I’ve finally gotten to know my skin. Anyone that’s ever suffered from problem skin knows what I mean. You search for miracle products and slather your skin in chemicals just hoping to see positive results. For years, I was using five or six products on my face at a time as part of my daily skin care routine. Not only was it ridiculously expensive, but it was also hardly effective. I gave all of that up a long time ago, and threw away all of those products that promised clear skin and never came through. By giving up on all those chemicals, I’ve been able to truly get to know my skin. Call it an elimination facial diet. If you struggle with constant breakouts, scarring, or a dull complexion the only way to get your skin in check is to rethink and reset the way you care for it. Following these steps, I was able to really pin down an effective routine that has begun to transform my skin.
1 Stop Using All Other Products and Wash With Honey
Use raw honey to wash your face in the morning and again before you go to bed. Pat your skin dry with a clean towel. Refrain from using any other products (including moisturizers) on your face for at least a few days. The idea is that you want to reintroduce other products gradually to see how your skin reacts. If honey isn’t your thing, or if you absolutely must use some kind of soap, stick to African Black Soap.
2 Exfoliate Daily
There are conflicting opinions on this one, but for me exfoliating daily has been a game changer. Invest in a facial brush. Exfoliate once a day in the evening. Facial brushes are super gentle and really help in sloughing off the dirt from the day. For an extra exfoliating kick you can gradually add in this mask to your daily routine. Leave the mask on for 5 minutes and then wash it off with your fingertips making small, gentle circles. You’d be surprised how much dirt clings to your skin from just walking around the city. Exfoliating every day really prevents the build up of all of those environmental toxins that washing alone can’t get rid of.
3 Find the Right Moisturizer for Your Skin
If your skin feels dry and tight after a few days of just using honey, you can add a moisturizer into your routine. Start with a light, oil-free moisturizer, and then experiment with one of these natural oils if your skin still feels dry.
4 Use a Sunscreen
Hyper-pigmentation and scarring from different skin ailments only get worse with sun exposure. Some oils act as natural suncreens, which is pretty awesome when you’re trying to go the all natural route with skin care. Check out this DIY recipe for an all natural SPF 40 sunscreen.
If’ you’ve been following my blog, you know that I am the self proclaimed, natural skin care guinea pig. I’ll try anything when it comes to skin care so you don’t have to. In the past, my skin has been super oily, completely acne prone, scarred easily, and it tended to look dull. If this sounds even a little bit like you, give your skin a break and reset! Let me know what you think!