Five easy, cheap "low-waste" body care ideas for sweaty person summer
simple, cheap, and not a huge time suck or source of body dysphoria
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I have been watching/reading some “minimalist” content, and I know that springtime/early summertime often means we’re bombarded with “beauty”—or capitalist body modification—bullshit. Also, we’re in like a weird perfume moment?
I feel like I’ve also heard that some folks value more concrete, easy-to-try tips/tricks that I use in my own life to spend less money.
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, I try not to mention specific products because I am NOT trying to get you to buy things you do NOT need, but if you’re already going to buy something that falls into one of these categories, and you’re already looking for a more sustainable or affordable option, then these are some choices I personally use and value. Also, none of this is sponsored. It’s just what I like.
SWAP 1) Your Gilette/Venus/Harry’s razor cartridges for a safety razor
We all know this, but you don’t have to shave or remove any body hair. Do what you want! I’m sure you know the giant, plastic-y blades that have like three razors for the “smoothest shave” or whatever. They’re like $30, they’re covered in plastic, and, if you have sensitive skin (which I do) it mostly means sharp cuts on your legs, razor bumps, or skin irritation.
I originally came to the swap here because I’d have horrible dry skin that, when I put deodorant on after shaving, burned, and I felt like there must be a better option.
The much cheaper, sustainable option is a shaving method that has literally been around since 1762!
Essentially, instead of having to buy those hefty plastic cartridges that only work with specific brands, you’re using any kind of shaving razor blade and placing it into a safety razor of any model.
I love, and personally use, Albatross zero-waste razors. A safety razor, with 10 blades, costs $24.99! I have had this razor for like three years, and I still haven’t used all the blades. On their website, 10 replacement blades (and you can shave with both sides of the blade) cost $4. Yep.
Plus, you can send back blades for recycling or collect them all in a coffee can and drop them in your regular metal recycling.
I will say, you have to adjust the angle at which you shave anything versus how you use a traditional razor, but there are tons of tutorials or videos online if you’re nervous.
Basically, a safety razor uses one, single razor blade placed between a metal head and plate (to keep it from moving) and those attach to a body. (Nowadays, there are some multiple-blade sustainable razors like Leaf, which I haven’t used so I can’t speak to.)
I use a “butterfly” safety razor, which basically means instead of totally unscrewing the head of the razor, you twist the handle and it “opens” the top of the razor head like butterfly wings, and you place the razor inside, like thus:
Like anything, you can now by fancy, “luxury” versions of safety razors that are $70, but I think that’s ridiculous. There’s even one commonly sold at CVS or Wal-Mart for like $20, and it’s totally fine. You should not need to spend more than $30-40 for the razor plus some blades.
The only word of caution is if you, or someone in your home, has an issue with sharps or self-harm, I would be careful having these around. Also, make sure to store them out of reach of minors and pets!
SWAP 2) Shampoo/hair/face/skin soap bars > liquid shampoo and cleansers
I grew up with dandruff, and I thought that meant I would have to use Head & Shoulders liquid shampoo for the rest of my life. Now, I’m a human and not a robot, so I do, sometimes, dabble in a little bit of Head & Shoulders if I’m somewhere where the air is really dry (and it dries out my scalp).
But, for the most part, I have a couple of shampoo products I rotate between: the Lush Soak & Float bar, which is made specifically for sensitive scalps, and the “Soothe” HiBAR shampoo bar.
Back when I started using shampoo bars in like 2012, I found that they could be really drying, which made my dandruff worse. I’ve found that formulations have eased, and HiBAR is especially good at a bar that doesn’t make my hair feel that “squeaky-clean” feeling that sometimes happens to my skin.
Also, when I used to dye and bleach my hair many colors (green, purple, blue, and blonde) from like 2016-2018, and again in 2022-2023, I found that shampoo bars were more drying. For those reasons, if you dye your hair, I might recommend something like a “co-wash” bar, which a few companies make, and is basically like a super, super gentle hair bar that has very few cleansing ingredients and more moisture.
SWAP 3) Plastic-free deodorant
Deodorant in plastic containers is the easiest swap here, I think. Plus, have you, like me, experienced the frustration of dropping a plastic deodorant container and then it somehow breaks the internal mechanism and you can’t get the deodorant out? Yep. A paper tube can’t really break!
I’m not a brand snob about deodorant, but the ones I’ve found the most useful as a person who, I will admit, is sweaty and also does a lot of outside exercise, are NATIVE and ATTITUDE. I particularly love ATTITUDE’s sensitive skin one that uses oat. It has no real fragrance, but a nice soothing texture.
Now, I’m not a person who thinks antiperspirant causes cancer. Most scientific research doesn’t reflect this pseudoscientific idea, either. But I am a person who rewears shirts— the more you rewear, the less water and soap you use up, and wear-and-tear on your clothes from washing. I found over the years that conventional anti-perspirant, because of the aluminum content, would stain the pits of my shirts. So, I switched to plastic-free deodorant instead.
SWAP 4) Unscented face oil and/or minimal moisturizer and cleanser
I love that “clean beauty,” while still a part of the capitalist scam, embraces less chemical fragrances, but I don’t love how it adds 8 million essential oils, which make many people’s skin, mine included, reactive.
For the last year and a half, I’ve used basically no skincare products other than jojoba oil and a bar of soap. Now that the weather is getting warmer, and I’m washing my face more (due to sweat, sunscreen, etc.), I am using a super gentle cleanser and an unscented moisturizer. That’s it.
I have a mild case of rosacea, and my all-time favorite cleanser, that multiple dermatologists told me was 100% fine to use on my skin, was unscented goat milk soap. I get mine from this farm in Florida that will sell them to you online without any unnecessary packaging — we love that.
SWAP 5) I don’t use perfume, and my sensitive skin is happy
Perfume is having a total moment right now, which I’m most interested in because history shows that perfume sales went up after the Spanish influenza of 1913, too.
I used to like perfume, but a few things have made me like it from afar:
I realized I have exercise-induced asthma
I have a dog who is sensitive to smells
A perfume I used to love once gave me a sudden, intense burning rash in the middle of an (in-person) meeting and I proceeded to try and subtly scratch it, which did not work, and people asked me if I was okay
I used the perfume I had up, and I didn’t feel like buying new perfume
This is the swap that I’ll freely admit I have the least scientific knowledge of. Some perfume swears it uses “natural fragrance.” I’ve also read “natural fragrance” can be just as bad for the environment—because instead of one small test tube of rose smell, you need actually like 2,000 roses—and I do know from skincare world that essential oils can be really concerning for sensitive-skinned folk, which includes me.
So I just decided to not, and while I do like a nice perfume bottle, I’m totally fine.
Do you have cheap, sustainable home or body care practices you swear by? Let me know in the comments!