Simple Hygiene is using not only about eco-friendly products (e.g. less packaging waste, natural content) but also about products whose ingredients are safe for health.

Motivation

This is a breakdown article of hygiene-related products that I use for my face

Facial Cleanser: Oatmeal

I’m fed up of going out and buying a facial cleanser for ~$15 and realise that the cleanser is not for me. My skin somehow always feels super dry and tight after washing (i.e. meaning the cleanser contains too much soap so it cleans away the natural oil as well). Like any other beauty products, it uses plastic packaging and harmful for the environment. So double the hate.

• Current oatmeal: Oatmeal facial cleanser. It is what it is: just Quaker instant oatmeal I bought from the supermarket ()
• Cost: SGD 2-3
• How to use: Grind oatmeal into powder-like texture and store it in a container (I used my old cream container). Before washing face, scoop out like 1/3 tablespoon and add little water (I usually do it in a small cup). Mix well to create a paste-like texture and apply gently onto face.
• Pros: It’s very gentle. At first, I was scared that my face wasn’t clean but I used cotton pad and toner to check after that and it’s all good. Partly because I didn’t use makeup so it’s easier to clean away the dirt.
• Cons: It will take longer time to prepare and messier to wash out but I enjoy the process of doing it. I usually cleanse my face while showering so the mess doesn’t bother me much.

Oil, oil and oil: Jojoba oil and Rose Hip oil

Oil in generally a perfect/cheaper/eco-friendly alternative to a lot of beauty products. It’s also easy to carry around because it’s always in the small bottle. I’m currently using different types of oil for multi-purposes:

Rose hip oil: As face serum Not sure if serum is the right analogy here but I use rose hip oil for spot treatment.

• Current rose hip oil: The Ordinary Rose hip oil
• Cost: SGD 17.5 from LookFanstastic
• How to use: I drop 3 drops onto my hand, and use a finger to dip and tap it on certain spots like my cheek, forehead, nose tip and chin. It will has the distinct orange colour and sink into the skin very quickly.
• Pros: After using some time, it helps fade the colour of the dark spots away. It is really magical

Jojoba oil: As face moisturiser.

• Current jojoba oil: Dessert Essence Jojoba oil
• Cost: SGD 15 - 20 depending on where I buy it
• How to use: I just drop 3 drops onto my hand, warm them up using hand and apply (tap tap) to my face. It won’t be oily as the oil has the same content as the face’s oil. My skin type is a bit dry, so it will moisturise the face in the natural way.
• Pros: For a 60ml jojoba oil bottle, it’s about 20% cheaper than the 50ml Innisfree moisturiser cream (my pervious cream). Jojoba oil can be used as hair oil as well.
• Cons: No cons in terms of experience. I’m thinking of how to reduce the packaging waste because both options will have plastic bottle at the end of day.
• I’m thinking of using jojoba oil as oil cleanser (to wash my face after using mask). This oil is seriously an everything oil.

Other oils I use for hair: coconut oil (hair mask) and argan oil (leave-in conditioner). More here

Face mask: Aztec Bentonite Clay

There are hundreds of face mask options out there. And face mask packaging requires a lot of plastic and non-recyclable materials. Hence, after doing research, I find Aztech Bentonite Clay is an interesting alternative to experiment

• Current option: My colleague kindly shared with me 3 tablespoons of Aztec Bentonite Clay to try out before I have to make a commitment of buying nearly half a kilo of clay from iherb.
• Cost: Free gift (But it’s around SGD 15 for 500g). Of course, this price point is like the cost of 5-7 face masks so it’s cheaper for sure.
• How to use: The way I use it is similar how I use oatmeal as my face cleanser. I scoop out like 1/3 tablespoon into a cup (I use a saucer) and add a little water to create paste-like texture. Once it’s mixed, apply gentle onto a clean face.
• Pros: Once the clay hardened on my face, my face has a feeling of being pulled and tightened. According to hundreds of online articles I read, the clay is sucking out the dirt and tightening the pores, hence the feeling.
• Cons: Messy so I would do it before I take shower so I can clean my face again after taking shower.

Natural Toothpaste

I think it’s technically under face section.

• Current toothpaste: Pearlie White Whitening Toothpaste
• Cost: SGD 9. It’s a bit costly compared to usual option.
• How to use: Like how I use normal toothpaste.
• Pros: I tend to dry vomit when I use normal toothpaste. But this one eliminates that feeling.
• Cons: This product doesn’t produce as much foam as a normal toothpaste does so the toothbrush doesn’t slide across my teeth easily. That makes me put more effort in brushing and wonder whether my teeth are clean (for the first few times). Another thing to get used to is the texture. It’s a translucent soft-clay like texture and get melted instantly the moment I try to brush. It’s not a super eco-friendly option as the packaging is still plastic.
• Will need to look for a better option. Fun fact: I experimented coconut oil as toothpaste but in warm weather like Singapore, the liquid texture doesn’t give a clean feeling while brushing.