THE BALANCE ROUTINE
AUGUST 30, 2025
Hi friends!!
I've been making more non-toxic swaps lately - choosing to make things myself instead of buying the store-bought versions filled with ingredients I can't pronounce.
Most products on the shelves contain ingredients that are linked to hormone disruption, skin irritation, and environmental damage. Things like synthetic fragrances that can contain phthalates, preservatives that release formaldehyde, and microplastics that pollute our bodies and water systems.
Here's what I really love about making my own versions - I know exactly what's going into them. Real ingredients. Things that come straight from nature instead of a lab. And honestly, they work better than anything I've ever bought, plus they cost a fraction of the price!
This week I made five things that felt like small acts of self-care instead of just buying whatever was marketed to me...
Last week I made:
Rose Sugar Scrub (instead of buying scrubs with plastic microbeads)
Fire Honey (better than any cough syrup)
Rose Petal Honey Face Mask (no synthetic preservatives needed)
Homemade Pickle Dressing (bright green goodness)
My go-to simple meal
Rose Sugar Scrub
Instead of buying scrubs with polyethylene beads and methylisothiazolinone, I made this with ingredients from my kitchen.
Ingredients:
1 cup organic sugar
1/3 cup almond oil (or coconut/olive oil)
2 tablespoons dried rose petals
15-20 drops rose essential oil
Instructions: Mix sugar and rose petals in a bowl. Slowly add oil until you get the right consistency. Add essential oils and mix well. Store in an airtight jar. Use gently in the shower or on your hands in the sink, rinse well.
The sugar exfoliates naturally, the oil moisturizes without stripping your skin, and rose petals add antioxidants. No plastic microbeads, no synthetic fragrances, no preservatives that irritate sensitive skin.
Fire Honey
This beats any cough syrup with its long ingredient list of artificial colors and corn syrup.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
Instructions: Mix all spices into honey until well combined. Store in airtight jar. Take 1 teaspoon as needed for immune support or sore throat.
Raw honey has antimicrobial properties, turmeric supports your body's inflammatory response, and black pepper increases absorption. The warming spices support circulation. Real medicine you can make in your kitchen :)
Rose Petal Honey Face Mask
Instead of face masks with parabens and artificial fragrances, I use three ingredients straight from nature!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoon dried rose petals, ground into powder
1 teaspoon finely ground coffee
1 teaspoon warm water
Instructions: Grind rose petals into fine powder. Mix honey, ground rose petals, and coffee together. Add warm water until you get a spreadable paste. Apply to clean face for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
Raw honey is naturally antimicrobial and has been used for wound healing for thousands of years. Rose petals contain vitamin C and antioxidants that calm irritated skin. Coffee provides gentle exfoliation and contains antioxidants that help with circulation. No synthetic preservatives, no hormone-disrupting chemicals.
Homemade Pickle Dressing
This bright green dressing transforms any salad and costs way less than store-bought versions with stabilizers and artificial ingredients.