Natural Beauty: Skin Care

I have recently realized the importance of using all things natural. I have very sensitive skin and the smallest ingredient can change my skin and make me itchy and uncomfortable. Because of this, I have decided to go natural. It can become expensive, but I have compiled a list of my natural skincare essentials that are also affordable: 

Makeup Remover

Olive Oil or Coconut Oil. Simple as that. Since these are oils, they will break down your makeup as well as moisturize. Put a small amount on a cotton pad and that's it!

Face Wash

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. This comes in both liquid and bar, but I prefer the bar soap. Dr. Bronner's is an amazing brand that is 100% natural, cruelty-free and vegan. I have only tried their soap, but my parents have used their products forever. They have lotions, lip products, shaving cream, etc. They smell amazing and are inexpensive too, at $4.69 a bar. 

I like this soap because it doesn't give my skin that tight feeling after I wash it off. It leaves me feeling really clean and it doesn't break me out or give me any problems. I also use it as a body soap. Peppermint is my favorite! You can purchase it here. 

Toner

Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner. I found this product on a whim off of Amazon.com and I am so happy I bought it! This product is alcohol free so it won't dry out your skin. This toner has witch hazel in it which is often used medicinally, but also for acne. If you like the smell of rose, then you will looove this scent. Since using this, I have noticed a difference in my skin's texture. It is more calm and feels more smooth to the touch. You can purchase it here. 

Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar. Who knew that something that smells as bad as vinegar would be a miracle, multi-use product?! Not only does ACV have a ton of health benefits when you drink it, but it can also be used as a toner. I thought it would be harsh on my sensitive skin, but not at all! Once you get past the smell, it feels really nice on your skin and the smell does go away once it dries. I take about one part vinegar to two parts water, mix it up and put it on a cotton pad. Feel free to dilute it to your skin's liking. ACV is amazing for skin because it naturally balances the ph, which means it will equal out the oily and dry patches. It also helps with big pores and acne scarring. 

*Can also be used as a conditioner! Again, mix 1 part ACV- 2 or 3 parts water. After shampooing, apply to scalp and hair and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Makes hair feel great- shiny and moisturized!

Moisturizer

Sadly, I have yet to find an all natural moisturizer that I actually like. The best I can do is give my favorite paraben free ones-

1. Alba Even Advanced Sea Lipids Daily Cream. Best moisturizer I have used. 

2. Trader Joe's Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion. Not the best for oily skin, but it does have SPF.

Mask

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Mask. This is a mask made out of 100% bentonite clay and it's awesome. Completely minimizes pores to help clear up skin. Although this is extremely messy and hard to take off, it's worth it and gives your skin a good deep clean. Can be used with ACV as well! You can buy it here. 

WARNING

Don't be fooled by a product that claims to be "ALL NATURAL". Familiarize yourself with unnatural ingredients and check all the products you buy. I have recently come to find that LUSH, the all natural cosmetic company, actually puts methylparaben and propylparaben in quite a few of their products. BAD. Unfortunately I realized this after purchasing the Ocean Salt face scrub (which I love, so this really sucks.) Moral of the story, check the ingredients on everything!!! Don't be lazy, read the label.

Here's safecosmetics.org's schpiel on why you should care about parabens: 

Parabens are used to prevent the growth of microbes in cosmetics products and can be absorbed through skin, blood and the digestive system. Parabens have been found in biopsies from breast tumors at concentrations similar to those found in consumer products. Parabens may be found in a wide variety of products including shampoos, lotions, deodorants, scrubs and eye makeup, and are found in nearly all urine samples from U.S. adults regardless of ethnic, socioeconomic or geographic backgrounds. Adolescents and adult females had higher levels of methylparaben and propylparaben in their urine than did males of similar ages.

Your skin is an organ and anything that gets applied directly to it will end up in your blood stream... Think about it. To find more amazing natural products, check out iherb.com here.

--Ms. Makeup

**Added Bonus**
A humidifier really helps your skin retain moisture during the winter and if the air in your home tends to dry you out. I highly recommend. Helps with sleep too! 

How To: Inexpensively Clean Makeup Brushes

If you are as addicted to makeup as I am, then cleaning your brushes is essential. The pre-made brush cleaners are often expensive, so I have a cheap alternative: Johnson's No More Tears Regular Baby Shampoo. I used to use the Sonia Kashuk one (Target, $6.99) and honestly, I think the Johnson's works better. It's about $2.99 from Target. Can't beat it! Because this shampoo is for babies, it is extremely gentile, even enough for your precious brushes. Plus, it has a great, clean scent!

To clean, all you need to do is place your brush under warm running water (bristles down so that water doesn't get into the brush handle) and get the brush completely wet. Place a small amount of Johnson's into your palm and swish the brush around until most of the brown/pink comes out. Wash off the soap and repeat this process until the soap comes out white and clean with no color. Gently squeeze out the water and place the brushes flat on a towel to dry overnight. Simple as that!

If you have a lot of brushes this can be time consuming, especially for large, dense face brushes. It can sometimes take up to three washes. But it's worth it! Dirty brushes hold bacteria and germs that you do NOT want to spread around on your face. I recommend washing your foundation brushes a few times a week and all other brushes maybe once every 1-2 weeks, realistically. Who is really going to take hours a week cleaning their brushes?? For spot treatment, I know this isn't the most effective thing, but I just wipe my brushes off on a clean tissue. Not the best, but it gets some of the powder off!

Be sure to try this out!

--Ms. Makeup

(Will upload before/after pics later!)