Skincare Sunday

Skincare Sunday: a few of my skincare favorites…

by Liz @ SkinterventionGuide.com 

When it comes to healthy skin, I’m always learning and experimenting with new products.

Some things have worked, and some haven’t. What I’ve learned is that you don’t need a bunch of fancy products! In fact, a lot of my favorites are fairly inexpensive, extremely versatile, and will last a LONG time! You can make your piggy bank happy AND establish a skin care routine that’s effective.

As always, the foundation for healthy skin is good nutrition and well-managed digestion. Liz talks about this in the Skintervention Guide.

So here’s what I’m loving right now:

#1 – Bentonite Clay

While a large chunk of the Skin & Body Care Section of the Skintervention Guide is devoted to healing masks, you can learn a lot about these skin-care powerhouses by simply following your instinct and giving one a try! There may be one that’s uniquely perfect for you, but you can’t really go wrong with any of them. My favorite is Bentonite Clay, which is excellent for acne-prone skin!

I buy Aztec Indian Healing Clay, a Bentonite clay, from Amazon. You can find it here, or another, slightly more gentle Bentonite from Redmond Clay here. These are fairly inexpensive, and will last a long time. Primal Life Organics and Mountain Rose Herbs have an assortment of clay options available as well – some blended clays, some solo-type.

It’s generally recommended to use clay masks once a week. For trouble skin, however, you may use more often.

#2 – Raw Honey

The use of honey in skin care dates back thousands of years. The natural enzymes in honey are extremely beneficial to the skin. Honey has been known to naturally heal a myriad of skin conditions such as acne scarring, eczema, and psoriasis.

Keep in mind that not all honey is created equal. Manuka Honey 16+ is excellent for skin care, but it is an investment. (When selecting a Manuka Honey, the higher the antibacterial grade the better) If that’s not an option, you can shop at a local farmers market and buy a cheaper honey from a farmer you know and trust. Look for raw, pure, unheated, unpasteurized, and unfiltered honey.

I use the recommendations in the Skintervention Guide – simply spread a thin layer of honey, pulled straight from the jar, across the skin. Make sure not to use too much, or it will drip. Leave on for up to 20 minutes and rinse with warm water. Be sure to pull your hair back.

You can do a weekly deep cleanse, or more frequently if desired. You can even do a daily cleanse and add a little honey to your regular routine.

#3 – Tallow Balm

Vintage Tradition’s Tallow Balm is amazing! Really amazing!

It’s made of tallow from 100% grass-fed cattle, extra virgin olive oil, and optional essential oils. If you’ve tried tallow on your skin, then you know that it’s incredibly nourishing, and especially beneficial during the dry, winter months.

Animal products are generally the MOST neutral and LEAST reactive for human skin. Tallow is incredible for skin care, and it helps retain hydration in the skin.

Remember, ALWAYS spot-test new skin products to be sure your skin reacts well to them.

#4 – Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil serves as an excellent spot treatment. Spot treatments are used to treat the zit itself, not the entire face. Tea tree oil is one of the few essential oils that can be used at full potency. It does not need to be diluted. Just apply a drop directly on the zit.

Tea tree oil is an anti-inflammatory and aids in skin healing.

What are some of your skin care staples? Feel free to join the conversation on Facebook!