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.

[Mochapj]

@lyravega I used the Advanced Hydration mask last night and left it on overnight.

nothing bad happened. I'm sure some of it probably runbend off on my pillowcase as I'm a roller, but there aren't any big greasy stains.

my skin still feels velvety and plump, as it did when I toweled it off last time. I do feel like the product pooled slightly in certain spots on my face (nose indentations, indent between lips and chin) but otherwise it was gone when I woke up this morning.

[lyravega]

Thanks, @Mochapj ! Sounds good to me! Looking forward to trying this one.

[Magycmyste]

So.... Alyaka is having a 15% off sale till May 30th. I'm hoping my Detox Market samples will be here in time for me to test The Bean and maybe order a full size... I don't think my Alyaka samples will have made it yet...

[lyravega]

I hope they will, too @Magycmyste . Mine were swimming across the Ocean ( probably 😄 )  for over a month, though. I don't know if I'd order anything from them again. Both times it took forever. I hope they move faster now.

[veronika23]

@lyravega  I did it! I pulled the trigger on those Body Deli masks... and a few more items 😄

[lyravega]

Omg! You're gonna have yourself a mask fest! 😄 What did you end up getting, @veronika23 ?

I am curious about the brand, but I don't even wanna look until I'm through some stuff I use...

[veronika23]

@lyravega. Well that mask kit plus 2 other masks and some different balms and elixir/serums.  Most items from LeahLani skincare 3 other items from other companies.  Now no more buying skin care for a while 😄

[Magycmyste]

Ooh, very nice, @veronika23!! I'm looking forward to hearing about your opinions on those!

[lyravega]

Nice skincare haul, @veronika23 ! I hope you will enjoy your new goodies!

[veronika23]

@Magycmystewill be sure to take some notes 🙂 

@lyravega  Thanks! Me too 🙂

[lyravega]

Aww, Violets Are Blue. What a lovely name for a brand! I love violets ( both, flower and color ), and I love blues. Anyone tried anything from them? They only have a few products, and I think I am only interested in two... But... I love the name! 🙂 And, I like how the brand came to be, and the thought behind it.

"Cynthia and the Violets are Blue team donates a set of products to each woman as they begin their ( cancer ) treatment at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital." That is so nice if true!

[Mochapj]

@lyravega I haven't heard of them but I love that story about the donations.  Makes my heart feel good 🙂

Since you mentioned natural deo, I tried one recently that I'm really liking.  I've never made the switch because I hadn't found one that didn't smell awful but this one I've been trying for about 10 days has been shockingly good.

The brand is called Leaves of Trees (local to Toronto) and they sell it in paste form.  I've tried the Eucalyptus Mint, Lavender Tangerine and Persian Lime scents and the only one I can't recommend is PL.  It contains coriander as well and after about an hour of wear the lime wears off and it smells like very pungent BO.  The other 2 work great though and leave me feeling fresh and clean even after a sweaty day.

[veronika23]

Never heard of them... going to google this 🙂

[lyravega]

@veronika23 I ordered their deodorant the other day. Fingers crossed it works! Haven't had much luck with the natural ones so far... Tried some that are so so, but none 100%.

[Magycmyste]

So, I've been going the DIY deodorant route the last couple of years (I hadn't heard of any natural brands of deodorant that seemed worth trying at the time.

I've tried the coconut oil/cornstarch/baking soda approach: It was ok at first, but the baking soda ended up burning my armpits (and I don't think I have sensitive skin, either).

I tried another one that subbed out the baking soda for bentonite clay, which definitely felt better, but I wasn't particularly happy with the results overall (it felt like it caked up in my armpits, and was still a bit of a mess to transport. Also, with both of these, I felt like they didn't quite last long enough, and I don't always have a chance to reapply during the day.

I think I've finally found a good solution (for me): Mountain Rose Herb's recipe for a DIY roll-on liquid deodorant. It's pretty much salt and witch hazel, with a bit of glycerine and some essential oils for scent/benefits. The only thing I changed was that I didn't use hops essential oil (since I didn't have any, and... I'm not sure how much I like the scent of hops). I used ta tree and lavender, chamomile, geranium and chaparral extract (I got the idea for the chamomile and chaparral extract from a brand of deodorant wipes I'd started using recently - Whish - those are perfect for travel, but a little expensive for me for everyday use). I am thinking of using a few drops of vanilla oil next time to sweeten it up a little. At the moment, it is VERY floral from the geranium, and while that's not a bad thing, I think I'd prefer a sweeter scent under my arms. The only downside I've come across in this version, is that it's very thin, and if I apply it at any sort of a steep angle, I'll often find a little leaking out of the roll on tube. This could be a defect in the roll-on bottle I purchased rather than the formula - I don't know. It's only because of this that I'm not entirely sure if I'd consider this recipe travel-friendly.

[lyravega]

The only natural deodorant that works 100% for me is the one I make myself, the same recipe, last many years. But, I am always on a lookout for something travel friendly ( and effective! ), as mine certainly is not travel friendly. It's quite messy. And, that's why I never mention it. But, it works great for me, and when I'm not travelling ( which is most of the time ) I am all set. But, I need something to grab and go!

Those liquidy ones ( roll on's, sprays... ) never work for me.

[Magycmyste]

Yeah, I'd never really been into liquid-y deodorants before, so I'm not sure why I thought this one would be a good idea. I'm glad I tried it, though!

[veronika23]

@lyravega  ohhh let me know what you think! The only ones I like are the Lavanila ones... more specifically vanilla grapefruit.  IIRC I tried the one from Consonant and had some kind of reaction to it... So I've been sticking with what works 😄

[lyravega]

Will do, @veronika23 !

[lyravega]

I have couple of acne raging on my chin right now as it is that time of the month again... Ugh... Not fun. Anyway, ever since I was a teenager I've been using different kind of oils my grandma used to make for me on my break outs/acne. I've tried the route dermatologists prescribed for me, but that didn't work. It just bleeped off my skin even more. Maybe I could've continued with doc's visits, and maybe they would've eventually find something to help... But, I've discovered oils that helped tremendously in the meantime, so I never went back. ( I am not saying this is something you should do if you have acne problem. I am not an expert! I am just sharing my own experience here. And, just because it worked for me, doesn't mean it will work for you, too. Always consult your doctor first! )

Long story short... I still like a simple mixture of tea tree essential oil with a carrier oil for "heavy duty" spot treating the best. Tamanu oil ( cold pressed and unrefined ), as well. All facial oils I use ( and the rest of my skincare regimen of course ( not all of it belong to this thread so I am not going there right now ) ) generally help quite a lot keeping things under control and making my skin happy, too. Keeping skin hydrated and happy is the key. Odacite's Youthful Glow oil serum is amazing at treating my hormonal break outs. Cell Energy is great at treating those annoying, tiny pimples some skincare products cause when they don't agree with me. Leahlani Champagne Serum cleared out some weird break outs I had on the back of my neck recently and so beautifully. If I'm forgetting something, I'll add it later on.

What is your go to "natural" solution when you're dealing with break outs?

[pixiedust2]

@lyravega I'm allergic to Tea Tree, total bummer. I've tried Tamanu but the smell is rough and I didn't see any results. But what works wonders but makes me want to barf is Neem oil. If you can tolerate the smell, it really helps cystic acne and plain old big zits. But man...the smell! It's like garlic and old socks 🤢 Some people swear by it for their hair. I don't think I could handle that. 

I use Jouer's clarifying oil as a spot Treatment and it works well. It has Neem in it but someohow doesn't smell. I don't know how they do it. I thought I'd save money and just use straight Neem. When I opened it I was like whoa! Had to google and make sure I didn't get a rancid jar. Nope, it's fine 😂 Just smells to high heaven. 

Castor oil is good too. Sometimes I just dab it on and some zits clear up over night.