We’ve heard it time and again, invoked both as a defense and a deterrent: Clean personal care products are just too expensive. And it’s true that many (though not all) of the items we most adore are on the pricier side. But before getting into some practical advice on how to save as you green your grooming, let’s consider why these goodies are so costly in the first place.

Well, just think about organic food—small-scale manufacturing along with higher-quality ingredients is always going to be more expensive. On the plus side, with natural and clean body-care products, you're often getting more of the good-for-you ingredients, without all the cheap chemical fillers. So when you do the math, you’re actually getting more product per penny.

And yet, it’s still hard to get your head around an $18 dollar deodorant, we know. (Side note: It’s worth it.) Click "Next" above for sensible budgeting tips that will help you eliminate unnecessary expenses, so you can indulge when it counts.

This is a series inspired by No More Dirty Looks: The Truth About Your Beauty Products and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics, a book by GOOD's features editor Siobhan O'Connor and her co-author Alexandra Spunt.

Read more on their blog

Illustrations by Brianna Harden