Simplify Your Skin: De-clutter Your Beauty Products & Make Your Own!

When it comes to beauty products we all have slight hoarder tendencies! Unsure of what we should keep or bin, sometimes we all just need a little guidance. Please welcome back natural beauty expert Militza from Little Green Dot with her top tips for de-cluttering your beauty products and finding your own simple, effective solutions, once and for all! 

There’s something so hopeful about a new bottle of shampoo. The idea that this may be “the one”. The product that changes everything! But of course, it never really works that way and you end up with growing collections of half-empty bottles cluttering up the bathroom.

You may find yourself looking for tips on organising – but what I’ve noticed is that organisational solutions are a bit like a band-aid. Sure, putting things that you don’t use in labeled containers makes it look neater, but if we’re honest, it’s a still just a contained mess.

The question is: How do we de-clutter for good? The excess bottles, the mess and the bin to store it all in.

If you’re struggling with clutter or want to simplify your beauty routine, I’m excited to share these tips on how to de-clutter your beauty products for good. It’s a process, but I’ve seen such a massive change in my life and among the hundreds of students that I teach in my Simplify Your Skin workshops.

1. Stay Away
Remember that beauty products are designed to grab your attention and convince you that you have a problem that needs fixing (thanks a lot!). You may have walked into the store feeling just fine about yourself. But before you know it you’re looking at pore-minimising powders and age-defying creams that you had no intention of buying.

It’s time to give the beauty business your cold shoulder. Stay away from the beauty departments; it’s like hanging around your inner mean girl. Give yourself this one rule: no impulse buys. We want to avoid buying into a negative message and products that we know nothing about: how they’re made, what’s in them and what we’re putting onto our skin. It’s very empowering to say “I’m worth taking the time to know”.

2. Go Natural
One of the more surprising things I’ve noticed is how the skin transforms when we stop using all the stuff! The very products that we buy to improve our skin may be what’s causing the problems that you see. Try this Weekend Skin Detox: for two days use nothing on your face that comes from a bottle or a store. No soap, no lotion, no make-up.

Instead, use whole foods straight from your kitchen to care for your skin. It’s a fantastic way to not only clear up your skin, but also to see how little you actually need.

Cleanser: wash your face with pure honey! Make sure it’s real honey so that you get all the antibacterial and cleansing properties. Wet your hands and face and then massage one tablespoon of honey onto your face. Leave it on for a minute or two, then rinse it off with warm water and a soft cloth.

Toner: apple cider vinegar may not smell beautiful… but it’s one of the best ways to tone and re-balance your skin! In a bottle, mix a solution of 1/4 cup of water or rosewater with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Mix well.

After your cleanser, wipe the toner all over your face with a cotton pad.

Moisturise: lock in all the moisture with a nourishing plant oil. Not only will it keep your skin soft and hydrated, but it also feeds your skin important vitamins and nutrients that build healthy cells. Simply dab 1/4 teaspoon of oil onto your face and neck — a little goes a long way!

• For all skin-types: use jojoba oil or sunflower oil

• For oily/combo skin: grape seed oil or almond oil

• For dry skin: use argan oil or avocado oil

You can play with blending them too. Make sure your oil is cold pressed, virgin and unrefined to get all the beneficial properties.

Herbal Hair Rinse: remove product build-up and soften your locks with an herbal hair rinse. Mix 2 cups of hot water with 2 springs of fresh rosemary. Let it infuse for 15 minutes then remove the rosemary and add one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

In the shower, slowly pour the herbal rinse over your scalp with one hand. With the other hand, massage the scalp, making sure the rinse falls down to the ends of your hair. Rinse with water and you’re done! Work in a small drop of your plant oil moisturizer to seal in your locks.

Once you see the results, you may be tempted to stop buying all the extras. I hope these tips help you move towards a simpler and more empowering lifestyle! It’s given me the space to discover what makes me feel and look my best. And what I’ve realised is that it’s something that you won’t ever find in a bottle.

But what I’ve noticed is that in becoming a more mindful shopper is that it’s given me a sense of confidence that I didn’t expect. Its empowering to read marketing and think: no, I don’t need that. It’s also really fulfilling to come across a small brand who make things well to know their story.

Simplifying is not about sacrificing. It’s curating your life. Surrounding yourself with things that make you feel good, that hold a story, meaning, usefulness and beauty to you. For me, it’s been a big change in perspective, working towards simplifying my life. To eliminate the clutter, I had to first eliminate this idea that a shampoo will make me feel happier somehow. Admittedly, I still work on that.

I share more recipes and tips for simplifying your life on my website Little Green Dot. After years of teaching in-person workshops, the Simplify Skin workshop will soon be available online! Sign up to the newsletter to get more details.