Confession: I have not washed my face in a year.

It's true.  I stopped washing my face since I stumbled upon the oil cleansing method and I have not looked back. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops when I first started using the method but I thought I'd wait awhile.  After about over a year, I am 100% convinced that oil is so much better than soap or over the counter cleansers for cleaning the face.  My facial skin isn't flawless to begin with,  and it isn't the best model so I am not posting a before and after picture here.  But, I am confident to say that ceasing to use all  bubbling agents has done wonders to my face.

I was hesitant to use oil at first because I have very oily skin.  After some researching I found out olive oil and jojoba oils are a close resemblance to our own sebum so it tricks your skin from producing oil when applied.  Thus the result is having just the right amount of oil on your face.  So basically, you have only one product for cleansing and moisturizing - and it's all natural and chemical free!

To start with, you have to experiment to find the oil that works best for your skin. 

Below is some information I found from the internet  on comedogenic and non-comedogenic oils.

Low Pore Clogging Probability:

Almond (Sweet Almond) oil

Anhydrous Lanolin

Apricot Kernal Oil

Avocado Oil

Castor Oil

Emu Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

Jojoba Oil

Olive Oil

Peanut Oil

Safflower Oil

Sesame Oil

Sunflower Oil

Medium Pore-Clogging Probability:

Corn Oil

Cottonseed Oil

Crisco

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Mink Oil

Soybean Oil

Sulfonated Castor Oil

High Pore-Clogging Probability:

Cocoa Butter

Coconut Oil

Wheat Germ Oil

Most people who use the oil cleansing method suggest using olive oil or castor oil. Castor oil is light, which is good for those with oily skin.  Olive oil is heavier so it's good for those with dry skin.  Depending on your skin type try to experiment on a mixture of the two by increasing or decreasing the proportions between the  heavy and light oil.

Some guidelines:

For normal skin : use one part castor oil to one part Olive oil.

For oily skin, use three parts castor oil to one part Olive oil.

For dry skin, use one part castor oil to three parts Olive oil.

If you find Olive and castor oils doesn't work for you try substituting with different oils from the list.  Castor oil can be substituted with lighter oils like jojoba, almond or avocado oils.

I found pure jojoba oil works best on my skin as it feels the least oily and it has the least smell.  I add about 5-7 drops of tea tree oil for each 4oz of jojoba oil and that's it. The tea tree oil is added for its antiseptic properties, to combat those acne causing bacteria.

So how do I cleanse with it?

1) Massage oil on skin using palm or with a cotton ball if you want a little scrub.

2) Wet a washcloth under hot water then cover your face with it. Steam your face with the washcloth until washcloth gets to room temperature. This opens up the pores and removes impurities.

3) Rinse the washcloth with water and gently wipe off the oil.  

4) Splash your face with cool water (to close the pores).

5) Pat dry your face with a clean towel.

Easy peasy right?  And really there's nothing better than not using chemicals on  your face.

make your place

i invested in this book by raleigh briggs.  it is loaded with hand-written recipes for sustainable and natural nesting. it presents simple instructions for concocting all-natural products from tinctures to facial cleansers.  any person who wishes to go back to the basics and get rid of toxins in their household will benefit from it.

is your life too plastic?

watch the bag it movie and i guarantee you will start to cringe at the sight of every grocery plastic bags, or maybe even any kind of plastic. it is a documentary shot by a man (and his wife), as he educates himself on the scourge of plastic.

that we use millions and millions of plastic grocery bags only to throw it away in the trash is just an eye opener. the video goes deeper into the subject. we all know plastic bottles and containers go in the recycle bin, but not all of us know the difficulty and the costs involved in recycling plastic. then there are those plastics that cannot be recycled and just ends up in great pacific garbage gyre.

i won't go into details. it's a great documentary on how plastic has invaded our lives and is now destroying the planet we live in, and our very own lives.

briefly, i'd like to jot down a few little things we can do to help alleviate the accumulation of plastic wastes (as mentioned in the movie):

don't drink bottled water
choose products with less packaging
think outside the bag, bring your own container
buy less stuff
buy used
recycle comes after reusing and reducing
avoid plastics with #3, 6, 7
simplify your life

Homemade Coffee Cinnamon Body Scrub

a long soak in the tub becomes such a treat once you have a young child. thank goodness my daughter is old enough now that i can finally take my sweet time in the shower. while there might not be enough time to indulge in bubble baths with candle light, surely there is more than enough time for a good scrub. there is no more excuse for my neglect.

the skin on my arms tells me i am due for a body scrub. it looks dull, and it feels tight and dry. it's begging me for some tlc.

 

so i decided to make my own scrub out of  ingredients i have available, and with some help from the book make your place.  i made a concoction of  sugar, coffee and grapeseed oil. i chose grapeseed oil for it's anti-aging benefits, because it helps reduce the size of pores, and because it is a lighter oil than olive oil.  and i chose coffee because.... i love the smell of coffee!  later on i read that coffee has many healing properties when applied to the skin and that it protects the skin from damage by the sun. 


if this body scrub will do wonders for your skin i have no clue. but it's worth a try.  after all it is so easy and quick to make.  if anything i can guarantee that you will love the smell (if you like coffee).  for me, i don't see the point of using store bought body scrub ever again. the smell was divine, and it left my skin feeling softer and smoother without spending a fortune. the only problem is i keep wanting to lick it. the good news is, all ingredients are natural and edible so there is nothing to worry about.

COFFEE CINNAMON BODY SCRUB

1/4 cup still-damp coffee grounds (used)
1/4 cup dry ground coffee (unused)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
about 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil (just enough to make a paste like mixture with the above ingredients)

to make, put all the ingredients in a clean jar big enough to hold everything. mix ingredients together.  store in cool dry place.  the scrub will keep for 2 months.

to use, rub the scrub around your clean damp skin for about 30 seconds or so. if scrubbing the whole body, do the legs first, then the arms, then torso. always rub towards your heart. rinse and pat dry.

locavoring

tank, midi shorts, espadrilles, basket, produce bags, abby hat, water bottle
layout by fey.  photos from links.


going to the farmer's market is one of my favorite activities.  there is something about the sight of fresh fruits and vegetables, and hearing merry conversions held between buyer and farmer.  today is farmer's market day at the park in my neighborhood. unfortunately i am at work instead of being there perusing and filling my senses with the scents and vibrant colors of summer's bounty. i mean c'mon!

so here.  i put together a make-believe farmer's market day.  i hope you'll indulge as i daydream at my desk.

a few notes:
sustainabletable.org says that, “by purchasing local foods in-season, you eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles, your food dollar goes directly to the farmer, and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.”

one convenient way to buy fresh and seasonal produce is by participating in csa programs. this link provides great information on various community supported agriculture (csa) in los angeles. have you tried any csa program in your area?

tabletop terrariums

i felt our tiny apartment needed something green to liven it up a bit so i bought these beautiful terrariums at the farmer's market last weekend. i purchased two, one for our dining table and one given as gift to a family member celebrating her birthday.  inspired by west elm i thought of making it myself but the vendor at the market were selling them at a good price, $15 for the bigger one and $12 for the smaller one.


the succulents will keep inside the glass for at least four months.  when they are taller they can be transferred to a bigger pot.  they are very low maintenance, mine needs only 7 sprays of water once a week. the smaller terrarium needs only 2 sprays once a week.  i'm pretty sure i will be able to keep them alive. 

homemade shampoo

some may call me nuts but in light of my efforts on simplifying my life, and minimizing my carbon footprint I decided to make my own homemade shampoo last weekend.  it was so easy to make and it turned out, the shampoo works better than i expected.  

i lost count on how many bottles of shampoos and conditioners i have tried over the years.  my hair is thick, coarse, wavy, dry, frizzy and some dandruff here and there.  it has a mind of it's own.  most days is a bad hair day for me.  i have tried so many products, and sorting through the vast selection of shampoos and conditioners out there is overwhelming.  while in the process of spring cleaning last week i tossed at least eight different kinds of hair products, barely used.  

my hair is a big fail. when i was about age 7 i remember it being straight, smooth and soft.  then i got ambitious and had it permed too as i was envious of my mom having a perm.  that's when my hair texture went South.  i'm not sure what happened to it.

source:  plumprettysugar via lovesweatandtears

anyhoo, this shampoo didn't reverse the quality of my hair but it's less dry and less frizzy now. and my scalp, it's not itchy anymore. it's worth a try and i will stick with it for while to see how it works in the long run.  besides it's a small investment of my time and money.

i followed this basic recipe i found on pinterest.  it is so simple to make. 

the cast of characters:

1/4 cup distilled water

1/4 cup dr. bronner's pure-castile soap (peppermint)

1/2 teaspoon jojoba oil.

- mix it all up in a spray bottle and kablammo! you have a shampoo.

my experience,

1) this mixture is very watery which is why i store it in a spray bottle so i don't pour too much on my head.

2) it lathers very well which makes me feel like it is doing it's thing - cleaning my hair.

3) the peppermint smell is invigorating and gives that cool tingly feel on the scalp.  it's perfect for the summertime.

4) i still need to use my conditioner to detangle and soften my hair, but it does a good job at cleaning my hair without the use of irritants  (i'm in the process of finding a good homemade conditioner.  any suggestion?)

5) no more itch on the scalp. and i have not seen dandruff since.
6) it's all natural! sulfate-free, and you can customize it to smell however you like, just add 1/8 teaspoon of the essential oil of your choice.
7) it's a money saver

post script : one of these days, i will tell you how jojoba oil changed my life.