Posts by aquagirl2115

Yes, this is a long post and I apologize but there is a ton of information you may be missing so I felt I should post it here.

Hi Everyone.  I just joined after reading all of these posts and I'm happy you are all attempting a natural solution to your skincare problem...but I'm wondering if anyone here is an Esthetician?  I am. 

I didn't follow the video links so I'm not as informed as I'd like to be about what you are all reading and seeing, but I'm a little concerned you would ever put Castor Oil OR essential oils on your face. 

The reason for acne AT ALL - EVER... is a PH imbalance in your skin.  Period.  EV Olive Oil will rebalance your PH (the only exception is in the very rare instance you are allergic to squalene, the main component of olive oil as well as in shark's liver).  It is a natural anti-bacterial and has been used for centuries to cleanse the skin.  Adding anything else to it is totally unnecessary and is likely the culprit if you are not having success. 

Essential oils should never be used directly on your sensitive skin.  Not ever, especially if you are mixing this yourself.   They are incredibly harsh and can create a very toxic environment if not combined properly.  There is serious chemistry involved in this and if you are not a chemist, do not do it!  Olive Oil does not smell that bad, and if you are doing the proper massage it won't smell at all.

Another very important factor is if you have acne and are still using your medications or any other cleansers with an oil cleansing routine, there will be problems.  While the Olive Oil is trying very hard to rebalance your skin, cleansing and medicating is undoing all of the good and will no doubt exaccerbate the problem.

Olive Oil is HIGH in Vitamin E.  Very High.  Don't add any.  Not necessary and most of the Vitamin E you will find is not refined to the point where it will do you any good on your face....it will clog your pores if you are using it from capsules.

If you are committed to a natural, drug-free program of revitalizing your skin and stopping or at least minimizing breakouts, then you cannot have it both ways.  If you decide to go all natural - you can't do the drugs too, it won't help and your frustration will get the better of you.

If ANYONE had ever told me a few years ago to put Olive Oil on my face, I'd tell them to take a hike - and in fact I did.  But, ya, I experimented with it anyway to prove them wrong.  They weren't wrong!!!

Here is what I do.  First off - I am a 44 year old mother of a 25 year old daughter and I have 2 grandkids...I look very young.   I actually grew up living on a sailboat out in the middle of the pacific ocean and there was no such thing as sun screen then.  I laid out in the sun WITH BABY OIL to fry myself - every single day for many years.  I smoked for decades, and I drank like a fish.  I had NO skin-care routine whatsoever (at least none that was good for me)...just very dry skin one day and so oily the next I could fry an egg.  Blackheads that would never subside no matter how much pinching and pulling on my skin.  Whiteheads so far under my skin I figured they were birth defects. 

Now, I look amazing.  I really do and I owe it completely to trying everything under the sun that did not work, until I found plain old EV Olive Oil.  It works...if you do it right.

Here is my disclaimer though - just because I have to.  Everyone has different skin, yes, but we all require the exact same PH balance to have healthy skin so in a sense, we all need the same thing.  And, there are MANY OTHER FACTORS that can affect your skin's PH aside from how you directly care for your skin.  So to isolate those things you don't want to do too many things at once.

Also, keep in mind that your skin is the largest organ of your body.  It ingests and secretes constantly.  If you would not eat a product or more accurately if it does not already exist or can be created in your own body, do not put it on your skin - you might as well swallow it because it goes directly into your bloodstream. (I'm not saying eat mercury or lead...even though these things already exist in your body - I am saying think before you apply!)  If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it and don't let your skin eat it.

Lastly, do not expect overnight results although there will be some.  Do not overdo it and do not freak out if you get a pimple.  It was already there!  This is a deep, prolonged cleansing routine, not an instant fix.  You may have been unbalancing your skin for years through medications and stringent routines or abuse.  Fortunately, this can be fixed.  It won't take long to see results but give it a few weeks at least and a good measure of your success will come from writing down what you do...and more importantly what you do differently. 

Your skin is an exposed organ!  Any changes in topical applications like new makeup - or OLD makeup, exercise, weather, polution, water quality ...whatever, will have an effect so adjust as you go and do not just keep following the same routine for your skin if you change YOUR routine in other areas.  Pay attention and you will have beautiful skin.  Just be gentle.

IMPORTANT -

1.  Wash your makeup brushes every few weeks or replace them...they are FILLED with carcinogens and bacteria.

2.  Your brushes touch your makeup so that has to be changed to.  Trust me, you can use the cheapest makeup on earth and look like a million bucks.  You can use the most expensive makeup and because you can't part with it, it is  bacteria filled and you will be broken out in an hour and not look so hot.

3.  Keep your hands off your face - I'm sure we all know this but I still have to remind myself.

4.  Be gentle with yourself in all ways.  Really.  The fact you are researching anything like this is because you are actively seeking improvement.  That says a lot so please give yourself credit along the way.

OK, here is my routine.  Without seeing your skin I cannot say DO my routine, but I will say that for every single person I have done it on (that has followed it), it has been amazing.

1.  Obviously, drink lots of water - good for you in every way.

2.  If you are going to do this, you cannot take acne medications (or do peels...just yet - AND, if you have recently done a peel or harsh scrub or microderm or are taking anything like retin-A or retinol or anything like that, you need to wait a few weeks because your PH is seriously out of whack right now)

3.  (If you are moving your skin around, you are being too harsh) In the evening, wash your face (don't forget neck, chest and shoulders)  GENTLY with a mixture of Carnation Instant Milk (teaspoon full) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (teaspoon full).  It will lather up a little, so you will feel like you're washing your face.  Do not scrub it.  Not necessary....let the Olive Oil do it's job.  Rinse lightly to get the excess instant milk off.

4.  GENTLY (don't move the skin - press instead) pat dry with a very clean towel, but don't dry completely - leave some moisture.

5.  Take a dime size of Olive Oil (make sure your hands have been washed thoroughly before you do this) rub the oil briskly into your hands and gently massage moving upwards near your nose and downwards near your ears.  Very gently ( if your face turns red, it is causing inflamation - ease up!) and for AT LEAST 6 or 7 minutes.  Use your hands to cover your entire face GENTLY  -...massaging (pressing...do not move or stretch your skin) everything up and then near your ears and jaw push down.   During this first massage, you may suddenly start feeling like you have some Carnation Milk particles on your face - it's not that - those are your blackheads jumping out of your skin. 

6.  After your massage, just let it sit there for a few more minutes, then do NOT wash it off.  But, you can take a warm (not hot) towel and remove the excess, but the point is to not remove the oil completely.  Let the anti-bacterial continue to clean your face.  It will.

7.  After a few minutes, if you still do not like the amount of oil on your face, just blot it, do not scrub. 

8.  Get dressed and do whatever you have to do ...put your makeup on last.

9.  Do not use any sort of moisturizer, but DO use a sunscreen.  A good one - if you don't, you will totally UNDO all of this.  spf 15 is perfect (94-96% effective)...no matter where you live unless you work in the sun in which case, wear a hat and glasses!  Using higher spf only subjects your face to more chemicals and in fact has very little increase in effectiveness.  spf 35 and above (even spf65) is only 1% higher effectiveness and the chemicals on your face are increased by 10.

10.  Apply your makeup and expect some compliments today - even from yourself!

(This is my evening routine 3 days a week - for morning - i don't wash, I just rinse then do the same massage with olive oil, etc.)

The only adjustment you will ever have to make is the pressure you are putting on your skin and the number of times you perform this routine.  Start slow and see how you feel for one day.  If you feel moisturized and clean, don't do it that day, just rinse. 

Good luck all.  Less is better.  If you remember one thing out of this entire post - please remember that.

Later!

Lori