Beauty Industry Slave No More!

[CrazyDelicious]

I started an experiment about 2 weeks ago. I stopped using facial products. For me, this is serious - I have never had what one could call "nice" skin, even after being raw for so long. I just figured my skin was the way it was. I have dry sensitive flaky skin/rosacea that ALSO breaks out and feels oily. It was a feeling that the skin was oily on the surface but dry underneath, and the rosacea always made it burn slightly. I tried (and spent WAYYYYYYY too much $$$$) all types of products/prescriptions and I might notice something for a bit but not usually. (Note that I drink alot of water as well and eat good fats and oils!!! My skin just isn't good)
Anyway - 2 weeks ago, I saw a website about using olive oil on the face, and since I was finishing some work at home for a few days (and could, in my mind, look like an oily greasebag) I decided to try it out. I massaged olive oil into my face, then steamed under a hot, damp towel for about a minute and then wiped my face with the damp towel. Afterward, it was amazing! I expected an oily mess, but the water left on my face kind of evaporated and my skin felt very smooth. Better yet, there was no sensitive skin burning/dry sensation!!!!!!!!!!!! My pores seem a little smaller, and my face isn't breaking out as much. Not that I suddenly have flawless skin, but it better than I have seen it look !!
We'll see how this works in the long term, but so far so good! Maybe I can toss those rediculously overly priced items! I have spend 10x the price on things that haven't worked nearly as well and were toxically bad for me.
Next I am going to try and oust my shampoo. Anyone with me??? :D

[CrazyDelicious]

oops - I just realized that I should have put this in the discussion topic and not the recipe one - any idea how I can change it???

[kaylene]

What website is it? I would love to try this?!

[GlimR]

I am so glad to hear this..my skin is very similar except for the breakouts and I have spent a ton of money....just boggles the mind, as well as doing nothing or using water & honey, just water, coconut oil, etc...I realy apppreciate your posting this...will be giving it a go this weekend.was about to buy Dr. Hauschka and I really can't affored to...but when you are desperate you find a way anyway.....someone posted this method...I think a blend of castor oil and olive oil in the thread I posted about this the other day...will give it a try and post the results...hope it keeps working for you~

[CrazyDelicious]

Oh that is the article I was reading!!! I was searching for it again online for kaylene, but I couldn't find it. I noticed that it said to use more olive oil if the skin is dry (more castor oil if oily), and since it is winter and my skin is very dry (plus not having any castor oil - don't even know what that is???) I just used all olive oil. The hot wet towel afterwards is the key for me. It kind of steams the oil into my face so that it is soft, but takes away the excess. It didn't work as well for me without it - too oily. I know my skin hasn't gone from bad to perfect, but I do notice improvements (nose not flaky and before it flaked constantly). And to think how much $$$$ I spent on products that did nothing at all :rolleyes:

Because of this success, I have also recently tried no shampoo. It has been a few days. Don't know how long I can keep this one up, since I have to be presentable but we'll see. GlimR, since you have skin like mine, maybe you have hair like mine too! Mine is a medium amount of fine hair, so it certainly doesn't hide grease well! Hopefully your skin takes to the olive oil like mine seems to have - and please post any results!! :)

[maui_butterfly]

i'm with you. last week i went through my big basket o' products and tossed everything with an ingredient i couldn't pronounce. now i am just washing my face with raw honey (sorry! not vegan! but i have a big ol' jar of it that i need to use up since i'm not eating the stuff anymore...), using bronner's liquid soap in the shower for body and hair, and also brushing my teeth with it. i've been dry brushing before my showers, and using olive oil on as a body moisturizer afterwards. and using just a tad bit of coconut oil mixed with water and lavender essential oils in my hair as a leave-in conditioner.

that's it! my (heretofore problematic) skin looks pretty good!

[queenfluff]

Yeah for tossing the products!

I too have spent more money than I can count (and countless derm visits in the past for my skin - I even went on Accutane). I used to be a hairdresser too so I was the ultimate product pusher.

Now, I only use natural soap on my pits only (once and a while on face slightly) and nothing on my hair (I have been no poo for almost a year) and everything is better than it was before.

Lots of people don't know this but alot of the products that are formulated to help certain problems for skin actually can make them worse or cause additional ones - this causes people go out and buy more expensive products to fix the other problems. Most people are allergic or sensitive to the unnatural ingredients in these chemical products. I think if it costs alot and promises too much than it is probably too good to be true - and it usually is.

The body cannot process things that are unnatural because it does not recognize them. Same thing with anything used on your hair or skin because it gets absorbed into your bloodstream.

This is why things like olive oil and coconut oil work well on the skin and hair. The body doesnt view them as a foreign substance.


There is a real good book called "Home Safe Home" by Debra Lynn Dodd which goes over all the different chemical names in the different products we use and what illnesses these can cause.

Although I don't need to do it anymore because I have gotten rid of all my toxic stuff - when I first started changing over, I would look up the ingredients I didn't recognize on the net - most of them were some sort of plastic leftover from plastic product or petroleum oil based. Eww! Its pretty scary!

[GlimR]

CrazyDelicious~
I used the OCM tonight with just extra virgin olive oil.........my skin feels so velvety soft and clean too. Will get some castor oil tomorrow and give that atry....as for the no poo method..........I tried several different ways to do it...just water...baking soda...vinegar or lemon juice rinses. I lasted twice for just over a week...I couldn't stand it...my hair is long and very fine...it looked gross and felt worse. I know people say there is a transition time...I don't think I will ever make it thru that.

Looking forward to giving the ocm a good long shot and seeing what it does for me~

[kaybee]

i wish ocm worked for me. ive given it a signficant try for several different periods of time. i tried different oils too, jojoba, castor, olive, but my skin always ends up breaking out more and i end up with more blackheads. :(

[GlimR]

I've only been using the OCM for two days, morning and night...no moisturizer...so far I love it,.....my skin looks and feels great...very soft, cool to the touch...not irritated at all. The only other thing I've done is spray a little rose water on at night.......really feels good!

[CrazyDelicious]

GlimR - so glad this seems to be working for you! I hope it will continue to work for me. It is so nice knowing that I am not putting a conglomerate of chemicals on my face too. We'll see what happens in the summer though - it gets really hot and humid here. I am loving that my skin no longer stings though - it is great to not be aware of the skin on my face at all times :rolleyes: I caved after a week on the shampoo, but regret it now. I was scrubbing with baking sode and my hair felt very strange, so I washed it out. Regretted it immediately, because my hair felt so dry and stripped afterwards. I am trying again this week though!! :D
Kaybee - Did you try the oil wash with the hot steamy towel after (like when you get a facial)?? I find my skin is oily unless I do this. I steam under a hot towel for about a minute, pressing the towel against my face. Then I re-dampen the towel with hot water and dab my face with it. Afterwards, it is like the oil has been absorbed, and the excess is gone. I don't have to dry my face at all, the water just evaporates. :)

[GlimR]

CD~
I've read that many people use lighter oils instead of the castor oil which is very heavy, as is the olive oil..some use grapeseed & coconut...I am in Florida and the summers are brutal here and my skin tends to be a little oiler than while not at all any other time of year...we'll see huh?:) I find as long as I really steam it a few times with the hot cloth and wipe it off my skin is not oily at all...just very, very soft.

[Lavendula]

I've always thought. My skin is mostly blemish free, haven't used anything but a simple moisturizer for more than 25 years. I used almond or coconut oil all over back in the 80's, when I couldn't afford anything else. I'm headed back there.

[Lavendula]

That is the one thing I just do without thinking, can't be without it.

[Lavendula]

I skimmed the rest of the posts, could not find it.

[tvillemom]

Funny to read this post. I just bought an expensive drugstore brand moisturizer, and eye lifting syrum. My eyes burned and were irritated when I use it. I just happened to have a small container of coconut oil that I keep for extreme dry patches, so I put a small amount all over my face, including my eyes. My skin was soft, smooth and had this little glow. My "around-the-eye" wrinkles seem to disappear. I love using just a touch of coconut oil....and it smells good!;)

[oai]

I am with you! My problem has ALWAYS been my hair! I'd try so many different products ranging from SUPER cheap to SUPER expensive! :eek: Then there's the spending a lot of time styling it! http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/outsideanimage/dontknow.gif

Finally what has tamed my hair so far is the simple baking soda wash & ACV rinse -- CHEAP & NOT TIME CONSUMING! :D I only had to spend a little time tinkering w/ the amounts due to my long hair.

Here's a site I like to go to for natural products: Earth Clinic (http://www.earthclinic.com/)

I might add coconut oil to my arsenal of beauty care. http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/outsideanimage/coverlaugh.gif

[yamiam]

Good for you
I do this too
its healing like no other
second to Shea Butter.

[shakti17]

yes, good. i always got the yuckiest pimples, even when raw - until i stopped using anything on my face. now i only wash with water and a cloth and moisturize w coconut oil. that's it - and no more pimples (and i live in a dirty city)

i honestly think all tat beauty stuff is BS just to earn $$$$ and that is how i view all that stuff at the pharmacy/dept store makeup counters etc

[pamparred]

I too am trying the no shampoo. I have also stopped using soap except hands and pits. Yesterday I tried something and it was great. I just rubbed coconut oil all over my body, face too and then took a very warm shower. I felt so good and my skin stayed soft and smooth all day. I could still feel the softness this morning. No more soap for me.:D

[oai]

I was actually thinking about getting Bronner's soap while transitioning to these natural products but eventually decided to forego it. I just use water & crystal deo. for the pits. :D

[CrazyDelicious]

Just an update - it has been 2 weeks with no 'poo. I "fell off the wagon" :rolleyes: the first time after 1 week, but now have been poo free for 2. I have noticed a few things - my hair feels like hair! It always felt like thin baby hair before - not substantial, and no weight to it. It is not greasy - I am using baking soda/acv but had to play with the amountsto figure how my hair reacts to these products. Also - hair not stinky!! No one notices at all, and my head is not itchy either. I have been washing it with bs/acv every 2nd day, and am hoping to ease off with the bs washing with time. I need to keep my hair good - can't let it get greasy and gross - since I need to be professional at work. :rolleyes:

Question - does anyone have any good moisturizer ideas for the face?? I use OCM (olive oil) but want extra moisturizer for when I am outdoors / skiing / etc. And, does anyone have any good body wash/scrub ideas? I saw a recipe for an oatmeal one, but some of the ingredients are hard to find. :)

[shakti17]

as i mentioned, i love coconut oil.....yes i think i saw a recipe for a body scrub here? it was basically just salt with oil and then whatever essential oils to fragrance it.

i bet honey would be a good moisturzer - but not for everyday wear!

[Banshee]

I had to google OCM so I could follow this thread...now I'm on the same page as everyone else.:D

I've tried this with coconut oil (its only been two days), but already the few pimples I have are almost gone, and my skin is more even colored...I hope this continues, because I'm really impressed so far....
...and how wonderful it would be to only have a jar of coconut oil in the bathroom for most of my "beauty" routine!

[jacsam]

Wow...keep us posted.

[Eva]

Banshee -- Re: coconut oil... That's the only moisturizer I have in my bathroom! :) I use it for my face or hair every once in a while and on my body a couple times a week. And that's all I need, which is pretty cool considering I used to have pretty dry skin!

CrazyDelicious, I'm wondering how you're doing!

[Rawsome Ginger]

Does OCM remove makeup as well? Do you premix it and leave it a bottle already made?

[Theogirl]

Couple sillyish questions: What exactly is OCM? I missed the explanation for that one.
And what formulation do you use with the acv/baking soda for hair. My 2 yo daughter has super fine, shiny blond hair. She hates having her hair washed so sometimes we've sometimes only used water. Then she gets scaly little dandruff. :o Oops, not good. So I have to use SOMETHING!
I'm really sick of the "product" industry. I do use shampoo for now. Mostly just warm water and a microfibre cloth on my face, and afterward rub in coconut or another oil. I don't use deoderant, just shower daily and I find I don't really need it when eating so clean. I refuse to do the nail polish thing. And after a brief fling with NAIR for my upper lip, you'd better believe I won't be doing that again! (The chemical burn is nearly gone now after 3 weeks or so.)
For makeup, I use Alba lipgloss, some eyeshadow and mascara usually. I'm no glamour queen or anything, but I am Myself.

[iamacranberry]

I have incredibly dry skin, so I have to moisturize it with something....but I find that using oils and shea butter and aloe vera and other things like that suit me much better than commercial products.

[Banshee]

Theogirl: OCM: Oil Cleansing Method

I googled it and came up with a bunch of sites, most recommed using a mix of castor oil and olive oil, but any veg oil could be used instead of olive oil.

I didn't have castor oil, so I just massaged coconut oil into my face and neck, placed a washcloth soaked in hot water over my face, and let it "steam" for 30-60 seconds, wiped with the washcloth and repeated 2 or 3 more times. The idea freaked me out (rubbing oil into my oily skin), but what I learned during research made sense...you're scrubbing away all your natural oils, so your body tries to make up for it by producing too much. I'm on day 4, and still noticing positive changes and my skin is less greasy looking than it has been prior to puberty!

Rawsome Ginger: I haven't tried it removing makeup yet, but I imagine it would just dissolve it and let it wipe away (eye makeup remover I think is mostly mineral oil).

I'm wondering if the same approach can be used for my body...apply before shower and wipe off during shower with a washcloth? Does anyone have experience with that?

And also curious about the baking soda for hair, my 2 year old has dry skin on her scalp and all the "sensitive" shampoos, creams, oils I've been using only give her greasy hair, but no affect of the scales....

[iamacranberry]

Ignore anything that says it's for "sensitive skin" and go straight to the label. One major culprit in many shampoos is sls...aka sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. This stuff has caused irritation and even blindness in animal studies, but since cosmetics and personal care products are not at all governmentally regulated, they can put whatever they like in them. The only truly gentle shampoo I could recommend is castile soap...especially some you've made yourself, with a bit of extra water so it doesn't harden all the way. Voila....your own shampoo. If she's got dry skin/hair (which I suspect she does, with the flakes and all,) try adding a bit of coconut oil to the finished product, or just each time you wash her hair with it. Then, rinse with apple cider vinegar. This is what I do, and my hair is extremely dry. It wasn't until I started doing this that my hair stopped being ridiculously frizzy and ratty all the time.

[Seren]

Wow!! I'd never heard of OCM until just now! Im gonna try this tomorrow and I'll keep posted with results :D I was just complaining about my skin, its so uneven skin tone, oily, spotty, sensitive, dry.... gah!

I hope this works :D xxx

[cruda]

hey ladies!!!!
I just found out about this website: earthclinic.com. Home remedies for beautifull skin and hair.
cruda

[oai]

I received my order of extra virgin coconut oil a couple of days ago. It didn't exactly work as a moisturizer for my hair... seems like my hair is just happy w/ the baking soda/acv mix, but agh... it's such a delightful moisturizer! I use it for my face & body! oh yeah! yum. yum. I'd nibble myself. http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/outsideanimage/coverlaugh.gif Coconut oil smells delicious!

[Rawzula]

I tried the no shamppoo thing and my hair became very brittle. I've been using almond oil soap and coconut oil on my face for the past month and a half.

[oai]

I tried the no shamppoo thing and my hair became very brittle. I've been using almond oil soap and coconut oil on my face for the past month and a half.

yes. I've read about the "no poo" not working for some people. I don't know why that is. I've done "no poo" since Jan. In the beginning I had trouble, but then someone told me I should change the amounts & be careful to really measure. That advice made all the difference for me.

how are your results with the almond oil soap & coconut oil?

By the way, is anyone using anything for perfume?

[Rawzula]

I have less breakouts and my skin doesn't look like it'll flake off (:eek:)

I wash my face twice a day and use the VCO at night.

[Clare]

How do you do the "no-poo", oai? I thought it just meant using water, but you're talking about measuring...

[oai]

How do you do the "no-poo", oai? I thought it just meant using water, but you're talking about measuring...

you're right. on another forum, some of us refer to "no poo" as using just baking soda & acv to wash our hair. i think i'm using the term wrong. :o so yeah, i've been washing w/ those 2 since Jan. :D sorry!

[Clare]

So, how do you use them to wash your hair? Sounds bubbly...

[Zaphirah]

I have the EXACT skin that the OP described...but I'm askeered to try anything with the word OIL in it. :rolleyes: I'll have to find a week when I don't have to go ANYWHERE...and then test a tiny part of my face. LOL!

[Eva]

oai, Clare -- I personally use "no poo" to mean not using anything! I have not ever used baking soda or ACV and have not used shampoo in probably about 8-10 months. Prior to that, I had spent about 2 years using only conditioner and no shampoo.

My hair has gone from super dry and frizzy (before all of this "wackiness") to oily and greasy when I started... to now... very balanced, full and quite lovely if I do say so myself. It does not look dirty, oily or dry.

I simply massage my scalp in the shower and run my fingers through my hair. Massaging my scalp loosens any dirt or debris.

:)

[tepiglet]

Really?
No-poo works?
My hair is super dry,poofy and frizzy.
However,the roots get all oily if I don't wash it every couple of days.
I also have dry scalp/flakes,so I'm wondering how I'd get rid of it without product.

[Eva]

tepiglet -- Your hair is getting oily because of the cycle that is created with shampoo and conditioner. It takes some time for the hair/scalp/skin (whatever!) to start producing a normal amount of oil on its on, but once that bad cycle is broken... man it is so easy!!!

Is your hair naturally curly or wavy? If so, there is even more reason to try "no poo"!! I found out about it originally way before I went raw because I read a book whose sole topic was curly hair. My hair is actually pretty wavy rather than curly, though.

[Clare]

Eva, I totally have that book! Curly Girls, right? Yes, my hair is very curly. If I weren't a ghostly redhead one might thing I am at least half African. Yes, I did try not shampooing for months back when i read that. It was OK, but that was a time in my life when I used a lot of product in my hair so it built up. I still need to use some gel. Me without any gel is a nightmare because my hair is fairly long and would be a huge fuzzy halo without it.

[oai]

So, how do you use them to wash your hair? Sounds bubbly...

oh no. 'tis not bubbly at all. :p I wash with 2 tbsp of baking soda mixed with 2 cups of water. The "2" is b/c I have long hair. Those with shorter hair can use 1:1 of baking soda & water. Then rinse with 3tbsp of acv mixed with 2cups of water. Most do a 1:1 ratio. I find these measurements work better for me.

Also, like I mentioned before, it didn't work for me at first, b/c I wasn't measuring properly. I was "eyeballing" the measurements and was very off. :rolleyes: Another booboo I made was not to mix thoroughly. I do this around once of 2x a week.

I'd love to do "no poo" w/ nothing at all soon. :D

[jacsam]

If olive oil did that for your face just think what it is doing for the inside of your body when you include it in your raw food diet. You've got to love olive oil.

[Clare]

Oai, thanks for the specifics! I was thinking about children's homemade volcanos mixing vinegar and baking soda

[oai]

no probby. mixing baking soda & acv could be like a natural volcano-like activity for the kiddies, hehe.

[brydee]

Iv just started using ozoneated olive oil to try and get rid of undiagnosed skin disorder iv had for years,skin specialists, doctors, nobody has ever been able to figure out what it is. so hopefully olive oil will work. it has improved with raw, but not alot YET.
coconut oil is also brilliant on your face but i found it abit greasy.
Havnt been able to wear tops that show my arms, chest or back for YEARS, i havnt been swimming for years either because its killed my selfesteem.summers are HOT...cant wait until im 'CURED' and can wear normal summer clothing.
im with you with the olive oil!

[cara4art]

Chiming in late on this discussion, but personally I can attest to the benefits of simple things like olive oil jojoba oil, unrefined shea butter, and extra-virgin coconut oil. for many years I have been on the lookout for superior natural products, as these are time-tested, and very importantly, non-toxic. It's very true that many commercial products set up a vicious cycle where the problems brought on by one then have to be addressed by another product, and so on, not to mention that much of this stuff is downright harmful to the skin and one's system, on account of the fact that the skin absorbs 60% of whatever you put on it and that ends up in your bloodstream - yuck! Certainly not compatible with a raw food lifestyle that is aiming to reduce the amount of toxicity in us! On my body all I use is the coconut oil - it's that good, and my curly hair loves it as a pre-shampoo treatment mixed with a little bit of the shea butter as well. I make my own mixtures for personal use. I do a face balm that has shea butter, jojoba oil, olive oil and vegetable glycerin in it, and a body butter with shea butter, coconut oil and lavender essential oil. The latter is what really addressed my husband's dry skin where nothing else helped. My last body scrub that I made was with organic brown sugar, olive oil and finely ground coffee, with some ground-up Yogi tea(the spicy kind). Yum! This is like one of those high-end spa scrubs, for pennies, and my skin is so smooth after this! I finish off with the coconut oil, and again, spa treatment for little!

[RawSinger]

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com Some people blend castor oil with another oil (I'm currently using a blend of castor and extra virgin olive oil), while others just use coconut oil or another oil by itself. To each his/her own depending on one's preference and skin needs.

I'm all for giving up the expensive, toxic, ineffective commercial products!! Maybe one day we'll put them out of business! (wishful thinking)