Did you know that the average woman spends about $2000-$3000 a year on beauty products? Not only that, but according to a survey conducted by the e-company, SkinStore, women can spend up to $200,000 on just face products alone! Not only are women spending copious amounts of money on beauty products, but according to the survey, women are applying 12+ products on their faces everyday before leaving their house! Why? Well, for starters, it could possibly be a result of us women being suckers for the cute packaging and falling victim to insanely good marketing, or maybe we seek big ticket items and associate the cost with the quality of the results. Also, some skincare regimes are marketed as systems in which you have to purchase multiple products from the same line to notice any improvements.
There was a time in my life when I was guilty of swapping out the old for the new must haves, and I spent a good amount of money just to find the magic elixir(s) for my sensitive skin. I gave into the marketing and the multiple-product-skin-care lines; however, my skin rejected the products after a certain number of uses. Over time, I learned that my skin craved simplicity, and that it didn’t fancy the complex skin-care systems, or the high-ticketed products. I’ve learned that keeping products natural and simple is the best thing you can do for your skin, not to mention your wallet.
A good way to minimize the amount of beauty products you own is to seek out versatile ones. Seeking out versatile products not only helps to keep things minimal, but is budget-friendly and is a space-saver (helps to make extra room on those shelves!). So, if you’re not interested in keeping up with the fads, I’ve compiled a short list of versatile products to consider incorporating into your beauty routines; however, just keep in mind that I am not suggesting a replacement for a skincare system. Here are three products that can help you cut down on overall consumption, save money, and that have many uses:
Not only can coconut oil be used to cook safely at high temperatures and improve overall health and brain function when ingested, but it possess many skin and beauty benefits as well! Here are some of the beauty benefits coconut oil has to offer:
Makeup remover:
To remove makeup with coconut oil, you’ll need to warm it up by rubbing it between your fingers, and then apply it to your face. Once your makeup starts melting away, you can wash your face with warm water and follow up with a cleanser.
Facial moisturizer:
Coconut oil can be used as a facial moisturizer; however, you want to make sure to purchase organic coconut oil which is unrefined (minimally processed). By purchasing unrefined coconut oil, your skin is getting the maximum amount of vitamin E and lauric acid. The vitamin E in coconut oil helps to reduce inflammation, and it can aid in reducing UV damage- resulting in smoother and more vibrant skin. According to this study, the high concentration of lauric acid in coconut oil (also found in human breastmilk), has an abundance of antibacterial properties, making it perfect for combating acne .
Hair mask:
If you’ve got dry, frizzy, easy-to-break hair (like me), then you’ll want to apply coconut oil as a hair mask! Coconut oil is light-weight, making it easier to penetrate the hair shaft —delivering an abundance of moisture. Hair is made up of protein, and as we continue to colour and style our hair with hot tools, we diminish layers of protein from our hair. According to this study, to help preserve the protein, or slow down the amount of protein loss, apply a coconut oil mask to your hair once a week.
Face and Body Moisturizer:
The oleic acid found in Sweet Almond Oil is perfect for moisturizing, leaving you with radiant and supple skin! Sweet Almond Oil is also rich in linoleum acid, which destroys free radicals (atoms that can damage cells, linked to premature aging), and soothes puffy eyes. The vitamin E found in this oil also helps to boost collagen production in our skin. It’s the perfect moisturizer to apply to your face right out of the shower!
Hair Mask:
The fatty acids found in Sweet Almond Oil also make it ideal to use as a hair mask. It helps to promote moisture retention in the hair shaft, soothes the scalp, eliminates dandruff, and stimulates the growth of hair.
Nail Care:
Brittle nails? Sweet Almond Oil is a great cuticle moisturizer, helping nails to appear smoother and healthier!
I personally enjoy using this soap as a replacement for shaving cream (without diluting it, the lather can get that rich and moussey), a body wash, a facial cleanser (when I run out of black soap, lol), and as a shampoo.
This magical soap is so multi-faceted that I think it’s a must have, benefitting everyone in the household! It has such a rich lather, so you have the option of using it as is, or diluting it with water, depending on your needs. Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap can be used in the following ways: “washing your face, body, hands and hair, for bathing, shaving, brushing your teeth, rinsing fruit, aromatherapy, washing dishes by hand, doing laundry, mopping floors, all-purpose cleaning, washing windows, scrubbing toilets, washing dogs and cats, as well as controlling dust mites, ants, and aphids.”
Not only is it so multi-faceted, but this soap is pure Castile soap, and does not include any foaming agents, detergents, or sodium lauryl sulfate. What’s also great about this product is that it is sustainably made, and biodegradable.
Side note: This soap really does it all, and it has helped me pack a lot lighter for those international travels. Packing can be breeze with Dr. Bronner’s, because it eliminates almost half the amount of the toiletries you’d need to carry! Now, that’s minimalism at its best!
Don’t be a victim anymore to skin-care systems involving an ample amount of products, or high ticketed items (not made of pure/non-toxic ingredients).These three products are the perfect gateway to a budget-friendly, versatile, and minimal skin-care/beauty product collection. So, start purging, minimize and save!
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