Author Topic: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?  (Read 10476 times)

KulshanGirl

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Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« on: October 18, 2012, 03:14:52 PM »
Start date:  Sunday, October 21

Your challenge for one week, if you choose to accept it:

Line up every HABA product YOU use daily (family members are exempt from this one) on a table in front of you.  All of them: tubes, bottles, sprays, compacts, gargles, jars, and bars, right down to the chapstick in your purse.  Morning shower ‘til nighttime face scrub.  How much are we spending on all of that stuff?  If you are like me, bang your head on the table.  Time to say adieu, adieu, to you and you and you! (doot doodle doot doot doo doo doooo!  *ass kick*)

You get the following freebies:  Your toothbrush and toothpaste, floss, and your bar of soap.  And anything with a current prescription.  You may also research uses for other things you already have in the house, such as vinegar and coconut oil and use those. 

Now, pick out 5 (or less! Or whatever would be a challenge for you)  of your daily items and put the rest into a box and put it away for the week.  You’ll get them back to use up at the end of the challenge if you want them.  Just for fun, add up the dollar value of what’s in the box before you do.
 
One week, let’s see if the world ends. We can use this week to also clean out the bathroom cupboards, vanities, and chuck all of those oooollld samples and what the heck is IN that travel bottle back there?  These cough drops have somehow melted and reformed into little gobs of slime inside their wrappers!  Not that that has happened to me. :/ 

There might be crickets chirping in here for this one.  (Not the Frizz Ease!  Noooooo!)  I'm gonna do it though.  :)

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #1 on: October 18, 2012, 03:32:10 PM »
This should be easy for me!

In a day (and usually in this order), I use:

Shampoo
Conditioner
Soap
Face-scrub
Toothpaste (and toothbrush)
And then a hairbrush (does that count as an item, I doubt it)
Then, and only sometimes, I use hand lotion.

When I shave my legs, I use soap too.
I have a non-prescription anti-inflamatory cream for my fucked up wrist as well, but I don't think that counts either, since it used to be a prescription, and my hand surgeon wants me to use whatever works to keep the pain at bay.

Not much to cut down on there!  And, I'm a lady! :D

TLV

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2012, 03:44:15 PM »
Quote
If you are like me, bang your head on the table. 
I must not be like you - I don't even have 5 things to pick from after the freebies. Shampoo, deodorant, chapstick, disposable razor... yep, I think that's it. I've tried going poo-less, but that didn't work out well. All those together cost about $15 annually, though I recently got one of those rock-deodorants that should reduce that by ~%20...

My wife, on the other hand, would rather give up the car than her Frizz Ease.

Quote
a hairbrush (does that count as an item, I doubt it)
Depends on how often you have to replace it, I would think. My wife goes through a hairbrush about every 6 months.

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2012, 04:00:10 PM »
You guys are awesome, you may skip this fire drill and color nicely at your desks.  :)

I, however, am a new mustachian, with mere stubble.  Right now:

Dr Liggetts bar shampoo
Aubrey organics conditioner
Bar of soap (varies)
Neutrogena sensitive face lotion
Redken hair stuff
FRIZZ -FREAKIN-EASE!  Or other cheap variant.
Crunchy granola Tom's deoderant
Burts Bees chapstick
Clinique compact face powder
Act flouride rinse
Witch hazel

And most people I know have a LOT more in their regimen, I don't even wear makeup other than the powder.  So I?  Need a fire drill to prove to myself I can do without half or more of this stuff.  :)

Edit to add:  Toopaste and toothbrush, and floss.  I use those too. 
« Last Edit: October 18, 2012, 04:03:59 PM by KulshanGirl »

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2012, 04:52:04 PM »


Quote
a hairbrush (does that count as an item, I doubt it)
Depends on how often you have to replace it, I would think. My wife goes through a hairbrush about every 6 months.

Umm, I think I've only replaced my hairbrush when I've lost it, or managed to break it.  I'd say about once every 2 or 3 years?  I have a few kicking around now though, that I thought were lost, and I replaced, then found again.

I have deodorant too, I forgot that.  Sometimes I forget to put it on too, so I save a bit of $$$ there as well ;)

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2012, 04:54:05 PM »
I've tried going poo-less, but that didn't work out well.

I bet it didn't work out well :P

Mrs MM

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2012, 08:33:29 PM »
Great challenge!!  (although I have no idea what HABA means)

In a week, I typically use:

- deoderant
- soap
- shampoo
- moisturizer (dry skin)
- toothpaste
- floss

I've had the same hairbrush for about 15 years... why would you have to replace it?  I do need to clean it out sometimes... ;) 

I also use a hair straightener for when I'm feeling fancy.  I've had that for many years as well.  And, I go through about 3 razors per year maybe... not sure but a 12 pack lasts me a really long time.

I also have a tiny bit of makeup that is probably 5 years old (and yes, I still use it sometimes).  I once got a pack of 5 chapsticks from my mom so I have a bunch of those lying around in different drawers.

MMM uses shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste.  That's probably it.

I'd love to do this same challenge with cleaning products!  I'm amazed at how much of those people buy. 

swick

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2012, 09:40:40 PM »
Not sure I can join this one, but thought I might share my story.

I was one of those teens who would not leave the house without massive amounts of make-up, it use to take me at least an hour every morning to get ready to leave the house. Then one day, I came across a little website called the Cosmetic Database http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Once I actually started researching the ingredients these companies are not only using but telling us that they are good for us I started to get really angry...then I went through my bathroom (with my mom and sister's blessing) and took out everything that had any of the "Dirty Dozen" of cosmetic chemicals in them.

I threw out three garbage bags full of cosmetics and bathroom products. estimated over 5,000 worth (between all of us) I got used t not wearing makeup and became secure in myself...gained lots of time and money and it set me on a path that will keep us healthy and allow me to build a business I can do anywhere - I'm finishing up my practicum in  Essential Oil Therapy.

Today I use:

Home made toothpaste
Home made deoderent
shampoo (experimenting with a home made version)
Razor
Hairbrush
Home made lip balm
Home made perfume (occasionally, when I'm formula testing)

The Mr has really dry skin so I make him an aftershave spray. I get chronic headaches and have almost stopped using any ibuprofin, I have stopped taking sleeping pills and I have been able to find a natural alternative to most of our aches and pains and issues.

Besides saving money and lessening exposure to toxic chemicals this is a great exercise to figure out what you do actually need to "Feel Pretty"  An added bonus: if you start getting into the research, it makes not buying cleaning products really, really easy!



KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2012, 10:22:50 PM »
Yep!  This is why I neeed to do this one.  LOL! 

Most of what I use is pretty benign on the chemical front, with a few uglies in there because my hair, you guys, it's a challenge.  Naturally curly but different curlinesses from one area of my head to the other.  Underneath hair is straight in sections.  The hairs are thin but I have a lot of it.  I am the poster child for bad hair.  All I can do is cling to my combo of Redken and anti-frizz stuff to be presentable in my business-dress work environment with kind of a curly/wavy just past shoulder-length mussed folk singer look.  Wthout product I have the unwashed homeless cat lady/static electricity experiment sort of thing going on.  I have tried everything. 

I can skip the conditioner, the make-up powder, deoderant ... but ugh.  Mah haaaaair! 

LOL!


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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2012, 11:07:36 PM »
Had to google "HABA abbreviation" to be sure what was going on but count me in!
I do water-only on my hair and oil cleansing/ oil moisturising so my five main products are:
- Sunscreen
- Mascara
- Jojoba oil
- Rock deodorant
- Lip balm

I'm cheating by not counting the "equipment" for this one - tweezers, nail file, epilator, hairbrush, mirror, divacup... I figure they are once-off purchases and not a monthly expense. :)

Erica/NWEdible

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #10 on: October 19, 2012, 01:29:03 AM »
FREE
toothpaste = baking soda, homemade
toothbrush = normal toothbrush
floss = floss, should really be better about this
prescription stuff = not much, but at the moment very expensive eye drops.
soap = soap, homemade by a friend

FIVE
deodorant = baking soda and coconut oil, homemade
hairbrush = mason pearson, 10+ years old, going strong and worth every penny (actually is was a gift, but still...I'd buy another one)
razor = normal disposable-head style, with blades pushed way past the blue stripe. :)
tweezers = tweezerman (again, worth a few extra dollars upfront)
moisturizer = lard, olive oil or coconut oil (depending on application).

That's all I use most days. For fancying up I'll wear make-up, but it's not daily and I can easily go without. A week without using anything but the above list would be....shockingly normal for me, I'm afraid. :)

What I have a ton of currently in the bathroom are anti inflammatory supplements I'm taking including fish oil, vit d and turmeric because I'm trying to encourage an inflammatory response to surgery to calm the hell down. Don't see skipping any of those for awhile, though.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2012, 01:45:17 AM »
This must be a tough challenge for some people out there!

I'm pretty okay though.
  • shampoo (but I should find a cheaper one some time)
  • conditioner
  • face wash
  • razor
  • deoderant
  • sunscreen (3bottles.. But I do use 2 of these everyday)(A ncer, but way more expensive one for my face, and a cheaper but still 30+ for the rest of my arms/legs)
So, I tend to use 6 products per day, other than soap/toothpaste/floss/pill. Then make-up occasionally. And a brush/comb I've had since I was 13 or something.

Buuut, I've decided on the following goals:
  • Wash my hair less often. I used to wash it every day (swimming every day) but now hopefully I can cut back to at least every 2nd day
  • Use up all my old products. I have an extra few old bottles of stuff that I should just use up & chuck out.
    I have the bad habit of starting a new bottle before my old one is all used :(
  • Buy less expensive shampoo. My hair is pretty crap to start with, I don't think a $6 shampoo does much more than a $2 shampoo, tbh.
  • Need to start that flossing habit again. Bah.

Edit to say: Shame on all (except one) of you for not wearing sunscreen every day!! Especially all of you mustachians who ride/walk to work.
« Last Edit: October 19, 2012, 05:49:23 AM by Nudelkopf »

TLV

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2012, 11:19:16 AM »
I've had the same hairbrush for about 15 years... why would you have to replace it? 

My wife uses a Wal-Mart-quality hairbrush (similary to this one) and the "bristles" start breaking off after a few months (she says it's because she has very thick hair). Any suggestions on one that would last 15+ years?

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2012, 11:29:17 AM »
Well, even if I'm the only one who needs to reduce her use of products, I am glad to get you all back into the habit of flossing.  LOL!

I haven't even decided which things to stop using.  I keep changing my mind.  (mah HAAAIR!)

Maybe you pros can post some of your home made resipes for us.  And by us, I mean me. 

What is this "sun" you speak of?  ;)  I actually have to supplement vitamin D here in the cold, dark north.  I wear sunscreen maybe 10 days a year.  Hehe.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2012, 12:54:51 PM »
I would see if you could give your hair a break from the shampoo you are using - completely eliminate all products for 6 weeks (curly hair generally looks good braided) as a detox.  It might be the products that are making it unruly.  I found something similar with mine, although with fine hair I was concerned with volume. 


I use on a weekly basis:

Freebies:
Bar of soap
Toothpaste
Floss

Other:
Mouthwash
Shampoo
Conditioner
Razor
Concealer
Mascara
Homemade deodorant

All beauty products toxic chemical free, paraben free, etc. So I'm two over if you include the razor but it's a comfortable minimal level for me.   I go without make up on the weekends but I like a little bit of polish to make me look more awake (genetic dark circles). 

Homemade deodorant recipe:  soak chamomile in coconut oil for two weeks (to get the soothing properties).  Mix with a bit of shea butter for extra moisturizing.  Add baking soda and cornstarch (the ratios are different for everyone.  I can't tolerate too much baking soda.) for odor and sweat protection.  I also add some lavender and tea tree oil for extra strength.  Works wonderfully, although there was a lot of trial and error to get the right ratios for me :-)   

swick

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #15 on: October 19, 2012, 01:12:45 PM »
I'm with Kulshan girl in regard to the sun! Actually geographically speaking I am far above her, so we have to supplement with Vit D too - but I haven't found a brand I am satisfied with so if anyone has some suggestions...

Usually when I am looking for suggestions I use Crunchy Betty, http://www.crunchybetty.com/ it is a great resource that I think has been mentioned on the forums a few times. Then I experiment and adapt. I use her toothpaste recipe except I use Xylitol as a sweetner. I may start experimenting again as we have a puppy now and Xylitol is highly, hight toxic.

Baking Soda in deoderent is something some people will react to and some won't. Both my mom and I have highly sensitive skin. I can use it, she can't so I'm still in the process of trying to make a baking soda free version. I also use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch because I have trouble finding GMO free cornstarch and I find it is a little gentler.

 




MsSindy

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #16 on: October 19, 2012, 01:28:21 PM »
Oh, I so need this challenge!  Count me in!

My routinely used items:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Biore Face Soap
Some scrubby stuff that's just been sitting in the shower - needs to be thrown out
Mousse
Shiny hair maker stuff
Hairspray
face lotion
face powder
blush
under-eye concealer
eyeshadow
eyeliner
mascara
chapstick
body lotion
heel lotion

Plus, I have a bunch of crap that didn't work for me, so it's just sitting in my cubboard/drawers.

I'll make a clean sweep of everything and report back on Sunday on what I decided on.

On the hairbrush note, my round brush broke the other day and instead of throwing it out and replacing it I challenged hubby to fix it.  He drilled out the core on both pieces found the proper sized dowel and put it in the holes on both pieces and glued it back together!  The advantages of having a fully-stocked DIY garage and a hubby with a little ingenuity.

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #17 on: October 19, 2012, 02:28:09 PM »
Yay, MsSindy!  We can do it!  =D  Glad I'm not the only one. 

smalllife, I've done just that with the shampoo already, and now I use Dr. Liggets shampoo, it's totally simple stuff, no nothing!  I only shampoo every other day or every third day, and then once a week or so I use Aubrey Organics conditioner.  So, I'm on my way already! 

I am going to do some serious trials with coconut oil.  I think I'm going to put away my lotion and try it on my face for the week.  Maybe even see if it could work on my hair for anti-frizz without it being a grease slick.  I had better try that on the weekend.  Hehe.

Keep the recipes coming! 

Also, here is a book that I love that has a small thing to do with this challenge:  Lady of the Reeds by Pauline Gedge.  It's historical-ish fiction about ancient Egypt at the time of the Pharoas.  A young girl is taken from her mud village to apprentice with the physician/seer to Pharoa.  Her transformation from peasant to glam is kind of cool - very descriptive about health, beauty and exercise routines of the time, as well as a good story. 
« Last Edit: October 19, 2012, 02:47:26 PM by KulshanGirl »

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #18 on: October 19, 2012, 02:31:37 PM »
I also have to take VitD where I live (Canada).

Apparently most of us Canadians are deficient in it, from our cold, dark winters covered from head to toe, or indoors!

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #19 on: October 19, 2012, 02:51:13 PM »
I've had the same hairbrush for about 15 years... why would you have to replace it? 
My wife uses a Wal-Mart-quality hairbrush (similary to this one) and the "bristles" start breaking off after a few months (she says it's because she has very thick hair). Any suggestions on one that would last 15+ years?

Yes. Look at Mason Pearson. They are spendy upfront, but I have had mine for over 10 years, it is used by three members of the home pretty regularly, it is the only brush my tangle-prone daughter wants me to use on her hair (hurts less) and if and when I ever need to replace it I will get another one just like it. I think this is the model I use.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #20 on: October 19, 2012, 02:59:59 PM »
I already don't use too much stuff.  I also go sans makeup the majority of the time and reserve it for only a special occasion.

Aside from the Freebies (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, soap - I use a tea tree body wash, so i will consider this my soap, since it's the only soap i use), I'll keep....
                               -Shampoo (from Trader Joe's, no more than $3 every couple months)
                               -Conditioner (from Trader Joe's, no more than $3 every couple months)
                               -Hair Spray (Suave, dirt cheap, don't use much, and probably only buy 2 bottles a year)                       -Deodorant
                               -Lip Balm (burts bees tube)
                             *-Hand/Body Lotion - need this to keep eczema at bay (cheap, from Target)
                             *-Prescription Steroid cream for when eczema seriously flares up

That's all I really use. 

BUT....I have a TON of CRAP I DON'T USE and it's just hanging around my dresser, and under my sink.  Why?!?  I guess I had a problem....i kept buying this crap.  I don't do it anymore.  But instead of boxing it up and hiding it, I'm planning to BAG it up and THROW IT ALL AWAY.  Seriously, bottles that are older than my kids are in there!!  Lately I've forgotten about it often because it's mostly out of sight, out of mind.  But this post has lit my candle. 

I'm totally ready to exterminate all my HABAs with extreme prejudice.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #21 on: October 19, 2012, 03:10:25 PM »
In a week, I typically use a toothbrush, tooth paste, a body brush in the shower, a comb, and aloe vera jell.

No, I don't use shampoo or conditioner. I find that it works best with shorter hair. I just bought mascara and lip gloss for the first time in my life because I want to look slightly more adult and professional at my job (I'm 24 and I still get mistaken for 18).

Bakari

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #22 on: October 19, 2012, 05:25:54 PM »
At first I was thinking the freebies covered it: soap, toothpaste. Done.
Oh, but wait, no... I almost forgot, hand-sanitizer (used for deodorant) and mouth wash.  Dang. 

I currently have shampoo, but only because I got it free (I work as a hauler, people pay me to take stuff from them, and its usually still perfectly good, so I keep it if I can use it and sell it or donate it if not)

I consider shampoo, bodywash, conditioner, and bar soap to all be interchangeable.
They are all just slightly different forms of an aqueous triglyceride based surfactant, containing a bilipid membrane, which is hydrophobic on one side and hydrophillic on the other, so that it can coat dirt and allow water to interact with oils, allowing both to be rinsed away.  Everything else is pretty much just marketing.
As such, which ever I happen to have run across for free most recently, be it soap, shampoo, or body wash, it gets used for all body cleaning purposes.

But instead of boxing it up and hiding it, I'm planning to BAG it up and THROW IT ALL AWAY. 

Aw, don't do that!  What a waste!!   When I ended up with a ton of "product" that I'd never used, I posted it for free on craigslist, and man oh man, I was not expecting a bunch of slightly used (but still good) product to be SO popular.  The response was instant and overwhelming.  I put it outside, let the first one to get here have it all, and then told everyone else it was gone.  Took maybe 10 minutes.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #23 on: October 19, 2012, 08:41:58 PM »
Freebies:
Toothbrush,
Toothpaste
Floss


5 items:
Mouthwash
Lip balm (I actually use petroleum jelly)
Deodorant

I don't use shampoo or conditioner, although I used to use it when my hair was long.

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #24 on: October 19, 2012, 09:43:22 PM »
Okay, here's what I'm looking at as of now:

Freebs:
Toothbrush and paste, floss
Bar of soap

Five
Shampoo
One of either the Redken or Frizz Ease, haven't decided yet
Face powder

And that might do it.  Three instead of five.  I'm going to try coconut oil in the place of both lotion and chapstick.  I might try it in my hair as well. No conditioner or deoderant.  Oy.

FI@2022Jem

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #25 on: October 21, 2012, 01:26:46 PM »
I've had the same hairbrush for about 15 years... why would you have to replace it? 
My wife uses a Wal-Mart-quality hairbrush (similary to this one) and the "bristles" start breaking off after a few months (she says it's because she has very thick hair). Any suggestions on one that would last 15+ years?

Yes. Look at Mason Pearson. They are spendy upfront, but I have had mine for over 10 years, it is used by three members of the home pretty regularly, it is the only brush my tangle-prone daughter wants me to use on her hair (hurts less) and if and when I ever need to replace it I will get another one just like it. I think this is the model I use.

Yes, Mason Pearson is a great brush... I have two friends that rave about it!  My hair is too thick to get all the bristles through.  I use a wooden bristle brush (http://www.widu.com/about/), and I LOVE it!  I bought it about three years ago (on sale- it was a discontinued color) and it is great: handmade, lasts forever, and the wooden bristles massage your scalp. 

I am taking this challenge!

Freebies: I use floss, toothpaste, and Dr. Bronners soap (face and body)

Five: shampoo, sunscreen moisturizer, deodorant, powder, mascara
A six month supply of these cost about: $55 (shameful: expensive shampoo, moisturizer and powder)

Around the house stuff that don't count: use coconut oil for lotion, for chapstick, and to style my hair (and to condition it this week!), also baking soda to exfoliate as needed...

Normally I also use: blush, and eyeliner/brow pencil, lip gloss, surf spray (for hair), conditioner, and toner
A six month supply of these cost about: $40 (mostly due to expensive conditioner)

Thanks for the challenge!

MsSindy

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #26 on: October 21, 2012, 02:51:45 PM »
Okay, it's done!  I've cleaned out my HABA cabinet/drawer and boxed a bunch of hair products that all promise to do something different: sleek & shine anti-humidity, curly sexy hair, play dirty short hair, texture paste, sleek look smoothing spray, Mega Gel, thermal setting mist for hot rollers - hot rollers? who uses hot rollers?  That reminds me, I need to hunt for old and unused hot rollers.

Part of my hair-product habit is that I used to have very short spikey hair which requires gel and other gunk to make it look fun and funky - easy & quick to style, but too much $$ on maintaining a cut every 8 weeks.  So, now I'm growing my hair out and it's in that yucky inbetween stage - it's not long and sexy, nor is it short and fun.... it's just kind of there.  My hair is thin, so I tried a lot of products to try and make it do SOMETHING so I look somewhat professional.

I also boxed-up various liners and 8 different eye-shadow products - I had 2 in purple -- I'm a red-head, I don't even look good in purple!  It's funny, I've always considered myself a bit of a tomboy, but packing up everything, I realized I've really fallen for all the glamour advertising and things promising to make me look pretty.

But okay, here is what I'm going with for the work week (don't usually wear make-up on the weekend):
Freebies:
 - Toothpaste
 - Soap

Five+
 - Deodarant
 - Shampoo (every other day)
 - Mousse - (every other day)
 - Body Lotion - skin gets itchy if I don't use something
 - Face Lotion
 - Mineral Powder - even out tone of sun-damaged skin (it has spf, too!)
 - Mineral Powder Brown - use to add a healthy glow
 - Mascara - I'm blessed with strong brows, but pathetic eyelashes, it's a must!
 - Chapstick

Okay, I know it's more than 5, but this is bare bones for me.  When I had 20-year old skin, I went au-naturale alot and I didn't need lotion - now my older skin needs a little extra help!

Thanks for the challenge - I already feel better.  And, I know a family I can donate my box of goodies to.

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #27 on: October 22, 2012, 10:32:58 AM »
Okay, here we are on day two already!

Day one:  Success.  I did not shower or use anything at all because it was a scrubby day of not needing a shower.

Day two:  Used freebies, plus Redken hair stuff, face powder, and a tiny bit of other hair stuff, NOT the Frizz Ease.  For face lotion, I used coconut oil with surprising success.  This will be a permanent change.  I haven't looked in a mirror since my hair got completely dry and I'm pretty content to not look.  :)  Forgot to take the chapstick out of my backpack, so that is a teaser but so far so good.

Final stuff in the box:
Frizz Ease, conditioner, deodorant, soon to be chapstick.

Am off to google natural alternatives to Frizz Ease. 
« Last Edit: October 22, 2012, 11:23:18 AM by KulshanGirl »

AJ

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #28 on: October 22, 2012, 10:54:34 AM »
I also boxed-up various liners and 8 different eye-shadow products - I had 2 in purple -- I'm a red-head, I don't even look good in purple!  It's funny, I've always considered myself a bit of a tomboy, but packing up everything, I realized I've really fallen for all the glamour advertising and things promising to make me look pretty.

This got me thinking: do you think we could create some sort of exchange for the items we're purging? I know I have a bunch of products I will probably never use again, but I hate to just throw them away, so they sit in a maybe-someday-I-will-use-them box in my bathroom. For example, my BFF gave me this facial mask thing that she bought and didn't use. I tried it, and I liked it ok...but its just not something that I use on a regular basis, so it just sits there. Maybe there is another lady here that uses such things on a regular basis who could get some use out of it. Anyone have any good ideas how to coordinate an exchange of such things? Or, is that too weird?

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #29 on: October 22, 2012, 12:23:09 PM »
Turns out the only thing on these lists that I use is toothpaste. But I could try using baking soda instead...

AJ

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #30 on: October 22, 2012, 03:00:00 PM »
Turns out the only thing on these lists that I use is toothpaste. But I could try using baking soda instead...

If your water is fluoridated, or you use fluoridated mouthwash, you can just brush with water. It actually gets your teeth very slightly cleaner than with toothpaste. Toothpaste provides a yummy taste and fluoride - but doesn't help get your teeth any cleaner. It is the mechanical brushing action that cleans your teeth (which is why it is so important to brush the full 2 minutes). (http://nydailynews.healthology.com/dental-health/dental-health-news/article4535.htm)

MsSindy

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #31 on: October 22, 2012, 06:35:51 PM »
Okay, Monday was day 1 for me.  I stuck to my intended product usage - yeah!  My hair didn't turn out too bad - just had to "finger-fluff" it a couple of times through out the day so it didn't lay too flat to the head.  I was even getting use to the lesser eye make-up look and then it all went to hell. 

I've been having some issues with my left eye this past week and today it went totally nuts.  The whole white part of my eye turned pink - luckily I brought my glasses (my 8 yr old only-wear-at-home-glasses!).  So, there I sat in my meeting with my clients with no make-up, wilting hair, out-of-date glasses, and pink eye!  My confidence took a bit of a beating..... but I did sneak out early to go home and rest my eye, so hey, all is not lost!  Now I have to go figure out what's up with my eye!

But I will stick to the challenge!  I'm intrigued by coconut oil - is there anything I need to know before I buy some?  Is there any processing I need to be aware of, or is it all just straight-up coconut oil and it's all the same?  Organic of course.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2012, 06:37:47 PM by MsSindy »

MsSindy

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #32 on: October 22, 2012, 06:39:59 PM »
Turns out the only thing on these lists that I use is toothpaste. But I could try using baking soda instead...

If your water is fluoridated, or you use fluoridated mouthwash, you can just brush with water. It actually gets your teeth very slightly cleaner than with toothpaste. Toothpaste provides a yummy taste and fluoride - but doesn't help get your teeth any cleaner. It is the mechanical brushing action that cleans your teeth (which is why it is so important to brush the full 2 minutes). (http://nydailynews.healthology.com/dental-health/dental-health-news/article4535.htm)

Ever since my dental hygenist told me about this, I only use a smidge of toothpaste - and my night-time brushing is only with water.  Don't forget to brush your tongue to get all the germs!

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #33 on: October 22, 2012, 09:11:04 PM »
With the coconut oil, I just take some out of the jar, put it in a bowl and put in a warm spot to heat it up a bit, and then mash/whip it up with a fork so that when it solidifies again, it's not as flaky.  Then I put it in a smaller jar.  A little goes a long way.  I am loving it on my face.  I do wait a little longer for it to soak in before I put on the powder too.

Nudelkopf

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #34 on: October 22, 2012, 11:12:57 PM »
Oh man, I think spf30+ sunscreen isn't enouh. Time to invest in a full-body sun guard. Why? I got my skin looked at today for UV damage. (See link). I wish I lived in Canada & had to take vitamin D supplements :(

 https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/416917_10151285223227146_1561834590_n.jpg

Also, I fully used up two bottles of product that had been lying around cos I was too lazy to finish them off. So, I used them up and chucked them out. So, now I have less products lying around :) Yeah!

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #35 on: October 23, 2012, 10:56:19 AM »
Day three.   It is my third day without Frizz Ease.  I haven't gotten fired for looking like an urchin.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that no one notices anyone else's hair, ever.  Success!

I still haven't been brave enough to put coconut oil in my hair though.  And I'm still using the Redken and one other product to help make my curls into "hair families" instead of each hair going it alone.  Hehe. 

This challenge is way, way easier than I thought it would be.  Still need to clean out the drawers and cabinets.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #36 on: October 23, 2012, 11:32:24 AM »
Turns out the only thing on these lists that I use is toothpaste. But I could try using baking soda instead...

If your water is fluoridated, or you use fluoridated mouthwash, you can just brush with water. It actually gets your teeth very slightly cleaner than with toothpaste. Toothpaste provides a yummy taste and fluoride - but doesn't help get your teeth any cleaner. It is the mechanical brushing action that cleans your teeth (which is why it is so important to brush the full 2 minutes). (http://nydailynews.healthology.com/dental-health/dental-health-news/article4535.htm)

I wouldn't throw out the toothpaste based on that article alone.
Not only do they not specify gel or paste based toothpaste (the paste kind really is an abrasive - you can, for example, use it to polish the scratches off a CD - its not just there for flavor and fluoride), but there was apparently no blind-control.  Perhaps the participants sub-consciously brushed one side more vigorously than the other, to compensate for the lack of toothpaste?
Sure, you can clean your counter with just water and and cloth.  But it's a lot easier with the abrasive and oil dissolving properties of some soft scrub, detergent, or baking soda.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #37 on: October 23, 2012, 02:54:10 PM »
I was reading over this thread and remembered that I'd written a post about my former-product-packing days and the light-bulb moment I had regarding the *real* reason I had drawers full of beauty products, creams, lotions, tonics, etc. etc. Mine was actually a double epiphany because the pattern I saw re: HABA purchases in my bathroom cabinets was repeated downstairs with cleaning products. Anyway, as a totally recovered "product" person, I thought this post might be relevant to some of the people undertaking this challenge. If you want, you can read it here: http://www.nwedible.com/2011/05/hope-in-bottle.html

carolinakaren

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #38 on: October 24, 2012, 05:46:54 PM »
Ok, the freebies are all on my list without fail.  I use a combo shampoo-conditioner about 3 times per week, can't do without lip balm, and deoderant. When I wash my hair I put a mousse-type hair product on.  If going out on the weekend I will add some hairspray to that and mascara and powder.  I never bother sprucing up for work, as no one can see my hair and most of my face is hidden too.  Guess I'm in for this one!

As a side note we are currently using up all sample/hotel/gift products such as soap, shampoo, body washes.  (This could take awhile because for Easter last year John's mom gave us a bunch of egg-shaped soaps!) I have much the same feeling about this stuff as Bakari, it is interchangeable.  About a year ago I decided to eliminate my eye cream from the product line. I was using Dermalogica Total Eye Care.  Even though it cost about $40 for the tube, it took me a year to use it all.  Now I use nothing or just olive oil.  All my make-up is somewhat old, I rarely feel the need to replace it and it lasts MUCH longer than suggested expiration dates.

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #39 on: October 25, 2012, 10:25:39 AM »

But instead of boxing it up and hiding it, I'm planning to BAG it up and THROW IT ALL AWAY. 

Aw, don't do that!  What a waste!!   When I ended up with a ton of "product" that I'd never used, I posted it for free on craigslist, and man oh man, I was not expecting a bunch of slightly used (but still good) product to be SO popular.  The response was instant and overwhelming.  I put it outside, let the first one to get here have it all, and then told everyone else it was gone.  Took maybe 10 minutes.

I calmed myself and went through my crap this weekend. I liked your idea and agree on the waste comment, so I went through everything with the thought in mind that perhaps some of it was salvageable. 

Unfortunately most of it wasn't.  It was all so old things had discolored, separated, crystallized....it was a mess!  Most of it was tossed, but I tried.  I kept a few things that weren't so old and still in decent shape that I thought MIGHT be useful in the future, but a lot got the boot.  It felt good too.  Ahhhhhh!

KulshanGirl

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #40 on: October 25, 2012, 10:55:09 AM »
Okay, a new note on using coconut oil as face lotion.  It's going well, but it seems that my face gets dry in the evenings.  I never used to moisturize at bedtime, just in the morning, but I think this is going to need to become a 2x a day thing.  Still, going very well!  The lotion I have left will be demoted to the travel bag for trips to my parents.

It is day four without my beloved Frizz Ease.  I am having a harder time with this one.  Do not like.  I think my plan will be to use up what I have and then revisit this challenge when I'm all out.  I'm going back to the HAAAIR stuff when this is over, at least for as long as I can make it last.  Fail.

Conditioner, I'm good without it.  I do have two bottles in the cupboard that I will use up - maybe I will condition my hair once a week or so.

Deoderant - seems to be going pretty well without it. 

The verdict overall:  I can live this way very easily, but I will use up what I have left first when the challenge ends.

Next fire drill is brewing.  :)

MsSindy

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #41 on: October 25, 2012, 05:51:07 PM »
I was reading over this thread and remembered that I'd written a post about my former-product-packing days and the light-bulb moment I had regarding the *real* reason I had drawers full of beauty products, creams, lotions, tonics, etc. etc. Mine was actually a double epiphany because the pattern I saw re: HABA purchases in my bathroom cabinets was repeated downstairs with cleaning products. Anyway, as a totally recovered "product" person, I thought this post might be relevant to some of the people undertaking this challenge. If you want, you can read it here: http://www.nwedible.com/2011/05/hope-in-bottle.html

Really great article.  BTW, I love your writing style, both on your blog and in the MMM comments.  You've now officially been added to my list of 'regular reads'.

MsSindy

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Re: Fire drill! HABA'out we use fewer products for a week?
« Reply #42 on: October 25, 2012, 06:17:44 PM »
So, today is Day 4 for me, and officially wraps up my week that I have to be in the office.  I typically don't fuss much on the weekends and tend to go natural.... maybe if my husband's lucky, I'll fix my hair :)

So, my reason for taking this challenge was to be more mindful about my actions, and also to start exploring more natural products.  It wasn't about the money, as I perceived that I didn't spend that much on beauty products, but looking at my boxed up goodies, I think that may not actually be the case!  Grant it, I haven't spent any money lately, but it's clear that I had a small fortune cluttering up my cupboard.

I have to admit, most of the week I kind of felt frumpy and not really "me".  It didn't help that I had to wear my old glasses all week and my hair got all funky with the humidity.  I did have a social event with my clients this evening and so I changed into my contacts and put on a little bit of eye-liner.  I let my hair continue to be funky.  When I looked in the mirrow, it just felt like I was looking at "me", and not some gawky, plain-jane, version of me.  I liked the look, and I'm keeping it!

So, here is what I learned from this short challenge:
 - I like a little eye definition.....but I don't need 8 containers of shadow and 6 pencils, so I picked out 2 of each to keep and use.
 - I have been using a non-chemical based face lotion, but I will explore coconut oil
 - I currently use self-made mineral powder and blush, and will experiment with making my own mineral eye shadows (already have the ingredients)
 - Will look for natural alternatives to deodorant and shampoo/conditioner - seems like there are a lot of good replacements, so this should be easy

I realized I don't need all that other stuff like concealer, eye smoothers, shiny hair spray, and whatever else I was using (or not using and just sitting around) - so it all gets donated.  I feel like I'm being true to who I am - not completely natural, but no Tammy Faye Baker either!

Thanks KulshanGirl - great challenge!!