Confessions Of A Hormonal Acne Survivor: How A Natural Approach To Skincare Changed My Life
First of all, I am roaring a happy birthday to my best friend forever Sara Elizabeth Thomas. She is a genius in all things related to skincare, and she has a very inspiring/informative story about her journey to flawless skin. She has taken over the Just Aneissa blog today to talk about her transformation. Take it away birthday queen.
How to Beat Hormonal Acne Naturally: My Story (and my favorite non-toxic skincare brands and products)
By Sara Thomas
Picture it. You are approaching the glorious, long-awaited age of 25. You’ve pretty much made it as an official adult now. You don’t have a set skincare routine because you’ve never really needed one. Besides an occasional pimple, you’ve never really struggled with acne as a teen. Then one day, BAM! You awaken to Mt. Godzilla (or, horror of horrors, an army of Mt. Godzillas) all along your jawline. After MAJORLY freaking out you try nearly every acne wash, cream, and spot treatment on the planet with little to no results. For months you struggle to get your face under control, but nothing seems to be helping. Does this scenario sound familiar to you? It does to me. Because it is my story. If you’re struggling with any of these symptoms, look up child, because I’m about to tell you a story of hope and healing, a story of how I beat hormonal acne…
I can remember exactly when these symptoms started showing up. It was about five months before I was to turn the big 25. My skincare routine up to this point included cheap makeup removing cloths and Vitamin E cream from Walmart (ah, the simplicities of youth), which had been working out great for me since I graduated high school. As I mentioned, the occasional pimple would pop up every so often, but it was nothing a little Clean and Clear gel couldn’t fix. So imagine my distress when I began to get these massive, painful cysts on my chin seemingly out of the blue! My old wipe-and-go skincare routine was no longer useful. I bought all kinds of acne products and tried all sorts of homemade remedies; nothing worked.
I was completely at a loss for what to do. I didn’t want to go to my college classes or church because I was so embarrassed by my face. Let me pause right here to say this: acne DOES NOT make you a dirty person. Period. In fact, if you struggle with acne, you probably have one of the cleanest faces on earth because you are overcompensating with washing and treatments to get rid of it (more on this later). Those lumps and bumps on your face DO NOT define you. So stop thinking that people will despise you or avoid you, or that that cute boy will think you are gross, because you are having a bad skin day, or year, or life (and if they do, give them wave goodbye, cause those are not the people you want in your life). People who genuinely love and care for you will be able to see beneath those blemishes. Recognize right now that you are not the only person on God’s earth to have acne struggles, and you won’t be the last. In fact, according to Healthline, an estimated 50% of women between ages 20 and 29 have acne. So no, you’re not alone. Also, recognize that it could always be worse; believe me, there are people out there who have much worse acne problems than you (I’ve Googled them, and yes, I don’t recommend it). I’ve been there, so I know how depressed and disgusting you can feel when you look in the mirror. Take a deep breathe, calm down, and keep reading because I am here as a testimony that it can get better.
I kind of do/kind of don’t wish I had pictures to show you what my face looked like during those months. It got so bad that one day I was sitting on my couch and had been picking at my face, and my mom walks in, sees the angry welts I had created, and says, “Wow. Your face looks bad!” I burst into tears (poor mom didn’t know what to do). I was so sick and so ashamed of dealing with this mess! We had a discussion right then and there about me going to see my Pastor’s wife, who had just opened a holistic practice, to find out what was going on with my body. I also began researching, aka Googling what was going on with my face. I noticed that
A) the cysts were mainly concentrated around my jaw/chin area.
B) that my symptoms seemed to worsen when “Aunt Flow” came to visit every month. My research led me to this conclusion: the culprit was hormonal acne.
So what is hormonal acne? In a nutshell, when we talk about hormonal acne, sometimes called adult acne, we’re typically talking about the acne that affects women in their early 20s to 30s (even up into their 40s and 50s!). Unlike the atypical breakouts experienced during the teenage years, hormonal acne mainly consists of big, under-the-skin cysts that can be painful and cause scarring. Also, these cysts usually appear or worsen around the menstrual cycle. So just what is going on here? According to Medical News Today, hormonal acne is just regular acne, which is defined as an overproduction of sebum that builds up with dead skin in the pores, causing a blockage, and thus lesion, to form. During puberty, testosterone levels go up, which is why many teens struggle with acne because this hormone affects the levels of sebum production. With women, however, estrogen and progesterone are the hormones that are altered during the menstrual cycle (you can read more about that here: http://helloflo.com/heres-what-happens-to-your-hormone-levels-during-your-menstrual-cycle/). Basically, because of this significant fluctuation, or imbalance, of hormones, the female body overproduces testosterone and other androgens (male hormones) which, as you learned earlier, causes sebum to build up, which produces (you guessed it) acne. Other causes for this type of cystic acne include inflammation and poor nutrition, which I will address below, because, in my opinion, all of these factors are linked.
There is some debate as to whether hormonal acne is just plain old acne that flares up due to this underlying hormonal change or whether it is a unique form of acne. There is no denying that acne is the result of what is happening in the body; however, if it were “regular” acne, it would appear all over the face (such as the type of acne that occurs with puberty in teens) rather than being concentrated around the chin area. Interesting fact: did you notice that hormonal acne occurs in the same place on a female that is the same area a male would grow a beard, i.e., the chin and jawline area? This reconfirms that these male hormones (ugh, of course, it would be man related) are part of the issue. In Chinese medicine, acne’s position on the face is directly linked to a specific organ within the body, and acne is a sign of what is going on internally. Here’s what that looks like:
This is why it makes sense that, although it is regular acne, the type of acne that hits women after puberty is concentrated around the chin area, because it is linked to the hormones, and hormonal imbalance is what occurs around menstruation (also note the candida, processed sugar, and starchy foods related to this area; you’ll need to remember that for later).
So the good news? It’s not because you’re dirty or not washing your face enough. Preferably, it is an internal problem causing external effects, and fixing these internal issues will fix the external. How do I know this is true? Because it worked for me!
After researching what hormonal acne was, visiting a holistic specialist, and making a few dietary and skincare changes, I have been acne free for almost two years now! Is my skin perfect? No. Do I still get flareups (especially around that time of the month)? Yes. But it is almost miraculous how much my skin has turned around since making these few simple changes I am about to share with you below. I saw overwhelming results, i.e., no pimples to just a few tiny bumps that pop up right before my cycle (and they are far less painful and significant compared to what I was dealing with), within just a few months of making these simple internal and external changes, and I believe that by following these steps, you can have the same results too!
Step 1: It’s What’s on the Inside That Counts, or Internal Changes Produce External Results
Because hormonal acne is an outward sign of an internal issue, I would start by addressing what is going on inside your body first. My first step to getting my skin back on track was visiting a holistic specialist who approached my internal issues with natural remedies. Now, that does not mean you need to visit a holistic doctor yourself if you do not wish to. BUT, I will say that I strongly feel that this holistic approach played a crucial role in curing my acne. It was crazy how the methods she used to test my body were showing that the organs responsible for hormone production (such as the pituitary gland) were completely out of balance! After just a few visits, complete with supplements, tinctures, and dietary changes based on the imbalances linked to specific organs, I saw significant improvements!
I would like to stress one thing: DO NOT TAKE THE BIRTH CONTROL PILL TO CONTROL YOUR HORMONAL ACNE. At the end of the day, this is ultimately your choice, but I strongly, strongly do NOT encourage going on the pill (or any other form of pharmaceuticals, like Accutane, for that matter) to treat acne. I absolutely hate that this is the go-to remedy in the medical field for acne sufferers, even for teenagers! While it does provide temporary relief, it will harm you in the long run. This is part of the reason why I chose not to go to a traditional dermatologist and went the holistic route for my treatment. If you would like to visit a regular dermatologist or physician, that is your choice. But do your research (even with the holistic methods) before agreeing to any treatment. This is YOUR health we’re talking about here, so treat it with care!
Beyond holistic medicine, there were several other changes I made to combat my acne internally:
• Water intake
So you’re probably tired of hearing this one, but if you want to see your skin improve, you must drink more water. It’s the way we flush toxins out of our bodies, and if we’re not drinking enough water, toxins must find another route of escape—most often through the skin (yikes)! If plain water is not your style, add some lemon, cucumber, and mint for flavoring (gives an extra detox boost!) or try consuming more foods that contain water, such as watermelon. And while you can technically get water through black tea and coffee, these are diuretics, meaning they absorb the water in your body and dehydrate you, so you will need to drink even more water to replace that water loss. Ideally, you should aim to drink around ½ your weight in ounces per day (plus extra if you’re a heavy caffeine drinker).
• Cutting out sugar
If you’re like me and have a major sweet tooth, you’re probably not going to like this next one. But if there’s one thing I want you to get out of this talk, it is this: sugar is bad for you. I mean, big revelation, right? If you look at sugar from a historical standpoint (I’m a big history nerd), you’ll find that whenever sugar was introduced to a society, the health of that society started to decline. Tooth disease, obesity, diabetes, etc. all stem from sugar consumption! And sugar provides no nutritional benefit to the body (other than it tastes good) and can even be addictive, like a drug. If you want to see improvements in your skin, you need to cut way, WAY, back on the number of sweets you eat (including cokes and soft drinks). Is it easy? No. But it is possible. I can always tell when I’ve eaten too many sugary foods (ahem, Christmas) because my skin will respond with a noticeable flare-up; once I’ve returned to my normal no-sugar routine, everything will calm back down again. Try replacing white and processed sugars (yes, even Sweet-n-Low and Splenda, they’re not much better for you) with natural stevia (it took me a while to get used to the taste, but I love it now), erythritol, or honey. These do not cause spikes in insulin, which will not disrupt your hormonal balance.
• Cutting out carbs
And if you like pizza and fries, you’re not going to like this one. But carb-heavy foods can also cause significant breakouts. Do you know why? Because a lot of times, your white flour-based bread, pizza crusts, and tortillas contain sugar (so be aware that sugar can come in all forms, not just in sweets)! Also, starchy foods, like potatoes, convert their starch to, you guessed it, sugar. All of those carbs and sneaky sugars will lead to too much production of insulin, and guess what that leads to? Excess testosterone production (and if you were paying attention to my science lesson earlier, you know what that means) in the ovaries! Not all carbs are bad for you; some complex carbs, such as beans/lentils, sweet potatoes, and whole grains contain the necessary fiber and energy your body needs when eaten in the right amounts and with the right proteins. But foods made from white flour, potatoes, and corn? Not so much. Again, this is about internal changes to produce visible results. It is a lifestyle change, but it is one that is so worth it! And while I do indulge in the occasional splurge, I always go back to eating healthy because I feel better when I don’t eat a lot of junk. Your overall health will improve if you learn to swap out sugary, carb-filled processed foods for healthier options, such bun-less burgers, cauliflower rice/potatoes (I used to HATE cauliflower by the way, but now I love it), and almond or coconut flour cookies. Granted, you’re never going to completely replace those yummy breads and treats entirely (I can speak from experience, and many tried and failed recipes), but stick with it, and you’ll find that you can probably never go back to eating that way again-- no, seriously, I get stomach cramps when I do eat something off plan—plus, you’ll lose weight! Yay!
• Cutting out dairy
Now this one is kind of on the fence for me. I’ve completely cut out whole cow’s milk because I noticed several years ago (before all the hormonal stuff) that anytime I drank milk I would break out, so I switched to almond milk instead. Other forms of dairy, however, do not affect me. In many articles, I have read on acne and hormonal acne, however, going dairy free has been a key player in transforming those who are acne prone. Listen to your body; if you see breakouts occur when it’s not that time of the month, and you think it could be linked to dairy, then cut it out and see how your body responds.
• Introducing more colorful foods
I know what you’re thinking by now: goodness, if I can’t have all of this stuff, what can I have? Aim for more fruits and veggies (I didn’t do a specific section on this but try to include more proteins too)! And this is coming from the girl who used to live on chicken nuggets and hated salad with a vengeance. But fruits and vegetables are how we derive the nutrition and vitamins our bodies need, and if our body is happy, our skin is happy. Be careful of fruits, however, as some contain a lot of natural sugars. If eating salad isn’t your thing, try juicing or doing smoothies to get those greens in!
• Exercise
I thought you said extra fries! But in all seriousness, do try to get a little exercise in, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day! I aim to walk at 1.5 miles on the treadmill (which takes me about 30 minutes) every day. And I know we lead busy lifestyles that don’t allow for gym memberships and 5-mile runs. If you work or live on a second story, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take a quick jog around the neighborhood. Park the car further from the door at the mall. Enroll in a Zumba class. Get a group of girls together to go to the park to walk. Exercise is so important because it gets the blood flowing. I touched on this earlier, but toxins from what we ingest and put on our bodies are another cause for breakouts because they disrupt the delicate ecosystem that goes on within our bodies. Exercising (and drinking water) kind of help move toxins along so they can be flushed out of the body more quickly. Plus, exercising gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy!
• Reducing Stress
Stress is a MAJOR factor when it comes to acne, and there are so many studies about the negative impacts stress can have on your body. For instance, if I’m under a lot of stress, it causes my cycle to go out of balance, meaning it comes early or late; oh, and if you don’t use a cycle tracker, you should! I use the Clue app, and it has been a lifesaver. Stress can also affect your hormones, sleep patterns, etc. which, again, can result in breakouts. Try to reduce stress in your life by practicing breathing techniques, meditating, listening to music, taking a nap, doing a self-care pampering night once a week, reading…whatever it takes to help you chill out, do it!
• Getting more sleep
Another no-brainer, but this is one area where I continue to struggle (as I write this at 1 in the morning). But sleep is, again, so important for your overall health. Rest is the body’s way of repairing and recharging, so not getting enough means your body doesn’t have enough time to correct itself. Also, sleep plays a role in regulating your hormones, so if your rest is off, your hormones likely will be too. Plus, sleep deprivation makes for a groggy, grumpy, headache-filled day. Aim for 7-8 hours a night minimum. If you find it hard going to sleep, try a relaxing bath with lavender, or putting a few drops on your pillow or diffusing at night.
• Vitamins and supplements
Now, this is going to be a long section broken up into parts because I’ve tried my fair share of supplements to combat acne and I want to focus on what has worked for me and what I would recommend. However, I AM NOT A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL. I’ve just really done my research on these supplements and have learned to listen to my body when it rejects a supplement. If you are thinking about taking something new and want to be extra cautious, talk to your doctor first.
1. Gut Health: Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Digestive Enzymes
If there’s another thing (besides cutting out sugar) I want you to take away from this article; it’s that you should be doing probiotics every day. Case closed, end of story. No, but in all seriousness, probiotics has been the one constant supplement out of the many I have taken that I will never, ever be without again. Your gut health is so essential for your skin. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is one of THE most critical factors in your skin’s health. Here’s why: we naturally have bacteria in the gut to help us break down the foods we eat (like carbs), can help fight infections, and get rid of toxins. However, a decrease in probiotic food consumption, increase in consuming processed foods and certain medicines, and even stress can throw off the number of good bacteria our bodies produce. The result? Food is not breaking down properly which can lead to, ahem, a blockage in the pipes, which leads to toxins not being flushed out of the body. This is gross, but if you struggle with constipation, you’re probably not getting enough probiotics. This can also lead to bloating and candida, or yeast, overgrowth, which leads to all kinds of health problems. Guess what else? Bad gut health points to our favorite culprit: insulin overproduction! Your body needs that good bacteria to break down the harmful bacteria. You can get probiotics two ways: eating probiotic-rich or fermented foods (yogurt, for example; be careful of sugar content. I eat Oikos triple zero Greek yogurt) or probiotic supplements (the easiest way). You should aim for around at least 1-2 billion cultures. Also, don’t just pick up some cheap acidophilous from Walmart; invest in a good, quality, multi-strain supplement.
I also suggest looking for a supplement that delivers prebiotics and/or digestive enzymes. Prebiotics create an environment where probiotics can thrive and multiply (more good bacteria = better health); if you can’t find a prebiotic blend that works for you, try apple cider vinegar! I know, I know, it stinks and tastes disgusting. Hear me out: take 2 tbsp of ACV (with the mother), pour it into a 16-24 oz bottle (I do 24oz), add 1 packet of True Lemon/Lime flavor packets that you can get at nearly any grocery store (note: these do contain around >1 gram of regular sugar, but the content is so low that it’s safe to consume without adverse effects), fill the rest up with water and voila! You can’t taste or smell the ACV, and it reminds me of a fizzy fruit drink. I try to drink one every morning, and I’ve heard people swear by ACV as a weight loss remedy (it’s another excellent way to get the pipes moving, just saying). Digestive enzymes, such as protease, bromelain, or amylase, help the gut break down food, which is why I’ve incorporated them into my routine.
2. Hormone Balancing Supplements
It stands to reason that, if you have a hormonal imbalance that is causing you to have these breakouts, you should try to balance those hormones out. One way to do this is through supplements. There are several that can be used to balance out female hormones, which are:
♦ DIM: diindolylmethane, or DIM for short, is the chemical compound found in cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower and broccoli, and helps with balancing testosterone and estrogen levels. Try to get a blend mixed with BioPerine, as it allows the DIM absorb into the body better. I tried this, and it did seem to help with keeping my breakouts minimized. I am not currently taking them anymore as I don’t like taking one type of supplement for too long (except for probiotics), but I do feel like they were effective when I was.
♦ Dong Quai and Chaste Berry/Vitex: I’ve never tried these supplements personally, but they popped up over and over again in my research on female hormone balancing supplements. They're supposed to be effective at calming PMS symptoms, as well. You can research them to see if they might be a fit for you.
♦ Evening Primrose Oil: Another supplement I have tried with little to no significant results. Evening Primrose Oil (which can also be applied directly on the face) is supposed to balance women’s hormones, especially those going through menopause.
♦ Adaptogens: These particular compounds, most commonly included in Ayurvedic medicine, include Ashwagandha, Reishi mushroom, Maca, Ginseng, and others. Adaptogens are plant-derived chemicals that are pretty special; they go into the body and adapt to what the body needs. Ashwagandha, for instance, is useful for balancing the thyroid (a condition I suffer from); once it enters your body, it can tell if your thyroid is under or overproducing and adapts itself to give the thyroid what it needs to bring it into balance. Similarly, these adaptogens can be used to balance both male and female hormonal related issues, as they can tell whether the body they’ve entered into is male or female (pretty cool, huh?). Overall, these adaptogens are used to aid the adrenal system, which is linked to stress hormones. Many people use adaptogens to aid with stress management, but they can be used to help balance hormones. I’ve been trying out a blend from Swanson for a few weeks now, but it is too early to tell whether they are having any impact or not.
3. Liver Detox Supplements
Another cause of cystic acne that I mentioned earlier is toxic buildup in the body (which can impact hormonal balance, as well). The one organ in your body that is key to detoxification? The liver! Its primary goal is to process those toxins and get them to the stage for proper disposal. However, if you suffer from a fatty, sluggish liver, it’s not going to function correctly, leading to toxin buildup, and thus, acne. There are herbs, such as milk thistle, yellow dock, and dandelion, that help the liver detox. You can take these in pill form (as I do) or drink them as a tea. I am not currently receiving the liver detox supplements anymore, but again, I felt like they helped when I was taking them. I think it’s a good idea to do an overall body detox every 3-4 months to kind of restart everything and help flush toxins out of your system.
4. Multivitamins
There is quite a bit of debate as to whether multivitamins work and help the body or whether they are just a placebo. I’ve personally gone on and off multivitamins for about a year or two. I will say that my skin does seem to be clearer whenever I take multivitamins, but I can’t say 100% that this is a result of the vitamins. Many of the vitamins in a multivitamin, from my research, are supposed to be essential for good skin. These include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, Biotin, Selenium, Zinc (in very, very small amounts), Magnesium, and Calcium. Again, do your research and listen to your body when taking supplements.
5. Collagen
Oh, my word, are you participating in this best-kept beauty secret yet? No? You should be. This would be my next recommended thing to take after probiotics. We discovered collagen powder several years ago as a remedy for joint pain (my parents swear by this). However, it also works wonders for hair, skin, and nails! My nails have been growing like crazy since taking collagen; even my dad’s grow faster too (and for him, that’s saying something). We take ours in powder form, adding one scoop to our coffee (it is odorless, tasteless, and dissolves easily), but it also comes in pill form.
6. Other Supplements
L-lysine
Another supplement I’ve been taking recently is L-lysine, which is an amino acid needed by the body which can only be gotten from the food you eat. It is vital for muscle turnover and cell health. Mainly, L-lysine is used to treat cold sores (herpes, too, TMI) and shingles, but many swear by its wound healing, stress reducing, and collagen producing properties to combat acne. So far, this has worked out well for me, and I have seen an improvement in the amount and size of hormonal acne.
Biotin
I took Biotin many years ago and saw minor results, and I know it appears in many multivitamins, specifically those targeted for beauty or skincare. Biotin is the number 1 recommended vitamin for hair, skin, and nail health; I, however, believe collagen is WAY more effective.
Omega 3s
Omega 3s are another recommended remedy for cystic acne. I tried fish oil for about a month (which in and of itself is tricky due to purity issues; a better source would be flaxseed) but saw no results. Omega 3s are highly lauded as essential skincare vitamins.
A Word on Inflammation:
Like I mentioned earlier, inflammation, along with toxins and hormonal imbalance, is also a significant cause for cystic acne. Inflammation is a form of stress that is placed on the body, and stress, as we all learned, can cause acne to appear. It can be caused by toxins that we eat or apply on our skin (see I told you all of these factors were related!). And those yucky sugars, carbs, and processed foods we discussed earlier? They’re a culprit for inflammation, as well. I found this article that does a great job of explaining what inflammation is and how it affects your skin’s health and appearance (https://thebeautygypsy.com/what-is-inflammation/). From my research (I haven’t tried any of these out for myself), turmeric, ginger, and green tea can help reduce inflammation. I know turmeric does come in pill form. Also, many have used turmeric and ginger in apple cider vinegar or have mixed it with water and honey and taken it that way. And green tea can be found in pretty much every grocery store.
Again, I am not a doctor, so I cannot tell you which supplements to take. I can only tell you what has worked for me personally and I highly, HIGHLY recommend you do your research into each of these supplements, how much you should be taking per day, and their side effects before going out and buying every single one. Start with one (probiotics, obvi) and see how that goes, and then implement more if you feel you need it. Listen to your body and give each thing you try at least two weeks to 1 month before passing judgment on whether it is/isn’t working for you. If you become sick, nauseous, break out in a rash, or experience acne is worsening, please stop taking any non-prescribed supplements. While most of these supplements are natural and have worked for other people, that does not mean they will work for you.
You can visit your local vitamin shop, pharmacy, or grocery store to purchase vitamins and supplements. I personally shop online (because of people, ew) on Amazon or through Swanson Health.
And that ladies (and maybe gents, no judgment) is how I beat my cystic, hormonal acne internally. And, as mentioned, it’s been almost two years since I had a terrible, cystic breakout, and when I do, it’s usually because I’ve been eating sugar or carbs. If you want to start combating hormonal acne, you must first start with your internal health. You can slather as many creams, serums, and masks on as you want, but at the end of the day, if you’re not healing internally, you won’t heal externally. This leads us to my next (and favorite) topic: skincare
Step 2: What’s in The Bottle? How to Heal from the Outside In
I know you just read probably way more information than you needed about how crucial it is to heal internally, but it doesn’t stop there. Sure, that may be the first step, but it is not the only one! What you put on the skin can also have a significant impact, not just on your acne, but on your overall health.
Do you know what your body’s largest organ is? Nope, not the brain. Or the heart. It’s your skin! That outer dermal layer, the epidermis, is the largest organ you possess. And, just like you want to keep your internal organs healthy, you want to keep your skin healthy. How do you keep your internal organs healthy? By feeding the body good things. How do you keep your external organ, your skin, healthy? By feeding it good things.
Did you also know that whatever you put on the skin is directly absorbed into the body? That’s right, every ounce of product you use, from skin care to body care, to hair care, is absorbed up to 60% by your body. I’m going to ask you right now to go to your bathroom and grab your face wash/moisturizer/lotion/hand soap/body wash/shampoo/conditioner. Get your perfume/toothpaste/deodorant off the shelf. Whatever you use regularly that comes into direct contact with your skin or scalp. Turn it over. Look at the ingredients. Can you tell me what they are? Can you even pronounce them? No? Those chemicals are most likely inside your body right now. Chemicals like parabens, which have been linked to estrogen dominance and hormonal imbalance. Chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate that has been used in lab tests to deliberately irritate the skin (you can find 10 of the most common toxins found in skincare here: https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/ten-toxic-skin-care-ingredients/).
I don’t tell you this information to scare you into having a panic attack, but I do want you to be aware that there are a lot of studies that show how many of the ingredients in our skincare (which isn’t even heavily regulated by the FDA) are toxic to the body. Many of these ingredients have been banned for use in some countries in Europe and Canada! And if your body is absorbing up to 60% of those ingredients, you might as well be eating them because that is what is happening when you apply them to your skin. And over time, you can build up these toxins (we talked about this above!) in your body, which can lead to such things as hormonal imbalances and produce acne as a result.
So how do you combat this? The simplest way is to throw every product you own away. I know, I know, it’s expensive. It’s wasteful. I know because I went through this purging myself. After visiting my holistic specialist, I was advised to swap out my chemical-laden products for non-toxic versions; the first thing I bought was SLS and paraben free shampoo and conditioner. I now have gone toxin free in almost everything: soap, toothpaste (no fluoride, please!), deodorant (maybe one day I can come back and share my experience with this cause it would take a whole post), perfume, lotions…the only thing left is my hair care products, like mousse and hairspray, but when someone comes out with an affordable, all-natural version that works as good as the real thing, I’ll be one of the first in line! In the beginning stages of my skincare purging journey, I started doing research (as usual) and was shocked to learn of the amount of toxins that are in our products and what they can potentially lead to.
My research eventually led me to a natural, non-toxic skincare company called Luminance (https://luminanceskincare.com/). I was impressed by how they knowledgeable they were about skincare and hormonal acne. Take some time on the website read the owner Kim’s story about why he started his company. He is a walking encyclopedia on natural skincare. Also: Luminance is a company. Kim even gives out his personal phone number so anyone can text him with questions about skincare. They care about their clientele and will about bend over backward to make their customers happy. Not sure about a product? Email them, and they will answer your questions. Want to try a sample? Email them, and they’ll most likely send you the full size…for free!
Note: Luminance did not pay me to say this or offer me free products in return for promoting them. Nor am I making an affiliate off their sales. I love this company that much.
As an unashamed cheapskate, I was also impressed that they had a free sample kit (not including shipping, which was around $4 or $5 I think), so I ordered one. When I tell you guys the night I tried their products I SAW an immediate difference; I am not lying. I was ready right then and there to purchase the entire kit. When my sample was close to running out, I did wind up buying the travel kit because the results I was seeing were terrific. I have the picture to prove it:
Y’ALL. This picture was taken in April. My skin was at its worst in February. In two months, I went from red, angry, welts that my own mother noticed from across the room to this. Thank ya God for the glow-up!
It was from Luminance that I learned how to take care of my skin properly and what types of products I should be using. I no longer use the Luminance line exclusively (I think my skin just got too used to it, but I’m thinking of going back to it again), but I stand behind this company 100%; they not only changed my skin with their amazing products but changed how I approach skin care. And I want to share those tips with you:
• Simplify, simplify, simplify
If you go and read their FAQs or Blog posts, Luminance heavily stresses the importance of simplifying your skincare routine. You don’t need a 10-step process. You don’t need a special cream for the upper part of your left cheekbone. You don’t need a ton of fancy ingredients. All you need is, get ready for it…cleanser, toner, moisturizer. That’s it! Put down the mask. Put down the acne gel. ESPECIALLY put down the exfoliator (more on that below). Bring your skincare down to just these products and stick to that routine. Give your skin a chance to breathe because applying ten different products a day or a week is just stripping it raw.
• Learn to Read Labels
Yes, I am now “that” girl in Target who has to read every single ingredient on the back of a product before buying it. But it is so important to know your ingredients! I first learned to think of skincare as food from Luminance, as the founder is big on what ingredients you put on your body, and he explains it well. If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your face. Now, there are a lot of dermatologists who will argue that “natural” products do more harm than good, that the essential oils in these products cause irritation, that certain chemicals are there because they prevent products from going bad, etc. I cannot attest to these claims; what I can attest to is that every time I use a product that has non-natural ingredients in it, I break out. I get better results, especially with my hormonal acne, when I use non-toxic skincare. My new rule of thumb: If I can’t pronounce it, I won’t buy it. Also, note that just because a product or company says that it is “natural” doesn’t mean that it is. Learn your ingredients. Learn to read labels. If an element has more than seven letters and sounds like a terrible disease, put it back.
BEWARE OF FRAGRANCES. No, seriously. If a product has fragrance listed anywhere in it, run. It would be better for you to have a non-natural, fragrance-free product than a “natural” product that lists fragrance (excluding natural essential oils, which will be indicated on the label) as one of its ingredients. Fragrance in the beauty world is an umbrella term for everything else that has been added to the product that companies don’t want to list out. I mean, they could be putting bug parts in their products and list it as “fragrance”; that is how unregulated our skin care is!
• Be Gentle- Throw Out the Exfoliator
Being a former acne-victim, I know how the process goes. You wake up, see a new pimple, freak out a little inside, and scrub your face with an exfoliator to get rid of all that build up and dirt. You know what though? By doing this, you’re making your skin worse! Think about it: if you had a cut on your arm, does it make sense to scrub it abrasively every day? No! It won’t heal that way. The same goes for your acne. It is a wound that needs healing and exfoliation is not the answer. It only leads to worsened cysts, the spread of acne, and scarring. I know exfoliating can feel so good because it physically feels like something is happening, but trust me, no reaction in your skincare products when you’re trying to heal your acne is a good thing! Your skin sheds naturally every 14 days anyway, so it’s not like you need to be scrubbing it every day for it to get rid of dead skin. If you absolutely must exfoliate, use a washcloth and go in gentle motions (don’t scrub); however, Kim from Luminance doesn’t even want you to use a washcloth when starting with their system, just your hands! And use lukewarm water, never hot. Remember, the objective here is to treat your face like a delicate healing wound, not a dirty dish.
• Know Your Skin Type
Are you oily? Dry? Combo? Normal? Sensitive? Do you even know what those mean and how to identify them? Everyone’s skin is different and thus needs different types of products or different kinds of ingredients. For instance, someone with dryer skin will need more moisturizing products than someone with oily skin. Here’s how you can tell what your skin-type is:
➢ Oily: oily all over the face; tends to look “glowing” or greasy, which can increase at different parts of the day; typically has acne.
➢ Dry: little to no oil on the face; has flaky, patchy skin
➢ Combo/Normal: a combination of oily and dry, with oils concentrated in the T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin area) and dryness on the cheeks
➢ Sensitive: suffers from rosacea, eczema, or redness; typically reacts to products
Just because you have dry skin does not mean you can’t have acne, too! Learn to recognize what your skin type is so you can feed it with the right kinds of products and avoid breakouts.
• Know Your Products and What They Do
What I now know about skincare I learned from the Luminance website; remember, I was used to using cheap makeup removing cloths as a cleanser! My world was completely opened to new products. I learned not only what types of products I should be using in my routine but how I should be using them.
1. Cleanser
This should be the first step in any routine. I always start by patting water on my face, applying the cleanser, and using my hands to remove it as this is gentler on the skin. There are different cleansers out there for different skin types; if you’re more on the oily side, go with a gel or oil-based cleanser. If you’re drier, go with cream. Research what type of cleanser you should be using based on your skin type.
Side note: there is a method called double cleansing, or oil cleansing, that has become popular where people first apply a natural oil (such as coconut or jojoba) to the skin, apply a warm washcloth to the face to let the steam open up the pores, and then use their regular cleanser after washing off the oil. I think I tried this method once or twice but didn’t see much results, so I never continued it, but many people swear by it.
2. Toner
No, not the printing kind. In skincare, toner is used to rebalance the skin after washing. Think about it like this: your face is a delicate ecosystem that is held in balance by pH; if it goes too far in the alkaline or acidic direction, it causes your face to go wacko. Many cleansers, and even just plain tap water, can disrupt the pH levels of your skin. Toners, such as rosewater (my favorite), hydrosols, and witch hazel, bring the pH level back to normal. Look up which natural toners would be best for your skin type.
Here’s a tip: toners are also great for spritzing your face on the go during the summer days to cool it down or give a little extra glow.
This is THE product I personally will never be without again. Toner, especially rosewater, has made such a difference in my skincare. I have tried witch hazel in the past, as it is the most recommended for acne prone skin, but always find myself coming back to rosewater. It has been used for centuries as a beauty remedy and its healing and calming properties (all you sensitive skinned people out there, this one’s for you). Just like with the internal stuff, listen to your body, because not everything that works for everybody else will work for you. I will list my favorite toners (and other skincare products) at the bottom of this post.
3. Moisturizer
This is the product that is the trickiest for me because my skin does not tolerate lotions/heavy creams well, even if all of the ingredients are natural. A lot of times, I don’t even use moisturizer (gasps heard round the world from aging grandmothers) for the simple fact that using them every night typically makes me break out. Moisturizer is an essential step in skin care, however, because it locks in hydration, which is so essential for dry or aging skin. If you want to keep wrinkles at bay, you must moisturize. Also, skipping out on moisturizer can be drying to the skin, and when your skin thinks it is dry, it will produce more oil to keep it hydrated, which means more breakouts (thanks, body). You have to find what works for you. I’m still in the process of searching for myself!
Here’s a tip: All of these products and trying new things can get pretty expensive (trust me I know). I like to try and find skincare companies that give away or sell samples/travel sizes. That way I can try out the product for a fraction of the cost, but don’t feel like I’m wasting a whole jar of product if it doesn’t work out for me (bonus tips at the end for what to do with products that don’t work out for your skin!). I also subscribe to email lists and follow companies on social media to keep up with sales and product giveaways.
4. Serums/Oils
Serum is such a massive topic in skincare, mainly because there’s no one set definition for what a serum is. Some are milky; some are thick, some are fluid and oily (Luminance has a great one for acne prone skin). Most of the time, however, in natural skincare, serums tend to be a blend of facial oils. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Why in the world would I want to put oil on my already oily face? Won’t that cause me to breakout? Let me explain:
Remember that sebum we talked about earlier? That sebum is there for a purpose: to naturally hydrate your skin. Which is not a bad thing because we want our skin to be hydrated and supple, right? Just like your body needs moisture, so does your face. The problem comes in when our body produces too much sebum, whether due to an internal imbalance (we talked about this earlier) or because it thinks the skin is too dry. And if you’re using products developed specifically for acne, you’re probably drying out your skin too much. When this happens, the skin becomes overloaded with oil, the oil mixes with dead skin and bacteria, the pores get clogged, the face gets thrown off balance, and well, you know the rest. If only there were some way we could trick our faces/bodies into believing we already had enough oil, so it would stop producing so much…
Enter face oils! Face oils are essentially fatty acids extracted (cold-pressed is best) from the seeds or stems of a plant. These fatty acids have different properties, from moisturizing to healing, to calming. There are two types of acids at work here: oleic acids and linoleic acids, and they are different. Oily skin? You want to go with oils higher in linoleic acids, like Jojoba (which mimics the skin’s sebum, making it ideal for oil control and irritated skin), Hemp Seed, or Grape Seed oils. Dry skin? Oleic rich acids, like Avocado, Coconut, and Sweet Almond oils. You must know your oils because heavy oleic acids will clog oily skin and cause breakouts, while thinner, linoleic acids will not be moisturizing enough for dry skin. Remember, it’s all about having the skin in balance. You can find an entire list of oils and their comedogenic (oil clogging) properties here: (https://www.holistichealthherbalist.com/complete-list-of-comedogenic-oils/).
Also, check out this helpful video on YouTube from Beauty Within, where they do a much better job at explaining what oils are and how they benefit the skin: https://youtu.be/aXRD8DasRj8.
Now, there is some debate as to whether facial oils are moisturizing enough to replace regular moisturizer. Some say yes, some say not. I think if you have oily skin (like me) you can get away with using oils as a moisturizer, whereas dry skinned people should be using thicker creams. Again, you have to find what works best for you and believe me, I’ve tried many a product. For instance, one of the most recommended oils for acne prone skin is grapeseed and hemp seed, but I found the most success when using a blend of jojoba, argan, and sunflower oil.
So if you’re using oil alone as a moisturizer, it would be the last step in your skincare routine. However, if you are using it with a moisturizer, you would use oil right before and apply the moisturizer on top (some say to do it the other way and apply it on top of moisturizer, but I find that it doesn’t make a difference).
Here’s a tip: apply your oil on top of your toner when it is still wet to lock in moisture overnight.
On essential oils: a lot of dermatologists strongly advise against the use of essential oils (lavender, frankincense, tea tree, etc.) in skincare because they can irritate the skin, and that is true. However, diluting essential oils in a carrier oil (such as jojoba) can minimize the irritating effects. Lavender or frankincense, for instance, are great at reducing pain and healing wounds (I use lavender on cuts and bites), which is why it finds its way into a lot of skincare products. Tea tree is an excellent spot treatment for acne. Essential oils are pretty prevalent these days, but you have to be careful that you are buying a quality product. My favorite company for essential oils and carrier oils is Plant Therapy. If you have sensitive skin, however, I would caution you to be careful with essential oils, as they can be irritating when applied undiluted all over the face.
5. Exfoliators
Yes, yes, I know I told you to skip the exfoliators. And you should while you have active, cystic acne and are trying to heal your skin. However, once your blemishes have gone away and your breakouts have reduced, you can begin introducing gentle exfoliators into your skincare routine to help remove the excess dead skin, give your face a glow, provide smoothness, and prepare your face for the products you will put on it.
Did you know that there are two types of exfoliators? The first one, physical, is your traditional sugar/coffee ground scrubs. These work to remove the top layer of skin cells. The other, chemical, consist of AHAs and BHAs. These work not only on the top layer of skin but penetrate deeper to remove dirt and dead skin from beneath that top layer. This is why chemical exfoliants are better and more useful for the face, while physical exfoliants should be used on the body only. I know they feel good, but they are too harsh for the delicate skin of your face and could cause scarring and skin thickening over time.
AHAs, or alpha-hydroxy acids (different kind of acid from fatty acids in oils), come in two forms: glycolic and lactic acids. These are the gentlest types of exfoliation you can use for the skin, but the results are no less effective! Lactic acid is the mildest of the two, so if you’re starting with acids, go with this one in a low dosage (5%), especially if you have sensitive skin. It will give your face a nice glow (Aneissa can attest to this!). BHAs, or beta-hydroxy acids, is salicylic acid. This type of acid can do wonders for acne prone skin but can be a little harsh, so I recommend using it as a spot treatment if using it all over the face doesn’t work for you. You should only be exfoliating 1-2x per week. NEVER EVERY DAY.
My favorite way to exfoliate is with a glycolic acid mask derived from fruit enzymes, especially papaya, pineapple, or pumpkin. Fun fact: pineapple is often used in meat marinades because its enzymes help break down the meat and make it tender. In the same way, these enzymes break down the gunk on the surface and underneath the skin. Didn’t you always want to compare your pretty face to a slab of meat?
6. Masks
This is one area of skin care where a skincare junkie (like myself) can go hog wild because there are so many masks on the market right now! There’s bentonite clay, kaolin clay, green clay, pink clay, muds, sheet masks, gels…the list goes on and on! In general, those with acne/oily prone skin fare better with clay and mud masks, while dry skin does better with moisturizing masks. Masking is one of my favorite skin care treatments because it feels great, is relaxing, and produces impressive results. And I can tailor which mask I use to how my skin is feeling that particular day or week.
Just like exfoliation, you should only be masking 1-2x a week. More than that is just too much for your skin to handle and can worsen skin conditions. You’re most likely going to want to exfoliate a little bit before applying a mask as this will help the ingredients apply and absorb better. Don’t go overboard, though; a quick, gentle scrub with a washcloth will do.
Here’s a tip: for mud and clay masks, I like to use paper towels (it takes me only about 1-3) to get most of it off before using a washcloth to get the remains. It’s gentler, and I don’t stain my towels too much. And don’t forget to tone after washing it off!
Do you have combo/normal skin but don’t know which mask to use? Try multi-tasking! Apply clay/mud masks to the T-zone areas and moisturizing masks to the cheeks. If you have sensitive skin, go for something soothing like a leave on mask or the rosewater mask from Luminance.
7. Spot Treatments
The last step in a skincare routine, spot treatments work (as their name implies), to help reduce spots. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the most common drugstore remedies for pimples, but there’s some debate as to whether these ingredients are effective at eradicating acne. I read a while back that benzoyl peroxide will work at healing acne, but then actually causes the acne to come back (I’m not 100% sure how accurate this info is, so take it with a grain of salt). Tea tree is most commonly used in natural skincare and can be applied directly on spots or diluted in a carrier oil to combat any irritation. My favorite spot treatment? Calamine lotion! I’ve found it to work much better than tea tree at reducing pimples and cysts. And its super affordable. I started out using the treatment from Kate Somerville that contains sulfur (an ingredient that works well for acne), but I got to where I couldn’t handle the smell, so I switched to regular old calamine. If you want a practical, quick working remedy, I do recommend the Kate Somerville one. Just be prepared for your pillows to smell like rotten eggs.
Here’s a tip: I pour some of the calamine into a small container and let the pink ‘stuff’ (don’t know the technical term for it) settle at the bottom, drain off the clear liquid that rises to the top and use the sludge on spots. This is what drying lotions, such as the ones from Kate Somerville and Mario Badescu have you do, so I started doing the same.
A note on sunscreen: I did not specifically cover sunscreen because it is a touchy topic. Most everyone in the world, especially dermatologists, would advise you that sunscreen is the number one most vital step in your skincare routine. This is because a) skin cancer, and b) sunscreen protects the skin from UV rays that can invisibly destroy the surface and cause it to age and wrinkle faster. According to this viewpoint, you should be wearing sunscreen at all times, whether you’re fair or dark-skinned, even indoors and during the winter months, and should be applying it twice when going outdoors; that’s how serious this is. But I have a confession to make: unless I know I’m going to be in the sun for a long time, I don’t wear sunscreen. I know someone’s aging grandma just passed out somewhere. I do not for a few reasons, mainly because I don’t have much luck with sunscreens, they’re typically lotions. There are very few on the market that are truly non-toxic, and there is a hot debate as to the harmful effects the zinc that is in sunscreen can have on the body (that’s a whole ‘nuther topic I don’t have time to get into here). There are a few options available on Etsy that mix more natural ingredients with non-nano zinc particles (so it can’t sink into your skin), and Luminance has a sunscreen made with raspberry seed oil and carrot oil, which is supposed to offer some protection from the sun. I cannot attest to the effectiveness of these products to adequately block out the sun’s rays. I don’t use it, but you should make your own decisions for your own body and health.
• Have a Routine and Stick to It
Once you have your new skincare products picked out, it is imperative that you find what works for you and stick to it. And I don’t just mean for a week; you should be aiming to introduce new products for at least 1-3 months before deciding on their effectiveness (unless you break out horribly or get a rash, where you would stop using immediately). Skin purging is common with some products. Especially with facial oils (like jojoba), but learn to recognize the difference between a purge and a reaction: a purge is when larger bumps and cysts appear where your acne would typically appear that subsides after a few days, while a reaction is when you get little bumps all over when trying out a new product. You should try and stick with a purge unless the results are just really, really bad, but ditch the product if you get a reaction after one use. And while you are welcome to try out new products, always have your standby cleanser and toner on hand to go back to if something new starts breaking you out. I’ve had many instances where I’ve tried to switch cleansers or toners, and my skin throws a tantrum, so I wind up switching back to what works best for me.
Aneissa has a great skincare routine which you can check out here!
https://www.justaneissa.com/home/2018/11/10/my-weekly-skincare-routine?rq=weekly
I do not wash my face in the morning (I don’t feel like I need it, plus it saves me from having to buy products), and if I do, it’s just a simple wipe with a washcloth and toner. I ALWAYS wash my face at night. I don’t care if I come in at 4 in the morning; my face will be cleaned. Leaving it, especially for those who wear makeup (I do not) will only cause bacteria to grow.
I love having a nighttime routine because it makes me feel like there’s always a little order in my world. Plus, it’s relaxing and stress-reducing (another plus for skincare). I typically will cleanse, tone, maybe moisturize if I feel I need it, and spot treat every night. Two nights a week (always Tuesdays and Fridays) I will add exfoliating and masking into the mix. I’ve just found that this system works well for me, and it may, or may not, for you. I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but listen to your body.
• Other Tips and Tricks
I wanted to mention a few other little extra things I do in my skincare that helps with maintaining an acne-free complexion. These don’t necessarily have an impact on hormonal acne, but they are general, overall tips to keep your skin’s health.
•DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE
This is a do-as-I-say-not as I do thing. Because I am the WORLD’S WORST at touching and picking at my face (I’m trying to work on it). Just don’t do it! Not only does it make existing spots worse (remember the mom story?), it can spread bacteria and cause scarring. Plus, there is soooo much bacteria on your hands that you get from touching stuff around you, and you can spread that onto your face. So hands off!
• Clean Your Pillows, Phones, and Phalanges
Speaking of bacteria, phones and pillow cases are a breeding ground for the stuff (yuck). If you notice small, whitehead type pimples running alongside your cheeks or under your ear, chances are you need to disinfect your phone and/or pillowcases. And don’t forget to wash your hands regularly! This is a no-brainer, but if you are a chronic face picker/toucher (like me) at least having clean hands won’t spread bacteria onto your face; this is not an excuse, however.
•Leave Your Pimples Alone
When I first started having awful breakouts, I would squeeze the ever-living life out of my pimples. Do not do this! Pimple popping, though a satisfying trend, is not healthy for your skin. You only make the pimple worse, spread bacteria into the wound and onto the rest of your face, cause the spot to heal more slowly, and run the risk of scarring (I have a few old battle wounds myself). Never, ever, pop a cyst that does not have a white head on it. And if you simply must pop it, do so gently. Use clean ring fingers (because they’re the weakest and thus most gentle of your phalanges) to gently squeeze until the entire head comes out; better yet, use cotton swabs to push. My favorite method includes getting really warm water (not boiling but noticeably warm) on a washcloth and holding and pressing on the pimple (with a whitehead) to steam and open up the poor; then, using the methods mentioned above, I gently squeeze it out. Honestly, you’re best bet is to leave a pimple alone and put some calamine on it. Leave the extractions to Dr. Pimple Popper!
One Last Word Before You Go…
Phew! If you were able to make it through all of that info without falling asleep or skipping ahead, I would applaud you! It is a lot to take in, but this is an area that I am passionate about because of what I had to go through to get where I am today. This picture was taken in January of this year:
You see this girl? She’s not perfect. And her skin is FAR from perfect (as evidenced by the results of my Christmastime sugar splurge that popped up on my chin). You know what though? If this is as bad as it gets, then I am delighted with the skin I’m in. Because I have come a long, LONG, way to get here. I’ve had ups and downs and days where I wasn’t seeing immediate results and wanted to give up. I’ve been frustrated because my skin wasn’t perfect. I’ve been where you are.
I want you to promise to do something for me. I want you to look in the mirror. Go on. Look. Look at every blemish, every pore, every wrinkle, every imperfection. Look at the nose that’s too big, or the ears that are too big, or the thin lips, or the double chin. Look at her. You see that girl? She is beautiful. Because she looks the way, God intended her to. The Bible says that before you were even placed inside the secret places of your mother’s womb, God knew you. He saw you. He designed you. He saw your individual, unique, beautiful face and He shaped and molded it with such loving care. And I’ve got news for you: when God creates something, He calls it good. There are no accidents in His design. We all have our imperfections, but they have been given to us for a particular purpose and plan in mind. So stop beating yourself up because you don’t have the flawless, airbrushed complexion of the girl on Instagram. I’m so guilty of this. I’ll see another girl and envy her perfect, blemish-less, pore-less skin and think, “Wow. I wish my skin were like that.” We need to stop comparing ourselves to others, for it truly is the thief of joy. News flash, most women use artifice (makeup and/or filters) to create that image, and even if they don’t, there’s nothing you can do outside of changing your genetic makeup to achieve it. That is not God’s plan for you; if it were He would’ve made you that way in the first place.
My Favorite Skincare Companies/Products
• Luminance Skincare https://luminanceskincare.com
I highly suggest anyone, whether you suffer from acne or not, to start with this company because they’re products are so good. Yes, they are priced higher than what you usually pay for drugstore cleansers and moisturizers, but you’re getting what you pay for. Plus, for a natural, non-toxic brand, they are affordable compared to a lot of other brands in that category (believe me, I know!)
• French Girl Organics https://www.frenchgirlorganics.com/
This company’s charcoal face wash is the one I currently use and have been using for a while now, and every time I go to try a new cleanser my face rebels. So this is one of my go-to staples.
• Leven Rose Rosewater Toner https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Leven-Moroccan-Rosewater-Hydrosol/dp/B016LC861A/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1546753191&sr=8-3&keywords=leven%2Brose%2Brose%2Bwater&th=1
I was first introduced to the wonderful benefits of rosewater through Luminance, and I still love their toner. However, I wanted to find something that would be a little easier on my budget. Enter the Leven Rose rosewater toner! My skin seriously loves this stuff because, again, whenever I try new toners my skin rebels and I have to go right back to using this. What I love about it is that it is a hydrosol that is derived from steaming the roses. You have to be careful with rosewater because a lot of companies will add rose essential oil to water and call it rosewater (again why it’s important to read your labels!). And this one is an affordable price too for the amount of product you’re getting.
Leven Rose also has other excellent natural products, such as oils, and they sell on Amazon. Just type their name in the search box to see all the goodies they offer.
• Leaf Seed Berry https://www.leafseedberry.com/
This is a small batch, a non-toxic company that has a wide variety of products. What I loved the most is that they offer sample sizes for almost all of their products (yay!). My favorite things from them have been:
The Exfoliating Toner (strawberry)
The Infused Jojoba Oil (ginger and turmeric)
The Perfect 10 Serum (seriously so good)
The Mermaid Cream Moisturizer (probably the only lotion-based moisturizer I’ve tried that my face doesn’t react to)
I think if you sign up for their email list, you get a certain percentage off your first order. Woohoo!
• Aztec Secret Healing Clay Mask
This product has helped my skin sooooo much and is a miracle worker for hormonal acne. It is my favorite mask, especially when Aunt Flow comes knocking. I can put this on when I have a breakout (either coming or already there), and it will zap it almost overnight. Y’all, this is a BIG container of product; you definitely get your money’s worth out of it. It comes as a powder that needs to be mixed before applying. You can apply it with water but combining it with ACV is my favorite method (be sure you’re using plastic or rubber bowls and spoons/spatulas to mix, not metal!), as I feel it gives the best results. When this mask says that it is pulsating, it is PULSATING. You can literally feel your face pumping, and it draws all the blood and gunk to the surface of the skin. If you’re new to clay masks, I suggest starting by with leaving it on for 10 minutes at a time or doing a test patch (especially if you have sensitive skin) and if you can handle that you can bump up the time (I do 15 minutes). And don’t be alarmed if your face feels and looks sunburned. That will be gone by within 30 minutes to an hour, leaving a fresh, glowing face in its wake. Oh, and don’t forget to tone and properly moisturize after you wash it off.
Here's a tip: this is the mask I use my paper towel method with the most. You’re supposed to mix it as a 1:1 ratio (1 part mask to 1 part liquid), but I like to thin mine out by adding just a little bit extra ACV. This helps the mask spread better and come off easier, in my opinion.
• Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask
A new mask I just recently added to my routine that I have been loving so far. This is the way I like to exfoliate my face, as its gentler than a scrub. Plus, the bonus of honey is so great for acne prone skin as it is naturally anti-inflammatory and wound healing. This mask makes my skin super soft. It does tingle within the first few minutes of applying (think minty tingle), but that goes away quickly, and it leaves no redness. I bought mine on Amazon, but I believe Andalou Naturals can be found in some grocery stores.
Luminance also has a wonderful papaya enzyme mask, but the Andalou is a little cheaper.
• Face Serum from Whole Body Apothecary https://wholebodyapothecary.com/collections/faceproducts/products/face-serum?variant=44754220227
My go-to moisturizer for a long time. I no longer use it (as I mentioned, your skin can get used to products after a while, so switching and then coming back to a product can be helpful), but it was literally the only oil I could put on my face at the beginning of my non-toxic skincare journey that wouldn’t break me out. I love that they have a formula for oily skin and dry skin.
• Pracaxi Face Oil from Sherwood Skincare https://sherwoodskincare.com/
This is one of those instances where I was sucked into buying something I saw on an Instagram ad. Mainly the “free sample” phrase is what sucked me in. Of course, you do have to pay shipping, but it wasn’t overpriced (which I think was $10). I also think this offer is only available through Instagram, so I would try visiting their page to get the details on that.
According to their website, Pracaxi is a seed derived oil native to the Amazon that is thick enough to replace traditional moisturizers and is supposed to heal acne, wounds, and eczema. I have enjoyed the results every time I’ve used it, but like regular lotion moisturizers, I don’t think I can use this oil every night because it is a heavier oil (unlike Jojoba). But blemishes do seem to be somewhat diminished the morning after application. It should be noted that it does smell a bit like castor oil and can harden in colder weather.
• Other Skincare Brands
Here are some other affordable, non-toxic skincare brands, some of which I have tried or have wanted to try.
- Meow Meow Tweet https://meowmeowtweet.com/
- Cocokind Skincare https://www.cocokind.com/
- Mix n Masks https://mixnmasks.com/
- Skin Balm Apothecary https://www.skinbalmapothecary.com/
Like I’ve said, finding what works best for you is a matter of trial and error. As a skincare junkie, I honestly don’t even want to know how much I’ve spent on skincare products, some have worked out well, and many, MANY, others that have not. While it can be great discovering and trying a new product that works wonders for your skin, it can also do some damage to your bank account if you’re not careful. And unlike shoes or a purse that never goes out of style, products, especially natural ones, don’t last forever. So what do you do when something just isn’t working for you, but you hate the idea of throwing away an almost unused bottle and wasting the money you spent? Here are some bonus tips!
- For cleansers that don’t work out, use them as hand or body soap. I try to mainly buy sample sizes only to keep my bank account from going in the red, but these make great little travel soaps.
- For toners that don’t work out so well, use them as body sprays, spray them in your hair, or even (gross but hey why not) on your armpits (for the sake of those around you, please use your regular deodorant though).
- Serums and moisturizers that don’t make the cut can be used as body, hand, or feet moisturizers. Also, don’t forget your neck/décolletage area! This can wrinkle as we age, so show that part a little love with these leftover products.
- Have a mask that doesn’t work out? Use it on…your armpits! No, seriously, we often overlook our pits in our skincare routines. They’re essential, however, because they are one of the body’s ways to eliminate toxins through lymphatic drainage and sweat. So if they’re in not good working condition, your body won’t be in good working condition. Use detox masks on your armpits to help draw toxins out (this is especially good if you’re switching to natural deodorant).
“You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
Promise me that every morning you look in the mirror and see that imperfect blemish, you will be kind to yourself. Think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Thank God for His goodness, for giving you another day of life, health, and a sound mind, put a smile on, and let the world see your beautiful, shining face.
I sincerely hope that I have said something impactful to you today, even if it was the smallest thing, and that the story of my journey to healing my hormonal acne will be a help to somebody who is facing the same struggle. Because I promise you, there is hope. It will get better. You will come through this.
Much love to each and every one of you,
Sara
