I traveled with a friend recently and she said to me:

“Did everything in your bath/beauty bag come from your kitchen?”

I hadn’t ever thought about it before, but yes, almost everything I use to care for my body can be found in the kitchen or garden.

Here’s a list of everything you’d find in my bath bag and what they are used for. You might find some of these tricks useful.

Raw organic cacao butter love lotion with Shea Butter for Sunscreen: my mama makes the most amazing raw, organic (edible) lotion that smells and tastes like chocolate and feels like heaven. It’s the most treasured thing in my bath bag. I use my mama's 'Aphrodite's Secret' lotion ALL over my face and body. I mean, who doesn't want to smell like chocolate.

Baking soda: For mouth and bath.

Lime: I don’t really need deodorant as long as I’m eating well. Sometimes in the middle of the hot Texas summers if I’m going to be outside working all day I use lime as deodorant. It works really well for me.

Coconut oil: "I have 99 problems and coconut oil can fix 98 of them" ..it's so true! Coconut oil is good for all kinds of things- oil pulling, eye care, ears, yoni…its a must have for the bath bag.

On guard Oil: I put on guard on my gums, put it in warm water and gargle it when I have a sore throat, clean my tooth brush with it, clean my space with it and use it on my cedar necklace to protect me when I travel. Also, I like to put a little on a rag and wipe down the tub in hotel rooms before I use them. You can get on guard oil here: https://www.mydoterra.com/barefootfive/#/

Frankincense: one my favorite smells in the world -it’s my “perfume” Something about frankincense helps me reconnect to myself. It has a special hold on me.

Gold Lip Gloss: I have one gold lip balm from Living Libations that I love. It’s the only make-up I own. Nadine from Libations has created beautiful line of natural body care. Her product have the purest ingredients and are made with the best energy EVER!! Random note: The Yoni Serum from Living libations is divine.

Activated charcoal: As a teeth whitener. I always have activated charcoal with me in case someone in my tribe eats something that doesn't sit well with them.

Nail clippers: my nails are strong, healthy and grow quickly in a naturally lovely shape, but I keep them trim because I spend so much time in the garden and making remedies that having long nails is a giant pain in the ass for me.

Tweezers: I love Frida, but would prefer not to sport her eyebrows.

Razor: I totally respect my wild Goddess friends who enjoy going au naturel, but I enjoy the feeling of smooth soft legs- I actually don’t sleep well when my legs haven’t been shaved...I’m weird.

Aloe: wonderful for your skin! Also great treatment for dreads. I buy tubes of pure aloe when I’m going out of town, but otherwise I use my own homegrown aloe.

Raw honey: I use honey to scrub my face and body and soften my lips. It’s good for a number of different things.

Spring water: Whenever I am blessed with an opportunity to be near living water (hard to come by where I am) I take advantage of it. Dance in it. Swim in it. Drink it. Soak in it.

Sunlight, Moonlight and Sex: My anti-Wrinkle treatment. Sunlight especially the first and last 5 minutes of the day, dancing under the light of the full moon and good sex calm my mind, body and spirit therefore preventing premature wrinkles. Recommended amount of said anti-wrinkle cream: As much and as often as possible!!!

Everything else I use can be found in my gardens. Rosemary, lavender, chamomile, nettle tea for my hair. Rose and other lovely herbs for Yoni steams, comfrey for wound care and other magical herb friends for bathing in.

That’s it. Pretty Simple really.

We’ve been fed a load of bullshit in the beauty department if you ask me. I tossed our cultures programmed idea of what beauty should look like years ago. I tossed it because personally I think that aging gracefully with the help of nature and raw-authentic-natural beauty are the sexiest damn things ever.

Kitchen beauty baby! Bringing it back!

~Brooke Hampton