My Frugal Beauty Routine
A stylin’ self-portrait of me in my bathroom seemed right for a post that takes you through a day-in-the-life of my frugal beauty routine.
Beauty and skin care doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive (or toxic, for that matter). I’m choosy about the few things I use and I like to keep things simple when it comes to the time I spend in front of the mirror. Ever wondered what products grace my bathroom counter? Wonder no more.
7:07 am – I take a shower
Body: I use simple homemade soaps, either handmade by my health-conscious mother-in-law (we get a basket of soap each Christmas, which I love), or something else with pure ingredients like the ones I’m reviewing from Apple Valley Natural Soap (speaking of which, don’t miss this month’s giveaway!).
Shampooing: Up until recently, I had been using the “no shampoo” method for over 2 years and loved it the frugal simplicity of it. My hair always felt clean and fresh.
This winter I began to have some issues with hair breakage (I have particularly thin and fine hair that breaks easy, but it got worse for some reason this winter). I was worried that the baking soda might not be a fit for my hair during this season, so I went back to JASON shampoo and conditioner for a spell (free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulfates, etc. and one of the more cost effective natural options out there). Now I’m trying the Shampoo Bars from Apple Valley and so far so good, although I may still like to go back to “no shampoo” ultimately.
**Frugal tip– You can’t get cheaper than the “no shampoo” method. Baking soda. Vinegar. How cheap is that?
Shaving: I either do a dry method with my cheap little electric razor, or I just lather up with bar soap or Dr. Bronner’s in the shower to do a wet shave.
7:19 am – I get ready for the day
Hair styling: I do have a natural mousse (from Lavera) that I use a little squirt of about once a week (usually for Sundays or going out on dates with my hubby). Other than that, I just keep my hair au naturel.
**Frugal tip– I bought my mousse and some gel for the boys in the house from the Lavera clearance section. Though I would never pay full price for most of the things they sell, every once in a while they have a stellar sale in their clearance section. I think I paid around $2-3 each for these natural styling products that retail for $16. Worth checking every once in a while if they have products that you are interested in.
Face: For moisturizing, coconut oil (the same kind that we eat) is my preferred choice. I’ve currently got some Terralina moisturizer that I got for free (yes, blogging has perks) but honestly coconut oil works just as well at a fraction of the price.
**Frugal tip– If you do like fancier products like Terralina, watch the daily deal sites like Jasmere and Eversave. They have both previously had 1/2 price vouchers for Terralina as well as other natural beauty care products.
Makeup: Most days I don’t wear much except a natural lip balm. A few days a week I use a light foundation powder from Everyday Minerals. Usually one day a week I will add one or two shades of eye shadow (also from EM), a light dust of transluscent finishing powder and a colored lip gloss (I have a few- Burt’s Bees, Lavera, etc.).
**Frugal tip– If you’ve never tried mineral makeup and you would like to, Everyday Minerals has free sample kits available. Sometimes you can get coupon codes for a discount or a free item with your order. Check out RetailMeNot to find current coupons.
Deodorant: I’ve tried so many over the years and have never come up with one I really love. All sorts of natural brands (Tom’s of Maine, JASON, Dessert Essence, deodorant crystal, etc.). I’m currently trying a homemade one and I have a feeling this most-frugal option will be the winner!
Teeth: See below.
9:04 am – I finish cleaning the kitchen after breakfast
Hands: After cleaning the kitchen and prepping for lunch and/or dinner, my hands are usually a bit dry. I treat them to one of my hard lotion bars, which work so well on my dry skin (that used to get eczema but rarely breaks out in it these days).
My favorite hard lotion bars come from MadeOn Skin Care (a more solid bar that requires more rubbing but lasts a long time, with a light scent of beeswax or cocoa butter, depending on the bar) and Graham Gardens (a slightly softer bar that rubs on easily, may not last quite as long as the MadeOn bar, but smells exquisite).
4:37 pm – I realize my lips are dry
Lips: Lately I just rub them with hard lotion bars, since the ingredients are basically the same as lip balm, or I use Burt’s Bees original lip balm, which is my hubby’s favorite. Homemade lip balms (or lotion bars) are easy to make as well.
10:05 pm (or somewhere thereafter) – I’m heading to bed
Face: I am a self-confessed lazy face washer. However. When I do wash my face properly before bed, I love the oil cleansing method. It feels fantastic, it makes my skin looks good and it’s very frugal to boot. Watch my video tutorial and see how easy this fabulous method is. I don’t necessarily feel that I need any moisturizer after this, but if I do, it will usually be coconut oil.
Teeth: We either use a non-toxic and fluoride-free toothpaste like Tom’s of Maine or JASON, or our latest attempt to use a tooth cleaner instead of toothpaste.
The difference is in the glycerin, which supposedly coats teeth and prevents saliva from doing its job of neutralizing the bacteria and acid balance in the mouth (or at least, that’s my understanding of it). We’re hoping it helps to prevent cavities, but the jury is still out and frankly we still like toothpaste better. And we floss… just plain old floss.
Skin: If needed, I give my hands and legs a once over with one of my hard lotion bars.
And that, my friends, is basically all of the products that touch my skin in any way, shape or form.
I do have one remaining bottle of conventional perfume that I use every now and then, although I just received some Jasmine Body Oil from Graham Gardens and I’d love to switch over to just using products made with essential oils for fragrance. Most days, I just skip fancy scents. I also have one small bag of nail polish that is lingering from my university days (which were much longer ago than I care to admit) and should just be thrown out since I avoid those toxic polishes now.
I actually love the simplicity of what I use now, compared to all the stuff that used to clutter up my bathroom counter before I went natural (although my husband would probably beg to differ about whether the bathroom counter is still cluttered up or not).
What does your beauty care routine consist of?
Disclaimer: All times listed are approximate. I may or may not struggle with going to bed after 11pm or not getting up with my alarm to exercise and do devotions at 6am. I’m just sayin’.
I use a homemade toothpaste that my husband and I love. I can send you the recipe if you want, it is mostly coconut oil, baking soda, and castile soap. My routine looks very similar to yours, approximate times and all. Thanks for the post.
@Jessica Klanderud, Would you post a comment with the toothpaste recipe? I have tried one before and we really didn’t like it, but I would consider doing it again and I’m sure many other readers would like to see it! Thanks!
@Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home, My recipe doesn’t have castile soap in it, but perhaps it’s a bit similar to Jessica’s? Here’s mine:
Combine:
~2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
~3 Tablespoons of Baking Soda
~5 drops Peppermint Essential oil + 5 drops Spearmint Essential Oil (or 1/2 tsp. mint flavoring extract)
~a pinch of Stevia powder
I got it from another blog years ago that’s no longer available. Oftentimes, thoughm we’ll just skip the baking soda, and use straight coconut oil on our teeth.
Donielle does have a recipe that uses castile soap here: http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/try-it-tuesday-homemade-toothpaste/ 🙂
Blessings,
Michele
@Michele @ Frugal Granola, Oh, by the way, I’m sure you could add in a bit of myrrh powder, too, to make it like the TT tooth cleaner. 🙂
@Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home,
Here’s my toothpaste recipe that uses castile soap:
Tooth Paste
2 TBS Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Organic Liquid Soap
7 TBS Coconut Oil
2 TBS Water
30 Drops of Essential Oil (I use Sweet Orange and Peppermint)
1 TBS Baking Soda
2 Dropper Fulls of Stevia Extract or a pinch of Stevia powder.
Mix together and pour into a soap dispenser or a squeeze bottle. Depending on the climate of where you live you may want to use more or less water or coconut oil to make your tooth paste more smooth. Coconut oil turns to a solid at 76 degrees F. In my area of northern Baja the summers get really hot. It can get up to 110 inside in late August making my tooth soap very liquidy. On the flip side in the winter, when it’s about fifty inside, the tooth paste is a bit too solid and hard to squeeze out. I have found that I need more water in the winter time.
Over on The Longhair Community forums, there is a water only hair washing method that many swear by. I alternate between that, no-poo and a condition first/shampoo second method. Though, I too have very fine hair and find that the no-poo method can be too drying for me. For brushing my teeth I use coconut oil, hydrogen peroxide, plain water or sometimes Tom’s of Maine. When my deodorant runs out I plan to make my own.
@Ronda, Really, a water only method? I would be interested in learning about that. I find that although my hair is fine and breaks easily, it also gets greasy and really needs something to clean it so I would be curious to read what others have to say about using water only. I guess I have a hard time believing that it could clean hair well enough, but then I felt that was about no ‘poo until I started doing it.
@Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home, Yes, the problem at first is that your hair is very greasy, but the claim is that once you get over that it is wonderful. What is supposed to happen is that your scalp equalizes and does not feel a need to send out extra oils because you stop stripping the oil from it. I have to admit I have not been able to keep it up myself, but some swear by it.
@Ronda, It does make sense. I can see that it might work, I just don’t know if I would be willing to work through the greasy stage and wait until it got good. 🙂
My routine is very similar to yours. I wash my face with either the oil cleansing method or my homemade soap (which I also use to shave with). I use coconut oil, grapeseed oil, or olive oil (in the winter) to moisturize with and I make an eye cream with coconut oil and vitamin E. I wash my hair with shampoo I make using Dr. Bronner’s castile soap and boiled herbs or Trader Joe’s shampoo. I also use TJ’s flouride free toothe paste. So far, I have been happy with their products. My big problem area is still make-up. We don’t live near a mall and I’m terrible about using things that I have to continually order, so I just buy drug store make-up. I know I really do need to make the switch, though. I enjoyed your post!
@Pam M.,
Could you post your homemade soap recipe? I am having a hard time finding a recipe without lye!!
Thank you 🙂
Nice article; believe so many are going towards your methods and using all natural methods for most things.. which is good for us, our pocketbooks and environment…
I wanted to suggest you check out a couple of things that might even save you more $ without sacificing any positive results you are getting…maybe even increase them.
Being more specific; you mention brushing teeth, deodorants, skin care, and soaps in your article.. and you seem to have most of it to where you are happy with what you are doing and the results…just suggestions on looking into… ‘Living Clay’ and some of the related products. First, you can’t get more natural than the ‘Detox Clay Powder’ which is pure, unprocessed, calcium bentonite clay… and products like their soap are made with pure organic oils, natural essential oils and some calcium living clay…
More specifically… Teeth and Mouth Oral Care- Can’t get much more natural and cost effective and beneficial than using the LC powder and baking soda to brush teeth..its great..easy.. in expensive and the clay powder can also be used for any mouth or gum irritations and issues… Deodorant- Many use the cleansing clay mask.. a little under the arms works great..(easily mixed at 1 to 3 ratio; powder to water)..SKIN ISSUES- the same cleansing clay mask mix is great for facials, sore muscles, insect bites etc… the same clay used by some of the finest spas… HAIR- Many use the clay soaps… and the cleansing clay mask in hair washing , treatments etc…
The ‘Living Clay’ is something that is natural, safe and so effective in full body detoxification and a multitude of uses… and when you mix your own… it is NOT expensive… You might check it out..and/or try some of the other uses if you already have it…and NOT just any clay….all clays are not created equal…
Paul @ http://www.NaturesCleansingClay.com
We’ve been using homemade toothpaste from here http://www.tammysrecipes.com/homemade_toothpaste
for about a year, and really like it. I use xylitol instead of stevia, though. Very cheap alternative to buying something pre-made!
~Melanie
@Melanie,
My husband loves our xylitol homemade toothpaste! He has read all sorts of studies about the benefits of using xylitol for your teeth- including that if you use it while pregnant- the baby will have stronger teeth!
Hey there! Great post! I also had to stop my no-poo practices due to breakage but found that the Whole Foods brand of lavender shampoo is a good alternative and doesn’t contain much junk. Thanks for passing on the info about EM. I rarely wear make-up but when I do I like to have something natural and natural-looking. I;ve been using MAC products (eek – I know) for years because I love the coverage but ti’s time to walk the walk and make the switch to minerals. I plan to order my free EM sample kit today. 🙂 -Minde
@Affordably Organic, I initially missed my old makeup, but over time I grew to really like using EM’s mineral makeup. I think you’ll like it too, once you make the switch. 🙂
I wash my face with plain water, my hair with baking soda water, my body with dr. bronners peppermint (for shaving too). I use coconut oil on my face after shower and sometimes Aubrey collagen and almond lotion as well or instead. When I am extra dry I spritz on some napca from Twinlab. I have been using Aubrey EplusHighC deodorant which I really like but it is expensive so I tried the home made stuff. I like it okay but I think the sweet orange eo I used irritates my skin so I am alternating between the two until the home made runs out and I can make more.
I don’t wear makeup as a general rule but I did order the free sample you shared about (thank you). I color my very gray hair with Logona Mahogany henna and when I do that I wash my hair with Dr. Liggets shampoo bar. I brush my teeth with a tooth powder from naturacare or something like that. My husband uses Spry peppermint and refuses to switch. He also uses Aubrey hair gel.
I think that is about it. I am always trying to find the most economical and healthy way so I appreciate your blog very much.
@Mary Korte, Thanks for sharing what you use, Mary!
We use aloe in our hair. It makes a great hair gel! I started using the coconut cream (lotion) from Tropical Traditions on my face about 6 months ago. I suddenly get all these comments about how young I look. Everywhere I go people tell me I don’t look old enough to have 3 children. At first I thought maybe it was my make-up (Everyday Minerals), but someone told me the same thing the other day and I had no make-up on. I’m sure it must be the coconut lotion!
@Leah, Well, that’s a nice compliment to get! I used to get told that all the time when I had 2 kids (“What? You’re not old enough to have 2 kids!”). Then I had my third child and people stopped saying it… LOL! I guess I better start using TT’s coconut cream. 🙂
@Leah, Leah, do you buy the aloe in a gel form or use it straight from the plant? Just curious.
I just bought Tom’s of Maine flouride free, but was dismayed to discover it has sodium lauryl sulfate! 🙁 Have tried to to ‘poo free too with no luck so far, and am still searching for a natural deodorant. Have made my own, and tried Tom’s of Maine again. Great post though!
@Angie, It is really unfortunate that quite a few of the more “natural” toothpastes still have SLS in them. Tom’s does (I don’t know if every single flavor/variety does or not), Nature’s Gate does. I believe that JASON doesn’t have any. This is part of why we’re trying to switch over to the tooth cleaners instead. I’ve tried making my own toothpaste and we all hated it. 🙂
We use Jason Sea Fresh, it is SLS Free and Fluoride free 🙂
Excellent post BTW….Love Graham Gardens products.
I love this post. Do you know if there is a natural way to paint your nails. I really struggle with the peer pressure of painting them and also my husband is not quite on a natural kick like me so he wants me to look like everyone else.
Thanks for this.
@Angie Alford, Honeybee gardens makes a nail polish that is not totally noxious. I let my teen daughter wear it occasionally. It is around $5 at http://www.vitacost.com
@Angie Alford, As the other commenter offered, there are definitely natural options out there. They’re a lot more expensive and harder to find (which is why I still haven’t bought any, even though I would like to) but yes, they’re out there! If you have a larger health food store that carries cosmetics, they may have some. There are quite a few different ones online.
@Angie Alford,
I wanted to reply with a great product that I use- without sounding like an infomercial:-)
My husband bought me this “manicure” kit for Christmas- from a company called Onsen- it is a type of filer that has 3 steps- filing, a smoothing, a shining- you just file each nail with these steps and your nails are smooth and shiny and look just like you used clear nail polish! I absolutely love it!!! I do this once a week (usually before church on Sunday)- and my nails stay healthy looking and shiny all week!
It takes about 10 minutes to do all the nails on both hands. I often do my toenails too- just another 10 minutes!
The kit also comes with some hand lotion and cuticle cream that of course has conventional junk in it- but the file alone is worth the cost. The best part is- that when you buy the system- any time a file wears out- they will send you replacement ones for free- forever!
I used to never care about my nails, and never painted them- but this “manicure” system is so easy, and natural, and quick to do- that now I really love the feminine, natural way my hands look:-) (I think my husband may have had ulterior motives:-)
He bought it from a little booth in the mall- but I think you can order the kits online too.
Enjoy:-)
@Angie Alford, I use a product called Zoya nail polish (whole foods carries it) that works well. I also found a soy-based nail polish remover from a website called Kaia house (http://www.kaiahouse.com/kahoorsoynap.html) pretty pricy but it works great!
@Angie Alford,
I really love spa rituals natural polishes. They are a bit expensive, but one bottle lasts me years 🙂
My routine is very similar – except a few things.
Hair – mine is naturally very curly. I use Ouidad. Not natural at all. ;o) My hair is thin, and I have sebohorrheic dermatitis. I need to wash my hair every other day to keep it in check. I’ve only ever been able to use Ouidad and Aveda Shampure. I’ve been able to avoid the medicated shampoos from the dermatologist this way.
Deodorant – I made some homemade stuff and my family *loves* it. But it gives me a rash. :o/ I switched to Tom’s of Maine Calendula deodorant and my sensitive under arm area is the happiest it’s ever been.
Perfume – I use Toyko Milk brand. It seems pretty natural (?) to me. When I used a very natural brand, or homemade versions with mostly essential oils, I had horrible headaches. The Toyko Milk smells very nice (I like the Le Petit No. 2 scent) and no headaches!
LOVE your list! It looks a lot like mine~I really like the simplicity of it too. It’s taken me awhile to transition, but I’m sure glad I did! While at our health food store, I mentioned that I was having a hard time finding hair products that were truly natural…a customer mentioned aloe vera gel and I just noticed a commentor her saying the same…may have to give it a whirl!
I have a big bottle of Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile also. It’s a great product, but I started looking for an alternative because my conscience was seriously violated once I got home and read the fine print all over the bottle. I’m not saying that everyone else needs to feel that way (soap is certainly an area where we have liberty in Christ!), but it was personally really bothering me. If anyone else is looking for an alternative, whole foods offers their own store brand at a very similar price. I haven’t tried it yet, but that is what I plan to purchase next time.
@Suzy McPeters,
I feel the same way, Suzy…strange stuff mixed in with a tiny bit of not-so-strange. I found Vermont Soap…organic castile and other types of soap. They have a website, but I can’t remember what it is off the top of my head. I like their liquid sunshine for everything…
@Suzy McPeters:
Hi Suzy,
I’ve been purchasing Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap for a few months and I thought he was a Christian. After reading your comments, it made me rethink about purchasing it again. I, too am a Christian and I don’t want to have anything that doesn’t honour God in my home (at least not consciously, if that makes any sense). Would you tell me what you read on the bottle that led you to your observation? I transfered the rest of my bottle into an soap dispenser and recycled the Dr.B’s container.
Thanks,
I make basically all of my family’s beauty/cleaning items also, from toothpaste, to deodorant, to soap. My routine look a lot like yours, but I wanted to offer one suggestion on the make-up:
For anyone who likes a liquid make-up, you can add some of the mineral make-up to homemade or healthy lotion and it makes a liquid makeup that doubles as a moisturizer. I’ve done this on occasion, especially when I don’t want to get the dust of a mineral make-up on my clothes.
Great post!
@Katie @ Wellness Mama, Good tip, Katie! I have wondered if that would work, but never tried it. I’m glad I know now! 🙂
@Katie @ Wellness Mama,
GREAT idea…will have to try soon! =)
I wash my face with just plain water, right now I am using shampoo but once school gets out (the 19th) I think I will go back to the no-poo method. My hair did real well on it in the past. In the summer time I mix up an Epsom Salt and water mix that I spritz in my hair for that “beach hair” look. I am trying to start my teenager on the right path to natural beauty and we purchase less of more expensive makeup ie – a mineral or other natural makeup product.
This has inspired me to use the alternatives listed here. I am so glad I found this blog.
Thanks so much for all the information.
@Margaret, You’re so welcome, and I’m glad you’re here!
The Mountain Rose blog just had a good article on herbal hair care ( http://mountainroseblog.com/herbal-hair-care/ ) I use almost the same recipe for my herbal shampoo, but mine includes aloe vera. I’ve been using it several months now and after the initial few weeks of my hair adjusting, I love it. I also recently made the hard lotion bars and really like those. I did read somewhere about adding cornstarch to those to make them less greasy and am wondering if anyone has tried anything like that?
thanks so much for this post! i’m slowly trying to change out a lot of things around the house for more natural alternitives (easing into it for my wallet & my husbands sake as it’s a bit ruff on them both if i go to fast.)
i’ve tried no-poo and it didn’t seem to work for me (like some of you, i have very fine hair that breaks. i’m hoping to find a good natural shampoo once i finish my current bottle of regular stuff.
i love natural soaps and i’m really interested in making my own someday, but right now i usually just use sugar as a body scrub in the shower. 🙂
again, thanks for this. it’s nice to have these things to reference as i run out of things.
I loved your list, Stephanie. 🙂 We use castille soap for everything… I think I get a closer shave with the peppermint scent 😀 My mother-in-law always buys us a bottle of baby shampoo/wash from Shea Moisture ( I love the frankincense & myrrh scent) when the kids stay over with her. It’s a nice difference once in a while. 😉
I use your oil cleansing method, and love it! I’ll also switch it up during the summer (when it’s warm enough to stay liquid) and use coconut oil rather than olive with the castor oil. Makes me feel like I’m on a happy tropical beach. 🙂
We stopped buying Tom’s of Maine and Burt’s Bees after finding out they are owned by big companies we don’t like to support. We use Nature’s Gate for toothpaste (finally found one without sulphates), and I make a mouthwash, deodorant, hair gel, and hair rinse with herbal extracts.
I have to admit, I never wear makeup anymore… I’m sure there are some mornings where I need to, but we didn’t have the money for so long that I simply gave up the habit, and haven’t returned to it. 🙂
@Meg, Curious, who owns ToM and BB? And, which Nature’s Gate toothpaste did you find without SLS? I felt like I had looked through all (or almost all) and was struggling to find one.
I love the smell of coconut oil, too. I have childhood memories of those tropical scented suntan oils (not that I would ever use them- I just love how pretty they smell) and using coconut oil reminds me of that smell. I’ve never actually used anything with frankincense and myrrh, so I’m really curious what they actually smell like!
@Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home, I came across the list on the internet last year, I think. I believe (I wish I had saved it!) Colgate owns Tom’s, and Burt’s is owned by Clorox. :-/ Not a big deal, really, in the grand scheme of things, but if I can do without supporting them, I’d rather. So we do. 😉
The Nature’s Gate paste we use is the fluoride free brand. I had purchased them in the past, and they had SLS, but the box I bought this time said it was a “new formula”, and doesn’t contain it any more. We use the anise flavor. 🙂
The frankincense and myrrh smell like… soft spice. Not quite “old spice” 😉 but a really warm scent. It’s hard to describe, obviously. But it smells great on the 2 boys + the baby girl (and, ahem, Moma on occasion…)
@Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home, Here’s one of the charts I found, but it doesn’t cover the personal care, only foods:
http://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/rcbtoa/services/corporate-ownership.html
@Meg, Curious, who owns ToM and BB? And, which Nature’s Gate toothpaste did you find without SLS? I felt like I had looked through all (or almost all) and was struggling to find one.
Have you tried the Kirkland Paraben-Free, Sulfate-free shampoo from Costco, or looked at the ingredient list? If so, I’m wondering how it compares with JASON. I’ve been using the Kirkland for a couple months and feel like my hair is doing better than before. But we still have a long way to go in this area, so I’m not sure how it stacks up.
@Rachel, No, I haven’t yet, but I’m planning to go in the next day or two so I’ll take a look!
For deodorant I just use Hydrogen Peroxide……..spray on a little then a VERY light dusting of Baking Soda. Works like a charm. Also, hair conditioner is Aloe Vera gel and rosemary oil mixed and sprayed on. Love it. Have been no-poo for almost 7 years.
Thank you all so much for sharing your natural beauty routines. I’m relatively new to this, and trying to clean up both my family’s diets and our toiletries. I’ve already switched over for the most part in our cleaning supplies. It’s amazing – now when our housekeeper cleans, I can still BREATHE!
Can’t wait to continue with all of this. I feel wasteful if I just throw everything away, so as something runs out, I am then trying to replace it with its more natural comparison, or better yet, minimize that step altogether and use something we already have on hand.
I’ll be eager to continue watching!
As many other posters said- my beauty routine looks a lot like yours.
There is a great local mom-owned company here in Alaska that makes beauty products (Alpenglow)- so we use their bug spray, lip balm, and shampoo (alternating with no-poo). I use an herbal vinegar hair rinse that I make myself.
We alternate with mouthwash and toothpaste- when I can get my family to use homemade we do, then by husband will break down and buy a Tom’s of Maine one:-) I guess I haven’t gotten the recipes just right:-) I have very thick, very dry, wavy/curly hair, and I have often used straight coconut oil or a homemade moisturizer on my hair after a shower. When I wear my hair curly- a fantastic gel is made from flax seed “tea”- it will last about 2 weeks in the fridge. I never thought about aloe vera gel- thanks for the tip!!! Also straight rosemary essential oil rubbed into my hair helps tame it.
Bulkherbstore makes a really great product called “beautiful hair” that is an herbal deep conditioner treatment- I use it once every couple of months and find it makes a big difference.
Deodorant- used homemade for years, then we started having reactions to it- I think I need different essential oils.
Soap- mixture of handmade and Dr. bronners.
Lotion- coconut oil, Madeon hard lotion bars, and a homemade moisturizer
Scent- I have gone without scent for a few years and have been wanting to start with some natural ones- there are some awesome stores on Etsy that make ones with just essential oils- I am going to try one for my birthday:-)
Make-up- I have been using cheap mineral make-up and struggling with it- thank you so much for the tip!!
Skin- oil cleansing method or a touch of handmade soap
I also agree that simplifying has been wonderful on my bathroom clutter- and our wallet- as well as (most importantly) our health. One additional thing that I love is how easy it is to make all of my own beauty (and cleaning) products with very few ingredients!!! I have taught a couple of classes on it- and people are always amazed that with some herbs, baking soda, vinegar, coconut oil, olive oil, salt, essential oils, and vitamin E- you can make at home everything that you need to clean and take care of your house and your body:-)
@jennifer, Jennifer I wo uld love to hear what you do for your hair!! Ihave dry, curly hair too! Also, would you share your beauty and cleaning recipes!! I am new to a lot of this!
Thank you:)
@jennifer, My friend lives in California, she is married with two children, and she makes her own organic perfume which is delightful ~ if you want to give it a try, here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/66945376/mermaid-lane-natural-organic-perfume
This is a fabulous post! I ordered my sample from Everyday Minerals. 🙂 I have been no-poo for about 6 months now. I tried it first when I was pregnant with my son and it was a huge flop. I was nothing but a giant grease ball. It is going really well this time though. I watched your video and I am going to have to try the rosemary in the baking soda as I have noticed a LOT of dandruff on my scalp lately. And I have lessened the amount of baking soda I use, perhaps this will help.
I also use the oil method for washing my face. I am also very lazy and I know my skin would be SOO much better if I would do it every day, but with 3 kids I’m happy I brushed my teeth every day. I use 1/1 ratio of apricot oil and castor oil. My pores have gotten so much better.
A few weeks ago I started using my own toothpaste (from Tammy’s website, it was posted by another comment) and I thought it was working really good until I noticed some brown splotches on my teeth. At first it was just one, and I FREAKED. I was *just* at the dentist and never noticed it. I have noticed it on other teeth too. I happened to just scratch at my teeth and saw that it came off. It was stubborn, but it did go away after I brushed with regular Crest. I don’t want to go back to regular toothpaste, as I have noticed that whenever I do brush with regular toothpaste, my mouth gets really mucousy. The mucous on the back of my tongue kicks in and my mouth just feels like a slimy swamp. I think I will try that teeth cleanser from TT. If anyone has any idea what is happening to my teeth when I use that mix, I’d LOVE to hear!
I made some homemade deodorant from Passionate Homemaking’s blog (coconut oil, arrowroot powder, baking soda) and I love it! Although, before I started using it I could go weeks without deodorant. Now I HAVE to put it on every day or I stink to high heaven. No idea what is going on there. 🙂
I am terrified to use a natural deoderant. I live in Phoenix and sweat more than any normal woman should. I use generic men’s deoderant/anti perspriant and I still feel like I’m stinky! This has been the one product I just cannot turn “natural”. i’m afraid I’ll be drenched and stinking to high heaven!!
Stephanie :0)
P.S. I use argan oil on my face at night. LOVE IT!
I love hard lotion! So awesome. But where is your sunblock? You have to put something with SPF on your face EVERYDAY.
@karen, Nope, I don’t use sunblock. Only very occasionally when I will be in the sun directly for an extended period of time. I actually think that sunshine is a good thing. 🙂
I recently started making organic soaps with essential oils and organic additives. I have also started selling them! I had to I use to buy a soap for my adult acne face for $6 a bar. It went up to $8 + shipping. We use to use Dr. Bronner’s. We use Tom’s Of Maine flouride free toothpaste. Shampoo…well I do color my hair and I use Davines which is a bit better. Deo. I go without on most days but Sunday’s I use some just for protection 😉 Lotion I use Whole Foods brand fragrance free. I also like coconut oil when I remember. I will have to try it around the eyes for sure.
I just started making my own deoderant, it is similar to the one you posted, except I add: tea tree oil for antibacterial properties and Lavendar oil for aroma and skin softening properties, I must say I do love it, I keep it in the fridge so it stays solid and I just put it in an old deoderant container.
Seriously, I would never think of ANY of this if it wasn’t for you! Thanks for broadening my horizons!
@Anne @ Modern Mrs Darcy, You’re welcome! 🙂
I use Oyin Handmade funk butter for my deodorant. http://oyinhandmade.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7
I love it and it lasts a while. Just a thought if you wanted to try it. You can usually find coupons around their website.
LOVED this (and all the comments!). I actually switched over most of our personal care and home-care products before making some of the bigger changes with our diets … it just seemed easier. I wanted to add a note about the glycerin in toothpastes — quite accidentally I have discovered that there does seem to be some credibility to the theory that the glycerin blocks our saliva from healing our teeth naturally. My hubby’s schedule switched drastically and suddenly he was in bed and lights out before I was ready so I was fumbling around in the bathroom night after night trying to brush my teeth in the dark and finally I just gave up trying to use toothpaste every night and just started brushing very thoroughly with water. In a very short period of time I have healed four different teeth that have had deep fissures at the gum line where I had brushed too aggressively years ago. (The dentist always wanted to do flouride treatments and told me there was nothing else to do to heal these spots — two of them were practically to the nerve.) I have the coconut oil/baking soda mixture for mornings and outings when I want my breath to be fresh but I make it a point to just brush with water at night so the saliva has a chance to do it’s work all night long. Thanks for all the great tips!
I’m having a tough time switching to natural personal care products. I tried the oil cleansing method with olive oil and jojoba oil and w/ a higher ration of castor oil and I seem to break out everytime I use it (I’m 32 and would like to stop having acne issues!). And I have thick, fairly coarse, wavy hair and could not handle the no poo method. It was very drying to my hair. I stuck it out for several months and I didn’t hardly have any issues w/ grease. My stylist about flipped when I told her what I was doing–she said it was very damaging to my hair. So now I use suave conditioner and “shampoo” with that. I do like my homemade DO well enough. And have not yet made the leap for toothpaste unless I can find a deal on Tom’s. Sigh. I do like the coconut oil on my face and I like that my daughter (2 yrs) can put it on too–just like Mommy. 🙂
I also have not yet found a good face washing method. I have very oily skin that is very break-out prone. The oil face washing method was horrible- it made break outs way worse. Plain water does nothing. I tried honey, and it was moderately ok. I’m using castille soap right now. It takes me about a month of using it to really test how it does, but not looking stellar.
Any other suggestions??
@Meggan,
Yes! Try washing your face with plain yogurt. I’ve been using yogurt for about a month now, and discovered it to be a mild, anti-inflamatory, gently-exfoliating, lightly-moisturizing solution for my (sometimes oily) skin. I formerly used olive oil, but I prefer the consistency of yogurt. If yogurt works for you initially, you could also try adding a little honey, or leaving it on for an extended period of time (10-20 minutes) before washing it off, to amp up exfoliation and moisturization.
These are all good tips. I still use a lot of store-bought products but want to learn how to make my own soap and build on that. I did once make my own scrub. It was super simple and worked like a charm!
Basically, mix equal parts of (brown) sugar with olive oil. Add a splash of scented essential oil for scent (optional). And… scrub! The good thing about this recipe is that you can make a tiny amount as needed per time since these are easy and quick household ingredients. White sugar makes a courser scrub which might be suitable for the body. Brown sugar is finer and hence better for the face. And the olive oil? Leaves your skin silky smooth… the Romans used it for skin conditioning as well, after all! 🙂
Great blog, by the way. I hope to learn more about all this good old, DIY and sustainable stuff!
Blessings,
This Good Life
I don’t know if anyone has already mentioned this but I found the electric razor that you were talking about. The brand is Clio and it can be found at Walgreens for $16.99 for the rechargeable one and $7.99 for the battery-powered one. I haven’t tried either of them but I plan on it based on your review! I’ve pasted a link to the Walgreens website:
http://www.walgreens.com/store/store/category/productlist.jsp?navAction=push&navCount=0&N=310574+2000010180&Eon=310574
I just wanted to mention that anyone who is using an electric toothbrush, such as Sonicare, should be very careful about using a toothpaste with baking soda or anything else abrasive in it. Please read your user manual. I know for my brand of toothbrush baking soda is definitely not to be used.
Other than my friend’s organic perfume, I have only 3 other comments to contribute:
1. Natural deoderant – that works! http://www.thecrystal.com/essence/
I personally like the Lavender & White Tea.
2. Natural shampoo – have yet to find one that I like, unfortunately. ONESTA is expensive, and sadly does not work for my hair even though the stylist recommended it. Others love it! http://www.onestahaircare.com/dry_damaged.php
3. Natural cleaner – vinegar. I buy vinegar at the supermarket, then put it in a spray bottle and use it daily on my Kitchen counters. It freshens, cuts through grease, has natural anti-bacterial properties and apparently helps keep ants away (I certainly haven’t noticed any in our kitchen)! I live in Toronto, Canada in a house built in 1927 that is not sealed up tight like newer homes.
Thank you for all the great tips here.
My dentist told me that I could not use regular commercial toothpastes, because they made my gums bleed. Doing a little research I came across Tom’s of Maine, and their products are simply wonderful. The Whole Care (with flouride) is my personal favorite. The rest of my routine (I’m a guy) if you can call it that, is pretty simple:
For face washing: Nutribiotic Non-Soap Skin Cleanser
For shaving: Professional Formula Shaving Gel from the Real Shaving Company. Which unfortunately, isn’t natural. But, its gives a close shave.
For hair: Head and Shoulders (I need to research a more natural alternative)
To condition the scalp: Kemi Organics Oyl All Natural Hair Oil.
I started using the OCM a few months ago and LOVE it but find that if I wash in the evening but shower in the morning, the water dries out my skin. Was wondering what face lotion you recommend and thankful to read it here! Quick question, though, and it might sound silly, but do you just scoop the coconut oil out of the jar you use in the kitchen and just slather it on like lotion? Any other steps involved? Almost seems too simple! 🙂 Thanks, Stephanie!
@Erika, I literally do use it like that. But, I am trying to come up with a new recipe that includes coconut oil, but also some other oils, to use as a face lotion. When I perfect it, I’ll post it. 🙂
…and do you smell like coconut all day? 🙂
@Erika, No, I don’t think so. Maybe briefly. 🙂
Definitely your taking the right path with your hair routine. It doesn’t only need to be frugal but needs a total delicate touch. Thanks for taking time to share your frugal tips that will make us save a lot and experience an appropriate budgeting for the whole month.
To remain beautiful, you have to spend more time on making all your list of beauty than your work to do. It can be whole day to spend time on your face and body. Looking at the mirror, deciding on what is the best style that you can apply in your face. Don’t forget your hair because it can ruin your schedule ever.
Thanks for this fabulous post! We are in the midst of switching to organic/natural personal care products so this was perfect timing.
I only scanned the comments so someone may have already said this, but have you seen the Organic Consumers Association’s Coming Clean campaign? The gist of it is to raise consumer awareness and company responsibility to use organic labeling honestly in personal care products. I share this because I found many of the JASON “organic” products {which are not USDA certified} have a higher hazard rating on the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database than the {much cheaper} non-organic products I used in the past. I’ve found it helpful to check the database prior to paying high prices for products that may or may not be better than the conventional ones.
Here is the link to the Skin Deep Database:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
And here is the one to the Organic Consumers Association “Sham-poo” Information:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
Keep up the great work! I love your site!
Rarely do I use makeup so maybe that’s why I can get away with using just water to clean my face. Was using all the expensive store bought face cleaners & they all made me break out & usually left my face dry. Have been cleaning my face with just water for 6 months now & my face feels/looks great!!! I am considering using a natural face cream but will finnish the bottle I have now. (just hand cream) Keep up the great work Stephanie!
Thanks for the tip on Everyday Minerals. I’ve tried Zuzu Luxe, Jane Iredale and others, but they are expensive and I don’t totally love them. I’m going to give EDM a try! Just ordered some samples of their semi-matte base and am looking forward to trying them out. Thanks again!
I loved reading about your normal routine. I wish I had one down pat, but am working toward that (and slowly-but-surely finding alternatives to store-bought products). Thanks for a great read!
Primal Pit Paste is the best all-natural deoderant out there. Check out their website, seriously!
Really? You use all that?
I just use olive oil soap to wash my face and body and to brush my teeth. Wash and condition hair with apple cider vinegar (makes my coarse curly hair look like “normal” hair) Make my own deodorant and use coconut oil for any moisturizing.