Submitted by: Lore Earley

I used to browse the isles of the Bath and Body shops at the mall. I would walk up and down the isles and smell the pretty-colored body lotions: Juniper Breeze, Rose Garden, Freesia Fabulous, Cinnamon Spice, Blissful Garden, Melon Madness, Floral Lust. (I wonder what kind of degree one needs in order to conjure up all the fancy names to match how you want to feel with how you want to smell.)

I used to eat up the buy 3 get 1 free deals, and had a rainbow of colors and smells waiting for me when I got out of the shower.

The key phrase here, I used to do this.

Your skin is the largest organ of the body; most people dont know this or dont even give it much thought. And while it is a protective barrier, it also soaks up everything and anything you put on it and dumps it right into your bloodstream. Sunscreen, cosmetics, lotions, acne / eczema / rash concoctions, perfumes, bug spray. Sound familiar?

Therefore, most of the chemicals, toxins, and endocrine disruptors in these items are absorbed into your bloodstream. Think about it this way. Would you eat your sunscreen? Would you eat your purple Floral Lust lotion?

Many of these products actually worsen your skin condition while professing to make it softer, hydrated, wrinkle or acne free, supple, or elastic.

Yes, eating your beauty products is the extreme, and I dont know anyone who really does this. But from someone who has struggled with hormone / endocrine issues, I have really considered the impact that any chemical can have on my overall health.

Therefore, I use oils instead. Coconut oil, avocado oil, sweet almond oil, grape seed oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, and even olive oil.

Moisturizing the Body

To nourish your body, keep a jar of coconut oil in your bathroom. Then use it like you would a moisturizer. It will seem greasy at first, but it will absorb into your skin. Use only a little tiny bit. It goes a long way and you really dont want to look like a grease monkey. Dont like the coconut smell? Try sweet almond oil instead. You can even add a drop of lavender essential oil if you want to smell pretty.

Washing Your Face

I believed, just even a couple years ago, that my excessively oily face needed products to dry it out. What I was really doing was drying out my skin to the point that it went into oil overproduction to remedy this self-inflicted condition.

When you make the mental shift to cleaning your face and skin with oils, you are giving your skin what it really needs. It no longer needs to go into crisis mode. And get this, wait for it, oil dissolves oil. Who would have thunk?

To wash your face, start with a tiny, half of a dime-sized amount of castor oil in the palm of your hand, since it is known for its deep cleaning properties. Then add a dime sized amount of a nourishing oil (see below) to the castor oil, mix, and gently circulate into your face. Use a washcloth under warm water to then steam your face a bit, and finally gently wipe off the oil. Dont overdo it. (And you will probably want to have some separate washcloths for this as they do hold in the oils.)

Try the following nourishing oil based on your skin type:

Normal – sweet almond, avocado, coconut

Oily, acne prone, or sensitive – grape seed, jojoba

Dry – sweet almond, olive

There will be a time when you will need a heavy duty bug spray or some sunscreen as per prolonged sun exposure. And I know, ladies, you may not be ready to ditch your medium cover concealer. For these cases, check out the Environmental Working Groups guide to skin care and cosmetics and choose the least toxic offenders.

About the Author: To learn more quick and fun holistic health tips, visit

eatthinkfeel.com

and download my free report “5 Health Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Health and Happiness.Lore Earley is the co-owner of Eat Think Feel Live, a holistic health blog that helps you transform your mind, body, and spirit so you can live the life you want!You can also connect with her via her professional website:

loreearley.comewg.org/skindeep

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