Sneaky ways to save the pennies

homeaway

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Cheaper again (and less plastic waste) is one of these http://www.hrhiggins.co.uk/accessories/coffee/plastic_filter_cones you then buy a pack of small paper filters (I think I pay about a pound for 100) and a bag of ground coffee, there is much less faffing around than a coffee plunger as the coffee is all in the filter paper and you can just bin it plus you get to try different coffees.

I have found an even cheaper way to do this! i bought a plastic sieve like the one here but it has fine holes on the side (instead of solid plastic)and so you dont need to use the paper filters.Sorry for the description). The only problem is that i bought abroad but you must be able to find one in the UK. It goes with us on holiday!

Unity

ceridwen wrote: »

OOOH...could I please have the recipe for that shampoo - exact quantities, etc - as I'm now trying to start in in earnest in making my own cosmetics (sent off this morning for supplies to do this - knew there was something I forgot to think about - castile soap - but 'twould be cheaper for me to grate up bars of castile soap than buy liquid castile soap). So - for £36 odd including delivery I reckon I should have enough basic ingredients to last me for quite some time for making body lotions/handcreams/lip salve.

Hi Ceridwen,

Where did you get the information and supplies for making your own cosmetics, please? This really interests me as I would like to be able to make some individual looking Christmas presents by doing this.

I love your signature too - it's a very good point! :T:T:T

ceridwen

www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk

Anwen_2

ceridwen wrote: »

OOOH...could I please have the recipe for that shampoo - exact quantities, etc - as I'm now trying to start in in earnest in making my own cosmetics (sent off this morning for supplies to do this - knew there was something I forgot to think about - castile soap - but 'twould be cheaper for me to grate up bars of castile soap than buy liquid castile soap). So - for £36 odd including delivery I reckon I should have enough basic ingredients to last me for quite some time for making body lotions/handcreams/lip salve.

Hiya! I basically used this recipe: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art19943.asp but with the slight changes above, i.e. I used less water than recommended and added 'essential oil blend' [which I bought a couple of years ago for making bath bombs then forgot about, lol! it's essential oils plus grapeseed as a carrier] in the two scents mentioned. It's really really simple, it took about five minutes to grate the soap (use a fine grater) and then a few minutes of stirring and pouring! Of course, this morning I realised I have a really nice Vanilla scented Savon de Marseilles soap bar which would probably have worked even better, esp if I grated in a bit of my Lush Snowcake (almond soap from last Xmas)...

Have fun! By the way, have you got any books you could recommend?

Caterina

ceridwen wrote: »

OOOH...could I please have the recipe for that shampoo - exact quantities, etc - as I'm now trying to start in in earnest in making my own cosmetics (sent off this morning for supplies to do this - knew there was something I forgot to think about - castile soap - but 'twould be cheaper for me to grate up bars of castile soap than buy liquid castile soap). So - for £36 odd including delivery I reckon I should have enough basic ingredients to last me for quite some time for making body lotions/handcreams/lip salve.

Just on the odd chance that you might be near London, Ceridwen and anyone else interested, Greenwich Community College is starting an 8 week course on Saturday 8th November, to learn to make your own cosmetics.

I am going to enrol for sure, but will miss the first lesson as I shall be in Italy visiting my mum.

I shall keep you people updated on the progress and will post any recipes!

If anyone is near Greenwich and is interested to go together, please pm me and we can arrange it.

Caterina

ceridwen

Anwen wrote: »

Hiya! I basically used this recipe: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art19943.asp but with the slight changes above, i.e. I used less water than recommended and added 'essential oil blend' [which I bought a couple of years ago for making bath bombs then forgot about, lol! it's essential oils plus grapeseed as a carrier] in the two scents mentioned. It's really really simple, it took about five minutes to grate the soap (use a fine grater) and then a few minutes of stirring and pouring! Of course, this morning I realised I have a really nice Vanilla scented Savon de Marseilles soap bar which would probably have worked even better, esp if I grated in a bit of my Lush Snowcake (almond soap from last Xmas)...

Have fun! By the way, have you got any books you could recommend?

Thanks for that.

Er....books to recommend. Actually the best book I have might very well be out of print - as its 1976:

"The Natural Beauty Book" by Clare Maxwell-Hudson

(see Amazon has a few copies for about £1).

Anwen_2

ceridwen wrote: »

Thanks for that.

Er....books to recommend. Actually the best book I have might very well be out of print - as its 1976:

"The Natural Beauty Book" by Clare Maxwell-Hudson

(see Amazon has a few copies for about £1).

Ooh, grand. Abebooks.co.uk has a copy for 58p plus £2.75 p&p (seller doesn't take paypal so no use for me, but might help someone!)


ETA: can now report that it probably would have been a good idea to use the full amount of water as the shampoo is very very thick and difficult to get out of the bottle! Am going to try to melt it and add more water...

lauzjp

BigMummaF wrote: »

Isn't it something to do with uric acid in the widdle, that makes it an almost sterile liquid? I can remember a chappie some years back, who had terrible athlete's foot being told to piddle on his feet.....that was if he didn't already of course Imagine how much harder it would be for us female variety :eek:

I do remember many years ago either reading or hearing on the radio that Madonna actually did that. :cool:

robb01

Anwen wrote: »

Hiya! I basically used this recipe: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art19943.asp but with the slight changes above, i.e. I used less water than recommended and added 'essential oil blend' [which I bought a couple of years ago for making bath bombs then forgot about, lol! it's essential oils plus grapeseed as a carrier] in the two scents mentioned. It's really really simple, it took about five minutes to grate the soap (use a fine grater) and then a few minutes of stirring and pouring! Of course, this morning I realised I have a really nice Vanilla scented Savon de Marseilles soap bar which would probably have worked even better, esp if I grated in a bit of my Lush Snowcake (almond soap from last Xmas)...

Have fun! By the way, have you got any books you could recommend?

Thats a really great idea

Unity

lauzjp wrote: »

I do remember many years ago either reading or hearing on the radio that Madonna actually did that. :cool:

Plus of course there was always the famous story about the actress Sarah Miles drinking her own pee :eek:. It's mentioned in her autobiography, which runs to three volumes - but don't ask me to remember which one - put it down to brain-fog, it's one of those days .