DIY Toothpaste for the Kinda Crunchy Guy or Gal

Did you know this…

can become this?

Yes, friends, I have stepped into a whole new world. A simpler world. A crunchier world.

I made my own toothpaste for the first time almost three years ago, following this recipe at Crunchy Betty. I don't use it all the time now, but this is by far my favorite DIY toothpaste receipe I've tried. No, it doesn’t taste just like store bought toothpaste. But it is pretty amazing.

The details: You need Coconut Oil, Baking Soda, Peppermint Oil, and Stevia.

I bought my supplies at the local natural grocer, mostly because it felt a little crunchier that way. It is a little pricey to make these initial investments (the organic coconut oil was $8, the peppermint oil was around $6, as was the organic stevia) but all of it has other uses. And ultimately, it will end up being cheaper than the store-bought toothpaste. (I used to spend about $4 a tube.)

To make: take 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Using a fork, mash them up until pretty well blended. Then add 20 to 25 drops of peppermint oil and one packet of stevia. Continue to mash and mix until smooth. You could also add 2 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin to add sweetness and reach a more typical toothpaste consistency, but I don’t think it is necessary.

Et voila! You have made toothpaste. 

As you can see, I put mine in two little jars. One small mason jar and one little jar that used to hold fancy jam. Now to brush my teeth I just dip my toothbrush into the jar. Somehow it seems simpler than having to fight to squeeze toothpaste out of the tube.

So there you go! You are now fully capable of making your own toothpaste. If you have any questions about whether or not coconut oil is good for your teeth, or if you are concerned about the lack of fluoride in this toothpaste, head over to Crunchy Betty’s post. She addresses all of these things, and is probably much more knowledgeable in this area than I am.

Have you ever DIYed your own toothpaste? What is your favorite recipe?

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...

THE DRESS. It's Black & Blue. Except When It Is White & Gold.

Ok, I don't usually do two posts in one day. But you knew I had to write about that dress, right?

The Internet exploded yesterday. It was a classic battle between right and wrong.

Is this dress black and blue or white and gold?

When I saw it last night, I KNOW it was black and blue. I looked at multiple pictures multiple times. My husband and I looked at it together and agreed, black and blue all the way.

And then this morning I looked at an article talking about the dress. And it was WHITE AND GOLD.

At first I thought it was a prank, that they'd played with the colors. I scrolled down to read the article, but they swore it was the same picture. I scrolled back up and it was BLACK AND BLUE again.

Which leads me to wonder: what is wrong with ME? There are two battling armies, and I'm stuck somewhere in between. Because I know it is black and blue (the company that made the dress confirmed it is not available in white and gold). But I have see the white and gold with my own eyes. Haven't I?

There is no real point to this post except to ask that someone else please tell me you saw both colors too. Or am I the only person weird enough to have this happen? All I know for sure is, the brain is definitely a tricky & complicated thing!

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...
 

Audible is Awesome *sung to the tune of Everything is Awesome*

*Not a sponsored post. I'm just obsessed with Audible.*

You’ve heard of Audible by now, right? Most of you are probably nodding, but for the one person out there who hasn’t, let me explain.  Audible is a company that produces and sells “spoken word entertainment”. Meaning, it’s the place to go for cheap audiobooks!

How cheap? Well, that depends. The best way to go is to subscribe to Audible. Currently I pay $14.95 a month, which gives me one free credit to use on any audiobook I want, plus a 30% discount on any other audiobook and access to their member-only sales. Most audiobooks that aren’t on sale will cost more than $14.95, so basically you are paying for one book a month plus all the benefits of the membership.

Why is Audible awesome?

• They offer tons of books. From the classics to the new releases, I promise you will find something you like.
• They constantly offer deals and discounts. As a member you get 30% off any title, but there are also Daily Deals plus regular sales like their recent First in a Series sale. You could pretty much avoid paying full price for an audiobook forever!
• You can listen to the book at different speeds. I only recently discovered this feature, and I love it. Some books move too slowly for me, so I like to kick things up a notch :)
• You can check out reviews of the author & the narrator. The narrator is super important, because they can make or break a book. Always listen to a preview to make sure you can stand the narrator’s voice. But if you happen to buy one that you end up hating…
• You can return a book if you don’t like it! No questions asked. I did this with two that I bought early on in my Audible experience and it was super easy.

If that sounds like something you are interested in, then you should try out the 30 day trial Audible is offering right now. Because you don’t just get 30 days for free, you also get 2 free audiobooks! I’ve been a fan of Audible for almost a year now, and I’m still loving it. In fact, I barely listen to the radio anymore. As soon as I get in my car, I start Audible so I can jump back into the story. I'm currently listening to The Fiery Cross, but I have about 5 or 6 in my queue. I also have a couple of credits I should use! (Pro tip: when spending your credits, choose wisely. I usually buy an Outlander book with mine, because those books can cost up to $60!)

My favorite audiobook to date has been Yes Please! by Amy Poehler, but I also really enjoyed Unbroken. Amy Poehler narrated her own book (with help from some other celebs) and Edward Herrman narrated unbroken so it was like listening to Rory's grandfather read me a story.

Are you an audiobook listener? Why or why not? And if you are, any amazing recommendations I should know about?

As I said, not a sponsored post. It does include affiliate links, so if you are interested then click on through to support Mrs Robbins Sparkles. Because Squarespace does not accept glitter for payment.
 

Previously on Mrs Robbins Sparkles...