By Roxanne, Contributing Writer
Many of us work to clean up our diets and eat healthy foods to stay well. This is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle and it is often the gateway to learning all about natural health. Skin and body care is another aspect of natural living that is important and is usually the next area to work on.
This was an area of my life that became especially important to me when I found out I was pregnant with my first child. When you take the time to read the ingredients on all the personal care products you are using it”s shocking to see what is in them. Skin moisturizers was the first place I started when I began to overhaul my personal care routine because of the volume I was using. It can seem overwhelming but its actually a lot of fun to try these natural oils and see how amazing they work. Sometimes a simple one ingredient moisturizer will nourish your skin ten times better then an expensive lotion or cream.
Oil is Nourishing to the Skin
If you ever had sensitive skin or breakouts you might have been told to look for “oil-free” moisturizers. This was drilled into my head as a teenager so as an adult I always assumed all oils were bad for your skin and clogged pores. The oil that this is actually referring to is mineral oil which is something completely foreign to the human body. It is a synthetic oil which is a byproduct of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. It is difficult to absorb and clogs the pores, which slows the skin’s ability to eliminate toxins. In the case of mineral oil, you DO want to avoid this in all personal care products but this obviously doesn’t apply to all oils..
There are a number of oils that are excellent for moisturizing your skin. If you are a follower of this blog you may have already read about the Oil Cleansing Method, which uses a mixture of oils to clean your skin instead of soap. I am a huge fan of this method and recommend it to everyone. A common question is what to use as a moisturizer following the Oil Cleansing Method. There are some oils that might even already be in your house that are great to use, along with a few others.
What Oils to Use
Everyone has different skin, so different oils will work for each of us. Experiment with different oils and different combinations until you find what works best for your skin.
Olive Oil – Olive Oil is commonly used in the oil cleansing method and it is also a great oil to use on its own as a moisturizer replacement. Olive oil has documented antioxidant properties and stimulates the synthesis of collagen and elastin. It also helps to reduce red marks or scarring on the skin. This is my go to oil if I don”t have my usual concoctions mixed up.
Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is a favorite among the natural health community. It is so versatile and works well for many things from stretch marks to diaper rash cream. Many people love to use coconut oil on it”s own as a moisturizer or mixed with some essential oils. Coconut oil contains anti-oxidants and has antimicrobial properties as well which can be helpful for the skin.
Jojoba Oil – Jojoba oil is similar to the oil already found in human skin so it is a great replenishing oil. It absorbs well into the skin and works well on its own or mixed with other oils or essential oils. Jojoba oil also has anti-oxidants and anti-microbial properties. This is a nice light moisturizer and does not have a greasy feel.
Rosehip Seed Oil – Rosehip seed oil is one of my favorite oils. It is best used mixed with another oil like one of the others mentioned above. It is amazing for reducing red marks or scaring, smells great, and absorbs well into the skin. It is high in vitamin C which is why it is so helpful for skin repair.
These ares just a few of the oils to start experimenting with on your face. Other oils that you can try include macadamia nut oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, and more. The results you will see from using these oils in place of moisturizer creams and lotions will be surprising – your skin will look better then ever.
What do you use as a moisturizer? What oils are you going to try now?
I just started doing the Oil Cleansing and I love it! My sister introduced me to Coconut/Olive Oil Mash, I started using that, then I put a little Helichrysium in it which the one that I have is cut with Jojoba oil. Some days if I need a lighter oil, I will use grapeseed, But if I am out of town, I use straight coconut oil. Thank you for posting this. I love reading what others use too.
Just an FYI, I can attest to the coconut oil being a great diaper rash fix. I kept my great niece over the weekend and momma and daddy forgot to put the diaper rash cream in the diaper bag. Little one had one of the worst diaper rashes I had ever seen, so I used the coconut oil and by the time they came to pick her up, the rash was almost gone! I love all of my oils!
Almond oil and fractionated coconut oil are my favorite. Scentless, pure and efficient. The coconut oil even helped my baby girls dry skin.
These may sound like stupid questions to someone who has done natural skin care for awhile, but:
Does the quality (refined/unrefined, extra virgin or virgin or expeller-pressed or whatever) of the coconut oil affect its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties? I vaguely remember MAM saying that coconut oil can dry skin. Is one type of coconut oil more drying than another? I simply cannot afford Tropical Traditions Gold Label for all my coconut oil needs, so is there an acceptable alternative for skin care? I currently use coconut oil for diaper cream (with beeswax and lavender EO), lip balm, cooking/frying, deodorant, all-purpose lotion and probably something else I’ve forgotten. 🙂 I need a coconut oil primer that doesn’t come from a company trying to sell me some.
Almond oil and olive oil are my favorite. They leave the skin soft, radiant, and deeply moisturized. I use it as a body oil for dry skin. It is definitely a must try.
I use Kamani oil. It smells good too. I don’t see very much about this oil, but I would like to see more articles highlighting this oil and it’s healing properties.
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