Au naturale?

This topic has been a bit of a struggle for me. To go au naturale or not? I've heard pros and cons from both sides. Natural products are great in theory but in the end they just don't get the job done. You need certain chemicals to fix problem areas and protect the skin. Of course I am cautious of anything that is super concentrated or contains any kind of acid because that stuff can really screw you up! I did a combo mask and scrub once and it totally dried out my skin. NOT a pretty sight. It took a few days to heal. BE VERY careful when using any kind of product with "acid" in the ingredients. I've been traveling around lately so my skin has been acting a little crazy. I also got some weird allergic reaction after eating a pasta dish and my skin broke out in bumps and a rash like texture. UGH it was awful. Not super noticable to other people but I know my skin so when I looked it the mirror I knew something was wrong! The texture was not my normal skin! It felt irritated and dried out. Here are a few products that helped me get back on track!

First Aid Beauty Cleanser - $18

A face cleanser with a whipped texture that transforms into a rich cream when blended with water. Very gentle and leaves your face clean without overdrying. I like using make-up remover wipes (neutrogena deep clean) first but if you just have light make-up on the cleanser alone will work just fine. I've tried many cleansers and this one is by far my favorite!

Contains NO:

Parabens

- Sulfates (MANY cleansers contain this. It is a cheap harsh detergent that makes the product foamy. Stay away from sodium laureth sulfate and sodium lauryl sulfate

- Synthetic Fragrances

- Synthetic Dyes

- Phthalates

- GMOs

- Triclosan ( too harsh for the face. it is an antibacterial ingredient often found in hand soap and hand sanitizer)

Korres Yogurt Cream - $32

Love this! Ultra soothing and gave just the right amount of moisture. A bit on the heavier side though for daytime use and doesn't have SPF so I've just been using at night. The cream texture is thick but it absorbs quickly and leaves your skin silky smooth

Wild Rose Mask-$29

This mask is amazing! Helps to brighten skin....you will see instant results. I use about once a week depending on how my skin feels. With the allergic reaction I got a few days ago I haven't been using anything but I just love this product so much I couldn't leave it out! Keep an eye out for products with Vitamin C....very important antioxidant ingredient to help brighten and even skin tone. Your daily moisturizer or treatment should contain vitamin C. Best when used in the daytime with SPF.

A crazy friend ( I say that with love :) has been obsessed with oils lately and got me just curious enough to order a jar of coconut oil. Not just any coconut oil though! If you are using on your skin it should be the following:

• organic
• unrefined
• cold pressed
• hexane free
• non bleached

Anything else will likely clog your pores and cause irritation. And also try to avoid brands not made in the USA.

Supposedly coconut oil has amazing healing and moisturizing properties. I drink a lot of coconut water...does that count??  Experts say you should have a spoonful each day! I'm still kind of iffy about trying on my face but I will definitely use as a body moisturizer since most of the lotions I use contain shea and cocoa butter. I've used on my hair before...back in the day in HS! A puerto rican friend had this amazing curly hair and she told me about coconut oil. Her hair always smelled so good and looked perfect. Think I got my bad HS perm because of her!  Since it is oil be careful to only use on the ends to avoid greasy hair and scalp! And remember just a little goes a long way. Here is a link to some very interesting info www.coconutresearchcenter.org