tape. Any redness, itching, or rash—even a single pimple—indicates that you are allergic to
something in this particular product. To be absolutely sure, wipe the area clean and apply the
remaining amount of the product from the sample. Cover it with the new tape and wait another twenty-
four hours. If the reaction persists, don’t buy the product.
Your olfactory response is another good tool in choosing the most suitable product. If the cosmetic
product smells bad to you for no obvious reason, then there’s a chance you will develop an irritation
to this product.
Some people swear they can train their bodies to accept chemicals they are allergic to. They
diligently use the substance for a week or two, no matter how much rash they develop, and slowly the
reaction goes away. In the same way, pollen allergy sufferers eat small amounts of local honey in
order to prevent spring allergies. I cannot recommend this way of clearing your allergies, because
instead of accepting the substance, you may end up with a severe allergic reaction that may require
medical assistance.
Don’t be afraid or too lazy to return the cosmetic product that gave you an irritation. This way, you
will unclutter your beauty routine as well as indicate to the cosmetic company (in a very remote way)
that there is something wrong with their product. If a store refuses to refund, ask for the address of the
company’s headquarters or a local rep and mail them the product with an explanation. Most often, you
will receive a check and apologies.
Accept a store exchange if a refund isn’t working or you don’t want to bother with returns. Take a
substitute for a bothersome product if the store has it in stock, or take any sensitive skin product you
can use to calm down the irritation.
Many good stores will accept a return and refund your money with no questions asked. Sometimes
you will have to demonstrate visible signs of irritation—pimples, redness—to prove your point.
Smaller health food stores are less likely to accept returns, so make sure you ask before you buy a
new product. Better online stores accept returns and issue prompt refunds. They usually provide you
with a voucher for free shipping. If you buy from eBay, you can only return a product if it is faulty
(broken, leaked, contaminated, or past expiration date). Not all sellers are happy to issue refunds, so
you may need to open a PayPal dispute or file a Visa chargeback in order to get your money back.
Lesson 8: Choose Sustainable Packaging
Do you really store your cosmetics in the cardboard boxes they came in from the store? Most
likely, you don’t. So what happens to all that elegant, pretty packaging: sturdy boxes, tissue paper,
leaflets, paper bags, satin ribbons, foam inserts? When we get home, we discard the paper bag
(hoping each time that we’ll find a better use for it than shoving it in a recycled paper bin). We open
the box and take out the bottle. We ram that pretty box into the little bathroom waste bin that always
looks too small to handle all our boxes and empty bottles. We just wasted about four dollars on
making a status statement that didn’t impress anyone.
You will probably say, so what can I do? My favorite lotion comes packaged in a neat cardboard
box with plastic inserts and tons of leaflets stuffed inside. Maybe they did it for safety, to protect the
precious extracts. However, let me ask you this: Do you really think that all these boxes and
protective plastic sleeves serve a vital purpose? Do you really believe that without all that protection
your newly purchased shampoo/ conditioner duo will smash into goo-soaked plastic pieces while you