Skin Care: My Daily Skin Regimen 

So I have gotten a lot of questions about what I do to keep my skin healthy and I would LOVE to share some of my best skin tips and favorite products with you! 🙂

There’s a few things I want to point out before I dive into this whole post. To start, here’s my fresh out out of shower – clean skin – no makeup – no filter – selfie!

This is the REAL me. I’ll admit, I get a little insecure posting raw, unedited, makeup-less pictures on any social media site…because well, I’m a girl and there’s a lot of pressure to always look “flawless.” But girl OR guy, I’m here to tell you that there’s really no such thing as being flawless or perfect. We need to stop being afraid to show the REAL us and stop trying to fit in, impress others and hide behind filters and Photoshop. Instead, we need to learn to accept our flaws because that’s what makes us, US. We’re all beautiful in our own way – so find it and embrace it! 🙂

With that being said, I want to stop focusing on “flawless” and start focusing on HEALTHY! Your skin is your biggest organ, so what you put ON your body is just as important as what you’re putting IN your body. Your skin absorbs everything you put on it: lotions, creams, masks, etc. And unfortunately, most of the popular skin stuff that’s out there is full of toxic chemicals that effect us from the inside out! You’ll find out what I do to avoid those, and get to see step by step what I do on a daily basis. I will also be including a couple of links as I go along so that you can do a little research on your own time too. Please bare with me, it’s a little lengthy but worth the read! Okay here we go…

1: CLEANSE

I wash my face TWICE per day, once in the morning with a face wash and once night with a face scrub. The face wash is gentle and not too harsh when I wake up in the morning and the face scrub is perfect at night when I shower – it really exfoliates and cleans deep into my pores since I sweat like crazy during my evening workouts! Here’s what I use:

I try to find products that use natural ingredients and that DO NOT contain any parabens. Parabens are a synthetic chemical used as a preservative in skin care products and cosmetics. They have been linked to hormonal imbalances, fat storage, and breast cancer. Click here for a more in-depth explanation. Please do your research and always always always READ YOUR LABELS! Learn about what you’re putting into your body – whether it be food ingredients, skin products or cosmetics. This is KEY for your health and all around well-being!

After washing comes the toning part. I try to stay away from store bought toners because they contain harsh chemicals like alcohol and menthol that burn and dry out my skin. Instead, I make my own “toner” using White Willow Bark Extract and Frankincense Essential Oil. I just add a couple of drops of each on to a cotton pad and rub gently over my entire face and then apply moisturizer directly after (see next step).

White Willow

White willow has amazing benefits and is considered “nature’s aspirin.” It is a natural source of salicylic acid, which is an ingredient that is found in most acne medications. The best part is that you can use it in a PURE, all-natural form without all the other junk added to it ! The herb was used for its anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties by our ancestors ages ago and now you can use it too…pretty cool huh?!

Frankincense

Frankincense is one of my FAVORITE essential oils and has been a real game-changer for my skin care routine!  It’s another one of nature’s best that can be used as a natural astringent, scar remover, skin tightener, and much much more!

3: Moisturize

This is probably the most important step and oddly enough, one that most people forget to do! Sometimes it can be a struggle finding the right lotion for me, but I am lucky enough to have an amazingly crafty mother that makes me homemade moisturizers and lotions *infinite heart eyes emojis*!  My mom’s love for essential oils and homeopathic remedies rubbed off on me almost instantly. I mean I get to use all-natural ingredients AND I get awesome skin and health benefits too… What’s not to love?!

Both of the face lotions include:

• Almond oil
• Coconut oil
• Beeswax
• Vitamin E oil
• Shea butter
• Tea tree oil
• Lavender oil

For my “day” lotion she also added raspberry seed oil, carrot seed oil, and pomegrante seed oil which are all natural SPFs – SUPER important to use some kind of sunscreen daily to protect your skin from sun damage, early aging and skin cancer!

If you don’t have the time to make your own from scratch, you can always buy an unscented paraben-free lotion and add a couple of drops of essential oils 🙂

4: Detox

I do steps 1-3 twice a day everyday, but about about once a week I try to incorporate a face mask to help detox and revive my skin. One of my favorite skin care lines to use it Naturopathica. A couple of years ago I worked at a spa and got introduced to this brand, and I completely fell in love! It’s a little pricey, but totally worth every penny.

One of my favorite products of their’s is the Pumpkin Purifying Enzyme Peel. I like to pair this with Activated Charcoal (pulls toxins and impurities out of the skin) to create an amazing detox mask!

For this DIY mask, open up a capsule of the activated charcoal and pour the contents into a bowl. Now add a little bit of the pumpkin peel to your bowl with a little bit of water and voila! Leave this mask on for 15-20 minutes and then scrub off with warm water. You will not be disappointed with the results!

5: Skin Tips & Tricks

Okay so now that you know my daily skin regimen it’s time for the good stuff 😉 Not only do you need to follow a good cleansing/toning/moisturizing routine, but you should also be practicing proper hygiene and health habits for optimal results! Here are a few things that you should be for incorporating on the daily:

#1. DRINK WATER

Drinking water all day long will give your skin that glowy look and you will literally be hydrating your skin from the inside out! I keep a water bottle with me 24/7 and stay away from sodas, sports drinks, sugary juices, and pretty much anything else that isn’t water – HAHA! If you “just can’t” with water, try adding natural ingredients like mint leaves, cucumbers, or lemon for added flavor and extra antioxidants. Water is key for healthy skin. Trust me your body and skin will thank you!

#2. CUT THE CRAP OUT

Literally cut out all the processed and junk foods from your diet. Just like the harmful toxins skin care products are pumped with, so is our food. I can’t stress enough the importance of reading your labels. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, don’t eat it! I try to stick to an organic, whole food diet with lots of plant-based foods, lean meats, veggies and fruits. If you treat your body right, your body will treat you right too.

#3. SLEEP MORE

Yes, you should be getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Your skin needs rest too! This will keep your skin hydrated, balanced, and beautiful!

#4. KEEP IT CLEAN

Try to avoid touching your face but if you have to, wash your hands before and after! We are exposed to so many germs and dirty hands can carry bacteria that can get into your pores and irritate your skin. This goes for your bed too – wash your sheets and pillow cases regularly! This will prevent the growth of bacteria and allergens caused by our own body oils, odors and sweat!

#5. EXERCISE REGULARLY

I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but it’s true! Exercising gets your blood circulating and allows your skin to breathe. You don’t even have to be hardcore just get 30 minutes of activity a day – easy right? And make sure to always wear sunscreen if you’re going to be working out outside and always wash your face after you sweat!

#6. EDUCATE YOURSELF

If you seem to be following a healthy skin and body regimen but your skin doesn’t show for it, find out what’s going. Could it be hormones? Diet? Allergies? Use an acne face map to see where you could do some tweaking to your daily routine.

6: Must-Haves for Your Skin

Aside from my usual routine, I have a few other natural skincare products that are staples for my skin!

Tea Tree Oil

This oil is an amazing natural antibiotic – it is antiseptic and antibacterial which is great to treat minor cuts and burns, and can be used as an acne spot treatment. I put this on when I get a random single breakout and it’s usually reduced or gone by morning! I always have this stuff handy!

Lavender Oil

Used as an anti-inflammatory, lavender oil is great for relieving irritated skin, redness, and discoloration. It is calming and can be used to treat muscle aches/spasms and also aides in sleep. I use this every night on my wrists, feet, and pillow case for an amazing night’s sleep!

Vitamin E Oil

AH-MAZING for hydrating, brightening, tightening and nourishing the skin. I use this to alleviate dry spots on my body and to reduce the appearance of scars and imperfections.

Grapeseed Oil

Another great skin care oil that provides essential vitamins and minerals for healthy skin. I use this oil around my eyes at night occasionally to treat dark circles and puffiness!

Soooo if you didn’t catch it from this post, I am 100% a holistic health advocate! Natural products and oils are definitely my go-to and I continute to learn more and more each day.  I am by no means a skin expert but these are some of the things that have worked for me and I hope they can work for you too! But if nothing else, I hope to have taught you a little something today! That’s all for now… But remember, keeping your skin healthy is the most important part, being “flawless” comes from within! 😉 And don’t forget to LOVE YOUR SELF IN THE SKIN YOU’RE IN! Be happy, be healthy, and be you! Xoxo

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