How to Buy Beauty and Personal Care Products with Food Stamps

Food supplemental programs fall short because many of the things people need to buy at the grocery store are not food. Personal care products like toothpaste and lotion, over the counter medicines like antacids, outside needs like weed killer and many other necessities have traditionally not been covered by food stamp funds, making it difficult for people to buy the basics of staying clean and presentable. Not any more.

Did they change the plan? Add to it? No. But YOU can.

Here's how.

Your shopping list will include baking soda, vinegar, shortening, cornstarch and olive oil; all approved as edibles. You will be replacing facial scrub, hair rinse, toothpaste, hand and face lotion, foot powder, body powder, baby powder, antacid and deodorant.

Let's take them in order:

Instead of using your cash to buy facial scrub, use your food stamps to buy a box of baking soda. Yes, that's right. To use it, put a tiny bit of olive oil in the palm of your hand, add a half teaspoon of baking soda and rub it together until it looks creamy. Apply to your wet face in a circular motion. Big bonus: It won't hurt a thing if you get it around your eyes or even in your mouth.

When you're through, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry. No need for lotion as the olive oil does that part.

Instead of buying hair rinse, use your food stamps to buy apple cider vinegar. Mix a quarter cup to a full cup of warm water and pour over your head after shampooing. Vinegar removes any residual shampoo and restores the natural acid mantle of your hair so there's less tangling and a softer feeling.

Baking soda has long been used for toothpaste (or tooth powder) and dentists approve of it. Put a little in the palm of your hand, dampen your toothbrush and dip into the baking soda. Brush your teeth as usual, adding another dip of baking soda as needed.

Instead of buying hand lotion, use olive oil or buy some extra shortening. Work it into your hands, arms, legs... anywhere there is dry skin. It will make your skin look shiny for awhile, but that will soon disappear. Use olive oil for your face. It comes closer to natural skin oils than many commercial face lotions. Gently massage a small bit into your skin and blot off the excess. Your skin will feel smoother the longer you use olive oil.

Corn starch is the best body powder to prevent skin irritation caused by perspiration. Use it in your shoes or anywhere you tend to perspire, just like you would any powder.

If you've already got a rash from heat, use baking soda to cool and soothe it. Baking soda is also excellent to keep drool from irritating a baby's chin or face, and corn starch is safer and more soothing than baby powder for the diaper area. Use it after bathing your baby to absorb moisture.

Acid indigestion? Put a half teaspooon of baking soda in a half a glass of water, mix and drink it down. It's an excellent antacid. You'll burp a time or two and your stomach will settle right down. Baking soda neutralizes acids of any kind, and that includes stomach acid.

Baking soda comes to the rescue again in the form of deodorant. You can use it under your arms, in your shoes and anywhere odor is a problem.

There are many ways to use approved food items to keep you and your family healthy, safe and comfortable. Save your cash for other things and let your food stamps buy the beauty and personal care items you need.