Eco-take care of your skin, that's easy & cheap

Oil is your best friend! (see below)

Are you sick of using creams you don't understand half of the ingredients (usually not a good sign), and which your skin does not seem to appreciate? Here are easy solutions to replace them.

You can first decide to buy organic cosmetics, but since it's rather expensive I understand why many people give up. But at least you know that stuff you put on your skin are healthy. 

You can also decide to make your own cosmetics yourself ; it is not that hard to find raw material but it doesn't mean it's easy to to make a high quality cream. That requires knowledge on your type of skin, on the ingredients you use, on chemistry (a cream is an emulsion) and on hygiene precautions. The great advantage is that you know exactly what's in it and choose the ingredients according to what you really need.

On this blog I will only speak of easy stuff to make, like lip balm for example. But as regards skin care, I like simplicity, which is the easiest solution to do without unhealty creams.

Organic oil is your best friend!

Every cream is made of an emulsion of water and oil (check the ingredients in your cream). Water is important for moisturizing while oil nourish the skin. The proportion of water/oil varies according the skin type a cream is designed for... but the easiest is not to use water at all, and that's what I do.

Oil can replace cream

I don't use cream but just oil. Oil just nourishes but also forms a protection barrier that retain water inside your skin. So if you drink enough water you can totally use only a good quality food oil for use skin. Even oily skins can do that, it's just a matter of choosing the right one.

First of all that's very important to choose a cold pressed oil (the oil's properties were preserved), and if possible an organic oil (way cheaper than any organic cream you can find!). Do not use a oil you wouldn't eat. An oil gone bad or even a fresher one but sensitive to oxidation may give you blackheads.

That's why olive oil is such a fantastic oil; it's good enough for all skin, at least as a base and it is not sensitive to oxidation. Same for apricot kernel oil that can be used for oily skins. Other oils also have other properties like anti aging, anti eczema, and so on. 

NB: if you don't like the smell, especially for olive oil, add a drop of some aromatic extract.

Essential oil is not necessarily a good idea, don't use on your eyes; it may be dangerous for pregnant women and children.

Use oil as make-up remover

The more oil there is in make-up remover, the more efficient it is; so why bother buying some when all you need is...oil!

Use oil on a pad or as a massage on your face. It's very gentle and very efficient.

You can also very easily make yourself a biphasic make up remover: half oil, half floral water ; just shake before use.

For those who use the "layering method" (make-up remover - soap - lotion - cream), you can totally use organic food oil for the first step.

NB: I wash my face with homemade soap, which is quite gentle but still have a high Ph. But I use right after a lotion which is a mix with floral water and organic cider vinegar (low Ph; compensate for the soap's Ph); and finally I use some olive oil with aprikot kernel oil.

Easy peeling with oil and salt

Mix a bit of thin salt with oil, wait a few minutes and use as a peeling. That's the mildest/easiest peeling ever. Very quick to make, and very easy to adapt (use less salt/more oil if you have a sensitive skin).

NB: As a body peeling you can use...coffee grounds after your morning coffee!

Face-pack recipe (Source)

- 1-2 tbsp white clay (good for sensitive skin)

- 1 tbsp oil

- optional: 2 drop of carefully chosen essential oil

Carefully mix and then add  a few drops of floral water or water until you have a thick/creamy consistency.

Apply a thick layer on your face and wait for 15 mn.

Some interesting links

Check your cosmetics

Greenpeace guide on cosmetics, in French (I can't find the English version, that's too bad!)

Hormonsjekk (no)

Kosmetikktester, Grønn Hverdag (no)