Live Green, Save Green $$ on Toiletries

Dr. Bronner 18 in 1 Soap

Here are some quick tips on saving your green and still living green with your toiletries. I have learned some of these ideas through  friends of mine and doing a little investigating myself. A lot of it has been trial and error when searching for these products, but once you find the ones you like, it is easy.

Okay, we do not have lots of money to be spending on everything organic. If anything, I have tried to buy healthy foods before healthy beauty products or cleaning products. I thought to myself that I still wanted to buy other things besides healthy food at home. Toiletries like tooth paste, shampoo, face wash, lotions, etc. were a few I wanted to buy, but not feel guilty about when I bought them. Here are a few things that I recently found that I am pursing that allows me to have the things I would like without stressing about the cost:

1. Buy items that have more than one use. Dr. Bronner has some amazing products like the 18 in 1 Castile Soap. There are so many more than 18 uses for this one soap and  it is also gentle for babies. The ingredients allow you to use it as a shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste,  for cleaning products, and much more. If you go online and search online stores, you can save about $10-$20 per bottle. The bottle I show is 1 full gallon, which will last you a lot longer than the sizes available in the stores.


2. Buy vinegar and baking soda in bulk. With these two ingredients plus a few items in your cabinets, you can make anything  homemade from shampoos, laundry detergent, facial cleansers, to degreasers for your kitchen. They are not harmful if swallowed so you can feel comfortable using them around children.

3. If you have kids, buy cloth diapers! Why would you pay all that money for something that you are just going to throw in the garbage. It is almost like throwing your money down the toilet! The initial cost may range from $100-$300, but once you find the type that works for you, it is as easy as using disposables. The convenience of disposable is really nice for traveling  etc. I still buy packages for that reason, but it is something worth looking into if you want to save money. If money is not an issue and you just like the ease of disposables, consider your impact on the environment for you and  everyone else that throws them away in the landfill.  If that does not bother you, consider researching how disposables are made. If you knew what some of the chemicals are that transfer on to your baby's skin, maybe then you would reconsider. Sometimes doing the right thing is not always going to be convenient ( Sorry I do not mean to offend anyone, I just fell in love with cloth diapering once I knew what it was and its benefits. I hope to blog on it soon)

4. Buy Olive Oil in bulk. I think I mentioned earlier in a blog that a friend of mine kept a mini bottle of extra virgin olive oil in her sock drawer as a moisturizer! It was crazy to me at first until I learned all about what it can do for your body. If you are looking for a good body lotion, facial lotion, make up remover, or trying to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy, try this. I buy a gallon size and then use a funnel to pour some of it into different spray bottles for different uses. I keep a small one in the bathroom for my face and skin and the rest in the kitchen.
In order to make it worth buying, you have to purchase the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, not pure or regular. The E.V.O.O retains the highest nutrients and is most effective. I believe it contains high amounts of vitamin E which moisturizes and protects skin cells with its healthy fat content (similar to an avacado)  If you like olive oil for cooking, buy it in bulk and try it as a toiletry item. ( It also is used as a base for lots of other home remedies and medicines, but I won't go there today)

5. Beeswax- This is a product that I cannot wait to buy! Like olive oil, beeswax has so many uses AND it never goes bad! It can be purchased in bars or pastilles to help melt quicker. It's main uses are for candles and beauty products like lip balms, salves, and soaps. It is as simple as melting the wax and adding ingredients of your choice to create a bar of soap or some chap stick for dry lips.

6. Feminine Products - I saved this one for last for those who either think this is really strange or for those who want to be super Green and economical.  I have to say that I  never have used these, but I know friends that do that have given it high recommendations.

If you are looking to save money on toiletries, check out this website Diva Cup and see what it is for yourself. It may be akward for a few of you, but it is worth considering.
If you are traveling overseas and do not have stores or receive mail to get what you may be needing each month, this may also be a good option.

Here are a few things that Diva Cup does worldwide for women in developing countries who do not have what they need for  their monthly cycle:

http://www.vitaminangels.org/
http://lunapads.com/about-us/donate-pads

If you are doing cloth diapering, cloth sanitary pads are similar to that. If you use pads verses tampons, you can wash them the same way you do your baby diapers.











 Let me know if you have found any other unique tips on toiletries! Let me know if you give any of them a try and if you like them or not.