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Big Goal #3: Natural Skin/Oral Care

By Jennie 22 Comments

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out this post, where I share my 8 BIG GOALS for these 43 days.

As I mentioned yesterday, I am a HUGE fan of Liz Wolfe at CaveGirlEats.  Her opinion that not putting chemicals on your outsides is just as important as not putting chemicals on your insides resonates with me, and I’m ready to give it a go!  Most of what I’ve learned about skin care has come from http://cavegirleats.com/bodycare/… so go check that out for yourself to see what we’re trying to AVOID in some of today’s product ingredients!

Also, check out her podcast interview with Bill and Haley of PrimalPalate!  She talks a lot about her body care ideas, and it’s just a fun conversation on which to eavesdrop.

.

Skincare

This is a little scary for me, because I’m big on anti-aging skin care.  In fact, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I used to be a Mary Kay Sales Director… I sold skincare for a living, and I even earned a free car and had over 40 women on my team (I quit for a number of reasons that I won’t go into here).  I love Mary Kay products to this day, and I have seen great results from their products.  However, I am not too proud to admit that they might not be the best ingredients to put on my skin every single day.

Looking at the labels on all my [many] bottles of products, Mary Kay and otherwise, I have been pretty shocked by the huge array of ingredients.  Everything from dies and alcohol to sodium chloride and methychloroisothiazolinone was present in these bottles!  Yikes!  So I’m testing a new, natural method, and we’ll see how it goes!  By the way, check out this website to evaluate your personal skincare items.

So what will my new skin care routine look like?  Take a look at the chemical-freeness… 🙂

1. First and foremost, Green Pastures’ Fermented Cod Liver Oil / Butter Oil Blend.  Read all you need right here (thanks, Liz!).  Everything she says is true… my own skin is also looking better than EVER since starting this supplement.   I’ll share more about it when I talk about my supplements on Tuesday… stay tuned!

2. The Oil Cleansing Method.  What is it?  Read the details here.  Did you know that if you use chemicals to remove oils from your skin, your body will overcompensate and send more oil to provide necessary moisture?  It’s true!  Want to hear another little-known fact?  Here you go: oil dissolves oil.  WHA???  I love how this website states it: “Your skin naturally produces oil because it needs it. It is not a malicious force to be reckoned with; it is there for the benefit of your skin, allowing your largest organ to function properly. It is naturally occurring. Not only does your natural oil help lubricate, it also heals, protects, and moisturizes your skin so that it may function properly. Properly functioning skin is beautiful, clear, and glowing. Learning to work with your skin, not against it, will save you tremendously.”

Here’s what I do (adapted from CaveGirlEats):  First, get your water heated, gather a few washcloths, and get your oil blend (I use 20% Castor Oil and 80% Grapeseed Oil).  Next, pour about a quarter-size portion of oil into your hands, and rub together to warm.  Massage the blend onto your face… it won’t burn your eyes, and is great at removing eye makeup too!  Massage firmly, concentrating on the problem-areams that need to be “dissolved.”  Finally, get your washcloth VERY warm (it should not burn you, but it should be warm enough to open your pores and dissolve oils).  Place it on your face, and hold it there.  This is my favorite part… breathe deeply and enjoy the steam!  Wipe your face gently, rinse well, and don’t scrub!  You may want to do the steam process a few more times to ensure removal of all oils.

To quote the above website again, “This deep cleansing method should be done regularly, but not too frequently. You’ll know if you’re deep cleansing too frequently by the dryness that your skin will exhibit. Don’t be surprised if you find you’ve unblocked an oil flow for the first few days. Once you remove the plugs from your pores, they will begin functioning properly again. Perfect skin won’t happen overnight and while it should take a few massages to achieve your goal, you should notice a huge difference in your skin after the first deep cleansing massage. Give your skin a few days to adjust and adapt to being clean and clear of blockages; understand that the new oil coming from your skin is actually a good sign and will balance out very shortly. You’ll find redness and irritation subsiding. You’ll find your skin losing that “congested,” and thick feeling.”

Sounds great to me!

For moisture, I pat on a little Jojoba Oil after I cleanse.  Love it!

Right now I’m only doing this process in the evenings, and just splashing some warm water on my face to freshen me up in the mornings.  So far I haven’t seen a huge difference in my skin – positive or negative – but I’ll keep you posted!

Note: I found all the oils in the skincare section of Whole Foods. 

Body Care

 Deodorant:  There are lots of aluminum-free options out there, including “Tom’s of Maine, Aluminum-Free,” which works pretty well!  But I wanted to do something even more natural, so I gave the Tropical Traditions roll-on a try.  After testing it for two weeks, I’m not very impressed.  I’m not a super-sweaty, smelly person (in fact, I’m pretty cold-natured, and I smell pretty dang good!), but this deodorant definitely does not last as long as I’d like.  It smells wonderful, and keeps you fresh for a few hours, but after that, prepare to stink.  Sorry, but those are the facts (at least for me).

Now I’m trying Liz’s suggestion: a swipe of coconut oil followed by a dash of baking soda.  I hope that works better!  I’m kinda missing my aluminum-filled deo right about now!

Body: I love taking a warm bath.  It’s an amazing stress-reliever, and just a chance to sit still and be quiet!  And while I used to be a big bubble-bath girl, I have learned to appreciate the pure comfort of epsom salts.  They have some brands available that are already scented with essential oils (lavender and eucalyptus are my current favorites!), or you can crush some lavender herbs into your bath, and enjoy the relaxing scent.

Epsom salts relieve tired, strained muscles naturally, they are high in magnesium, and they have some detoxifying properties – how cool is that?  Read more about the benefits of epsom salts here.

For body moisturization, I love Moksa Organics (see my review of their products here).  Everything is all natural, and the body butters are fantastic!

For soap, Liz recommends Granny’s Lye Soap.  I’ve yet to find any, so right now I’m using Dove’s unscented bar.  But I’m on the hunt for some lye!

Oral Care

Another recommendation from Liz!  Have you heard of OraWellness?  I’m not going to go into a ton of detail on this one, but go check out this website to watch videos and learn more about their Brush Blend.  Check out Liz’s experience with it here.  My husband and I have been using it for the last 3-4 weeks, and I love it!  The ingredients are: organic and wildcrafted essential oils (cinnamon, peppermint, spearmint, clove, myrrh, and manuka) in a base of organic almond oil.

It was a little tough to get used to not having the pasty lather when brushing our teeth, but we’ve gotten used to that, and our teeth feel cleaner.  I also feel like my mouth is fresher in general.  I’ve been using the little toothbrush that they recommend, and it really does make brushing easier.

(Go check out the ingredients in your toothpaste right now!  You won’t believe all the crazy ingredients!)

__________________________

That’s it for now!  As I said, I’ll be sure to keep you posted on how things go…  It’s really fun to experiment with this stuff!

Let me know if you try any of these ideas, and how you do!

__________________________

HUGE THANKS to Liz of CaveGirlEats for inspiring me to step out of my comfort zone and give this a try.  And thanks for all the wonderful information!  I’ve spent an unspeakable number of hours on your site… but not in a weird, stalker-way, so no worries. 😉

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Filed Under: Body, Coconut, Personals Tagged With: body care, CaveGirlEats, deoderant, skincare

Comments

  1. Blaire says

    June 22, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    I feel like this post could’ve been written by me. Thank you! And thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone first!

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      June 22, 2012 at 11:33 pm

      Thanks for reading! 🙂
      -Jennie

      Reply
  2. Kimberly says

    June 22, 2012 at 9:27 pm

    Yeah! I started down this road a few years ago now and I’ll never go back.
    I use the Oil–50%Olive and Castor. Coconut oil also makes a good moisturizer after cleaning. I know I thought I was cray in the beginning myself as I totally had horrible oily skin. Now, I hardly ever have a break out and I don’t need powder at all. I used to use it all day long.
    Homemade deodorant is pretty easy to make. I have a jar of coconut oil with baking soda and cornstarch. I also make one with shea butter when I have my act together. (!)
    Did you know you can clean your hair with baking soda and vinegar???
    Here’s a link to my post on all of this if anyone is interested. If not, you can just delete it.

    http://kimberlys-cup.blogspot.com/2009/02/more-simple-living-links-recipes.html

    I learned to make lotions and healing balms and even created my own recipe for vapor rub. And it’s all all natural and I don’t even have to worry about my kids messing with stuff since most of it is all edible.

    I love when people discover all they can do and do without. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      June 22, 2012 at 11:35 pm

      Thanks for the information, Kimberly! That’s fantastic!

      I’m actually posting my haircare goals tomorrow, and they do involve baking soda and cider vinegar – woohoo! Stay tuned! 🙂

      I will definitely check out your post… your vapor rub recipe sounds really coo, too. Nice!

      -Jennie

      Reply
  3. Megan Mattinson says

    June 22, 2012 at 11:25 pm

    I’ve been using the oil cleansing method for years and my skin looks better than it has since I turned thirteen and hit puberty! SO easy and cheap and I feel like I’m using something close to the way God made it. Lizzie’s Herb Shop has some good organic cosmetic oils. I use the sesame oil on my face. It has is purported to have anti-cancer properties.
    Next you need to try making your own hard lotion bars. They ROCK!

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      June 22, 2012 at 11:37 pm

      Megan, I think we need to get together and talk about this stuff!! You’ve definitely seen me on vastly different sides of the skincare spectrum, haven’t you? haha! I will definitely check Lizzie’s next time I’m near it. Good to know!

      I seriously want to talk with you about the lotion bars. That sounds amazing.

      -Jennie

      Reply
  4. Liz says

    June 23, 2012 at 12:02 am

    You’ve got it all figured out, lady! I always PLAN on doing the epsom salt baths, but I never seem to get around to it…it’s on my list! Thanks for all the wonderful, flattering, kind shout-outs…rest assured you inspire in kind!

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      June 23, 2012 at 12:23 am

      Liz, you’re the best! Thanks so much!!
      -Jennie

      Reply
  5. Andrea@simplylivinghealthy.org says

    June 23, 2012 at 11:33 am

    I’m heading to the store today for my castor oil…This sounds so soothing. I will have to say though I get in a bit of a panic when I think about ditching my products…although I know natural is the way to go…the only hesitation I have is when I’m working (I’m a flight attendant) and bottled oils really don’t travel well…
    For deodorant I have used a crystal stone for about 15 years now…I’m also not real sweaty or stinky so it really does the trick…no mess either and very easy to travel with. I love it!
    Epsom salt baths are my favorite…although I have never been a real big “relaxing” bath person I’m working on that as part of my stress relief technique…I get bored and antsy which tells me I have a bit of a problem relaxing…I’m trying to get in 2-3 per week.

    Reply
    • Emily Casey says

      November 2, 2013 at 4:17 pm

      I wouldn’t worry about traveling with these oils. I take a small bottle of my oil blend around with me. 4 ounces of oil lasts me 2-3 months! And it sure beats taking half a dozen bottles of various sizes around wherever I go.

      Reply
  6. Hallie says

    June 23, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    Jennie-Just out of curiosity….how much FCLO/Butter oil blend do you take. I have been taking the recommended dose of 2 on the bottle for about 6 months, but recently read that to see benefits more would be beneficial-just not sure how much to take.

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      June 23, 2012 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Hallie! I take 1 tsp. per day. 🙂

      -Jennie

      Reply
      • Hallie says

        June 23, 2012 at 3:32 pm

        I take the capsules….not sure what that equates to in tsp.

        Thanks for your quick response!

        Reply
        • Jennie says

          June 23, 2012 at 3:41 pm

          My liquid recommendation (on the back of the bottle) says 1 tsp. I would think that they’d recommend the equivalent in the capsules.
          -Jennie

          Reply
  7. Rachel says

    September 21, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    I’m just now reading through this…thinking of trying the oil cleansing method for my face and the hair care method you posted on a separate entry. I wanted to ask if you’ve ever used straight coconut oil to moisturize your body? I’ve been using it on my legs and I L.O.V.E. it!!!

    Thanks for the link to review the products I’ve been using. I was shocked to see the ranking on some “natural” skincare products that I currently have in my cabinet. *sigh*

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      September 21, 2012 at 2:47 pm

      Hi Rachel,

      Yes, I have, and I love it too! I’ve actually been using coconut oil for my face lately too – for both cleansing and moisturizing (though I get so much moisture from it in the cleansing process, that I don’t usually need more!). It’s pretty amazing!

      Good luck going FOR REAL natural. 😉

      Jennie

      Reply
  8. Krista says

    September 28, 2012 at 11:53 am

    I’m obsessed with natural skincare! Love Cave Girl Eats and her ideas, and you might want to check out crunchybetty.com and wellnessmama.com. I have found some great recipes and ideas on their sites as well!

    Reply
  9. Donna says

    November 27, 2012 at 10:45 am

    I’m 50 and have terrible acne. Much, much heart ache over this. I’ve just started the OCM and I love it. I’ve seen an improvement in my skin after just a week and a half of using castor and jojoba oil but I have a cazillion bumps under the surface of my skin, especially on my cheeks. Anyone have any suggestions for this? I eat Paleo but skin hasn’t cleared and no weight loss. Feeling discouraged.
    Donna

    Reply
    • Jennie says

      December 2, 2012 at 1:50 pm

      Donna, I would recommend that you keep going with the OCM – it will continue to improve things over time. Also, be sure you’re not over-doing it on nuts and seeds! When I increase my nuts/seeds intake, I often see an increase in skin blemishes.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to make chemical-free natural skin care products at home | Natural Skin Report says:
    August 8, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    […] Big Goal #3: Natural Skin/Oral Care […]

    Reply
  2. Wonderful Essential Oils! - EasyPaleo says:
    August 8, 2012 at 9:50 pm

    […] that I’ve gone a little hippie lately.  I’m using the no-poo hair cleaning method, the oil cleansing method for my skincare, natural deodorant and body care, etc.  I’ve also looked around a lot lately […]

    Reply
  3. Interview Series: Liz Wolfe of "Cave Girl Eats" - EasyPaleo says:
    September 19, 2012 at 9:27 pm

    […] with us!  I have applied a ton of her fantastic skin care ideas/approaches in my own life (see here and here), and I particularly appreciate her stance on body […]

    Reply

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