Save money - don't shower or use soap/shampoo so often!

[The Happy Philosopher]

I shower regularly, but I don't use soap or shampoo.  Ever *

I've done this for about 6 months, and if you saw me in person, you would never know it.  (The only time I ever use soap is to wash my hands because I shake a lot of hands during the week, as I have a corporate sales job) .  I should note that the first month was tough: hair was greasy, and skin felt itchy.  This all went away though.  It seems like my skin and hair had to learn to again self-regulate. 

I'm not trying to save the planet, I don't have a crazy eco-agenda, and this is not about saving money... I simply tried this as a mini science experiment to see if I really needed all the body washes and the shampoos and the conditioners.  Turns out, I don't.  If I had been smelly at all, I would have abandoned the experiment since I didn't tell anyone about it.  I performed a similar experiment with a coffee table; put it away and I didn't miss that either so that was eliminated, too.

"But you must be extremely smelly and gross," you might be thinking. 

Nope, not at all... but that's actually what I would have thought, too. Instead, what I found is that it's not really the soap that gets you smelling clean, it's the scrubbing and hot water.  You still have to wash yourself, and you still have to use hot water. In fact, I probably take longer showers now because scrubbing and washing takes longer without soap.  So I doubt that I'm even saving money because using hot water is expensive.

Anyway, science is not my strong suit, so I would not recommend this for anyone else.  What I would say is that 6 months in, this is working for me, and I have no plans going back to shampoo and soap. 

*still use deodorant every day
*still wash hands with soap every day

My experiences as well. My skin and hair look and feel healthier without soap and shampoo. Baking soda/ACV works for me after my hair adjusted to it (a few weeks).  I was skeptical but the experiment won me over. I still take regular showers with hot water and still use soap when washing hands.

[MidwestGal]

I shower every other day, but it's partially due to easily irritated skin.  Though I do work out and bicycle (sometimes very heavily), I'll match up the schedule of sweat days to shower days and it has worked so far.

Agreeing with an above poster though, there is a line between frugal and extreme.  I don't cross to the extreme side.

[NinetyFour]

I have not used shampoo for a very, very long time :D

I have an active lifestyle, I work out daily and use my bike to commute and run errands, and even if I am someone who does not sweat profusely, not showering daily is not an option. But I stopped using soap, bodywash, and deodorant completely several years ago. I shower normally but use a loofah sponge or my hands to gently scrub my body, no soap or bodywash. When I am done, I splash a light mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on my body before drying myself, then apply my mineral salt deodorant on my wet armpits. There is no trace of body odour on myself or my clothes at the end of the day or even the following morning. Trust me, if there were, my wife would be the first one to let me know in non-equivocal terms.

Hey ykphil--is the mineral salt deodorant you referenced above something you make yourself?  Do you mind sharing more info about it?  Thanks!

[YK-Phil]

I have not used shampoo for a very, very long time :D

I have an active lifestyle, I work out daily and use my bike to commute and run errands, and even if I am someone who does not sweat profusely, not showering daily is not an option. But I stopped using soap, bodywash, and deodorant completely several years ago. I shower normally but use a loofah sponge or my hands to gently scrub my body, no soap or bodywash. When I am done, I splash a light mixture of apple cider vinegar and water on my body before drying myself, then apply my mineral salt deodorant on my wet armpits. There is no trace of body odour on myself or my clothes at the end of the day or even the following morning. Trust me, if there were, my wife would be the first one to let me know in non-equivocal terms.

Hey ykphil--is the mineral salt deodorant you referenced above something you make yourself?  Do you mind sharing more info about it?  Thanks!

I used to think crystal deodorants were another of my wife's hippie BS, but I was quickly converted after I decided to give it a try. The one I have been using is store-bought and has so far lasted two years of daily use and i can see very minimal erosion of the crystal, even if the info on the website says it would last up to one year of suggested use, whatever this means. I paid $8 at my local coop but I saw it for $3.99 at a discount pharmacy. This one is made of Ammonium alum, a prevalent natural compound. As far as I know, it cannot be absorbed into the skin and does not clog pores the way aluminum chloride does. It does not kill the bacteria and does not stop perspiration, however, ammonium alum works to inhibit the growth of bacteria and therefore those critters that cause bad odor. I remember there was a thread somewhere on the forum. I know it works from experience, because a few months ago, I forgot mine at home (I am on rotation and work three weeks in, two weeks out), and after 3 days of not using it, I seriously reeked and couldn't stand myself, so I bought a replacement.

http://www.myessentials.ca/crystal-body-deodorant-stick-120-g.html?gclid=CPabztDZ4L4CFa1cMgodzgIAFQ

[NinetyFour]

OK--great.  Thanks for the info!