All About the Face

Today is another rainy Bahamian summer day, lightning shooting across the sky, with almost simultaneous, house shaking thunder. Just to be on the safe side, we've plugged the modem into our trusty solar battery pack. Rain is both cooling and fills the rainwater catchment tanks around the island, so no complaints here.

I've had a couple of mind blowing revelations this week about cosmetics. Now, being a simple girl, my "beauty regime" has long consisted of washing my face with Clinique soap, roughly $14.50, and following it up with Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing lotion, $26. While not cheap, they don't break the bank, I've used them for years. I love them. I'm not allergic to them! I'm allergic to nearly everything that I've ever tried. I stopped for a few months last year, as I experimented with washing with Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Oil bar soap and moisturizing with organic jojoba oil, but I didn't like the texture of my skin while using them, so I went back. I bought enough Clinique to get me through a year of living on the island. Then, last week, I discovered the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM).

I was skeptical. The idea of cleaning my face with oil just sounded, well, absurd. I've got oily skin. I read a number of posts all over the crunchy internet world and words"dewy skin" caught my eye. I think that was the phrase that sold me. Crunchy Betty has some wonderful things to say about it, I recommend clicking on her name for five trouble shooting tips.

What is the oil cleansing method?
Well, essentially, you take about a dime to a quarter's worth of oil into the palm of your hand and then massage it into your face for about two minutes. Then, take a clean wash cloth, wet it with hot tap water, wring it out and cover your face with it, letting the heat and steam soak into your pores for about a minute. Personally, I end up rinsing the wash cloth and repeating the process of cloth steaming my face two to three times before using it to wipe/scrub the oil from my face. Afterwards, my skin feels super soft and hydrated, not oily at all! After a week of twice daily OCM, Jon has noticed the incredible difference in the texture of my skin. It's smooth, radiant, and yes, even dewy!

The basic concept of this skin care and cleansing method is that the oil used to massage your skin will dissolve the oil that has hardened with impurities and found itself stuck in your pores. The steam will open your pores, allowing the oil to be easily removed. Should you need it, the smallest drop of the same oil formula patted over damp skin will provide the necessary lubrication to keep your skin from over-compensating in oil production.

Getting the right mix for you, will probably involve some experimentation. Two of the most commonly recommended oils to mix are Castor oil and Olive oil. Yet olive oil is very heavy and has been known to cause problems in some skin. Castor oil is quite strong and needs to be mixed, or it will actually dry out your skin. The oils that you choose are up to you, but remember that organic is best, as anything that you put on your skin, gets absorbed into the body. The fewer chemicals, the better. I've been using pure organic grapeseed oil all week, but I'm going to try mixing it with a little castor oil this weekend.

*What Oils Are Best for Oil Cleansing?
Castor oil is gives you the most cleansing, dissolving bang for your buck. It’s also highly antibacterial in nature.It can also be drying. So depending on your skin type, you’ll either use more or less castor oil proportionally to the other oils. Try experimenting with 10-15% castor oil, if your skin is oily. If your skin is dry, I'd recommend skipping it altogether, as it can be quite drying.

Good Oil Cleansing Varieties
Jojoba (all skin types, but very desirable for acne-prone skin)
Sweet almond (all skin types, especially oily)
Grapeseed (all skin types, especially oily)
Avocado (dry and aging skin)
Sunflower Seed (all skin types)
Olive (all skin types)*
Apricot Kernel (dry, aging, and normal skin)
Argan (all skin types, especially aging skin … very pricey)
Tamanu (all skin types … very pricey)
*You’ll probably want to stay away from coconut oil for oil cleansing, as it is a known comedogenic and may possibly clog your pores and exacerbate blackheads.
*Source

So, now that I have that dewy glow, what can I do about that persistent shine?

Facial Powder

Being fair skinned puts me well into the minority on our island. I know that it's impossible to buy any kind of facial powder here. It's left me feeling more than a little alarmed as my stores of it are now nearly at an end. Today, at the recommendation of Wellness Mama, I've decided to make my own. I bought a box of cornstarch ($4 for a pound or so) in the baking section of the market today and discovered that it can be brushed straight onto the skin, or as she recommends, you can mix with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa powder to add a bit of color. She actually recommends using arrowroot powder over corn starch, but that's an impossible find when you live back of the beyond. Of course, I'd be happier if I had organic corn starch, but this is a great start, and not as harsh on the skin as talc. The lovely Crunchy Betty goes into a little bit more depth about mixing facial powders from your kitchen!

Savings? Well, with Clinique, I typically spent $10 a month on my face, plus another $5-$20 per month on facial powder depending on the brand. The OCM will end up costing about $5 a month, if I've calculated the oil usage correctly. The corn starch is pennies per month. All that, and my skin looks and feels better than ever!