"The weather is starting to get chilly. While it's keeping my sweat and oil zones in check, there is a downside to more indoor heating: I've never missed my Sara Happ lip balm (pictured) so much in my whole life."
Discovery: Exfoliating daily with raw sugar and a few drops of olive oil really helps get rid of flaky, dry lips. (Tip: Bring oil and use the packets at work.)
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Day 15
"A dermatologist once told me that scrubbing the underarms daily with a loofah may decrease odor, which might be caused by dead skin cells interacting with sweat and dirt, not necessarily sweat itself. I've been using a nylon bath towel like the one pictured to do so. It's totally working. I haven't worn deodorant for days and I still smell faintly of jasmine oil."
Discovery: Exfoliating can also help get rid of body odor. Who knew?
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Day 17
"I had to go to IKEA today, and my gorgeous, tall friend came with me to help lift boxes. (She's taking this picture)."
Discovery: If you're worried about your looks, don't go furniture shopping with a model.
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Day 19
"I can literally see the lint resting on my oily roots like snowflakes. I try to pick it out in the office bathroom and blot my scalp with a paper towel but give up after two tries prove futile. I'm pretty sure I washed my hair two days ago [with my hair/body wash combo] but it looks more like it's been a week."
Discovery: Cornstarch makes a great, non-irritating (due to lack of fragrance) hair powder.
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Day 21
"Sitting in a meeting, I'm very glad that the room is softly lit. However, I'm starting to notice that several women in the office don't look like they wear makeup. And the ones who do look like they don't need to. My self-esteem is up several points."
Discovery: If no one wore makeup, everyone would look good. Food for thought.
We know what you're thinking: Why would anyone in her right mind want to give up her shampoo, conditioner, hairstyling products, skin care products and makeup? But then we thought, with all this talk of harmful ingredients (like the ones mentioned on this list) and the virtue of inner beauty, maybe we could learn a thing or two from a product 'diet.' See what this product junkie discovered when she switched from using 27 products a day to using only body wash and sunscreen for a full month. Her experience may surprise you, and inspire you to think about how many products you really need to look and feel gorgeous every day.
Or maybe after reading this you'll realize that the answer isn't about abandoning products altogether, but looking into your kitchen cabinets for natural ingredients that offer beauty benefits like hydration, oil absorption, etc. These homemade beauty product recipes are all made out of basic edible ingredients -- and they work. Maybe in the spirit of this woman's journey you'll try supplementing some of your bottled products for them.
If you do decide to take a similar challenge, please let us know what your experience was like by commenting on this story.
