We all use products daily to help keep ourselves clean, attractive and smelling pleasant. On average, people use 12 different personal care products a day. Some of these products include unhealthy ingredients. Many products come in packaging that ends up in the garbage.
There are many healthy products available to purchase, but you can save money and reduce waste by making your own at home. This guide includes recipes, tips and resources to help you get started.
Common ingredients in personal care product recipes
Carrier oils dilute essential oils so that they can be applied to the skin without causing irritation. Common carrier oils include coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) absorbs and removes odors and is a natural exfoliant for the skin.
Liquid vegetable-based soap, such as castile soap, helps to clean and moisturize, while also killing harmful bacteria.
Granular sugar helps exfoliate skin. The coarse grains of sugar remove dead skin and clean out your skin pores.
Honey hydrates the skin and has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. It is used as a cleanser in many skin care products.
Bees wax moisturizes and hydrates the skin. It is used in lip balms and other cosmetics to seal in moisture.
Essential oils can be diluted and used to add scent to your care product recipes. A carrier oil is needed to dilute essential oils, so that they can be safely applied to the skin.
Buying safer products
- Use apps like Healthy Living and Think Dirty to check the health score for products you use and to find healthier alternatives.
- Choose unscented products whenever possible and avoid heavily fragranced products with unhealthy ingredients.
- Pick products that say paraben-free and phthalate-free on the label.
- Look for mineral-based sunscreens with titanium or zinc oxide as the main ingredient.
- Avoid aerosol products like spray on deodorants, sunscreens, hair sprays and dry shampoos that contain toxic ingredients.
How to save money and reduce waste
- Choose products with less or no packaging.
- Purchase only what you need instead of stockpiling since many personal care products have expiration dates.
- Look for versatile cosmetics that fulfil more than one function, like multi-stick makeup, to reduce the number of products that you are using daily.
- Use refillable containers and purchase refills when needed.