I’m always getting questions from people about natural but effective items they should keep handy for clear and glowing skin. The list CAN get pretty long, but to keep you from being overwhelmed (insert huge oils collection and cabinet full of spices scary glass jars with green stuff HERE..) I will keep it short and simple just to get you started.
#1 HONEY
If you know me, you know, i love and adore honey! All types. Raw, Manuka, Creamed, Powdered, Wild, etc etc. I cleanse with honey, mix it into masks, put it in my hair, and occasionally mix it in my tea. Here’s why you need to always have a jar of honey on deck.
Honey is love.
Every morning, I wake up and slather a dollop of honey onto my entire face massaging it into circular motions for about 30 seconds while in the shower. Honey is a natural antibacterial/antimicrobial which is great for getting rid of bacteria causing acne and helpful for preventing any new acne.
(Left- Mesquite Raw Honey from Trader Joes, Middle- U.S. Fancy Grade Manuka Honey UMF 10+ from Whole Foods, Right – Y.S. ECO Bee Farms Raw Honey from sprouts)
If you’re also suffering from dry and or sensitive skin, honey is great at soothing the skin without causing any additional redness or sensitivity you may already experience. Honey is a humectant which means it helps retain water AKA moisture. You will find that after using honey, your face feels softer, supple and not “tight and dry” as some claim to feel after using most cleansers.
All in all, like i said, honey is truly and undoubtedly, love. When purchasing honey, make sure to look for RAW, unfiltered (as close as possible to its purest form) and unprocessed. Manuka honey is also a GREAT choice, but be cautious when purchasing manuka honey as there are a lot of misleading brands using the word manuka on their packaging when it isn’t. Trader Joes, Sprouts, Whole Foods, and other markets geared toward a healthy lifestyle all carry great options for raw honey ranging from $6 – $60.
#2 ROSE WATER
I carry rosewater with me almost everywhere I go. I keep it in a mini spray bottle and use it whenever my skin is feeling tired and dull and or I feel like I just want to mist my face with rosewater to feel fabulous. Rosewater is a great option to introduce those who haven’t yet tried toners/balancers. Rose Water is great for all types of skin and like honey, keep the skin feeling fresh, soft and supple. I use this after cleansing and before moisturizing. There are different types of rose water, some adding witch hazel and or aloe vera to the mix as well. It’s all in what your preference is. This can also be found at your local health food market type store, if not, Amazon has a great selection.
(Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel)
Warning: Stay away from any rosewater mixes that contain any alcohol. The key is to use the rose water as a step to refresh and balance, alcohol will only do the opposite potentially causing dryness.
Here are the two I use and love:
#3 APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AKA ACV
Wow, remember back in the day when you noticed your mom or grandmother ALWAYS keeping ACV on deck? I remember thinking, “Wow, this shit STINKS!! I don’t want to ever have a reason to use this. Gross.” Fast Forward 15 years and I have that SAME 128 ounce container with a few bottles of it spread throughout the house (i admit, i am very ACV crazy). I use this -like honey, for almost everything too. Hair, Skin, Cleaning (another blog post) & I also drink it 2x a day every day. Yes, I drink it, and have actually come to…dear i say…enjoy it. ACV has natural hydroxy acids (big words i know..) which help to mildly exfoliate the dead skin to reveal brighter and youthful skin! ACV is also great at balancing your PH inside and outside. For me, my skin has always been a combination/normal with the occasional oily t-zone. i notice instantly after using this that my skin is very balanced and the oiliness is decreased noticeably. You can use this diluted with distilled or filtered water to swipe over the skin after cleansing or dab onto any problem areas you experience redness, flaking skin or pimples. You name it, ACV is there to tackle it one skin issue at a time. I prefer the Braggs version-with the mother, that can be found at almost ANY grocery store. Once you get past the smell, you’ll be emailing me and asking me where i get my 128 ounce bottle, i can guarantee you!
(Braggs -with the mother, ACV)
#4 CLAY
Bentonite Clay. Rhassoul Clay. French Green Glay. Kaolin Clay. Clay, Clay, Clay! Look, If you suffer from blackheads, and pesky pores, go get a container of clay Right. This. Second. This stuff is cheap, depending on size will probably last you for an extremely long time and takes simple ingredients to mix before you slap it on. The clay is used in mask form to draw out toxins, impurities and debris from the skin. If you have sensitive skin, I would try mixing with water first and moving your way up to mixing with ACV. This mask will give a tight and pulling sensation as it starts to dry but do not be afraid! That’s the mask just doing it’s holy work. You can also mix with rose water or aloe vera juice as well, but I find water or ACV do the trick just as well without wasting other products.
(Atzec bentonite clay)
Here are the different clays you can use based on your skin type:
Kaolin Clay (white cosmetic clay) – Perfect for sensitive skin
Rhassoul Clay(Moroccan Clay)– Great for All Skin types
Bentonite Clay – Most popular. Great for All skin types especially oily. Be sure not to mix this one in or with anything metal.
French Green Clay – Great for oily/acne prone skin
#5 TEA TREE ESSENTIAL OIL
Tea Tree Oil is another one of those multi use ingredients I recommend you keep in your bathroom (and kitchen) at all times. Tea Tree oil is another antibacterial/antimicrobial ingredient that helps to prevent acne or acne causing bacteria. Sometimes i use this as a spot treatment on a blemish or pimple, other times, i mix it in with my honey to give my cleanse a little tingle. Please be careful when using tea tree essential oil as you do when using any essential oil as these are highly concentrated and can end up burning you if not diluted correctly.
I use Now Foods Tea Tree oil or Aura Cacia which is sold at Whole Foods (and now even Target).
These are my ride or die. Top 5 things I ALWAYS keep in my house. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried anything. What’s your top 5?
Leave a Reply