Best Natural Facial Skin Care for Any Skin Type Part One | Natural Cleaning Product Review

Best Natural Facial Skin Care for Any Skin Type (Part One of Two)
Your face--it is the most expressive part of your body. Faces are said to be “readable”just like a book. Faces are how we primarily recognize each other. It has been proven that even newborns can recognize faces.

Surprisingly, the facial skin is the most delicate skin on our body; needing special care and protection. Here is my best natural facial skin care regime. Developed mostly by my teen daughter who loves natural stuff as much as I do!

Our primary goals for our skincare system were: natural, non-toxic ingredients; simple and easy to use; inexpensive choices for anyone to use.

This is just one possible skincare system using all natural cleaning products and green moisturizers, but we think that it is the best! There are many out there to choose from and experiment with. We hope that we inspire you to baby your skin, so you can “put your best face forward”! Enjoy our “Best Natural Facial Skin Care for Any Skin Type”.

Washing
I use African Black soap to wash my face with each night. I have written extensively on African Black soap in a number of different articles.

The main reasons I choose this soap for my face are its total natural-ness, deep moisturizing and yet effective cleansing properties, and its mild, exfoliating properties. I have seen an actual reduction of skin irregularities on my own complexion after using this soap over a period of 6-8 weeks—fine lines and “age spots” and some blotchiness, have diminished.

Note: My daughter says don’t wash with soap in the morning, just rinse with water, so that you don’t over-dry your skin by removing your own natural skin oils.

Toning
For toning I sometimes use witch hazel on the oily parts of my face. Over the counter witch hazel, found in any drug store does have alcohol, but I find that it is still gentle enough to use on my skin. It is a natural cleaning product that is certainly very inexpensive compared to manufactured "toners".

Also, it sounds easy to make your own “witch hazel tea” to tone your skin with from witch hazel leaves, although I have never tried that yet. You can find witch hazel leaves and products at Herbtraders (see right sidebar).

Weekly Steaming
Steaming your face weekly acts as a toner, by deep cleaning your pores causing them to naturally close. This is a natural cleaner; as natural as they come!

How To Steam Face
Boil 2-3 cups of water in a pan. Place pan on a hot pad on your Dining Room table.
Lean your face over pan, careful not to touch the hot pan.
Cover you head and the pan with a towel to create your own “little sauna”.
Steam for around 10 minutes and then immediately wash face with African Black soap.

Acne Treatment and Healing
Daily dot specific blemishes or coat an entire break-out area with Tea Tree Oil. It is a little pricey, around $14.00 for a small bottle; available at Herbtraders from right sidebar.

Tea Tree Oil does smell strong, but the turpentine-ish aroma quickly dissipates. The main thing is that IT WORKS!

It is an all natural, topical antibiotic that kills the bacteria which cause break-outs and it helps to dry out current blemishes. It can be applied numerous times throughout the day or at bedtime, just remember to apply it when you are not going “out” for 15-20 minutes, since it does have a distinctive aroma.

I have grown to appreciate this Australian-original, botanical oil, because it really works to obliterate blemishes and stop break-outs—without expensive, side-effect-causing medications!!

Moisturizing
Use Fresh Aloe Vera-purchased at grocery stores, usually found near the exotic fruits and vegetables. Or you can purchase your own plant and cultivate it. Clip off a 1-2 inch piece, pull open, and wipe the “gel” directly on skin using your fingers. Apply everywhere, even on eyelids.

Aloe Vera helps to moisturize, acts as a humectant (attracting water to the skin), and heals up imperfections and scars. You will see healing take place over a few weeks of consistent use.

Also, you can apply aloe vera multiple times to problem areas each day if you wish. It quickly soaks in and leaves your skin feeling fresh and rejuvenated. I’m haven’t read this anywhere else, but I think that aloe vera also has some toning qualities, as well.

Fresh Aloe Vera Storage
Fresh aloe vera is usually bought in a large “leaf” piece 1-1 ½ feet long. Keep in a cool place (or can be refrigerated) and cut new piece off each day from one end with a pair of scissors.

Why Not Aloe Vera From a Bottle?
If you can find straight aloe vera gel in a bottle, you can certainly use it. However, often, if you read the labels, it is FULL of other ingredients, like alcohol, and will not work, as well as, the fresh.

Fresh Aloe Vera leaves have all the vitamins and enzymes, intact. The bottled kind has been processed in some way to preserve it and might not be as effective. Try the fresh if you can find it—it works great!

Best Moisturizer Combination!
After the aloe vera application, then apply a natural moisturizer. The one I want to highlight today is Alba’s Aloe & Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer from their Hawaiian Skin Care line; this particular one is great for young skin. My teen aged daughter raves about it, after having tried many different kinds.

Alba products are also available at Herbtraders (see sidebar to the right).

This oil-free moisturizer is a healthy, non-toxic moisturizer, that works great to protect from acne. The ingredients get high "natural" marks from the Environmental Working Group.

For Older Skin Add Olive Oil
I add a small amount of olive oil to Alba’s Aloe & Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer for my moisture-needing, older skin! I mix the two directly in my hand in the bathroom and coat on my face--very rich and effective! Mediterranean women have been moisturizing with olive oil for thousands of years!!

Other Keys to Moisturizing
1. Drink a lot of water daily. Moisturize from the inside out!! This can't be said enough, because we all forget it regularly!
2. Protect with SPF sunscreen daily YEAR-ROUND! I have heard 80% of aging comes from sun exposure! Alba also has a line of sunscreens to choose from, available at Herbtraders on the right sidebar.

I hope you try out our Best Natural Facial Skin Care Regime using natural cleaning products and do-it-yourself techniques. It is simple. It is green. It is inexpensive.

This is Part One of Two--The Next Post will include some background facts to WHY these products work the best for an inexpensive, green, natural cleaning and moisturizing system.

Happy Green Cleaning! Green Keen aka Pamela Palmer