Soapless - 1 Month!

Well, I made it! One month of no soap, shampoo, conditioner, or deodorant. And I don't think I'm going back anytime soon.

No shampoo/conditioner: My hair has more curl. It also has more shine. I've had to get used to the shine. I've always thought this meant greasy, and if your hair was dull and dry, it was clean. There's more frizz, but I wonder if that's because it's SO dry here right now. I haven't had issues with a flaky scalp. I only use baking soda on it 3x a week, so I'm sure that helps. I'm interested to see if I can continue no 'poo once my hair grows out (it's currently shoulder length and usually in the typical mom ponytail).

No soap: No smell! In between showers I sometimes need to do a wipe-down with a wash cloth. But that's more because I'm not showering every day anymore. Another perk - my skin doesn't feel as tight. 

Oil cleanse face wash: I LOVE it. If I could get into doing it consistently, I'm convinced I'd almost always have Lear skin. When I wear makeup or go a few days without cleansing, I definitely get pimples. But when I'm being consistent, my skin is typically clear. And the added bonus is that there's a glow to it andost days I don't need make up! (This is HUGE considering I used to wear makeup every day!)

Homemade deodorant: It took me awhile to make this. I'm not 100% on board with this recipe. I found that it's too oily, so I either have to rub it in or wait awhile to put on a shirt. And it doesn't do a very good job as an antiperspirant. However, it does a GREAT job as a deodorant. No smelly pits! 

So, basically, I'm not going back to conventional bathroom products anytime soon!

What about you? Have you done any DIY beauty regimes? What worked?

Soapless - Week 3

Still frizzy. And still a deodorant bum. But my hair honestly feels clean - even the day after a shower (with the exception of the moments when Baby Bear runs her coconut oiled fingers through it). And I don't feel grimy. I'm loving how my face feels! In general, it is now consistently soft and smooth :)

A friend told me that coconut oil is better for summer skin and sesame oil is better for winter. I ordered some, so after this month is up, I think I'm going to make the switch!

Soapless - Week 2

Quick update: 

Hair: my hair no longer feels dirty or greasy. It keeps volume. Interestingly, it also keeps it's "shape" a bit - like I used hairspray or mousse. My scalp has felt a bit dry, but that could also be the dry air (everyone in these parts seems to have dry, cracked skin). Also, my hair is definitely frizzier/more staticky.

Body: Still don't notice a difference. Still a bum about making the deodorant :(

Face: I've still been terrible about making the cleanse a twice a day routine. So, yes there are still the occasional zits. But, my face is definitely softer and not so dry. And it feels cleaner. (Example, I'm one of those people that by the end of the day my nose felt so grimy I could fry food on it, but not anymore!)

Soapless - Week 1

It has been a week! My hair is definitely not oily after a day anymore. However, I've noticed more static, so we will see how the rest of the weeks go.

Papa Bear informed me that I don't smell, so I guess no soap is working. I do have to admit that I used a Norwex body washcloth a few times! I love the olive/coconut oil face "cleanser." My face feels soft and clean at the same time. I have a few bumps that have popped up, but I'm attributing that to being lazy and not cleaning my face for a few days.

And the pits - I admit I have yet to make the deodorant. In my defense, I already had a jar of coconut oil mixed with tea tree oil, so I've been using that.

Overall, so far I don't notice much difference between using and not using soaps and shampoos. BUT I think that's defense enough to not use them. After all, if they don't make a difference, I might as well choose the cheaper, non-toxic option!

Soapless

It's no secret (or for some maybe it is) that soaps, hair products, lotions, and deodorants are all full of chemicals. Even the "organic" ones seem to have ingredients I can't pronounce. I know we absorb these chemicals through our skin. Yet, I can't seem to give up these products.  

But today, as I looked at my grimy hair ( that was washed YESTERDAY) and felt my flaky, cracked skin, I decided that's it - time to take the plunge. So, for the next MONTH I will be following a no shampoo regime, will not use soap in the shower, and will only use homemade deodorant. Here's my method:

Hair:

3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) I will do a baking soda and apple cider vinegar wash. I will use coconut oil to condition as needed.

Method: combine 1 TB baking soda with 1 cup water. Massage into scalp, paying particular attention to the crown and part line, for 60 seconds. Rinse out. Then combine 2 TB apple cider vinegar and 1-2 cups water. Put on the ends of hair for 60 seconds. Rinse out.

Face:

Each morning and night, I will do an oil cleanse. Once a week I will do a salt and oil exfoliation.

Method: combine equal parts olive oil and coconut oil. Massage into face for 60 seconds or more (don't skimp on time or the dirt can't dissolve!). Run a wash cloth under hot water and drape over face for 60 seconds (this opens the pores). Rub/wash off. Splash face with cold water. For salt exfoliation: same process as  the cleanse, but combine sea salt with the oil mixture.

Body:

During showers, I will use a wash cloth and/or loofa to scrub my body. No soap, just water. Once a week I will do a salt and oil exfoliation. 

Deodorant:

I will only use homemade coconut oil deodorant.

Method: combine 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup cornstarch and a few drops of essential oil (I'm using tea tree and lavender). You can store in a jar or melt the mixture and pour into an old deodorant applicator and pop in fridge/freezer until it firms back up.

I've been told it can take 2+ weeks for your body to rid itself of toxins and get back to its natural balance. Luckily, I have hair binders and hats! 

Have you ever done no shampoo? No soap? Homemade deodorant? What were your experiences?

BOOK: The Womanly Art of Breadtfeeding

Thank the stars I read this book! I think it is a HUGE reason why Baby Bear and I have had a successful breastfeeding relationship. Now, I do have to put out there that I was lucky I had a good supply and she had a pretty good latch from the start. But it wasn't perfect. And this book definitely helped me create an envirornment where we could work on perfecting it: from delaying newborn procedures (until after nursing was established) to testing out different nursing holds until we both were comfortable. 

I really recommend this book to any and every expectant mama, especially ones who may not have a lot of support for breastfeeding. It guides mamas through everything from latching to pumping to weaning. It also offers encouragement, knowledge, and support for struggles (because despite what some might think, it's not always easy, and doesn't always come "naturally") and situations that could make nursing difficult (like having a premie or multiples!).  

If you choose not to breastfeed, that's fine. It is not for every mama or every baby. But if you think it's because you can't, I really recommend taking a peak at this book before you rule it out. AND get yourself to a La Leche League meeting! (I promise it's not just for hippies who like to nurse their 6-year-olds!)

Pick it up on amazon: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Nurturing Friendships

Let's do a little friendship evaluation. Do you have nurturing friends? I don’t mean good friends, or even close friends. I mean really truly nurturing friends. Ones that enrich and enhance your life, leaving you feeling lighter and somehow more spiritually and emotionally connected.

If you're anything like me, you can probably come up with a laundry list of people that don't fit this description. I am the queen of nostalgia. I cling to what was and could have been. This often means I carry on with relationships and bonds  that no longer serve me. Or, worse yet, ones that never served me in the first place (the word toxic comes to mind). The real task, at least for me, is purging my life of these non-nurturing relationships.

On my quest to find what makes me feel content, I am realizing nurturing relationships are the ones I truly need in life. I need people that help me feel energized and empowered. 

Fortunately, I have been blessed with some relationships like this already. My next steps are to invest more energy in growing these nurturing connections and to let go of the non-nurturing ones. I also need to work on being a nurturing, energizing person in return.

My challenge to you: try re-evaluating your relationships. Are you the kind of person that lifts others up? Do you nurture, respect, and empower the people in your life? And do they nurture you in return?