Alexandra’s Morning Skin and Hair Routine… Exposed!
Sooooo. Routine. I’m kinda terrible at it! For those of you familiar with ayurveda, I have pretty typical vata tendencies (and just by the by, I’m meeting with an ayurvedic doc next week and planning to pick up some tips to share). What this means is that I don’t wake up or go to bed at the same time every day; I can go from being ravenous one week to skipping meals the next; sometimes I’m strong like an ox and full of energy, while others times I feel frail and sensitive. Needless to say when it comes to my beauty rituals I change my products with great, and erratic, frequency. This isn’t exactly the worst thing when your job is to try new stuff, but it’s not the best when you’re also trying to assess results. Just another reason me and the blondie make such a good team!
So here’s a current snapshot…
Name: Alexandra
Age: Old enough to actually forget that I’m 32
Current weather: Dry, sunny, 80ish
Hair: Thick, coarse, curly, with lightened tips (that I still love!)
Skin: A little congested right now but pretty consistent these days, more dry than oily (was once the opposite)
In the shower…
I probably only shower about three times a week if I’m being honest. I also don’t wash my face most days—which is something I’ll get more into in another post. But generally, my transition to clean has ended up with me being, well, dirty. I love water but I don’t think that the stuff coming out of my shower head is necessarily doing me that many favors. I live in a super arid climate and as we’ve discussed in the past, some folks think water in and of itself can exacerbate dryness. I usually take off my makeup with some kind of oil or oil cleanser like this Spieza Organics one. And because I don’t wash my hair, every day is not a new battle to “reset” my curls as it once was—but enough excuses!
Outside the shower…
Hydration is my big move in the morning. Sometimes I spray myself with one of the wonderful hydrosols from Kahina or Tammy Fender and then I reach for the richest cream or oil I have on-hand. I’m out of Tammy Fender Repair Balm, which is nothing short of tragic. I also just finished this incredible eye cream from Odacite that I was using as an all-over face moisturizer—upon the founder’s recommendation—and LOVING (full review on this delicious line to come!). So this morning I opted for a sample of neroli oil from Hope Gillerman. Have you ever used neroli? It’s a new one to me, but it felt nice.
The finishing touches…
Probably the thing I do with the most consistency if I’m leaving the house is my makeup routine. Right now my skin is a little tanned so I’ve been trying to pull off a summery bronzed look. I am completely mad about the RMS Beauty lip shines, especially the “moment” one which I use as a cheek shine. I’ve run out of my beloved Jane Iredale concealer but I’m loving this new one I have (which I’ll tell you guys more about in another post) and use it under my eyes, around my nose and for any other discoloration. If I wear any I’m still partial to my Laura Mercier waterproof full-of-chems mascara. But my most exciting summer makeup discovery has been this Ilia lipstick called Bang Bang. On my lips it reads as a bright, almost electric pink—a color I never thought I could wear—and it’s a total revelation. It goes on all creamy but somehow the color actually holds, even after its wiped off a bit.
As far as my hair goes, you guys know the drill I think. Water and conditioner if I shower, and lately a little bit of this curl cream.
Finally, crucial for a girl who doesn’t wash that often is perfume! As of last week I’m using Honore Des Pres’s Chaman’s Party, which is this woodsy, earthy, spicy scent (with notes of clove and basil) that I simply can’t get enough of. And it’s Soapwalla all day for my pits.
There you have it. Keep sharing your routines in the comments—and by golly I hope to hear from my fellow non-washers!
Ha ha! Sometimes I wish I could be a non-washer, but maybe some of us are just naturally stinkier than others. I shower every day (but only soap where it’s really needed). I recently started washing my hair more often because of a good deal more physical activity, but sometimes I’ll just do conditioner. Do girls out there who do something really sweaty on a regular basis (like run or bike) still try to no-poo? It just seems like I couldn’t do that.
I REALLY have a thing about not stinking, so, on the Soapwalla, I love that too. I’ve tried to DIY replicate it in an unscented version – I have a friend who is sensitive even to essential oils – and so far so good, still in early testing phases. I’ll report back when a related post comes up.
oh man i NEED a review of that afterglow concealer. they carry it at my local amazingorganicspa and i’ve been looking for a creamy concealer to cover up the not-so-occasional spot.
i don’t wash my hair that often, but it still gets tangly so i need to work on brushing it consistently. because it’s straight, it can get really shapeless if i don’t wash. i am thinking i just need a good cut, though, and then i can stretch out my shampoos to maybe twice a week (i only wash probably three times a week now). woohooooo.
by the way, i LOVE this new feature.
I just can’t be creative in the mornings – my only survival mechanism for getting going on my day is to have a mindless routine which doesn’t require thought (or consciousness, some days!) so I head straight into the shower to use Rahua (took advantage of the recent offer to try the new volumising set – love it as much as the original), wet or wash my face with Kahina cleanser (love, love, loving it!) and wash with the John Masters cedar soap. I leave my hair to air dry whenever possible (my new chin length bob seems to work with no styling, how lucky am I???) and moisturise my face with Kahina serum (more raves about this product). As I’ve been away and have a touch of colour on my face at the moment, I smear a dab of RMS lip & cheek in Muse on my eyelids (yes, I know it’s not an eyeshadow but it gives the most beautiful glow and their products are totally safe on the eyes) a touch of whatever mascara is on my shelf (right now it’s Peter Thmoas Roth which I know isn’t “clean” but it’s what I have – any suggestions for a good clean brand would be appreciated) and either lip balm (love Burt’s Bees pomegranate) or RMS lip shine in Bloom. I’ve said this before, but since switching to clean products I find my skin is so much clearer and I’m much more comfortable and comfident to go with very little make up. Except mascara – I have really blonde lashes which are invisible without a swipe of something on them.
I don’t use perfume, but have the Intelligent Nutrients bug repellant / perfume which smells soooo yummy, or alternatively I use a dab of the Tata Harper Irritability Treatment oil, also a delicious smell.
I love reading everyone’s stories about what they do and what they use. Great ideas and also love to hear about lotions & potions. Thanks everyone, for sharing!
@Rebecca, on showering: I do! Every day! On the weekends, I will usually skip a day or two, but when it comes to the work week, I like to feel as fresh as possible. I am training to ride a century (a goal that is shamefully two years off, but still!) and when I get off my bike after two hours I NEED to take a shower.
Also, if you hit up the gym, you should absolutely shower. Especially if you’re sitting and leaning on machines. You really won’t want to pick up any bacteria and bring that home with you. A friend of mine is convinced she picked up a MRSA infection that way.
Anyway, more power to the ladies who can go shower-free, but for me, I still believe in a nice rinse every evening, especially when I’ve been riding my brains out on my bike.
Damn you, both! I got that Tammy Fender Intensive Repair Balm. I can’t wait to try it. : )
I don’t shower frequently either. The longer my hair stews in its natural oils, the better. Once I got over the puritanical instinct for clean, it became clear that my skin (dry, thin, fragile) doesn’t appreciate being washed frequently, and once a day is generally sufficient.
This feels a trifle self-indulgent, but here’s my routine:
For makeup removal, I can’t do oil cleansers (inhibit sebum) or hot-cloth cleansers (too abrasive), but some fine cotton wool soaked with Bioderma, held over my eyes for as long as I can stand it (like removing nailpolish) is gentle enough for my skin. Then I do the mildest possible cleanse. I like a few things, but Weleda Calendula Baby Shampoo & Bodywash is cheerfully cheap, smells like tangerines, and hits a perfect middle ground: cleansing-rinsing surfactants buffered by creamy emollients. An inexpensive alternative to Tata Harper’s cleanser, which I love too.
I don’t exfoliate at all.
Since my skin is so thin, the level of hydration seems to fluctuate wildly. In winter, the dehydration is severe, and I’m desperate to find a cream rich enough to keep moisture loss at bay. I layer three moisturizers: a humectant-rich softener (Kahina Toning Mist), a rich emulsion (Tata Harper Rejuvenating Serum/Pai Chamomile & Rosehip/NARS Potent EFA), then an emollient barrier (Kahina Serum for night/Vive Sana Solar to Polar Baby SPF 42 for day/sometimes shea butter when it’s very raw and irritated). I know this sounds elaborate, but it works far better than a single rich cream: deep-down hydration combined with a protective barrier to lock in moisture. In the summer, my skin sucks in moisture from the humid air, so a drop or two of the Kahina Serum (I still need oil) is all that’s required.
For sunscreen, I’ve been using Vive Sana Solar to Polar Baby SPF 42, which I find creamier than the adult version, but I’ve got my eye on Josie Maran’s SPF. It’s silicones, but you can’t deny the texture feels nice.
I shower only every 2 days, and don’t soap, just shampoo wherever I shave. I don’t sweat a lot so I don’t have an issue with smelling. For deodorant, I use a liquid crystal (can’t recall the name right now), and don’t use perfumes as I’m not in a town where I can just buy a clean one at the store.
I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin, and a traumatized scalp from all the nasty chemicals over the years, so I have a problem with my sebum production on my scalp. To make it doubly worse, my hair is thin and VERY fine, and pin-straight, so the grease shows up even worse! My aim is to keep my natural oils, but control them so it’s not gross.
I integrated baking soda wash & ACV rinse a year ago and gradually worked up to today where I only shampoo once a month at MOST (to get rid of the build-up) using Original Sprout’s 2-in-1 (body wash & shampoo – not conditioner). Just recently I picked up Hankette’s Beer Shampoo Bar (made in BC) and tried it the other day, it didn’t strip the oils as much as the Original Sprout and it’s something I can (finally) buy in town here so I think I’ll stick with that.
Also recently bought Alaffia Daily Hydrating conditioner (as recommended by YOU) and LOVE it!!!!! I used to use Aloe Vera gel as a leave-in conditioner, all the way to the root to try double-duty as a styling gel, but I love that I can air-dry with the Alaffia.
My face is dry and prone to breakouts around my mouth, chin and jawline, coupled with red dots just under the surface that never amount to anything but muddy up my complexion. I’ve been using Pai’s face wash and moisturizer for sensitive skin and I think my complexion is improving. I use it at night, and on the days I shower I just use water and follow with aloe vera gel & argan oil, followed by a locally-made moisturizer (Aroma Borealis – Yukon, Canada) as the Pai moisturizer is a little too heavy right now for 2x daily use. We’ll see when the winter comes though! :P
I don’t wear makeup anymore. If others want to great, but it never sat well with me that I felt I had to wear it to be presentable. Now, it’s special occasions only!
Oh, and I guess I could add my morning routine, too! When I shower at night and let my hair air dry, I wet down my bangs and reshape with a blast from my blowdryer. Then, to give my fine hair some life and lift, I rub some Lulu Organic’s dry shampoo through the roots (even though my hair is clean this adds volume and thickness). Then, I’ll usually put in a couple of waves with a curling iron and call that a day.
I wash my face with an unclean face wash because I haven’t found one that I like and feel comfortable with. Then I use a swipe of argan oil under my eyes to moisturize, dot any blemishes with Evan Healy’s blemish treatment and let that sit for 10 minutes or so while I make coffee and pick out my clothes for the day.
Then, I apply Alba Botanical’s facial sunscreen to my face, neck and chest and use a mixture of Alima Pure and Tarte products for makeup. From time to time, I also use a little dab of coconut oil to highlight my cheekbones and the bridge of my nose. It does everything RMS Living Luminizer does for far cheaper (Thanks for that tip, Siobahn!).
I shower about 3 times a week, too. Even less if I’ve also had baths in the evenings. My hair hates being washed more than every 4 days or so and I’m like a cat – I just don’t like getting wet all over first thing in the morning. I dry brush before a shower (or bath), and in the shower I just soap the parts that really need it. I also use Soapwalla and feel like this keeps me non-stinky. I love John Masters Zinc shampoo for my sad, abused scalp that’s still recovering from years of abuse and the avocado & lavendar conditioner. I have really thick and porous, curly hair. I think the Rahua Finishing Treatment has been a Godsend. I plop some in and let my hair airdry and it’s ringlets and shine all the way.
Hurray fellow dirties!
@Alyssa I will definitely review it soon! I love it, though. I think you can buy with confidence. :)
Oops, to clarify, I DO use deoderant each morning… Quite innocently bought Soapwalla & am delighted to discover it is top of the clean list…
@Alexandra: I am also curious about the afterglow concealer review:)Which color are you using?I am light-medium and can;t decide which one would be the right color:/
The one I have is called praline I think.
I just have to say I have been terrible about using sunscreen! I am extremely vitamin D deficient, so I was trying to give my body as much as it can get. I have thyroid problems, which drains my vitamin stores (seeing as Im outside everyday for hours at a time, one would think my vitamin D would be fine)
I definitely want to try that Bang Bang lipstick and when my bank account allows the Honores Des Pres perfume!
Great post! Love hearing about everyone’s routines :)
I absolutely adore this series!! I love seeing what’s stuck from the book and what’s new and what everyone else has found in their quest to be clean! THANK YOU!
I’ve struggled finding a routine I like, I’m still adjusting but the current one is 1) wash with honey (thanks Alexandra!) 2) moisturize w/ coconut oil 3) sunscreen is eco naturals face (when I’m actually going outside, most days I skip this, bad me) 4) vapour foundation, LOVE! 5) RMS lip2cheek for blush, a little RMS magnetic on the eyelids, and jane iredale’s lash conditioner then physicans formula organic wear mascara… I wish I didn’t have to wear so much makeup but without it, I’d look about 15! I had high hopes for the soapwalla deodorant but my underarms aren’t liking it – red, itchy bumps instead, boo! so I shall continue my quest for a good deodorant.
At night, I wash with L’Uvalla hydrating milk cleanser from my local whole foods. It’s okay but still looking for a better cleanser that won’t irritate my sensitive skin! I’m thinking I’ll try Pai next. I was doing honey at night but I don’t think that was fully-cleaning my skin because hello breakouts! After the L’Uvalla, it’s more coconut oil then shower – desert essences lemon and tea tree shampoo & conditioner and dr. bronners mild baby soap! I’ve been using intelligent nutrients finishing gloss as a defrizzer but it’s meant for dry hair and I put it on wet, then dry my hair.. it’s been okay but not great, still searching for a great one.
@Elizabeth, rock on girl! Good luck with your century training : )
Sharing time then;) Wonderful because we are all reporting that our clean products not only work but they out perform the dirty ones ! I’m seeing results that I never had while using dirty lines(both low &high end).
Just as Jen above, I do not shower in the morning. I dutifully dry- brush before evening’shower/and or bath, lightly soaping only where it is really important.. but still shower/bathe every night.
[]Skin: oily,been told I have rosacea, brown spots,noticeable pores and some acne scars (acne so severe that Accutane was prescribed).Nowadays: less oily,smaller pores,barely noticeable brown spots:)
[]am routine:
1.on my dry face I apply Manuka Honey and let it sit there while I do something else,like brush my teeth..After four or five minutes I remove the honey using a warm wet washcloth.
2.I spritz some Kahina Toning Mist or Tata Harper Floral Essence
3.Apply my customized Kahina Argan Oil (thanks to Rebecca) to address the unsightly brown spots
When the oil has been absorbed, sometimes I play with RMS un-cover a little, a little lip2cheeks..other days is Vapour or Alima Pure. On lashes I use Colour Caramel Mascara or Dr.Haushka’s.
[]Hair: fine,straight, color with henna. I try to wash it once a week (sometimes I have to cut it at 5 days). I usually use Max Green to hold it on a ponytail. I have a bob cut but really love the classy ponytail,so taking care of it is easy. At home I have clean shampoos(Elava , John Masters and Rahua) but when traveling I usually take baking soda with me to use at hotels . I just did this on a 17 day trip and it worked just as well as any clean shampoo I’ve tried so far.
[] deodorant : I fall into the small number of people that can only love Soapwalla but not use it (“angry red armpits”). Since then, I’m using a DIY potion that is quite similar to Soapwalla in consistency and so far is working quite well.
Now, for pm routine…I’ll wait to post
@Rebecca W; I want to be like you. My hair is super thin, super greasy, and super straight and I loathe greasy hair. I tried doing the baking soda/acv every other day but my hair looked and felt like it hadn’t been washed at all (it was still that greasy) I also used a dry shampoo(homemade mixture of baking soda, cornstarch, and ground up oatmeal) but I wasn’t completely happy because I still felt the need to put my hair up in a pony tail to minimize feeling like it looked greasy. I settled on John Masters Bare shampoo and conditioner which I’ve been using every other day and on the off day still using dry shampoo but its been a month and I’ve gotten nowhere with minimizing oil (I just put up with greasy hair). My ultimate goal is to only need to wash my hair once a week. I’ve never heard of Original Sprouts but I will look into it. What was your routine like that lead up to only having to wash your hair once a month? because that would be even more fantastic than only needing to wash my hair once a week.
@nancy, once we have some testing results on our DIY recipes, I’d love to share!
Like everyone else, I’m loving this series. Besides just being fun to read about what someone else does, It’s so helpful to learn about others’ experiences with products. Since a few of you struggle with temperamental skin, I’m curious if anyone has a recommendation for a good foundation or concealer for acne and/or acne scars. My skin is a lot happier than it’s been in a while, but I still sometimes need something that will provide pretty good coverage. Any suggestions?
@Jessica, I get discolorations that last a while, and sporadic new spots from hormonal craziness. I like RMS uncoverup first (covers and helps heal), then Alima Pure foundation over that, using a concealer brush or a fingertip. The Alima on its own will cover, but the uncoverup helps with those really obnoxious spots. Regular application of my Alima foundation follows. I would imagine other brands of mineral makeup would work too. Also, on new spots or old, Fullers Earth clay mixed with a few drops of lavender and water, left on overnight works well. The clay is more targeted as a skin lightener and pimple healer, and probably too harsh for me to use every day or all over my face. For the long term lightening of discolorations in general, I use my DIY skin lightener. This recipe is most effective for sun damage but I think it helps my acne scars too, and can be used morning and night without drying like the Fullers Earth.
In case anyone wants the most recent recipe for the lightener: in 100 ml Kahina Argan Oil mix extracts from skinactives.com: 3g liquorice, 3g bearberry, 1.5g arbutin, 1g green tea. Shake like crazy and shake with each use. You can decrease amounts if you don’t want to use a whole bottle of argan oil, just keep the same %, or experiment with your own ratios if you like. Currently I’m using this morning and night, mixing with a few drops Pai Bioregenerate at night.
@Michelle, are you using Soapwalla after you’ve shaved? It really irritates my underarms, too, if I apply right after I shave.
@Rebecca, thank you! :)
Hi Everyone…
I’ve perfected my clean routine as well, and it plays out as follows…
Wash my hair once or twice a week with John Masters or C-tonics, and let it air dry over the course of the night. Wet the front, bang-ish, area and blast with a blow dryer if it gets crazy. Showers whenever needed, but typically every other day, followed by organic body oil. Soapwalla every day- I love this stuff!
Wash my face morning and night with Just Pure Chamomile Cleanser, followed by Kahina Serum. In the daytime, I follow the Serum with Kahina Lotion and Pratima sunscreen. At night, I stop at the Serum. Makeup these days consists of RMS (best makeup brand out there!!!) uncover and luminizer under my eyes, and Lip2Cheek in Promise on my cheeks. Mascara, on occasion, is 100% Pure in Blackberry. Always balm on my lips, usually Dr. Hauschka. That’s it, that’s all! It takes me 20 mins to get ready in the mornings :) Thanks for helping me get clean!
hi ladies,
i’m a frequent lurker, first-time commenter. i just wanted to address all the people with difficult skin. i have sensitive, oily, acne-prone skin. lately, i’ve been using keys island rx foaming cleanser and it’s worked wonders. previously, i used cetaphil and benzoyl peroxide to control my acne. once i discovered this site and realized the dangers of putting this scary stuff on my skin (morning and evening! what a crazy person i was!), i stopped right away. my skin basically exploded and was very unhappy. i’ve been using the keys for about 2 months now, and no major complaints yet :)
but… i’ve recently been thinking about switching to pai, and was wondering what other people’s experiences have been?
@Rebecca, absolutely ! Although I’m betting we are probably using the same DIY potion:) And by the way, once you have news on your DIY “arnica eye potion” , please let me know (I already have my arnica from Mountain Rose ready).. At last but not in the least, have you read an old post on Evan Healy’s blog about eye care where she adamantly advices agains eye cream in the pm routine? Well, I did and stopped using to see the results.. sure enough, I haven’t had a puffy morning since:)
I love reading about everyone’s routines! Very educational. I shower in the morning, daily, and use Dr Bronner’s soap for face and body. After shower, I use toner on face (Welleda’s toner is wonderful), then 100% Pure brand SPF moisturizer (I have both versions: argan oil, and pomegranite). For makeup, I love the liquid foundations from Living Nature ( a wonderful organic company in New Zealand). For eyes and blush, I use Alima Pure minerals. Haven’t found a good organic affordable mascara yet so am still using a drugstore variety.
During the day, to touch up a bit of oil on face (if I have any), I use the wonderful translucent powder from Living Nature.
At night, to cleanse, I use Duchess Marden organic cleansers (I alternate using the cream version, with the foaming version) (or Welleda milk cleanser) with wash cloth. Followed by a toner, then the piece de resistance – a wonderful oil: first choice: Duchess Marden facial oils, or Intelligent Nutrients face oil. Love them both!
For deodorant, I have made my own recipe which is working well (even on my weekends where I am outside all day long, sweating all day): mix half and half baking soda and french white clay (I get at a local organic food store); and apply by dipping my fingertips in a basic, gentle oil (I use Welleda’s almond face oil), then into the baking soda/clay mix, then pat onto my underarms. No irritation, and really (surprisingly) keeps the bad smells away. Got the idea to try my own mixture from a commenter at this website. Thanks!!
Ok so the book and this blog have made me realize that my lifelong instincts about not washing my hair daily were right! I always found growing up, and even now, my hair looks better and better the more I sleep on it and let the natural oils saturate it. I can’t wait for a few days after a wash for how my hair will look, it always never looks the way I want right after I wash it and let it air dry. Frizz city commences whether I let it air dry or use a hair dryer, but a dryer makes it worse so I’ve been letting my hair air dry for years now. I just used john masters intensive avocado conditioner and that was nice but my hair still won’t cooperate with me whenever I wash/condition it. Any suggestions? I’m perfectly fine with letting it go “dirty” for up to a week or two but I get to a point where after I horseback ride in a dusty barn…it needs to be cleansed somehow. Any suggestions for when I actually do clean my hair? Or any natural products to help with FRIZZ? thanks!
Shower: Dr Bronners on the pits & booty. No soap elsewhere. Rinse my hair w/ water every day because it is super thick and wavy and won’t lay down unless it gets wet. Shampoo/condition 1x a week with some Kiss My Face atm, because the man likes to use that. I was doing baking soda/acv but no matter how much I rinsed my hair out, it smelled so vinegary.
Face: morning & night, Dr Alkaitis face wash, toner, cleansing gel. And as much as I LOVE this product line, I am going to order some Juice Beauty stuff for the next go-round because I saw some great results w that line as well.
Makeup: RMS un-cover-up on red areas & under eyes. That is usually all I do, but I do have some Dr. Hauschka eyeshadow that I love.
@ Courtney: it took a bit of playing with the baking soda/water and ACV. I mix appx 2 tsp of baking soda with appx 10oz of water (I use a peri-bottle *blush* but it’s perfect!) and pour a bit over my head, comb through with a wide-tooth comb, pour, comb, pour, comb, then about 1/2 way through the bottle I switch to a **fine-tooth comb** (this is the adjustment that made this “wash” realistic for me) and pour, comb, pour comb until the bottle is done. The ACV rinse, I just mix appx 0.5 oz to 10 oz of water (in a peri-bottle again) and I don’t smell like vinegar. I use the conditioner from ends to scalp – I figure if my scalp is moisturized, it won’t produce so much grease. It used to be that my hair was greasy by the evening on the days that I shampoo’d (back in the “dirty” days) and it looked gross even in a ponytail on “day 2,” but now I can wear my hair down on day 2. It’ll be pretty limp and lacking in volume, but that’s my hair on a good day and it’s a far cry from gross. (I’m low-maintenance so I don’t use styling products, clean or otherwise).
Stopping shampooing was gradual, though. I’ve always showered only every 2 days, and when I started using the baking soda and ACV, I alternated between that and shampooing for a few months until my grease production was less. During this time, I was shampooing 2x a week and doing the baking soda/acv 2x a week. Sometimes I would shampoo just because I was going out or something….
After maybe 3 months, I’d only shampoo every 3rd shower. Finally, around March this year, my grease production was much less, so I stopped shampooing to see how long I could go. After a month, I found I had some build-up so I caved and shampoo’d. Now, I don’t even have to pay attention to how long it’s been since my last shampoo because my hair feels AWESOME whenever I shower, just using the baking soda/acv.
I wouldn’t steer you towards the original sprout, as much as I love them – they saved my life!, because I find with my sensitive scalp and fine hair, it still strips too much oil. If it’s stripping the oil, then my scalp needs to reproduce. I want to get to the point where my scalp essentially STOPS producing, because it’s unnecessary ( I know it doesn’t work that way, but as close to that as I can get…) Plus, I just want to simplify the ingredients I put on my body.
I don’t know if it’s as hard for thicker/coarser-haired ladies, but I know for me it had to get a little worse before it got better, but my scalp and hair was SO unhappy and gross already…..it was well worth it! Hopefully my ratios and tip for combing it through will help you!
@Courtney: I should clarify. I can get away with my hair down on day 2, and a ponytail on day 3 (using cornstarch on my bangs) but that’s it. I hardly ever go through day 3, because it feels gross on my scalp, but maybe one day. While I only shampoo once a month, if that, I still generally shower every 2 days and use the baking soda wash each time. So I’m still getting my hair wet, but at least I know my natural oils are still there.
@Rebecca Thanks so much for all the information! That really helps.
I only shower every 3 days too!
Hair: I’ve gone from John Masters to baking soda and ACV and I love it. My hair is really fine and I’d never gone more than one day without washing it in my entire life and now i do all the time! Lulu Organics hair powder is a must for me though, to stay respectable looking.
Pits: I know Lavanila is no longer 100% supported by sticklers for clean products, but I still love their deodorants. Soapwalla makes me smell like black licorice.
Body: I use Moksa soap on the dirty bits and moisturize with skin and bones oil.
Face: I wash my face with honey, and use 100% Pure’s tinted moisturizer, mascara, gel liner, and blush. For eye shadow I use W3LL People, and pick a shade depending on the day. My lip color, if i’m wearing any, is Vapour in Hint.
I’m loving being dirty, but it’s definitely taking some getting used to for my boyfriend. He doesn’t like sleeping with his face in my hair anymore…which is understandable I guess. And I do sometimes secretly linger on smelling the Head and Shoulders scent still left on his head. But, whaddyagonnado?
@nancy, I totally agree with you and Evan Healy – eye cream at night = puffy morning. Sometimes I’ll have a puffy morning anyway, but it’s related to other stuff. My search is for an eye cream I can put on as soon as I wake on a puffy day, and by the time I’m showering (post yoga and breakfast) the puffy is mostly gone. So far best results are from 100% Pure coffee bean eye cream.
On the DIY eye cream, I tried the arnica oil from Mountain Rose just on its own a few times, to see if that would do anything. No results for me. But, it is fabulous as a rub on sore muscles/bruises! I have not mixed up the eye potion yet, but I aim to do it soon.
To Rebecca, I usually alternate each day between cardio and yoga, so I shower on the cardio days. I still don’t use shampoo on my hair, I just make sure to rinse my scalp really well to get all the sweat off. Sometimes I’ll run some conditioner through it too to make it smell less like hair.
My usual routine is to wash my face with an Arbonne face wash (I don’t know if it is clean or not, I am still working through my huge stockpile of toiletries), rinse my hair with water or work in Intelligent Nutrients Organic Conditioner (good conditioner, but not a fan of the smell), rinse off my body, wash key areas with home-made soap, shave with conditioner, rinse out my hair if I used conditioner.
After the shower, I use homemade deodorant, an Arbonne night cream for my face (again, not sure if it is clean or not), and a homemade lotion for my body. I don’t mean to sound like Martha Stewart with all the homemade stuff, it’s just a fun hobby since I get to experiment, be creative, and i have a (hopefully) useful product in the end.
@Rebecca W; thanks! that helps a ton!
Hi Ladies,
Wondering if anyone has any info on Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè? I read about a health nut using it, so was really hoping it was ‘clean’… but saw parfum as an ingredient, among other things I’m not sure about. It has worked nicely on my skin too, so fingers crossed it’s not as bad as I think…
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
@Jessica – I swear by Rahua Finishing Treatment. It’s pricey, but you use SO LITTLE each time that I can see this one jar lasting a year. I have really porous and thick hair which usually eats up any leave in conditioner type product so I used to use a lot of it, but this stuff soaks in and saturates my hair pretty quickly. Frizzing is almost non-existant, and my hair looks even better on day 2, 3, etc. I also use the Rahua hair spray which isn’t like a hair spray at all but more of a wakeup for my hair when it starts to get less curly (day 3, 4). I love this stuff.
Can you explain how you use the oil cleanser? Do you use any water or just a cloth or cotton pad to remove it? I’m really curious about how this works. Thanks!
As luck would have it I’m planning a whole post on this. :o
Great post, but I was wondering… any sunscreen in the morning routine?
@Lo – welcome! Pai is fabulous. Though I’ve heard some great things about Keys too…
@Rose – I am not a sunscreen wearer. I know that’s kind of controversial but I don’t burn easily and I’m careful about my time in the sun (especially on my face).