...Health and Beauty from the Outside In
I grew up with a mom I would not describe as “girly”
when it came to beauty routines. Most of my childhood and early adulthood I
used whatever shampoo and conditioner she bought, which is Suave, by the way.
She used an Equate facewash (some of which are pretty decent, but not what she used)
and nothing else. She sprayed and blow-dried her hair every day in the same
style and had it cut the same way for my entire life. When I was a teenager and
wanted to do more with my own routine, I had to learn from my friends. This system
did not work well considering all know-it-all teenagers know absolutely nothing
and they were also trying to figure it all out.
Then along came the
internet and we all know they can’t put anything on the internet that isn’t
true. Basically, a lot of trial and error went into my ever-changing routine. I
tried several brands of shampoos and conditioners that dried out my hair or
made it too oily. I tried washing every day to not washing at all. I have had
more allergic reactions to different face washes than I care to remember. It all brought me here to share this routine
with you. I have finally found where I am happy. I hope this may help you if you are still
searching.
Elizabeth
I am incredibly happy with my hair products. After
trying everything in Wal-Mart, I branched out to the Pacifica brand. Pacifica
is an all-natural, plant based, cruelty free brand that I love. I used their
Super Kale Juiced-Up Shampoo and Conditioner for quite a while, loving how soft
and strong my hair felt. It felt lighter after I started using these products,
no longer bogged down by excess oils and ridiculous chemical extras. Alas, I
did not have a store near me that sold these products and buying on line was
feeling cumbersome. I am one of those people who seem to think I will never run
out of something until one day it is gone so ordering online was a problem for
my personality.
I Needed something
closer to home but wanted to stick with all natural, plant based, cruelty free
options. I came across the Jessica Alba Botanica collection. Her Hawaiian
Coconut shampoo and conditioner set is the best thing I have ever used. These products have no coloring, do not test
on animals, and contain no parabens, Phthalates, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth
sulfates, or sodium Myreth sulfates.
Why am I taking the
time to talk down those additives? Well, parabens are synthetic preservatives
used to fight yeast, bacteria, or mold in products with a water base. Unfortunately,
as they enter the body, in this case through your scalp, they mimic estrogen in
your body and create hormone imbalances. Preliminary tests on animals and
humans showed it was metabolized quickly and therefore considered “relatively
non-toxic.” But when you consider that it is in 75-90 percent of personal care
products, the exposure adds up.
Phthalates are used
as a fragrance to give the product that “fresh” scent. Similar to parabens,
they have a negative effect on hormones and especially the reproductive system.
Too much exposure could have negative effects on expecting mothers and young
children. How much is too much? Well, no one has really studied that too much
so, sadly, I can’t tell you.
As previously
mentioned I love the Pacifica brand. A small array of their products can be
found at Target or Meijer for a decent price so I am not at a loss for my new
face wash. I have incredibly sensitive skin so finding a new wash is akin to
trying to touch the sun with my bare cheek. It burns. When a new product isn’t
right my skin feels stretched tight and unwilling to move—no amount of
moisturizing can fix this. Then a small rash starts to appear just above and to
the right of my lip which itches intensely. This situation makes me rather
cranky and nothing good ever comes from me being cranky.
I have found that the
Pacifica Sea Foam Face Wash works well with my skin. It is a simple and clean
wash that does a great job erasing the day off my face. Unlike many washes I
have used in the past, this product is not abrasive to the skin and does not
leave any noticeable residue.
The mated pair to
the facewash is the Dreamy Youth Cream. It is quite dreamy, though it can be
applied morning or night, or both I suppose if you have incredibly dry skin.
Like the other products from Pacifica, this moisturizer is very light and gentle.
I love the way I feel after I put it on. My skin is so soft, smooth, and
glowing.
Speaking of moisture, there is nothing more important
for your skin. If you never do anything else for it, please moisturize. Most
standard lotions have these chemicals I mention that are not the best for your
body. Pacifica also has a line of fabulous body butters that make me feel like
I am soaking in a scented hot tub in the tropics. (Though come to think of it I
have no idea why I am in a hot tub while in the tropics but this is what my
brain comes up with when allowed to freely form an analogy. I digress.) They
have amazing scents and make your skin deliciously smooth. Best of all, it
soaks in quickly enough you don’t feel like a grease ball the rest of the day.
Another great way to moisturize is simply to raid your
kitchen. Yeah, you heard me. Grab some olive, coconut, sesame, or whatever kind
of oil you use and rub it into your skin. For the most part any oil will do
though I am sure some oils might not have the same aroma and prowess as coconut
oil, my favorite. This oil is a ‘go to’ for me in the winter when my skin is
drier than a corn husk. I apply an even layer before a shower to keep my skin hydrated and resilient to hot
showers. At the end of the shower I lather up and most of the oil comes off so,
again, I am not a grease ball for hours. As long as you don’t scrub your skin
raw, this extra oil with soak in and help you hydrate throughout the day.
Along with these commercial brands, I have a slew of DIY
tips that are tried and tested from the land of Pinterest. Believe me; I have
tried way too many homemade products so this is a system that works. (Please don’t be like me and use lemon on your
face—acidic—or baking soda in your hair. Baking soda strips all of the natural
oils and…everything.) The first and simplest change I made was adding tea tree
oil, known for its antibacterial properties, as a spot treatment. In the past,
when an unwanted blemish popped up I would quickly douse it with a chemical
“zit suppressant”, as I like to call them. Tea tree oil is a much better way.
When I am having a breakout I add a drop to my facewash. When I just have one
or two trouble spots I rub a tiny drop straight into the skin.
For those of you new to oils, or don’t know how tea tree
oil affects your skin, this may not be the best option. Tea tree is a “hot oil”
and can be too strong for your skin, especially if you use a really good brand.
When starting out it is best to dilute this oil with a carrier oil. For your
face I would recommend coconut oil because it is a “clean oil” or, it attracts
dirt and skin oils to it so they can be carried away. In fact, many people use
coconut oil as a face wash, applying a thin amount to the face and gently
wiping it away. Simply take a couple drops of coconut oil and add a drop of tea
tree before applying it to your skin. This will either do away with the
blemish, if you acted quickly enough, or the coconut oil will act to pull the
dirt from the blemish making it form faster so it can go away faster.
Antibiotic oils such as Neosporin do much the same thing in a pinch, by the
way—just be sure to use a tiny amount or it will spawn more blemishes.
This is not the only way I use tea tree oil. After
trying many store bought clay masks I have settled on this homemade one. I use
this once or twice a month so as not to stress my skin too much. I mix up
enough for a couple of uses and keep it in a sealed jar so this recipe will
yield a fair bit. If you are not prepared to store it I would cut it in half at
least.
½ cup bentonite clay (found in health food stores and
known for its detoxing capabilities)
1 tsp coconut oil
3-4 drops of tea tree oil
Apple cider vinegar to desired consistency. Some like
really thick creamy masks while others prefer more watery.
Apply the mask and gently wash it away with warm water
when it is dry. Masks work hard to pull contaminates out of your skin and they
open your pours to do so. When you are done your face may burn a little (mine
does) and be bright red where the mask was. This should subside within an hour.
Once your face is no longer red, if it still feels rather dry you may put your
normal moisturizer on.
I also regularly mix a hair mask of coconut oil and
desired essential oils. This can be done once or twice a week if you want or it
can be merely once a month or as needed. It depends on how dry and brittle your
hair feels to you. In fact I asked my hair dresser how often she recommended I
use the oil and she said it is really hard to overdue. So long as you don’t
have excess oily build up in your hair, you are free to use it as you please.
I melt enough coconut oil to spread through my hair and
add one to two drops of one or more of these oils, depending on my need.
Tea
tree—Sooth dry and itchy scalps, prevents and treats lice.
Cedarwood—growth
Rosemary—growth
and strengthen
Lavender—strength,
growth, makes hair feel thicker. Also helps to moisturize.
Clary
Sage—strengthen
Cypress—helps
oily hair. To be used on the shaft and not the scalp
My final advice for
fabulous and healthy skin is an Epsom salt bath. You skin is your largest
organ, as most of us know. Your skin absorbs a large portion of what it comes
in contact with be it lotion, germs, or vitamins from the sun. Your skin is
also the last of the organs to receive nourishment from your diet so anything
you can do to help it along its way, is…well, helpful. When you soak in mineral
salts your skin brings those minerals into the body. As these minerals are
coming in, chemicals leave your skin. It is like a two lane highway. As you
soak in the water good minerals glide in and toxins flow out.
Adding essential oils to this bath is a way to bring in
their benefits as well. Some of the most common are lavender for relaxation,
rosemary for pain, or eucalyptus for muscle strain. Another great addition is
baking soda which will help to draw out toxins and regulate PH levels. Add a
bit of melted coconut oil and spread it around the top of the water and it will
coat your skin as you slide in to protect your skin from drying.
Of course, my routine is not the end all, be all, of
beauty routines. To help me really give you guys some well-rounded advice, I
have enlisted a couple fellow strivers to tell us about their routines! I had a
fabulous time conducting interviews and writing these up for you, so I hope you
enjoy.
Alexa
Lush is, in my opinion, a very impressive brand. As
many of us know, the ingredients on the labels are listed by amount—whatever is
most prevalent in the product is listed first, followed by all of the others in
order of how much is in the product. When I read the label for their cleansing
cream Ultrabland while Alexa and I were chatting about her beautiful face, I
was shocked to see the first three ingredients are almond oil, rose water, and
beeswax. This is followed by things like honey, iris extract, and vegetable
glycerin. In fact, there are only ten ingredients! - all if which anyone could pronounce. The synthetic
ingredients mentioned are two parabens, by the way. Since the jury is out on
the exact effects on the body I would say don’t let that be the only thing that
stops you with this product. It is a gem!
This cleanser is a thick cream, the texture brought to
you by the honey and beeswax. This combination is very gentle on the skin. The
glycerin is not paired with any other chemicals that support lather, which are
also questionable for your skin, so it has virtually no drying affect.
Alexa would tell you how amazing this brand is for the
asking. She says her skin has never felt softer, and nothing feels better than
washing her face with it first thing in the morning. When she showed it to me I
spent minutes sitting there and smelling the glorious scent and wanting to swim
in the creamy texture.
She pairs this with the Lush Vanishing Cream
moisturizer. This product has a larger list of ingredients so I won’t spend too
much time there. I will say they are on par with the facial cleanser. Not only
do they have lovely, natural ingredients, they tell you what these additions do!
I was really impressed with their
website when I read this about the Vanishing Cream Moisturizer, “It contains
balancing lavender absolute, pore-tightening witch hazel and grape seed oil to
soften. Use it daily for even, clear skin.”
Why was I so impressed with that simple sentence?
Because it answered my question just as I was forming it! I, for one, have
limited experience with witch hazel so I associate it with hydrogen peroxide.
Good stuff, gets shit cleaned, might not want to use it on my face in large
quantities. Since reading this I have learned that a large number of people use
straight witch hazel on their face daily for exactly this reason. Not only does
it have anti-bacterial properties, is gentle on skin, but helps your pores
fight off further invaders. Who knew?
Something else that really means a lot to me is that
this brand does not test on animals. They are also sure the ingredients they
buy are from companies who do not test on animals so you have an all-around
cruelty free product. Isn’t that something to feel beautiful about? Furthermore,
the containers are made from 100% recycled products. My inner hippie is having
a field day with these facts!
Alexa says, “[These products] leave the skin ultra-soft
and smooth. The moisturizer is packed with rose water and lavender which help
balance my problem skin.”
Alexa also wears makeup, which is something I don’t do
so she can give insight into how to keep your skin protected. She uses Nyx’s
Tea Tree Elixir as a base and a barrier to protect her skin from foundation.
Some makeups have a nasty habit of closing pores or drying skin. Clogged pores
can lead to more breakouts which beg you to use more makeup to hide, thus,
snowballing the issue. The elixir helps keep Alexa’s pores clear and protects
her skin from becoming oily.
Having a thin barrier between skin and makeup not only
helps to block some of these affects but stops makeup from settling in to lines
and other hard to clean places. Nothing is worse than having makeup wanting to
stick around for the really long term.
Though Ultrabland is her morning go-to for its gentle
cleansing and restoring properties, she uses something a little more aggressive
in the evening to wash her day away. This cleanser contains 2% Salicylic Acid,
a compound used by dermatologists. It can treat a host of skin conditions,
especially pimples and other blemishes. The smaller amount in this product is
due to its being an over the counter, however, when it comes to sensitive skin,
less can often be more. Alexa said, “It cleans away all the dirt, oil, and
makeup really well.” She wraps that up with Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 10 as a
spot treatment for breakouts. This dries up the trouble area quickly without a
large amount of skin irritation (as long as the product is used correctly, of
course.)
I
am sorry to say Alexa’s gloriously red hair is not natural. Her hair should
look like mine but she has jumped the fence to red. In honesty, I don’t
complain about it because she looks incredible as a redhead. This all being
said, she uses the L'Oréal Ever Pure Color Care system. This is the only
color-care shampoo I have seen with no sulfates, which clean well enough, but
can be rather harsh on hair and skin. (Please note I have only dyed my hair
twice and both were before I read product labels so please forgive me if I am
wrong.) This line also does not contain any salts, which could strip the hair
of color and moisture. 
Anastasia
I have a new fellow striver to introduce! Anastasia is
a freshly graduated designer in between Philadelphia and Baltimore. She works
primarily in illustration, mixing her knowledge of traditional printmaking and
digital graphic design together to create her work. She loves spending time
with her younger sister, usually reading, dancing or making traditional Mexican
food together.
She is also one of my inspirations (and informants)
when it comes to beauty products. I fell in love with Pacifica only because she
told me it existed, for one thing. For another, I never really knew much about
other ethnicities and their need for different beauty routines. Having talked
extensively with her, I have learned how much the industry caters to the
average, straight or wavy haired Caucasian. There are so many other skin and
hair types that need different attentions and I am hoping having Anastasia’s
voice will help my post be less one-sided.
With her dandruff and sensitive scalp concerns, she
self describes her hair products as “basic.” She uses Head and Shoulders
Clinical Strength shampoo, proving the commercials can’t be entirely wrong
because I never knew she had a dandruff problem until I interviewed her for
this post. The clinical strength is medicated with 1% selenium sulfide to give
dandruff an extra kick out the door. It is antifungal and fights off seborrhea
(a common condition causing scaly patches and red, irritated skin.) In short,
selenium sulfide does not only mask the symptom (dandruff) but also helps cure
the cause.
Having a sensitive scalp makes conditioning your hair a
challenge as well. When your skin is prone to dryness, one wants to add a large
amount of moisture. The only problem is some moisturizers can be too helpful
and create build up on the scalp causing more problems than it is solving as
well as weighing down your locks! For Anastasia, the perfect balance is Garnier
Whole Blends Repairing Conditioner, Honey Treasures. This product is loaded
with not only honey but also royal jelly. Honey is becoming a very popular hair
product because of its anti-bacterial properties and because it is packed with
nutrients your hair loves to soak up. Honey attracts moisture and delivers it
straight into the hair follicles, repairing them.
One thing I was very curious about was Anastasia’s
incredible curls. Having the average delicate hair that is never more than wavy
I wondered about her thick curls and how this affects how she goes about her
routine. How often should you wash and condition your hair? Is it more
difficult to spread products around and be sure you have done so evenly?
She replied, “Having curly hair absolutely affects how
often I wash and condition. My hair is between 3A and 3B curls, leaning more
towards 3B. I can’t shampoo or conditioner my hair every day like people with
straight hair. While their hair needs the daily wash, mine needs it every other
day or two to three days. If I try to wash my hair every day, I’ll dry out my
scalp and cause dandruff, while also stripping my hair of oils that it
naturally produces to stay clean and soft, which makes it overproduce oil and
then my hair looks and feels worse. On days I don’t shampoo or condition, I at
least let water run through my hair and thoroughly comb it out and avoid
touching it too much to keep it as clean as possible.
“It isn’t difficult for me to run product through my
hair, I just have to be a little more careful than those with straight hair
doing so. I don’t rush through it and I make sure I’ve detangled my hair from
the ends to the roots first so I distribute it more evenly. My only issue is
with brushing. My hair is thicker and there’s a lot of it, so it takes a little
extra time to brush. I can’t brush it dry; otherwise I’ll end up like Mia from
The Princess Diaries. My best bet is to brush carefully when my hair is wet;
brushing hair while wet causes more breakage and fallout.”
Occasionally if she feels her hair needs deep
conditioning she uses “The Butters” moisturizer by Jerome Stuart Nichols—an
organic, vegan product with nine sumptuous ingredients you could nearly eat.
She also tells me this moisturizer can be used anywhere on the body so this is
also her go-to body lotion. I have never heard about this product line before
and, having been to their website, I can tell you that I need to stay away or I
will not be able to pay my bills. (Hint, they have more than just hair
products, *squeal*)
Similar to the scalp, her face also has very sensitive
skin. For this task she prefers CeraVe SA Renewing Cleanser. It is a fabulous
non-comodemgenic product recommended by dermatologists. The best part, in my
opinion, about this product is that it exfoliates without the use of grains or
beads which irritate the skin. Many products contain plastic non-biodegradable
beads which are so small they cannot be filtered out of water, which become
pollutants. My personal experience with a rice grain facewash left my skin with
a feeling similar to road rash.
Now, if anyone loves a face mask more than me it is
Anastasia. In fact, when I asked her this question I simply ate up her answer
so I would like to share it with you, unhindered and interpreted by me.
“I love face masks the most, particularly mud and sheet
masks. They feel like they do a lot more immediate work. Shea Moisture’s Black
Soap mud mask is my favorite, I let it sit on my skin for at least 1-2 hours to
pull out the impurities and wash it off with warm water. If I use a sheet mask,
I only use Tony Moly products. It’s an eco-friendly, organic, and cruelty-free
Korean skincare brand you can buy at Ulta. They have masks with wonderful
ingredients like pearls, aloe, and so on. My favorite has been the makgeolli
purifying mask and the clear skin rice mask. You don’t have to rinse off your
face after you’re done, you take all the serum in the pack and massage it into
your skin before moisturizing. It feels so nice and they’re cheap too, so you
can have a really nice spa night for yourself on a cheaper budget.”
Ana, you, me, spa night, now! When it comes to spa
nights, she also has more insight on Epsom salt baths. My favorite! Her oil
mixture sounds incredible sumptuous, containing not only rosemary, lavender
oil, and peppermint oil but also cinnamon and eucalyptus. This combination
helps with inflammation and sore muscles. It is perfect for after a long day,
hard workout, or just to be with yourself and relax.
When I spoke with Anastasia, about her beauty routine I
was reminded of one of the cornerstones of health and beauty—water. To quote
myself (from Dream With Me post), “Jennifer Aniston told Vogue, ‘Because this
is the only body we’re given, we need to be really good and mindful of what we
eat and how we take care of our skin—getting a good night’s sleep is extremely
important, as is hydrating with water, water, water. It’s so important to
getting that extra glow.’”
Now that I have told you all about why your routines
suck and ours rock (just kidding) I have some important safely tips. If in
reading this you decide a product or a line sounds really good and you want to
try it, do not quit your program cold
turkey (which is a phrase I never understood, but I digress.) Switching
products is very rough on your skin and your body needs time to adjust. For
example, when I switched from Pacifica to Jessica Alba, my hair became dry and
brittle for a couple of days because it was not used to this new product. To
compensate my scalp became extra oily and itchy—I thought I would go insane!
I had a similar experience when I started Pacifica
facewashes. I tried the Quinoa wash first and it dried out my skin and gave me
a rash. I couldn’t wash my face with anything more than water for a couple of
days before I went back to my old wash for a week or two to give my skin time
to calm down. Then I tried the sea foam wash and it went much better though my
skin did basically ask me what the heck I was doing.
Imagine if I had changed both the hair and the face at
once? I shudder to think of what it would have been like with a dry, cracking
face and a creasy scalp. Give your body time to adjust to any changes fully,
before you make more.
Another note, be super careful and do your homework! I
know that it is so hard to love yourself, your body, your face but constantly
berating yourself in any way does no one any good (especially your face.) Don’t
do a DIY without looking into what the ingredients may do to you. Take it from
me, I have had my fair share of “if it is on the internet it must be true”
moments. I made my own shampoo with baking soda before I learned—the hard
way—that is strips your hair! It took me weeks to be tangle free and
moisturized. Lemon may get rid of black heads but that acid doesn’t stop there
and it is horrible for your skin. Like I said, learn what is healthy and works
for you then stick to it.
I hope you find happiness and feel beautiful no matter
what choice you make with your products. Now, go ahead and have a relaxing Epsom
salt bath and have a great day!
A special thank you to Anastasia Longoria and Alexa
Vandeventer for letting me interrogate you. I love you both.
The Hostest Life: Living Naturally and True to You by
Jessica Alba
Skinny Bitch: Home, Beauty, and Style: The
No-Nonsense Guide to Cutting the Crap
Out of Your Life for a Better Body and a Kinder World by Kim Barnouin
