The advertising industry are experts at creating need and selling us items that are either completely useless or can be substituted for something that costs a fraction of the price. Most of us have bathrooms that are filled with lotions, potions and jars of sweet-smelling creams that do little more than make us feel better after applying them. The following items are all products that you can almost certainly live without.
1. Shower Gel
Most people prefer the feeling of shower gel to soap as it leaves the skin feeling soft and hydrated. However, most shower gels contain harmful chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulphate, parabens and diethanolamine that are all absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the brain and other organs. Moreover, harsh chemicals can cause itching, extreme dryness and redness. A lot of people nowadays are allergic to these beauty products.
Natural soaps made from olive oil are far more healthy and economical. After a while your skin will adjust to using soap and will not feel so dry after a shower. If you want to alleviate the process and pamper your skin, add a few drops of any essential oil to your sponge. As a bonus, you will get a marvelous odor afterward. However, if you feel you cannot refuse this luxury invention, I will share the recipe of DIY shower gel. Take a bar of baby soap and grate it. Then melt the mass on a steam bath, add in some milk and water. Adding other ingredients will create the shower gel you need. If you wish scrubbing effect, then consider adding 2 tablespoons of ground coffee. For nourishing treatment pour 50 grams of olive oil or honey. Enjoy the experiment!
2. Cellulite Creams
We are not tending to speak about cellulite, even though the statistics show that 70 percent of women have it. And it’s not necessarily fat – even thin girls complain about it. Do you still believe there is a magic wand like cellulite cream? If they really worked, then the beaches would be full of smooth, dimple-free skin as just about every woman would be shelling out for this miracle cure. Unfortunately, cellulite creams are nothing more than snake oil designed to pray on our insecurities. Let’s consider the main reasons and salvation. First of all, it’s the kind of food you eat. Excess sugar, fats and salt will help to gain several pounds and impair your skin. Stick to a balanced diet and do not overeat.
The next reason is low metabolism. You can speed it up by drinking enough water each day. Don’t forget about physical activity; 30 minutes a day will help you to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Refuse cars and buses and move more. Massage is also a great helper, it will stimulate blood circulation and help your organism to relieve of toxins. Once a weak scrub your skin intensively – it will increase the cell turnover and you skin will look more even. Finally, love your body and appearance just as it is.
3. Toner
Toner was designed to remove dirt and build-up left behind by soaps and cleansers. Modern cleansers do not leave behind any residue so using a toner after washing your face only dries your skin out. In addition, chemicals and alcohol can provoke swelling and itching. If you really need to use a toner to remove heavy makeup, try to do it yourself. I always use these shortcuts if I need long lasting and shiny effect.
You can find everything you need in your fridge and pantry: lemon juice, green tea, aloe vera extract and vinegar. First, determine your skin type and start concocting. Cucumber slices will ideally clean oily and combination skin types. If you have a normal skin type, use 1 portion of glycerin and 2 portions of rosy water. For dry and sensitive skin, boil 200 grams of water and 2 tablespoons of mint. Pour a little on a cotton ball and pad the surface for a minute. These completely prime toners will remove all traces of makeup left on your skin without drying it out like alcohol-based toners. Remember to keep your homemade toner in dark and dry places. But I would recommend you to prepare small portions you can use at a time.
4. Split-End Remedies
Serums or shampoos that claim to repair split-ends are nothing more than a clever marketing ploy. The only way to get rid of split-ends is by chopping them off. Split-end remedies only mask the problem by smoothing the hair down. To prevent split-ends occurring in the first place, try to limit the use of hairdryers, straighteners and curling tongs to only a few times a month. Purchase good heat protection products to minimize the harmful influence. I’d also like to share with you some more tips that will help you protect your hair from damage. Wash your hair every other day, then your ends will recover due to your body natural oils.
When your hair is wet, try not to use a hairbrush since it’s too damage-sensitive now. You’d better comb it with your fingers and wrap in a towel till it gets damp. If you still decide to use a hairdryer, alternate cold and warm air. Control the distance between your head and the device – it shouldn’t exceed 30 centimeters. How often do you get trim? Ideally, you need to renew the ends every 6-8 weeks. Of course, it is difficult to have your hair long in this case. But, let’s admit the truth – neat well-groomed hair looks much more attractive than long and dull shock.
5. Suntan Lotion
We all know that suntan lotions not only help us to get a beautiful chocolate tint, they also decrease skin cancer risk and prevent untimely aging. But very often you get embarrassed by the wide choice of goods. Let’s find out whether this beauty aid is really so useful and safe.
Many suntan lotions are now available in ridiculous strengths up to SPF 100 that do not offer increased protection from harmful UV rays. Suntan lotions with a strength of up to SPF30 offer 97% protection from harmful UV rays, and this does not increase significantly with a higher SPF. If you use moisturizers, creams and primers you don’t need any additional SPF since it is already included in these products. Moreover, people tend to forget about the ingredient label. Thus, a few substances like Octinoxate, Oxybenzone, Retinyl Palmitate, Paraben Preservatives penetrate your skin and accumulate in liver, lungs and kidneys. This can develop into much more serious problems than irritation and swelling.
Overuse of suntan lotion with a high SPF also stops the body from absorbing UVB rays which are essential to produce vitamin D. If you notice vertigo, weakness, sadness, pain sensitivity and high blood pressure, you should immediately consult your doctor.
More: 10 Must-Try Beauty Tips from Your Grandma
6. Hand and Foot Cream
The idea that we need a different cream for every part of the body is evidence of just how well the advertising agencies can manipulate us. Whilst some areas of the body do need extra care than others, simply slathering on an extra layer of your regular body moisturizer will almost certainly do the trick. For those that live in harsh climates or work with chemicals, smothering your hands and feet in Vaseline and then wearing clean cotton gloves and socks overnight will soften dry, chapped skin. Moreover, when purchasing commercial hand and foot creams, people rarely study the list of ingredients. Most products contain parabens, metals, oil products and alcohol. Such a bouquet can make even a healthy person allergic to chemicals. In addition, women become subject to creams because of the dryness (caused by these very creams).
The situation looks like a vicious circle. I suggest you to prepare hand moisturizer at home. It will benefit to both your skin and wallet. Take ¼ cup of coconut oil, ¼ cup of aloe vera juice, 1 tablespoon of basic oil (for example, jojoba oil), 4-5 drops of your favorite essential oils. Heat the coconut oil in a microwave oven. Add all the other ingredients and put in a container. That’s it! The advantages of this ointment are evident: it is not greasy; you can use various components, it takes about 10 minutes to prepare the cure.
7. Body Scrubs
Many spa quality body scrubs can cost upwards of $50 for the famous brands and usually contain nothing more than a few simple ingredients that you probably have lying around in your kitchen. So look into your fridge and don’t be afraid of experiments! Natural ingredients won’t harm even the most sensitive skin. My words may sound a little bit high-flown, but nature has already created everything necessary for our beauty.
Removing dead skin is an important step in our regular beauty routine as it gets rid of dull dead skin cells and reveals a brighter, healthier complexion. I used to rub my body once a week, however if your skin is dry, using a body scrub every other week will be enough. The variety of products you can use as an exfoliant really impress: sugar, baking soda, salt, green tea, coffee, strawberry and many more. You can also add oils, honey, fruits and vegetables as an optional component.
A loofah or exfoliating glove will work just as well as an expensive body scrub and can be reused multiple times. The sponge will normalize blood circulation and impart beautiful pink tint to your skin. The most important thing to remember about loofah is how to keep it. Always cleanse it of foam and keep dry. Change the sponge every three months.
8. Lip Balms
Lip skin is one of the most sensitive and thinnest on your body. Cold and windy weather, air conditioners and sun can easily break the protective layer and dehydrate your skin. Most beauty lines suggest lip balm as an only right way out. But let’s clarify whether we really need it.
Lip balms contain alcohol which has a drying effect on the skin. This means you have to constantly reapply it during the day which eventually equals more money for the manufacturers. For dry, chapped lips, apply a dab of your regular moisturizer or even a drop of olive or coconut oil. Beeswax and coco butter always make wonderful moisturizers for sensitive areas such as the lips. Do not pile it on your lips, or you can accidentally eat the residue. A thing coat will create the necessary barrier between the skin and environment.
Get rid of a habit to bite and lick your lips. Otherwise you will spend days to cure sores. Furthermore, saliva can be rather aggressive to the lip skin as it contains special enzymes and ferments to digest food. One more thing you need to know is to try not to splash on your lips while brushing your teeth. Most toothpastes contain SLF (sodium lauryl sulfate) that most people are allergic to.
9. Aftershave
Manufacturers claim that aftershave is necessary to close the pores after shaving and stop dirt and grime causing spots or infections. A good splash of cold water will do the job just as well and does not contain any harmful ingredients such as alcohol or fragrance. Make your own soothing aftershave balm using a drop of soothing oil such as coconut or vitamin E oil and a drop of an essential oil such as tea tree or peppermint oil.
Here’s one more trick I use to escape irritation and exfoliation. Instead of shaving gel I use my usual hair conditioner. Its creamy composition is ideal to carry smooth shaving and avoid razor cuts. I apply the mass generously on the area and wait for a second – hairs will get softer and the blade will glide like nothing else. Make sure there are new sharp blades on your razor for best results. Then I rinse the residues with warm water. The skin is really baby smooth and does not require any additional care. Moreover, with conditioner I forgot about ingrown hair and blotches. If I want to cool the skin, I wipe it with ice cubes and my legs are ready!
10. Dandruff Shampoo
Dandruff shampoos often dry the scalp out and make the problem worse over time. Many provide a short-term fix which leads to you washing your hair every day to prevent flakes. This becomes a vicious cycle of washing the hair to prevent dandruff which dries out the scalp and causes further breakouts. Using a soft bristled brush, brush the hair 100 times starting from the scalp and running the brush all the way to the ends of the hair. This will stimulate the scalp’s natural oils and defences. In addition reconsider your nutrition. Dandruff is the question of health rather than beauty. Many dermatologists claim that dandruff signals about deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals. Perhaps you need to change your hair conditioner, spray, comb or pillow.
Weather conditions, headgear, stress level and skin type are also important factors. Consult the dermatologist and conduct all the necessary analysis and only then you will be able to find the appropriate treatment. As additional options I can recommend you to get enough sleep, eat vitamins, calm your nerves, stay active and practice head massage with essential oils. Try to choose a shampoo for your skin type and stick to it for 2 months. This way, you will see whether it works or not. It’s always better to prevent the problem than use medicine.
De-cluttering your bathroom of useless products will not only save you money in the long run, it will also drastically reduce the amount of harmful chemicals you expose your body to on a regular basis. A good, natural bar of soap such as Castile soap can clean your entire body and even replace many of your household cleaning products.1