The price of personal hygiene

[BrainInAJar]

Hi all,

I know this is not exactly breaking news but OMFG the cost of living!

I have a decent job and a modest lifestyle in terms of financial outgoings so relatively comfortable. And I'm pretty low-maintenance in terms of personal care (I don't spend a lot on hairdressing, nails, tweakments etc).

HOWEVER, I'm finding the cost of just BASIC hygiene noticeably growing ridiculous.

I buy cans of 250ml spray deoderant in my weekly shop. With clubcard discount that is £2.50. It lasts 2 weeks for me when applied once daily. In summer etc that would only last a week! I'm pretty sure the cans used to be bigger, last longer and be far cheaper!

My other basics: shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, basic moisturiser, cotton wool, toothpaste. None of them fancy but the cost really does add up.

Coupled with the cost of having an actual shower, it's bloody ridiculous. It's like something out of the 19th century for a person to be thinking that they need to think about the cost of keeping their body clean!

Thanks for listening to my rant!

I was buying sanitary pads for myself and DD yesterday and I got very angry that women have to pay for this essential care product FFS.

I don’t disagree with your premise but why on earth don’t you just switch to a cheaper deodorant? I use a stick and it lasts for several months.

I use a roll on. It lasts about 2 or 3 months.

My Tropic cream deodorant lasts me 4/5 months and is much kinder to my skin than chemical spray stuff.

Use reusable pads rather than cotton wool. More eco and a lot cheaper in the long run. Ditto shampoo bars etc.

But yes I agree, supermarkets are taking the piss with prices and Tesco is one of the worst. It's saying something when my local corner shop has toothpaste cheaper than them.

How much deodorant are you spraying that it only lasts a week or two? I use the Mitchum sticks and it lasts ages and is more effective than a spray.

Good points, thanks.

I've tried various deoderants but perhaps due to my peri-menopause find only certain ones work for me.

Tesco is expensive! Branded items are much cheaper in places like b&M, or even superdrug. I buy a combined shampoo and conditioner bar (short hair) and use bar soaps which last a whole lot longer than the liquid alternatives.

I use the sure cream one you apply at night and it lasts ages, buy in bulk off Amazon
Aldi does good hair care and toothpaste
I don't use cotton wool except for nail polish remover, swapped to reusable ones and flannels

Try Savers. Usually cheaper

I agree things are going up and it’s frustrating. I find Savers is still good value for toothpaste and such, luckily I have one not too far from me. Roll on or stick antiperspirant lasts so much longer than sprays, my Mitchum is a fiver but will do at least 2 months. If I have no choice but to use the supermarket I only buy when it’s on offer.

I buy nice soap instead of shower gel, lasts ages, as does roll on deodorant. My shampoo and conditioner likewise lasts months. Haven’t bought cotton wool in years as use reusable pads. We de get through a lot of toothpaste though, so tend to stick up when it’s on offer. Have you tried buys toiletries in poundland? I get toothpaste and deodorant from there at good prices.

Also soap bars are much better value than body washes, they last ages and do a much better job of cleaning you.

I’ve had the same issue - the good news is that it seems to have resolved and I can use roll-ons again!

If you’re in a position to stock up when things are on offer or available at the pound shop, that would be my top tip. I seriously buy 6 or 8 packs of my preferred toothpaste/deodorant at a time when there’s a deal on (and then I can throw a couple in to the annual school food bank collection as well when it comes around).

I get them from TK Maxx, I don’t think they’re any cheaper but they always have different types and I enjoy the novelty!

Thanks all.

I thought I was doing pretty well switching from shower gel to bar soap a few years ago. I didn't find shampoo bars worked well for my hair. And I can't do without conditioner or I would never get a brush through my frizzy hair again.
And I always thought I was pretty nifty buying in bulk especially when on offer.

Good point about trying something other than Tesco. Part of it is that I like my food shopping to be delivered so I tend to add my toiletries to my order to make sure it's over the £50/week so that I get free delivery. I'd have to factor in the cost of making a separate trip to shops for toiletries so it might not be worth it overall.

I mean, I can afford it. I'm not sitting here pleading poverty, it really makes me understand though how some folk must really be struggling, in this day and age, just with the basics. Presumably this is why hygiene banks have sprung up. Ridiculous that we need these.

Once my usual spray deodorant got to £4.50 I switched to roll on. Roll on the mum!

But what you describe is incredibly wasteful usage of quite expensive products. How on earth can you get through an entire can of deodorant in a week or two?

You could reduce the cost significantly by buying cheaper/own brands or buying your usual brands from cheaper shops like Home Bargains, pound shops, Savers or even Superdrug and making them last longer. A lot of your money will be going uselessly into the air or down the drain.

I know what you mean OP, it makes you realise how many people must really, really be struggling at the moment. And that’s even without the extra challenges so many people have of things like disability, addiction, and other things that make everyday life more of a struggle.

I do find it unfair that I can save so much on expensive things simply because I can afford to buy in bulk when prices are low. It really is more expensive to be “poor”.

I use a roll on deodorant and they last ages, I apply twice a day, and easily get a month out of one.

Soap - much cheaper than shower gel, especially with kids, DD would plough through one a week if I left her to it but she's currentlyworking her way through my stash of mini hotel soaps. TK Maxx is good for fancy ones, DH and I like Sheild soap for every day.

Aldi and Lidl shampoo and conditioners are great, as is their skin care.

I'd definitely invest in reusable cotton pads and a stack of face cloths, I think they are better than cotton pads and wipes. I only tend to use cotton pads to take off nail polish.

Washable pads are a good investment. You just rinse them in cold water then put into the wash. Menstrual cups are also really good.

I buy shampoo/ conditioner/ deodorant at Aldi and I shower at work. The water pressure is brilliant. I start at seven thirty so wash after work and shampoo hair etc. Then a quick wash in the morning at home. Saves a fortune on heating water.

Buy a cleansing balm - Superdrug does a good one. It will take off your make up and dirt and will last a few months. Use a flannel to remove.

A lot cheaper than wipes or disposable cotton pads and separate make up remover.

Move to solid stuff makes a massive difference.
I don't get on with normal roll on deodorant, but the wild sticks seem to be working fine, and last ages (6weeks+ depending how often I use it )
Shampoo bars without sodium laurel sulfate in them are my go too. "Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Strengthening Shampoo Bar" is one I get on with very well, lasts a month or so and can be found in most large supermarkets for about £3-4. Like you I do also need conditioner, and haven't found a bar for that I like so I still buy a bottle. But I don't need nearly as much when I use a shampoo bar.

Bar soap, I tend to go on Etsy and buy boxes of off cuts from various shops. I like the surprise and the price.

Aldi toiletries are excellent IME. Use stick deodorant instead of a spray, they last for months and work better. Don’t get anything from Tesco unless it’s Aldi price matched or clubcard special price.