Go Green & Save Green – My Green and Frugal Beauty Routine

I’m excited to be participating in the Go Green & Save Green Series with several other green bloggers this week!  We’ll be talking about different areas of green and natural living, showing you how to go green while saving money at the same time!  Be sure to check out the great links at the end of this post!

 

 

My Green and Frugal Beauty Care Routine

Making the leap from conventional to green and natural personal care products can be overwhelming at first.  You may have begun to realize all of the dangerous chemicals and ingredients that are in your personal care products, but you don’t know where to start making changes or what to use instead.

And then you head to the natural food store, or even the big box store, and get total sticker shock when you see the price of some of the alternative green and natural brands.  Most of us are living on tight budgets these days and we don’t have tons of wiggle room to start spending twice as much, or more, on green personal care products.

As overwhelming and expensive as it can seem, one of the great things about going green in this area is that there are really lots of options available, including making your own personal care products, which can actually save you money, even over conventional beauty products.

I wanted to share my personal beauty care routine with you, so you can see what I use for my daily products without spending a fortune.

*Note: The prices are my best estimates for what it costs me to use these products for one month.

Morning Routine:

Hair – either the no ‘poo method ($.75), or NOW Solutions shampoo and conditioner ($2.30)

The no ‘poo method literally costs pennies to keep your hair clean and healthy, and while I used it for over a year and loved it, I started having trouble with my hair and had to switch to natural shampoo and conditioner.  The NOW brand is a little pricey, but because I have shorter hair,  am careful with the amount I use, and not washing my hair each day, I have been using the same bottles for over six months.  I’m hoping to get back to the no ‘poo method again this fall.

Body – Castile Soap ($2.15)

I use castile soap as my main soap in the shower, and also use it to shave.  A little goes a long way on one of those shower poofs (still need to come up with a better alternative for that), so a large bottle will last me a really long time, and I also use it for other stuff like hand soap and cleaning, so I save money because one product replaces several different ones around my house.

Face Wash – I just wash my face with water in the shower, or rinse my face with some water if I’m not showering.

Face Moisturizer – Jojoba Oil ($1.40), Almond Oil ($.45), or Jason Age Renewel Moisture Cream ($1.40)

I either use just a little bit of jojoba or almond oil and rub that into my skin, or I use Jason Face Moisturizer.  I honestly don’t need much moisturizer in the summer time.

Body Lotion – Alba Very Emollient Lotion Unscented ($1)

I use more of this in the winter than in the summer.

Deodorant – Homemade Deodorant ($1), or just baking soda ($.15)

I love using homemade deodorant, but lately I’ve been lazy and just using some baking soda with a few drops of tea tree oil and citrus essential oil and patting it in my armpits.  Super easy and super frugal.

Makeup – When I wear it, I use Korres Foundation, and really that’s my only natural product so far. ($2.15)

This is one are I haven’t quite made the change over yet.  Partly because I don’t use it often, so I still have makeup to use up, and partly because natural makeup really is more expensive than drugstore brands and I haven’t figured out a good way to save on it, besides just using less of course!  My birthday is coming up at the end of the month and I’m hoping to use some birthday money to get some new natural makeup, I’ll be sure to let you know what I choose!

Teeth – I use Jason Power Smile Vanilla Mint toothpaste ($.55) and love it!

Perfume – Jojoba oil and Essential Oil ($.10)

If I feel like wearing a little bit of perfume, I usually mix a few drops of grapefruit essential oil with a little jojoba oil on my hand and then pat it onto my neck and wrists.

Photo by liz

Evening Routine:

Face Wash – Oil Cleansing Method – sunflower oil and castor oil ($1).

I use the Oil Cleansing Method to clean my face, and love it.  My skin looks great with minimal breakouts, I don’t have to use tons of moisturizer like I used to.  Once I found the right combination of oils for the OCM this has been one of my favorite changes I have made.

Although the oils can be a little expensive to begin with, you really use so little that a bottle will last for a long, long time, making it a super affordable natural alternative.

Moisturizer – same as morning, I haven’t been using much in the summer, but I’m more likely to use the Jason cream at night.

Lips –Lanolin – ($.30)

I don’t like have dry or chapped lips so I put a little lanolin on my lips before bed.  When I’m not also using it for nursing, a bottle will last forever!

Hands – NOW Solutions Coco Butter Lotion ($.50)

In the winter when it’s dry and my hands easily get dried out and chapped I use NOW lotion before bed.  I still have the same bottle that I used all last winter.

Monthly Total: $6.95 – $12.45

Yearly Total: $83.40 – $149.40

$150 a year, or less, for a completely green and natural beauty care routine! This is the first time that I have really sat down and figured out the cost of my personal care products, and I am so excited to see how little I actually spend!  So that takes away the excuse that you can’t use green and natural beauty products because of their cost!

Simplify Your Routine

I want to add that overall I have really cut down on the amount of different products I use, I have simplified my beauty routine, and that has made a huge difference, both in the amount of time it takes on a day to day basis, and in the cost.

I also cut back on how often I use products.  Honestly, I’m not a shower every day kind of girl (sometimes not even every other day), I rarely wear makeup anymore, and with my hair being short and really needing some kind of product, I just skip “doing” it and put it in a ponytail pretty much every day.

Now, that’s just me and what works for me, don’t feel like you have to go all minimalist (or frumpy some might say) like me.  Find the products that work for you, your routine, and your budget and I’m sure you will be happy with the results.  Green and natural personal care products works just as well, if not better, than conventional personal care products, and don’t have to put a strain on your budget.

Check Out These Other Great Posts in the Go Green & Save Green Series:

• Homemade Detangler and Leave-In Conditioner from Stacy at A Delightful Home

• My Beauty Routine and Homemade Body Butter from Nicole at Simple Organic

• A Crunchy Girl’s Guide to Curly Hair from Kate at Kinda Crunchy Kate

Have you been avoiding making changes to your beauty care routine because you were concerned about the cost?  If you’ve already made the change, what’s your favorite green and frugal beauty product?

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