experimenting

It all started on Friday.

On pinterest.

Pinterest is dangerous.  BUT I also found it extremely educational, if only for reminding me of what I already know.  For instance - oil and water do not mix.  Oil is dissolved by oil.

And then a very interesting post changed my outlook on skincare.

I should also preface this with the numerous article titles I have been reading from Dr. Mercola about how the cleansing products we use are terrible for us - full of parabens and sulfates and how they are toxic to us.

I saw a post about the Oil Cleansing Method.  I clicked on it thinking it was a touch crazy.  My face is oily enough already!  And it's sensitive.  And my nose is covered in black heads and pores so large you could store loose change in them.  (that is an indirect quote from a movie.  can you guess?)  But it is claimed that the type of oil you use makes the difference and will cleanse your face as well as moisturize it naturally, all the while taking care of breakouts and, I imagine, delay wrinkles since you're replenishing the skin.  (that last bit I made up and have no idea if it's true.)

The site I came across is from a blog called Simple Mom and she explains how to create an oil cleanser at home using castor oil and EVOO, using more castor oil for oilier skin as it is the "cleansing oil".  The site I referenced in the above paragraph suggests castor oil and sunflower seed oil.  Anyway, I got very excited and started loading my amazon cart with oils.  Then I had a thought.

Have you heard of Dr. Bonner's 18-in-1 miracle soap?  I happened to have some from a long time ago.  I use it to wash my make up brushes.  I trotted to the bathroom and scanned the ingredients.

Water
Hempseed oil
Jojoba Oil
a bunch of other oils, including essential oils.  The "flavor" I had was peppermint.

Here I had an oil based, vegetarian, all natural soap in my midst and never realized it.  So, I thought to myself, I might as well give it a try before I go crazy on amazon.  (I would have just gone to a health food store if we had lived in the states.)  Oh, and by the way, I'm not vegetarian.  But I believe non-refined (cold pressed) vegetarian oils are much preferred for skin care as opposed to animal based oils.  Nowhere in my research did I find anyone slathering bacon grease on their face.

I rubbed it on.  I got a washcloth nice and warm with hot water.  I put it on my face and let it steam for a minute.  I rubbed the soap off.  I did not scrub.  (I still fight the urge to scrub.)

And my face immediately looked AMAZING.  The pores on my nose were noticeably smaller.  I did without moisturizer for the day and my skin reacted no differently.  As in, yes, it got a bit shiny during the day, but no more than when I was using commercial cleansers.  In fact, maybe even less so.  After a few days of use, my skin was actually getting *drier*, not oilier.  I think the oils used in the soap aren't really face specific, so I will be ordering some castor and sunflower seed oils to make my own cleanser.  Someone also mentioned using witch hazel as a clarifier as well.  Turns out, I have some JASON brand tea tree oil gel with witch hazel in it.  I stopped using it because it was so drying.  But then I used it last night and I think I really like it.  Turns out I was just overstripping my skin of it's natural oils using water and chemicals.

That's when I got really excited.  I used my Dr. Bonners for body wash too.  (The peppermint "flavor" was quite tingly.  Especially in sensitive areas.  I'm ordering Lavender and Almond flavors next.)  I didn't use lotion.  I have terribly dry shoulders (I think it's a kind of eczema as it gets worse when the eczema on my hands flares up) and I used a pea size amount of olive oil - just straight out of my kitchen cupboard EVOO - on my shoulder skin.  It has never felt better.  (EVOO is pH neutral like the skin, so I read.)

(I have also dabbed a bit on my face as well for moisture when necessary, which has been rare.  I'm shocked at well it works.  it makes my face all dewy looking too.)

I threw 1/4 C of the Dr. Bonner's into the wash when I washed the sheets.  John had had a scab on his arm that he peeled away and proceed to leave blood stains on my sheets.  This soap got it out and left everything smelling minty!  Less that a week later and my 1/4 bottle that I had had forever is nearly gone.  I was thinking I was going to use it for EVERYTHING and simplify my life so much.  Especially with travel!  Just one bottle!

I even used it for shampoo.  This part I was not as big a fan of.  I may have used too much, or not enough...I'm not sure.  It cleaned my hair.   But it made it feel very thick and "piece-y".  I understand that look was in once.  And then it got static-y.  I cannot stand static-y hair.  It's annoying and plasters itself on my face.  So I have switched back to my toxic Head n' Shoulders.  For now.  Simple Mom also has a tutorial about going shampoo and conditioner free while using baking soda and apple cider vinegar to keep hair clean and shiny.  She also mentions an "oily period" that your hair will go through as it adjusts to not having it's natural oils constantly stripped from it.  I'm not sure I can deal with it.  I really do love my sleek shiny, freshly conditioned, not static-y hair.  We shall see how brave I get.

On the topic of bravery, however, I also tried something completely different.

I made my own deodorant.

1/4 C of baking soda
1/4 C of cornstarch (original recipe calls for arrowroot powder, but I went with availability on this one.)
4 Tbsp of coconut oil.  I may have used more for the consistency I wanted.
10 drops of lavender essential oil.

Also, read the comments of that blog!  Good tips!  I have used it for two days.  Today was a good test as I had an interview this morning and then worked out for 50 minutes.  I was a bit wet after the interview with nerves and all and the fact that this is NOT an anti-perspirant.  (although in the comments, people mentioned adding vodka to the mix for an anti-perspirant effect.)  Even after a bit of sweat and then a whole lot of sweat (I'm a sweater when I work out.  Not to say that I'm a sweater.  I'm a sweat-er), I still smell pretty good.
Good thing as I have a commissary tour (Spouse club event) in about 15 minutes.  :)

SO, I think that fully recaps all of my cleansing experiments of this week.  I think a lot of this is figuring out what works well for you and tailoring products to your needs.  But I can tell you it has simplified things.  I hardly use moisturizer anymore.  Of any kind.  That removes like 4 bottles from my old schedule as I had so many different lotions for different things.  (face, legs, eczema, feet....)

Plus deodorant that is aluminum free!  And doesn't leave my armpits itchy!  (as the old natural deodorant I bought did.)

Go.  Experiment.