Make-Up Bag Monday – A clean slate

Happy Monday!  I’ll start today by admitting that it’s tough to give up some of my favorite products.  I’ve used them for years and my routine has become fast and easy.  I will also confess that I haven’t given everything up all at once.   I’m taking it in baby steps because I want to choose products that are affordable and that I will actually use.  It’s great to have at home recipes for the days when I have time to mix them up and pamper myself.  But it’s unrealistic to say that’s something I’ll do everyday.  I’m convinced I can choose healthier products and still have the convenience of something in a jar.   This week I tried some new cleansing, moisturizing and anti-aging options…some I made at home and some I bought online.  The good news is if you drink lots of water and eat foods high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you’re reversing (or at least slowing) the aging process from the inside out.  But most of us still want/need a few good beauty products so here are some ideas to get you started.

Spot Treatments:  There are lots of easy and affordable options for breakouts.  I say why buy an expensive over the counter product when you have so many inexpensive options in your pantry.

• Organic apple cider vinegar applied topically to an isolated breakout can help heal it almost overnight.  (Thanks to PopAndIce for this tip.)
• Drinking OACV in your tea or taking an OACV capsule after a meal can also help with breakouts.
• SilverShield applied topically to an isolated breakout can heal it overnight in many cases.  It also helps with eczema. 
• Honey acts as a microbial agent and works to kill bacteria on the skin.  It also helps the skin to retain moisture.  Use it as a face mask.

Facial Cleansers:  A truly natural, safe cleanser was hard to find.  There are lots of great recipes online for do-it-yourself spa style cleansers that are good for your skin and inexpensive to make.  I personally enjoyed this oatmeal/yogurt face scrub.  But for a more convenient daily cleanser, try one of these.

• Miessence balancing facial cleanser scored a 0, which means it gets a huge thumbs up for safe skin care.  You can buy it at drugstore.com or Whole Foods so it’s not hard to find, but it is pricey ringing in at $30-$40.
• Bioelements sensitive skin cleanser also scored a 0, but is another pricey cleanser and I can only find it online.  You can buy it at dermstore.com for $41 or at beautyneeds.com for $24.
• Tom’s of Maine and Burts Bees scored in the 1-3 range for most of their facial cleansers and they are easier to find and more affordable.  You can buy them at Target, drugstore.com, Whole Foods and even Walgreen’s for about half the price of Miessence.

Mositurizers:  When it comes to moisturizers there are actually lots of options.  You can go with something truly natural (and even edible) that you can mix up in the kitchen or you can try a variety of over-the-counter products that score in the 0-3 range for health and safety.  I chose a moisturizer that I can keep in my make-up bag and use daily, but I also enjoyed the avocado/honey mask and found the olive oil really did work for dry spots.

• Coconut oil is great for really dry spots and even for eczema.  I use it on my boys when they’re eczema flares up.  A little bit on their cheeks before bed usually clears it up in a day or two.
• Olive Oil is another great option for dry skin.  It’s a natural moisturizer that’s also rich with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agents so it serves several purposes for your skin.  It’s most effective if you use it immediately after showering so it can soak in as your skin dries.  You can also use olive oil as a deep conditioning treatment for your hair and scalp.
• Avocados contain a lot of oil and nutrients that are absorbed by the skin.  They are great for dry skin and can be used as a face mask mixed with a little honey. 
• For oily skin try lemons.  The alpha-hydroxy acid in lemons acts as an exfoliant. 
• Miessence, Bioelements, Tom’s of Maine and Burts Bees all have safe and effective moisturizers.

I’m restocking my make-up bag with a packaged cleanser and moisturizer for convenience.  But for spot treatments and pampering I’m keeping the at home recipes on file.