A long time ago, I read some random, trivial "study" that asserted the average American woman uses something like 25 products on a daily basis as a part of her grooming regimen. Well, I think it was 25. But I can't really remember, and I can't find the study online now. I remember thinking that seemed awfully high, though. So I counted how many I use.
Don't worry--I wouldn't tease you by bringing this up and then not detailing for you every single thing I use. Because I know the meaningless minutia of my life is all that keeps you going some days.
So. On days when I shower, which is generally every other day if I haven't been performing some kind of nasty manual labor (no chorus of "ewwwws" out there--Americans bathe too much), here's what my list looks like:
1) Shampoo
2) Conditioner
3) Body wash
4) Soap (just for my face)
5) Shaving cream
6) Lotion (fun fact: my Louisiana mother calls this "cream"--must be a pseudo-French thing)
7) In the summer, lotion with sunscreen for my face
8) Deodorant
9) Mousse or gel
10) Hairspray (I would dispense with those last two entirely if I didn't have curly hair with a tendency towards Janis Joplin poufiness if left untamed)
11) Concealer (if I have, ahem, blemishes)
12) Face powder
And that's it. It seems like a lot when it's listed, but still. That's only about half the average.
Low maintenance. That's me.
What's your Number, duckies?
21 comments:
My number is roughly the same as yours. My sister and mother, however? Double that number. And add a zero. They both take roughly 346736 frillion years to get ready to go ANYWHERE. But the upside is that when I visit either one of them, it's always fun to sample their many products.
I believe it, all my friends are product users! I personally am very simple (and like you I believe in not showering every day and I don't always wash my hair when I shower - usually hair gets washed 2-3 times a week tops).
I used to use a few more products, but then I read the Green Beauty Guide and decided to get rid of unnecessary chemicals in my life (not to mention all the money I save). So now I use:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Dr Bronner's Soap - for body & face (but usually my face just gets splashed with water unless I've used powdered sunscreen). This is also used as toothpaste (the peppermint kind)
Grape Seed Oil for face/hair/body
chapstick (I'm addicted)
If I'm going out I will occationally use a few more producsts like:
deoderant, usually not though (too much aluminum)
mascara
Occationally some powder minderal sunscreen but usually just a hat.
I love being simple in the product category (my husband likes it as well). I can get up, shower and be out the door in about 20 minutes. I don't even use a brush, just pull my wet hair back into a ponytail holder and I'm ready to go!
I know people who use 25+ products each day. Body cream is thicker than body lotion. Perhaps, cream is more popular in the south. Also, my leave in conditioner does wonders for my curls.
Here is my list:
1) Shampoo
2) Leave in Conditioner
3) Body wash (1-2 times a week)
4) Soap
5) Shaving cream (every 1 1/2 weeks)
6) Lotion (3 times a week)
7) Deodorant
I'm on the same shower schedule as you - although if I told my relatives that, they would squirm. Yep, I'm the black sheep, livin' on the edge!
I have an aversion to lotions & creams, where they give me a gag reflex. The smell, the consistency - yuck. I can't be near it. So, I have a moisturizer I use VERY sparingly and VERY rarely. Except that I leave out any makeup and hair products unless I have a meeting to go to. (I work at home). So, I'm down to 6 items most days, but I sure would like to cut down on the deoderant thing. That is a hard habit to break, but the aluminum in that stuff is probably not good.
Anyone else gag when someone starts slathering on the sunscreen within a 20' radius? Ack! Just thinking about it is too much. Gotta go!
I keep thinking I should do more with myself before heading out to work, but the extra time sleeping always wins! I'm at about 6 or 7 products most days. Makeup is a rarity and in the summer I never dry my hair.
I hate showers. I would much rather have a bath and then wash my hair only when it needs it (my hairdresser told me once or twice a week is how often hair should be washed, and that's all I wash it). So, on a day when I'm having a bath AND washing my hair AND leaving the house to be seen in public, I have: shampoo, conditioner, spray gel, body wash (I use a type with shea butter and so I also use it to shave with, so no extra shaving product needed), deodorant, baby powder (I'm addicted), moisturizer, blush and lipstick. So, what's that? Nine. Ten if I use some scented body lotion/cream or some cologne. If I'm staying home, skip the makeup.
your bald brother has
1) Soap
That's it. Use it for everything.
omg. I never thought of myself as low maint......but I don't shower every day (my skin gets horribly dry, but then if I use lotion, my skin gets all....gross), so my routine consists of toothpaste and deodorant.
I use a 2 in 1 shampoo. 1 soap for face and 1 soap for body. Hair spray. Oh, can't forget deoderant and toothpaste. So 6.
*laughs* I use shampoo, soap, and deoderant. I also use a zinc based powder when I get heat rashes (which are plentiful since I'm a big woman). I also use shampoo. Very, very occasionally I use conditioner...maybe once a month?
So, 3 products used 2 or 3 times a week (I agree, Americans bathe too much), and 3 more occasionally.
Does that include makeup, too?
Or the many different lotions (ahem, creams - sorry Frenchies) in every stage of my day (home, purse, car, office, gym bag) and for every conceivable purpose (sunscreen, face moisturizer, hand cream, self-tanner, foot cream, antiseptic cream)?
If so, I'd estimate mine to be around the 25 mark, and it's nearly all lotion or cream of some variety.
I am apparently addicted to emollients.
Good question. Let's see...
No shampoo, I'm a no-pooer.
No conditioner.
Soap.
No toothpaste, I use baking soda.
Aloe vera gel and glycerine - together or separately for moisturizer or lotion.
Grape seed oil or olive oil, as and where necessary.
So that's 3 or 4 or 5.
I feel so pure!
Jenny
PS. How close are you to Lake George?
15 - including about 5 diff types of lotion. Not counting the 10 times I put on lotion over the day.
Moi
Hmmm...I thought I was lower maintenance. I'm a 15 product a day girl, including toothpaste and floss. That's surprising.
Well...I only shower every other day unless I go to the gym. I'm a rebel like that.
Ok...my word captcha is "demoness." Tell me that's not friggin' creepy.
1. shampoo
2. conditioner
3. soap
4. toothpaste
5. hairgel
6. body lotion
7. cortizone for excema
8. spritz of perfume
9. deodorant
10. dental cleaner for retainers.
Huh didn't think my list would be so low.
Jenny: Not close at all.
I thought everyone showered every day???!! My list is pretty low,soap,shampoo,conditioner(I wash my hair every day)deoderant,toothpaste and face cream.
Okay, I wouldn't shower every day if I didn't work in a cube farm, but I just don't feel like it's fair to my co-workers if I'm not freshly showered every morning.
I do have a question for the every-other-day shampooers, though: do you wet down your hair on the non-shampoo days? I have really thick and curly hair, but it's short, and I have horrible bed head so I pretty much have to at least wet my hair down every day.
Other than that, I'm... floss, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, body wash, deodorant, lotion, gel to keep the hair from totally frizzing. I am also one of those who just leaves the house with wet hair, and I love it! So that's only 9, not too bad.
RLS: Yup, wet it down and condition it, even on days when you don't wash it. Curly hair really SHOULDN'T be washed every day, because the shampoo dries it more, leading to more breakage and frizz.
Four... five if you count toothpaste. :-)
I too tend towards showering every other day, barring some unforseen outdoor activity. This is generally what I use:
* Shampoo
* Conditioner (only on days when I've been swimming)
* Face wash
* Soap (currently a blueberry scented one from Maine)
* Sunscreen
* Face lotion w/ sunscreen
* anti-frizz serum (only on the ends of my hair so it doesn't tangle and rip out)
* toothpaste
* hypoallergenic deoderant
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