Nomad Beauty Favourites ['NO POO', Honey and Oil Routine]
Nomad Beauty Favourites ['NO POO', Honey and Oil Routine]
One of my favourite little routines has always been my beauty regime. I've always loved the whole cleansing, exfoliating and moisturising shenanigans, ever since I first knew what those things were!
I've never really thought much about the products I was using, other than that I liked buying new ones and amassing quite a collection of stuff in my bathroom cupboard.
Once we had begun travelling, I began looking into alternatives for my beauty regime.
It's impossible to travel with the amount of cosmetic products I used to like using at home. I did bring a fair few with me though, I considered them important and felt bereft at the idea of not having them with me to fend off sun and hair damage that this sunny land would inevitably bring.
But the more we travelled the more annoying I was finding lugging all the stuff around.
I am also on an endless journey of trying to make my hair less crap.... Years of hair-dye damage plus it's natural thin texture make it a bit of a nightmare.
I read a lot about the 'no-poo' method, which is basically not using conventional store-bought shampoo and conditioners, in favour of something else, even more basic than an organic shampoo, a popular combo being baking soda and apple-cider vinegar.
I did try this but found the soda made me itch and whilst it was good for a general deep clean, there's a lot of people online who report that it causes hair loss in the long run.
I need to keep as much as I can! So that wasn't an option for me.
Researching it further I happened across some articles online about other ways of looking after my hair and skin, that cost less money and called for less products (and fewer harsh unpronounceable ingredients) BINGO!
I had to do a fair bit of walking around the shops in Brisbane to find the various things, but once I had them all, I was excited to refresh my routine.
Into the bin went my beloved tea-tree face wash, my shampoo and conditioner (yep really, a travellers best friend, gone forever) and my face cream.
A month later, am I walking around with an oil-slick on my head and eight thousand spots on my face?
Hell no!
The changes in my beauty regime have been so much fun and so bloody successful!
So here's my new nomadic beauty routine – Using products which are not only more natural and chemically-kind but which have genuinely improved my hair and skin... I will never go back to conventional beauty products again!
LETS START AT THE TOP....HAIR:
WASHING....
Baking soda and Apple Cider Vinegar ONLY once every-two weeks, or if my hair is seeming dirty.
Plain Water the rest of the time.
I gently massage the shower water into my hair which helps naturally move any oils or dirt off the scalp.
I sometimes use some RAW NATURAL HONEY mixed with water (1 tsp honey to 2 tsp water, although I usually estimate it) on the entirety of my hair – Honey is a natural humectant, it cleanses and moisturizes.
Honey can be a tough one to wash out so only use a small amount, very diluted.
It took a good month for my hair to stop overproducing oil, which it naturally does once you detox it of the normal shampoo you used. Now it feel's baby-soft and clean!
Don't give up! Eventually your hair's oil-production regulates and you feel less down about your limp locks!
CONDITIONING
- I take 3 drops of Jojoba oil (found in various places) and gently massage it the length of my hair focusing on the ends.
Once a week I use ORGANIC COLD-PRESSED UNREFINED COCO-NUT OIL ($11 in Australian Woolworths) and massage a tiny amount into my ends before bed – overnight they drink it up and you don't wake up with greasy locks, but you will if you put it all over your head...
I sometimes put a tiny amount of Lavender oil through my wet hair mainly cause I miss the smell of my conditioner!
PREVENTING HAIR DAMAGE AND LOSS:
I ensure not to rub my hair with a towel when I finish showering as this is unnecessarily harsh on your soft hair strands, and if hair is let to dry completely naturally, it holds onto some of the water from the wash.
I also do not comb my hair when wet – I literally stick my hair up in a towel for two mins then let it sit free to dry naturally.
I totally appreciate most people would want to use heat often to tame their locks – but you can still use the rest of these methods to protect your hair from further damage.
SKIN...
- I use coconut oil for my hands arms and legs, to keep them smooth. I absolutely love using the stuff!
I now swear by the Oil Cleansing method once a week for my face. I combine a tsp of Castor Oil (found at an Organic grocer shop) with 4 drops of Jojoba and massage this into my face and neck. I then apply two hot flannels (I use baby flannels, super soft and small!) and lay them on my face for a couple of minutes. I then rinse them in hot water and gently massage my neck and face. I then rinse with warm water again and finish with a splash of cold.
I find this really does clean out my pores, and leaves my skin looking genuinely radiant and plump.
I wash my face with the raw honey and some warm water followed up with a splash of cold – I do this most days, and rub it in gently to my t-zone. It really does clean and moisturise.
I then apply a small amount of Jojoba Oil onto my face and neck. I pat it in and it provides just the right amount of moisture!
I would combine organic brown sugar or baking soda with honey to create an exfoliant but I have found my skin isn't really crying out for any abrasion thanks to the oil cleansing!
At night I use castor oil as an eye cream and lip balm. I massage the oil into my lashes and brows (it's said to promote growth, but it is also a great moisturiser).
Try to be consistent with these methods, even if your skin seems happy enough, it still needs to be cleaned and moisturised.
I tried all this stuff for fun, but these methods are backed up by various people online - for their skin and hair benefits, and the fact they are devoid of the nasty chemicals found it more conventional cosmetics.
I can't promise any of this stuff will work perfectly for you, but having fine brittle hair and sometimes oily AND dry skin, none of these products have made any of it worse.
My skin is clear and recovers from hormonal blemishes faster. It is supple, clean and soft, whereas my hair has more body, and the ends are looking healthier than ever.
Not only do I feel great but I am also saving money by having luxurious products with multiples uses!
So if you feel like revitalizing the way you treat your hair and skin, but are on a nomadic budget, then give some of this yummy stuff a go!
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
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