Our high school biology teacher used to tell us that shampoo was a “Madison Avenue lie.” He’d stand before the class, proudly stroke his overgrown bowl haircut, and say, “Look! I wash my hair with ivory soap and it comes out fine!”
OK, he was a little crazy, and we won’t go so far as to recommend using bar soap on your tresses (ugh!), but dear Mr. Fitz did have something of a point. He instilled in us a cynical eye… a desire to be empowered consumers, not to be lured by silly marketing or brand names… and to think about how products marketed for one thing can be used in other ways.
Case in point?
We’ve learned that cheap, tear-free baby shampoo doubles as a killer eye-makeup remover. That in a pinch, a dab of toothpaste dries up a zit. That on a warm day, an easy deep conditioning treatment involves coating hair in olive oil, wrapping it in plastic wrap, and sitting in the sun.
We’ve been known to use moisturizer as a hair gel and we have friends who swear that diluted apple cider vinegar is an amazing facial toner.
Now it’s your turn. How do you re-purpose ordinary products to extraordinary effects? What ‘off-brand’ uses do you find for the stuff in your cabinets?
(While we’re all for creativity, please no active ingredient chemical/prescription thingy’s that may do more harm than good–you know, like birth control pills ground with mortar and pestle, mixed with shave cream, and used as an insect repellent.)
Click comments above to leave your reply. The most creative, economical, savvy answer wins a copy BITCHES ON A BUDGET! Last day to post March 7.
The initial question that’s generally asked is whether or not coconut oil is healthy to use. Manufacturers of other oils have long attempted to smear coconut oil as a poor oil due to the fact it’s chiefly composed of saturated fats. Aren’t those the bad fats? In several cases they are, but within the case of coconut oil their makeup is really distinct from many other oils. Coconut oil is largely made up of medium chain fatty acids that happen to be wholesome. Most other saturated fats can’t say this. The stableness saturated fats helps make sure that coconut oil will not break down into trans fatty acids and free radicals when exposed to higher heat.
White toothpaste takes hair color out of your porous surfaces, like the bathroom sink.
Rinse your mouth with milk (yep milk) to harden soft spots from acid damage on your teeth. Just swish through teeth like mouthwash and don’t eat or drink anything for 30 minutes. It takes awhile to work, several weeks but is cheaper than sensodyn or act restoring mouthwash. Milk strengthens teeth not only from the inside but by the actual calcium getting ON the teeth and re-calcifying them. Ask the dentist, he’ll tell you I’m right. Doesn’t work on cavities.
Coffee grounds reduce the appearance of cellulite. This IS messy. About a half hour before showering, place 1/4 cup wet used coffee grounds in 1/8 cup of any thick non-oil based lotion. Rub it on your thighs. Leave on for 30 minutes. You can optionally wrap in plastic wrap for an added spa effect that will help reduce some water retention for some superficial results. Takes about 3-4 weeks to start to see results. 6 weeks you’ll notice your cellulite looks less or gone. But it’s only visibly reduced. It’s still there. Stop doing this and it will return.
A note: For things like this, it’s worthwhile to buy a pattern for a sweatsuit and sew yourself a pair of sweatpants made from an old plastic shower curtain. This way you can put on your wrap and wear it around the house while doing other things.
Speaking of wrap, another good body wrap can be made from honey, tea and oatmeal. This is an intense detoxifier and moisturizer. Brew 2-4 cups of green tea. You can optionally brew 2 cups and mix in 2 cups of another liquid like cream (for protien & moisture) or juice (for extra vitamins) etc. Then add 1 tbsp honey and 2 cups of oats, ground (use a blender).
Use soap to clean soap scum. Seems odd but my mom told me this and I didn’t believe it until I tried it. Using Ivory soap, wipe the tub down and let it sit. Any grime will come off easier when you scrub it. The soap breaks down the soap. Stunned me but the tub was whiter than I ever seen it (which grosses me out but at least now I know)
Egg Whites are a good 15 minute conditioner for the hair. NO PERMS PLEASE. Egg Whites will strip your perm and return you to your nappy roots. This is a natural hair only remedy.
Toothpaste on a burn works great to take the sting out
Original Listerine works great as an insect repellant
Used Coffee Grounds for lots of stuff … Gets the Garlic/Onion smell off of your hands–just scoop a little, squirt of soap & wash hands like normal–smell is gone, hands are smooth–great exfoliator. Can also use it in the shower as an exfoliator. Acid loving plants love to be dressed with the grounds too. I dump the used grounds in an old container & keep it right on the counter next to the sink.
Brown sugar and boiled olive oil with the juice of a squeezed orange or lemon makes a great body scrub.
Left over hair conditioner works wonders when you need to soften your leg hair to shave. You can stick it on your cuticles for a minute to soften cuticles and you can rub it on clothing (lightly) to get rid of static cling.
Mayonnaise, 1tsp olive oil and leftover avocado are great for distressed, fried hair. Simply mix 3 dallops of mayo, 1 tsp of olive oil and 1/3 of an avocado. you can mix it by hand or in a mixer. Then place it on dry hair under a shower cap. After 20 minutes, rinse well then wash it ONCE and then use conditioner.
Superglue is the best thing for smaller cuts when you don’t have a bandage.
I sometimes use shampoo for color treated hair for my laundry when I run out of detergent. It makes my clothes smell great and it’s gentle enough to use on my clothes.
When I get burnt from the sun, I put white vinegar on a washcloth and place it on my skin to take the sting away. Sure, it smells but it works wonders.
I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve that haven’t made the list yet!
*I know this is a bit cliche, but cucumbers on eyes to reduce under eye circles/bags… but, to be a little less cliche, Potatoes do the trick too, grated with a cheese grater and put on the eyes (closed of course!!!). Another thing that works is Almond oil. I have tried numerous things, because I have dealt with dark circles for a while.
*As a nanny, I have had to deal with head lice in my day-to-day work (job hazard, I guess). I found that original flavored Listerine kills the nits/lice, and you can comb them out. Then massaging coconut oil on the scalp will ensure that there is minimal irritation. Another way to kill the little buggers (pun intended) is to slather mayonnaise on the scalp and hair, leave on for 2 hours (yeah, I know its gross, but its better than those toxic fume-emitting chemicals and shampoos!!!). Then you just have to comb through to get the bugs out.
*Dry skin remedy (safe for use on facial skin too): 1 banana+1 papaya (or peach or avocado) mashed up together into a puree (you can do it in a food processor) spread on your skin, leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then follow with a very, very thin coat of Olive oil. I swear by this, as I have very dry patches of skin on my face and arms, and it does the trick.
*Oily skin remedy (safe for use on facial skin too): Puree a fresh, uncooked tomato, then spread on oily skin. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, then rinse. Or, you can use this: 1 part apple cider+1 part water+1/2 part Witch hazel combined in a spray bottle. Mist on oily skin, or apply with cotton ball. Enjoy the tips, my fellow Bitches!!!
Hey all you fellow B’s on a budget. Here are my two top-secret, money-saving beauty secrets.
We all have those days where we wake up to that extremely unwanted blemish that just so happens to come at the worst possible time…. but there is a quick & easy fix. If you chop up that tomato lying around the house, add a tsp. of lemon juice, and blend all of that with instant style oatmeal (or old fashioned rolled oats), you have yourself an instant tomato blemish treatment. Just apply to skin, let sit for 10 minutes, and rinse
My Number Two go-to home remedy secret is my high-antioxidant blueberry toner mask. All you need is 3 tablespoons of steamed, crushed blueberries and 1/2 Cup of sour cream or plain yogurt. Throw it all into a blender on low speed, apply to face and neck, let sit for 15-20 minutes, and you have yourself a cheap and easy mask toner. MY SAVVY B HINT: Make this mask the day you plan to use it, and do not store.
& Did you know, Blueberry Yogurt can add a red tint to your hair?? It’s true and really cute!
Ohmygoodness – there are so many!
~I keep olive oil in the shower – dab it on after shower, while your body is still moist and it’ll soak into your skin best. Leaves you super-soft! Great for a once-a-month deep hair conditioner, too.
~Vinegar is an awesome foot soak and will take odor away as well as soften the skin and remove impurities, like fungus.
~Chamomile tea and lemon juice on my blonde hair keeps it shiny.
~Toothpaste on a zit dries it up.
~Yogurt (plain) is a great moisturizing face mask.
~For sunburn, keep apple cider vinegar in the shower and pour it over the burn. After it dries, apply aloe vera – fresh plant is you have it. (I always keep some growing)
~Gross, but apply a potato slice (raw) to an external hemorrhoid for a few minutes – it’ll take down the swelling and make you more comfortable
~Teabags on baggy/tired eyes. The tanic acid will tighten them up. Also works on above.
~Tea Tree Oil for most any skin irritation
~Witch Hazel for an astringent
~Mayo for a deep hair conditioner, once a month.
~Baking soda in your laundry, in your fridge, on the cat litter and to brush your teeth with.
~Avon Skin-so-soft for any kind of bug repellent. Works in a pinch on animals until you can get them a better flea repellent.
~sugar used as a skin exfoliant.
~local honey in season (i.e. produced in fall, summer…) for whatever that season’s allergies are – one tablespoon daily will keep them under control.
~cornstarch baby powder on your brush will soak up excess oil or freshen hair when you don’t have time to shampoo.
~Vasaline is great on eyelashes when you are out of mascara and even a great eyelash conditioner over night
~for swimmer’s ear, put about 5 or 6 drops of vinegar in each ear. vinegar is also awesome for cleaning almost any surface.
~sore throat, gargle with salt water – about a teaspoon to half a glass of warm water.
~flat beer is a great hair conditioner
~dryer sheets to control static cling (rub them on the clothing), control foot odor (put them in shoes), repel mosquitoes, rub on your dog when it has wet-dog-smell, and rub on a needle if it’s not going through fabric easily.
~that’s all I can think of. I’m sure I’d be posting all night if I put my mind to it.
I can’t choose just ONE household item, so here’s my top 4:
1) I am always being “gifted” bar soaps, which are really harsh on my skin…SO, I use them in lieu of household cleaners. They’re great! I just rub some on a wet cloth and clean counters, shelves, even spills on my floor. It’s also a great stain remover for carpets!
2) Olive oil…I use it once a week as a deep conditioner. I heat 1/4 cup of it in the microwave, saturate the ends of my hair with it, braid my hair, sleep in a shower cap and rinse in the morning. Silky soft!
3) Cheap conditioner, like Suave…I use this as “shaving cream.” I get FAR less nicks and cuts than if I use regular shaving cream.
4) Mesh laundry hampers…I use these to sort my recycling. They take up less space than bulky, plastic bins, and they actually hold MORE than those bins!
I use Olive Oil, sea salt and essential oils for a scrub when my hands are dry. The salt exfoliates, the olive oil hydrates and essentials smell delish…just add a little water. After, my hands are so smooth and silky. Cheapy, cheap, cheap! I use coconut oil after a shower for a beautiful glow and soft skin all day and I use it with sugar for a body scrub.
Diluted Lemon Juice – emergency deodorant ( with a few drops water , under the arms )
Thin slice of tomato over the face…quick AHA – fruit acid concentrated mask… but sensitive skins, please dilute with a little water
Plain low fat milk – great to wipe off make up. and leave on for a bit before splashing water… the low fat content makes a great moisturiser
Pineapple – very small thin piece also makes a great face brightener… just rub on.
Coconut oil…just after your bath,dab dry and apply on damp skin, with a few sprays of your favourite vanilla based/cinnamon based perfume…keeps you moisturised and skin smelling good for AGES. even when you give your clothes to launder, they will be smelling just great. I feel like a movie star. My BED smells of my perfume. And its not overpowering… try it. it doesn’t stain clothes if you do not overdo it. Err on the side of caution with quantities until you get the mix right
I use toothpaste to remove marks on the wall . White toothpaste. Not those colored jell kind.
Don’t waste money on facial scrubs (or other body scrubs)! While you can mix regular sugar with other more expensive items mentioned above (honey, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.)….just plain water will do as well! Adjusting the amount of water in the sugar will allow you to adjust the courseness of the scrub. It works great on the face to work off dead skin cells!
Dawn dish liquid to cleanse hair of all the gunk we use everyday, just use it once every couple weeks tho, or it will dry the hair out. (They use it on ducks that are trapped in oil spills, so yes, it is safe) Be sure to apply a good conditioner afterwards tho!!
honey, cinnamon & flax meal mixed together for a great facial, also good to mix in oatmeal for lots of fiber!! (dont use the leftovers from the facial tho)
I love all the ideas submitted, & I am sure gonna be trying them out too!! Thanks Bitches!!!
Condiitioner…..You know how there is always left over conditioner…that goes with the awesome shampoo you bought….I use leftover conditioner to shave me legs instead of shaving cream…Its less harsh than shaving creams, reduces razor burn, moisturizes my skin and smells awesome!
Chapstick on sore cuticles is best remedy I’ve ever found, jut rub it in a couple of times a day for a day or two and it’s healed!
I use olive oil to moisturize my cuticles and I use hair conditioner on my legs for shaving. It makes my legs super soft!
Raw Honey is much more than just a satisifier to your palate. Honey offers incredible antiseptic, antioxidant, and debriding attiributes that benefit from the simplest cosmetic glitch of skin care of face masks and hair products to the more complex, extraordinary healing powers for major wounds. No home should be without a quart jar of raw honey in their cabinet. (check you local farmer’s market and roadside tables)
A dab will hold a hairbow on a bald newborn. Mixed with apple vinegar cider as an elixer, you can manage and possilbe cure disease processes such as burns, osteoporosis, high cholestorol, high blood pressure, bad breath, heat exhaaustion, brittle nails, etc..In the wound care world, honey has dmonstrated it’s extraordinary healing powers for uses skin ulcers, bed sores, wounds, boils and abscesses. Look for Manuka or Medihoney for these types of wounds.
But the big one that everyone wants to knowabout is WEIGHT LOSS! Refined sugars lack minerals and vitamins and are often called empty calories. They draw upon the body’s nutrients to be metabolized into the system, and when these nutrients are depleted, metabolizing of cholesterol and fatty acid is impeded, contributing to higher cholesterol and promoting obesity due to higher fatty acid on the organs and tissues.
The GOOD NEWS is HONEY, a natural sweetener, contains 22 amino acids and a variety of minerals essential for its metabolism and hence is helpful in preventing obesity. It is believed that drinking lemon juice with a little honey the first thing in the morning is an effective anti-cellulite treatment as it helps to increase body metabolism. If you are determined to shed weight and speed up your sluggish metabolism, try this honey and lemon diet tip. If you like, another very popular recipe associated with honey and weight loss is a drink that uses honey and cinnamon as ingredients. Many people have found this home remedy very effective in losing pounds. The steps are easy: Dissolve half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder (or ground cinnamon) in a cup of boiling water. Stir the mixture and cover for half an hour. Filter away any big particles and add a teaspoon of honey. Take it in the morning with an empty stomach about half an hour before breakfast.
I discovered that Baking Soda is a really great product not just for cleaning, laundry & deodorizing but for beauty, the best for blemishes! I had an “under the skin” boil and it brought it out overnight! This thing was reoccurring and would NOT go away. But Its forever gone NOW!
Great also for bath soak, body scrub, facial scrub (occasionally), foot soak and so much more!!! Baking soda is my HOLY GRAIL. There are so many uses you have to google it to find them all. Its cheap too! Got 12 lbs at Costco for 5 bucks.
I mix the remain of leftover shampoo and lotion together for filling the handsoap dispensers. You using up all the products that no one in the house want to use for one reason or the other and you now have a nice smelling, low lather handsoap.
I love all the remedies submitted so far. Can’t wait to try some!
I use baking soda for deodorant … organic neem oil for all over moisturizer (put on damp skin for best results) … olive oil to remove eye makeup.
After years of all-over dry skin, the neem oil has worked magic!
-mix a little cornmeal in with your face wash—it makes a great exfoliator
-instead of spending an add’l fortune on my fragrance’s matching body lotion, i mix a glob of unscented drugstore lotion and a spritz of my eau de toilette in the palm of my hand, and use that instead….
i use tooth PASTE, not gel, on blemishes…quick and cheap for beautiful skin.
Tea tree oil for everything! A little on a cotten ball under arms keeps bacteria away so I don’t need deodorant, a little on a cotten ball after i wax my bikini area keeps the “bumps” away, just a dab on a zit dries them right up! I use a few drops in the laundry to keep the clothes from smelling “sour”. I put some in a spray bottle mixed w/ water for cleaning around the house.
Tea bags are my cure all,well not literally,but I use them for many different uses.
My daughter had a BAD spider bite that swelled up her leg and was extremely sensitive to the touch, I made a cup of tea,drained the teabag, let it cool for a few minutes so it wouldn’t burn her and sprinkled salt over the teabag. We applied this to the spider bite until the teabag cooled. I continued to do this and the next afternoon the bite began draining and teabag applications continued to draw all the spider venom out of her leg. The swelling went down and her leg began to heal, all without super strong antibiotics.
I’ve used the same for bee or wasp stings and even pesky mosquito bites on the kids.
Also great for sties on the eye. I get these as a reaction to allergens, well the salted tea bag placed on my eye before bed helps the sty drain throughout the night so the redness and swelling isn’t as bad in the morning.
Another successful use of the salted tea bag is for zits!
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil…the small molecular structure allows it to penetrate hair and skin. It is the best deep conditioner, great mixed with brown sugar as a body scrub and to make lips super soft. Also, you can mix it with coarse Sea Salt for a really invigorating body scrub.
It really makes your skin so soft – apply right after a warm shower! Also great to use on rough/dry feet overnight with socks on.
A little goes a long way! If you have dry/frizzy or coarse/curly hair, use a little on damp or dry hair to tame it. It’s all natural, inexpensive and smells great – very mild!
Chap stick on paper cuts. Really soothes the sting. And lemon juice in my blonde hair after a day in the pool gets rid of the green tinges and brings out the sun streaked highlights.
Drinking Green Tea (store brand, hehe) everyday keeps me a creative & economical crafter
Love the way it makes me feel & I swear my skin looks better too!
i use olive oil to remove wax after waxing at home.
For canker sores, I rinse my mouth out with hydrogen peroxide…it’s also a tooth whitener!
I use Preparation-H (actually, I use the store brand) under my eyes to tighten up the skin there. There is some ingredient in hemorrhoid cream that “shrinks swollen tissues”, and it really works! I prefer the cream, as opposed to the ointment, as it’s less greasy.
I use witch hazel as a facial toner. It’s great to remove any lasting makeup that cleanser does not get out and leaves skin feeling clean and not dried out.
I also use peroxide to remove stains in laundry, on mildew and grout, around sink fixtures, and if you put it in a spray bottle you can mist the shower down to prevent soap scum buildup, mold and mildew- costs much less than the every day shower cleaners and no nasty chemicals.
Baking soda and vinegar unclogs drains and cleans everything!!!!
For all you flip-flop lovin’, sandal wearin’, backless shoe sportin’ B’s — baby oil and aloe vera mixed together then rubbed on your heels is my miracle cracked heel remedy!
I rub Vasoline or petroleum jelly from the dollar store into my hands and wear white gloves to bed at night. Cheapest moisterizer I’ll ever find and it produced smooth hands!
For face mask: Mash up a banana and put it on your face, leave it on 20 mins.
Apple Cider Vinegar (diluted) makes a great clarifying rinse for your hair! Do this about once a month to get rid of any product build up! And your hair ends up really shiny
I use honey on my chapped lips. It softens them and they stay moist under lipstick. Best of all, it is all natural.
Olive oil, Olive oil, Olive oil. My mom swears by it. I have dry hair and dry skin, it’s great for both- keeps hair nice and shiny and soft, and actually absorbs quite well in th. A little on your fingertips (just a little) makes a great conditioner for eyelashes. A tablespoon or two swallowed in the morning helps keep you uh, regular. Also, you can slather it on and wrap your feet in plastic wrap for a great exfoliator. Works the same way for hands.
I have a few tips.
A little Vaseline rubbed thru my hair makes the curls more defined….just use a little- too much makes you look greasy!
Baking soda mixed with your facial cleanser makes a good and cheap face scrub.
Brown sugar and olive oil mixed together make a lovely body scrub in the shower.