I’m pretty new to using natural beauty products, but I’ve gotten a lot of questions from you all about what I use, how I use it, and what I think.
Before we go any further, may I just say, “Wow!” Wow, amazing, amazing. I love using these natural beauty products and now I have discovered this product. I can’t believe I’ve been spending so much money on expensive products for so long!
(Read my post about how I spent £250 on expensive beauty products to see what I liked)
The beauty industry would have us believe that we need complicated beauty routines, expensive serums, and a plethora of products, and that the more we use, the better our skin will be.
But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that there are no quick fixes or miracle products to achieve flawless skin. And the simple, old-fashioned way is actually the best, and a £200 expensive cream full of ingredients you’ve never heard of won’t give you that perfect glow you see on Instagram!
Natural cleansing
Here I will tell you the main secret that has made a huge difference in my skin.
I don’t use cleansing products to clear my skin. No lotions, gels, foams, cleansers or oils are used there is nothing.
All you need is hot water and a cloth.
Honestly.
If I had told myself that a few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it, so I think I need a moment to stop and realize that.
I stopped using cleansers about 18 months ago and my skin is a billion times better. It’s softer, smoother, and less spotty.
I didn’t shout this from the rooftops back then. Because I was pregnant and breastfeeding and knew that all these hormones could affect my skin.
I use two types of cloth to wash my face.
The first is the FaceHalo Pad, a plush reusable pad made from soft microfiber. Just wet your face with lukewarm water and wash your face. Removes makeup and mascara thoroughly without using makeup remover!
So, I use FaceHalo pads at night to remove my makeup and cleanse my skin properly. And in the morning I use bamboo cotton flannel. They’re not as great as the FaceHalo pads (3 for £18), but they’re much cheaper (12 for £14) and work well if you’re not wearing make-up. I like to use a new flannel or pad every day, and buying 10-15 FaceHalo seemed a bit excessive, but I actually wish I had bought them now. When the bamboo cotton flannel is ready to go in the trash (or ready to be turned into a cleaning cloth for the bathroom!), I plan on replacing it with his other FaceHalo pads.
My skin has gotten much better since I started using these pads and flannels without cleansing products for several reasons:
- It’s so quick and easy that I do it every morning and every night. Even if I’m tired, drunk, or late (3 reasons why I skip cleansing!)
- I just realized that the cleanser actually strips all the natural oils from my skin and then my skin produces excess oil which causes clogged pores and age spots
- If I have time, I like to leave a hot flannel on my face for a few seconds. Not only does this feel great, it opens up your pores and leaves your skin feeling soft and receptive to its natural oils.
Now let’s talk about natural oils…
Getting started with natural oils
I started using oil cleansers a few years ago. It’s a DHC oil cleanser that came as a bonus when I subscribed to a magazine. I really liked it and have been addicted to it for about 10 years. So I knew the oil would work for my skin and I enjoyed using it.
And I recently purchased a book called Minimal: How to Simplify Your Life and Live Sustainablely by Madeleine Olive. This is a really great book for people who are completely new to the concept of minimalism and sustainable living. But it’s something I’ve been interested in for a while, so there wasn’t much in this book that was new to me until I read the beauty section!
There was a short section on natural beauty products that I found so interesting that I immediately ordered three of the oils that Madeleine uses as facial oils.
The oils I ordered are:
jojoba oil
rosehip oil
Vitamin e oil
I’ve added links to items I ordered on Amazon (these are affiliate links). I’m still new to this so I don’t know if these are the best oils. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know. I’ll update this post with any recommendations. These oils came in plastic bottles, I wish they were made in glass, but I’m happy with them so far.
At £30, these three bottles are quite large and I’m sure they’ll last at least a year, if not longer.
The first week using natural oils
I wasn’t sure how my skin would react to using these oils. So I used each oil separately for a few days without mixing them together right away.
Vitamin E oil was definitely my favorite, but I couldn’t tell the difference between jojoba oil and rosehip oil.
The natural facial oil recipe recommended in the Minimal book suggested using a few drops of vitamin E oil, but that was my favorite, so I ended up using three oils in equal parts. I decided to mix it up.
I made two small batches and added different essential oils – one for the morning and one for the night.
My morning natural facial oil includes Jurlique’s “Revitalizing Blend” essential oil (previously given away during this campaign I worked on last year). This blend has a fresh, citrusy scent that will lift your mood in the morning.
My Evening Natural Facial Oil contains lavender essential oil for a beautiful, soothing scent.
My recipes for natural facial oils
Morning natural facial oil recipe
Jojoba oil 1/3
rosehip oil 1/3
Vitamin E oil 1/3
2-3 drops of Jurlique’s Revitalizing Blend essential oil (add more if using a larger bottle)
Evening natural facial oil recipe
Jojoba oil 1/3
rosehip oil 1/3
Vitamin E oil 1/3
2-3 drops of lavender oil
Dropper bottles for facial oils
When making natural facial oil recipes, it’s easiest to use a dropper bottle. Otherwise, it will be difficult to decant, difficult to mix, and difficult to get the exact amount to use each time.
I had these little dropper bottles as part of a Bobbi Brown gift set, but there are plenty of options to buy some online. A set of 6 glass dropper bottles is on sale from Amazon for £5.50 and has great reviews.
So that was an introduction to how to use natural beauty products and how to make your own homemade facial oil.
If anything changes or if I discover any great new natural beauty products, I’ll be sure to update!