Dry Skin

How Important is Cleansing, Really?

My A.M. Cleansing Routine

Lately, I’ve been witnessing the rising trend of ditching facial cleansers in the morning in lieu of splashing one’s face with water. Does anyone else find this ritual bizarre? To me, this is about as normal as brushing one’s teeth without toothpaste, or taking a shower without soap.

I happen to think that cleansing my face, especially in the morning, is the most important step that sets the tone for the rest of my (skincare) day!

Our skin does a lot while we sleep including increased cellular turnover; it is also the bodies largest organ and the requirements of our skin can change daily based on hormones, diet, etc. For these reasons, I like to listen to my skin when I wake up to understand what it needs.

Is my face feeling tight? Is it rough? Does my skin need a double cleanse? Extra exfoliation? Or can I just use a gentle cleanser? When I tailor my cleansing routine to my skin’s daily needs, the results I achieve are a more healthy and vibrant glow.

My Morning Routine Options:

My skin feels tight: Exfoliation followed by a gentle cleanse or mask.

My skin feels normal: Gentle cleanse or active cleanse.

My skin feels rough: Exfoliation followed by an active cleanse or mask.

My Favorite A.M. Cleansers:

Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser $42-$82

This gritty cleanser is a holy grail ritual for me. It has an aloe-base so it rinses really clean and leaves my skin feeling fresh! The scent is also bright and awakening! With 11 active ingredients, it polishes, refines, decongests & plumps the skin. Using this first thing in the morning on dry skin really helps to soften my complexion if I wake up and my face feels tight.

Osea Ocean Cleanser $48

I have written about this cleanser in-depth in a previous post and absolutely love how potent it is with algae extract and lactic acid. My skin LOVES lactic acid! It does a fabulous job of keeping my skin smooth which sets the perfect canvas for the rest of my skincare regimen and make up. Tip: This would be what I consider an “active cleanser” with its powerful ingredients that work deep to exfoliate the skin.

Nuori Vital Foaming Cleanser $35

I discovered Nuori when I traveled to Denmark with my sister last fall, and I love how this unique brand boasts freshness (Nuori recommends using their products within a few months of batching to get the most effectiveness from their ingredients). This foaming cleanser is uber gentle and has a beautiful floral-citrus scent. Full of humectants and pomegranate enzymes, it leaves my face feeling undisturbed yet cleansed and soft.

Earthwise Beauty Marshmallow Cleanser $60

Earthwise Beauty has captivated my heart and this cleanser had me instantly smitten! This small-batch, organic, unrefined cleanser leaves my skin silky-soft and clean. A little goes a long way and the formula is full of calming and soothing ingredients like calendula & chamomile flowers, marshmallow roots, cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil and jojoba seed oil to nourish my skin and keep it clear.

Final Thoughts

Gone are the days of using Cetaphil to cleanse, and I don’t think I will ever forgo cleansing to simply rinse my face with water in the morning. I enjoy a variety of cleansers depending on my skin truth each and every day. Giving myself options allows me to truly listen to my skin and give it what it needs to achieve a more smooth and glowy complexion.

Remember, you are appreciated and worthy of self-care and love.

XOXO,

Erika

Please comment below! What is your favorite morning cleanser? Have you ever tried just splashing with water? What are your thoughts?

Clean Skincare Ruined My Life

And I Am Forever Grateful (Continue Reading)

I was never excited about “clean” skincare. Sure, I saw Kourtney Kardashian talk about it all the time on KUWTK and I figured it was inevitably better for me, but still it was something I didn’t gravitate towards. I thought that somehow, clean skincare offered only two choices. The choice to “DIY” a mask, and slather my face in honey, yogurt and camu-camu powder (which I have done, admittedly), or go to Sprouts Farmers Market and spend $7 on an organic face cream that offered little benefit.

Well, after attempting the DIY method and not ever wanting to resort to a $7 face cream, I decided one day that chemicals and science were just more effective.

Clean skincare ruined my life.

I could take you all the way back to the sixth-grade and talk about how I’ve struggled with acne for forever, or how I was prescribed Accutane in high school, but this blog would take too long to read.

I could talk about how, for 6 years, before having my first son, I only used Cetaphil & Olay Regenerist, but that’s irrelevant.

I could also mention how I went crazy with a 10-step skincare regimen after having my son, buying every discovery-set in sight, but that would only belabor what this blog post is ultimately about.

Clean skincare ruined my life.

When I decided to change my regimen, before becoming pregnant with my second son (editors note: I am currently 28 weeks pregnant; glory to God), I hated clean skincare. My face was no longer smooth and was full of blemishes. I distinctly remember my cousin asking me if I was enjoying my new, “clean” routine. “I hate it!” I remember answering, “My skin loves chemicals!” But pregnancy is a sacrifice. Much like not being able to drink alcohol, or eat cold lunch meat; we can’t have good skin during pregnancy.

I vowed to return to my beloved peel pads and facial masks the moment I was done breastfeeding. I mean, I don’t have to breastfeed for 15 months this time, right? 6 months is sufficient, right!?

Clean skincare ruined my life.

And then, one day, I struck gold! I found natural cleansers with lactic acid and fruit enzymes that began deep cleaning my pores, I found clean peel pads that resurfaced my skin back to a smooth, silky texture. I found healing moisturizers full of raw nutrients that fed my face as I slept, oils that hydrated, essences that brightened and serums that restored. Somewhere along my clean skincare journey, I found a tropical island, a rain forest, a treasure trove of vivid formulas that were void of fillers, chemicals, synthetic preservatives and instead contained the most precious of natural ingredients. These ingredients began to transform my skin like never before.

Something magical happens to our skin when we feed it pure nature. Our skin desires to be bathed in exotic fruits, rare flowers and golden rich oils extracted from raw seeds & nuts. The very idea that we ever slather industrial sludge on our faces and call it beauty is absolutely bizarre.

Clean skincare ruined my life, it forever set my beauty standards higher. It has become a passion, a fixation that I cannot quit. The uniqueness of each clean brand: how they source, batch and pour each lovingly sought-out ingredient has me captivated. God has given us rain forests that are encyclopedias of potent and effective elements; tropical islands that are an oasis of brightly colored nutrients to feed our skin back to a state of radiance. Science and nature have collided in a way, that today, is undeniable.

Clean Skincare ruined my life.

Clean skincare ruined my life because I don’t want to go back to the products and chemicals I was using before. My skin has never felt more nourished, more clear, more loved. Each gleaming bottle is an indulgent ritual of self-care. Every step in my regimen is a moment of bliss and pure delight. After reluctantly giving up the synthetic products I was used to, I have found there are boundless amounts of effective, clean, natural, non-toxic beauty rituals out there for me to feel, touch, smell, explore and discover!

Clean Skincare ruined my life and I am forever grateful.

Remember, you are appreciated and worthy of self-care and love.

XOXO,

Erika

Please comment below! I would love to know about your clean skincare journey or if you’ve recently decided to start!

Essences: Huh?

Your First Step to Hydrated, Supple Skin!

If you want to add a step to your skincare routine that will make the biggest difference in hydration and impact the rest of your product’s effectiveness, an essence is where to start.

Did you say “essence”? “Essence” of what? Most people who are only cleansing and moisturizing might have heard of a toner, but the idea of an essence is fairly new. Essences are like watery serums, they have rich ingredients that are easily absorbed into the skin, and allow the products that follow to penetrate deeper for better results.

Think of a dry sponge, when you add soap to a dry sponge, the soap doesn’t absorb or lather well until you saturate the sponge with water. Instantly, the soap soaks in and the sponge becomes more supple.

Our skin is like a sponge, it has the ability to absorb water better than it has the ability to absorb oil – that is why essences are so important.

When I first began incorporating an essence into my routine a few years ago, the biggest difference I noticed was my skin feeling more hydrated, supple and plump. I also noticed my skincare products absorbing more quickly which is fabulous because I know my skin is fully absorbing the beautiful ingredients, instead of just sitting on top of my face.

In the order of applying skincare, an essence is one of the first steps after cleansing your face. Toners help to balance the ph of your skin prior, and essences prep your skin for the rest of your routine. Tip: Make sure your skin is still damp from the essence before applying your serum and remaining skincare products. That moisture is what draws the rest of your products into the skin.

Some of my favorite essences are below:

Maya Chia The Optimist Hydrating Brightening Essence $58

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence $68

Tata Harper Concentrated Brightening essence $160

Special Mention:

Caudalie Beauty Elixir $18-49

De Mamiel Dewy Face Mist $78

Herbivore Rose Hibiscus Coconut Water Hydrating Face Mist $32

Final thoughts:

If you are not using an essence, your skin is not reaching its fullest potential! Especially as we age, it is important to hydrate; do your skin a favor and add an essence today.

Remember, you are appreciated and worthy of self-care and love.

XOXO,

Erika

Comment below! I would love to know what your favorite essence is and the difference it has made in your skin.

Product Highlight: Go-To Exfoliating Swipeys

When I first turned to clean beauty and discovered I was pregnant, my prestige-brand exfoliating pads were among the first to go. The salicylic acid, retinol and chemical preservatives determined my decision to ditch them temporarily. I was devastated, and promised to return to them the moment I was done with pregnancy and breastfeeding. I slowly watched the texture of my skin become more rough, and breakouts ensued (I’m sure mostly due to the pregnancy, but that’s not the point!). As if there aren’t already enough sacrifices during pregnancy, I was wrecked to watch my skin become another one.

Wrecked, until the fabulous day I discovered Go-To’s Exfoliating Swipeys at sephora.com. The ingredients were simple, clean and I ran to pick them up.

Initial thoughts:

These are such a good deal! At $35 per jar for 50 pads, they will last me forever, or 3 months. And – the new brand out of Australia, Go-To Skincare, is fun, spunky and focused on making skincare easy to understand.

Ingredient Highlights:

Lactic Acid – these pads are extremely potent due to the fact that lactic acid is the second ingredient listed after water. So strong, that the pads are only to be used every other day, and washed off after 60 seconds.
Aloe Vera – obviously helping to soothe skin, enough said.

Smooth Side

Textured Side

Product Experience:

These exfoliating pads are thin, and perfectly saturated with a citrusy, acidic smelling formula. One side is smooth, and the other side is slightly rough to help with any dry-skin, patches, flakes, etc. I am able to swipe my entire face thoroughly, along with my neck and chest before the pad dries out. Without fail, the pad is always dirty when I am done with it, which for me, is a great sign of success in my quest for ultimate exfoliation (lol)! I use these every other night on a clean face, and after rinsing off, I follow with my normal routine. After just several uses, the texture of my skin went back to a place I could be proud of and I still continue to see improvement. Tip: Their site does not recommend this, but if your skin can handle it, you may be able to start off using these pads three nights in a row to jump start your exfoliation before switching to every-other night.

Final Thoughts:

These pads are another product that make me such a strong advocate of clean beauty. Their strength and effectiveness cause me to question ever returning to products that contain harsh ingredients and chemical preservatives. I have been using these pads for over two months now and give them to friends and family to try whenever I have the chance. If I ever have a day of dry, flaky skin, after just one use, I wake up to smoother skin. These pads have become a staple in my routine and I don’t see that changing.

If you are looking for a great, natural exfoliator that works quickly to help improve the texture of your skin, this product is for you!

Remember, you are appreciated and worthy of self-care and love.

XOXO,

Erika

Ingredients:
Water, lactic acid, aloe vera, ethanol, propanediol, polysorbate 20, fragrance (natural mandarin and lemon), dehydroacetic acid, benzyl alcohol, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate.
https://www.gotoskincare.com/products/face/exfoliating-swipeys

Clean Lip Care

Love Your Lips!

Neglecting any part of my body as I start my 30’s is not an option, knowing that everything I do now will make an impact in the future motivates me to care for my whole-self daily. Finding clean brands to care for my lips is vital, especially considering I ingest (even in small amounts) what I place on them; avoiding synthetic ingredients and chemical preservatives is critical to lip care and beyond (we will dive deeper into the rest of the body later).

(Side note: Yes, unfortunately I am guilty of using petroleum jelly on my lips when I was younger – yuck)

Fortunately, we live in a really fun time right now; clean, organic beauty brands are blossoming! And the idea of self-care is taking off! We take care of ourselves because we want to, not because we have to.

Discovering lush lip care products would have been difficult a few years ago, but today they are in abundance. And with ingredients like rosehip, jojoba, sea buckthorn, prickly pear and raspberry seed oils and with macadamia nut, mango and coconut butters – these lip products sound more like dessert than beauty products. But that’s the point! That we are putting ingredients on our lips that our body can recognize and that taste delicious. Yum!!!

Here are a few of my favorite, most recent discoveries:

French Girl Rose Lip Polish $18

Lip care should start with a good exfoliator. Treating dry, dead skin is a waste of time. This lip polish smells of minty-fresh, almost chocolatey roses and has no strange after taste. Tip: I place a small amount on a rough cotton round before using it to scrub my lips, and the surrounding skin. I find I can apply more even-pressure and get more scrubbing power this way.

I will use this scrub before applying my Henne Lip Mask on the days I wash my hair, while the shower is heating up. This exfoliator is not meant for consumption but the sugar crystals do taste delicious if I “accidentally” taste some while wiping it off (Lol) with the other side of the cotton round.

Henne Lip Mask $37

I was so excited to be introduced to this brand in my January subscription from The Clean Beauty Box. This slightly-gritty orange mask is full of rich ingredients like rosehip seed oil and sea buckthorn oil and smells of zesty, slightly spicy citrus. It’s delicious ingredients plump and revive lips and the sensory experience of this mask is the ultimate in lip self-care!

Henne Luxury Lip Balm V2 $19

As a follow-up to the Henne Lip Mask, their lip balm is also a delicious sensory experience. The stick-balm is easy to apply, has an earthy, chocolate-like scent and is extra silky on the lips. Alone, the ingredients seem simple; coconut and avocado oil, shea butter and cacao seed butter; but combined, they make for a fabulous lip balm.

Kari Gran Lip Whip $24

Kari Gran is a name synonymous with small-batch lip care, and “Lip whip” explains this product perfectly. The texture is like peppermint-flavored whipped butter for your lips and the colors offer a beautiful flush (‘Radiant’ is pictured above). I now own several different colors, including ‘Jolene’ and ‘Suji’ and have one in my purse wherever I go!

Odacite Aventurine Kiss Lip Serum $44

Serums offer targeted results due to a higher concentrate of active ingredients and I was so excited to bring those same results to my pout! Every ingredient in this product offers something special to the delicate skin of your lips and I use this nightly. Tip: If you use a micro-needle for your lips, you can apply this after for even deeper penetration. The aventurine crystal roller-ball is cooling, and the light formula offers a tingling effect that says it’s working to plump and restore lips with rich hydration.

Ingredients:
Adansonia Digitata [Baobab*] Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera [Moringa*] Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis [Jojoba*] Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii [Shea Nut Oil] Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba [Meadowfoam*] Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii [Shea] Butter, Cocos Nucifera [Coconut*] Oil, Theobroma Cacao [Cocoa*] Seed Butter, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate [Vitamin C], Punica Granatum [Pomegranate*] Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea [Marula*] Kernel Oil, Vaccinium Corymbosum [Blueberry*] Seed Oil, Lactobacillus/Capsicum Frutescens Fruit Ferment Extract, Hordeum Distichon [Barley] Extract, Tocopherols [Vitamin E] Oil, Ubiquinone [Coenzyme Q10], Alcohol, Lecithin, Aqua [Water], Aroma, Phellodendron, Santalum Album [Sandalwood] Extract, Yeast Extract, Cucurbita Pepo [Pumpkin] Seed Oil & Papain, Rosmarinus Officinalis [Rosemary] Leaf Extract | *Organic Origin

https://odacite.com/products/aventurine-kiss-lip-serum

Edible Beauty & Goddess on the Go Beauty Balm $21

Offering ingredients that are truly edible (although it is not intended for consumption), this balm is sheer and smells of mango, raspberry seed oil and vanilla. It melts effortlessly on contact and is designed to be used anywhere that needs hydration (think cuticles, hair, elbows, etc.). The raspberry seed oil offers some natural sun protection, and as evidenced by the worn product label, I also have one of these on hand in my purse and bedside! This product is simple and appreciated.

Final Thoughts:

Don’t neglect your lips! Our lips are so delicate and need a lot of attention. In addition to sunscreen, it is important we offer them regular exfoliation and deep hydration. With an abundance of beautifully rich, beautifully natural ingredients it is easier and more enjoyable than ever to show our lips some love!

Remember, you are appreciated and worthy of self-care and love.

XOXO,

Erika

Comment below! I would love to know what green beauty products you enjoy using on your pout!

Dry Brushing

Where Has This Been All My Life!?

I’m choosing to do my first post on a dry brush. It doesn’t sound so exciting, but it’s intentional! Dry brushing is something that a lot of women don’t participate in already and it has been the best addition to my self-care routine. I first read in-depth about dry brushing on goop.com and after shopping around and reading reviews, I was excited to purchase this one (pictured) from biossance.com for $10 on sale! It retails for $17, and I would pay that in an instant, especially after falling in love with dry brushing and loving the quality of this brush.

Goop Article: How to Dry Brush -and Why It’s So Potent

Overview:

Now in the world of gimmicky skincare products (and I own several), this is not one of them! I use this product DAILY. It takes only 2 minutes while my shower is heating up and it feels so invigorating! I start at my feet, working my way toward my heart and it awakens all of my senses. I know there are many health benefits to dry brushing (improved circulation, promoting lymph flow/drainage, possible reduction in cellulite, etc.), but above and beyond documented health benefits, it scratches every itch I’ve ever had in my existence. It scratches areas I didn’t know had an itch! Being a married woman, I am used to my husband wanting his back scratched and now I get it, only I can do it myself, quickly, EVERY day. By the time I get to my neck, chest and back, I am in a euphoric state and don’t want to stop!

After dry brushing consistently for 3 days, my skin was undeniably smoother and I’ve been consistently dry brushing my skin now for 3 weeks. The brush is rough and clearly does a great job at sloughing off dead skin and hair. No more exfoliating gloves in the shower that get mildew on them; No more body scrubs that dissolve before you’ve had the chance to thoroughly exfoliate. Dry brushing gets the job done, and I’m only wondering why I didn’t start this years ago.

Review:

For the price, this brush cannot be beat. It is sturdy, and I love the curved brush-head to reach every inch of my body. The handle allows me a longer reach, and the bristles are strong. I have witnessed zero shedding or fallout due to the plastic that the bristles are embedded in, and for these reasons I would recommend this dry brush to all of my friends!

Biossance Natural Dry Brush $17

Final Thoughts:

If you are looking to incorporate a new self-care routine to your entire body, and you want the added benefits of smoother skin and better absorption of your body products (among the many health benefits of dry brushing), and if you have $20 to spend, this would be the most loving thing you could purchase for yourself today. When it comes to return-on-investment, this is at the top of the list.

Remember, you are appreciated and worthy of self-care and love.

XOXO,

Erika

Comment below! I would love to know if you have tried dry brushing, and what you love about it.

*$15 off $50 Biossance offer*