21 Things we Stopped Buying & Started Making Instead

There are 21 things that we no longer buy, because we make them at home instead! Once you start making your own personal care, cleaning, and home essential products, you won’t want to go back to store-bought.

Every time we figure out a new DIY recipe, we get such a sense of accomplishment. Once we realize we get to remove that product from the shopping list forever, we feel even more excited!

Our daughter recently asked me to buy her some lightweight lotion next time we place a grocery order.

We knew we could make a better version at home, so we got to work making our homemade tallow lotion. We never did have to buy that bottle of store-bought lotion!

Making your own bath and beauty, cleaning products, and home essentials isn’t just gratifying. It also saves money, waste, and ensures you get only the best ingredients in your products!

If you want to focus more on homemade and spend less at the store, this list of 21 things we stopped buying and started making will help get you started!

With everything from skincare staples to cozy DIY candles, you’ll have a blast learning to DIY your home products!

Why Make Your Own Products?

Save money over time: Once you have the basic ingredients, you can make these for a fraction of the cost of store-bought versions. It’s a great way to tighten your budget without missing out!
Know exactly what’s in it: When it comes to the products that go on our skin, food surfaces, and in our air, we like to be informed. These homemade products have no fillers and no unnecessary additives — just simple ingredients you choose yourself.
Customize it to your preferences: Adjust texture, scent, or ingredients, so it actually works the way you want it to. You’re in control!
Reduce waste at home: DIY products are an important part of our eco-friendly lifestyle. Switching to homemade means fewer bottles, less packaging, and more reuse of what you already have on hand.

21 Things we Stopped Buying and Started Making

Without further ado, let’s dive in. If crafting more and buying less is a goal of yours, you’ll certainly find some products you’d like to stop purchasing!

Body + Personal Care

Non-Greasy Pumpable Lotion

A green glass pump bottle of lotion on a wooden board with eucalyptus leaves.

This homemade pumpable lotion looks and feels just like a regular store-bought lotion, but it’s made with natural, nourishing ingredients. Scent it yourself with essential oils or leave it unscented!

DIY Non-Greasy Pumpable Lotion Recipe

DIY Body Powder

Applying body powder to the neck and jawline with a powder puff.

This homemade body powder keeps me dry, fresh, and comfortable even on our sweatiest days. It’s so simple to make, we'll never buy it again! We only discovered the joy of body powder last year, and now we can’t live without it!

Homemade Body Powder Recipe

Homemade Deodorant

We started saving money — and took control over the ingredients going in our underarms — when we started making our own deodorant. It’s simple to make, long-lasting, and it actually works! It’s no secret that natural deodorant brands can be very expensive!

All-Natural Deodorant Recipe

Homemade Lip Balm

DIY lip balm in three reusable tubes with a homemade label.

This homemade lip balm is made with simple, moisturizing ingredients, like coconut oil and beeswax. With eco-friendly ingredients and endlessly reusable tubes, it’s as good for the planet as it is for your lips!

Homemade lip Balm Recipe

All-Natural Lotion Bars

Homemade lotion bars on white and gray towel in a mason jar.

Since we make these at home, we can skip the travel tubes of lotion or all-natural lotion bars from the store! Homemade lotion bars are a great liquid lotion alternative for traveling or on the go. They are made with natural, nourishing ingredients in under 30 minutes.

Homemade Lotion Bars Recipe

DIY Bath Bombs

Several homemade bath bombs on a grey and white striped tea towel with dried oranges, essential oil bottles around it.

These homemade bath bombs are completely customizable with different colors, scents, and herbal additions, and they are a delight to use! Bath bombs are such a fun addition to a relaxing bath, and they make excellent gifts. But you don’t have to buy them when they are so fun to make!

Homemade Bath Bombs Recipe

DIY Bath Salts

A bag of rose bath salts with a bowl in the background.

These rose bath salts smell incredible and cost a fraction of the price of store-bought bath salts. They make a beautiful handmade gift! Bath salts certainly seem fancy and luxurious, but you’d be surprised at just how simple they are to make yourself!

Homemade Rose Bath Salts Recipe

Homemade Shampoo

A bottle of homemade rosemary shampoo with a striped towel and soap bars.

Our family has used this homemade rosemary shampoo for years, and we haven’t had to buy any shampoo in that time. It’s easy to make and cleanses and moisturizes your hair naturally. You can replace all of your shower essentials with homemade products, starting with shampoo!

Homemade Shampoo Recipe

DIY Conditioner

Homemade hair conditioner on marble vanity.

Follow up your homemade shampoo with a homemade conditioner! This homemade conditioner moisturizes, smooths, and strengthens your hair with simple, nourishing ingredients.

DIY Conditioner Recipe

Simple DIY Face Moisturizer

Small jar of homemade face moisturizer on a wooden tray.

Homemade face moisturizer can be customized to your skin type, and it will leave your face looking plump, hydrated, and healthy without making it greasy. We've seen facial moisturizer prices that make our jaw drop. Luckily, we know how to make our own!

DIY Face Moisturizer Recipe

Soap + Skincare

Beginner’s Cold Process Soap Bars

A pile of cold process soap bars on a wicker mat.

We lay out everything you need to know in this beginner’s recipe for ultra-moisturizing homemade soap bars. It still amazes me that you can make soap bars from scratch! When we first started with cold process soapmaking, we was a little intimidated, but it’s not as scary as it seems.

Cold Process Soap Bar Recipe

Turmeric Soap Bars

Flower-shaped orange soap bars on a wicker placemat.

You can make these beautiful orange soap bars with just a few simple ingredients and some fun flower-shaped molds. The beautiful hue comes from real turmeric — don’t worry, it doesn’t stain your skin, tub, or towels!

Homemade Turmeric Soap Recipe

Melt and Pour Oatmeal Soap

Homemade honey oatmeal soap bars on wooden cutting board.

Using a base expedites the soapmaking process while still allowing you to customize the soap and skip the store-bought bars. This honey oatmeal soap is gentle and soothing to the skin (and easy to make!). If cold process soap is too involved for you, you can still make beautiful homemade soap with a melt and pour base!

DIY Oatmeal Honey Soap Recipe

Homemade Charcoal Soap

Bars of charcoal soap stacked up on a wicker placemat.

They are ideal for washing your face as the activated charcoal provides deep pore cleansing and removes impurities. This cold process recipe may become your new favorite soap! These beautiful charcoal soap bars are one of our all-time favorites (and we've made a lot of soap!).

Homemade Charcoal Soap Recipe

Cleaning + Home Care

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

A bottle of all purpose cleaner with a bucket and rag behind it.

This all-purpose spray is made with just 3 ingredients, and it takes less than 5 minutes to make! It cuts through grime on a variety of surfaces, such as counters, tables, and appliances. You can seriously use this cleaner everywhere (except on natural stone — for that, see our DIY granite cleaner)!

All-Purpose Spray Recipe

Homemade Toilet Cleaning Bombs

These toilet cleaning bombs are one of our most popular recipes, for good reason! They act like bath bombs in your toilet; the fizzing helps clean the toilet bowl without any scrubbing. Toss one in and let it works it’s magic for hands-free cleaning and a sparkling toilet.

Homemade Toilet Bomb Recipe

DIY Mattress Deodorizer

A bed with a large beadboard and bedside lamps turned on.

You’ll also find tips for maintaining a mattress naturally and without any store-bought products. Keep your mattress fresh, clean, and odor-free with this all-natural mattress deodorizer spray. It will be ready in just a few minutes, and it smells amazing!

DIY Mattress Deodorizer Recipe

DIY Garbage Disposal Deodorizer Tabs

They also leave behind a light, fresh lemon scent! We used to purchase garbage disposal cleaner tabs to keep our kitchen sink smelling nice. They were pricey and had an overwhelming synthetic fragrance! This homemade version saves money, uses natural ingredients, and works beautifully at cleaning and removing unpleasant odors.

Garbage Disposal Deodorizer Tabs Recipe

Home Essentials

Homemade Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps stacked on a kitchen counter.

We started making homemade beeswax wraps as a simple alternative to constantly buying plastic wrap. We use scrap fabric and coat it with beeswax to create reusable wraps that work great for covering bowls, wrapping snacks, or storing leftovers.

They’re easy to reuse, simple to clean, and one of those small swaps that really adds up over time.

Homemade beeswax wraps

DIY Wood Balm (Spoon Butter)

Homemade wood balm on a wooden cutting board with wooden utensils next to it.

This homemade wood balm works beautifully at conditioning and waterproofing the wood so it lasts decades! It’s free from mineral oil and so simple to make. Maintaining your wooden cutting boards, utensils, bowls, and butcher blocks requires some sort of oil, or better yet, board butter/wood balm.

Homemade Wood Balm Recipe

Simple Laundry Powder

DIY laundry soap for sensitive skin made with all natural ingredients.

We save so much money every year by making our own laundry soap. This powdered laundry detergent is so quick to make, and a batch will last you a long time. It is scented naturally with essential oils, so your clothes won’t have an intense scent from synthetic fragrance, and you can customize the scent to your liking!

Homemade Powdered Laundry Soap Recipe

Homemade Soy Candles

You’ll love cozying up with your very own homemade candle! Making your own candles is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and you can have a say over what kind of fragrance goes in them! With our mess-free method, making your own candles is a fun and straightforward process.

Homemade Soy Candles Recipe

Where to Get Started

One of our most frequently asked questions is about where we source the ingredients for our homemade products.

If you have a health food store in your area, you may be able to get some ingredients from there, but our main source is actually Amazon! We get the majority of our ingredients, supplies, tools, and containers online, all of which we have linked in our Amazon storefront.

Another great source for organic, natural ingredients is Azure Standard. They offer great prices on bulk ingredients that we use a lot, such as castile soap, vinegar, and baking soda.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are homemade bath & beauty products cheaper than store-bought?

While it always depends, overall, it is significantly cheaper to make your own bath and beauty products. Especially when you compare the prices to natural products, which are the most comparable in terms of ingredients and quality.
Making your own products typically has a start-up cost as you purchase the ingredients, but then they are effectively free for several batches as you use the already purchased ingredients!

Do homemade cleaning products work?

Yes, they do! Homemade cleaning products use natural ingredients that are amazingly effective at cutting through grease and grime, such as vinegar and lemon essential oil.

What recipe should we make first?

If you’re out of a product, you might make that one first so you don’t need to purchase a replacement. You can also focus on what you use most often, or select one of our easiest recipes to dip your toes. If easy is your goal, we'd recommend the homemade all-purpose cleaner, DIY laundry soap, or homemade body powder. You can really start anywhere!

More DIY Recipes

Ready to ditch the store-bought and start making your own body and home essentials?! We think you’ll find that it’s utterly addicting; we know we did.

If you’re looking for a seasonal version of this list, we rounded up 17 summer swaps to save money for the warmer months.

If you try one of these recipes, let me know what you made in the comments. And don’t forget to bookmark or pin this note so you can come back and try another recipe!