Hi Steemit! This is me. I won't say that I take the best care of my skin; I fall asleep with makeup on a lot, I forget sunscreen more than I should, but I do think that my skin is in pretty good shape. I also am a lazy bum so efficientness is important to me when I do remember to do my routines.
My beauty routine is nothing special, just a few steps that keep me clean, glow-y, and healthy. One thing I really like about my process is that it’s very minimalist and inexpensive. These are 2 extremely important qualities to me because 1) I could probably be considered lazy (just don’t call me lazy, or you’ll get an earful) and 2) I’m a thrifty gal. So a twice daily routine that’s quick and inexpensive is my idea of success.
But all of that aside, there are just far too many products out there that promise consumers the moon, but in reality are just cleverly marketed expensive and unnatural potions! Put good in, get good out. Cover your face in something mass produced and full of chemicals you can’t even pronounce and, well, you might not have as bright and happy skin as you potentially could. But anyway, I’ll get on with things and spare the rant about chemicals, and too many choices for consumers, and yadda yadda.
Water
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castille Soap (I have Lavender)
Coconut Oil
*Optional Apple Cider Vinegar.
Ta-da. That’s it! It’s almost too simple, but trust me it works.
Depending on if I’m in the shower or just at my sink I either use a washcloth or just let the shower hit my face, either way I start with warm water. Once my face is nice and wet, I squirt one or two drops of Dr. Bronner’s on my hands and massage it onto my face and neck. After a few seconds I wash it off then just let my face air dry until it’s -mostly- but not completely dry. At this point I get a little glob of coconut oil and moisturize my face and neck, putting some on my lips as well. Now in the morning I always apply sunscreen to my face as well, so I guess there’s one more addition to my routine that’s not required but I highly recommend it and I really don’t even need to explain why.
*Optional Apple Cider Vinegar Step: Sometimes when I’m feeling extra motivated or I feel like my face could use it, I use ACV as a toner. After my face is mostly dry I apply ACV diluteted with cold filtered water on a cotton ball in a sweeping motion to my face, let it air dry and pat off any excess, then put on coconut oil. There is an aroma, but I’ve found that it doesn’t stick around long anyway. Toners balance the skin’s PH levels, shrinks pores, and just refreshes skin in general.
So there you have it! I’m no dermatologist so I can’t say what will work specifically with your skin, but with something as simple as this there is truly not much that can go wrong. Fortunately, I do not suffer from acne but occasionally my hormones cause it to flare up. I did some research into natural and gentle remedies and I read countless good things about Dr. Bronner’s. I already had a bottle [Future post? This stuff is magic in a bottle] and figured why not give it a shot, and I’m glad that I did as it cleared up the few pimples I had gotten in about a day or two. So in addition to just being a gentle and simple facial cleanser I can also attest to it’s acne fighting abilities. I should note though that some people mentioned the acne “flaring up” before it went away, so be aware of that if you decide to give Dr. Bronner’s a try and don’t despair if it happens to you.