The importance of Water

I've said this before and I'll say it again... WATER is SUCH an important part of your beauty ritual. It's practically free (from your tap) and it's an indispensible part of your beauty routine.

What if I told you that water, when you drink it, will in:

60 seconds - hit your blood stream
3 minutes - get to your brain
10 minutes - reach your other organs
30 minutes - spread through your entire body.

Drink 6-8 cups of water EVERY DAY for the next 4 days, and report back...how does your skin look after 4 days of filling your body with fresh and clean water?

REVIEW: The Body Shop's new deodorants DeoDry

The other day I walked into The Body Shop to kill some time, so I started to pick up their product, one-by-one and reading their ingredients. Some of it was bad; Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the chief lathering agent in most of their cleansers, body washes, and shampoos (and SLS has been linked to Whale infertility), Dimethicone in their "anti-aging" skincare products (Dimethicone is an optical softener, blurring fine lines and making it look like the anti-aging skincare has an immediate effect...when, in fact, it does not), etc.

And then I happened upon their deodorants.

I stopped using Anti-Perspirant the year I got pregnant with my little one. It's been about 4 years now. I don't care what *they* say, but to me there's a link between anti-perspirant use and breast cancer.

Over the years I've used "The Rock", which is a crystal that prevents you from smelling... you wipe it on wet skin after you come out of the shower. It has anti-bacterial properties that prevent growth of the bacteria that can cause body odour. I've also used the lovely deodorants from LaVanila - they are amazing, but at $22 a bottle it's really really pricey.

And then I found this one from The Body Shop! They're liquids that roll-on (they also have stick versions), but the ingredient list on this one was SO NATURAL!!!! There's loads of essential oils, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Alcohol, and an ingredient called Perlite which is a natural "stone" that's ground super fine and absorbs moisture.

I've been using this one for about a week now and I gotta say, it's AMAZING! I didn't smell AT ALL! I didn't feel a ton of moisture (I'm not a big sweat-er anyway, unless I'm excercising), and the essential oils had a wicked "cooling" sensation upon application!

And at only $8 per package, it's an amazing value considering how natural it is! Also, they sell REFILLS at $6, and you're minimizing what goes into the recycling.

If you've been thinking about giving up anti-perspirant and making the switch to a deodorant that lets you sweat but doesn't make you feel like a caveman...then this is it! I highly recommend it!

WIN IT!!! Leave a comment here before Friday October 1st at midnight (EST) and I will randomly pick a winner to receive their choice of DeoDry deodorant from The Body Shop!!!

REVIEW: Maybelline the Colossal Volum' Express Mascara

I'd like to start off by saying the advertising for this mascara is just RIDICULOUS. Why do they use models who look like they're wearing 20 layers of false eyelashes, loads of black eyeliner, and have been photoshopped to the moon and back?

The public perception of what we, as women, are supposed to look like is so scewed that I'm scared for today's young girls. I don't know ANYONE who's eyelashes look like the models in ANY mascara ad, ever.

**okay, public service announcement over**

I love this mascara! I bought it because it was on sale for half price. Everyone who knows me, knows I'm a mascara junkie and I'm willing to pretty much try anything to make my eyelashes look bigger (RapidLash, anyone?).

Even at full price ($10) it's a steal. This mascara is AWESOME! It's got a very big brush, almost as big as Dior's Diorshow. The bristles are classic wire bristles, and because there are sooo many of them, no eyelash goes unpolished. The formula is shiny, not thick and goopy, and applies beautifully! I had super huge big black eyelashes with only one coat!

Oddly enough, the mascara smells really pretty! I didn't keep the packaging to see where "fragrance" lands in the ingredients list...but it was a pretty interesting surprise!

Here is a picture of me wearing Maybelline the Colossal Volum' Express in Glam Black only on one eye...

Nevermind that I look cross-eyed...or that my eyebrows need grooming... the mascara is pretty awesome, isn't it? Have you ever tried this mascara? What do you think of it? If not, what's your favorite mascara?

Are you in need of pretty jewelry to go with your fab eyelashes? Check out Goddess Jewelry

Smashbox Targed Pore and Line Primer

OMG! I'm in love!

Smashbox, the geniuses who make the world's best foundation primer finally came out with a primer specifically for fine lines. Oh yeah, and large pores, but my concern here is more the fine lines!

I have these teeny tiny fine lines around my eyes and when I wear concealer, they slowly creep into the lines making me look 10 years older. I hate that.

I've tried so many different eye creams and primers, even ones that aren't meant for the eye area, in an effort to stop this concealer-creepage. The closest thing I've had that worked was the Roc epulse, but that felt SO drying around my eye area, that I've abandoned using that product.

This stuff actually works! Pores and fine lines instantly disappear. The best part is that it goes OVER TOP of your moisturizer, so you're not drying out your skin by sealing it in with silicones without moisture underneath.

But even then, this primer is loaded with moisture-rich ingredients like Shea Butter, Murumuru butter, Avocado Oil, Vitamin E, and Glycerin.

As soon as you apply it, fine lines disappear. Of course, this is an optical illusion due to the high concentrations of Dimethicone. When you wash the primer off, your fine lines will still be there. But the best part is... YOUR CONCEALER WILL STAY PUT!!! All day long. No joke!

Some other users have reported sensitivity (mild heat/tingling) when applying it to the eye area. The instructions actually say you can use it on Crow's feet, but I've rubbed it directly below my eye (inside the orbital bone) with ZERO sensitivity...

I haven't used this around my mouth yet, but I bet it would prevent my red lipstick from bleeding! Next time I do red lips, I'll try it and report back.

In the meantime, GOOD LUCK finding this stuff...it's pretty much sold out everywhere! But it's worth calling your local Smashbox retailer to put your name on a waiting list.

This stuff is GOLD!!!

Also, check out my natural skincare goodies at: www.MadeYouLookCosmetics.etsy.com

My Obsession: NeoStrata Toner

This toner is my obsession. I use it once a day to remove any left-over dirt/debris/oil/dead skin cells.

This is part of NeoStrata's "Acne" line-up, but I gotta tell you that anyone can use it. It's very low in alcohol content, somewhere around the 10% mark (unlike other cheap drugstore toners that can be as much as 90% alcohol!) so it's gentle even on dryer and more dehydrated skin types.

Its crowning glory isn't the low alcohol content, it's the 8% Glycolic Acid! So when I say it removes dead skin cells I really mean it!

The beauty of Glycolic Acid is that it makes all your other skincare work better! Your serums and moisturizers absorb better because they aren't fighting to get through layers of dead skin cells. Your skin glows instantly because it's brighter, more even toned, and smoother.

Also, pimples and zits don't just happen because you're oily. Oil alone doesn't cause pimples... but Oil holding onto dead skin cells are what clog pores and cause breakouts. So eliminate the dead skin cells, and therefore the breakouts, by using this toner!

Also, glycolic acid is a wonderful anti-aging product because as it thins your upper layers of skin, it thickens the deeper layers of skin because new cells are being pushed out faster - therefore flattening wrinkles, fine lines and...ACNE SCARS!

I recommend using it at night-time. It does thin your skin a bit, so any redness or irritation that may come along with it will be gone in a couple hours (at most). You can use it every day... I have been using this product as a replacement to the more expensive Peel Solution for a few weeks now and I LOVE IT! I'm totally hooked!

At $26 for a bottle of it (and you only use a slightly damp cotton pad) it's an amazing and effective all-around treatment for all skin types...

REVIEW: Roc Sublime Energy e-pulse eye

Since our bodies are huge masses of atoms, of energy, we are constantly creating energy. We are quite literally balls of electrical charges running all over the mass that is our body.

The people over at Johnson & Johnson (who own Roc) claim they have a cream that fuses together zinc and copper in E-PULSE, which "works by energizing ion-mineral conductors of zinc and copper that activate the skin’s natural process" and "When combined with the specially formulated Boosting Complex found in the crèmes, it increases the rapid flow of mineral ions to dramatically rejuvenate the look of skin."

When Roc first launched this product, I was beside myself! I was told that over the course of their research they discovered that wounds heal faster when this zinc/copper fusion was applied to it - because it allowed the electrical impulses in our skin to travel through the wound. Of course, this is not a claim that Roc makes, but apparently this is what led to the discovery of this zinc and copper fusion as an anti-aging product. This is a two-step product, comprised of a serum and a cream "activator"

I was really excited to get my hands on this product.

The first thing I noticed was that there was no zinc and copper fusion. If you look at the ingredients, zinc powder and copper powder are listed seperately.

The second thing I noticed was that that the E-PULSE concentrate (Step 1) has only 9 ingredients, and that Dimethicone (and its variants) comprise THREE of the first six ingredients. I would guess that it's 50% dimethicone, and if you felt its texture you would probably agree.

I was really disappointed. No wonder over 70% of women saw "instant" results! The Dimethicone is an optical softener, a "blurrer", a translucent line-filler!

Regardless... I thought I'd try it.

Two steps... first you put the E-PULSE concentrate on, and then you apply the "activator" over top. The concentrate is a strange grey colour... and the activator is loaded with sparkly light diffusers!

My eyes immediately looked firmer. My concealer also went on beautifully and didn't crease at all! However, my eye area felt dry. By the end of the day I couldn't wait to get my make-up off to load up on a rich eye-cream!

The next day I tried it again, but this time I put an eye cream underneath it. Bad idea - it caused the cream to "rice" and pile off my eye area. It was hideous! I had to wash my face and reapply my creams (without the E-PULSE).

Lesson learned. The E-PULSE is fantastic for if you need an INSTANT bit of line-filling and if you're okay with letting your eye area feel unmoisturized. But I wouldn't recommend it for every day use! Dry skin ages faster, and if your moisturizer isn't absorbing properly through the layer of dimethicone you're first putting on, then you're setting yourself up for fast aging!

I would recommend this for situations where you need a lift NOW, and then you turn into a pumpkin at midnight.

This stuff isn't cheap. It's over $60 for the eye treatment...and it's not a true anti-ager!

Roc's other eye creams (the retinol based ones) are AMAZING and are the true stuff of anti-aging-science. But I don't recommend the E-PULSE (which, btw, has SIX different parabens in it)

REVIEW: La Roche Posay Redermic [+] Eye cream

When first reading about this cream, and the rest of the Redermic [+] line, one feels compelled to try it out! It sounds like a great moisturizer! It sounds like a lovely and mild anti-aging product!

According to the good folks over at La Roche Posay (Canada's #1 recommended brand by dermatologists) "one of the key ingredients is a nearly pure derivative of madecassoside, which is one of the molecules in Centella asiatica, a healing plant from Madagascar. Madecassoside is purified at over 95% concentration and is combined with pure Vitamin C dosed at 5%. Vitamin C is a well known anti-aging active ingredient." Along with "Neurosensine: Combats micro-inflammatory stress, a true aging accelerator" and Hyaluronic Acid, which we know is a wonderful hydrator, plumper, and encourages Collagen to stick around longer in the skin.

It SOUNDS like a great product! But there's a problem....

It balls off when you apply it. Like putting on too much primer. I tried putting on less. I tried putting on more. I tried NOT rubbing it in... but it still balls upon application.

Some days I'd get lucky and it wouldn't ball up around my eyes... I wanted to do a little touchdown dance! But then I'd put concealer on, and the concealer would ball up. Sigh...

I did a little research. "Ahhhh! There it is - DIMETHICONE!" (again!!!!). It's the second ingredient from the top! And then TWO more forms of it show up in the ingredient list.

Wait. What's Dimethicone? And why is it so bad for me?

Well, technically speaking - it's safety IS up in the air. Environment Canada recently requested more studies to be done on it, as it is suspected to be bioaccumulative/persistent and a possible environmental toxin.

But even if it is found to be safe, the problem with Dimethicone is that it creates an OPTICAL ILLUSION! Dimethicone is well known by those in the cosmetics industry to be a "soft focus" creator. It's similar to taking a photograph with a camera that's out of focus; wrinkles disappear. The people who create these anti-aging formulas know this and add Dimethicone as one of the main ingredients. Dimethicone comes in a variety of molecular sizes that are transparent to look natural, but they bend and refract light in such a way that they "instantly fill wrinkles".

Dimethicone is the SECOND ingredient in Redermic [+] eye cream! ALWAYS read your ingredient lists... If Dimethicone is one of the top 7 or 8 ingredients then stay far far away! You could be spending your money much more wisely on products with active ingredients that actually improve your skin's tone/texture/etc and aren't just instant wrinkle fillers. (note: there is another brand out there that starts with an "O" and ends with a "lay" that has 2 anti-aging lines... 100% of the time, Dimethicone is one of the top 7 ingredients in every single cream/lotion/serum)

My advice? Don't waste your money on La Roche Posay's Redermic[+]. I didn't notice any difference using this eye cream, it was a bother to apply, and it was terrible under make-up!

Biotherm Aquasource Skin Perfection

Now I don't know if it's because I'm just coming off a 7-day all-natural skincare regiment...but this stuff felt like silicone on my skin. They claim it's a "granita-like texture"...I thought it felt like primer!

The texture upon applying it on a freshly washed face felt "ricey". You know that feeling you get when you put too much primer on? That dimethiconey feel? The synthetic silicone texture. Yah...that's the one.

It's fragranced. I'm not one for fragrance, but I gotta say this is a lovely light scent and I wouldn't mind it, except...

The good folks at Biotherm say it's for all skin types, and I'm slightly on the dehydrated side and I needed to put a second coat of this on because my skin felt too taut after the first application. The second application was not enough, so I put a rich night cream on over top. This is DEFINITELY NOT for all skin types - definitely the more "normal to combination-oily" crowd. My BF loves this cream and he's on the oilier side. Definitely not rich enough for me.

Apparently Aquasource Skin Perfection is supposed to drop the temperature of your skin by 2 degrees upon application. I felt no such cooling sensation.

It's $48 CDN, so while it's not expensive, it's certainly not cheap. I would save the extra $4 and stick with one of the two original Aquasource moisturizers.

Have any of you tried it yet? What did you think?

7 days! I made it, and....

...I miss it! To a degree.

My skin just glowed during the whole thing. The few tiny break-outs were done within the day each time, which makes me think it was just my skin purging the toxins it couldn't purge when I was putting more chemicals on it.

To be honest, I'm still washing my face with the soap I bought from the Farmers Market (www.EssenceDew.com), and I'm still using my facial toner (www.MadeYouLookCosmetics.etsy.com) and I even still masked with GwendolynForever's Honey & Glycerin Mask/Cleanser (www.GwendolynForever.etsy.com). I've switched up my moisturizers, going back to the stuff I was using before and even trying the newest addition to Biotherm's line-up (Aquasource Skin Perfection, which I'll review tomorrow).

Oddly enough I had a pimple today. It's still there. DAMMIT! LOL. I wonder if the oils finally caught up with me, or if my skin desperately wants the natural routine back? Hmmm...

Anyways, like I said yesterday - this was a pretty great experience for my skin. It was kinda tough at times because it's not very make-up-friendly, but it's definitely something that everyone can do for an occasional skin-detox!

I'm thinking about doing The Master Cleanse again soon... so maybe I'll line up my next facial detox to go along with my Master Cleanse! I'll keep y'all posted.

Au Naturel Day 6 - I CHEATED!

Last night I went out for dinner, which included wearing make-up, and I knew we were going to go for drinks after...I didn't want my make-up to get swallowed up by my oil moisturizer...so I cheated!

I used the new Biotherm Aquasource Skin Perfection moisturizer (which I'll have to review - it was pretty good!) and the new Biotherm Aquasource Eye Perfection eye gel (which has 3 rollerballs in it for massage - awesome!) to go under my make-up. I felt a little guilty about cheating, but I washed my face with the hot process soap and toned my all-natural toner!


And after our evening out, I immediately washed my face and moisturized with the Green Beaver moisturizer (which I discovered doesn't use chemical preservatives! They use Grapefruit Seed Extract) and the Druide Shea Butter/Argan Oil cream for my eye area.

There are no signs of any new pimples developing, my skin is glowing and this has been a pretty awesome experience for my skin. Will I continue to go the natural route after my 7 day experience? I don't think it's something I can do EVERY day, especially on the days when I have to wear a face full of make-up for work. But it's definitely do-able at night, when it doesn't matter how much oil I put on my face or around my eyes.

Would I recommend you do it? For sure! I think every body's skin can benefit from letting it BREATHE and do what it's supposed to do - eliminate toxins instead of fighting the toxins we're actually adding on.

Oh! And I went back to the Farmer's Market yesterday and found the soap guy! I bought a few more to try...I'm very excited! I got an Oat Scrub Soap, a White Chocolate and Goat Milk Soap, and a Dead Sea Mineral Mud Soap. All three of them are gentle enough to be used on the face, they're made in the old fashioned hot process soap technique so there's lots of NATURAL glycerin in the soap (none added) that makes for an effective but gentle cleansing.

Their website is http://www.blogger.com/www.essencedew.com and they're not yet set up for sales on the web, but I'm sure you can email them with any questions about trying their products.

Check out my skincare line on etsy at www.MadeYouLookCosmetics.etsy.com

Au Naturel Day 5 - Hot Process Soap

My skin's been glowing you guys! 5 days of all-natural skincare and I gotta say - I'm pleasantly surprised! It's not always the easiest (for instance, I keep my Rose Hip Seed Oil in the fridge, because it spoils very easy - and the stuff aint cheap - So I wash in the bathroom, and moisturize in my kitchen) and I'm not used to the feeling of missing water from my moisturizer because I've only been moisturizing with oil thus far.

I cleansed with GwendolynForever's Honey & Glycerin cleanser this morning. I love this stuff in the morning...it's a light cleanser and my skin feels soft and glowing after I cleanse with it. I take my time with it, I massage for a good 30-60 seconds, then leave it on while I brush my teeth before rinsing it all off. I can't recommend this cleanser enough! It comes in a small bottle (4oz - which lasts forever anyways) so you don't have to committ to the huge jar right off the bat. Pick it up here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/34338193/honey-glycerin-cleanser-and-mask-4-oz

I miss a regular oil/water moisturizer though. I make a body butter using a classic cold cream formula, but it would be way too heavy for my face. There are some "natural" brands out there, but they have preservatives - and rightfully so, it is inevitable to have SOME FORM of preservative in any product that has water in it. I have a Green Beaver brand moisturizer kicking around here somewhere - they make FANTASTIC natural products. I'll try that out after my 7 days of completely natural are up. Their website is: http://www.greenbeaver.com/

Today I found a hot-process soap that I bought at the Withrow Farmers Market. This one had a strawberry fragrance oil in it and I normally don't like fragranced stuff for my face, but I wanted bubbles! I missed a lathering cleanser, so I figure this is natural - it's an old-fashioned soap, right? I LOVED IT. It was gentle, it was thorough, it rinsed completely clean, but my skin didn't feel like it was stretching over my skull afterwards! A wonderful and NATURAL cleansing!!! Except I have no idea who the seller was. I'll have to go back to the Farmers Market tomorrow to (a) buy an unscented one for my face and (b) get their name! ha.

While this endeavour has definitely been interesting, I'm looking forward to going back to regular moisturizer (even if my cleansers and toners stay all-natural). Wearing blush and concealer with oily moisturizers is a real pain in the butt. I haven't really broken out - just a couple of tiny pimples that self-correct within 24 hours (maybe its my skin detoxifying?), but my blush and concealer just disappear off my face!

Check out my skincare products in my etsy shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeYouLookCosmetics

Au Naturel Day 4 - Oil Cleansing!!!

I love Oil Cleansing. It can be tedious because it takes so long... I try to do it once a week, especially after those days where I wear a lot of make-up. It's an awesome deep cleanser. Essentially what you do is mix your vegetable oil of choice with a little bit of Castor Oil, massage into your skin for about 2 minutes before steaming and massaging it off with a hot hot washcloth.

Your skin will absolutely glow!!!

Last night I came out of the bathroom, my boyfriend took one look at my skin and immediately decided to try the Oil Cleansing for himself. He declared it to be just a really lovely facial massage (which it is!!!) and he loved how his skin looked after. He even woke me up this morning to tell me how amazing his skin still looked. Bugger!!!

Update about the little pimple - it's completely gone.
Update #2 about pimples...there are 2 tiny new ones that have popped up on my cheek! GAH! So I masked again today with the baking soda, activated charcoal and GwendolynForever's Honey & Glycerin cleanser. I also added a bit of Green Clay and substituted Lavender Essential Oil for the Rosemary EO.

I'll keep you abreast of any pimpular developments. :o)

Otherwise my skin is just glowing! The dryness on my nasolabial fold has disappeared, no new blackheads have formed, the fine lines in my nasolabial fold have minimized big time and the little lines around my eyes have also softened! YES!!!

So far so good. I'm going for 7 days...even though I'm really itching to try my new Biotherm products!!! ;o)

Au Naturel Day 3

I went to a Biotherm school today. Ah the irony. I came home with a bunch of chemical-laden skincare goodies that I can't wait to slather on myself!

But first...I have to make it through my 7 days of all-natural skincare!!!

My skin is radiant. My BF tells me my skin has never glowed so much before. I don't have a pimple in sight and I really do feel like there's a peachy tone to my complexion... maybe it's just the power of suggestion?

Yesterday I used my Baking Soda/Activated Charcoal/Rosemary EO concoction as a MASK! I mixed it with my GwendolynForever Honey & Glycerin cleanser/mask that I got on ETSY. I let it sit on my skin for about 3 or 4 minutes before I massaged it in and rinsed it off.

The beauty about Baking Soda is that it's alkalizing. Most germs and bacteria like acidic environments. So just by using a little baking soda on your face you're doing yourself a huge service! To be honest, I had a little red mark (obvious pimple) starting to creep up on my right cheek just south of the eye area... IDK if it was my little "mask" that I did, but it's almost gone now! I'm going to have to test this "alkalizing theory" again when a pimple starts to show up.

Baking Soda is also one of the most potent, and amazing, super-fine exfoliatiors that you could ever use! I bet you have some in your pantry right now! Use it tonight! And that's an order! ;o)

I've been moisturizing with Rose Hip Seed Oil, and still using that DRUIDE Shea Butter/Argan Oil cream as my eye cream.

Today I wore lots of make-up for going to the Biotherm school. For me, a lot of make-up is (but isn't limited to): Eyeshadow, Eyebrow powder, mascara, concealer, powder, blush and bronzer. I could have worn a lot more make-up... but compared to my every day - this is a lot for me :). Anyway, I'm rambling. The point being - the make-up is holding up! Despite the oil I'd been putting on my face for the past few days.

As much as I love my GwendolynForever Honey & Glycerin cleanser - I know it won't work to take my make-up off tonight... so I shall Oil Cleanse! Have you ever Oil Cleansed before?

Essentially, you wash and dry your hands - then you put a special oil blend in your hand and apply it to your DRY (and dirty) face. Massage for 2 minutes (put the lid down on the toilet and sit - you might as well get comfy). Then you take a washcloth and soak it in hot hot hot water. Carefully (trying to not scald yourself) wring out the washcloth and slowly bring it near your face. Let it steam your skin. After about 30 seconds it'll be cool enough to actually make contact with your face. Hold it there for about another 30 seconds. Then massage it into your skin, and watch in amazement as it takes EVERYTHING off. All your eye make up (even the waterproof stuff), concealer, silicone-based-primers, foundation, etc. Everything comes off!!! Then rinse out the washcloth, and once again soak it in hot hot water. Repeat the whole steaming and massing your skin bit. Sit back and adore your glowing complexion!!! Read more about Oil Cleansing here: http://beauty-treatments.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_oil_cleansing_method

Most people don't feel the need to moisturize after oil cleansing. But I would recommend a drop of your favorite oil (or moisturizer, if you're not on a crazy 7-day-let-me-see-if-I-can-do-this kick like I am) and eye cream.

Have you ever Oil Cleansed? What did you think about it?

Au Naturel Day 2

I don't wear much make-up in my day-to-day comings and goings. My average war paint consists of black mascara, a peachy blush, and lip balm. And it wore just fine yesterday over my moisturizer of coconut oil. Closer to the end of the day my mascara threw in the towel before I did. Probably because of the extremely rich Druide cream I used as my eye cream.

My face didn't get shiny as the day progressed, it started off a tiny bit tight after moisturizing with only the coconut oil, but after just an hour or so it felt fine but I never got oily! This is a crazy notion...even for me. :o)

I use a lot of NeoStrata products in my every day skincare routine. NeoStrata products are glycolic acid based, which means lots of exfoliation. I didn't want to give up the exfoliation - it could cause breakouts if your skin is used to shedding at a certain faster-than-average rate and you suddenly stop.

So I made a scrub using baking soda, activated charcoal, and a few drops of rosemary essential oil. After washing my face with GwendolynForever's Honey and Glycerin Cleanser (http://www.etsy.com/listing/34338193/honey-glycerin-cleanser-and-mask-4-oz) I scrubbed with my home-made scrub and my skin glowed! I followed with my toner (http://www.etsy.com/listing/55464096/oily-skin-toner-sage-aloe-witch-hazel), then used a dab of 99% organic Aloe Vera Gel (okay..I cheated, the other 1% of this product is quite laden with chemicals!) all over and sealed it in with a bit of Rose Hip Seed Oil. Again, I used the Druide Shea and Argan cream around my eyes...

I'm going to see if I can find an aloe vera plant today to use in lieu of the 99% organic stuff...

So far, so good. My skin is looking beautiful! Just as beautiful as when I use the chemical store-bought stuff.

Thinking of going All Natural?

So I've been thinking... I love my skincare routine. I use a gazillion different products every day, I vary the routine from day-to-day (partly because I have so much crap and partly because...I am Aries? - IDK...but somethings gotta get the blame) and I obviously vary it from night to day.

But sometimes when I over-do it, I get these thumb sized patches of dry spots just outside of my nose between my mouth and my nose - for those in the know it's called the Nasolabial fold. Dry skin = aging. And the lines in my nasolabial fold have been really starting to show up. I blame the dry skin. which comes from abusing my skincare...

Anyway... I've been thinking. I make natural skin-care. (http://www.madeyoulookcosmetics.etsy.com/) I also buy natural skincare. I'm obsessed with skincare and I'm a junkie for trying new stuff out all the time! Thankfully I have an amazing manager at my pt job who loves to play the role of my crack-dealer and she sends me home with new stuff to try all the time.

I'm not talking about drugs people... SKINCARE! Stay with me...

Anyway, I'm wondering how I can incorporate completely natural skincare into my day-to-day (and day-to-night) routine. I'm talking COMPLETELY natural. Hand-made. No chemicals...

This can be difficult to do where moisturizers are concerned. After all, a heavier oily based product wouldn't work very well under make-up.

So I started last night... I came up with the idea AFTER I had washed my face with my NeoStrata face wash (which has 4% glycolic acid AND SLS - sigh). See ya in a little while NeoStrata!

I moisturized my eye area with a Shea Butter/Argan Oil cream by Druide that is rich, and thick, and creamy...and to DIE FOR. Those are literally the only two ingredients. You can buy a tiny 5mL size for $5, or a huge container of it for not much more.

You can find the product here: http://www.druide.ca/Product.aspx?ProductID=49008&Langue=En

To tone my skin I used my own "Oily Skin Toner" that's all natural. It has witch hazel, aloe vera gel, sage, lavender, and Calendule. You can find the product here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/55464096/oily-skin-toner-sage-aloe-witch-hazel

For my face I used a tiny bit of coconut oil and just massaged it in very well. At first it didn't have that "plumping" effect that you get with products that have water in them. You know that "aaaahhhh" cold-water-feeling of moisture being pushed into your skin? But after an hour or so, my skin felt rehydrated again, even though I hadn't actually added any more water...

I woke up with morning with beautiful skin! The lines around my eyes have disappeared (the Druide cream is THICK - and soooo refreshing, despite it's shocking lack of water) and my skin doesn't look congested after only using oil to moisturize.

I washed my face this morning with an amazing Honey & Glycerin cleanser I bought from another seller on Etsy. Her name is Gwendolyn and this cleanser and mask are AMAZING!!! The link for it is here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/34338193/honey-glycerin-cleanser-and-mask-4-oz?ref=v1_other_2

The small 4oz size lasts forever! You can use it as a cleanser or as a mask. Both the honey and the glycerin are natural humectants so you're increasing your skin's ability to hold water everytime you wash with it. It's also been infused with a bunch of wonderful organic herbs that she grows herself on her gazillion-acre-farm. It doesn't lather, but it's amazing. Honey is also a natural anti-bacterial (nurses used it in WW2 to clean out and heal wounds of all types). You'll have soft, glowing skin from the very very first time you use it! At $12 for the small bottle, it's WELL worth the investment!

Again, I moisturized with the Druide Shea & Argan Cream (I'll report back on how my mascara holds up, later) and I used a dab of coconut oil to moisturize. Except this time I sprayed my face with Avene's Thermal Water (just like the Evian stuff) before I put on the oil... my skin DID feel more "hydrated" because the oil sealed in the water.

Have any of you ever used an all-natural-routine? How did it work out for you?