Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Beauty: DIY Facial Cleansers



Around my junior year of undergrad, I began noticing these really dark spots that had developed on my cheeks due to scarring. Whenever I saw a pimple on my cheek I knew I was doomed (lol). I hated this because being acne-free was something I took pride in. I never really had problem skin as a teen. At that point I began trying almost every facial cleansing products. I tried Ambi, Neutrogena, Clearasil..and more..everything.

About a year ago I began trying all natural product for my skin. I figured, if I wouldn't put it in my body, why put it on my face? Here are a few simple facial cleansing remedies that have worked for me (and all are with items that you can safely put in your body as well!).
Safe for your skin, and safe to be eaten, which is exactly what you need when treating the most visible part of your body!


If you follow me on Snap Chat (@JoyfulLove), you've probably seen where I've mentioned some of these remedies. Per the request of some of my lovely followers, here are a few steps you can try for yourself.
Disclaimer: I have no intention of portraying myself as a beauty guru! These are simply remedies that have worked very well for me. Each person's skin is different and what works for someone may not work for everyone.

If you have any other great tips you've tried, please share in the comments below! xo
~

Baking Soda as an exfoliator to treat acne, reduce scarring and remove excess dirt. 

  • Prepare baking soda by pouring a small amount (tablespoon size) into a small bowl. Pour a small amount of water over powder (about teaspoon size) to create a paste.
  • Dampen skin with warm water
  • Use finger tips to massage paste onto skin, focusing on problem area.
  • Rinse off :) 
  • (Some people prefer to use this baking soda paste as a mask and let sit on skin. Again I emphasize, you may skin react differently so I would recommend testing this paste somewhere on your skin before applying it onto your face).

Green tea for blemish control, toxin reducer & anti-inflammatory


This has been one of my favorite DIY cleansers. (Y'all, stop buying those expensive cleansers from the store!). Green tea has soo many beauty benefits and always leaves my skin feeling as soft as a baby's bottom the next morning.
  1. Eye mask: after steeping tea bag in hot water, let cool. When the bag is still relatively warm (but cool enough for direct contact with skin), allow the tea bag to sit on your eyelids. I take it a step further and wipe underneath my eyes with the tea bag.
  2. Scrub: after letting tea and tea bag become warm enough to place on skin, cut open the tea bag. First, dampen skin then use tea leaves to lightly scrub skin. This gets quite messy so doing it over the sink will be your best bet. Rub tea leaves onto skin. I like to let the wet leaves sit on my face for a few minutes.
  3. Rinse(/Toner??): to get the full benefits of the green tea, I finish off by rinsing off the leaves with the remaining (warm) green tea. Rinse off skin with cool water when completely done.


Lemon to brighten skin and reduce dark spots (also great for your pores).


Simply cut open a lemon and squeeze the insides into a bowl. Use your (clean) finger tips to dab onto skin and rinse off. If your skin is sensitive be careful! Lemon might not be the best remedy as it will be too harsh for sensitive skin. (I personally did not use the lemon method too frequently because of my sensitive skin. It would sometimes cause a burning sensation).

Coconut Oil to remove makeup, and moisturize skin


One of the most important things I've learned about maintaing good skin, is proper make-up removal which I'll talk more about below. Nonetheless, coconut oil works great as moisturizer (even for oily skin, which I have). I usually do this bit at night before I sleep.

  1. You can either apply coconut oil directly onto skin or apply onto a cotton ball. 
  2. Use cotton ball to wipe off make up :) That's it!
  3. You can also use coconut oil along with any baking soda, and green tea leaves. When I use this method, I apply oil directly onto my skin before apply baking soda or green tea leaves (for example).

Makeup: less is more!

I've noticed that with the less make up I wear, the more my skin improves. I honestly stopped wearing make up everday just because I can't be bothered to put it on (haha). However, if you do insist on applying make up daily (but I would suggest perhaps skipping days), be sure you completely remove all of it before cleansing your skin and going to sleep. If you really want these cleansers to work, you need to be sure that there is nothing on your skin standing in its way. As I mentioned above, coconut oil is a great make up remover.

Drink water!!! & exercise!


Looking back, I noticed that  I started getting the most compliments on my skin was when I first moved to London a year ago. Just prior to that time (& when I became more intentional about getting clear skin), I started drinking loads of water. At work, I would drink about 4 bottles of water per day. Once I got to London, I noticed that water seemed a bit scarce (lol) so I started carrying around a water bottle wherever I went and made sure to drink a certain amount per day. Water is the most important component to a healthy lifestyle, period. And ultimately, your skin needs moisture from the interior in addition to the exterior!

And exercise explains itself. Stay healthy on the inside, look healthy on the outside!


Happy cleansing!


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