Guide to Organic, Natural Skin Care

Hillary Marshall
Lets face it we all want beautiful skin. Unfortunately, many of us battle problem skin. Weather your problem skin is dry, oily, blemished or wrinkling chances are you have turned to countless products attempting to solve your skin care issues. What many don't realize is that turning to commercial chemical products is not always the answer. Not only are many of those products similar to identical in formula, but often they just don't work. Additionally, continued use of those over the counter skin care products can be bad for both you and the environment. Fortunately, there are many simple changes you can make in your daily care regiment that can help you fix your problematic skin.

Moisturize

It is essential that we moisturize our skin. Not only does it help with dry skin, but it also helps prevent wrinkles and fine lines. Natural Shea Butter is one of natures best moisturizers. Finding a good, simple, organic Shea Butter product is the first step in good skin care. Shea Butter has many benefits, it is a moisturizer, emollient, anti-inflammatory and it is also great for rashes, scars, burns, eczema, acne, dry skin, discolorations, stretch marks, wrinkles and other skin irritations. Cocoa Butter is another great natural moisturizer. While it doesn't have the same versatility of Shea Butter, Cocoa butter does have it's uses. Cocoa Butter contains natural antioxidants, making it great for use as a emollient and moisturizer. Plus, it also is excellent for scars and stretch marks. A great source for Shea Butter is Nature's Shea Butter, they make a variety of different 100% organic Shea Butter products. A great source for Cocoa Butter would be Prairieland Herbs, Belly Balm. This products is simple and organic.

Oily

Controlling oily skin requires the use of a good astringent. A natural astringent that works well is Witch Hazel. Witch Hazel is also excellent for sores, bruises, swelling, acne, insect bites and a variety of other conditions. Witch Hazel is sold in a natural alternative to the common drug store variety, which is based in alcohol. When looking for Witch Hazel you will look for a distillate formula, because distillate formulas are gentler than alcohol formulas. Thayer's makes an alcohol free Witch Hazel that comes in various different formulas. Thayer's is sold at GNC stores and is very reasonably priced. Before you use your astringent you should always use a good cleanser. Some ingredients to look for in a good organic cleanser for oily skin are aloe, honey, apple juice, lavender, lemon grass, lemon, lime, tomato, sage, rose, peppermint and chamomile. Santaverde brand makes a good Aloe Vera Cleansing gel and Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Complexion Soap is excellent as well. Finishing up with a good oil free moisturizer is next, otherwise your skin will rehydrate itself. Alba Hawaiian Oil-Free Moisturizer, Aloe & Green Tea is a great product and it is easy to find. You will want to go through this regiment at least twice daily to keep your skin clean and fresh.

Acne

Acne is a common problem for people of all ages. Consumers spend millions of dollars annually on products for acne relief and most of those products are virtually the same. Tea Tree Oil is a great natural acne remedy that many have used with great success. Tea Tree oil is a natural antiseptic, which is why it works well for acne. Using pure essential Tea Tree oil is best. About twice daily you would use a cotton swab and sweep it over the affected areas of your skin. Many companies make Tea Tree Oil cleanser, which is a viable alternative to using the pure essential oil. Desert Essence carries several different Tea Tree Oil products like their Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi, which is excellent. Burt's Bees makes a Parsley Blemish stick that works well and is great for traveling. Using a good oil free moisturizer is essential, try Alba Hawaiian Oil-Free Moisturizer, Aloe & Green Tea or Avalon Organics Vitamin C Rejuvenating Oil-Free Moisturizer. As with oily skin, you will want to repeat this regiment at least twice daily.

Wrinkles

Obviously, the best way to prevent wrinkles is by using a good sunblock. Apply an organic sunblock to your skin daily, year round. Select either a moisturizer with sunblock or a sunblock lotion. Some companies that sell good natural suncare products are Alba, Burt's Bees, Avalon and Desert Essence. Naturally, people who have wrinkles are also interested in reducing the appearance of wrinkles, in addition to preventing new wrinkles. Using a serum infused with vitamins and minerals is typically the best way to combat the appearance of wrinkles. Vitamins B, A and C are excellent as well as CoQ10. However, those are just a few ideas to keep in mind when looking. Check out Drugstore.com has a wide variety of organic items in their natural products section.

There are a few things to keep in mind when switching to a natural skin care regiment. When using essential oils it is best to test them out on a small patch of skin before using the all over. Additionally, if something doesn't work well for you try different natural products and stay basic. Search the Internet for products and also check out local health stores.

Published by Hillary Marshall

I love to write. I have since I was a girl. I write short stories, essays, and poetry. I have one daughter and she is 14. Someday my daughter will surpass me her writing is fantastic. Currently I freelance w...  View profile

1 Comments

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  • Lisa S7/13/2007

    Great article! These tips are wonderful!

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