Since high school I have worried about my skin. I have pretty average skin, nothing too bad or too great. I have always taken good care of it, used good quality products that I researched like crazy before investing in anything! Long ago, I read a book called "Don't Go to the Cosmetic Counter without Me" by Paula Begoun and that was where the obsession and hysteria started! I didn't go to a counter without researching that brand, the sales people hated me, because I was educated beyond their sales pitch and how they have been educated by their company! I became weary of everything! She pointed out so many things that I didn't know. She had a lot of education in her book and I loved it. One thing she pointed out was that any item that is truly all natural would have an expiration date, and would have a natural smell to them and definitely not a perfumey smell!. All these cosmetic companies are putting "natural" or "organic" on the label, this is not regulated so many people are deceived, trusting the companies, but its false. Not to mention, many of these items have fragrance in them, which we have all come to know and love, but this is one of the worse things we can put on our skin!!!! So I started to feel like I was just putting a bunch of fragranced crap on my skin. So much research and now I didn't trust anyone.
All I wanted was something that worked! Even if it was expensive, I wanted good skincare that actually helped my skin long term. I felt like anything truly natural wouldn't really do anything, luckily I was wrong! If you buy ACTUAL natural things, they do work, better then anything else! Everyone is trying to stabilize vitamin E and fatty acids etc, why don't you just use an orange, or an oil with the fatty acids in it! Duh!!
Ok so enough of my lecture....my new skin care routine is this: wash nightly with the OCM (Oil Cleansing Method); my mix of 75% sunflower oil and 25% castor oil. I use organic, virgin coconut oil on my face and lips as a moisturizer in the AM and PM. There are two different types of coconut oil; vigil unrefined and refined. The unrefined virgin is the best, its unmessed with (scientific term :) It offers the most health benefits; however, if you don't like the smell of coconut, you can get the refined oil, it has no smell or taste at all and its still good!!
Once a week I the below facial/peel, a bit like an acid peel. Its awesome!!!
http://www.drozfans.com/dr-ozs-advice/dr-oz-aspirin-lemon-juice-face-mask-beauty-secret-home-remedies/
I had to fiddle around with it a bit to get the right mixture. So I use 9 aspirin (uncoated); I use the back of a spoon to crush then put that in a bowl and squeeze fresh lemon in the aspirin powder till I get a nice paste. Spread the paste on clean skin, rub it in LIGHTLY LIGHTLY LIGHTLY!!!!
Please note, I have a velcro towel on in these pics!!! :)
Then wait 10 minutes and use a moistened cotton ball dipped into baking soda to wipe off. You will feel a little tingle here, much like an acid peel. This is all the elements reacting to each other. I use a few to get most of it off.
Then I splash warm water on my face and wipe dry. And viola! Nice, soft, beautifully exfoliated skin....deeper then a regular exfoliation. I wouldn't do this more then twice a week, just start out once a week maybe even just twice a MONTH. It's strong so be careful!
Then I use just a little coconut oil as a moisturizer on my skin after, its natural and soothing!
The result from changing my skin care routine from the department store brand is my skin is pretty nice now, it's soft and smooth. I don't have the issues I had before. It's by no means perfect. Our skin is complicated and skin care is relativly superficial. I enjoy knowing exactly what's going on my skin, not to mention why spend hundreds of dollars on expensive or not expensive skin care that doesn't really benefit your skin long term. You can spend WAAAYYY less and be getting actual, lasting benefits! That just makes both sense and CENTS! HAHA! Not to mention everything you put on your skin goes into your blood stream also and thats even more important then superficial beauty!!!
Take your beauty back and own it.
As for my body, I made this wonderful body butter, from a recipe I found on Pinterest!! Use the exact recipe as in the link below. It is pure oil till it hardens up, then as long as you keep your house at a decent temp (meaning not super hot) it will harden to a softened butter consistency. When you put it on is melts right away with your body heat into an oil. Rub it in very well and it will not leave your skin oily. At night I use a little more then during the day. It smells like pure chocolate, you are going to want to eat it, but don't :)
I LOVE THIS STUFF!!! All natural and works soooooooooo well for beautiful skin!
Homemade Body Butter
NOTE: Because I love you, I have made each ingredient a link to amazon to the item I used with the best price; just to make it easier :) Accept the last one, which you can read my note to find out why.
10,000 IU of Vitamin E oil (from capsules)
NOTE: I omitted this because I couldn't find exactly what the recipe calls for and I have to go by the book :)
NOTE: I omitted this because I couldn't find exactly what the recipe calls for and I have to go by the book :)
Stir over low heat until mixed and pour into jars. This is PURE oil. I poured into old plastic lotion and scrub containers, then put in the fridge, but when I took it out it was too solid, could barely get any to use. So I set it in the bathroom and it eventually changed to a softened butter consistency. An important note; when you buy cocoa butter make sure its pure, it will be a hard solid substance, if it looks like lotion, its not pure.
You could also add herbs or essential oils if you want, but the cocoa butter makes it smell like chocolate...YUMMY!
You could also add herbs or essential oils if you want, but the cocoa butter makes it smell like chocolate...YUMMY!
