DIY Life

...and make your own deodorant. Yeah, I realize it sounds gross, but it's very do-able and I can vouch for the the antiperspirant powers it holds. With just a few items from your kitchen, you can save serious dough and gain some DIY brownie points:

Here's how:

1. In a reusable/ resealable container, mix one part baking soda with six parts cornstarch.
   
2. Close the container and shake vigorously for a minute.
   
3. Then, test the mix by dusting a small amount to the skin of your armpits with a soft cotton ball,or cosmetic applicator. Apply as if you were lightly applying baby or cosmetic powder.

That's it! The best part? Your new deodorant won't leave white spots or streaks on that little black dress you wear everywhere! You can even store your new deodorant glamorously with an antique or vintage make-up container like Melinda's done.

With this handy recipe, you'll be smelling fresh in no time... minus the harsh toxins of most over-the-counter deodorants. I'll sniff to that!

I'm really happy with my cute little 14-inch laptop. Wish I'd chosen a different color, though. The lid is a dark blue that looked sleek and soothing on the website when I placed my order. In real life, though? It looks just like plain old navy blue -- definitely more blah than soothing.

Are you unhappy or bored with your laptop? Yeah? Well, fortunately, there's never been a better time to personalize your machine ... or your iPod, Blackberry, cell or other device, for that matter. Whatever your gadget, make it really pop with a cool custom or DIY skin. Let's take a peek at some of the options:

1. Ready-made Skins. First up, there are tons of ready-made laptop skins out there. These may be purchased from computer manufacturers or from a number of other online sources. Dell, for example, now offers over 200 skin designs in a rainbow of colors and styles. Visit Dell Design Studio to see them all.

I'll admit it... I've gone under the needle more than once. In fact, I'm considering getting yet another tattoo (though I want to get a new tattoo to cover up another one, so maybe it doesn't really count).

While they didn't hurt that much, I wouldn't say it's exactly pleasant having needles zip in and out of your skin. But these laser tattoo videos on Instructables are a whole new world of pain.

According to Instructables, the sight of getting one's flesh burned by a laser cutter isn't too bad. But the subtle smell of burning flesh isn't exactly enticing. (Gee... I wonder why.) And as for the pain involved, well, let's just say it hurts.

Laser cutters serve their purpose -- for cutting wood, plastic, and the like. Not skin. So, to whoever first thought of this idea, I give you points for creativity. But I think this is a lesson in "Just because you can, it doesn't mean you should."

If you're itching to get inked, go the traditional route or, for an even less invasive method, check out Anna's post on temporary tattoos.

I'd taken the kids to their grandparents' some years back, and my eldest managed to brush her hand against a hot element on the stove. It was a mild burn, but painful!

While I was racing for an ice cube, Grandma simply reached for the plant in the window over the stove, snipped off a bit of its pointy leaf, gave it a squeeze so that some clear goop oozed out, and then rubbed the damp innards and goop of the leaf onto my daughter's hand. Grandma repeated this a few times that day. It seemed to do the trick.

"It" was an aloe vera plant, of course. Not only did Grandma use it for burns, but for mosquito bites, bee stings, and just about any other surface skin pain. I always wondered if this was just psychosomatic: My kids all believed 100% in the healing properties of Grandma's "magic plant", but a little research shows that it really does do all that stuff! (It's also pretty effective as a laxative. Who knew?)

It turns out they're not hard to grow, either. It's best to get yourself a large one. Not only are the larger ones more potent in their healing properties, but the plant grows slowly. Don't hesitate to nip off a section of leaf as needed, though: even as it heals your skin, the plant heals quickly, too!

If you'd like to grow your own aloe vera plant, Tipnut provides some sound basic information.

In my house, ink on skin happens when my teenage kids want to make a "mental" note. With a pen, or sometimes, in a moment of hormonal lunacy, a Sharpie. Perhaps you have a creative toddler in your house, or perhaps you even do it yourself. I've been known to jot down a critically important "must remember" note on the nearest available surface -- even if it is the palm of my right hand!

But once you don't need that note any more, you're stuck with it: ink just doesn't come out so easily. It's one thing to scour your own arm raw trying to remove that black stain, but just try doing that on an outraged toddler! It's a three-man job... unless, that is, you have a teabag.

According to a post by writer Lisa Katayama at Lifehacker, it's a simple matter to steep the teabag, let it cool briefly, then scrub away. Ink should lift right off -- even permanent marker stains.

Katayama's book, Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks from Japan, which features this tip, has been getting a lot of coverage at Lifehacker lately. She refers to urawaza as "life hacks and unmapped shortcuts" that were developed in Japan during the economically lean days that followed World War II. Now that they're available in book form, why not check them out?

Join me each week as I explore the naturally aromatic side of DIY. Helpful recipes for your "scentual" pleasure: from essential oils, herbs, and other botanicals, to soap-making, body care products, and other useful blends.

Making your own bath and body products is good fun on so many levels. Not only do you get to concoct what you like using all-natural ingredients, but you can customize your products for the season.

Here we are, about to embark on the three-month stretch that we call summer. My three favorite products to make for the sweltering days: powder, body spritz, and skin soother (for after sun exposure). After the break, I'll share recipes and scent blends.

OK, so that title might be a bit misleading. If you have stretch marks, you know, they simply cannot be banished completely. You'll probably have those little war wounds for the rest of your life. The good news is that they don't have to be as noticeable as they are now.

As soon as something is branded as a stretch mark remedy, the price tag goes up. It just kills me that our insecurities can be so exploited as to have us pay considerably more for something in search of a magical cure.

What's the solution? Shea butter. It is a common remedy for stretch marks. While it won't give you the same results as dramatic dermatological procedures, with a bit more time, it will come awfully close. So, walk right past that expensive stretch mark cream and make your own organic Shea butter soap.

These soaps can be used daily in the shower to improve the health and elasticity of your skin. I'll share the ingredients after the break.

How brave are you? I like to think that I'm fairly tough, especially when it comes to taking pain, but this DIY project is way out of my league. Branding is where the skin is burned to make a scar. In these instructions, they use a soldering iron to burn an image into the skin. The permanent scar is called a "brand". Here's what you'll need:

1. A friend who is willing to hold a 450 degree Celsius iron to your skin, or a friend who is willing to let you do this to them
2. Soldering iron
3. Face mask
4. Wooden spoon
5. Anesthetic
6. Emergency first aid

Please note that the article we're linking to here is not a typical site that we would normally link to. While there wasn't any offensive material on the article we are linking to (except of course for the article itself which is about intentionally burning one's skin), be warned that the rest of the Viceland site may well have offensive material. Oddly, in addition to the items listed above, the article recommends having some jellybeans on hand. If you're still reading then you are either brave or stupid, but either way, you might be interested in checking out their full instructions on DIY branding.

My homemade spa experiments started with a deep condition, then an apple face mask, and finally the DIY'er manicure. The face mask disaster reminded me that sometimes we're better off sticking with a simple recipe rather than adding in all the fancy ingredients. This exfoliating salt body scrub is exceptionally simple and I was certainly impressed with the results. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

What you'll need

1. Table salt
2. Oil - recipe calls for olive oil but I used grape seed oil
3. small container

What to do

1. Pour table salt into the container
2. Fill it with oil just until the oil passes the top of the salt
3. Mix it thoroughly
4. Spread over your body
5. Rub in gently with your fingers
6. Rinse off
7. Reveal your new skin

After the break I'll let you know what I thought of this homemade exfoliant. I'll also let you in on the secret powers of grape seed oil and why I replaced the olive oil in this recipe with it.

Last week I tested out a homemade deep conditioner. It was an avocado and mayonnaise concoction that had impressive results. Days later, my hair felt great!

This week I tested a homemade face mask. I tried out the Autumn Apple Face Mask. The results were a little less impressive, but I'll share the recipe and experience with you, and you can see for yourself.

The Autumn apple face mask
This seasonal mask is designed to combat dry flaky skin that tends to creep up on us with the changing season. The apple and oatmeal recipe helps you get rid of dead skin cells, invigorating your skin, creating a bright, fresh complexion.

Gallery: Autumn apple facial mask

Uh-oh! What's that on your face? Could it be... the outward sign of a small infection under the surface of your skin... that is, a pimple? A ZIT? The horror!

If you are like me, in your early 30s, you have had way more blemishes in the last decade than you ever did as a teenager. The best non-prescription pimple-targeted remedies all have benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid in them; which one you should use depends on your skin (the effectiveness of each is up for debate, but in general, benzoyl peroxide can be too harsh for some people's skin). Since you may not actually be expecting your skin to go crazy, you may not have an over-the-counter acne medication sitting around the house... let alone something pricey like Proactiv Solution or the Zeno Acne Treatment Device.

Do not despair! You'll find some at-home blemish remedies using common household substances right after the break. These solutions really work, though most don't work quite as well as actual acne medication.

I really enjoy painting and all the work involved. Choosing my color, knowing that I am making something beautiful that will last a long time, gives me a great feeling of satisfaction.

Painting wouldn't be all that fun if I didn't at least get some of it on my skin, right? Considering that paint isn't meant to wash away, removing it has often been a painful and difficult process.

Using strong chemicals such as mineral spirits, paint thinner, or turpentine can be smelly, dangerous, and often unnecessary. I try as often as possible not to use these items as I have an extremely sensitive nose and often get instant migraines from the fumes, even when I wear a mask. So here are a few of my favorite alternatives to the harsh chemicals.