1.
Clay
Clay draws
toxins from the skin and can calm inflammations. You cannot only use it as
a face mask, but also as a daily face wash.
There are
different types of clay: red, green or white clay, ghassoul (also called
rhassoul) or healing earth. You can mix clay with water or other funny
stuff like aloe Vera gel, organic floral waters, organic full fat yogurt, kefir
or buttermilk. It‘s simple, just like cooking. Get creative!
However,
please remember not to add too many different ingredients all at once! Try
only one thing at a time to find out how your skin reacts to it. Apply the
mixture to your face, leave it on for just a few minutes, then rinse.
Don‘t let it dry!!!
This
cleansing method works especially well for oily or combination skins,
however depending on which color of clay you use, all skin types can
benefit.
Oily
skin:
Ghassoul /
rhassoul (Moroccan lava clay), green clay, bentonite clay, kaolin clay or
Fuller’s
Earth
Sensitive
skin:
White clay,
red clay
Dry
skin:
Red clay
Dull,
tired, or devitalized skin:
Pink clay
If your skin
tends to be dry, add a few drops of oil. To enhance antibacterial properties,
try to add a drop of lavender, tee tree or laurel oil, a teaspoon of
manuka honey or a splash of apple cider vinegar.
You can use
clay as a mask for body and hair as well! Ghassoul is a fab hair
wash alternative: applied as a mask, it strips the hair of chemical
buildup and other residues, absorbs oiliness almost like a sponge, makes
your hair shine and adds volume! Don‘t massage it too much into your hair
to avoid split ends.
Don‘t try
clay if you are allergic to nickel. Clay may contain traces of it.
2. Orris
Root Powder
Orris root =
Iris germanica, Iris florentina, Iris pallida
Orris root
powder is really moisturizing, very gentle on the skin and smells just like violets! Mix
with water (or yogurt, aloe vera, floral waters,) and apply in the same way as
the clay mixtures.
You can use
it as a tooth powder as well! It might be a good alternative for those,
who struggle with a severe intolerance or allergy to fluoride, SLS or mint
oil (in the past, it has indeed been used as a toothpaste).
Depending on
where you live, orris root powder might be difficult to find. You can try
to browse online shops selling herbs or ask in a pharmacy for it.
3.
Chickpea Flour
If you have
very oily skin, chickpea flour might be good for you! Mix with water,
floral waters, yoghurt, and apply in the same way as clay or orris
root powder.
You can buy
it in most Asian or health food stores!
4.
Organic Full-Fat Yogurt, Curd, Kefir or Buttermilk
Yogurt,
curd, kefir and buttermilk are the most natural surfactant-free alternatives
to cleansing milk you can probably ever get your hands on! It‘s not just
emulsified fat and water: Lactic acid harmonizes with your skin’s acidity,
dissolves lipids and helps to remove dead skin cells.
If possible,
use organic (non-pasteurized) milk products. Massage gently into your
skin, avoid the eye area and leave on for a few minutes. Then rinse.
As a general
rule of thumb, yoghurt and curd are a little gentler to the skin than
kefir and buttermilk. Especially buttermilk might be too strong for very
sensitive skin types due to its high amount of lactic acid. For the same
reason, it‘s a great exfoliator!
5. Cotton
Pad and Oil
Apply just a
few drops of oil (jojoba, olive, argan, almond, apricot kernel,
evening primrose …) on a moistened cotton pad and gently wipe across your
face without rubbing. Splash with water afterwards.
6. Mashed
Fruit or Vegetables as a Cleanser or Face Mask
This is no
recipe idea! Fact is that papaya pulp, mashed avocados, cucumbers,
mangos or bananas are fantastic skin cleansers. Fresh fruit contains
enzymes which will remove dead skin cells, clear pores and resolve excess
oil. I think most recipes below are too complicated to become an everyday
solution, but you can still consider them as a mask or treatment every
once in a while! Be careful though, not every skin type can deal with
fruit acid. Make a patch test first!
A few ideas:
Oily
skin / Combination skin:
- Cucumber juice works extremely well as
a skin cleanser. Due to its cooling effect it helps to soothe and
soften the skin. Apply some cucumber juice mixed with raw organic
milk onto your face. Use a cotton pad!
- Papaya fruit is a rich source of
nutrients such as carotenoids, vitamin C, B vitamins, enzymes and
minerals. Papaya pulp also contains a variety of phytochemicals,
including polyphenols: Massage your face very gently with a papaya
slice or mix papaya pulp with raw organic honey or rose water and
apply it as a face mask for 15-20 minutes.
- Lemon juice is a natural exfoliant,
skin brightener and anti-infective, whereas the starch from (sweet)
potatoes will absorb excess oil: Boil some sweet (or white) potatoes,
mash them, let them cool down and add a few drops of lemon into the
mixture. Squeeze a real lemon! Do not use any ready-bought lemon
juice gunk! Apply, leave on for 20 minutes, then rinse off with
water.
- Mix some lemon juice (from a real
lemon) with raw organic (or manuka) honey and cinnamon. For some, it
works extremely well to fade hyper-pigmentation marks. Leave on for
half an hour, then rinse.
- Bananas are rich in vitamin A, B and E
and a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium. A fresh mashed
banana facial can be great for your skin!
- Mangos can have a nice effect on your
skin as well. Mangos are rich in vitamin-A and rich in antioxidants.
Use in the same way as papaya!
Dry
skin:
- Packed with healthy fats and
phytonutrients, avocados and olives offer remarkable benefits for dry
skin: Mix avocado pulp with olive oil to make a paste. Rinse off after
20 minutes.
7. The
Oil-Cleansing-Method
I‘m not a
big fan of the oil-cleansing-method. For me it wasn’t great, to say the least.
The first time I tried this method, I ended up with cystic acne. It was too
harsh on my skin because of rubbing too much, because of using the wrong
or too much oil and because of the very hot water. That‘s why I don’t
think it‘s suitable for sensitive or inflamed acne skin, so please be
careful!
If, after
all, you are still longing to try it, grab your favorite oil and apply some of
it on your dry face in a circular motion. Use your fingertips. To avoid
irritation, massage your skin in the gentlest way possible – or not at
all, especially in the most inflamed areas.
Massaging with
oil can be very stressful for your skin and might spread acne bacteria all
over your face. Just let the oil soak for about 20-30 minutes. Excess sebum
will be removed anyhow and even some impurities might pop out.
You don‘t
even have to use olive and castor oil as described in most online
articles. Castor oil might remove too much natural sebum from your skin,
so your skin might produce even more sebum to protect itself. Try jojoba,
hemp or grape seed oil, if you have oily skin.
For dry
skin, macadamia, canola or olive oil should work fine. Then, instead of
using a very hot wet cloth to remove the excess oil, use a warm one
pressing it gently on your face without rubbing. Repeat a few times. Don‘t
use microfiber cloths, but only soft muslin or cotton cloths.
8. Baking
Soda
Dilute a
pinch of baking soda in A LOT OF water and splash your face with it.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water afterwards.
Don‘t use
too much baking soda and never let the baking-soda-water dry on your skin!
The granules are kind of abrasive when dry
By the way,
the naturally occurring chemical compound sodium bicarbonate (baking
soda = NaHCO3 = sodium, hydrogen, carbon and oxygen) can clean anything
from your face to your pans and pots to your whole household. Give it a
try!
9. Raw Organic
Honey
Raw organic
honey is an extremely mild cleanser with antibacterial and
moisturizing benefits! Simply apply, leave on for a few minutes up to half
an hour, rinse. Be careful with your hair!
10.
Self-Made All-in-One Cleansing Milk, Moisturizer and Body Lotion
Making your
own natural skin care is a fabulous way to take care of yourself, save
money and have fun all at the same time. Moreover, you can avoid harmful
chemicals and other substances your skin might be reacting to and still
have the advantages of a creamy and moisturizing product!
All you need
is a good oil, some water and a little bit of liquid lecithin. Lecithin is
an emulsifier which is naturally occurring in egg yolks and oils (avocado
oil contains a lot of it) and is really kind to the skin.
Basic
recipe:
- 0.7 oz (20 ml) organic floral
water (use it as it is!) or aloe vera gel (use it as it is!)
or mineral water (boiled and cooled down) or distilled water (if
you find boiling water is too much work!)
- ca. 1 scoop liquid lecithin (you
don‘t have to be too precise with this)
- 0.35 oz (10 ml) cold-pressed
organic oil (jojoba, grape seed, apricot kernel … ) or an oil mix
You can vary
the amount of oil according to your skin type: 20% – 40% work quite well.
Sterilize a
1oz (30ml) glass bottle and any other type of equipment you might
need (measuring utensils, spoons etc.). If you don‘t want to sterilize
them with alcohol, boil them in a pot of water for at least half an hour
and let them dry properly.
Pour the
ingredients into the bottle, put on the lid, shake, and it‘s done! If the
oil and water components should separate after a while, just shake the
flask all over again to re-mix. If that does not help, add another few
drops of lecithin. You can also add a drop of your favorite essential
oil, such as lavender, manuka, chamomile, neroli, jasmine and so on.
Prepare only
very small amounts, store in the fridge and use within two weeks
(otherwise you‘ll have to use alcohol or preservatives).
If you
suffer from very dry patches you could try to add a pinch/drop of ectoin,
allantoin, d- panthenol or lactic acid (online-shop/pharmacy).
Natural
Toners
Many people
take the 3 steps of cleansing, toning and moisturizing as a rule to be
set in stone. In my opinion the benefits of “toning“ as it is generally –
and commercially – understood are questionable, but here are some very
gentle alternatives for those who like to have another refreshing kick
right after cleansing!
11. Water
Yes, water!
I‘m not kidding! Chlorine or limescale are a common cause of itchy, red,
dry and flaky skin. So if your tap water happens to be very limy, try to
use mineral, filtered (or at least boiled) water to splash your face. This
might make a huge difference for some people!
And, of
course, water is a very natural and genuine toner! Guaranteed without
perfume, essential oils and other unnecessary accessories.
12. Aloe
Vera
Aloe vera is
an excellent choice, if you want to tone and hydrate your skin at the
same time. Add one or two drops of oil to it to keep the moisture inside
your skin!
Aloe
vera speeds the healing process and acts as an anti-inflammatory to calm
down your skin. It is also a must have home first aid remedy: apply to
burns, slow healing wounds, grazes, bites and stings!
However, aloe
vera products available in health food stores are not always equal
in quality.
Be sure that
the aloe vera gel you purchase is organic and certified by
the International Aloe Science Council (IASC). This label guarantees that
your aloe vera gel is naturally rich in active polysaccharides and free
from all kinds of skin-irritating stuff like pesticides and so on.
Nevertheless,
make a patch test first, if you have never tried aloe vera before!
Some people are allergic to it.
13.
Organic Herbal Distillates / Floral Waters
Organic
floral waters, also called hydrosols, are very kind on the skin (at least if
you are not allergic to a specific flower or plant) and help to regenerate
the skin‘s natural acid mantle after cleansing. There are lots of
different choices: rose water, hamamelis water, orange blossom water,
lavender water, chamomile water, thyme water, sandalwood water …
Floral
waters are traditionally used in Ayurveda for toning the skin. Produced at
high temperatures, they are somewhat acidic (with a pH between 5-6) and
tend to inhibit bacterial growth. They are not however sterile, but a
fresh product, just like food, and should be kept refrigerated.
Always buy
floral waters in a spray bottle (because of the same reason). Spray
liberally over face and body after cleansing as a toner or throughout the
day to refresh and hydrate your skin.
However, be
careful to choose the right type of floral water! Many hydrosols on the
market are just water with a small amount of essential oils added and are
some kind of a cheat! Make sure to choose a floral water made from a
distillation as this extraction method retains the properties of the
plant.
Have a look
at the Latin (or INCI) name. True floral waters will be listed as one
ingredient, e.g. ‘rosa damascena distillate‘or ‘rosa damascena water‘for
example (rose water). Water and essential oil blends are listed as two
separate ingredients (e.g. aqua, rosa damascena oil). Never use floral
waters containing alcohol, as they will dry out your skin.
14. Apple
Cider Vinegar
Apple cider
vinegar is a natural disinfectant with antibacterial properties. However,
raw, natural, unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar has some
kind of “sediment,” called the “mother”, in it.
Don’t be
scared – that strange substance is good stuff and contains all the skin
benefits! Go for it!
Apple cider
vinegar should always be diluted with some water so that it is much gentler
on the skin! You can use it straight as a spot treatment though. To use it
as a toner, mix one part apple cider vinegar with 8-10 parts (mineral)
water and apply it on a cotton pad.