I don’t buy eye makeup remover. I don’t have enough of a need for it to justify buying it. I don’t use waterproof eye products on a regular basis, therefore my makeup comes off fairly easily with my Cetaphil cleanser. It might take me a few layers of it and a few swipes of the washrag, but it always comes off- no problem. But every once and awhile I will try a new product that is harder to remove, or maybe I needed to wear waterproof that day, and then I’m in need of something stronger…only you don’t want something ‘strong’ for your eye area. That’s the most sensitive part of your face, that skin is very delicate.
What you want to remove the makeup with is some sort of oil. And the main ingredient in most commercial eye makeup removers is mineral oil and fragrance. They may throw in a couple vitamins here and there but that’s all your paying for. They work fine… But here’s the issue with mineral oil- it forms a film over your skin that can’t be absorbed. So the oil just kinda sits on top of the skin. That sitting mineral oil can then cause acne and premature aging…and that’s no fun for anyone. I’ve used petroleum jelly before (Vaseline), because I have it on my counter for my lips, and that works fine with a Q-tip, but again, it just sort of sits on the surface of the skin. Plus there also have been conflicting reports on petroleum jelly and how good or bad it is for your face. So, I’d rather not risk it.
But I have a product that both gets the makeup off easily, and is good for every part of your body. You ready?
Coconut oil!! (Like we need another reason to buy coconut oil, I know.) This stuff is such a showoff. (Settle down, Coconut.) All you do to use it as an eye makeup remover is dab a little bit on a cotton ball or pad and gently wipe off the makeup. That’s it.
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| (I prefer unrefined, organic virgin coconut oil if you can find it. Trader Joe’s has a great price on theirs.) |
(If you have extra dry skin, you can also use coconut oil as a moisturizer.)
Cool, right? Well- since we’re on the subject of all natural, double duty facial products, let’s just go through the whole facial routine, shall we? I got lots of tips for ya.
The next product I’ll be pushing on you today is the one I use to exfoliate my face. I don’t buy commercial exfoliants. Many of them (that oh-so-popular apricot scrub, especially) are super bad for your skin as they actually create tiny abrasions as you scrub. They do make good ones, ones that have more of a fine, sand-like quality to them, but they can be expensive. So I use…
Baking Soda!! Yep. The stuff that costs you about $.40 a box in the baking aisle. I keep some in a jar by my sink and use it a couple times a week to make my skin incredibly smooth. It removes dead skin cells, blackheads, and creates a glowy shine. Just mix with enough water on your fingers to create a nice scrub and gently rub into your skin in a circular motion. Then rinse off.
Product number 3, and the next step in your facial routine- another big showoff- is what I use as a toner every once and awhile. Toners are great for restoring the pH balance of your skin and I also like to finish with one whenever I’m cleaning my face after wearing makeup, because it ensures that I’m getting all the makeup off. I use a commercial toner (Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner) on a regular basis but use this product every so often. You ready for it?
Apple Cider Vinegar!! Ugh. What does this stuff NOT do? I drink it, cook with it, use it on my face… It’s incredible. Just dab a cotton round with some, as you would a normal toner, and gently rub on your clean face. Chances are, you’ll get some makeup and dirt off. (It’s kinda fun looking at the cotton after you’re done.) Apple cider vinegar contains beta carotene, which helps fix any damage caused by free radicals, it’s anti bacterial so it helps clean and protect it from pollution, it’s good for treating acne, and is a natural way to help restore the natural pH balance of the skin. One drawback, though- this stuff stinks. It’ll stink up your whole bathroom. Your husband will not like it. But you will tell him he cannot stand in the way of beauty. And he will understand.
If you want to use this on a regular basis, mix 1 part raw, unfiltered ACV with 2 parts distilled water and keep in a little jar. But if you’re only gonna use it occasionally like myself, using it straight up is fine every so often.
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(Yeah, it can burn your eyes a bit…watch out.)
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And then, the final step in my facial routine, the step that I only do a couple times a week maybe, is a mask. I’ve written about my homemade mask before, and here’s the link-
It’s made with organic yogurt, raw honey and rolled oats. It’s incredible and leaves your skin feeling so soft and smooth. The bonus? It smells awesome…and, uh, tastes good too…you know, if you happen to be in a hot bath and some sort of makes its way onto your lips…
So that’s it! All of my all natural, facial products that you probably already have in your kitchen. And if you don’t- you should go buy them…they are far less expensive than the stuff you’d find in the skin-care aisle of the drug store.
Plus- every one of these products are super good for you. And don’t you want what’s best for your skin? It’s the only skin you’ve got!
Unless you’re a snake. In which case you wouldn’t be reading this anyway. Because that would be weird.
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