Make it Monday // DIY Makeup Remover with Essential Oils

As you may (or may not) know, I am trying to focus on moving to a cruelty free lifestyle.  (You can read my transition guide here.)  I'm focusing mainly on cleaning & beauty products this year and part of that, I'm realizing, is also going eco friendly.  I decided that I didn't need to be using something like a single use makeup wipe on the daily.  First off, I'm not quite sure what those things are made of.  Secondly, I'm already using some products that I know will treat my skin a little bit better.

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I wear makeup at least 3-4 times a week, often more, so I'm going through these wipes so fast!  Now I imagine the bags and bags of semi-fabric-semi-paper-towel-probably-heavily-plastic wipes that I've personally thrown away.  No more!  Now I use a more sustainable option that is nourishing to my skin.

supplies // fractionated coconut oil (or other carrier oil of your choice), essential oils, container

So, how do you make it?

This DIY couldn't be simpler - combine 5-10 drops of your essential oil of choice & fractionated coconut oil into your container.  The container I show above is only stainless steel on the outside, the inside is coated in plastic.  If you choose to use a citrus oil be sure your entire container is either glass or stainless steel.  The citrus oil can degrade the plastic and cause it to leech the plastic into your oil.

Daily, I use lavender, frankincense, and melaleuca (tea tree oil) for my skin.  The lavender scent is super calming at the end of the day!

And here's how to put it to use!

Use one pump in clean hands and massage into face to dissolve your makeup. It is seriously that easy.  As a note, be careful around sensitive areas - like your eyes.  Since the oil is heavily diluted, I personally haven't had any problems rubbing it around my eyes to remove mascara, etc.  If you'd like more targeted application, use 100% cotton rounds.  I've even heard of people sewing their own reusable rounds out of flannel and fleece to be more sustainable!

After you've massaged the remover over your face to break up the makeup, run a wash cloth under hot water (not too hot!) and place over your face.  Use this guy the same way you'd use your makeup wipe.  You may want to invest in some nice baby washcloths since they are a bit gentler.  Rinse the washcloth in hot water after use to remove the makeup & oil from the cloth.  The best part is you can wash the washcloth with your clothes!  Fractionated coconut oil doesn't stain fabrics - you won't find those horrible little oil stains like from an oily dressing on your clothes.  

You could use other carrier oils but you may find that they aren't that great for skin, for example virgin coconut oil is considered comedogenic (meaning it is known to clog pores).  Fractionated coconut oil is thought to be significantly less comedogenic.  As a person with oily skin who previously used virgin coconut oil on my skin, I can say that fractionated coconut oil has really improved my complexion!  I'm sure the fact that I'm also using lavender, tea tree, and frankincense has helped too!

Essential Oils for the Skin

There are a lot of different essential oils on the market today so I want to make a note here on the quality of oils you should use.  Since our skin is our hugest organ and our skin absorbs what we put on it, it is important to make sure we are using pure essential oils - oils that lack any additives that may decrease the purity or potency of the oil.  The brand I suggest is doTERRA.  This brand provides Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade oils:

"The CPTG process certifies that there are no added fillers, synthetic ingredients, or harmful contaminants in their essential oils that would reduce their efficacy. doTERRA even goes a step further, putting all their products and the packaging through a battery of tests to ensure a long and effective shelf-life. This protocol ensures potency, purity, and consistency batch to batch." (source)

Above is a list of 6 essential oils perfect for use in your DIY makeup remover.  Each of these oils is said promotes healthy skin & a side benefit is the amazing aroma each oil offers.  It truly can make this simple act a mindful, self care ritual!  My skin has evened out and my makeup routine is so simple now - check out my 15 minute routine here.

Essential oils have become an integral part of my everyday life.  You can find the 8 ways I currently use essential oils here and sign up above to get my free ebook on using essential oils for practical & spiritual use!  If you'd like to learn how essential oils can change your mind, body, & spirit shoot me an email, I'd love to chat with you!

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How do you use essential oils daily?  Are you switching gears with your beauty products this year?

xoxo, Moe

Ready to start your Essential Oil Journey? 

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3 Reasons why a Skincare Regime is the Best Mindfulness Routine

Self care has become something very important to me in the recent months.  I guess I never realized just what a mindful routine self care could be.  I've also discovered something else - my skincare routine has really become sacred time for me.  My skincare routine has become mindful.

We've just passed the New Moon for this lunar cycle.  In case you didn't know....it was also a Solar Eclipse! (/sarcasm)  With Mercury Retrograde, a New Moon, and a Solar Eclipse there has been a lot of energy surrounding the last few days.  This time is really asking us to reflect on ourselves & take care of ourselves, so that we can stand up and be who we need to be.  It is a time to seriously release that which is not serving us.

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So, let's talk about skincare.  If you're looking to start a mindful routine to help you gain awareness of the present, help with your self care, and aid you in calming your mind a skincare regime may be the best answer for you.  I'm currently testing out a skin care line called Lancer sent to me by Influenster and actively participating in & studying the way this regime is affecting me allows me to be mindful.  (Read more mindfulness posts here.)  Here are a few reasons why your skincare routine can become your best tool for mindfulness:

Mindfulness is Self Care

Since a mindfulness routine falls under the category of self care & skincare falls under the category of self care, you're kinda hitting two birds with one stone.  You're dedicating time to yourself, for yourself, that benefits yourself.  Often you're using a routine that is supposed to have an end result.  It is something you're doing to serve you.  While you don't have to be seeking some sort of skin benefit - reduce acne, reduce wrinkles, etc - sometimes this type of outcome is important to your dedication.  I do believe that your skincare routine should serve you.  I used to tear at my skin, treat it horribly with acne treatments, drying treatments, etc.  Once I started to love on my skin - hydrate it, nurture it, respect it, - my skin got better.  You can read a bit about previous skin care routines here & learn how I used to do harm to my skin!  Up until a little bit ago my whole skincare routine was a gentle cleanser & moisturizer at night then warm water & moisturizer in the morning.  By not stripping my skin I was really caring for myself.

The Routine is Already Established

If you've got a whole skincare system going there is really nothing to think or stress about.  The routine is already established, especially if you're going for a certain benefit, so you don't have to form your own.  Trying to form your own can cause added stress to your life (honestly) and you may get frustrated with the time it is taking you to do a simple self care routine.  Skincare can be deeply involved or just a few steps.  I'd suggest starting out with a 3-4 step system.  You can find a ton of premade systems - like the Lancer system I'm trying out from Influsenter (sign up for ebates to save $$ from Sephora!) - in various stores.  Even going to a place like Ulta where they have licensed estheticians will help get you in the right direction.  A good skincare routine often has a cleanser, exfoliant, & moisturizer.  Throw in an eye cream, treatment or serum (like for acne), and a mask and you have a complete system.

Personal Hygiene is a Requirement

It is kind of a requirement to wash yourself, amirite? So why not turn that into something that serves you!  I know that the shower, brushing your teeth, shaving your legs, etc can become a chore...and really shower time is one of three things:

1. A time to come up with better arguments for previous disagreements.
2. A time to devise worse case scenarios for the thing you're going to do right after the shower.
3. A time to stress over all the things you don't have control over because this is the only time you've had to yourself all day.

Literally, shower time can be one of the only times you get a second to yourself.  Make this second serve you!  Washing yourself is a requirement, the mindfulness of the process is a perk!  It really pays to pay attention to yourself!

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily life doesn't have to be some long drawn out process or sacred, specific ritual.  Washing your face is the perfect way to embrace a routine that nurtures your skin & your soul.

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For me, this lunar cycle is going to be about self care.  At the end of last cycle I was at the point where I really needed to nurture myself after the work of pushing forward with my heart.  If you'd like to know more about working with the Lunar cycles, mindfulness, and living a creative life, consider signing up for the newsletter.  You'll get a New Moon, Full Moon, and monthly email + any other important cosmic or blog related things directly to your inbox!  Plus I'm gonna tell you how to love yourself & realize your awesomeness!!

How are you loving on yourself this cycle? What skincare will you implement to nurture your skin & your soul?

xoxo, Moe

Winter Skin Care for Oily, yet Dry Skin

I've run into this problem where my skin is crazy.  During the winter my skin freaks out.  It is both oily & dry at the same time.  How is that possible??  Whatever bizarre parallel universe I've landed in, I've found a way to cope with it.  Here are my five favorites this winter:

Witch Hazel toner

This is great, natural alternative for a toner all year round but I love it for the winter because it doesn't strip my skin of moisture.  It evens out the PH of my skin and as a plus refined pores.  I do think this is a great toner for evening skin texture and clearing out your pores.

Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream from the Body Shop

I got a sample set of this line from the Body Shop from TJ Maxx for $10!  It was something I was dying to try but always passed over.  Now I know I'm going to pick more up!  This day cream is a nice gel formula that adds a little bit of moisture but also gives a matte finish.  The biggest thing I've encountered in this oily yet dry skin of mine is that if I don't hydrate it, it's just going to hate me more!

Nourish Organic Moisturizing Cream Face Cleanser

This is a sample I received in an ipsy bag and have really fallen in love.  The cream formula of the cleanser doesn't give me a squeaky-clean, tight feeling to my skin but rather cleanses while moisturizing.  It doesn't feel greasy at the end of it all and it really does cleanse off all the things I need it to cleanse!  I also have an eye creme from this brand and, so far, I'm sold on it.

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing lotion

A moisturizer is something I've struggled to find for a long time.  I get so nervous to put any old moisturizer on my face for fear of it being too thick, too greasy, or likely to clog my pores.  This moisturizer does the job with out making my skin oily....If you have oily skin hopefully you'll know what I mean - its like the product doesn't get absorbed and then you get oily, and it's just a mess.  I also steer clear of luminous moisturizers for this reason.  However, this Aveeno lotion moisturizes the right amount and the ingredients don't clog my pore or irritate my skin.  I lay it on thick at night to pack on the moisture but use only a small pearl size amount in the morning.

Urban Decay De-slick Make Up Setting Spray

This is another year round thing for me too.  It doesn't hurt to lock in your make up all day long with a few sprays of this.  This one is my Holy Grail but you could use the NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray from the drug store as well.  This adds just a final touch to the make up I have for the day to ensure I don't get too glowy during the day.  It can also act as a make up refresher during the day and I keep a travel bottle in my purse.

Realizing that my skin goes crazy this time of year I'm glad I was able to try some new things to keep my skin hydrated, yet matte!  Who knows what my skin will do when I head back to Virginia next week.

How do you treat your skin in the winter?  Any other products you love?

xoxo, Moe

Current Skin Care Routine // Early 2014

In a post a a week or so ago, I mentioned the 4 things I learned on my own about skincare that my dermatologist never told me.  I've also posted about my skin care routine before and about the oil cleansing method.  Now that I've discovered that consistency really helps with my skin I wanted to go further into how I go about taking care of my skin.  So this post is about my current routine here at the beginning of 2014.  I think I've found some things I really, really do like (holy grail products maybe) that I don't think will change but maybe I add or subtract things as I go a long.  I'm all for trying new things!

The basics of my skincare routine probably won't change that much I've found that a make up remover, cleanser, toner, spot treatment, & moisturizer routine works for me.  When I was doing the oil cleansing method (which I still throw in there when my skin is super dry) I didn't need a moisturizer.  Anyway, here's my current routine:

Make Up Remover Towelettes - my choice: Epielle Cucumber Cleansing Towlettes (found at Big Lot's)

These wipes are super, super cheap but amazingly awesome.  (You can read more about my experience with make up wipes in this post).  I love these because they are on $2 for 60 towelettes.  The towelettes are damp enough for me but a little too thin so sometimes I need to use two.  Since they are so cheap I also keep some by my vanity to wipe off my hand/fingers if I have make up on them.  The ones I use have cucumber, aloe, & green tea so they don't make my face feel tight or sticky as some other wipes can.

in the A.M.

In the morning I use these wipes just to get the excess oils off my face.  If I'm in a rush I use these wipes as the sole cleansing in the morning.  

in the P.M.

Each afternoon/night I use these wipes to get all of my make up off before I wash my face.  Sometimes I'll come immediately home & wipe off my make up.  Then I'll cleanse my face a little bit later.  Getting all my make up off before I cleanse my face means that I'm getting everything off & the cleanser can do it's work. The single step of cleansing just gets your make up off but doesn't do anything for your skin beneath.  I make sure to get all the make up off - these wipes are so cheap I can use two & not feel bad about it.

Cleanser - my choice: L'Oreal Youth Code Foaming Gel Cleanser

I love this little cleanser because it goes with the other products I have in my skin care routine.  I've mentioned this before as well, but I love trying a line of products not just products here and there.  The best example of this is my review/use of the Olay Fresh Effects line.  I feel that a whole line of products should go together & not compete with each other and I felt the Fresh Effects line did (read about that here).  So, I picked up this cleanser to go a long with the other Youth Code items in my routine.  I love that it foams & I do feel very clean after.  It leaves a slight cooling feeling so I feel it's good for calming my skin*.  However I would not suggest using this around your eyes to remove make up, just don't.

in the A.M.

This cleanser claims to be exfoliating.  There are no beads in this gel cleanser so I thought one of the ingredients must be a chemical or ezymatic exfoliant.  In a quick search I found that the ingredient Capryloyl Salicylic Acid is in fact an exfoliant.  I only use this cleanser as a quick little manual cleanse & not with the cleansing brush I use at night.  It's not overly drying & great to start the day.  However, sometimes I skip it & just wipe off my face with the make up remover towelettes.

in the P.M.

Whether I'm at the sink or in the shower I do a lot of dirty work with this bad boy with my cleansing brush.  This cleanser claims to exfoliate so I usually focus on cleansing my face for longer with my cleansing brush.  In the shower the hot water opens my pores & I feel I get a great clean pairing this cleanser with my CVS brand cleansing brush.  This cleansing brush is amazing and I love using it.  I switched from using an acne cleanser everyday because I felt like I no longer needed it.  I guess since I just moved into my late twenties it's time to start focusing on anti aging & not acne!

Toner - my choice: Dickinson's Witch Hazel Daily Facial Toner

This is a gentle & natural toner that I love using.  I really like it because it tones naturally and I don't have to add more chemicals to my face.  Now I know I use a lot of other things that have chemicals but this makes me feel a little bit better.  It also just makes my skin feel natural.  Sometimes toners can make my skin feel oily or dry and I want to restore the PH in my skin not coat it in something crazy.  I was skeptical about the product at first after trying just the Dickinson's Witch Hazel - I felt that did nothing for my skin.  But this one claims to help pores - not that I've noticed - and is specifically a toner not just witch hazel.  So far I like it.

in the A.M.

After I wipe or cleanse my face in the morning I dampen a cotton pad & sweep it all over my face. It feels nice, that's it.

in the P.M.

After I cleanse my face in the evening I use this as a secondary residue remover but also to tone my skin.  I love that it tones with out drying.  For me this is the first step in hydrating my skin since this really brings it back to normal.

Spot Treatment - my choice: Tea Tree Oil from the Body Shop

I used to use an over the counter spot treatment with benzoyl peroxide or what have you & I had a love hate relationship with them.  Usually they'd do what they were supposed to but some would make my face swell up or make me itchy.  Also none of them did the overnight reducing that they all claimed.  I finally surrendered & picked up some Tea Tree oil in Ulta while I was home for Christmas.  Boy, I'm never going back to anything else.  It really reduces the redness & inflammation and it soothes.  Man, oh man I just love it.

in the A.M.

Unless I have a crazy breakout happening I don't use the tea tree oil in the morning.  Usually I just let it sit on my face overnight.  It's not irritating at all so I could put it on during the day but sometimes I feel like my breakouts get a little too dry during the day if I use it because it keeps treating.  The tea tree oil I have is already diluted, don't apply straight up tea tree oil to your face FYI!

in the P.M.

This is when I use the oil the most.  After cleansing & toning I dampen the end of a q-tip and dot it on all of my breakouts.  Sometimes I sweep it over larger areas but I try to concentrated on the actual zit.  If I need more oil I flip the q-tip over & dampen the other side so I'm not contaminating anything with the bacteria from my face.  

Moisturizer (step one) - my choice: L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfecter

I use this little serum from the drugstore that claims to minimize pores, improve skin's texture, & even out uneven skin tone**.  I first heard of this on YouTube & thought why the heck not.  After trying just the serum I was hooked on this line.  While I don't know any science behind this & many of the claims are based off of consumer self assessment**, I still think this product works.  Personally I've seen a reduction in my uneven skin & better pores.  I don't believe you can do anything to make your pores actually smaller but I've noticed just an overall firmness in my skin that I think really helps with pore visibility.  Again, consumer self assessment here!

in the A.M.

In the morning I usually just use this as a moisturizer unless my skin is really dry.  This serum does have a luminosity factor to it - if you look at the product after you've dispensed it onto your hand you can see a little iridescence - so using both this & the day/night cream is often too much for my oily skin.  But since it's the winter this is step on of moisturizing morning & night.

in the P.M.

I pair this with the Day/Night cream mentioned below because I feel like this serum really does the dirty work & the Day/Night Cream does the moisturizing.   This adds a little bit of moisture but it has a thin consistency so I like to pair it with something thicker.

Moisturizer step two -  my choice: L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfecter Day/Night Cream

This little jar adds the final step to moisturizing.  I feel that the day/night cream doesn't do any of the dirty work that the serum does it just offers more moisture though the website gives the same claims to the cream as the serum.  Again after using this paired with the cleanser & the serum, I've noticed results.  I've noticed the texture & tone of my skin improve most drastically.

in the A.M.

If my skin is feeling extra dry I'll use this after the serum in the morning. Usually on the weekends I'll do this step too just for a little more hydration.  Even though this can be a bit to heavy for my skin I have noticed that the shine I get through the day from the oily nature of my skin is more glow & less gross.  I don't look like my make up is dissolving I just look healthy - does that make sense?

in the P.M.

For added hydration I always use this in the evening.  Keeps my skin happy with moisture so I don't get overly oily during the day - I just develop a healthy glow.  I know that sounds gross but sometimes make up can make you look flat where as developing a natural glow gives you some depth.

And that is it!  The ends & outs of my skincare routine for the beginning of 2014.  I think that as we move into warmer weather something is going to change.  I believe I liked the natural moisture that coconut oil gave to my skin in the summer - not too heavy & just right - so I imagine I'll go back to it once the extra hydration isn't needed for my skin any more!

How do you care for your skin?  Any products to recommend?

xoxo, Moe

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*I read that menthol is derived from peppermint oil that can irritate the skin, sadly I did not save this link.  But I did find more info on menthol in cosmetics here.

** Claims taken from L'Oreal website here.

4 Things I Wish My Dermatologist Told Me about Skincare

I've posted before on this blog about my struggle with acne & break outs.  Now that I'm in my twenties (correction: late twenties!) my skin is changing.  Coupled with the dry weather up here, I'm now noticing it's possible to have both oily & dry skin. Before I would have never classified my skin as dry.  It was always super oily & full of breakouts.  When I was younger I went to the dermatologist who prescribed me a bunch of different combos of pills & topical things to fight it.  Now that I'm older I've been able to discover a few things about skin care on my own and none of these were things the dermatologist told me:

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There is a proper way to wash your face

Now this may seem like an obvious thing but honestly it's more than wetting your face, creating a lather, & rinsing.  You have no idea what residues can be on your face from your make up and such.  I wore a lot of make up in high school trying to cover up my acne/redness so since I didn't properly wash my face I'm sure it left my pores clogged.  Where did I learn to properly wash my face?  After college when I got a job as an office manager at a school that trained aestheticians.  Now I feel I wash my face in a way that really gets it clean & use other products to refresh the PH & moisturize.  Before, during my oily days, I would skip on the moisture since I had such an oil slick.  But now, at least for me, I've noticed if I keep my skin hydrated & have less oil.  This is really prevalent when I use coconut oil as my cleanser.  I usually remove my make up with a wipe before cleansing so that my cleanser can do it's job.  Then use my spot treatment (tea tree oil!), witch hazel as a toner, and then a moisturizer.

There's something called Tea Tree Oil & it's amazing

Instead of all these ridiculous topical ointments that cost a million dollars, there's something natural called Tea Tree Oil & it works amazing to combat breakouts.  Seriously dries them up quite quickly!  I'd say it usually takes 3 days for the Tea Tree oil to dry a blemish up completely but I see results after 1 day.  I bought this on a whim not believing what others said about it and am so glad I did.  There are also a TON of other skin loving essential oils like Frankincense, Lavender, & Cedarwood that are perfect for rejuvenating skin & clearing breakouts! Read more about using Essential Oils here.

Consistency is better than any drug

If someone had just told me that washing my face everyday, properly, would help I might have stuck with it.  Usually I'd give up because whatever course of action I was prescribed didn't work and be stuck with inflamed, red skin.  But now that I'm older & have a preferred skin regimen I see results no mater what I use.  Which is why I get bored with my cleansers/routine easily.  So keeping consistent with a gentle cleanser, some exfoliation, a toner, & moisturizer keeps my skin happy.

You get zits all your life

Jennifer Lawrence is the one that told me this, actually.  I remember wanting so badly to have clear skin just like other people that I knew.  Going to the dermatologist meant hope for a cure - dramatic, I know.  No one told me I'd be battling my skin all my life. And at one point it really was a battle.  I didn't care what I did to my face, my skin needed to be punished & pumped full of things that would dry out my zits.  Things that would exfoliate & leave my skin red.  Spot treatments that would inflame my face (oh yes, that has happened).  Anything & everything no matter how much it stung, was there to punish my face into submission.  That didn't work, in fact I was left with a very angry face not a face that I'd conquered.  So I decided just to deal with it in college - it was always going to be this way might as well just accept it.  After working at the school mentioned above, I learned I could be friends with my skin.  If I treated it well, it would treat me well.  I still get breakouts but I know my break out areas & try to treat them before I get a break out.  The gentler I am with my skin the more it appreciates it.  But it's true - you have breakouts your whole life.  You have to be consistent in your skin care to have even a little bit of control over them.

I always felt sort of out of place with acne.  But we all have to grow to love the things about us that we don't particularly like.  Now I love taking care of my skin because, like I said, if I treat it well - it treats me well.

Have you ever felt like you've battled your skin?  How do you nurture yourself now?

xoxo, Moe

Dealing With Breakouts // Eight Ways to Beat the Breakout Bump

Acne, blemishes, & breakouts have been a big problem for me my entire life.  I remember the first breakouts I had (on my forehead) in 5th Grade!  I remember telling someone it was a bug bite because what the heck is a fifth grader doing with horrible breakouts on her face?  But that moment began my journey dealing with breakouts.  What I know now is that it had a lot to do with hormones/bad skin/genes but also a lot to do with skin care routine & foods.

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While in high school I tried drugstore cleansers/spot treatments, tried proactive, even went to the dermatologist & nothing seemed to work.  Now, I know that these things didn't work because I didn't have the discipline to keep up with the routine.  I didn't wash my face morning & night, I didn't keep my routine, I didn't take my pills - so it didn't work.  I guess I had better things to do!  I'm not saying that you need to take medication or put products you don't feel comfortable with on to your skin - I want to advocate routine!  Whatever works for you, you have to keep it up or it won't work!

Now that I'm older I think my skin has naturally gotten better - less changing hormones, etc - but I try keep up a better skincare routine & choose products that fight oil.  I have incredibly oily skin so it's particularly tricky somedays & perfectly fine other days.  I thought I'd share with you some tips on how I keep the breakouts under control on my oily skin:

Find a routine & stick to it - I don't care what you use, but find something (experiment, there's no right or wrong!) that works for you & keep it up. Don't skip a day!  I think my time working for the Massage & Esthetics school really helped me realize the importance of a skin care routine.

My Routine - Olay Fresh Effects Shine Shine Go Away Cleanser (controls shine, I love it!) + spray astringent (Clean & Clear in a spray bottle) + Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner to restore PH + Neutrogena Fight & Fade gel for breakouts/fading scars + light, oil free SPF moisturizer --- I (try to) do this morning & night with a bit of exfoliation thrown in

Wash your hands before touching your face - Avoid touching your face at all during the day but  most importantly, before you apply make up, wash your hands.  Keep a pocket-bac on your dressing table if you need to but keeping your hands off your face & clean if you need to touch it, won't transfer bacteria.  This is a little tip that I know has helped me!

Clean your phone (your cell, home, & work) - along the same lines of wash your hands, clean your phones.  I'm bad with this & I've noticed quite a few breakouts on my phone holding area.  I constantly put the phone on my shoulder & lean it to my face at work.  It's soooo bad!  Luckily there are clorox wipes all over the place (but a little travel cleaner kit would be great for on the go!) because my boss is a germophobe to clean it off!  But do this with your cell phone too. Seriously, another simple tip that I know makes a difference!

Don't skip the moisture - if you have oily skin like me you may think that skipping the moisturizer might help fight the oil but it's not true!  Find a light moisturizer (one with SPF!) & apply it regularly.  I've read that if you keep your skin hydrated it won't produce as much oils to hydrate itself - I believe this is true in theory but personally I still get oily through the day.  I also found that I try (try!) to let my moisturizer absorb completely before applying my primer to start my make up.  I feel like it just works better this way!

Choose oil fighting products - Not everyone has the same skin type, I know, but sometimes oil fighting products are just worth it.  I swear by Rimmel's Mattifying Primer, Neutrogena's Shine Control Primer, & the Olay Fresh Effects Shine Shine Go Away Cleanser.  Also pick oil-free & non-comedogenic products.  You can also use an oil-free/non-comedogenic primer as well.

Learn to wash your face - I highly recommend finding a good Esthetician (if you're lucky, find a way to be the client they work on when they are learning - like at a school!) seriously they can tell you the best way to wash your face.  Mimic their motions, ask questions, they can recommend products, etc.  Another thing I learned in my previous job at the Esthetics school was that a lot of people go to the dermatologist, get prescription cleansers, but aren't told how to properly wash their face.  Don't do it quickly! Focus on your problem areas, add more water if you need to, spend time washing your face & neck - I spend a good chunk of time cleansing my face, honestly!

Try something natural - When you're at your wits end or just want to try something new give a few natural products a shot.  I've recently been trying coconut oil as a moisturizer & witch hazel as an astringent and it hasn't hurt (though I don't have a solid opinion about it yet!).  Some people are all about natural & sometimes it's worth it.  Also, you know you aren't putting some crazy stuff on your face if you're going organic.  It's worth a shot, you know.

These tips above have totally been the little things that I know keep my skin looking great!  Bonus tips: change your pillowcases/sheets regularly (every day on the pillowcases if you can - I don't lol), drink a lot of water, limit the crap eating (soda, etc - I don't do it often and can so tell!)

What are your tips?  I wanna know!

xoxo, Moe

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My Morning Routine // A Little Bit about Facials + Skin Care

I don't think I've talked about this too much on the blog, but after asking twitter what to blog about for today, Liz (of Donna's Decembers) & Van (of Thrift Core) inspired me.  Liz mentioned beauty tips & Van mentioned tips on something I'm good at.  I thought I'd combine the two & blog about my daily routine along with what I've learned from my day job.

First, I have horrible skin.  I am 24 years old with the skin of a 15 year old.  When I was in high school, I took pills prescribed by a dermatologist for my skin.  I guess it worked, but I didn't like putting those things in my body every day.  I tried to maintain clear skin through a really regimented routine that I always failed at!  My skin really got me down when I was younger.  I remember telling someone a zit was a bug bite because they asked what was on my face.  I was so ashamed! I didn't feel pretty, I sat for hours trying to fix my skin with make up, I really didn't like myself.  One day I realized that I was much more than my acne.  Once I developed a better attitude, I got really into caring for my skin.  I'd slip in & out of routines but I can tell you that my routine worked...I just got lazy, sometimes.

Currently, I am the office manager & house graphic designer (as I call myself) for a small & awesome school that trains Massage Therapists & Estheticians.  You are probably familiar with Massage Therapists...but do you know what an Esthetician is?  An Esthetician is often defined as a skin care therapist & usually work in spas, med-spas, under plastic surgeons, etc helping others care for their skin.  An esthetician can do anything from a basic facial to suggesting products for maintaining different skin types.  Not as far as a Dermatologist but I really think some Estheticians are up there!  They have experience in not only facials, but also waxing, spa treatments, & body treatments.  They can't prescribe things to you but they can suggest products to use & how to get the most from them.

This post combines my daily routine & what my daily routine should be.  Since I am often a guinea pig at work & get facials when there are an odd number of students, my skin care routine is sort of off.  Half the time I am afraid to get back into what my routine should be because my skin may get overly exfoliated, overly sensitized, & a lot more if I were to get a facial everyday on top of my own cleansing & exfoliating.  However, I have learned a few tips & have learned what to tell my Esthetician if she is working alone & not directly under the supervision of the instructor.  I also don't wear make up everyday (since they would just wash it off if they needed me!)

My daily routine usually includes these items:

1. Neutrogeana Oil Free Acne wash.  This simple wash does the trick for me, it doesn't really suffice for my whole routine I used to have...but it gets my skin clean.  It's my go to face wash morning & night.  I try to mimic the way the students' actions when they perform facials & I've noticed this has helped my skin a lot.
2. I've tried many, many, many foundations.  This Almay Clear Complexion foundation has an extra kick to heal blemishes.  I don't know how good it is for your skin, but I really like it.  It also does a good job evening out my skin tone.
3. I recently (about a year ago) discovered Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder.  It's cheap & keeps my oily face pretty matte throughout the day.  I have both the transparent powder & Sandstorm.  I don't use any bronzer or blush usually because even with foundation & powder my natural color comes through with out the blotchiness of my acne scars.
4. Under the powder & foundation I use Rimmel's Fix & Perfect.  I bought a Rimmel foundation once with this attached & I've loved it ever since.  It has a bit of tint but I really think it helps keep your make up in place.
5. I apply my foundation with these types of brushes.  The large brush on the right I use to dab on my foundation & swirl to blend it in.  I used to use a flat foundation brush but I find these brushes give a sort of airbrushed look.  Make up sponges are also awesome.  (No fancy pants stuff here!)  The one on the left is good for pressed powder.  I also dab on my pressed powder so I don't disturb the foundation under it!
6. To finish of my everyday look, I just throw on mascara. I have super long lashes & it's fun to accentuate them.

This routine used to be preceded by a specific attention to every other day exfoliation & the use of astringent, toner, & moisturizer with SPF.  Now since I never know what will happen I hardly pay attention to these other things.  The good thing about occasional facials is that the Esthetician will use the proper products for your skin type.  If your skin does well with the products, you will most likely use them again next time you come.  Thats another thing, facials are relaxing & great one time things...but if you want the benefits (even if you have normal skin) you should keep going!

With drugstore products & no fancy things, this is the routine I used to maintain clear skin:

I say maintain because you can just wash your face with a routine for 2 weeks & when it clears up just stop doing it.  Your skin needs to be maintained not just washed.

I'd start by washing my face.  Every other day I'd alternate between a foaming cleanser & an exfoliating scrub.  Sometimes I'd use a spot treatment or a mask but that wasn't part of the regular routine.  Then I'd pat my face dry, apply a toner, & then an oil free moisturizer.  Toner balances your skin's PH so that after you've stripped the oil, your skin needs to return to normal if you will.  Obviously the moisturizer protects your skin from the sun but also returns moisture to the skin you've just cleansed.

When you get a facial usually there is a pre-cleanse. This is a short, yet thorough cleanse that I believe takes off any make up or oils etc before the cleanse.  The next step is the cleanse with similar yet longer movements to the precleanse.  This is where you are concentrating on cleaning the skin of impurities.  The esthetician will start at your collarbone in both the precleanse & cleanse.  In the cleanse, she will focus on the jaw line, the corners, sides, & bridge of the nose, and your forehead.  After comes the exfoliation (either manual or through enzymes), then extractions, then maybe a mask.  Finally your skin is toned & moisturized.  All of this is a delicate process.  If you have a good esthetician, she'll be working away diligently to give you glowing perfect skin.

While I am not an Esthetician, being a guinea pig means you are submerged in a lesson.  I've learned a lot from the students & instructor where I work.  All through my teenage years I just rubbed soap on my face & washed it off.  It is through working in this school that I learned that washing your face is concentrating on areas & actually washing your face....you want that baby clean!

I searched for videos on youtube so you'd get to see what a facial is.  Check them out here.  Pay attention to the cleanse...thats what I do in the shower/over the sink.

I hope this post has been both informative & fun.  And a great big thanks to Liz & Van for helping me out!  If I've given any misinformation, please let me know.  I am not an expert, I have just picked a few things up here & there from work.

Have you had a facial? Was a good experience? Do you have a daily routine you'd suggest to others?