Stop buying your favorite fancy cosmetics? I’m talking to both women and men here. (In fact, at Queercents, I may be a little more to men!) You can savecosmetics.jpg money while saving your health by buying simpler, more natural products and using them sparingly.

I know, I’m such a kill-joy. As a self-identified Femme, I know that this suggestion might feel painful to some. Getting rid of a favorite deodorant, shaving cream, cologne or lip gloss can feel to some of us like losing part of our identity!

Do some research on the chemicals in your products and read the studies done on cancer-causing preservatives, genital feminization in male rats and destruction of plant and animal species near manufacturing plants. You may realize that the FDA has almost no control over what goes into products (the CTFA does it’s own industry tests, paid for by the cosmetics companies themselves.) I don’t think you should stop looking and smelling clean and pretty. I’m suggesting replacing products, changing habits and saving money. Here’s how to do it:

Sit down with all of your favorite products on the table near your computer and look up the ingredients in the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetic Safety Database. Read the charts about harm to humans and the environment, carcinogens and look at the hazard rating. If you are scared, appalled? You may have been spending your hard-earned money on something that can cause you harm.

How to Start Over: (excerpts from Beauty For Feminists, the book I’m writing)

“1. Dump as much of it into the trash as possible, not the drain. The fish are scared of it too!

2. Recycle the container if you can or save the container for re-use.

3. Feel guilty for wasting, but for only a second.

4. Feel your grief, it’s the end of a relationship.

5. Think about making some simple and fresh home-made beauty aids. There are many books with recipes and your local health food store may have a newsletter with recipes. If you have spare time, these can be made fairly quickly and cheaply and shared with friends. Store in fridge.

6. Look for new products you can feel better about. Does anyone in town make stuff? It might be a local company (buy locally!) or it may be one of the less expensive organic paraben-free products at the health food store. I recommend Jason products for frugality, MyChelle or Earth Science (they both have great mens stuff). Or you can replace soaps with Dr. Bronner’s, toners with rosewater or witch hazel and moisturizers with pure aloe.

More Ideas for Buying
(This is in my order of importance, your order might be different!)

1. Free of human-made chemicals and synthetic fragrances.

2. Caters to people of all colors.

3. Is Affordable to you.

4. Ecologically friendly production and packaging including recycled post consumer
packaging, a company that does it’s own bottle recycling, refillable steel containers, does not contain extra packaging like boxes around bottles or tubes or cellophane.

5. Is not tested on animals. However, tested on willing, informed humans is a good thing.

6. Works well and is easy to use.

7. Smells good to you”

8. Now, use more sparingly than you may be used to and you will buy less often. Keep lids tightly sealed so things don’t try up. Keep in a cool, dark place so natural ingredients don’t go bad.”

Amy at Personal Finance Advice lists number 5 of her “Costly Secrets Cosmetics Companies Don’t Want You to Know” as:

“5. Expensive cosmetics are not better than cheap ones: Often, the same company will produce both an expensive and an inexpensive line under different brand names, and the products will contain virtually identical ingredients.”

For instance, Lancome is the same as L’Oreal, just pricier. They both have the same scary ingredients.

Now, if you’re the type who doesn’t buy a whole lot in the cosmetics/personal care department and you usually go for something like “Suave,” consider actually making a bit more of an investment in your health in the health of the environment.