NATURAL SKINCARE TALK

[lyravega]

I don't think we have one of these yet... But, if I'm wrong, please do correct me.

I've been wanting to make this thread for a while now, but as it usually is... Life got and gets in the way. But, better late than never, huh?

I've been enjoying many natural skincare products for the last 15 years or so, on and off ( mainly facial oils and balms, but masks, treatments, and body oils and balms, as well. ) I even used to make my own for years ( years ago ) as good natural skincare products were not a very easy thing to obtain. You'd have to try and hunt down quality ingredients and make stuff yourself most of the time. And, that was quite a task! It makes me happy to see that there is so many wonderful products widely and easily available lately. It makes things so much easier! 🙂

Natural skincare performs better for me personally. I love and enjoy using it. My skin adores it. I love the idea of it and behind it. So, I wanted to make a place for us natural skincare lovers to talk about anything natural skincare as I see there are many others out there that are interested, or already in love with it, as well. So why not have our own little place on here? 🙂 So we can share our experiences ( good and/or bad ), loves, favorite products, favorite brands and their news/new launches, discus things, share our daily routines, talk DIYs if anyone is into that, why not? Anything really.

By "natural" skincare here I'm talking about skincare made mostly or completely of ingredients available in nature, like plant-derived ingredients, minerals... You know, the whole nine. 😉

Anyway - feel free to join in! You don't have to be a natural skincare lover exclusively. Everybody's welcome!

A word of caution... For those who are new to natural skincare, proceed with caution. Inform and educate yourself really well on everything you are interested in trying and putting on your skin. Natural does not mean it won't hurt you! And, it certainly doesn't mean it's safe. Some natural ingredients can be irritating for some people. Go with what's good for you, don't force anything on your skin just because someone said it is good. Do patch tests. Be smart. People prone to allergies should pay careful attention to what they use on their skin.

 P.S. I am not completely and 100% natural, nor I imagine I ever will be as I do love me some other stuff, as well. But mostly, yes.

[Magycmyste]

Thanks for the tip! 🙂

[fairlywell]

I'm trying to convert to masking, @lyravega. I get too impatient though.  My only regular mask is Origins Charcoal, to ward off bad PMS spirits.  I do sheet masks now and then (to scare the postman mainly) but I'm not consistent there either. Reading and thinking about whether I'm too lazy for fancier masks...

[lyravega]

There's not much to using these two Mahalo masks me and few others mentioned ( JR Cacao one, too ). Gods know I like my skincare routine as simple as possible. The way I use them is, I clean my face, apply the mask, and hop into shower. It's nice to let them "steam" for a while, too. After I am done with everything else, I wash the mask off. Simple as that. 🙂

@fairlywell

[mrsbaine]

Fun @lyravega! I do mask! I typically mask about 3 times a week. Lately the regime has been Problem Solver &Honey Mud from May Lindstrom (sunday), Tuesday or Wednesday, I do Tata Harper Resurfacing with Purifying layered on top, and then Friday night, I do a moisture mask. I'm still trying to find a great moisture mask; I tried and hated Odacite. I have a couple of sheet masks to try that I got from a GWP from Detox Market, and I have the FAB Oatmeal one which is pretty hydrating. After @Mochapj's raving review of Josh Rosebrook's hydrating mask, I bought it. It probably won't be here for my Friday mask, but if it is, I'll use it! 

I have the Petal mask from Mahalo; I'm kinda meh about it. It's ok as an exfoliation treatment, pretty good as a moisture mask, but the smell is so intense to me. I hold my breath while applying it. It's just a lot. 

[lyravega]

I need to try that FAB Oatmeal mask. Sounds nice. I'll take hydration wherever I can, please and thank you. 😄

I need to hear all about that JR hydrating mask, @mrsbaine , as you are closer to my skin type. I almost ordered it, but I'm trying to go through some things first... Keep us posted!

I love the scent of the Petal Mask! 🙂

[veronika23]

You read my mind @lyravega 😄  Kinda been my obsession lately... can't wait to get back to my normal routine ugh.

I also LOVE both the bean and petal mask from Mahalo. I also love Fresh's honey mask and Omorovicza's deep cleansing mask. I also use ML honey mud with the problem solver on top. Trying to think if I have any other in rotation... I know I have a bunch of others I want to try though... some are samples, some I want to buy. Soooo many things I want to try 😂😂😂

I'm wondering how many times I week I can do a variety of these masks... 🤔

[lyravega]

Ha! I know! So many things to try, so little time... or... erm... just one face. Smh. 😄

I don't know about you, but I can only do one, maybe two masks a week. Usually just one. I have to be very careful with them as my skin is a major bleep. If your skin is better at tolerating intensive stuff, you can probably do/combine 2-3 a week. Trial and error, V. Trial and error will tell you the best what you can and can't do.

@veronika23

[veronika23]

@lyravega  I can usually handle two but 3 could be ok if one of them is more of a hydrating one... I think. lol  If it's products I am used to I don't think I would have a problem. Trying new things... now that's another story 😄

Speaking of... I am sitting here with a cart full of stuff I want to try. FINALLY the masks from The Body Deli are available at a Canadian retailer. I might get the try it kit with all of them in it 😄

[lyravega]

@veronika23 So, how did that sitting with a cart full of Body Deli go? 😄

[veronika23]

@lyravega    It's still sitting for now lol. I have over 20 items in there... mostly samples but I still need to cut down the list. Most samples are expensive too. 😞

My skin appears to be better today but I still have bumps that shouldn't be there lol It's hard to describe... it's like a residue of the hives? 😄

[lyravega]

The most important thing is that your skin is finally better! It probably just needs some more time to completely heal and get back to its happy self. But it'll get there. Patience! 😉

Hey, too much sitting is no bueno, @veronika23 ! 😄

[veronika23]

@lyravega  yeah is "less in your face" now... meaning it's not showing like crazy... but I can still see some bumps and it's driving me nuts 😄

Hahaha yeah... I just have to decide what else I want to try before I make that purchase 😄

[Mochapj]

I love to mask! 🙂

Having oily skin, I consider it more of a maintenance item than anything, so most of the masks I use are clay-based.

That said, I also loved the Bean mask.  I used to use May Lindstrom Problem Solver weekly, but since my skin cleared up I've found I no longer need something that potent, which is where the Bean comes in.  I scraped the last smoosh out of my first pot a few days ago and thought to myself how much I must enjoy it to have gone through it in less than 3 months.

I find the Bean to be hydrating and I'm not usually a fan of things with scrubby particles, but I very much enjoy it. (plus the smell!!!)  I was also quite skeptical when I read the instructions saying it could be used several times a week, but it truly can.  This is a mask I pull out when I want to soak in the bath and come out with my skin having a little extra oomph.

I liked the results of JR Cacao Antioxidant and agree with Lyra that it's similar to the Bean, but I hate the scent and the texture so I won't be repurchasing that once I finish it up.  It is so SO thick and dries down so fast that you almost need a spatula to spread it.

In looking at my clay mask collection, I noticed I have a preference for dry masks.  Another current favourite is the RL Linden Co Whole Lotta Roses which is a dry pink clay mask that contains roses (duh) strawberry, yogurt and honey powders. It's gentle, it smells good and it helps to manage my oily skin while also giving it a bit of glow.  Points off for being small, though.

When I have acne I want to spot treat, I'll often mix up a little of the Herbivore Blue Clay mask in a dish and blob it on the area overnight.  In the morning the spot will be greatly diminished but not completely dried out.

Lastly for my regular natural mask rotation would be the TH Purifying.  I've used this week in, week out since they launched it last year.  I love the gingery smell, the cooling sensation, the moussey texture and and how effective it is at keeping my oily skin under control.  I dislike how small the jar is and obvs, the cost.  I always have a backup of this on hand.

I've had a jar of Odacite Synergie 4 since last fall but I haven't quite found a good rhythm with it yet.  Does anyone have any recipes they could recommend?  My main problem with it is everything I've tried has not been as viscous as I'd prefer (even when using less liquid).

ETA: I forgot one that I use more sporadically.  Graydon Clinical Superfood mask is yet another dry mask.  I sometimes mix this together with Sunday Riley Good Genes to make my own version of her flash mask (because I dislike Ceramic Slip cleanser) It can also be mixed with any of the usual dry mask suspects like milk, yogurt, aloe, juice, avocado, tea, hydrosols, etc. 

[lyravega]

He he, I had a feeling you might, @Mochapj . 😉

I love JR Cacao Mask, and I am not bothered by it being a pain to apply ( nor I'm bothered by the smell. I actually love it as it reminds me of my fav childhood cookies ) because I like the results... But, once I finish what's left of it, I won't be repurchasing, either. There's a new sheriff in town! And, I adore her! 🙂

Yeah, those scruby particles in The Bean I could do without... But, I take the mask off while taking a shower. I let the water remove gently most of it so I don't rub those particles around too much, and then I finish taking it off with my fingers if needed. I do sometimes just take it off with my fingers, very gently moving the mask around while removing it, and luckily they've never bothered my skin. But, yeah, I agree, I don't like those in masks.

Odacite Synergie and Hydrating masks are so underwhelming to me. I don't like them at all. What have you mixed the Synergie with so far? Have you tried honey?

[Mochapj]

@lyravega I'm beginning to wonder if my Cacao Antioxidant is 'off' - I purchased the JR box from Beauty Heroes during their presidents day sale but it literally smells like creamsicles mixed with feet to me, so 🤷🏽‍♀️ Perhaps I'll have to sniff one next time I'm at Detox Market to make sure.

I am similarly gentle when I remove the bean. I'm glad it's ground coffee rather than ground cacao shells, but it's still a bit more than I typically want to exfoliate with so I just splash it until it falls off.

 I totally hated the odacite jojoba mask when I tried it but I'm sure my skintype isn't the target audience. For Synergie, I've mixed it with;

- odacite serums

- facial mist

- honey

- fruit juice (iirc apple)

- honey

- milk

- yogurt

- avocado 

- green juice 

- aloe water 

- coconut water

i think that's about it. 

No matter what I mix it with, I don't feel like it does much of anything. 

[lyravega]

Haha, oh my, "smells like creamsicles mixed with feet to me"! 😄

@Mochapj it doesn't necessarily have to mean it's off. Maybe that's just how it smells to you. I know some people like TF Neroli Portofino Acqua, yet to me it stinks of burnt tiers. No matter how many times I sniff or try it ( I am always so attracted to that bottle! ), it always stinks of burnt tiers on me and to me.

Oh, wow. You gave that one a thorough test ride, huh? I gave up after a few times of it not doing anything for me. Have you tried mixing with other masks maybe? Maybe it's time you just give it up?

[Magycmyste]

So, the brand I've been turning to most for skincare the past couple of years is 100% Pure. I got introduced to their Coffee Bean eye cream several years ago (I know it's meant for people to use in the mornings for brighter, more awake eyes - I often used it late at night, or when I was really tired, but needed my eyes open for a few hours longer - I wasn't really wearing much makeup very often back then).

At this point, I have their Brightening Scrub + mask (I usually just use it as an exfoliating scrub) and Brightening night balm. I'm bad at seeing pore-level problems on my skin, but I think these really helped brighten up my face the last couple of years (of course, last year, I was also undergoing a series of facial treatments to try to get rid of some of my dark spots before my wedding).

I also use their Jasmine Green Tea and Mint White Tea moisturizers, and their Argan Oil moisturizer with SPF, and Green Tea with SPF moisturizers. IIRC, the Mint White Tea and Green Tea SPF moisturizers are oil free. I've found my favorite combination is the Mint White Tea and Argan Oil moisturizers. The mint in that formula is incredibly refreshing for me. Also, for some reason, the jasmine green tea moisturizer smells a little weird to me - not at all like jasmine green tea. And the green tea w/SPF moisturizer is just incredibly runny. At this point, I'm trying to use up the green tea moisturizers, but I wouldn't get them again.

I also have their aqua hydration mask, which is INCREDIBLY hydrating - probably a lot more so than I need (for the record, I'm pretty sure I have normal to combination/oily skin. I say I'm pretty sure because I have also had good results with products meant for dry skin, but I think that's because I tend to get distracted by things and forget things like eating and drinking water.

Their Purity spot treatment works great on my zits, and I also use their primer and 2nd skin concealer regularly, as well as their Neem and Burdock, and kelp and mint shampoos and conditioners as a quick backup (normally, I make my own rye flour shampoo, but that's almost a relaxing ritual, and I don't always have time).

I also have their multi-vitamin and antioxidant night cream and wrinkle smoothing night cream (got it for free in a GWP deal). I suspect the antioxidant night cream is doing more for me than I give it credit for, but I don't know if I'd order it again. the other wrinkle smoothing night cream - well, I can't really tell if it's helping prevent wrinkles or not. Or if I'm just not at a point where I need it yet.

I've got a couple of other (non-100percentpure) things to share, but I really ought to get some sleep. 🙂

[Magycmyste]

😩 So I found out today that 100% Pure is discontinuing a few products, including both my Mint White Tea moisturizer, and my Argan Oil SPF moisturizer. I managed to stock up on a couple of the Mint White Tea, but the SPF Argan Oil was already sold out. ☹️

Of course, thanks to this thread, I'm already exploring other moisturizers, but I'm going to miss those when I run out. I'm hoping they're just reformulating those, but there's no guarantee I'll like the reformulation as much as the original.

[NarNarNars]

I'm not too familiar with Tata Harper, but I'd consider her brand as a more "natural" one. 

 Soo, with that said, has anyone tried her Resurfacing mask? Any input would be much appreciated! 😄

[mrsbaine]

I'm late but I had to sing the praises of this mask. The LE honey one is a bit more hydrating than the regular and there are some still floating around from the brand site and Nordstrom. I swear by this mask. It gives such a great glow for me. I'm on jar 3. 

[NarNarNars]

No no never too late, @mrsbaine! I'm so glad to hear that it works so well for your skin-- gives me much confidence in trying it! I have a DS in regular, so I'm going to try that first and check out the LE honey one as well. Thank you so much, MrsB! Just for reference, may I ask your skin type?