My TOP Beauty Hack: Oil and More Oil!
A lot of you have asked me what my skincare routine has been, so I thought it’d be fun to talk about it on here to give you an idea of the history of my skin and how it has become what it is today.
I like to put a majority of the reasoning why my skin is so clear to my vegan diet, of course, but it has to do with how I maintain my skin externally and my lifestyle in general.
To give you a bit of a back story, I started taking care of my skin at a young age because of the influence of my mom who used to work for a skin care company, so she would come home with all of these different products all the time and she taught me about facials, exfoliating, masks, etc. when I was just a kid. I’m thankful I had this influence because it made me more aware of my skin as I’ve gotten older.
I guess you could say I never really had acne until my late teens to early 20’s. During this time, I was NOT vegan, going out all hours of the night, going to sleep with my make up on (I know, so so bad), and just not really taking the best care of my skin. I would use MULTIPLE products thinking I was doing my skin a great service, when really I was just doing way too much. I would use ALL types of products from eye creams, to day creams, to night creams, to all types of masks multiple times a week, to over exfoliating, it was a mess. Not only was I using SO many products, I was using products with the WRONG ingredients.
Fast forward to when I started my healthy journey into veganism and my skin is in the BEST shape it’s been! I grew up with combination skin (which is when your skin is more oily in your T-zone— forehead, nose, and chin— and drier on your cheeks) but as I got older it became more oily, which is how I started to get confused as to how to take care of it, I guess.
Anyways, going vegan definitely helped with this process since it started to get rid of all of the toxins, but what REALLY helped were what products I started to use instead. I basically cleaned out my entire cabinet and started from scratch. I learned about all the different chemicals that are in a majority of shampoos, conditioners, cleansers, etc., that I knew I needed to get to work.
I wanted to also not spend too much money because it can get expensive when you start committing to products and then wanting to maintain them. This is when I discovered using oil on my skin, yes I said it, OIL!
Now, I know what you’re thinking, why in the world would I put OIL on my OILY skin? Sounds a bit crazy, right? Let me tell you, it’s really not! Here’s why- when you apply oil to your skin, it actually pulls out the impurities. HOWEVER, keep it mind— it gets worse before it gets better. This is something to remember. When I first started using oils, I DID break out, but it was because it was all the impurities LEAVING my skin. As time went on, my skin DID clear up and it’s been clear ever since. Trust me!
I swear by using oils to this day no matter what anyone says!
Here are the oils that I recommend:
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil- Yes, you heard that right! Olive oil! It’s so so good for your skin since it’s loaded with Vitamin E, A, D, and K, it’s a powerful antioxidant, it fights off cancer-cells post sun exposure, has antibacterial properties, and it’s super moisturizing { via }. This also makes an excellent make up remover since it doesn’t pull on the skin.
Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil- This is one of my favorite oils to use because it not only smells amazing but it reminds of a tropical island, lol. I don’t know what it is, but it does. It contains three fatty acids —capric, caprylic and lauric acid — that possess both disinfectant and antimicrobial properties, helping to protect against as well as heal microbial infections like COLD SORES { via }. It’s loaded with saturated fats that help to moisturize the skin, as well. I love this oil for make up remover, too, since it’s gentle and doesn’t pull on the skin, either. This oil also has a little bit of SPF of 4-5 in it to help protect your skin from the sun, but I would still suggest using more SPF and not relying on coconut oil alone.
Organic Rose Hip Oil- Shout out to my bestie, Sogand, for pointing out this gem of an oil to me! I have to say that it not only smells amazing, but it FEELS so good to go on the skin. This oil hydrates, moisturizes, exfoliates and brightens the skin, boosts collagen formation, reduces inflammation, protects against sun damage with vitamins A, C, and E, helps to reduce hyper-pigmentation, reduces scars and fine lines, and boosts immunity { via }.
Organic Cold-Pressed Castor Oil- Castor oil is thick, it’s intense, but it’s LOADED with benefits for the skin. It’s made from the ricinus communis plant, which is native to tropical areas of Africa and Asia { via }. I love putting some castor oil on my eyelashes, eyebrows, and in my hair since it also promotes hair growth! It contains antioxidants that fight against free radicals, which help in wrinkle prevention, it has antibacterial properties which help fight acne, it has anti-inflammatory properties which help with swelling and puffiness, it’s super moisturizing, and soothes sunburns { via }.
Organic Argan Oil- This oil is also known as “liquid gold” with its numerous beneficial properties. It’s extracted from the kernals of the argan tree in Morocco. It’s loaded with Vitamin E and nutritional fatty acids. It absorbs easily without leaving the skin feeling greasy. It makes for a wonderful moisturizer with anti-aging effects, soothes dry skin, it promotes healing for acne and other skin issues, and acts as an anti-inflammatory { via }.
Now, it’s also all about how you use these oils that make a difference.
These oils are great for hair, skin, nails, and as a body moisturizer, as well. Feel free to moisturize them into your skin whenever, as much as possible!
For my face, however, I like to put it all over and massage my skin, and THEN pat my face with a soft towel to wipe off excess oil. The reason why I do this is because if you put the oil on your skin, leave it on, and let it sit, it will combine with your oils and then CLOG your pores, which can cause breakouts. It’s important to wipe your face off after you leave the oil on for about a minute or so to ensure that you are CLEANSING and MOISTURIZING your skin without CLOGGING.
These oils make for a great cleanser and moisturizer, so you can say goodbye to your other products with chemicals and start using these clean, simple oils today! There’s no need for eye creams, day creams, night creams, face wash, etc. I’m telling you, this is ALL you need. Less is more! Say hello to beautiful skin!
Are you a fan of oils? What’s your favorite type to use? Let me know in the comments!
Sending you ALL the love and light,
Ash x
