Make Up Tip #1: create a nice canvas
Cleaning the face is the first step to make up application. Many companies will tell people "don't use soaps - they are harsh for your skin". Well, that's a load of crap! It's the chemicals that are harsh for the skin, chemicals that are in products called "face cleansers".
When you read the ingredients of these cleansers, most often you'll find one called "sodium laureth sulphate", or "sodium laurel sulphate". I will call it SLS in this entry. This is one of the ingredients that you should definitely avoid, as many are unknowingly allergic to it (they think they are allergic to the perfumes instead). Studies show that SLS enters the body through the skin, irritating it as well as other organs of the body, including the eyes. Moreoever, SLS is good enough for scrubbing floors! Now, do you really want to use something that is strong enough to scrub floors, on your skin?
Unfortunately, SLS is in about 90% of the products we see in the market - be it body or face cleansers. I feel that we are left with only two options: a vegetable oil based soap, or an animal fat (tallow) based soap. I choose the former.
My pick is Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap (shown on picture), available at Whole Foods, and health food stores. They are my favourite because it is 100% natural, and they have an organic line too. I wash my hair, face and body with it. There are various sizes. I usually go for the biggest 4L size, because that's the only soap I use. Scents include: lavender, peppermint, almond, tea tree, eucalytus, and baby mild (unscented with aloe vera added). I use the baby mild soap, and have been for 4 years.
From my own observation of friends and customers, those who switched to natural soaps, improved their skin condition, including dryness and eczema.
So clean your face properly with a good soap - dilute it if you find it strong ( it won't be as strong as chemically based cleansers). Then tone your skin. Toning is important to balance the PH level of the skin - the skin becomes fragile overtime if the PH level is not balanced. Once you tone the skin, it'll feel softer and smoother. I would recommend against store bought toners, laden with chemicals. Many natural skin care supporters use floral waters, which smell wonderful but I find them useless in toning my skin. My pick? Diluted apple cider vinegar. It doesn't smell as pleasant as floral waters, but it works best. Just 1 part spring water, and 9 parts vinegar, mixed in a bottle. If you find it weak, then use more vinegar. Adjust to the level that's right for your skin.
Use a scrub afterwards to get rid of dead skin if necessary - grounded almonds with yogurt is a good home made option. Then moisturize. You may moiturize yourself with cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, or even jojoba oil. Emu oil is also a good option (a posting about Antonia's emu oil is available from an entry here http://www.livejournal.com/~in_image/). Then your face is ready for make up application.
I learned most of my natural skin care tips from this book:
I highly recommended those who truly care about their skin, to have a copy in the bookshelf!
When you read the ingredients of these cleansers, most often you'll find one called "sodium laureth sulphate", or "sodium laurel sulphate". I will call it SLS in this entry. This is one of the ingredients that you should definitely avoid, as many are unknowingly allergic to it (they think they are allergic to the perfumes instead). Studies show that SLS enters the body through the skin, irritating it as well as other organs of the body, including the eyes. Moreoever, SLS is good enough for scrubbing floors! Now, do you really want to use something that is strong enough to scrub floors, on your skin?
Unfortunately, SLS is in about 90% of the products we see in the market - be it body or face cleansers. I feel that we are left with only two options: a vegetable oil based soap, or an animal fat (tallow) based soap. I choose the former.
My pick is Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap (shown on picture), available at Whole Foods, and health food stores. They are my favourite because it is 100% natural, and they have an organic line too. I wash my hair, face and body with it. There are various sizes. I usually go for the biggest 4L size, because that's the only soap I use. Scents include: lavender, peppermint, almond, tea tree, eucalytus, and baby mild (unscented with aloe vera added). I use the baby mild soap, and have been for 4 years.
From my own observation of friends and customers, those who switched to natural soaps, improved their skin condition, including dryness and eczema.
So clean your face properly with a good soap - dilute it if you find it strong ( it won't be as strong as chemically based cleansers). Then tone your skin. Toning is important to balance the PH level of the skin - the skin becomes fragile overtime if the PH level is not balanced. Once you tone the skin, it'll feel softer and smoother. I would recommend against store bought toners, laden with chemicals. Many natural skin care supporters use floral waters, which smell wonderful but I find them useless in toning my skin. My pick? Diluted apple cider vinegar. It doesn't smell as pleasant as floral waters, but it works best. Just 1 part spring water, and 9 parts vinegar, mixed in a bottle. If you find it weak, then use more vinegar. Adjust to the level that's right for your skin.
Use a scrub afterwards to get rid of dead skin if necessary - grounded almonds with yogurt is a good home made option. Then moisturize. You may moiturize yourself with cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, or even jojoba oil. Emu oil is also a good option (a posting about Antonia's emu oil is available from an entry here http://www.livejournal.com/~in_image/). Then your face is ready for make up application.
I learned most of my natural skin care tips from this book:
I highly recommended those who truly care about their skin, to have a copy in the bookshelf!
posted by Noelle Wong at 10:24 AM
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