DIY Natural Skin Care - Clear Skin Journey With Aloe Vera Part 2

Aloe Vera is my current go to plant for clear skin and the leading lady of this series. If you missed part 1 of the Clear Skin Series 

Click Here. As i was transitioning out of a different cleansing regime (the oil cleansing method), In search of something that was even simple and effective, I stumbled upon some of the great benefits of Aloe Vera. I have been using AV for about 6 months now and have nothing but great things to say about it. AV really cleans, moisturizes and leaves my skin feeling fresh after every use. Don't let the spikes intimidate you. This plant is packed with vitamins and nutrients that will not only benefit your skin, but also benefit digestion and your bodies detox process when taken internally.3 Benefits of Aloe Salicylic Acid, (used to help clear and prevent pimples and skin blemishes) found in many store bought acne products, is also found in Aloe Vera. 

2. Aloe Vera  contains zinc, vitamin E and C which helps reduce scars. 

3. Lastly, AV helps treat inflammation, cuts, burns and wounds.  

Because AV is a natural anti inflammatory, you will notice less redness, and less pain associated with Acne. 

Where can i find Aloe?

I buy Aloe Vera at my local stores produce department at $1.99 for a long leaf of Aloe.

My mom has a few plants in her backyard so when i visit, I try to remember to grab a few to bring home. 

Fun Facts About Aloe:

1. Aloe Vera is not a Cactus
2. It is known as a ''miracle plant''
3. Aloe Vera  is just one of the hundreds of Aloe species.

I would love to hear from you!!
If you find this post helpful, don't forget to share it with your friends.
Have you ever used Aloe on your skin? What's your fav skin remedy? Chat with me in the comment section.

   

       

My bowl of aloe ready to use for the week

What does your skin regimen look like? Have you tried Aloe? What was your experience like?

DIY Natural Skin Care - Clear Skin Journey Part 1

Lovely Friday to you all,

I had this dream that i was washing my face with soap, scary, right? Well, it was nightmare really. Because anyone that knows me knows that soap irritates my skin. I have tried the ''gentle cleansers'' that people talk about all of the time and nothing. The list of products i have used to help get my acne under control goes on and on and on. Let me get to the point. About 3 years ago, i decided to take the natural approach to skin care. The first thing i had to do was come up with a way to transition out of the products i had been using at the time. Why was this transition period important ? Well, because anytime i tried to stop using a product my skin would react right away, can you relate? My skin easily became dependent on the products i used. I needed a substitute that was natural and effective, but also very gentle. So finding something natural for my skin that would calm and not stress it out was the key. What was the mission behind all of this? I wanted to be free from what had been holding me back since the 10^th grade, acne.  I wanted to forget to clean my face one night, and NOT wake up to a new breakout or in my case breakouts in the morning. I think this is something everyone with acne wishes they could do, am I right?

Stay tuned because next Friday I will share the one ingredient I used when I decided to dump my store bought products, but first, a few hints.

The product i was looking for needed to meet the following requirements:

Natural

Antibacterial

Inexpensive

Gentle

Lastly, this product has multiple purposes

Let’s Chat!

Can you guess what the natural product is? leave your guesses in the comment section below..

Do you have Acne? What has your experience been like so far? Have you found anything that works for you?

If this is your first time visiting the blog, i would love to hear from you! Introduce yourself, I don't bite!

Don’t forget to Share, Comment & Follow

From the heart,

-Karen

DIY Natural Skin Care- Oil Cleansing Method + 5 Tips To Finding the Perfect Oil For Your Skin.

The OCM method.

I might have mentioned in the past that I had been using the oil cleansing method on and off for a few years. Although I no longer use this method, I want to share a little bit about it for anyone who is considering changing up their skincare routine. The OCM method is a method in which you’ll use oil or a blend of oils to cleanse the skin and breakdown sebum ( oily substance your skin naturally creates).  I first learned about the OCM through a medical spa that specializes in acne prone skin.

The facials were beneficial and the products were amazing, but as a way to save money I let go of a few luxuries, one of them being those treatments and products.

Fast forward a few years later my skin is continuing to make progress, but I am always  looking for the best natural ingredients that’ll give me the best results.

Like many people considering the oil cleansing method I researched and researched until I was able to find the best oils for my skin type .

Here are 5 tips to keep in mind while finding the perfect oil or oils for your skin.

1. Make sure the oil or oils you select are non comedogenic ( in other words an oil that will not clog your pores ) Typically a comedogenic rate of 2 or less with 5 being extremely comedogenic will work well, but It all depends on your skin and how it receives the oil.
2. Keep in mind that what may work for someone else might not work for you. For example: coconut oil has a comedogenic rating of 5( very likely to clog pores)  yet, it works wonders  for some people. Not a risk I am willing to take. This oil is not recommended for the OCM method. It is a great body moisturizer and hair treatment (read here)
3. Consistency is key. When you start seeing results keep at it. You want to make sure you cleanse daily, Morning & Night. Some people only use the OCM at night and do a cold water splash in the morning. In the beginning however, I suggest using this method twice a day.
4. Trial and error. I know most of us dislike this part. The truth is, there is no guarantee this method or any routine will work for you, but you’ll never know until you try, right? Try out the oil on your forehead or chin area for a few days before using it all over your face. From there you can determine if the oil is right for you.
5.  Lastly, you must be patient. So, you’re skin has broken out horribly and now you’re desperate for any solution. You use an oil or product for three days and wish to try something else because you haven’t seen any results.  Take a deep breath. You have to give it time. In some cases you’ll see results within a week , but you want to give it at least 1 month before kicking it to the curb.

Lets chat below!

What cleansing method do you use?

Have you tried the OCM ? What are your thoughts?

<3

DIY Natural Skin & Hair - 20 Ways To Use Coconut Oil (featured on thehowtocrew.com)

thehowtocrew.com

Sometime this week, I will be buying coconut oil for my hair.

Slowly but surely I’ve been gathering information about different hair care routines for naturals. The one ingredient I know I will be buying is coconut oil.

If you already use coconut oil either on your hair or skin, feel free to leave a review below! Once I have a set hair routine that works for me, I will be happy to share my finding with you all. For now, I leave you with a link to a post featured on thehowtocrew.com! 20 benefits of coconut oil you must know about!

Take Care,

-Karen

My Acne Journey - Bye Bye Dairy, Hello Clear Skin

Since I was in the tenth grade I have a had a love hate relationship with acne, I loved when it was gone and hated it when it was present.

The list of products I've tried to control it goes on and on. One day I’ll share my review of some of those products , but right now I have something else to share with you.

For the past couple of weeks I have been watching what I eat ( limiting sugar intake, soft drinks, junk food, no coffee, and not much dairy). Every morning, I make my green drinks with my nutria bullet and have that for breakfast along with  typically  fruit or scrambled eggs and onions. I noticed a huge improvement within a week or so. Prior to improving my diet and drinking my healthy drinks, I had been getting  acne cysts here and there. I have reason to believe that my skin definitely reacts to what I eat. Stick with me here.  

Last Thursday, my boss brought bagels to the office along with an assortment of delicious creme cheese spreads. My favorite is the double whipped plain spread, yum. I had a bagel .. or two, and found a new pumpkin spread I hadn't tried before, also double whipped. It was sweet, creamy and fluffy. I helped myself with plenty and thought nothing of it at all. The very next day, as I was cleansing my face in the morning, I felt a bump underneath the skin. I was surprised because I hadn't had a bump like that in weeks. Later that morning, I had a leftover bagel at the office with plenty of that pumpkin spread( so good). Saturday morning, I noticed two or three more of those bumps. Immediately, I started to think back to all of the things I had eaten a few days earlier. And the only thing that would've caused this to happen was the creme cheese(DUN DUNN DUNNNNNN)  . After doing research I found that there really is a link between cystic acne and dairy. Many women who eliminated dairy from their diet reported clear skin within weeks. This might not be true for everyone, but I think eliminating dairy is definitely worth the try. As for me, I won’t be having dairy. This is going to be pretty tough( I love cheese), but so worth it. I’ll be taking you guys on this journey with me. Check in with you all soon <3’s.

Until next time.

Take care,

-Karen

Elimination time

 Call to action!

 ( I want to hear from you)

-Do you struggle with acne from time to time? If so, have you noticed a link between acne and the  foods you eat?

-What foods if any have you decided to stay away from?

-What is your clear skin secret?

DIY Natural Skin- Simple Mask

For a few years now I've been using only natural or homemade products on my skin. 

Mami always suggested either an egg , oatmeal or honey and lemon mask, and i would take heed without fully knowing all of the benefits of these natural ingredients. Now that I've learned so much about these benefits i want to share them with you. I'll be taking you all on a journey through my experience with my piel/skin. Before i get into that, here's a great post by Kayley from http://thekitchenmccabe.com/. Click on the picture below to learn how she used a few ingredients to lighten and brighten her skin.

From the heart

-Karen Maria

DIY Natural Skin Care (healthy skin in nutshell)

In A NutShell

I realize that not many people like to read the things I like to blab on about ( Haha). Sometimes you’re too busy, or you’re just not much of a reader. I get it which is why I’ve developed (In A Nutshell ) posts for you. These posts will consist of a straight forward list or quick beauty and style tips.

Healthy Skin ( In a Nutshell)

1.      DO NOT smoke ( Smoking only helps you age faster) Who wants that??

2.        Drink plenty of water ( I find that I drink more water when I drink it at room temperature) Plus, warm water first thing in the morning really helps with digestion.

5kfoamfest.com

3.        Follow through with your skin care routine consistently . I prefer using Natural ingredients on my skin but whatever you use, use it daily.

www.bellasanteskincare.com

4.       Eliminate or drastically limit your sugar and junk food intake. If you’ve suffered from acne then I’m sure you’ve noticed how certain foods can cause you break outs, Stop eating those foods!!!!

blogs.bu.edu

5.       Lastly, Exercise. I noticed that I had more energy when I worked out and I was able to finally regulate my cycle by exercising alone. The sweat helps clean out your pores and not to mention the confidence you’ll have in yourself. Stress related breakouts? This will do the trick. ( Do not wipe your face with your hands. Simply pat with tissue and shower and cleanse skin right away.

www.coreperformance.com

There! In a Nutshell.

What are your skin care tips? I want to know!