Mark another point for Team Dirty, folks: Our new favorite writer at the New York Times, Catherine Saint Louis, is singing the praises of “laissez-faire” hygiene today.
As some of you may recall, soon after we launched this blog, Siobhan went public with the following statement: “Alexandra and I both hate soap.” It seems we’re not alone.
The article tracks fellow members of our dirty tribe who are abandoning their antiperspirants and daily showers in favor of natural oils and a little sweat—one guy likened antiperspirant to covering his pores in Saran Wrap (we’re stealing that one, buddy!).
But it goes beyond keeping skin and hair hydrated. As the article points out, it’s also about healthy bacteria:
Resist the urge to recoil at this swath of society: They may be on to something. Of late, researchers have discovered that just as the gut contains good bacteria that help it run more efficiently, so does our skin brim with beneficial germs that we might not want to wash down the drain. “Good bacteria are educating your own skin cells to make your own antibiotics,” said Dr. Richard Gallo, chief of the dermatology division at the University of California, San Diego, and “they produce their own antibiotics that kills off bad bacteria.”
I’m just going to put it out there and say that, like some of the subjects in this piece, I generally do not shower more than three times a week. Am I gross? Maybe. But my skin and hair feel better, and I’ve reduced my water consumption by about 1,000 liters a week—something worth thinking about when you live in California. I also don’t take the subway, work out vigorously or go to an office every day… All things that make it easier to shower less.
So how about you? What’s your weekly shower number?
Hello! I’m Virginia of Beauty Schooled, a blog where I investigate the price of pretty. I’m so excited that Alexandra and Siobhan asked me to guest post, because I am obsessed with their book to the point that I carry it in my purse when I go to the store to stock up on conditioner and face wash (that’s not weird, right?) and also, they are totally awesome people.
A little while ago, I bullied these ladies into guest posting on my blog, and we started talking about how cleaning up your beauty routine can lead to you also feeling maybe a little bit free from all those “you MUST look like [insert-whomever-in-Hollywood-here]” beauty standards that we all hold ourselves to, often to a pretty major degree.
And it was a little bit of a light bulb moment for me.
Looks like we’re not the only ones singing the anti-sulfate song. The New York Times is reporting today that sulfates have some folks in a lather—which is not the best pun I’ve ever heard, but I’ll repeat it anyways. According to the article, a whole bunch of very mainstream brands have launched low- to no-sulfate shampoos. From the article:
Jennifer Disomma, the director for product development for L’Oréal Paris, said, “We do know sulfate-free shampoos are gentler on the hair fiber.” Yet the company’s Vive Pro line has shampoos that list sodium laureth sulfate as the second ingredient. Nine shampoos, in fact. In an e-mail, Ms. Disomma said, “Providing EverPure, EverStrong and VIVE Pro shampoos gives the consumer choices that meet her needs.”Jennifer Disomma, the director for product development for L’Oréal Paris, said, “We do know sulfate-free shampoos are gentler on the hair fiber.” Yet the company’s Vive Pro line has shampoos that list sodium laureth sulfate as the second ingredient. Nine shampoos, in fact.
Ruh-roh! Are these companies trying to have their cake and eat it too? Yes, of course they are.
But I have a few things to add that the article doesn’t mention. Yes, sulfates are bad for your hair because they strip out the good stuff that makes your mane healthy and shiny, but they are also bad because they can be contaminated with a carcinogen called 1,4-dioxane. This made news with baby products, but we like to forget stuff.
Also, are we sure these companies are even telling the truth? I, for one, am not. Not that long ago I posted about a company advertising that its shampoo was “low-sulfate” when in fact sulfates were way up there on the ingredient list.
The article ends with a very strange anecdote: A “mousy blonde” (as described by the writer) walks into a salon thinking that she needs a dye job, when really all she needs are some sulfates—and pop goes her color! This feels beyond absurd to us: You can clean your hair without sulfates everybody, and our hair challenge proved it.
Or you can not clean it at all like some weirdos (me!), but I’m curious: Can you live without the foam? Have you gone sulfate-free?
Image via
You know you’re in deep when you sit around seriously contemplating the merits (and risks!) of a seasonal moisturizer switch, and yet here I am. It’s autumn in New York and for the first time in my life I’m wondering if the weather will necessitate some product switches. Deep stuff.
Lately my hair’s been feeling a little dry, which is very unusual for me, and my face has as well. But I’m a believer in consistency with skincare, knowing that when I switch my products too much, the risks often outweigh the benefits. What if I get a rash? Or break out? Or discover a new allergy to an essential oil? Of course these things happen far less with the natural organic products I use, but you never know. And yet…
I refuse to change my nighttime Kahina argan oil ritual because my skin loves it, and it’s become part of how I unwind before bed. But will I be trying a new night cream on top of it? Day lotion? Conditioner? Looking that way.
What about you? Do you notice seasonal changes in your skin and hair? Do you adjust your regimens?
Horrible lo-res photo (it’s Friiiiday) from the worst movie ever made via
Regular readers will know we’re kind of nuts about baking soda, so Alexandra thought it would be cool to share with everyone just how much you can do with the magical white powder!
Over at GOOD her post just went up. Here’s a sampling:
Even the ancient Egyptians—and what beauty post would be complete without them?—used a compound similar to baking soda as soap. The stuff is antiseptic, antifungal, and lightly exfoliating. It will take the stains off your coffee mug and your not-so-pearly whites, and can be consumed internally to ease your tummy ache. And fridge odors aren’t the only smells it absorbs so don’t turn your nose up, and bring on the baking soda!
Spot-Treat Acne Our favorite natural acne remedy is clay, like this green tea one we swear by. But in a bind, making a little paste from baking soda and water and applying it to an unwelcomed visitor will help dry it out. We don’t recommend this for deep cysts, but for more surface afflictions, it works like a charm.
Cleanse Your Hair If you’re looking to join the ranks of non-shampooers (we know a few), to reduce how often shampoo, or simply to get rid of some product build-up on your roots, look no further than baking soda. Just fill a glass with warm water and dissolve about a tablespoon of baking soda into it. Take that to the shower, and after wetting your hair pour the mixture through. Comb it well before rinsing—your hair will feel a little coated and slippery until it’s fully rinsed out.
And five more, at GOOD.
Illustrations by Brianna Harden
It’s a bit of a slow Monday on the nets, so we have to thank our friend—one of those guys who knows way more about China than the rest of us—for turning us onto a recent controversy over there that we’d somehow missed.
You see last month, the discovery that China’s BaWang Shampoo contained the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane sent the company’s stock tumbling. Here’s the thing though:
The amount of 1,4-dioxane in BaWang (10 parts per million) is pretty much on par, if not lower than, the levels discovered in products over here. Kudos for the public outrage, but it’s definitely not a China-only story.
This, however, may be: After coming under fire, the company spokesperson finally broke his silence on the subject. According to the Shangaiist this is what Jackie Chan had to say: “I have always been very careful with what products I endorse. But there are some media who are specifically gunning for me and a few other artistes, I am not sure why, as though it is better that we all just died.”
Either something got lost in translation here, or this is the oddest slash funniest attempt at media damage control we’ve ever seen. Anybody want to guess which?
For new readers, we announced a hair challenge last week—natural shampoo and conditioner, no heat, no products, then say cheese. Well, the results are in and they are amazing. Look at all of these beautiful women! And Jordan! And Conall! We can’t believe how many of you did it—among them Alexandra’s sister (see if you can guess which one she is), three of Siobhan’s cousins, our lit agent, our book editor, a bunch of friends, and a whole lot of strangers. What we can believe, however, is how fabulous and pretty you all look.
Many of you expressed surprise at how good your hair looked when you didn’t mess with it, which was sort of the point. In the next few days we will share some of your individual stories as inspiration. But for now, it’s picture time, so enjoy!
1. Sharalyn; 2. Lauren, Columbus, Ohio; 3. Aster, Netherlands; 4. Emily, New Jersey; 5. Jordan of JordanSamuelFragrances.com; 6. Shannon; 7. Amy, Glasgow; 8. Rocio, Glasgow; 9. Talia; 10. Anonymous; 11. Amy; 12. Allison, Urbana, Illinois; 13. Jenn, Arizona; 14. Molly, Los Angeles; 15. Jenn, Nashville; 16. Marna, Columbus, Ohio; 17. Sarah, Washington, DC; 18. Belle, Portland; 19. Lisa, Los Angeles; 20. Bridget, Denver; 21. Kate, Switzerland; 22. Adrianna, California; 23. Lauren, Houston; 24. Amanda, New York; 25. Rebecca, Phoenix; 26. Sheryl, New York; 27. Carolina, Los Angeles; 28. Acree; 29. Dianna, Boone, North Carolina; 30. Karyn, Brooklyn; 31. Tina, Brooklyn; 32. Lauren, Ottawa; 33. Alissa, Long Beach, California; 34. Ilana, Toronto; 35. Mary; 36. Jan, New York; 37. Sarah, Little Rock, Arkanas; 38. Conall, Montreal; 39. Jennifer, New York; 40. Julianne; 41. Emilia, Brooklyn; 42. Casey, Philadelphia; 43. Emily, Southern Indiana; 44. Allison, Austin; 45. Anonymous; 46. Kei, Vancouver; 47. Maria, Tampa; 48. Kathryn, Toronto; 49. Ania, New York; 50. Meghan-Rose, Washington, DC; 51. Nicola, Toronto; 52. Ishka; 53. Abby, Chicago; 54. Cara; 55. Sabrina, Tel Aviv; 56. Alice; 57. Hartley, Henderson Harbor, New York; 58. Maya, Brooklyn; 59. Samantha, Windsor, Ontario; 60. Traci, Macon, Georgia; 61. Laura, New York; 62. Virginia of www.beautyschooledproject.com; 63. Maeve, Kingston, Ontario; 64. Christine, Los Angeles; 65. Katherine, London; 66. Katie, Brooklyn; 67. Anni, Chicago; 68. Dani, Bellingham, Washington; 69. Katie, Little Rock; 70. Anna, New York; 71. Amy, Des Moines; 72. Marina, London.
I’m working on a product review that I don’t think is going to make me any friends. It’s a $5o face cleanser, and if I come home to find TP on my front door, I’ll totally get it. But we both enjoy occasionally splurging on high-quality products we adore, mainly because we now use far fewer of them; when we buy something, we milk it to the last drop. But how do you find those products? And what do you do if you try something and it blows?
Well, it takes some trial and error.
When it comes to conventional products, we like to point out that because most of them really suck (like, really, really suck), we tend to not finish what we buy. We give up when it doesn’t deliver on the promise, or when we get some adverse reaction, and then we buy something else. That’s why we all have three different shampoos in the bathroom and two half-finished pots of lotion on the vanity.
It’s partly because the cosmetics industry inundates us, so we always think there’s something better to try. And it’s partly because we are hopeful creatures at heart, and we want to believe really badly that the next bottle is gonna be just so effing sweet.
And so, some advice:
—Consider who the recommendation is coming from. If your friend has never had a blemish in her life and says something is great for breakouts, don’t buy what she’s buying. Ask someone with issues like yours.
—Know you can trust us! We have a guide in every chapter of the book that lists the best of the gazillion products we sampled over the last two years. Between the two of us we cover a range of skin issues, body issues, and hair stuff. But we are both white, and we are both 31, so we couldnt’t cover all the bases. For that, we tried to enlist friends who could.
—Give things time, but not that much time. If your skin freaks out at a new lotion, don’t assume there’s something wrong with your skin, or that it’ll get better with time. Stop using it. Then…
—If you don’t like a product or it doesn’t like you, return it! Sephora, Whole Foods, CVS—they all have great return policies. Some don’t even require you bring receipts, but don’t scam them; everyone loses when people break the rules.
—In the unlikely event a retailer gives you a hard time, send your stuff back to the manufacturer. It’s a pain in the butt, but they will likely reimburse you, and then try to win back your love so you don’t say all kinds of mean things about them behind their back or on the nets.
—If you get a rash or worse, write the manufacturer, and the FDA’s office of cosmetics and colors. And be sure to mention you also informed the manufacturer. (Tell us, too!)
—Sample, sample, sample. No beauty product performs the same on everyone, which makes samples so great. Chains like Sephora, and websites like Spirit Beauty Lounge have figured this out, and they sample generously. We should all take advantage of that.
Got any other tips on finding the right things for you? Ever had a bad return experience? Ever had a great one?
My childhood was marked by nightly, teary-eyed hair brushings. I’d sit as my mother tried her best—bless her soul—to unknot my matted curls, often catching my ears and cheeks with the rough bristles. It was time-consuming and it hurt and I wondered somewhere in my child brain why I was being punished.
Over the years I sort of grew to appreciate my unruly hair—that is by leaving handfuls of product in it. The worst kind. Every day. I just thought that coating it in a ton of crap was the only way to deal with coarse, curly hair. Of course that made for unpleasant build-up every few days, at which point I would lather up dutifully with shampoo (which made my hair look awful) and start the whole ritual over again. I spent an inordinate amount of money on a ridiculous array of products, many of which ended sitting half-finished in my shower.
Then one day I tried an experiment. Those who have read the book know about this: I stopped washing my hair entirely. For several months I actually didn’t use a thing. You’ll have to read the book for the whole story, but suffice to say it’s been over a year and a half since I’ve gone near shampoo. I have some other tricks up my sleeve, like amazing natural conditioners that I rinse through my hair, a baking soda “wash” that works like a charm, and a hair treatment that I do every few days. But no foaming, folks.
The result? Healthier, happier, soft—soft!—hair. No leave-ins, except a for few naturals when I’m feeling fancy. Dare I say… liberation? How often do you shampoo? And do you think I’m totally gross? Be honest.
Okydoke, it’s time for the “what our hair was like before we switched to naturals” post. It explains why we launched the Summer Hair Challenge, it’s related to why we wrote the book, and it speaks to one of our core messages, which is: Less is freaking more. Translation: So many of our products bite us in the ass.
I used to be a four-or-five-hair-products-a-day person and I didn’t think that was particularly high-maintenance. It was just that I had poodle hair sometimes, especially in the summer. I live in New York and grew up in Montreal, islands both, frizzy-hair-makers both. And frizz, every girl knows, sucks eggs. And so I used products.
I used to wake up, hop in the shower, use Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine shampoo and conditioner, or if I was feeling rich I’d use Rene Furterer’s stuff. Then I’d load Phytodefrisant onto my wet hair, and once blow-dried (and sometimes also ironed), I would use one or two finishing serums that probably had silicone or some other garbage in it.
My hair looked how I wanted it to look, but do the math: that’s expensive, and a pain. I was also unwittingly exposing myself to 11 of the 20 ingredients on our Black List—daily. (For more on what’s in shampoo, check this out.)
Anyway, eventually I realized the unmanageableness (?) of my hair was squarely the fault of the products I was using, and when I made the switch, my hair chilled out. Ever seen a baby with decimated ends? Do we think Pocanhontas had flyaways?
But as we have said in the past: if you’ve made the switch to clean products and are still beefing with some frizz, here are my two favorite tricks: spritz with pure aloe juice in a spray bottle before drying, and for a finisher, argan oil—just a dab, smoothed over the top layer of dry hair.
You got any tricks you like?
