Skin Care: What About Sustainability?

Dear users, dear authors,
how do you handle your skin care, also in terms of sustainability = e.g., reusable cosmetic wipes, etc.?

I’ve been using only shampoo bars for years… very economical
no cream… only olive oil or coconut oil
soap only from ALEPPO
no perfume
no makeup
… I’ve crocheted myself lots of small and larger washcloths
everything is great this way… for me, at least
wrinkle-free greetings, Perle

I can’t get used to hair soap—I’ve tried everything. I still use shampoo and apple cider vinegar as a conditioner. I’ve also tried rye flour for washing my hair. It works pretty well. I use Aleppo soap on my face, and for removing makeup I use Washies—they’re made of microfiber, but you only need water, and when they’re no longer good for removing makeup, I use them for cleaning. I don’t wear much makeup anyway—just an organic BB cream and mascara.
For showering, I need shower gel—I always use a refill pack. It’s not ideal, but I don’t like showering with bar soap. I’m going to try making my own shower gel from bar soap soon. In the morning, I use a face cream, and at night, just wild rose oil.
For hair dye, I only use natural hair dye now—the powder you mix yourself. It’s a bit more of a hassle than conventional dye, but after a few tries you get the hang of it and it goes really fast—and it feels good knowing I don’t have any chemicals on my head.
I use perfume because I love beautiful scents. But not the conventional drugstore perfumes—I don’t like those at all.
Instead, I use organic natural perfumes.

For years, I made my own creams… makeup… and even lipsticks in different colors—all following Stephanie Farbe; that was totally trendy 30 years ago… And there was a wonderful store in Munich where you could get all the ingredients and mix them yourself… Once you start looking into what additives are in store-bought creams, you’d rather not buy them anymore… Because it’s really just a mixture of random chemical products from the oil industry… You can make a cream with so few natural ingredients… It’s a lovely hobby… The homemade creams also keep for a long time in the fridge… And you can add natural fragrances like thyme… Or lemon balm… Best regards 

Yes, you can really do a lot of DIY projects. I’ve been looking into all the ingredients for a while now and don’t buy a lot of those products anymore. You actually don’t need that much, but I always let myself be tempted by the pretty, colorful packaging at the drugstore. But ever since I’ve known what’s actually in them, I hardly buy anything at the drugstore anymore.

Apart from a light day cream, I don’t wear any makeup at all, because I’m so allergic to all that stuff that just two hours later my eyes are as red as a witch’s. Ever since I went through menopause, I’ve had a perfume allergy and can only use alkaline-free products anyway. I haven’t dyed my hair in 35 years, because I’ve realized that my natural color always suits me best, and now that I have some gray in there—well, so what? I’m 70, after all, so I’m allowed to. I haven’t used soap on my face for a good 50 years anyway, because soap dries out the skin and makes you look old—I just cleanse with water, first nice and warm as much as I can tolerate, then ice-cold afterward; that closes the pores and keeps the skin nice and supple. A dermatologist once told me that the best and cheapest beauty product is water—there’s nothing better you can do for your facial skin. For a deep cleanse, which I do every now and then, I use a facial steam bath, which cleanses deep into the pores, and then I rinse my face with cold water again afterward.


Love, Inge

I use Balea creams—though only sporadically.
I moisturize my body, usually with flaxseed oil or some other edible oil, because my skin has always been dry.
I wash my hair with solid shampoo and use a solid conditioner.
It’s been ages since I’ve worn makeup.
I don’t wear perfume because the scent gives me a metallic taste in my mouth, makes my nose run, and brings tears to my eyes.

I’ve been using hair soap for a while now and am very happy with it. I also use bar soap for showering. We have a great store nearby, and it’s a real pleasure to buy soap there.

I rarely wear makeup, and I crocheted my own makeup remover cloths many years ago. 

When it comes to skincare and other cosmetic products, I’ve given up on sustainability—I have so many allergies that I’m just happy when I finally find something that works for me, so I don’t even dare to try other products. That said, I only use a very limited number of products, and some of them come in refill pouches, so it’s not too bad.