My Skincare “Routine”

One of the most consistent questions I’ve gotten since I started blogging is this, “Gena, could you tell us about your skincare regimen?”

There’s a very good reason I haven’t bothered to answer: I find the topic of skincare a major snooze. Gah–sorry! Was that an affront to women everywhere? It just isn’t something that interests me, mostly because my skincare routine is so darn simple. Every morning, I wash my face with some sort of organic, vegan skin cleanser—or plain hot water. Then I rub it with coconut oil (enough to leave me a tiny bit shiny–but believe me, it soaks in right away). And yes, I definitely have separate cooking oil and face oil containers!

Sometimes, I have a vegan, organic moisturizer handy, and I use that instead of the oil. And I do it all again before I go to bed.

The end.

Should I exfoliate more regularly? Should I use a good eye cream? Well yes, probably. I’m twenty-eight, which I’m told is the time of life in which a woman’s skin begins to show the signs of age. But guess what? I’m too lazy to think about this stuff very hard. When I’m given a skin cream or soap or other personal care item as a gift, I’m always excited to use it, and perhaps I’ll go through a phase where I’m more attentive to my skin than usual (this happened last year, when I got a box of Simply Divine Botanicals products to sample—for about four weeks, I was a total skincare diva). I’ll also never say “no” to a facial (who would?). For the most part, though, my skin asks little of me.

Do I attribute my low-maintenance skin to diet and lifestyle? For the most part, yes,—my skin certainly got clearer when I became vegan, and then it got rosier and brighter when I went higher raw. But it’s also worth saying that a great many women suffer from terrible breakouts when they add more vegan and raw foods to their diets. Some people claim that this is all detox—the skin eliminating stored toxins. I believe there’s some truth to this, but I don’t think it’s the whole story. Why, for instance, does it happen to some and not to others? The hows and whys of skin imbalance, at least with regard to vegan and raw diets, are mysterious.

Perhaps one day doctors will have the funds to study these connections closely. In the meantime, I do have a few inexpert skin tips, all born of personal experience:

  • Healthy fats rank high in my book for many reasons, but foremost among them is the fact that they contribute so much to skin health! Essential fatty acids have been linked to reduced inflammation (which can combat acne) and they help to keep the skin’s natural oil barriers healthy. Seek out sources of Omega-3s and Omega-6s, such as safflower oil, flax seed, walnuts, almonds, and hemp. And don’t skimp on our other favorite fat sources: avocado and coconuts.
  • Moisturize heavily. When I was a teenager, and prone to breakouts, I always thought that if I used oil-free moisturizers and slather my skin with drying lotion at night, then I’d clear away the zits. Not so! Depriving your skin of moisture is about as silly as clearing your diet of all healthy fats. Chronically under-moisturized skin gives oil glands a signal to produce more of their stuff, causing more breakouts. Moisturize well.
  • Watch out for commonly addictive substances, such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. I’m no advocate of living like a monk. Have your morning coffee, drink a glass of wine, or indulge whatever tender little vice you have now and then. But keep in mind that any toxin will start to take a toll on your skin if you aren’t enjoying it moderately
  • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Raw diets are exceptionally hydrating—in fact, most high raw foodies find that they can drink less water than some others, because they get so much water from their foods. But it’s still important to get a decent amount of water each day. Doesn’t have to be 8 cups, but do make sure that you’re drinking water regularly, and whenever you feel thirst.
  • Sleep. We all lead busy lives, and sleep is often the first health necessity to be sacrificed. (I myself have been pushing 5-6 hours for a while now, and it’s absolutely no bueno.) Healthy skin is just one of many reasons we need sleep. But it’s a good reason. Get your zzz’s on.

Ultimately, I find that the lifestyle habits above are far more crucial to my skin’s health than any cream, product, herb, or supplement. And since I’m also on a tight budget, I have neither the inclination nor the funds to fool around with expensive skincare items.

With all of that said, I did recently have a chance to sample a few new ones. The very lovely Stephanie wrote to me from a site named AmericasNutrition.com. They have a very wide, variety of products, from fitness gear to skincare, which can be found here. At first, they were interested in sending me some supplements, but I quickly explained that I’m just not into supplements and superfoods. I asked if I might try some skincare items instead: my readers are always asking, I figured, so why not oblige?

Stephanie promptly said they’d be glad to, and asked me to pick a few out. Now, whenever I pick a skincare item, it has to fill 3 criteria: 1) Cheap, 2) Cruelty-free (and vegan), 3) No parabens or sulfates. There are some rawbies who get a lot more purist than that, but this is the level of discrimination I can handle (and believe me, it excludes a huge number of products as it is). What I found on AmericasNutrition.com that worked for me was the Dermae line of products: decent price range, cruelty-free, and (at least the three products I sampled) paraben and sulfate free. I got the glycolic facial cleanser:


The microdermabrasian scrub:


And the hydrating day cream, which I didn’t photograph for you yesterday because it’s in my gym bag!

So far, I’ve loved all three of these! They smell nice (not always true of vegan/organic skincare products), and they’re all very effective. The glycolic acid wash is a little drying (and per my advice above, you have to watch out for such products), but it wasn’t a bad choice for a very hot summer. If I learned anything from using these guys, it’s that I really should get into exfoliating. The microdermabrasion scrub leaves my skin feeling so soft, and a little goes a long way, so it’s a good investment. I’d recommend this line of products to anyone, and I certainly suggest that you all take a peek at AmericasNutrition.com—they have a ton of stuff that’s of interest to the health minded.

If you’re curious about further skincare tips for vegans and raw foods lovers, I also recommend you turn to my two favorite natural skincare experts, Kristen and Sarma. Kristen has written tons of awesome posts on her favorite earth and animal-friendly products (my fave is this one). And Sarma is not only an expert on “getting the glow,” but also sells a number over her fave products over at One Lucky Duck!

What about makeup, you ask? Well, that’s easy: I don’t wear it. I do wear blush in the winter (usually a cream brush—I like Tarte’s cheek stain and Bare Ecsentuals all over face color). Aside from that, I’m a no makeup kinda gal. In general, I try to avoid the whole merry-go-round of female “upkeep”—excessive hair styling, makeup, tanning, waxing, nail painting, etc. I’m not entirely au naturel—I shave my legs (err, sometimes), and I blow dry my hair pretty often. But I’m low-maintenance.

For this reason, I had nothing to fear, really, when I read about Heather’s wonderful “faces of beauty” project. Heather, who writes so eloquently about body image over at her blog, is encouraging her blogger friends to take photos of themselves–sans too much makeup or fuss, and without any editing–and say a word or two about what they think makes them beautiful. As soon as I read about this initiative, I was its biggest fan, and vowed to get a photo in soon.

Of course, I am only human, and we all have our foibles. Participating in this project meant overcoming my massive shyness about photographing myself. Yes, even after a year and a half of blogging, I still hate taking pics of myself. Hate. It. Can you tell that I was feeling a little ambivalent?

But I did it anyway.

This is me, guys, just the way I am. It’s me at 9:30 on a weeknight, and in the middle of cleaning my apartment (you’d be horrified to hear how long it had been since I’d done this).


Nothing screams “sexy” more than a woman who’s just been scrubbing her toilet.

We can buy all the creams and scrubs we want, but in the end, they have little impact on our beauty. Thanks, Heather, for having the wisdom to know that.

For more on Faces of Beauty, check out Heather’s frequent blog posts.

Have a great Thursday!

xo

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    66 Comments
  1. Absolutley fantastic!!! Really, really, really and really love your posts!
    I found this post absolutley awsome as you demostrate us that you do what you belive and that helps more than any other tip…
    Thank you so much!!! <3

    PS: may I share someday the "Original Spanish Gapzpacho" with you??? 😉 Absolutley vegan, raw and healthy!!!!!

  2. Coconut oil – that’s on my shopping list now 🙂
    I used to wear makeup last half a year when I started to work at a company where we have to look very smart. Some time ago I read a similar article about a girl who never uses makeup and she looks drop-dead gorgeous. So it reminded me of times when I didn’t wear makeup..and now I don’t use it anymore for work! Just lipstick to accentuate my lips and some blush or eyeshadow or mascara, that’s it. And my skin can breathe again.

    Btw. I have cloasma/melasma. Any ideas how to get rid of it?
    Any tips would be appreciated 🙂

    Gena, I believe too that you look gorgeous sans makeup!!

  3. Thanks for this great post, and also for acknowledging that not all women get the vegan/ raw glow. Speaking from personal experience, since I have been vegan and even more so since adding raw food to my diet, I am one of the lucky ones that permanently wears her toxins on her face. Not fair to be pushing the great 4-0, and having worse skin than in my teenage years.
    Very envious/ admiring of your wonderfully fresh, bright eyed, rosy cheeked perfect complexion – a great ad for the raw lifestyle.
    I totally agree that a simple approach to skin care is best. The more we interfere with the skin’s natural balance, the more our skin rebels.
    I find rhassoul mud washes/ masks help with overall skin tone and that simple cucumber juice is an excellent cooler/ toner.

  4. Your skin is flawless! And the self-portraits are adorable. I’ve always heard of using coconut oil on my skin, but never though about using it on my face… would it make pores bigger?

  5. I am officially a fan of your blog, it is so informative!!! I love learning about Vegan and Raw diets:) I didn’t realize, or I should say I had forgotten, that essential fatty acids help in combatting acne. I have a nutrition background, but have worked in Food Safety for 4 1/2 yrs, some info gets pushed to the back of my brain, lol:) I have roscetta, and tend to have break outs if I forget my medicine. I will start making sure to incorporate them in my diet:) Thank you for all the fabulous info:)

  6. What a great post — thank you so much, Gena! I totally envy your easy routine. I’ve used coconut oil as lip and body moisturizer, but I’ve never been brave enough to use it on my face.

    I’ve got combination/oily skin and I run marathons, so most days of the week I’m a big sweat ball because I’ve done a long run. I would love to divorce myself from my skin care routine, but I’m afraid my skin would freak out with the amount of oil going on.

    Does anyone have any tips for natural care for oily skin?

  7. Great post! I keep my skincare simple too, just making sure I wash off makeup at the end of the night (and usually that’s only mascara). I use a light moisturizer in the winter, but that’s about it!

  8. Oh you beautiful thing. Your close-ups are gorgeous. I love that they truly represent how you look any time I see you out in the real world!

    I just wanted to add one more thing to the mix. Women, especially in their 20’s, can really struggle with their hormones. I went through my teens and 20’s relatively unscathed by skin issues. However around the age of 25, after I went on and off the BC pill a zillion times, my skin started to get painful, under the surface cysts. For a few years I attempted to “fix” it with diet, lifestyle and a slew of natural products. I literally tried everything. In the end though, it was a trip to a great dermatologist* that turned it around in a months time. I feel for all those out there struggling with acne as I know how embarrassing and shameful it can be! While I certainly agree that diet and lifestyle can play a part, I find it a bit dangerous to read wild claims (not on your site) that changing your diet or doing a “cleanse” will fix it. Women are then disheartened when they feel they are doing “everything right” and not seeing the results they were promised. Just like every body is different when it comes to nutritional needs, each person’s health condition varies with treatment response, conventional or alternative.

    I haven’t had any issues for a few years now and I love that I don’t feel like I have to “cover-up” when I leave the house. A swipe of blush and mascara do me just fine. I use one conventional product to keep me clear and everything else I try to keep vegan, non-toxic and simple. Now if I could just get the theatre community to catch up. Lord knows when gets piled on my face when I go on-stage is certainly none of the above!!

    *Just to note – my derm is an MD/PHD from Harvard, a professor at Yale, and a top researcher in the adult acne field – about as conventional as you get. I only point out these accolades because in addition to her conventional treatments, she advises all her acne patients to cut out dairy! Apparently there are a few peer-reviewed studies that link the two. Just like the compassionate GI that advised you to cut out dairy, I think it’s awesome that she is a western doctor who actually pays attention to what we are putting into our bodies. Sorry for the long, impassioned comment Gena!

  9. I really liked this post.
    I have always struggled with my skin and went through the same thing when I was younger and acne was horrifying (trying to dry it out).
    I’ve gotten smarter with age and know that the only thing to make my skin better is to nourish my body with nutrients and water 🙂

    Thanks for posting the brand/line of products you use. It can be hard to pick out what is good and what is not so good when it comes to beauty products!

  10. Thanks for the post, Gena! Sadly, I am one who has suffered from dreadful skin most of my life and it truly is a mystery that which makes one’s skin lovely, makes another’s a misery. That goes for coconut oil for me, for some reason causes me major major skin woes–I tried it on several occasions, unfortunately with the same result: a cystic breakout all over the place. I use olive oil now for moisturizing and that seems to keep my skin relatively happy. Thanks again for the post–you have lovely skin and certainly don’t look your age!

  11. Coconut oil — used as a conditioning treatment and moisturizer — is up there as one of the best nuggets of information you have given me. The eczema on my arms rarely flares and whenever my hair gets too frizzy, I let the oil work its magic.

    I applaud you for going sans makeup. I now wear far less makeup than I did before I went vegan, but a little eye makeup makes me feel better. Perhaps it’s some sort of cultural standard to which I continue to hold dear (or not so dear?).

    In short, you’re awesome, and I continue to wonder why it is I never run into you even though we live in the same neighborhood.

  12. Love that you use coconut oil on your face too. We love it. I do not use it everyday anymore, and not sure why, maybe I should start again. You are beautiful btw, but I think you already know that 😉 love ya

    xoxo

  13. I have always admired your skin, so I guess I should have said so before you wrote a whole post about it! I feel silly. 🙂 But I agree, reading about skin care is totally boring to me too, and I feel no remorse for skipping past the “beauty” features when I read magazines. I love that you don’t wear makeup because you just look like you. Your self-portraits above are hardly shocking. 🙂 I am wearing less makeup all the time, but it’s a slow wean as I’ve been acne-ridden for more years of my life than I care to think about. It’s only recently that a zit is a rare, once-a-month type occurrence. I certainly do not enjoy doing my makeup (or my hair, as is probably obvious), so to work up the confidence to ditch it would be nice.

    I am really liking Alba skin products right now. They smell like Hawaii and aren’t made of gross stuff. Every night I scrub, tone and moisturize, but other than that a plain bar of soap and some simple body lotion are usually enough–I manage to be fair, sensitive AND oily all at the same time, so product selection has not always been so easy. Best to keep it simple.

    Someone should put YOUR face in the beauty section of a magazine. Then maybe I’d stop and read it. Well, only if you wrote the article too I guess, hehe. 🙂

  14. For a topic you find so boring, you did a fabulous job writing about it! I loved this post, actually, even though, like you, I’m quite low maintenance when it comes to skincare.

    Coconut oil is my moisturizer, too – but only for nighttime! I should try it during the day, though. I’ve always been concerned with using SPF, but maybe that’s not so important since I’m a shade-dweller (not a sun-soaker), anyway. 😉

    You look adorable in the photos you posted! It’s nice to see your face in posts every now & then. 🙂

  15. I, too, am a very minimalist kind of girl. I use a shea butter soap on my face and then coconut oil when I get out of the shower all over – including my face. I think I have fairly good skin, but I do break out from time to time with psoriasis. Still trying to get THAT under control. 🙁 I hardly EVER wear makeup. And I learned that from my mom who never, ever wears makeup. She and I always get mistaken for sisters. 🙂

  16. I’ve come across a few bloggers recently who all swear by some sort of oil as a moisturizer, but I’ve been too nervous to actually try it! Your skin looks fantastic though, so maybe once my facial lotion runs out I’ll try coconut oil instead.

    Thanks for a fantastic post! 🙂

  17. I came across your blog while surfing for another subject. This post is absolutely awesome. You skin care regiment must be working because I never look that good when during or after cleaning my apartment or my toilets. Anyway I’m going to put this post in my blog http://www.infertilityremedies.com it will surely cheer up some of my readers

  18. Wonderful post, Gena! I’m on the same page as you with this. the only make up I wear is a little liquid eyeliner and skin care is totally foreign to me! As a teenager I used to go crazy on all sorts of products that were advertised in magazines but as an adult, I’ve found letting my skin do its own thing yields the best results! I attribute my diet to most of that… I know it’s for real when I eat a bunch of crappy food and have a little break out 😉

  19. You definitely look alot younger 😀 I agree using numerous amounts of skin products doesn’t fix anything it only worsens things and ages you. I just use face wash and moisturizer. I use Juice beauty organics cleansing milk and love it! especially the $20 price tag 🙂

  20. I also find beauty care tips a major snooze. I prefer to take care of my skin from the inside out. That being said I do like a nice face mask once in awhile and a good vegan lotion (MSM cream is my go-to). And I rarely wear makeup either.

    I just had a request for this sort of post too, from a family member. Don’t ya just love those?

  21. You are so pretty, lady! 🙂 Again, loving your longer hair!

    I am a cosmetic girl, I loooove them! I have way too many (all are without chemicals) my fav being 100% Pure! I will have to check out the ones you mentioned. And coconut oil is a gift from God, I use it for EVERYYYTHING! Xo

  22. You have beautiful skin! Wow! I always had great skin until I moved to the dry, dry dessert. Then it went away, but now it’s back again. No bueno. Though perhaps I need to be better about moisturizing. I definitely have that “more moisture is going to freak my face out” kind of attitude. Gotta change it. Gotta brave it up. Thanks for a fun post 🙂

  23. I’ve been doing an oil cleaning method – I’m using a castor oil/sunflower oil combo on my face at night and a bit of sunflower oil in the morning and it’s been working great. I’ve been shocked that I’m rubbing on oil and yet not breaking out. You look wonderful – humble and real and beautiful and smart.

  24. I am about to do a big natural body/beauty post myself. I, on the other hand, am not low maintenance at all in my “upkeep” and find that makes it all the more difficult. I definitely agree that no product can fix a bad diet + no sleep. Good food makes for good skin!

  25. I just read “No More Dirty Looks,” which has become my bible of beauty products. It discusses “dirty” products in depth and suggests replacements. I highly recommend that book for anyone looking to “green” their beauty routine.

  26. “the Dermae line of products: decent price range, cruelty-free, and (at least the three products I sampled) paraben and sulfate free”–GOOD To know!!

    I may be having an America’s Nutrition give away coming up tomorrow and that’s a great suggestion!

    I am all about cheap, not junky ingredients, and it doesnt give me zits. For years I had been using Lancome but the $40 a jar price tag just got too much and it’s not “clean ingredients” nor probably vegan so I am now using Neutrogena bars. The same my mother and grandmother have used for 40 years. It’s maybe not what lives up to some people’s standards but for me, being able to spend $1.79 on a bar, buy it at Target, not get zits, and have skin like my grandma’s, now that would be amazing 🙂

    I love your tips!! Sleep and hydration are key! And I also use coconut oil as my moisturizer.

    I just actually also viewed some vegan/holistic bath & body products yesterday that I was sent. So many things to try that I am just discovering..thanks for your recommendation, too.

    Oh and the book you suggested,I ordered it and it arrived. Over xmas on the beach, it will be read. Thank you!

    🙂

  27. I’ve been afraid try coconut oil on my face because my skin is prone to breakouts and oily already, but I just may now because I love the idea of simple, no hassle skincare. Great post and beautiful pics of you.

  28. Fun post and cute pics 🙂 I am also a minimalist. In fact, to be perfectly honest, on many days I apply NOTHING to my skin. No face wash, no moisturizer, no make up, no sun screen. On other days I use a Burts Bees face wash or apply a little mineral-based sunscreen (I’ve had mole scares and need to be careful). I use coconut oil sometimes after shaving my legs or waxing my face. I’ve been this way most of my life, and guess what? My skin is my most frequently complimented feature! I have had so many people tell me to moisturize though that I am considering making the coconut oil a daily thing, especially now as I see the faint beginnings of wrinkles. And while I’m in full disclosure mode, I DO use the same jar of coconut oil for cooking and beauty! eek! In both cases I use a spoon to take the amount I need; no double dipping 😉 I actually like the feeling of nourishing my body inside and out with the same edible body-friendly substances.
    I attribute my low-maintenance skin to not wearing make-up or using any mainstream skin products. I also attribute my relative lack of adolescent acne (I used to joke about my pimple of the month every time I got my period) to growing up on organic foods and plenty of fruits and veggies (I also swore by Noxzema as my single skin product). I definitely believes that the body stores chemicals from the products we apply and foods we eat, and when we remove these from our diet the body tries to offload them. Either that, or they throw our hormones off balance- or both. My skin did get a little more vibrant when I upped the veggie and raw factor, but for the most part I believe it’s keeping the synthetic substances out of our bodies, at least most of the time, that makes the biggest difference.

    • Having sat down with you at a small table at One Lucky Duck — close quarters, for sure! — I can say that it’s right people compliment you. Your skin is radiant!

      • thanks, and right back atcha! I do share the sentiment of a few other commenters that I feel bad saying it’s so easy for me- but if only my skin were high maintenance and weight management a no-brainer! we all have our lucky features and our challenges.

  29. Nice to hear another woman say she doesn’t give a crap about skin care regimens! I’ve always felt kind of “not feminine enough” just because I can’t be bothered to paint my nails, masque my face every other night, or even get a haircut on a regular basis! I’m not sloppy or dirty, I just don’t enjoy all the maintenance it takes to be a woman. I do wear makeup, but I hate it and have slowly been weaning myself off of it. You’re right, a clean diet really does help clear up skin problems. I’ll have to try the coconut oil trick!

  30. You have such beautiful skin Gena!! And no wrinkles!! I’m 29 and I have stupid eye wrinkles and the dryest skin on the planet! I use Lush’s Skin Drink moisturizer twice a day, but I think I’m going to have to give your coconut oil thing a try. I used to rub my body (not face) with coconut oil after showering and that seemed to help…then I started using straight-up shea butter for that. I’m like a desert….ugh.

  31. Gena,
    You have beautiful skin and I think less is always more. I find that when we eat a healthy diet that is plant-based, that our skin seems to not need as much.

    By the way, I love coconut oil.

    I’m a low maintenace type of gal too and don’t use much. Just organic vegan soap and maybe some coconut/olive oil if needed. If I need exfoliating then I use morroccan clay, but that is very rare.

    Thanks for sharing the other produts!

    Take care,

    Evelyn

  32. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who uses coconut oil on her face! Looking at the last picture of you, I don’t believe we are the same age. Totally unfair!

    Totally love your blog lately by the way. I get so excited when I see a new post from you.

  33. people always ask me this, too — and i feel awful when i say “i don’t do anything!” i wear oil-free SPF outside (but that;s really to prevent cancer more than a skin care regimen), add coconut oil to dry spots (like elbows) and wash my face with vegan, organic soaps twice per day. If I have a blemish, I use a natural blemish stick… and I drink water and eat vegan… I’m not sure i have the time, care or $$ to do much else. My hair is also a question… my secret? I don’t brush it regularly and avocado is the best conditioner.

  34. 28 is clearly the new 25, thanks for making this 28-year-old remember that! not that you need any one else’s opinion to feel good, but you look FAB! I have been a no makeup girl but just fell into the commercial beautification trap and want to get out. you’re an inspiration (for so many reasons).

  35. Thanks for the post. I’m 40, look 28 and go by what my 92 year old grandfather, with great skin used to say…. “Don’t use soap on your skin”! I totally agree. I do use veggie glycerin soap that I make myself on my body for the great smell but not on the face. I make all kinds of scrubs and masks from fruits and veggies every month but again always a clean source. I think we over clean our skin and pull out so many important oils. I have to admit that I do love a good facial but prefer them with natural products. The other products are drying and toxic smelling. I have tons of friends in the cosmetic industry who are always telling me I should try this and that. The funny thing is they are 8-15 years younger and look the same age or older than me. What does that say about those products? Just a thought.

  36. You look adorable, and definitely younger than your age (in the best way possible). Also, I seem to notice you have “The Passage” on the couch behind you, is that right? I’m in the middle of reading it and enjoying it tremendously. 🙂

    • Thanks, my dear!

      It IS The Passage! I was a little bashful about reading it–seemed a little, well, campy. But my goodness, it’s fun. I’m thoroughly enjoying it too 🙂

  37. i love that you’re so low maintenance! i usually just do mascara and that’s it since the eyeliner is permanent. quick question though: do you use sunblock of any kind? does coconut oil have sunblocking properties? it sounds so cool to use that and i’ve heard it’s amazing for skin and hair!

    • Great question!

      Nope, no sunblock — unless I’m really in the sun (outdoors all day, or at the beach). If so, I use a natural sunblock, like Alba Organics.

      Dermatologists would hang me for not using a daily SPF, but for me, Vitamin D wins.

      G

  38. Well you sure made this “snooze of a topic” enjoyable to read. And about your photo…seriously, you are gorgeous.

  39. just scrubbed my toilet today, guess it’s the key to sexiness 😛
    also, i’ve gotta try coconut oil, to both eat and put on face lol

  40. Love this post. It is honest and refreshing. As a recovering green beauty blogger (the first topic I ever blogged about consistently, way before avoiding parabens and the like was even really discussed) it is so nice to read your perspective. Thank you 🙂

  41. Have you ever tried REN products? They’re a bit pricey, but completely vegan and animal-testing free. I LOVE their face masks, and their daily moisture creme. I don’t mean to sound like an ad it’s just that their products actually SAVED my skin after years of drying it out with crazy harsh acids to try and get ride of my (minimal in retrospect) acne.

    I too am a no-makeup girl… Though for my part it is mostly laziness. Twenty minutes of sleep or twenty minutes of beautification? I’ll take sleep.

    • “Twenty minutes of sleep or twenty minutes of beautification? I’ll take sleep.”

      I couldn’t agree more! 🙂

  42. So you don’t even wash the coconut oil off? I have heard of this and need to try it!

    And funny question – do you use a separate coconut oil tub for cooking and face wash? 😉

    • I rub on the oil, and usually, my face is a little greasy. But it soaks up fast! So no, I don’t wash it off.

      And I definitely have a separate “skin” jar of oil — I don’t use the cooking one 🙂

      • do you keep them both in the fridge or do you use them quickly enough? I just had some au naturale salt scrub go rancid much to my surprise, yuck yuck yuck!

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