I am not a professional model nor a hippie, but I manage to go makeup-free and stick to a bare-bones personal care routine without becoming an eyesore. I stopped wearing makeup shortly after my daughter was born--I didn't want her eating my lipstick (as my little sister had), but mostly I wanted her to grow up believing that her natural beauty could shine just as well without makeup. And minus makeup, I soon discovered that I no longer needed facial cleanser or moisturizer. (I do feel that it's a kindness to others to be easy on the eyes, so I still use tinted lip balm and mascara more often than not.)

With that simplified personal care routine, I've had time enough to learn how to make the few personal care products I still use:

Deodorant is a simple blend of coconut oil, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, and some essential oil drops for scent. (I refill a container that originally held store-bought deodorant.)
Liquid hand soap can be made by melting and diluting a bar of Dr. Bronner's soap (one bar of soap provides enough to fill several soap pumps).
Baking soda and water make a perfectly functional shampoo, and diluted apple cider vinegar makes an impressively sleek hair rinse.
Sometime soon I'll try making my own toothpaste using a recipe like this one from Wellness Mama.

Honestly, I never thought I'd want to make personal care products at home because I didn't mind paying for products that worked, and I didn't think homemade options would be as effective. But once you find simple recipes you like, it's emotionally and financially rewarding to be able to create the toiletries you use.

Do you have a personal care product that you love making at home, or are you a name brand goop addict? How do you feel about going without makeup? Have your beliefs about beauty changed as an adult?

Other posts in the Living Without series:

Living Without A Microwave Oven: Why?

Living Without Advertising: How to Escape the Messages