Moisturize Naturally
Go find your lotion. Face lotion, body lotion... whatever it is that you apply on a regular basis, take it out. Turn it over. Look at the ingredient list. Count the number of ingredients you recognize. How many words do you understand? How many words can you pronounce? How many of the listed items do you think came from nature?
How many do you want seeping into the largest organ of your body: your skin?
If you're cool with rubbing all that garbage into your body, that's your choice. To each, his own. Personally, I'd rather ditch the man-made chemicals for something nature made, something my skin might recognize as naturally moisturizing. I also don't want something that will actually dry out my skin and make me become addicted to the lotion. But, again, that's just me. If you feel similarly or simply want to try another, more natural approach to moisturizing, read on!
Today's dare: Swap your daily lotion for coconut oil.
I was a little skeptical at first, but why not? Most lotions on the shelves tend to tout that they're "made with" some kind of natural oil, be it coconut oil, jojoba, lavender... So I did it. Result? It seems to work just as well! My itchy legs and waist stopped itching, and my skin seemed to respond well. It's been 2 months, and I'm still satisfied.
Step 1: Open coconut oil.
Step 2: Take a small amount into hand.
Step 3: Rub on body.
See? So simple! Just like your old lotion, but with one ingredient instead of 25. It's a similar principle to that behind paleo nutrition, focusing on the whole ingredient from nature, rather than the man-made, disease-causing chemicals injected into the products that line our grocery and drugstore shelves. So instead of buying a lotion that is "made with" (aka, a tiny fraction of it contains some) coconut oil, just use coconut oil!
Note: Liz Wolfe notes that some people may find their skin doesn't respond well to the coconut oil, so they may want to try jojoba oil.
Also, one time when I was traveling and didn't have coconut oil, I did have access to olive oil and used that instead. It was NICE.
So, my review of the transition experience?
Fact: It feels nice.
Fact: It does leave you, well, glistening for a while. Don't overuse it; you don't need that much. It spreads nicely, so just a small amount will go far. I don't generally use it when I need to be out the door quickly, because I like (and need) to leave my skin time to absorb and dry.
Fact: I now know what's going on and into my skin, and I like the idea of it being edible. Is that weird?
In fact, I like the idea of anything I put on my body/face/teeth/hair being so natural that I could safely consume it. This is a new trend I've been exploring, and I'll be getting back to you with the details. Right now I've got some new products and homemade concoctions, and I'm beginning to confuse what goes in my kitchen and what goes in my bathroom. It's a process, and I'm getting there step by step.
Remember last year's spring cleaning quote? "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"? Well, right now, I'm in the "use it up" phase of my old personal care products and moving into the world of natural beauty and hygiene. I'm actually pretty far on my way, and am really excited about the results I'm seeing! I won't scare you away with the details yet, but it's been an interesting process. If you're interested in learning more about natural skincare, check out The Skintervention Guide for the how-to on gorgeous, healthy skin, or Primal Life Organics to purchase natural personal care products.
But no need to jump into the deep end, yet! It all began with swapping my lotion for coconut oil. Interested in seeing how you like it? Dare you to give it a try.
What's in YOUR body lotion?
Have you ever tried moisturizing with pure oil? Like or dislike?
How many do you want seeping into the largest organ of your body: your skin?
If you're cool with rubbing all that garbage into your body, that's your choice. To each, his own. Personally, I'd rather ditch the man-made chemicals for something nature made, something my skin might recognize as naturally moisturizing. I also don't want something that will actually dry out my skin and make me become addicted to the lotion. But, again, that's just me. If you feel similarly or simply want to try another, more natural approach to moisturizing, read on!
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| Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil |
Today's dare: Swap your daily lotion for coconut oil.
I was a little skeptical at first, but why not? Most lotions on the shelves tend to tout that they're "made with" some kind of natural oil, be it coconut oil, jojoba, lavender... So I did it. Result? It seems to work just as well! My itchy legs and waist stopped itching, and my skin seemed to respond well. It's been 2 months, and I'm still satisfied.
Step 1: Open coconut oil.
Step 2: Take a small amount into hand.
Step 3: Rub on body.
See? So simple! Just like your old lotion, but with one ingredient instead of 25. It's a similar principle to that behind paleo nutrition, focusing on the whole ingredient from nature, rather than the man-made, disease-causing chemicals injected into the products that line our grocery and drugstore shelves. So instead of buying a lotion that is "made with" (aka, a tiny fraction of it contains some) coconut oil, just use coconut oil!
Note: Liz Wolfe notes that some people may find their skin doesn't respond well to the coconut oil, so they may want to try jojoba oil.
Also, one time when I was traveling and didn't have coconut oil, I did have access to olive oil and used that instead. It was NICE.
So, my review of the transition experience?
Fact: It feels nice.
Fact: It does leave you, well, glistening for a while. Don't overuse it; you don't need that much. It spreads nicely, so just a small amount will go far. I don't generally use it when I need to be out the door quickly, because I like (and need) to leave my skin time to absorb and dry.
Fact: I now know what's going on and into my skin, and I like the idea of it being edible. Is that weird?
In fact, I like the idea of anything I put on my body/face/teeth/hair being so natural that I could safely consume it. This is a new trend I've been exploring, and I'll be getting back to you with the details. Right now I've got some new products and homemade concoctions, and I'm beginning to confuse what goes in my kitchen and what goes in my bathroom. It's a process, and I'm getting there step by step.
Remember last year's spring cleaning quote? "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"? Well, right now, I'm in the "use it up" phase of my old personal care products and moving into the world of natural beauty and hygiene. I'm actually pretty far on my way, and am really excited about the results I'm seeing! I won't scare you away with the details yet, but it's been an interesting process. If you're interested in learning more about natural skincare, check out The Skintervention Guide for the how-to on gorgeous, healthy skin, or Primal Life Organics to purchase natural personal care products.
But no need to jump into the deep end, yet! It all began with swapping my lotion for coconut oil. Interested in seeing how you like it? Dare you to give it a try.
What's in YOUR body lotion?
Have you ever tried moisturizing with pure oil? Like or dislike?
