, you will find more than a hundred simple recipes, using natural products, to help you break free from commercial products. Please start slowly and find your comfort zone. There are many things that you can do to adopt a healthier beauty routine and healthier lifestyle.

Always work in a clean space. Wear rubber gloves to minimize bacteria while you are experimenting and making your spa and beauty products. Sterilize jars and containers to help preserve your products. Avoid dipping fingers into containers or leaving the lids off. This could introduce bacteria or microbes that could contaminate your products. If you must use your fingers, please make sure that they are clean, or use small scoopers or popsicle sticks.

These formulations are so easy to make; just keep in mind that these recipes are for small batches. They generally do not contain any preservatives, so they have a relatively short shelf life. Most of these recipes are intended to be made and used immediately, or close to it. Please note special recommendations for storing, such as store in a cool dry/dark place or store in the fridge. If a recipe contains only oils, then a preservative is not normally needed. If a recipe contains water, you could use grapefruit seed extract as a preservative. It is also worth mentioning that these products work best when they are combined with a healthy diet and exercise program.

Stocking Your Pantry

Many of the ingredients used in this book can be found in your pantry. That is the whole idea behind this book. I really would like you to see how easy it is to be self-sufficient and to re-create your favorite bath and spa products at home.

If you do not have a specific ingredient on hand, you can easily locate these items at your local health food store, supermarket, or online. As with cooking and baking, you should always use the best ingredients that you can find and afford to use in your homemade bath and spa products. Whenever possible, aim to purchase organic ingredients or supplies in the purest form available. Once your pantry is stocked, you can use it to build your apothecary.

Once you have stocked or raided your pantry, it is possible to save money by making your own products long term. However, this is all relative and depends on how much you have been spending to date on beauty and spa products. Anything looks like a savings if you are currently spending a hundred dollars on one ounce of eye cream. Believe me, I am not judging. Been there, done that. Many of these recipes can be used to make fun and cost-effective gifts for friends and family members. They are also great to make with kids, although they require supervision.