co- washing- is it really all that?

  For the last few years there has been a huge wave of people going "sulfate-free" in their hair care regime. Sulfate free shampoos, sometimes dubbed cleansing conditioners, tend to be pricey ( WEN) and are  harder to come buy than your regular old shampoo (although there seems to be more and more poping up on grocery store shelves- (Hello! L'oreal!).  Many have went to the co-method of washing their hair. The co-method, or conditioner only method, also know as the no-poo method or CG  (curly girl) method has tons of loyal followers who swear their hair has never been better, but really is it for you?

 The co-method is quite simple, buy a cheapy conditioner , one that has a runnier texture and few to no silicones and little heavy conditioning agents (Suave, White rain and Vo5 seem to be the hands down favorites and Suave coconut conditoner seems to have a cult following) slather a large handful or two on, massage it in your hair and scalp, let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse. You can follow up with a heavier regular conditioner if need be.

 Generally, this method was used by those with kinky, curly, coarse and/ or parched hair and dry scalps but it seems like everyone has hopped on the bandwagon, including myself. However, in the end ,co-washing does not seem to work for me.

 I am an everyday shampooer, have always been and probaby always will be. I am on a never ending journey to have super long hair and figured co- washing would force me to shampoo less (which supposedly is better for hair but for me the jury is out on that one) and therefore leave my hair and scalp healthier, in theory.


 I have used both Vo5 kiwi and lime clarifying conditioner and vo5 strawberries and cream conditioner as "shampoo". I will say that these are very easy to spread and massage into hair, although you need much more conditioner than shampoo to feel like your hair is actually washed. They rinse very easily and both smell great.

   I was pleased with my hair on the first day, there really wasn't much difference than when I use real shampoo except my hair felt thicker. Day two-  my hair was nice but my scalp didn't really feel clean and by the end of the day my head was a little itchy. Day three- forget it, had to shampoo. I have tried co-washing a few times in the past few years, shampooing on the third day, shampooing on the second day, shampooing every other day but in the end I go back to my daily shampoo. I have long thinner hair that has a slight wave, my roots are oily and the length is dry/damaged. I had high hopes for co-washing but my scalp and hair and me, for now, are much happier with a daily shampoo, daily conditioner and a daily leave in.


 I can see why co-washing can be benefical for some, many shampooos do contain harsh sulfates (sodium lauryl sulfate is  the big one to avoid) which can cause scalp irratation and dryness. Co- washing is gentler on the hair and scalp and for those who only shampoo a few times a week co- washing can help stretch your shampooing while leaving your hair still feeling clean for the most part.

 However, ONLY using conditioner on your scalp can cause build up, eventually leaving hair greasy and lank and causing scalp itch. For those with thinner straight hair the effect may be felt sooner than others. I donot see how you can go completely shampoo free, your scalp and hair still need a cleaning. For some maybe a weekly or monthy shampooing may be all they need to still have co-washing work. I have also read posts wear some just do a baking soda wash (dissolve baking soda in warm water and use it just like a shampoo) or vinegar rinse to rid their scalp and hair of buildup.

If your curious about co-washing- go for it, it won't hurt your hair in any way shape or form and if worse come to worse you can always shampoo.





 

  Baby products - why should babies have all the fun?



  Who says that baby products are just for babies? Not me for sure, my bathroom is stocked with baby products and I don't have itty bitty babies.


BABY OIL - one of my favorites and so many uses.

-  mix with sugar for body scrub
- use as eye makeup remover or  pre-cleanser - I do this every night since I use full face makeup every single day
- use instead of shave gel
- use in shower, as a body moisturizer. Apply at the very end of your shower, do a quick rinse and gentle pat yourself dry with a towel. I think this works so much better than applying after you get out of the shower.
- use in your hair- yes, in your hair. I take a pea sized amount of a thin conditioner ( I love vo5 conditioners) mix it with 2-3 drops of baby oil, smear it around in my hands and apply to my ends when wet. Best cheap leave- in ever.
- use in summer on legs to add a soft shine
- use in bubble bath- gives same effect as in shower moisturizer


BABY SHAMPOO

- use as face wash
- use as makeup brush cleanser
- use as shampoo (duh) However, most baby shampoos have much gentler cleansers than regular shampoos and no conditioning agents. Therefore if you use alot of product baby shampoo may not clean well enough without multiple washings and since there no conditioning agents your hair may be tangly. Baby shampoo can be wonderful options for those with thinner hair or sensitive scalps.
- out of bubble bath, use baby shampoo makes nice bubbles and soft scent
- out of body wash, use baby shampoo


BABY LOTION

makes a great grown up lotion too. Johnson and Johnson has many great  baby lotion scents and formulas. Most stores have their own knockoff brands in the "classic" pink baby lotion and "nightime" scent thats just as good. Again great for those who have sensitive skin. I personally use baby lotion daily, I have issues (mostly in the winter) with horribly dry, itchy legs. Most "adult" lotions or highly scented ones will cause my legs to burn or itch even more, I don't care for totally unscented products and baby lotion does not cause me to have any issues- if I need extra moisturization I mix my baby lotion with a bit of vaseline.


HEAD TO TOE WASH- may be the best multipurpose product ever.

- use as shampoo- cleans better than regular baby shampoo but just as gentle
-  use as body wash- good for even girly parts
-  makes great bubble bath
-  makes great facial cleanser
-  great makeup brush cleanser

Basically head to toe wash does everything baby shampoo does but its  generally cheaper and I find it works better than baby shampoo, especially for hair. I also think it has a lighter scent and produces better bubbles. This is my go to product,  one bottle - 5 products. A ton less clutter in my bathroom, and when traveling its alot less to pack.

  Between just two baby products- baby oil and head to toe wash you can replace a multitude of products and still have beautiful, clean soft skin and save some money. Plus all of these products can be picked up at your local dollar store if you just want to try them out instead of investing in the larger bottles of the name brand stuff.

 Beauty from your kitchen and medicine cabinet



 Ever surfed the web looking for homemade beauty recipies only to read the ingredient list and think "Hell, I don't have that in my kitchen, and probably never will". Thats always been my issue as I am a simple girl so I have found some good, yet, easy and very ,very cheap beauty tricks with stuff that almost all of us have in our kitchen or medicine chest.

SUGAR- be it brown or plain old white sugar, sugar is a supurb exfoliant. Mix it with baby oil (or any old oil for that matter) for a fantastic body scrub.

- mix with your regular facial cleanser (I prefer baby shampoo) for a gentle but deep cleaning facial scrub

Oil-  even though olive oil is touted to be the "end all be all" of oils you can use any old kitchen oil for a hair treatment. Be it plain vegetable oil, corn, canola, sunflower, etc. etc... I prefer safflower oil, its cheaper than olive oil, has the same properties, but is lighter and has no scent.

 Simply heat the oil in the microwave (or on the stove) till its very warm but not to hot to handle Apply to hair, comb through and sleep in. Shampoo out in the morning (may take more than one shampooing)  condition  and style as usual.

- Don't want to sleep with oil in your hair, add a drop or two of safflower oil to your am. conditioner to make it a deep conditioner.

- apply a few drops of oil to damp hair in place of a leave- in conditioner



 -In the Medicine Cabinet-

Aspirin-  Melt 5-6 aspirin  with a few drops of water. Mix with honey or any other commercial facial mask you may have in your beauty aresenal. Leave on for 20 minutes. rinse. Great for oily skin. If you are allgeric to aspirin common sense says do not use this mask.

 -  You can mix 5-6 asprin with a bottle of witch hazel, rosewater or your regular toner to add a healthy dose of salicylic acid. Great for oily skin.

Milk of Magnesia-    An oily girls best freind.  To use as a mask, after cleansing, apply a heavy coat to skin, let dry completely. Will be very and chalky.  Rinse then follow normal skin care regime.

- Use as primer. After am. cleansing and moisturizing (if you do so) apply a THIN layer to skin, let dry. Will leave a whitish chalky cast. Dust off excess then apply makeup. Having uber oily skin this is my lifesaver, especially in the summer. This will leave me oil free for hours!!!

 Have  a boring night alone? Raid your panty or medicine chest and have a spa night all to yourself for FREE!!!!!!

Welcome!   This post is dedicated to all the makeup/hair care junkies out there who are looking for reviews, opinions and information on makeup and beauty, plus tips and tricks to look great without spending a fortune. Enjoy!

   Don't dis' the Dollar Store

    The Dollar store is a fantastic place to pick up beauty treats. I prefer the Dollar Tree over places like Dollar General or Family Dollar since everything is a dollar and they are constantly getting in new stock.
You can find HUGE beauty bargins here.  I have found discontinued Maybelline, Almay, Revlon, N.Y.C and Covergirl cosmetics, mainly lipsticks, blushes and eyeshadows but every now and then you'll find foundation, pressed or loose powders and mascara.  Since everything there has been a discontinued formula or color if you find something you like stock up, it won't last for long.  However, its great to pick out new colors for a new look without breaking the bank at the drugstore- if you find a color your truly love you can always get a dupe somewhere else.

   I have found great skin, hair and body care items also. Most recently, Skin milk facial cleanser and moisturizer, body wash and body lotion, Softsoap bodywash, Flex shampoo, L'oreal conditioner, Olay body wash and bar soap, full size Dove bars, Pears bar soap, and Yardley of London limited edition  6 oz. spcecial fragrance soaps (like Honey Crimson Rose- amazing). None of this is anything to sneeze at,  at full retail all of them  were way more than a dollar, fact is, skin milk used to sell at walmart for $5.00. Like I said these kind of products don't last long and when they are gone they're gone.

    Dollar Tree also carries  thier regular line of products that are always in stock. L.A .colors cosmetics , ( which has decent eyeshadow pallettes, eyeliner, pressed powder and lip glosses)  limited E.L.F. cosmetics, Vo5 shampoos and conditioners ( mainly bonus sizes- Strawberries and Cream is totally great detangler or co-washing conditioner) White Rain shampoo (  the apple is a great clarifying or kids shampoo plus its 18 oz. for $1.00 which is cheaper than getting Suave at the grocery store) and conditioners, Tame shampoo and "cream rinse"- (Yes-  the sameTame from the 70's for those of you who can remember that far back) White Rain body washes, a bunch of generic body washes that are good dupes for name brand ones, a whole line of baby products called  Angel of Mine which are just as good as the brand name ones and the Angel of Mine baby shampoo and body wash make a FANTASTIC facial cleanser! What 10 oz. facial cleanser do you know of thats a dollar!?

  If you haven't checked out your local Dollar Tree today, try it, you may be able to come home with a haul and still have money in your pocket!