Face it!!

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A great alternative to buying high end products that are showering the beauty market, is to use simple ingredients that you can find in your local grocery store and even your kitchen cabinets.

Of course this philosophy is not just restricted to your hair. Using more natural ingredients in your over all health/beauty routine will be kind to your body as well as your pockets.

Recently my face has been less than lack luster. I've had a bunch of acne flare ups, some color distortion from acne scaring and incredibly dry and flaky skin. I can blame this on two things.

1. My sampling of commercial face products for a fall/winter regimen.

2. The beating my face has taken from the recent cold weather.

I wanted to share with you some simple recipes that can replace those expensive face products and also give your face a healthier and more radiant glow.

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Cleansing:

Oil cleansing is a gentle and affordable way to remove dirt, bacteria, make-up and dead skin cells from your face daily. Because most of us already have oils in our arsenal it's much more convenient than buying a separate facial cleanser. By using oil to cleanse your face you are also eliminating the abrasive properties of sulfates and other ingredients within certain cleansers.

The great thing about oil cleansing is you can literally use which ever type of oil is more convenient to you. It's all about mixing and experimenting.

In my personal oil cleansing mix I use:

A small bottle of any type

50% Castor oil (helps draw out toxins and dead skin cells from skin)

25% Grapeseed oil (acts as a natural moisturizer and helps prevent acne)

25: Extra Virgin Olive oil ( also acts as a natural moisturizer)

6 drops of Lemon essential oil (helps with brightness in complexion)

3 drops of Tee Tree essential oil (helps combat dry skin and works as an anti-fungal ingredient)

1. Gently message a quarter size amount of the mixture all over face.

2. Place a hot, damp towel over your face until it cools. (allows the oils to penetrate your skin and steam out all toxins and dirt.)

3. remove hand towel and wipe away any excess oil off.

4. rinse your face with cold water to close the pores.

Toneing:

Toners are used to keep your skin tone even and bright. It is also used as a defense against acne and dry skin.

My Toner recipe:

A new/clean spray bottle

60% Chamomile Tea (used against flare ups, redness and therapeutic/calming properties)

20% Apple Cider Vinegar ( cleansing properties and ph balance)

20%:Aloe Vera Juice (acts as a moisturizer and ph balance)

6 drops of Lemon essential oil/ or juice (helps with consistent brightness in complexion )

1. With your spray bottle a tleast 8 inches from your face spray in a "X" and then "T" formation over your face.

2. Allow the mist to dry on your face before moving on to moisturizing.

(A lot of people also use witch hazel instead of Apple Cider Vinegar in their recipes. Feel free to use your own variation on the recipe.)

Moisturizing:

The price of moisturizers on the market these days can be out of control (especially for the amount you receive).Using a dime size amount of either hazelnut, jojoba or grapeseed oil will be more than sufficient when it comes to a daily moisturize. Even for those with oily skin the lightness of each of these oils allows for the skin to absorb it easy and fast without the oily/ greasy feeling it can leave on your face.

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Hopefully with a little tweaking to fit your personal needs, you'll be able to fit these cost-effective and healthier alternatives into your skin-care regimen.