in the shelter I volunteered no partially opened toilet items, not used underwear either. Big stores donated opened underwear packages so not a huge problem. Additionally, cash donations were used to buy undies and other high demand items and very good discounts.. Other than legal issues, and you never know who's gonna sue, I think it was a morale booster for the clients to come out with "new stuff", no matter how small, it was something they simply weren't in a position to get for themselves. I liked the link for the alternative uses. If you just don't want to think too much about it, maybe dump contents and recycle containers. You'd still be a good citizen of the world. I do use soap, dish, detergent, any, for the soil. I used to be one of those that had a cabinet full of hair potions but finally got smart and learned to not grab the latest and greatest every time I was at the store.

Do you know about meetup.com? Look it up online -- you find people with similar interests -- I found French conversation, my neighbour joined people who want to speak Italian at dinner. Cooking, reading, dancing, nature, so many interests. Sometimes only 3 people in the group. It opens your pool of acquaintances and maybe you'll find friends. You can choose activities by distance from your home. I myself am fortunate. I live in the city and a neighbourhood with longtime coffee shops. There are about 6 of us who have coffee at varying times, sometimes planned, sometimes on the spur of the moment. Sometimes all 6 but usually just one or two. I have lived here for thirty years and though it's a big city, the neighbourhood feels like a small town. Could you try joining some community improvement association? I wish you some easy-to-get-together friends!

Us too, did the body wash with a pouff for a long time. Stayed at my Mom's one night, used Dove bar soap & a washcloth. I went home & threw our the pouffs, bought more generously sized washcloths and 3 or 4 kinds of bar soap. My favorite is Dove pink but I get bored and like to use the ones with pretty packaging you get at TJ Maxx. Right now I am using a grapefruit tangerine blend, it's so refreshing! DH loves Irish Spring, lol!

Thank you so very much to all of you for your helpful responses, recipes, recommendations to various products (which i hope are affordable, though nothing really is anymore), and warnings about essential oils which i totally agree with. I don't think it's only tea-tree, but anything which is impure or too intense rather than well-balanced. I took a look at the list of no-no's, but my case isn't so much genetic, as much as the dermatitis type (such as brushing hair, and leaning back). Granted, aging is also probably a factor. It's probably a black-and-blue mark mostly, but i also know that that Argan product was no good.And who's to say it was the Argan for sure? It could have been another ingredient. See, I lean back against my sheetrock-wall, because a bed+headboard is too hard for me to maneuver when cleaning, as i'm a weakling. So i've always avoided headboards due to that. So insofar as my bruise, indeed raee_gw, that part about Nizoral & Benedryl sounds interesting. I'll have to check in with a dermatologist again at my next chance. I've actually just seen one about other issues, such as inflamed fingertip. He gave some cica-cream sample which was horrible, but at least i also got silvadene out of that visit, which is helping a bit. I think i may consider switching to someone else, because he seems very world-weary by now. It's unlikely i'm allergic to anything which lathers my hair - it's more likely that essential oils, or argan oil can cause it, if not properly counteracted by a professional formulator with knowledge on neutralizing ill-effects of strong ingredients (no matter if harsh, acidic, alkalinic or whatever). Guess what - i have jojoba oil which wonderfully agree's with me - so i might rub that into my scalp for awhile and see if i achieve some sorta bruise-repair. As well, i might look out for oliveoil-mayonnaise to go on sale, and try that too. I think that probably would be THE most healing. It's cute how some of you are concerned about my beauty (i.e. hair-loss). But you know, i can't decide what's worse, hair-loss or pain! BTW, since we're anyway on the topic of sensitive skin-care, can any of you with sensitive skin advise whether Cherry-blossom or Milk-honey Softsoap liquid-soap agree's with you (but not Aloe softsoap which gave me the creeps (similar to touching a dry towel after a bath). I currently use blue-dawn, ivory-dishsoap and ivory-bar-soap comfortably. But various palmolive stuff such as the softtouch-coconut and green-original liquid-soap give me creeps.. Note this is not itchiness or pain like on my scalp, but rather its creeps & a dry-skin-feeling.