Skin is my thing. Besides being owner of an organic skin care line,  I’m a fair-complected gal living in sunshine-y Austin, Tx. Hydrating, protecting, nourishing…it’s all important to me on a daily basis. And the #1 question I’m asked is: “What do you do for your skin?”.
I’ve tried it all, ever since Ivory soap first landed in my teenage cabinet: the chemical-laden, the chemical-free, expensive, affordable, trendy and good old go-tos (Noxema, anyone? Oil of Olay?). Clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder and most of the other department store staples were adored in turn, and Origins had me at “natural”. That’s when I started researching what was in those tubes and bottles, and got serious about skin care.
Originally I was concerned about everything being 100% organic, but keeping my expectations balanced has become more important. It’s what they don’t use that really counts: no unnecessary chemicals, fillers, parabens, or additives. The shorter the list of ingredients, the more I’m drawn to the product, and natural/organic do get stronger considerations. Although I’m a pretty crunchy gal, I’m practical too, and I want results that give me bang for buck.
CLEANSERS are fairly easy. Coconut oil is a no-brainer. Neutrogena has a nice gentle liquid makeup remover that is light and hydrating (some drug stores have their own, cheaper version). For extra cleansing (sweaty day? in Austin? you bet!), Neutrogena’s ultra gentle hydrating cleanser mixed with Cellular Skin Rx’s Polishing Grains (made of ground adzuki beans and found here)Â twice a week does a nice job of removing dead skin cells and leaving a fresh, shiny new face.
(that’s not me, btw. that’s sweetie pie daughter Hannah.)
SUNSCREEN – Instead of skipping sunscreen, fall in love with it! Your skin will be eternally grateful, now and later. I’ve used lots of brands, but Elta MD has a really elegant feel, is chemical-free, uses mineral UV blockers (zinc and titanium dioxide are your friends), contains antioxidants and is a moisturizer that contains sunscreen. The reason this is important? Sunscreens can be very drying, and you need the moisturizer to keep skin from getting parched and tight (or add a couple drops of Marula oil or Gorgeous Rose Face Serum).
VITAMIN C – if you want antioxidants that fight the free radicals caused by UV rays, brighter, more evenly-toned skin, and to preserve the utterly-important, plump, radiant, youthful collagen, this right here is a secret weapon. Ten years of using Cellular Skin Rx’s C+ Firming Serum, and I still get compliments nearly every day on my skin. I see a difference if I skip even a day or two (where’s my glow?). And the best part? Serious quality for a much lower price than the high dollar companies. C+ is a totally affordable, totally effective long-term strategy, well-researched and utterly reliable. **BONUS FACT** CSRX was founded right here in Austin in 2004.
VITAMIN A DERIVATIVES, otherwise known as retinoids (retinol, Retin-A, or tretinoin). The gold standard for maintaining smooth skin, unblocking pores and keeping your collagen production steady, Retin-A goes has lots of variations, and the real thing needs a prescription. An OTC version, which is a good starting point, is Retinol. Neutrogena has one, and ROC does too.
LASERS – IPL (which stands for Intense Pulsed Light),  is my personal favorite, although there are laser variations. I go every winter to Wellsprings Dermaspa here in Austin (Shannon is a laser rock star). Here’s what I like about IPLs: they can even out skin tone, brighten the skin and give it a youthful glow, and can stimulate small amounts of collagen near the surface of the skin to improve texture. *see a laser technician to see what’s right for you*
**Read more about IPLs and see before and after photos here.
This is a picture of a lovely flower because I don’t have one of a laser. ;-)
My favorite organic skin care product, of course, is one I hand-make myself: Gorgeous Rose Face Serum. It’s a skin soothing powerhouse, with apricot oil, calendula-infused grapeseed oil, marula, jojoba, rosehip seed oil, evening primrose, chamomile, carrot seed, rose absolute, and palmarosa. Here’s how to use it: smooth it on as a makeup primer, a few drops on your face and neck at night before bed (to hydrate and decrease wrinkles), or add a couple drops to pretty much anything you put on your face, including sunscreen. Look for it here.
 Speaking of night creams, I am not currently in love with any particular one at the moment and am on the hunt. What’s your favorite? Comment below.
 
Nearly forgot. SLEEP! It’s free and fantastic for your skin. Makes all the difference. Skin cells regenerate while you sleep, did you know? You can’t go wrong with plenty of zzzz’s.
And YOGA. Aahh, yoga. It works wonders on stress, which decreases cortisol hormones, relaxes muscles, puts a serene smile on your face and increases the blood flow, giving a good, healthy glow. You can’t beat that, and if you click here, you’ll find my favorite instructor, Suzanne Deason, on Amazon.
Now, off I go to garden in the beautiful spring sunshine. In a hat. With sunscreen. ;-)
