I've been working with some more green products to reduce plastic waste and chemicals, but they definitely haven't been without their own issues, so here's a brief where-I'm-at trials and troubleshooting:
1. DEODORANT
I really thought I'd never be able to find a natural, vegan + cruelty-free deodorant that works. Thus far, though I've been otherwise exclusively on cruelty-free and natural products for years, this was the one sacrifice I was willing to make. Deodorant products like Kiss My Face, Tom's of Maine, and Jason just ended up making me smell like B.O. + flowers. No thanks.
Recently, I've been a part of some Toronto Vegan / Zero Waste Facebook groups in Toronto, and have been receiving some good product tips.
Multiple people who were in the same boat as me recommended Routine Deodorant Cream in one of their vegan formations. Apparently people who were excessively sweaty in general said - although not an "antiperspirant" - found Routine helped for this purpose, too. It also comes in a tiny screw-top glass container and is a Canadian product from Alberta.
I bought it in the scent Lucy in the Sky from well.ca. I find it smells good, but more characteristically "masculine" to me. I don't care much about this; I just want it to work. It did. Immediately. No need for re-application. At the end of even long days, I smelled fresh. This was new.
I thought it was THE ONE. I bought another vegan formation in the gentler scent Cat Lady, so I'd have it on hand when the other ran out.
A few weeks ago, I suddenly developed what seemed to be an allergy to - what research tells me is - the baking soda. My armpits ended up red, itchy, and swollen.
Unfortunately, Routine does not have vegan formations in low/no baking soda, so I did some research on effectiveness blogs and ordered a pack of sample sizes of no baking soda (called "sensitive skin") line of Schmidt's. Unfortunately, they come in regular plastic roll-on packaging and were delivered in a lot of cardboard.
While I waited for them to ship online from Schmidt's (unfortunately an American company), I looked up troubleshooting for baking soda deodorant allergies, and someone from the Toronto Vegan group suggested applying coconut oil first. (Some people even use this as a deodorant in and of itself). This worked like a charm. I've been using Routine again without issues.
I did try the Schmidt's (in lilac scent) after arrival, for two days. It's also really effective.
2. SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER BARS
I'm still troubleshooting this one. I ordered Soap Works from well.ca, to try and eliminate plastics. I already use natural hair products and I don't wash my hair often (2-3 days), so I didn't think this would be a difficult transition.
I was wrong -- it leaves my hair feeling gummy and coated, and my scalp psoriasis has been acting up again.
I read a blog saying that coffee grounds are good exfoliants in this case -- the acid strips the product and the grounds massage the scalp skin.
Last wash, I gave this a go before shampooing with the bar. It's a terrible mess, but I'm used to that from my coffee scrubs. It left my scalp feeling much better and not at all psoriatic, but my hair still felt gummy.
I'm reading more troubleshooting -- which says 1. Rinse way longer than with regular shampoo, and 2. On long hair, don't coat the ends. Let the long rinse be enough to coat the rest.
I'll keep trying -- if not now, then in the summer. I think it would be so convenient to travel with this bar.
For now, I'm going to mix it up with sample packets I have on hand. (One good zero waste tip I was given was not to immediately throw out anything that doesn't suit that lifestyle. That defeats the purpose. Use what you have on hand until it is gone.)
3. FOUNDATION
The Ordinary coverage foundation, natural + pink undertones, ordered from well.ca has been a godsend for my combination oily + dry skin, which periodically suffers from both eczema and cystic acne. I'm relatively confident about my appearance, save for this one lifelong battle. I don't know if it is yoga or vitamins or this, but it has been so clear since the day I slathered it in this foundation, even in stressful periods of time.
I don't like a cakey or thick foundation, and this one is nice and light and my skin feels like it breathes. My skin now almost feels clear enough to go without these days. That's a novelty to me. Someday.
Original goal list posted here
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