Just some randomness I’ve been meaning to mention for a while:
Reading/Listening
I’ve been taking “cold showers” for the last week or so because I heard it on James Altucher’s podcast (are you tired of my mentioning his podcast EVERY.SINGLE.WEEK yet??) and it sounded intriguing. You may not know this about me, but I’ll try almost anything if it sounds interesting and like it might keep me healthy/feeling good or potentially prolong my life. If it’s possible it could lead to untimely death, there’s no way I’m trying it…well, within reason of course.
Anyway the bulletproof coffee guy (Dave Asprey) was on the show and he mentioned a few things I was interested in trying. The premise behind cold showers is that it tricks your mitochondria into thinking you’re dying, which in turn stimulates them to get stronger (from what I understood anyway). Lots of cultures actually do this, dip into freezing cold water, and there seems to be some justification for it. I can only last 30 seconds or so, and I do it at the end of my shower, and it has gotten easier after a week and a half. But it makes me hyperventilate a little and shake. Obviously. Bonus is that I’m not so freezing when I get out of the shower. Which is weird.
I also started adding MCT (coconut oil) to my vitamin shakes in the mornings for brain health. I thought about trying actual bulletproof coffee (with grass-fed butter & MCT) in the mornings, but it sounds gross, even though my husband says it’s not, so I haven’t tried yet.
I get so excited reading about new ideas in health and nutrition. If I change careers again, it’ll be towards integrative nutrition and personal training; I’m that obsessed. I probably need to not latch on to everything I hear, and it gets overwhelming to try and be “perfect,” but that’s not my goal. I just want to feel as good as I can for as long as possible.
Help!
Why are my towels dirty?? My light colored organic cotton towels are stained. My white turkish cotton towel that I use after my shower has yellowing on it. Does that mean I’m not clean when I get out of the shower? And after I wash my face?? I don’t understand. I also wash everything in cold water, perhaps I should be washing in warm water? Does anyone else have these issues?
Bar soap recommendations? I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I’d like to transition to bar soap in the shower to save packaging. Does anyone have any good recommendations? I like Dr. Bronner’s generally, but find it sort of drying.
Favorites lately…
Lush King of Skin – I’ve been using this instead of African Paradise body butter in the shower because it’s cheaper and doesn’t come in a tub, but it doesn’t last very long, maybe a month? Whatever, I’m a total convert to in-shower body butters, especially during shaving season LOL. I love applying it, then rinsing a little and toweling off, and NOT having to apply lotion or oil afterwards. I never really did that anyway, but when I did, I hated that extra step.
Face shaving : I will never not shave my face. I’ve been using these Shiseido razors, and replace them every one or two times I use them. I shave dry, and then afterwards apply my usual rosehip oil/immortale hydrosol combination. After that dries, I slather on Shiva Rose’s Glow face balm and call it a night. My chin and upper lip area are pretty sensitive, so I take it easy there and make sure to really moisturize well, but I don’t know why I haven’t been shaving my face all my life. Oh, yeah, I do, because of the myth that hair will grow back black and coarse. Not true, by the way.
Happy Friday!!!!
I actually really like the “Good” soap from Whole Foods. It’s normally 3 for $6, I believe but they occasionally will do a 10 for $10 promotion. It comes unpackaged so you can either use one of the bags at Whole Foods or bring your own.
https://www.goodsoap.com/
Re: stains. It’s likely either the mineral content of your water or residue from the products you use on your face/hands/body. Do you wipe your hands on your towels after applying products? This is why people used to use a lot of bleach! Modern dyes and preparations are less susceptible to this. Do you by chance dry them outside or do they sit in the sun?
Re: fitness. I was amazed to find out that an incredibly fit neighbour found barre too hard and she had to give it up! So kudos to you, young lady! You’re awesome!
Bar soap: I used Kiss My Face pure olive oil soap. It doesn’t dry me out like others do (especially Dr Bronners – that stuff was way too harsh for me). I have extremely sensitive and dry skin, and this soap doesn’t dry it out like others do. I’ve been using it for a few years now and I love it!
Hope you have a great time in Costa Rica!
I am very, very intrigued by face shaving. I honesty didn’t know about these special razors or that women shaved their face instead of waxing. It makes total sense but it just never occurred to me! I am in my mid-twenties and have an annoying crop of new dark hairs around my chin and neck… which means constant plucking. I hate plucking — i find it irritating. Shaving might be a better alternative.
My question for you: how often do you find you need to shave? I am concerned about starting and then entering into an unrealistic cycle (for me) of having to shave more than a few times a week.
For soap, I’d highly recommend Obsessively Calm.. Handcrafted soaps are way richer and luxurious than any store bought soaps and these are the best I’ve tried.
I wish almost everything cold (or by hand in warm), but towels and sheets I wash with hot because of bacteria and dust mites.
I love my goat’s milk bar soap. I have some from Beekman 1802 (I’m a HUGE fan, have been a “neighbor” for ages – before they were on Amazing Race and everything. Cookbooks and memoirs are awesome too!) Anyway, last year I got their seasonal boxes (4, each scent seasonal) and now have TONS of bar soap. They last forever and are so luxurious. I also have lip balm, hand lotion & body gel (which, obviously, is what you’re trying to get away from….) I’m sure you can find some goat milk soap makers locally (farmer’s market?) or on etsy as well. I’ve also used the Whole Foods bulk soap mentioned earlier and it’s nice. Not as creamy to me as the goat’s milk….
I’d love to know more about face shaving! And thanks for posting about bar soap!
I just finished a toner I got from Palermo Body products, and I LOVED it and am thinking of trying the soap. I’ll report back! I’ve been using Dr. Bronner’s recently too although I used African Black soap at one point and really loved it + the smell, although the soap residue is gray and sticks out in a white tub, making you feel as though either you’re really dirty, or the soap leaves lots of stains!
Little Seed Farm in Nashville, TN has goat’s milk bar soaps. I love the rosemary mint and the activated charcoal. Not drying at all, and the ingredient list is great – no junk. I buy from their website for their full line, but Target started carrying the bar soaps. I’ve bought a lot for me and as gifts. Friends and family rave about it. I found out about it through Elizabeth Suzann’s website.
Grechen, I hope you have a wonderful time on your trip! I started using this soap by Noble Formula a while ago, and my husband and older son use it, too. There are various options, including vegan, and it’s very gentle and moisturizing. It gets a little mushy in the shower, so I bought a dish with slats that sticks to the shower wall. https://www.amazon.com/Noble-Formula-Pyrithione-Zinc-Original/dp/B00G7TUDA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494011029&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=noble%2Bsoap&th=1
You should wash towels and sheets in hot water–you need the heat to kill dust mites and bacteria and break down natural body oils. You could also have hard water. Try a heavy duty detergent like Persil for one wash, it will strip a lot of what’s building up.
It’s not particularly fancy but Dove Sensitive Skin bar soap is my favorite–and the only one that’s been recommended to me by every dermatologist I’ve seen.
I also use the Good soap from WF. I have the same problem with towels and no solutions. 🙁
Tried mixing coconut oil in my smoothie but it freezes up and gets clumpy/grainy. I use an immersion blender so that might be part of my problem.
I was doing the cold burst at the end of my shower but have stopped. Maybe I’ll start again.
Hope your vacation is wonderful!
Regarding bar soap: the San Francisco based company Plantlife is the best bar soap I have ever used. It is made from organic plant oils and essential oils. I don’t need moisturizer when I use this soap, it keeps my skin so soft. Its sold in most organis sections of grocery stores, I’m certain they have it at Whole Foods. If you go to their website, you can order bar soap in bulk which dramatically reduces packaging. Its a fantastic product. I swear by it. You should try it out.
If the problem is caused by hard water, you might try 1/4 c. baking soda directly in the drum and 1/2 c. vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser (or add to the rinse cycle if your machine doesn’t have a dispenser). I learned this from a YouTube video called “Miracle Laundry: bright-white sheets!” I have to be honest and say that it worked pretty well but it was not quite miraculous. 🙂
I’d rather do that than bleach! Thanks for the suggestion, Bettina!
Me, too. It doesn’t harm them, but I still have some staining on my thick white towels.
I get the Gigantor “Pre de Provence” olive oil or coconut soaps from a store over in Sag Harbor. They’re French milled so they last forever, and they’re really gentle and seem luxurious. Pre de Provence Shea Butter Enriched Handmade French Soap Bar (250g) – Olive Oil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001463X8A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_HrwdzbGRXX8HD
I suspect the answer to the yellowing towels can be found in the sentence “I love applying it, then rinsing a little and toweling off.” In-shower body butter will transfer to your towel unless you rinse really well, and then it won’t moisturize you properly… Try washing them in warm water! (Love the blog btw)
I love love love your blog. I read it at the end of the day to relax.
Wash your towels in hot water with oxygen bleach!! The oxygen bleach is key here, you can get it at Whole Foods / anywhere, use it with your preferred detergent. A long hot wash, or even a long hot wash with a 20 minute soak thrown in, followed by another long hot wash with just a little detergent will do wonders for your towels. They will look brand new! If you don’t want to hot wash on the regular, you could do this occasionally as maintenance. This method might also save your white ts you spoke of a while ago. Also FYI, oxygen bleach is useless in cold water, it needs hot water to activate.
Re soap: This will sound crazy but I stopped using soap years ago (on the recommendation of someone similar to the bulletproof guy, can’t remember who though). The idea is that soap (even gentle bar soap) destroys the skin’s acid mantle (since soap is generally very alkaline, unless specifically ph balanced). Destroying the skin’s acid mantle makes it easier for the stinky bacteria to grow and thrive. Anyway, going soap-less really worked for me! Far, far less BO (I use plain deo, never anti-perspirent and used to get soury smell by the end of the day) and much much easier on my lady bits (now I cannot fathom using soap down there ay yi yi!). Also much gentler on my skin in general, I live in a very dry climate. I just rinse everyting really well in the shower and if I feel like I need a little something extra, I use witch hazel. Just throwing the idea out!
Enjoy your trip! I love your style, writing and honesty. Cheers!
Is oxygen bleach the same as “Oxyclean”?!?
Yes and no. Oxyclean does contain oxygen bleach but it has other ingredients too (fillers). I believe the chemical name for oxygen bleach is sodium percarbonate. You can buy pure sodium percarbonate at Whole Foods etc. and gives you more bang for your buck than Oxyclean. I actually prefer the Tide version over Oxyclean but I know it has added ingredients and fillers too. If you’re wanting to keep things more natural, fragrance free etc. then pure oxygen bleach is the way to go. I know Seventh Generation makes a liquid version as well but IMO it doesn’t work nearly as well as the powder. HTH! 🙂
Thx, Annie!
That mitochondria theory about the benefit of cold water exposure is interesting. When I was in Iceland, I saw little pools with very cold water. People would sit in the cold water for as long as they could stand it and then get into a hot tub. They’re also fond of doing calisthenics in their bathing suits in the snow. Icelanders have the longest life expectancy in Europe.
Re bar soap – when you guys talk about finding Dr Bronner’s drying do you mean the liquid castile or the Dr Bronner’s bar soap? I can’t use the liquid castile soaps (so drying and irritating) but I find their bar soaps fine (I use the lavendar or citrus). I have used Sappo Hill soap (no packaging) but I find they don’t last that long. I’ve also used the Kiss My Face olive oil bar that someone else mentioned, though you need a good drying soap dish for that one.
I’ve generally liked the “baby” Dr. Bronners, but recently I started getting the Oregon Soap Company’s gallons and use them to refill my smaller bottle. The scents are amazing and I find it a more gentle than Dr. Bronners. Also, you can’t go wrong with a French block of Marsaille’s olive oil soap. They actually really last a long time. I love using my Iris Hantverk bath brush with them!
I found this video really helpful when I started doing my own dermaplaning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1SQvO8twcM
And I second the Shiseido razors! They’re really good.