Want to try making your own?

Starting Up
Written By Jodie Byron
Preview

There's not much that gives you a better feeling of accomplishment than enjoying something that you've made yourself. Whether you're a baking sensation or an artistic genius; making gifts for loved ones or to relieve some of the stresses of day to day life, crafting your own is something that many people enjoy and find friendship in groups with similar interests.

Have you looked at something and thought “I wish I could make something like that?” Well if you’ve looked at salts, scrubs and oils we can help you!

In this series of articles for “starting up”, we offer advice and some beginner friendly recipes to guide you on your way to confidently make your own homemade products.

Why would I help you? Good question!

Not everyone wants to dive head first into new products if they don’t quite know how they’ll affect them. Also, some recipes that I’m really passionate are not available in the store (yet!) so I wanted to introduce a few of my favourite, easy recipes for anyone that was tempted to try them.

Why craft your own?

People like to make crafts for different reasons.

For some people it’s about putting a little extra thought and effort to gift a loved one something truly special; for others, its a good opportunity to relieve stress and tension by using a creative outlet.

Many people around the world rely on arts and crafts as a source of income. It’s been found that the worldwide market for hand crafted goods in 2022 stood at a value of around £585 billion ($704.7 billion), with over £3.4 billion ($4 billion) in the UK alone (Evri, 2022) and this is only expected to increase in upcoming years (EMR, 2022).

Crafting and creative activities are also popular outlets for those looking to relieve stress, improving their mental and general wellbeing by experiencing a variety of health benefits including:

  • Improved hand-eye coordination

  • A sense of accomplishment

  • Distraction from worries 

  • Relaxation and lowering of blood pressure (Piedmont, 2023)

Crafting is definitely a good hobby to get into. However, if you are looking at making any of the recipes provided on this site, there is some important information to consider before you start.

Advice and Warnings

Whenever considering making anything at home, some ground rules and considerations are needed:

  • To begin, cleanliness is extremely important as this sets the standard for the finished product that you are intending to make. Unclean storage jars, utensils or work surfaces can lead to the introduction of bacteria into your product. This can lead to your product spoiling quickly or causing a risk of infections.

  • Do NOT interchange utensils used for cooking with those used for making your products. Even if an ingredient is natural, it does not guarantee that it is safe for consumption. Contaminated kitchenware with such ingredients can make you terribly unwell.

  • In relation to the previous point, Do NOT ingest products no matter how good they smell. Ingredients can be toxic if eaten.

  • Keep ingredients away from children and pets. This one should be self explanatory considering the rest of the points, but you never know. Both have a tendency to find things they shouldn’t be playing with; never trust silence!

Monitoring for Allergies

There will always be a likelihood that someone will have an allergy to one or multiple ingredients used in a product. That being said if the recipient is known to have an allergy to an ingredient, don’t give it too them anyway to see if they have a reaction. Talk to them first and gain an understanding of how allergies effect an individual. Don’t be afraid to research medical sites if possible and ask questions if its not too intrusive to do so. It may be necessary for the individual to consult their doctor beforehand to make sure they will be safe.

For most people, they may not have a known allergy but can develop a sensitivity to an ingredient over time. I will not give specific ingredients to be mindful of in this article as any and every ingredient has the potential to cause this. Rest assured that the recipes available on this site for you to try have been made with safety in mind, however it is always something to monitor and keep an eye on.

One way to test for potential irritation and allergies is to conduct a patch test. Once the product is completed, place a drop or small amount of it onto the inside of the elbow on one arm or the inside of the knee. The skin there is sensitive and if an allergy is present the area could become itchy, red or blotchy or a combination of these. If irritation does occur, wash the area with warm clean water and do not use the product again. Seek medical attention if you find that irritation continues. But do NOT risk using an ingredient if you are unsure. This article is for educational purposes only and is NOT a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Always be mindful of safety with everything you make.

Remember, if in doubt — CHECK!

Have you already made your own products? Do you have any questions or suggestions?

If so, let me know in the comments below and I’ll see you next time.

Jo x

 
Jodie Byron
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