As promised in Part 1 of this series, I have been testing some natural alternatives to conventional cosmetics. For me, one of the most important things is convenience. If it can’t easily be included in my daily routine, I probably won’t stick to it. The products I used are all things I already had – in the kitchen. So there are absolutely no costs involved, no harm in trying.

Why switch to these alternatives?

I like baking and cooking because I that way I know exactly what I’m consuming. Why do it differently when it comes to cosmetics? This way you can definitely make sure if the product fits your demands. Is it vegan/cruelty-free/organic/local/causing allergies? One single ingredients can easily be checked. You know exactly what you’re getting and can be certain that there’s nothing else in there.

What can I use and what for?

I’ve tested baking soda, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil.

Coconut Oil

Oil is the most natural moisturizer. Massage it onto dry skin or to rub it into your hair-ends. I use it after washing my hair to define my curls. You can probably use any other oil such as olive oil, avocado oil, etc as well. The nice thing about coconut oil is that it’s solid. So you can just scrape off a little bit, melt it in your palms and spread it onto your legs, hair, face, … and you won’t make a big mess.

Baking Soda

I have used baking soda as a deodorant and was surprised how well it works. Just mix a little bit of baking soda (~1/2 tsp) with a few drops of water to sort of make a paste (I do this in a little measuring spoon), let half of it slide onto your palm and rub it in your armpit. What I like about it: It doesn’t have a scent itself and prevents your sweat from smelling. Do not do this directly after removing hair! (Speaking from experience here, it burns!!) You can also use it to clean your hair and teeth, I haven’t tried it yet (I read that there’s a bit of a transition period, so I’d rather try that during summer holidays) but you can find lots of recipes, for example here and here. Basically you make the baking soda-water paste and use it for everything. How efficient!

Apple Cider Vinegar

So far I have used it only as a facial toner. For this, I wet a cotton pad with water, put a few drops of the vinegar on it and apply to face. Be sure not to get too close to the eyes as the smell will make them tear. The apple cider vinegar you can also use to condition your hair, as seen here for example.

Lemon Juice

If you don’t like the smell of apple cider vinegar in your hair (I don’t) you can substitute lemon juice for it as conditioner. Appearantly, the hair also gets lighter by using lemon juice.

Of course these products can’t substitute all of my cosmetics, but it’s definitely a start and a good way to reduce all the stuff I have in my bathroom cabinet and to know that what I’m using is all natural. I will try to substitute a few more products and for the ones I can’t subsitute, use brands I can trust.

P.S. You can use baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice to clean your house, too!

Let me know in the comments if you have any experiences with these (or other) alternative body care products and if you would like me to continue this series!