Moisturizers

I ditched my face and body lotions and replaced them with oils. Sounds crazy right? Keep reading. Moisturizing lotions, for the face and body, are useless. They are filled with toxic chemicals like parabens, fragrance, petrochemicals, alcohol, and oil emulsified in water. The only ingredient that provides any moisture to the skin is the oil. So why not take out all those additives and start using straight oil?

I use oil to cleanse my skin as well as to moisturize my skin. I know you probably think that i'm crazy to use oil. Who wants their face to be a greasy mess? Not me! Well what you might not know is that one of the basic principals of chemistry is that 'like dissolves like.' The best way to dissolve a non-polar solvent like oil, is by using another non-solvent similar in composition: other oils. So if you have oily skin, you should be using oil. 

We have been brainwashed by the beauty industry that oil is bad. They made us believe that oil clogs pores causing acne and blackheads. This is true when using the wrong oils, like mineral oil or animal oil. This is not the case with plant oils. Plant oils will not clog pores, are easily absorbed into the skin, and strengthen skin cell membranes. You can cleanse and moisturize naturally with oils extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit. 

You will feel slightly greasy after you apply the oil, but your skin quickly absorbs it. Just make sure you use a very little amount, just enough to coat the skin. The skin can only absorb a certain amount of oil. When you use too much, the protective layer that the absorbed oil creates doesn't let anymore oil in, leaving you an oily mess. When it comes to oils, less is more. Literally. 

Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is the oil extracted from the first press of the fruit. It's greenish in color and smells like fresh cut avocados. It's loaded with healthy monosaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Avocado oil penetrates deep into the skin, unlike other oils, which helps the skin stay soft and hydrated. It also has very high anti-aging properties providing protection against free radicals. Due to its high concentration of anti-inflammatory oleic acid, it's great for skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis, and keratosis pilaris.

Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is extracted from the edible portion of the almond and has a slight nutty smell. It's a mild hypoallergenic oil that protects from UV rays and softens the skin. It has high vitamin A and vitamin E content which prevents blackheads and acne. It also provides the amino acids required for the formation of collagen.

Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is exactly what it sounds like, it is the oil extracted from the seeds of grapes. It's packed full of antioxidants, including skin brightening vitamin C. It treats acne, tightens skin, relieves dark circles under the eyes, moisturizes, and fights aging. It's a very light oil that quickly absorbs into the skin.

Apricot Oil
Apricot seed oil has a high level of B17 in the kernels, which is known to kill cancer cells and has been used as a holistic treatment in cancer patients. Apricot seed oil has also been used in ancient medicine to treat inflammatory skin disorders. The oil is made from cold pressing dried seeds. It's packed with fatty acids, vitamins A, C, and E, and a ton of antioxidants. It's also a very light oil and smells great!

Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is structurally and chemically very similar to the human sebum. It's actually the closest naturally occurring substance to sebum. Sebum is the oil your skin naturally produces. Despite its name, jojoba oil isn't actually an oil, its more of a liquid wax. It's non-toxic, non-comedogenic, non-allergenic, and antibacterial. I think this is the lightest of all oils and I use this in the morning as my skin absorbs this oil the fastest.

Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal. It's protein rich, softens the skin, and contains a lot of vitamin E. Coconut oil has been praised for its anti-aging properties. It makes an excellent makeup remover or moisturizer. Just make sure you get one that's pure, unrefined, cold pressed, and 100% organic.

Castor Oil 
Castor oil is extracted by pressing the seeds of the castor plant. It's famous for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Castor oil reduces pigmentation, fades blemishes, and reduces acne. The fatty acids in castor oil help stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. It aids in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and works especially well for crows feet.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. It is a brilliant moisturizer, helping to heal and nourish the skin. It also helps stimulate cell repair for firmer and smoother skin. It penetrates deep into the skin providing a long-lasting shield of moisture. It is best applied to damp skin, the dampness helps absorb it quicker.

If you are not sold on the oils, here are some other good moisturizers:

Acure Day Cream - http://www.acureorganics.com/product-p/005.htm This day cream supports collagen and elastin fibers. Shown to firm and help your skin fight environmental damage.

Everyday Coconut Face Lotion - http://alaffia.com/daily-face-lotion/ This face lotion is loaded with neem and papaya making it an antioxidant rich everyday moisturizer for all skin types. 

Vitamin C Serum
Vitamin C provides potent antioxidant protection. It helps reduce the appearance of brown spots and sun damage, boosts collagen, and reduces inflammation and irritation. Considered the 'skincare superstar', it can help you achieve younger, healthier, and more radiant skin. You can certainly buy vitamin C serums but they will run you a pretty penny and most have chemical additives. I prefer to make my own so I know exactly what's in it. Below is the homemade vitamin C recipe I use.
2 tsp vegetable glycerin - Vegetable Glycerin
1 tsp vitamin C powder - Vitamin C Powder
Dark colored glass bottle with dropper - Dropper Bottle
Mix the glycerin and vitamin C powder until completely dissolved. Use a funnel to pour it into the dropper bottle. Put 2-3 drops on freshly washed face at night. You might feel some tingling after applying this due to the high content of ascorbic acid. Also, if you are anything like me (and Oprah) we only use all white bedding. So my sheets, pillows, and my duvet cover are white. If I put the serum on right before I go to bed, I notice it leaves orange stains on them. So now put it on at least an 
hour before bed so my skin fully absorbs all of before I hit the pillow.