I thought I’d update ya’ll (using ya’ll especially for my beautiful cousin Jilly – who I think of every time I hear this southern saying!) …on my use of the oil cleansing method and new face moisturizer (link to original post here).

I had high hopes for this new skincare regiment. As mentioned in my orignal post, my sister has had excellent luck with it…and by excellent I mean, her skin is like porcelain. Sure, she might get a pimple here or there depending on the time of the month – but her skin overall, it’s lovely! Unfortunately, I didn’t have such luck. Which, let me say, doesn’t mean that YOU won’t! But for me, it became clear that whatever I was doing, my skin wasn’t loving.

I am proud of myself for sticking with it for 5+ weeks (just so you know I gave it the old college try)

I went to get a facial one night because my skin was breaking out bad…I didn’t realize the extent of it until the aesthetician looked at me and said my skin hadn’t looked like that ever, ever. Eek! Well, I told her…“I wanted my skin to look good but a big reason for the change in my regiment was to start using more natural products with less sketchy ingredients.” Well, she was fine with the natural part but told me – whatever I was using wasn’t right for MY skin and I should find something else. I appreciated the truth and I will tell you, that was one of the more painful facials I’ve ever had as she tried to extract all the clogged pores on my face ick/ouch. She had a few suggestions for products at the spa but I passed. Instead, I spent some time researching the next day…extensively. And below are the new products I have been using for over 3 weeks since that fateful night. And honestly, my skin is CLEAR. It looks nice! And these products are fabulously paraben and funky chemical free.

3 of the new products in my new routine are made by Juice Beauty

I had heard about this line and seen it at Whole Foods – in reading more – I started to really dig it:

• From the Juice Beauty site: The Juice Beauty team continually searches the West Coast for the purest, most effective organic ingredients, including organic juices, aloe vera, honey, botanicals, plant oils, and raw cane sugar from farms that specialize in sustainable and organic farming.
• These amazing formulations are made without parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances.

I also talked with one of the employees in the Whole Foods beauty section who recommended this line. I ended up with these 3 products:

• Juice Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser: which goes for about $22; comes in a convenient and sanitary pump bottle. My aesthetician said, I need to exfoliate 1x a day (I use this at night). And I like this because it uses jojoba beads to exfoliate so it’s not harsh. You have to get rid of the dead skin, especially in the winter. Dry or oily skin, we all need to exfoliate!
  

  Juice Beauty Exfoliating Cleanser

• Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum: which goes for about $45 – which is pricey BUT Whole Foods will take back any beauty product if you use it and don’t like it. So, that set me at ease when I was making these purchases. This serum is light – I’ve read a bunch of good reviews on it from various sources. I use this 2x a day after I wash and tone my face and before my moisturizer. The serum has a funny smell (at least to me) but I believe it’s the evening primrose oil which is known to be ubber good for your skin (not to mention, women can take it as a vitamin supplement for a variety of things <—read here!)
  

  Juice Beauty Antioxidant Serum

• Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer: goes for about $36; This white cream goes on thick but doesn’t leave any grease aftermath. I want to keep using it because my skin likes it – but I wonder if I might need something heavier in the winter months. Overall, it’s doing the trick in combination with the serum
  

  Juice Beauty Nutrient Moisturizer

The other 2 products I’ve worked into my skincare routine are not from the Juice Beauty line – instead, they come from a line I’d never heard of until I visited and spent some serious time with the Whole Foods beauty consultant.

The line is called Acure Organics – very focused on chemical free products – green packaging and products. Read their mission here

What I’ve worked into my routine:

• Acure Seriously Hydrating Toner: goes for about $16; I was pleasantly shocked by the few ingredients – which are: Water, Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Rooibos, Organic Witch Hazel, Organic Lavender Hydrosol, Organic Glycerin, Organic Chamomile Extract, Organic Calendula Extract
  • Read the back of most toner bottles and the list of ingredients is long and super complicated. After washing my face (AM and PM), this toner wipes off the remaining ‘stuff.’ Toner was what I missed most when I was doing the oil cleansing method. The witch hazel helps keeps pimples at bay – it’s long been known as a natural acne/pimple remedy

• Acure Facial Cleansing Creme Argan Oil + Mint: goes for about $15; my aesthetician suggested I stick with a creme based face wash so the consistency of this is perfect. It removes makeup really well and doesn’t irritate my skin (which is sensitive). Love these ingredients too – argan oil, olive oil, cocoa butter, mint etc.

Both Juice Beauty and Acure Organics have many products that address different skin issues – so if these ones don’t seem like they’d be for YOUR skin…check out their sites for the other products they make for various skin types and conditions. 

Overall, so far (3+ weeks in) I’ve seen noticeable and positive results with this new regiment. Everyone’s skin is different so there is no guarantee it’ll work for everyone. But this has been an interesting adventure for me as I look to work more natural products into my routine. Although those products add up $$, the batch of them still cost less than the cream I was slathering on before my wedding!

I should add – it’s usually suggested you work 1 new product into your skincare regiment at a time…that way, you won’t totally freak your skin out. And, if you work more than 1 in, you won’t always know what is causing an issue or not. So, I’m not saying my cold turkey method is a superb idea – but it was the easiest way for me to start something new…when my jar of overpriced face cream ran dry!

Are you willing to try a new skin care routine?? What has work or hasn’t work for YOU?