AM Routine
- Wash with raw honey. Rub the honey onto a dry face with dry hands and rinse with warm water. (Why honey? Read more here.)
- Allow skin to dry and apply sunscreen. I still haven't found a DIY recipe that I really love, so I use Coola's Mineral Cucumber Matte Finish Sunscreen.
- Apply makeup (if I decide to). I use Mineral Fusion for concealer and foundation/powder, Pacifica for blush/bronzer and eyeshadow, Tarte for mascara, Neutrogena for eyeliner, and Pacifica for lips.
PM Routine
- Wash using the Oil Cleansing Method or homemade foaming cleanser plus oil to remove eye makeup. I use the OCM every third day to get a good deep clean.
- Tone with homemade toner (2/3 alcohol-free witch hazel, 1/3 raw apple cider vinegar)
- Moisturize with my homemade serum (I fill a small bottle with 1/2 sweet almond oil, 1/2 avocado oil, 2 drops each of lavender, tea tree/melaleuca, and frankincense)
Weekly
- Exfoliate with a mixture of baking soda and honey. I usually do this at night so I can follow it with toner. Baking soda will change the ph of your skin, and apple cider vinegar will correct that ph.
- Once or twice a week I apply a little coconut oil or tamanu oil (or both!) and let it absorb before I apply my serum. This gives my skin a boost of moisture and the tamanu oil helps battle scarring from my previous skin issues.
- If my skin feels like it needs a good deep cleaning I make a mask of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar (enough of each to make a paste) and add a few drops of tea tree/melaleuca, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, and/or frankincense. The oils vary from time to time depending on what my skin needs most.
- Sometimes I'm lazy. That's just the facts. On lazy days I use oil to remove eye makeup (coconut oil works well) and I wash my face with unscented castile soap. But here's the thing, castile soap is just like baking soda in that it'll alter the ph of your skin. If you use castile soap make sure to use a toner containing apple cider vinegar and use a good moisturizer or you will stress out your skin.
So there it is! If you're just starting down the natural skincare path trying to figure out supplies to buy can be pretty overwhelming. When I started this journey the phrase "tight budget" was a gigantic understatement, and I would've loved for someone to tell me, "Go buy this" and hand me a list. So here are my recommendations for getting started:
- Raw honey. Not the stuff in the squeeze bottle. Just say no. Get the stuff that looks like paste. I have used Really Raw Honey, Y.S Eco Bee Farm, and Trader Joe's. All three worked well, but I think Trader Joe's is my favorite. It's smoother than Really Raw Honey, but more exfoliating than Y.S. Eco Bee Farm. And it's cheaper, too!
- Apple cider vinegar. You want the raw kind with the "mother", like Bragg's.
- Alcohol-free witch hazel. Thayer's is my favorite brand.
- Baking soda
- Castor oil
- If your skin is oily: grapeseed oil or almond oil
- If your skin is dry: jojoba oil or avocado oil
- Tea tree/Melaleuca essential oil
- Lavender essential oil
- Bentonite clay. This is not really an essential item, but if you can afford a little extra I highly recommend it. I use it for masks and clay baths on a regular basis. I use the Aztec Secret brand.
A note about essential oils: You really do get what you pay for. I personally use doTERRA oils. That being said, if you're uncertain that this is path for you I can understand not wanting to spend $20+ for a bottle of essential oil. If that's the camp you're in I recommend Aura Cacia oils. I started with those oils and although they are not as pure or as effective (in my opinion) as the pricier oils they will give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. Other good brands are Young Living, Mountain Rose Herbs, Native American Nutritionals, and Plant Therapy.
Questions? Suggestions? Leave a comment!
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