Clean Up Dad With This Homemade Personal Hygiene Kit!

Father’s Day is right around the corner and what better gift to make him than a personal hygiene kit!

This Kit Includes:

A Homemade Leather Carry Bag

Homemade Natural Scrubbing Soap

Homemade Natural Dry Shampoo

Homemade Natural Lotion Bar

Homemade Shaving Cream

A Homemade Wooden Comb

A Personal Towel

Razor Cover

There are some major pluses to this personal hygiene kit!

1. It can easily be made in a weekend for much cheaper than store bought! I spent around $35.00 total including a number of simple tools, some I already had.

2. You can easily get young children involved in making this kit. Most are simple mixing and pouring. With some adult supervision, this kit can be made with the kids as a group present.

3. It’s made with a number of natural products from around the home! No artificial dyes or crazy chemicals going into the body!

4. Although I use this as a gift for dad it can easily be made into a gift for anyone!

I’m going to break down each item as we go but overall the materials and tools that you will need are:

Leather (I got a scrap bag from Hobby Lobby for $10 and it covered everything with leather involved)

Needles and thread (leather and cloth needles. Colored thread for the towel)

Hard Scrubbing Loofah ($ store item)

Coconut oil

Beeswax (get the small pellets)

Shea Butter

Shea Butter Soap Base (or any other preferred soap base.)

Baking Soda

Castile Soap

Cornstarch

Essential Oils (Optional but highly encouraged)

2 small Tins (Another $ store item)

Small Glass/Plastic Jar with Lid

Craft Wood (I got a pack of 10 for 2.99 at Hobby Lobby)

Small Washcloth (Again another $ store item)

Small Metal Files (Fingernail files work great)

Large Bowl

Scissors

Sandpaper of varying degrees

Steel Wool

Tung Oil

Marker

Woodburner (optional for designs in leather and/or comb)

Woodworking tools (optional but it really makes life easier)

Razor (My hubby already has a classy one, just making a cover for it)

Comb for stencil (or you can use a stencil you find online)

Step 1: Build the Leather Bag

We are going to start with the bag as it’s the simplest to make and really….it’s what you put everything in so why not.

1. Take a large piece of leather and lay it out flat.

2. Use a large mixing bowl or pizza pan and trace a circle on the leather with a marker.

3. Cut out the circle

4. Measure every inch around the circle and mark. Then cut small holes in your marking

5. Using another piece of leather cut a long strip. I braided a few thin pieces together.

6. Weave the Leather through the holes and tie a knot at each end.

7. Pull tight and voila…..a simple bag. Now you can add additional pieces if you like to make it more personalized or burn a name on it. Whatever you like.

Step 2: Scrubby Soap

Onwards to the soap. Super simple and again easy for kids to make. If you make extra you have more gifts for later occasions.

Gather:

Soap Base (I used Shea Soap Base)

Loofa

Essential Oils ( I used tea tree and castor oil)

Muffin tin and liners

Microwaveable glassware

1. Cut your loofa into smaller chunks and place them in the liners

2. Cut up your soap base and microwave (30 seconds, then stir, repeat until completely smooth)

3. Mix in essential oils. ( I used about 20 drops for the entire batch)

4. Pour over loofas and let sit.

Once the bars have solidified you have homemade soap for your hygiene kit.

Step 3: Prep the Small Tins

On a quick side note, I want to share how I prepared the small tins.

You will need

2 Small Tins

Leather

Glue

Scissors

1. Take the cap off the tins and trace them on the leather.

2. These tins are from the dollar store and the plastic pieces popped off pretty easily. If they give you some difficulty a hobby knife will help.

3. Cut out the leather circles and glue them on the inside of the lid.

4. Let them dry and the tins are ready for use.

Step 4: Easy Dry Shampoo

Onwards to the dry shampoo. This has to be the most kid-friendly item on the list and it is really super simple.

You will need:

1/8 cup Baking soda

1/8 cup Corn Starch

8-12 drops essential oil (I use peppermint)

Mixing bowl and spoon

Small Glass Bottle

1. Mix dry ingredients together

2. Add essential oils few drops at a time. (Put in a few drops, then stir. Drops then stir)

3. Put powder in your glass bottle

4. Good to go! When Dad’s hair is feeling greasy a simple dusting and combing will have him looking great!

Step 5: The BEST Lotion Bar

Almost done! Whew, lots of instructions in this ONE gift.

But hey….it’s Dad and he deserves a thoughtful homemade gift!

I love love love lotion bars. They don’t make me feel greasy. I feel like I get just the right amount and don’t have more left over sticking to my hands. I love this type in particular because it’s really very simple and absolutely customizable.

You will need:

¼ Cup Shea Butter

¼ Cup Coconut oil

¼ Cup Beeswax Pellets

4-8 Drops of essential oils ( I used Tea Tree)

Microwaveable Glass Bowl

First Small Tin

1. Combine the Shea Butter, Coconut Oil and Beeswax in the glass bowl.

2. Microwave the same way you did the soap. (30 seconds and stir. Repeat until smooth)

3. Add essential oils and stir.

4. Pour into your small tin and let cool.

5. Lotion Bar is done! It smells great. Any dad needs some lotion he can swipe this and apply!

Step 6: Awesome Shaving Cream!

Down to the last item that involves mixing! Woot Woot.

Homemade Shaving cream! Again super simple to make and if your little one has a bit too much energy you can tire them out having them whip this up!

You will need

½ Cup Baking soda

¾ Cup Castile Soap (In my rush through the market, I picked up and used Castor Oil first. It does not work. It MUST be Castile Soap)

1 Cup Water

Mixer (Hand mixer or the old elbow grease will do)

Second Small Tin

1. Combine all ingredients together.

2. Whip it up! Use that elbow grease.

3. Store in Tin

4. There you go! When dad needs some shaving cream he only needs to take a little out, mix with water into a lather and apply!

Step 7: A Fancy Washcloth

Ok these last 3 items are completely optional, but I feel they really tie everything together.

Washcloth

I found a nice washcloth that I would use. You can personalize this any way you want. Use your needle and thread to make a border, monogram initials….whatever you would like.

I put in the letter W for his last name.

Step 8: A Personalized Wooden Comb

Wooden Comb

This is by far the most time-consuming item on this list. I used a Dremel tool, but if you don’t have one, files and a hobby knife will do.

You will need:

Craft Wood

Pen

Files or hobby knife

Comb Stencil

Sand paper

Steel Wool

Teak Oil

1. Place craft wood down and trace comb stencil. I used my shower comb as a stencil. To make both sides even I started tracing one way, then flipped it over and made both sides even.

2. I started out tracing the lines with a hobby knife. Then I used the metal files to essentially sand down each comb tooth.

3. Once each tooth is done. Smooth with sandpaper. Go from coarse to fine. Once done sanding wipe with a damp cloth and let dry.

4. Once dry apply a thin layer of teak oil. Let it dry for 24 hours then smooth with steel wool. More coats of teak oil may be needed/wanted. Just be sure to smooth it out between each coat.

5. Buff with microfiber cloth and wam bam….a spiffy handmade comb!

Step 9: Razor Cover

Last but definitely not least….. The razor cover. Who wants a hygiene kit with a sharp razor just looming around waiting to cut unsuspecting fingers! My husband had a fancy razor already so I used it as a stencil.

You will need.

3 inch/1 inch strip of leather

Scissors

Marker

Leather Needle and Thread

1. Cut out a 4 inch by one inch piece of leather.

2. Cut out a line inside and a small X.

3. Fold Piece of leather in half and sew the 2 sides, then sew small bits on the final side.

4. The razor slides in one side with the blade facing the inside strip instead of the outside opening.