In my twenties, I got some great advice on skin care: Never use soap. *Gasp!* If you’re like I was then, this may come as quite a shock. But the truth is that soap is not good for you, and it causes your face to break out and age. I remember the feeling after washing my face…all “squeaky clean.” That’s not actually a good thing. That’s what it feels like when the natural oils on your face have been stripped away. Repeatedly stripping away this natural oil barrier leads to dry, irritated skin and breakouts. Soap manufacturers know this, which is why they often add moisturizers.
My hair and makeup (done by yours truly) for my new cookbook’s head shots 🙂
Instead, I use oils to clean my face, but not in the traditional “wash your face” kind of way. On days when I haven’t put on any makeup (I’ll get to my makeup routine in a minute), I simply apply my cream (oils) with some water. It looks something like this: I splash my face with warm water and don’t dry it. With one finger I grab a glob of cream and apply it to my wet face. I rub any excess on my chest and legs. That’s it. Why add water? Just a few drops of water help my skin absorb the oils. Without those drops of water, the oils would just sit on the surface, making my face look oily.
On days when I wear makeup, there’s only one minor difference. I use the cream to gently remove the makeup with a wet washcloth first. After the makeup is removed, I apply the cream just as I do on no-makeup days. As for brands, I’ve been true to one, Tropical Traditions Moisturizing Cream, for many years. I adore it. The ingredients are mainly organic coconut oil and sustainably-sourced palm oil.
I’ve been treating my face this way for over a decade, and I’m told that my skin has a “glow.” Of course, it’s not all what’s going on on the outside: What you put into your body greatly affects the look of your skin as well. I stopped drinking soda and started eating the way I do now at the same time I stopped using soap. I drink plenty of purified water every day, and I eat the way you see here and in my books. I love good fat (avocado, bacon fat, olive oil, coconut oil, cacao, nuts, seeds, etc.), and I make sure to get some at every meal. I love fat so much that I joke, “I like some food with my fat.” Good fat is brain food, and it keeps my skin radiant, along with my homemade stocks and collagen smoothies.
Occasionally my nose needs exfoliating. I can tell because it looks dry and scaly when I put on my foundation. So, as a general rule, I exfoliate about once a week, while I’m in the shower. I take a washcloth, get it wet with the warm water, and massage it in circles all over my face, especially my nose. The only place I use soap (Dr. Bronner’s pure castile soap, that is) is under my arms. Here in a nutshell is what I use:
- Face moisturizer: I use Tropical Traditions cream applied to damp skin
- Puffiness: Arnica homeopathic cream (dabbed under my eyes, if they’re puffy when I wake up)
- Makeup: For organic healthy makeup you have got to check out Araza Natural Beauty. Click over to read my post about how much I love them.
- Sunblock for outdoor activities: Zinc (such as the Badger brand), hats, rash guards (Read my sun cover post here.)
♥, Kelly
Kariane says
I don’t use soap on my face either. I’m glad to hear I’m not alone. 🙂
I’ve started making my own face serum that’s super moisturizing and I find it makes my skin glow wonderfully (in a healthy way, not in an oily way). I make it like this: http://everydaymindfulliving.com/amazing-homemade-face-serum/
I’ll have to give your deodorant recipe a try. I’ve been looking for a simple recipe we can make ourselves. And we use (like you, pretty much exclusively) Dr. Bronner’s soaps all around our house.
Hannah says
Your skin really does have a glow! I think more and more people are moving towards more natural solutions for the body and skin, and this is a great example of how effective it is. Thanks for posting-very helpful!
Abbi says
I have been washing my face with raw local honey and using coconut oil as a moisturizer for 3 years. I use jane iredale makeup and my skin is blemish free. Before I spent thousands per year on ‘organic lines’ and would always break out. Honey leaves your skin so soft and when I need to exfoliate, I mix a little baking soda in. Life changing and money saving!
Adam Bockler says
You make a great point about how natural coconut oil can be a great skin care product, Kelly. Growing up, my hands would get so dry they would crack and bleed in the winter. I’ve found that products that use natural oils for their moisturizers tend to irritate my skin less. It doesn’t help that I live in a desert that gets pretty cold in the winter. I really have to slather stuff on to keep my skin healthy.
Amy says
Great post! Do you have any other suggestions for deodorant? I cannot use baking soda under my arms! I get a terrible burning swollen red rash! Thoughts?
Tash says
I sure hope I look as amazing as you do when I’m 38! We do have one major skin tip in common, don’t use soap! It’s really changed how my skin behaves and it looks so much better now. If only I knew sooner! Thanks for sharing your tips, I’m going to have to give that deodorant recipe a try 🙂
Wendy says
I tried to make deodorant by mixing butters and baking soda for a while…it was OK, but sometimes it would burn. Now I just rub on coconut oil or an all-over moisturizer like EO coconut mint and dust on baking soda with a kabuki brush so that it isn’t rubbed into the skin but sticks to the oil or moisturizer. Seems to work quite well…no one tells me I stink…and if I’ve applied it in the morning and am going someplace at night or the next morning I just reapply and it seems to stay fresh enough.
Kitty says
I really enjoyed this post! Thank you so much for sharing such excellent tips! If you use moisturizer to clean your face, and only soap to clean under your arms, do you use moisturizer to shower/clean the rest of your skin as well?
Rachel says
Thanks for sharing your skin care routine! I did not know that using water would help your skin absorb the cream better, so I’ll definitely have to give that a try. I hope I can achieve that ‘glow’ you get complimented for!