One of the beauty principles that resonates most for me from Kat James’ book, The Truth About Beauty
Kat uses the term shedding in a physical, mental, and emotional context. It involves purging old habits, hidden negativity, and the limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing our natural state of radiant beauty… and health. According to Kat’s explanation, shedding is a cyclical process, “an ongoing journey of undoing, uncovering, and unveiling.”
This philosophy is reflective of my experience with The Cellulite Investigation thus far. I shed suppressed emotions I had been holding onto since childhood. I shed limiting beliefs, such as “it’s my fault I have cellulite because I’m lazy… I don’t exercise enough… I eat too much… etc.” But the most concrete instance of shedding I’ve experienced in the last two years is the shed reliance on products.
The following is a list of a few of the products I am now able to live without even though, in most cases, I never thought such a feat was possible.
Moisturizers: With so many fabulously luscious oils to choose from, I don’t have a need for store-bought moisturizers anymore. They always seemed to provide only fleeting relief anyway. Now I have an assortment of oils under my bathroom sink, from jojoba to almond to coconut. A few drops of an essential oil makes them even more luxurious.
Shampoo: Have you heard of the no-poo movement? I know the idea of going without shampoo might sound absurd at first, but I gave it a try in desperation when yet another pricey shampoo failed to live up to expectation. That was over two months ago and I haven’t used shampoo since. Seems it’s particularly beneficial for women with wavey (or curley) hair like mine.
Facial cleansers, toners, serums, spot treatments, acne medications and moisturizers: Now I use the oil cleansing method we discussed previously. Thank you again to everyone who recommended it to me! (By the way, did you notice in last week’s post about French beauty secrets that French women use this same technique? According to the article I was referencing, they often clean their skin with moisturizers instead of soap.)
Toothpaste: This one I just started testing recently (my breathe would not have allowed it when I was living in fluorideville). My decision to go toothpaste-free was a gradual shedding process. First I switched to fluoride-free toothpaste, then salt toothpaste
Shaving cream: This one I’ve been doing without for a few years now. I’ve always been allergic to shaving creams and even the moisture strips on most razors. I use cheap disposable razors and I shave at the end of my shower. And since I started dry brushing and using almond oil as a moisturizer, I don’t have to worry about ingrown hairs.
The usual feminine hygiene products: I never thought I would be able to live without these
Medications: As I was packing to move to Maryland a few months ago, I noticed I don’t have any medications at all anymore. In the past, it was not uncommon for me to pick up an over-the-counter remedy when I had a headache, cramps, or a cold. I threw out the ones that had expired when I moved back to the States from Scotland and I haven’t had occasion to buy any medications in the past two years since then. (I started to develop a cold recently while traveling but it went away within hours of taking cod liver oil!)
What habits, products, or old beliefs have you “shed” on your journey to cellulite freedom?
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
We’ve made a lot of the same changes! Isn’t it freeing to no longer rely on products??
I was doing the oil cleansing method (probably for the last 3 years or so), but I’m now experimenting with raw honey to wash and coconut and jojoba oils to moisturize, and it’s working pretty well for me. I tried no poo a few times (for 3-4 months each time) and just couldn’t get it to work for me (baking soda/ACV). Now I just use a shampoo bar with a very dilute white vinegar rinse, which seems to be working well. Using a Chinese tooth powder or tooth soap for brushing (and actually, sometimes in the morning I just use water). Where do you find glycerin-free tooth soap? I thought that all soap had naturally occurring glycerin…hmmm… For shaving I use shaving soap (bar) – do you just use water?? That scares me a little, but I might be willing to give it a try!
I’ve also given up stick deodorant for a baking soda and arrowroot powder combo and I only use soap in the shower if I’m literally dirty (which is very rare). My skin loves me for it!
Yes, “freeing” is the perfect word for it! I’ve been using the baking soda and ACV for my hair, both very diluted. It’s working for me so far, but I’m also investigating other methods. I’m interested in the “curly girl” method where you just use conditioner to wash your hair. It didn’t work with the coconut conditioner I have, but I’m planning to try a few others.
You are probably right about the soap. I just started researching that, so I don’t know all that much about it. I picked a soap that didn’t have glycerin on the label. I’ve also been using a Japanese tooth powder made from roasted eggplant, but I can’t figure out a good way to get it on the brush without making a mess!
Yes, I just use water for shaving. I started that a long time ago and my legs seem to have adapted to it. I’ve always done that for the underarms, too (awful allergic reaction to deoderants, shaving creams, and razors in that region). I don’t know how/why it works for me but it does, so I’m happy. Shaving creams were always such a pain.
How do you apply the homemade deoderant? I’ve never been a big fan of deoderant (again the awful allergic reactions). I used to be embarrassed to admit that, but then I saw Julia Roberts say the same thing on Oprah. If she can fess up on The Oprah Show, I think I can admit it to our cozy little group of cellulite investigators
Wow – a Japanese tooth powder made from eggplant – now that’s interesting! I wonder if the glycerin that occurs when soap is made is different than the glycerin they put in toothpaste. I bet if Rami Nagel recommends it, then it must not interfere with re-mineralization like toothpaste glycerin.
I keep my deodorant powder in a wide-mouth jar and just push my fingers onto the powder and pat onto my armpits. I almost always sprinkle a little on the sink and the floor by accident, but otherwise it works pretty well. Sometimes I don’t wear any, especially in the winter (since we are confessing our true deodorant feelings…
) I found that once I stopped wearing the regular stuff, I pretty much stopped smelling! Weird, huh?
Gonna try the water-only leg-shaving tonight – eek!
I’m not sure what Rami Nagel says about glycerin from soap-making. Does it occur in all soap, even if it doesn’t have glycerin added? I followed the basic instructions you find on the web (for example, http://www.ehow.com/how_5160106_remineralize-teeth-naturally.html. I need to look into it further. Does anyone else know?
I noticed the same thing re: deodorant. How strange! I tried washing my face with honey tonight for the first time. Do you just smear honey on your skin and then wipe it off with a hot cloth? It doesn’t rub in like soap or oil, so I wanted to make sure I’m not missing a step.
I hope the shaving goes well! I’m not sure if going without cream is something my skin adapted to or if it happened overnight. Ben Leonard has some interesting info about it on his blog (I linked to it in the section of shaving creams above, on the word “always”).
I did some quick Googling and it looks like glycerin is a byproduct of soap making. In commercial soaps it’s usually processed out, but many soap makers leave it in. Not sure about this source, but it sounds like some information I read a long time ago that made me think that tooth soaps contained naturally-occurring glycerin. http://www.pioneerthinking.com/glycerin.html
I started using the honey because I have seborrheic dermatitis, and I found a study where raw honey masks were used every other day with pretty good success. I read that some people found it helpful to wash their face with honey on the off-days. You’re right – it doesn’t rub in (feels like you’re not really washing your face, huh?). I just wet my fingers, grab some honey and rub it onto my face. Then I rinse with warm water, pat dry, and use the tiniest amount of coconut oil for moisturizer. I think that for my skin condition, this is better than the OCM since the implicated yeast thrives on oleic acid. Might have to try OCM with coconut oil, though…
Last night I shaved one leg with water and one with shaving soap. I was nervous because I felt some burning on the water leg afterwards – I thought for sure that I had given myself razor burn! However, it didn’t happen. Both are equally smooth with NO razor burn – I’m impressed!
(Can you tell I’m kind of a geek for experimenting with personal hygiene? Thanks for letting me hang out at your blog and talk natural body care!)
Oh phew, I’m glad you survived the shaving-cream-less shaving experience! Occasionally I’ll feel the tingling too, but it goes away when I rub in a little almond oil. I find that dry skin brushing really helps with this.
Thanks for the link about the soap! The honey face cleansing went well last night, and my skin looked good in the morning despite not quite getting a full night’s sleep. I’ve been using raw honey as lip balm for awhile, but I never thought to use it as a cleanser. Any reason to use more honey is good for me. (Did you know the name Melissa comes from the Greek for “honey bee”? I often wonder if this is the root of my honey obsession)
Of course, you are welcome to hang out here anytime! Cutting down on harsh beauty products could be an important part of the cellulite recovery process, so your self-experiments in this area are important evidence for our case!
I’m not a cellulite investigator, but I have made some of these changes. When I read about people “saving money” by finding great deals on hygiene products, my usual reaction is, “But…I don’t USE any of that stuff!” Here’s my no-shampoo method, and here are my detailed ravings on the feminine hygiene method you recommended. I do honey face cleansing, too. I still use deodorant and toothpaste, but while pregnant 6 years ago I switched to natural versions from Tom’s of Maine because I couldn’t abide the chemical fragrances of conventional products, and even now that my hormones are back to normal I still can’t believe I ever used that icky stuff!!
Good comments!!! I’ve been transitioning to all natural remedies for a couple of years now, not just for the benefit of natural products but mostly for the simplicity of life!!! We as women can get so caught up in the maintenance of being healthy! I found a good vitamin E cream (dermaE) and I add MSM, COQ10(100mg), DMAE, Vit C(500mg), Hydraulic Acid(100mg), and some DMSO for absorbancy. Regarding deodorants, hydrogen peroxide works wonders! Also, there is a product out there called, Tooth Soap! Works really well, but being cheap, I found I can use a regular natural bar of soap too. Hope this helps!!!
Stevie
It’s so awesome to read about someone who is able to leave the conventional product world behind. I’m inspired to keep pushing in that direction. I’m going to try the no-poo soon as I have super curly hair. Thanks for all your suggestions and great info. Keep it coming!
Thanks for all of these great tips. I’ve been using the oil cleansing method with Castor and sunflower oils for 2 weeks now (after reading about it here) and it is working pretty well for me. My skin always starts out dry after washing, but gets oily throughout the day. I was worried that this method would make my skin oilier, but it has actually made it drier – I think I need to change the ratio I’m using. I’m also using almond & sunflower oil with lavender essential oil as my moisturizer now. I’m having more trouble with this, though. I find the oil very difficult to apply. Aside from it splattering all over the floor, it doesn’t glide over my skin very well and I end up missing spots as a result. Now that summer is nearing I’m also getting concerned about sun protection – I have very delicate Irish skin.
Do you have any tips for making the oil easier to apply and for natural sun protection?
Hi, Sarah! Yes, if your skin is dry from oil cleansing you might want to try using less castor oil. Ten percent is recommended for dry skin. Sometimes I don’t use castor oil at all, and that works well too. Have you ever tried coconut oil as a moisturizer? From what I’ve read, it has a long history of being used as a sunscreen in the tropics so it could perform double duty. Depending on the room temperature in your bathroom, you might have to rub it in your hands for a few seconds to get it to dissolve, but after that it goes on smooth.
This thought-provoking article from FoodRenegade.com asserts that including a healthier amount of vat-soluble vitamins in the diet will decrease the skin’s susceptibility to sun burns: Should You Use Sunscreen?
It’s definitely something to consider. Thanks for your question, Sarah. Let us know how it goes!
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