Natural Skin Care

I used to have the worst complexion. In my mid-20’s I had such bad acne that I was prescribed Accutane to control it. Leaving the house unexposed without base foundation makeup was something I could never comfortably consider even knowing that the makeup was clogging my pores and making my situation worse.

I wish I had a photograph to show you how bad it was, but I think I’ve destroyed all historical record of my “pizza face.” It was really bad.

Slowly as my diet improved, my complexion improved and I stopped wearing makeup. It was less expensive, neater (nothing worse than smearing makeup on your lover’s shirt) and it felt good to let my skin breathe.

But I was still prone to breakouts after exercising, especially if I didn’t cleanse my skin immediately before the sweat dried.

I have small pores that clog easily and oily skin with a light olive tone thanks to my Italian heritage.

Now that my diet is mostly squeaky clean, my breakouts are minimal. It wasn’t until I started into a very natural skin care regime did the texture and appearance of my complexion make a leap in improvement in addition to no longer breaking out in painful and unsightly pimples.

This is my current routine:

1. Wash face – and whole body for that matter – with a loofah sponge and Kiss My Face olive oil soap in the shower.

 

2. While in the shower I exfoliate my skin with baking soda. I grab a handful from a container I keep near the shower and add a little water to it to make a paste. I rub it lightly all around my face and let it sit for a bit. It’s even alright to rub some around your teeth and mouth with your finger…it’s alkalizing & whitening! Don’t forget to exfoliate your lips too!

3. After I dry off, I immediately swipe my face with Witch Hazel astringent. I’ve been using the Thayers brand for a while, but just discovered the organic Humphreys brand that I’ll be trying soon. I use washable flannel pads that I had made for me by a woman who was selling nursing pads on Etsy.

4. Once the witch hazel is dry, I slather my skin with coconut oil. I was very reluctant to start this practice as my skin tends to be oily and I was concerned that the coconut oil would exacerbate it, but the opposite is true. My skin LOVES coconut oil and it helps guard my pores from getting clogged with dirt.

In the morning, I put coconut oil on my cheeks, nose, chin and lips. At night I put coconut oil on these areas plus my eyelids, around my eyes and on my forehead. I skip the upper areas during the day so that my hair doesn’t get greasy.

I use both Spectrum virgin coconut oil and Tropical Traditional gold label (TT is the one I use in my massage practice) and equally like them. I prefer purchasing coconut oil in glass jars over plastic. Also, I transfer the coconut oil from the purchased jar to smaller jars.

One smaller jar I keep in my bathroom for facial care and one I keep in my bed side drawer for those…ah, hem…more intimate moments. It’s an excellent lubricant! (My husband Chad and I HIGHLY recommend The Forty Bead method!)

5. If I do break out with the occasional pimple, I simply dab it with therapeutic lavender essential oil after cleansing and toning my face, before I apply the coconut oil. The lavender helps to heal & soothe the outbreak.

And that’s it! My skin is clean, soft & moisturized by natural products that nourish my skin. I wear lipstick (usually Aveda or Burt’s Bees) and occasionally mascara, but no other makeup. I personally would rather invest my money and time into squeaky clean food that feeds my appearance from the inside out.

My eyes are bright blue, my skin clear and my teeth white. There’s no amount of makeup that can mimic what wholesome healthcare – diet, exercise, rest…and yes, sex – can provide.

If you do choose to wear makeup, please make sure that your products are cruelty-free and make sure that they are safe for your health and not carcinogenic. Statistics show that make-up wearing women absorb 5 pounds of make-up chemicals into their body per year. Don’t put on your skin what you wouldn’t put in your mouth because it’s going to end up circulating in your blood and organs either way.

And don’t pretty up your face with cruelty. It’s bad karma. xo-C.

PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies database (for cruelty-free make up)
EWG’s Skin Deep database (for safe make up)