Want to go green, but not ready to give up on beauty products and fashion? Good news: you don't have to. Shift Your Habit author Elizabeth Rogers shares her favorite ways save big and go green fashionably.
This probably won't come as much of a surprise, but when it comes to topics like fashion and beauty, I'm a huge believer in simplicity. Dressing well and maintaining a youthful look should never send us deep into debt. Yet many of us behave as though looking and feeling good require taking an hour each night to douse our faces in a dozen age-defying chemicals, and spending far more than we can afford on clothes and accessories that will be out of style within a year.
Deep down, don't we all know that none of this is sustainable—and even more importantly, that it's unlikely to make us happy? These simple shifts are aimed at boosting your radiance and confidence, in the hope that everything else will take care of itself.
Make Your Own Beauty Products
Make beauty products at home from natural ingredients in your cupboards and refrigerator. After all, some people suggest that because you absorb whatever you put on your body, you shouldn't apply anything to your skin that you wouldn't eat.
You'll save N100,000 a year or more, and save the planet too. How? By sparing the resources used to produce, transport and package skin care products, as well as the waste that is eventually generated when the empty plastic or glass containers are disposed of.
And it's good for you! Most conventional skin care products use chemicals that are potentially harmful to your health. By making your own concoctions from the ingredients you might put in a smoothie, you know you're doing your body good.
Before you try any of these recipes, consider food allergies. Chances are, if it irritates the inside of your body, it will bother the outside as well.
Recipes for Great Skin—Facial Scrub
Your skin is your body's largest organ. And it happens to be very porous. This means that what goes on the outside of your skin is eventually absorbed into your body. Check out these recipes for gorgeous skin and huge savings—up to N60,000 per year or more, compared to buying equivalent boutique-branded products containing natural or organic ingredients.
Start with your own facial scrub and save N15,000 a year over a boutique-branded face scrub.
Grind 16 whole unbleached almonds and 4 tablespoons of oats in your blender, food processor or coffee grinder. Don't blitz it for too long—you want bits big enough to slough off rough skin. Then mix the grit with 2 tablespoons of honey and about 4 teaspoons of yogurt or water—enough to create a loose paste.
Gently pat this mixture into a clean face and leave on for 10 minutes. Wet your hands to gently massage it into your skin. Splash your face with tepid water to remove. Use no more than twice per week and remember to follow it up with a moisturizer. Its that simple!
