Natural skin care | Black Girl with Long Hair Black Girl with Long Hair | Natural Hair Styles and Natural Hair Care

04 March 2010 ~ 54 Comments

Natural skin care

Health & Beauty

So I’ve lately developed an interest in ‘naturalizing’ my skin care regimen. It’s well known which natural products work best on hair but are there natural ingredients that work best for skin??

I know there are many drugstore brands that do a good job keeping skin clear and radiant. But have you come across any natural products that do this?

I know this is a bit off topic, but I figured I’d ask :) And if you have ingredients for various scrubs and what not, please share.

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54 Responses to “Natural skin care”

  1. target queen 4 March 2010 at 3:16 am Permalink

    I use the oil cleansing method, no soap EVER.
    I use a mixture of olive and castor oil, 80% olive and 20% castor, massage into my skin, wipe with warm/hot rag a few times and follow with shea butter.
    nothing else ever kept my skin acne free and I had cystic acne unti 3 years ago when I started this method.
    now I dont have to wear any foundation unless I want to..no more acne.
    In the morning I just rinse my skin with water and follow with shea butter.
    there are a bunch of articles about the oil cleansing method online..and even some youtube tutorials
    I will never ever use soap again, for 20 years I used soap and every acne product at the store and I still had horrible skin, when I stopped using soap, my skin cleared up.
    I also use bentonite clay masks weekly.

    Reply
  2. Laura 4 March 2010 at 5:32 am Permalink

    I have acne-prone, sensitive, combination, dark skin.
    I like AUBREY ORGANICS blue green algae mask twice a week for 1 hour: it’s long lasting and has made a difference on my skin.
    Some natural ingredients I like:
    - amla, neem, orange peel powder, honey (for quick exfoliating masks), water + apple cider vinegar toner.
    Things that gave me bad results:
    - Lemon juice, baking soda, rice powder (all too harsh), oils (I get acne).

    Reply
  3. AdriB 4 March 2010 at 6:14 am Permalink

    While still wet from a shower, olive oil plus a little hanging around in a bathrobe gives you wonnnnnderfly smooth skin. I’ve actually accidentally brushed against men and gotten a “Oh my goodness!! Your skin is so SMOOOOOOOOOOTH!!!”

    Reply
  4. Esther 4 March 2010 at 8:02 am Permalink

    I have oily/combination, acne-prone skin and for a long time I avoided putting oils on my face. However, years of using oil-free products seemed to have been accelerating the aging process for me. So, I switched my moisturizer to my most reliable oil for hair, shea butter, and I haven’t noticed any ill effects. It left my skin more moisturized and didn’t break me out. To combat acne, I removed all dairy products (and casein containing foods) from my diet and it’s worked like a dream! My skin hasn’t been this clear since before I reached puberty. For a body scrub, I use granulated sugar and a mixture of coconut and/or olive oil. It leaves the skin feeling exceptionally smooth and silky. For an exfoliating scrub, I use granulated sugar and fresh lemon or lime juice (1 cup of sugar per 1/2 lemon). The exfoliating scrub has done wonders for smoothing rough patches, stretch marks and hyperpigmentation. Hope this helps some of you!

    Reply
  5. Simplicidee 4 March 2010 at 8:23 am Permalink

    Sodium Bicarbonate!! Baking soda is one of the greatest cheapest products ever. It’s good for everything! Everything? EVERYthang!! LoL. I use it to brush my teeth. I scrub my face with it (sometimes baking soda alone or baking soda and castile soap). I put some on my wash cloth when I’m bathing. I think i used to put it on pimples that pop up. I’ve used it on my scalp and in my hair to clarify.

    It’s very practical, cheap, and effective. Reminds me, I need to buy a box. And I don’t think that this is off topic at all. Wait, did you mean commercial natural products maybe like Aveno, or plain natural products? oh well. hope this helped. :)

    Reply
  6. Joy 4 March 2010 at 8:27 am Permalink

    I love Dr. Bonner’s Peppermint Soap, which seems to be a multipurpose cleanser that I discovered for my hair, but use exclusively as a facial wash now. And my all-time favorite after-wash moisturizer (if you can call it that), is Palmer’s cocoa butter. This combination is as simple and good as it gets for me as far as getting skin clean, soft, and radiant. Plus the cocoa butter works wonders at fading marks left from blemishes.

    Reply
  7. vonnie 4 March 2010 at 8:50 am Permalink

    i hear that burt’s bees is awesome for skincare. and I want to try yes to carrots. I’ve also created my own skin treatment of aloe vera juice, coconut oil, rosemary oil, and tea tree oil. I just put that on after I wash my face. I’m still looking for something amazing that will have my skin glowing/clear, but no complete luck yet :(

    http://socialitedreams.wordpress.com

    Reply
  8. nappy3000 4 March 2010 at 9:09 am Permalink

    Black Soap for my face is a God Send! It has helped to reduce dark marks and I get fewer pimples!

    Reply
  9. Kenya D. 4 March 2010 at 9:21 am Permalink

    I find the best treatment for my skin (which btw use to be very prone to breakouts), is washing with black soap when I wake up and before I go to bed. This leaves my face feeling clean and refreshed, but not dry. As a scrub I lather the black soap in my hands, then add about 1 tbsp of baking soda, rub my hands together creating a little paste, and use this mixture to clean my skin. This removes all the dead skin, cleans my face, and leaves it with a healthy glow. For a deep cleaning mask I use bentonite clay. I add 2 tbsp of ACV to 2 tbsp of bentonite clay and mix. It turns into a light, airy mousse, I apply it about 1/4″ thick to my face, let it sit for 20min, and rinse with warm water. This mask removes all impurities from your face and unlike with commercial products you can actually tell…and not because your face feels stripped. It just feels very clean, soft, and smooth. I could tell that my pores hade been thoroughly cleaned because as weird as it sounds my face just felt “light” LOL. I know you’re wondering how your face can feel light, but I guess it’s just one of those things you have to experience for yourself to know the feeling. My only words of caution are to not use this right before you’re about to go somewhere. I have a deep brown complexion and I still experienced some slight redness around my eyebrows and nose–it went away after about 25-30min. I then always use shea butter as a moisturizer for my face. If I use an amount about the size of a pencil eraser my skin never feels weighed down or greasy, just soft & moisturized. This also helps to give you a healthy glow no matter your complexion. A wonderful skin scrub recipe I got from AGRLCANMAC (http://www.agrlcanmac.com/) is mixing 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of sweet almond oil, honey ( i forgot to add, but the original recipe calls for this), and a few drops of EO ( I used lavendar). I used this scrub on my legs right after shaving and they felt heavenly. Smooth, soft, just O SO TOUCHABLE!! My boyfriend loved it!
    I really hope these help!

    Reply
  10. Cecily 4 March 2010 at 9:30 am Permalink

    Facial steams are great, natural, & cheap! Adding eucalyptus oil clears out your sinuses, tea tree oil is good too. Just make sure to follow-up with a mask to close your pores. Also, I have oily/acne-prone skin, so once a week (or twice if I feel the need) I scrub my skin with baking soda. Just make a paste in your hand with some water and then rub gently into your skin for no more than 15 sec. It’s a good way to get rid of dead skin. Making a mix of tea tree oil and water and rubbing some over your skin with a cotton ball is great for oily skin as well. Aloe is also AMAZING! Just rub some on your skin everyday. You will glow!

    On my body, I’ve found that mango butter keeps my skin softer than anything else during the winter months.

    Reply
  11. tammyaNka 4 March 2010 at 9:38 am Permalink

    SHEA BUTTER
    COCoNuT OIL
    TEA TREE OIL FOR PROBLEMS
    THAT SIMPLE….
    signed former acne sufferer and eczema kid!

    Reply
  12. Bonolo 4 March 2010 at 9:57 am Permalink

    Well,I decided to do the same thing this year. Anythng 2 do with my body should be natural coz Ive had some disasters with chemicals nd their ilk. I live in a coastal town,nd luckily enough we have a company called lush which makes all its health nd beauty products by hand nd with all natural ingredients.My washing soap is a jelly like substance made of seaweed natural gelatine nd lavender I thnk!Smell beautiful nd is completely natural nd eco-friendly.My hair,i use pure shea butter (one of my expensive vices,bt all worth it) nd lavender oil with a hint of vanilla essence for the smell. nd my skin vaseline nd face,lavender oil!my skin hasnt had an ezcema break out in nearly a year, nd i dnt see any complaints!It works for me nd I feel assured when i look at the ingredients list nd can locate the source of the product components.My deep conditioner is also from lush nd is made of agar agar gel,soya milk,organic yoghurt,avocado oil,etra virgin olive oil nd anti-fungal creams..which seem to work coz my neither breaksor weakens..

    Reply
  13. sesi 4 March 2010 at 10:01 am Permalink

    Call me crazy but I SWEAR by salt and lime as face wash/cleansers. OR you can buy Giovanni’s Cool Mint Lemonade Scrub as an alternative.

    You can also try an olive oil facial cleanse (videos on youtube).

    For all over moisture. I mix mint with olive oil, shea butter and cocoa butter from Ghana. Rubbing honey on your body and sitting in a steamed bathroom also helps (rinse off of course).

    Bon chance!

    Reply
  14. BrownBabe 4 March 2010 at 10:03 am Permalink

    I have also been looking at some natural/organic skin care options – and I’ve heard great things about the Aubrey Organics line. I know lots of folks are also getting their mixtress on and coming up with some recipes that work wonders.

    Reply
  15. Hmmm 4 March 2010 at 10:06 am Permalink

    As a person with extremely sensitive acne prone skin, I stopped using mainstream skin care products (Clean & Clear, Neutrogena ,etc) a WHILE ago. There are lots of natural skin care brands (Burts Bee’s, Caudalie. etc), just there are alot of natural hair brands. Personally, I LOVE Trader Joes Tea Tree vegan soap for my face and body and use diluted organic ACV as a toner/astringent. To scrub, I use asprin masks (a couple uncoated asprin pills mixed with water), and it gives me an amazing glow! I use Kiss My Face brand lotion (aloe & vitamin e is my fave) and it keeps my skin super silky & soft. To prevent breakouts I use Nature’s Cure, and I must say it has worked WONDERS for me.

    Hope I didn’t overwhelm you with products, but I’m just as passionate about natural skin care as I am natural hair care. My skin (and hair) have NEVER looked better or been healthier.

    Reply
  16. Smiley Face 4 March 2010 at 10:14 am Permalink

    I use the same thing on my skin that I do with my hair, a whipped shea concoction that has shea butter(of course), coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, aloe (from the plant), olive oil, castor oil and either lemon grass and vanilla oils (or both). On my face I use coconut oil.

    Reply
  17. Tiko 4 March 2010 at 10:17 am Permalink

    I find that my skin is at its best when I keep it simple. I wash my face with 100% olive oil soap. I then use a cotton pad, and soak it with witch hazel, and wipe that all over my face. I then put a few drops of ozonated olive oil on my face, and I’m done. My skin is the clearest it’s ever been! The oil leaves it nice and radiant. Very little goes a long way, too much will look greasy…lol.

    The only time I deviate from this is when I’m wearing make up, which is about 1-2 times a week. In this case, instead of using oil at the end, I’ll put a light, organic lotion, by JASON on my face. Then, I use Bare Escentials makeup. I really like it, it’s natural and doesn’t clog my pores.

    Reply
  18. angela lopes 4 March 2010 at 10:20 am Permalink

    heya
    try savvy brown she has anything that u need to know about natural ways of living
    I usually use Body shop products, they are natural enough for me and i stay away from anyhting that has petrolatum even lip balms

    http://savvybrown.com/

    http://www.mwatum.com/ – coup de coeur she is really good also

    http://www.thebodyshop.com

    Reply
  19. Aptlife 4 March 2010 at 10:29 am Permalink

    Oh, good question. I stopped using the famous face brands almost a year ago. I realized that my scrubs were too harsh, had wax as an ingredient and left residue on the bathroom walls (imagine what it did to the face) and my astringent was too harsh and was probably causing skin damage and making my face susceptible to sun damage.

    Wash: Dr Bronner’s peppermint castile soap
    Astringent: Thayer’s Witch hazel
    Face scrub: Brown sugar & honey (for a body scrub, I’ll add Alba body oil)

    The only thing I’m in search of now is a natural moisturizer. I currently use Oil of Olay, and I actually love it. But if there’s something natural and better, I want to try it. My skin has improved so much in such a small amount of time that I’m mad I didn’t know about these products earlier in my life. :(

    Reply
  20. Danyelle 4 March 2010 at 10:40 am Permalink

    I’ve been using natural Neem soap for the month or two now and it has really cleared up my skin. You can find bars online between $2-7.

    Reply
  21. Nikki 4 March 2010 at 11:17 am Permalink

    I like the Say Yes to Carrots moisturizer, but I need more natural body products too. I also want to try the Korres line but it’s a bit more expensive.

    Reply
  22. NappturallyHappy 4 March 2010 at 11:34 am Permalink

    Milk of Magnesia for facials. Makes the best mask and really pulls dirt out. Depending on how oily your skin is, can be messy to remove, but leaves your skin baby soft.

    Reply
  23. Joy 4 March 2010 at 11:47 am Permalink

    Oh yeah, steaming is great too.

    Reply
  24. J 4 March 2010 at 12:05 pm Permalink

    For clear glowing skin, I use

    baking soda (cleanse/exfoliate)
    ACV (cleanse/tone/clear up pimples)
    sugar/sea salt scrubs (exfoliate)
    steam! (penetrate moisture)
    EVOO, EVCO, castor oil, shea butter (seal in moisture/protect from cold dry air)

    Reply
  25. anon 4 March 2010 at 12:45 pm Permalink

    I have sensitive, acne-prone skin. I wanted to get away from the doctor-prescribed, unpronounceable medicines, and find something more organic. I (we all) need a mild cleanser and a “scrub-less” exfoliant (so as not to further irritate my skin). I swear by Chagrin Valley Grapeseed Shea Complexion saop (check out their entire line). I mask 2x weekly with either bentonite or french green clay (as an exfoliant), and moisturize with apricot kernel oil. There is a book out there, the title fails me, but it’s to do with aromatherapy, and you can learn a lot – yellow cover w/ green lettering.

    Reply
  26. Shake 4 March 2010 at 1:15 pm Permalink

    Definitely! I make my own face wash with:

    1/3 of a small bottle of Dr Bronner’s lavender castile soap
    5 drops of Pachouli essential oil
    4 drops of Ylang-ylang essential oil
    a few drops of tea tree
    a squeeze of vegetable glycerin
    a squeeze of aloe gel
    and the rest water
    I also add vitamin e sometimes.

    Dudu Osun black soap bar is the BOMB for all over!

    I moisturize my body with cononut oil, grapeseed oil, or almond oil (I also love these on my hair). No lotion in this bod! All those nasty chemicals and such…I use Oil of Olay moisturizer spf 50 for sensitive skin on hot days and days that I will be outside during peak uv hrs. It’s gentle

    Reply
  27. alero 4 March 2010 at 1:41 pm Permalink

    I use black soap! It does wonders. I am looking for a natural lotion now

    Reply
  28. Shones 4 March 2010 at 2:03 pm Permalink

    Great question! I’m enjoying reading all these responses. You ladies are giving me great ideas.

    Let me start by saying I have always had really oily skin. If I wash my face at 7 am, I’m oily by 9.

    My regimen:
    Face wash – Dr. Wood’s Black/Shea Soap or Dr. Bronner’s Castile
    Seal in moisture w/dime- to quarter-size amount of cold-pressed castor oil. Sometimes I use raw unrefined shea butter instead.

    Reply
  29. Shones 4 March 2010 at 2:05 pm Permalink

    i just realized… it sounds weird that i said i have oily skin, but i use oil. it leads to more of a dewy look. since i started using Castor Oil, in particular, i’ve received more compliments on my skin than ever.

    Reply
  30. misslycia 4 March 2010 at 2:12 pm Permalink

    I agree with targetqueen, when I stopped using soap, it was the best thing ever for my skin. The soap I had was actually making it drier.

    If you have the tendency to have dry skin, I would definitely exfoliate at least once a week with a scrub. In addition to the suggestions above, this site has good natural recipes:

    http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/recipe/recipes.asp?category=17

    To moisturize, jojoba and olive oils are good for the face. I wrote an overview of the best oils for the skin here:

    http://www.alldaynatural.com/skincare/natures-nectar-oils-for-soft-supple-skin/

    Good luck!

    Reply
  31. Black Girl With Long Hair 4 March 2010 at 2:30 pm Permalink

    This information is wonderful!!!

    Reply
  32. LilacStarrrrrr 4 March 2010 at 4:26 pm Permalink

    i stopped wearing makeup (ie foundation and blush) and after 2 weeks my skin started to clear up. At that point i just started using a tiny bit of baking soda mixed with cetaphil’s face cleanser once a week (and when i wear eye make-up) and just plain water every other day. I use a little bit of olive oil after i shower while my face is still wet and my skin has been clear and consistent ever since. This is what works for me as i have very dry skin. this regiment would not work for someone who has oily skin or feels that they must wear makeup on their skin everyday. We underestimate the natural cleansing power of water and use all of these products that claim to clear up skin but really they are just causing more problems for our already delicate skin. If you are using a facial or body cleanser with and SLS or sulfate surfactants you should stop. SLS strips your skin of natural sebum (oil produced by your body to keep skin moisturized supple and elastic) just as it does you hair and exacerbates the problems we have with our skin and negates our bodys ability to produce the proper amount of oil and distribute it across the hair and skin.

    Reply
  33. luvmylocs 4 March 2010 at 4:41 pm Permalink

    i actually have good success with aveeno products. i know they aren’t completely “natural” but they have good ingredients, including their sunscreen. also, not sure if you wear makeup but mineral makeup REALLY helped heal my skin. i was wearing mac foundation and oh boy was that bad!! i still love mac colors for eyes and lips but i will never wear anything other than mineral makeup on my skin!

    Reply
  34. Michelle 4 March 2010 at 6:03 pm Permalink

    Honey! I have dry skin and I started using honey about 3 weeks ago and found out not only does it treat dry skin but helps to tighten the skin and make it feel smooth as a baby’s bottom! Here is the recipe:

    1. You wash your face with a mild cleanser ( I used my Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Soap),
    2. Pat your face dry with a hand towel.
    3. Apply the honey to your face. Start with a small amount and spread it across your face, its best to start with small amounts and add as needed since honey is so thick.
    4. You leave it on for 5-10 minutes then wash it off with lukewarm water and VOILA.

    The recipe said that you will feel an immediate new softness in the texture of your skin and they were right!!!!

    Reply
  35. Maureen 4 March 2010 at 6:12 pm Permalink

    I always start with warm water and finish with cold, in the morning that’s all I do. At night I remove my make-up first with facial wipes by MAC, they leave my skin super soft and aren’t drying (but expensive). I also use milk, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil or ACV as a cleanser. Then I follow with cooled green tea (it’s the best) and moisturize with either sheabutter, cocoa butter or jojoba oil. I dab on every product and massage it in. Once a week I make a facial mask with amla powder dissolved in coconut milk with a few drops of tea tree oil, works wonders and makes my skin look so radiant. Oatmeal with water as a scrub and honey with olive oil as a deep conditioning treatment. No. Soap. Ever. That’s it ;)

    Reply
  36. Simone 4 March 2010 at 7:30 pm Permalink

    I don’t wash my face. Haven’t for years. I rinse it while in the shower every morning and twice a week, cleanse it with Neutrogena “soap” (a glycerin bar).

    I have a little acne right now so I’m also using Neutrogena Acne Regime.

    I moisturize my face with a little raw shea butter.

    no makeup, I’m too cute for all day der!

    Reply
  37. Kii 4 March 2010 at 7:36 pm Permalink

    I recently started washing my face with nubian heritage black soap. I then follow up with some shea butter as a moisturizer. I really have seen a difference and I’ve only been using it for a week or so.I purchased both from my local health food store.

    Reply
  38. cjbrownsc 4 March 2010 at 10:02 pm Permalink

    For the last year this has been my routine:

    Wash: Village Fresh Herbal Black Soap (Avocado)
    Toner: Humphrey’s Witch Hazel
    Moisturize: Organic Cocoa Butter
    Mask: Once a week (Bentonite Clay & ACV)

    My skin is in the best condition it’s ever been!

    Reply
  39. Janique 4 March 2010 at 10:52 pm Permalink

    I use black soap for my face and body and shea butter on my face….

    Reply
  40. Adetta 5 March 2010 at 12:45 am Permalink

    I’ve just recently found Brendita’s Body Works http://www.brenditasbodyworks.com/index.html). I got my samples today of her silk sheets line of body butters. Her products are natural, not full of water, mainly organic and the shea butter lotion I used tonight feels wonderful. I’m looking forward to checking out more of her products and this might be another option if your not into mixing your own products, which for me can get to be a lot to do.

    Reply
  41. JOICE 5 March 2010 at 11:12 am Permalink

    This is a great site. In searching for the best regime, you have to be obseravant on what works for you. Like, while I drink ACV and water every morning. I found it to be to harsh to apply directly on my skin everyday.
    My regime:
    Wash: I make a paste in my hand of Baking Soda and lemon(if I have a blemish, the lemon lightens) or Baking Soda and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

    Toner: Witch Hazel or Apple Cider Vinegar with a little water on the cotton ball. If there is a breakout ACV is great but it may burn a little. Be careful.

    Moisturizer: ECVO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    These natural blessings work you just have to find the combination for you.

    Peace and Love Black Girls

    Reply
  42. Adrienne 5 March 2010 at 11:32 pm Permalink

    I love Trader Joe’s moisturizing cream. It’s all natural and it really helps my skin during the winter.
    Have you ever heard of LUSH? It’s a health and beauty company that makes all natural skin and hair care products. I haven’t used anything on my hair, but I did try one of their facial masks and I loved it! You keep it in the fridge and it lasts about 3 weeks. My skin felt ‘new’. Google it and see if there is one in your area, if you are interested.

    Reply
  43. MissPomegranate 6 March 2010 at 8:52 am Permalink

    My skin is on its way…and all because of a system my grandmother used in 1930: wash with Carbolic soap (it usually goes for 69-99 CENTS in the NY area), rubbing alcohol/witch hazel (depending on skin sensitivity)onto wet skin, and moisturize with natural cocoa butter. I am acne free, my dark marks are fading, and my skin GLOWS! Forget paying so much cash for Proactive or any of the other products I used growing up…..I could have saved a lot of money and tears if I’d just used an anti-bacterial soap that was invented in the early 1900s. Go figure.

    Reply
  44. prettydarkthing 6 March 2010 at 11:34 am Permalink

    Noxzema, followed by a thin layer of vaseline.

    But sugar (white) and lemon scrubs work well for keeping skin soft.

    Reply
  45. JayJay 6 March 2010 at 12:03 pm Permalink

    I was introduced to raw shea butter a couple of years ago by a Ghanaian girlfriend who had immaculate skin. Now I use no commercial /chemical based products at all on my skin at all; instead I use raw shea butter, which I melt down and mix with drops of almond, vitamin e, and coconut oils. I wash with black soap or Dr Bronners. Once a week I use Queen Afua clay mask. My basic rule is that I don’t put on my skin anything I’m not prepared to put in my mouth.

    But its also what you put in your body as well as ‘on’ it …
    Every morning I drink lemon and hot water .. and at least 2 liters of water a day. Plus I’ve eliminated dairy and red meat. Now like another earlier poster on this topic – I only wear foundation if I feel like – mostly I don’t.
    So find a routine and stick to it and you should see results.
    Peace, love and light from London, England
    :)

    Reply
  46. chloe 6 March 2010 at 1:24 pm Permalink

    Face:

    I have to second some of the commenters who advocate the oil cleansing method. My oily skin no longer over produces oil! I massage a grapeseed oil blend (with neem, clary sage, and tea tree oils) on at night, remove with a gentle cleanser from Korres, and moisturize with Dr. Eckstein’s Krauter Supreme (for acne-prone skin). In the morning I just rinse my face in the shower and then press in a little of Dr. Hauschka’s normalizing day oil.

    For exfoliating and special treatments, I like to first put some steaming water in a bowl, add a few drops of tea tree oil, and then wet a washcloth and press it over my face. Second, I exfoliate with a spinning brush. Lastly, I do a mask (Dr. Eckstein’s Moor Mud mask and Dr. Hauschka’s Cleansing Clay mask are great!).

    Body:

    To wash, I only use natural bar soaps. My favorite is a “savon d’Alep” which is an olive oil soap made with a fairly high laurel oil content – this pretty much cleared up my body acne! For exfoliating, I like using exfoliating gloves with a hammam/Turkish black soap (not the type made with shea butter, which breaks me out) which is made with olive oil, laurel oil, and rhassoul clay.

    To moisturize, I loooove alba botanica’s kukui nut body cream. I think my hair and body needs aloe to be moisturized!

    Reply
  47. Cygnet 6 March 2010 at 7:20 pm Permalink

    I don’t use anything special to cleanse with, but because I use things like aloe vera gel and coconut oil to add to store-bought conditioners to make moisturizing conditioner mixes for my hair, I have been massaging whatever residue is on my hands after my nightly twist-up into my hands and arms when I’m done. It has done wonders for my elbows. One thing I like to do is wet my hands and rub a little shea butter into my wet hands. I slide the excess onto my face and gently rub it into problem areas. Also, this week, I purchased my first bottle of vegetable glycerin. I mean to use it in upcoming conditioner mixes, but to this point, I’ve been using it drop by drop as an emollient on my hands, face, and lips twice a day. Those body parts are very happy right now :-)!

    Reply
  48. Christina_keys 6 March 2010 at 10:19 pm Permalink

    FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
    DO invest in some Origins Microdermabrasion Facial Scrub ($36.00)
    Pricey, right? NOPE. I use it religiously once a week for the past two years and I STILL HAVE HALF THE AMOUNT LEFT. The black girl who was working at the Origins store told me it lasted her over two years, but I didn’t beleive her! But it is true, and she had the clearest skin, too!

    Also, Iman’s Oil-Free Moisturizer with SPF 15 is the TRUTH. Hands-down, BEST face mositurizer I have ever used!

    And I use tee tree oil or witch hazel and a cotton ball to tone my face, works like a charm! The only time I get pimples now is when I don’t wash makeup off my face before I go to bed. I don’t even wear foundation, concealer nothin like 90% of the time! It’s great.

    Reply
  49. luvmylocs 7 March 2010 at 12:43 pm Permalink

    i forgot to mention i use witch hazel. i think i’ll use more of the nubian heritage products because their shea butter is working very nice on my skin!

    Reply
  50. Tamera 7 March 2010 at 3:05 pm Permalink

    Love reading all the comments here, I’ve gotten some great tips. I stopped using commercial products as well and when I’m out of my current facial cleaser stash from Lush, I’ll try some of these tips.

    One thing about Lush – I’m a bigtime Lushie, love their stuff! However, they are not completely “all natural” – they only claim “freash, handmade” and much of their stuff uses organic ingredients. I’ve found that some of their soaps and most of their shampoos contain sulfates so I now stay away from those. But their face masks, face cleansers/moisturizers, natural deodorants, bath bombs….love ‘em!

    Reply
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