Natural skincare: my routine and favourite products

Another week has gone by without posting, time flies when you're busy!

We've been building a raised garden bed so we can enjoy lots of home grown veggies next year. Once it's finished I'll dedicate a post to the whole building, filling and planting of raised beds.

Here's a picture of the frame so far:

Now for my facial skincare routine...

Since changing to all natural cosmetics, I've been trying out lots of products. I still change between products, depending on what my skincare needs are at the time.

First of all, I have dry, sensitive skin with a lightly oily t-zone and very rarely do I get spots.
For cleansing I generally cleanse in the evening and use the oil cleansing method: with an oil of your choice gently 'wash' your face and then using a soft towel that is wet with warm water give yourself a 'steam' bath. You lay the towel over your face, wait a little while and softly rub your face once and rinse and repeat untill the dirt is on the towel and not your face. Then a final rinse with cold water and you're squeaky clean and your skin is cared for. It's a really deep clean without harsh rubbing or using harsh soaps. Works a like a dream on my skin.

When I have an eczema outbreak on my skin, I use coconut oil for oil cleansing and moisturising.

When I have clear skin, I use my own blended oil cleanser: 1/4 castor oil, 1/4 apricot kernel oil and 1/2 olive oil. This is when my skin behaves normally. For travelling I got a trial sized bottle of jojoba oil from Primavera, and as this bottle closes better than the plastic one with my own blend, it's saver putting into my beauty bag. Sometimes, when the mood strikes I use Martina Gebhart Shea Butter cleanser, it's a lovely lotion cleanser, and I rub this all over my face and remove with a soft towel and afterwards I rinse my face with water. 

After hard work and lots of sweating and grime (working in the garden does this), I sometimes use Dr Bronner's Magic Soap in Neutral-Mild (unfragranced) diluted 10 times in water as a face wash. I do moisturise extra after, as even diluted this much it tends to dry out my skin a little.

I bought lots of the turquoise face towels: I can use a new one every day and only have to wash them once every two weeks. I wash them at 60 degrees with a Sodasan detergent that is unfragranced. 

After cleansing, whether it's morning or night, I like using a toner of some kind on my face. Depending on my mood and skin appearance, I change between rose water, orange flower water and witch hazel water. I bought empty pump diffuser bottles, so I have I just finished my bottle of YUULI Metamorphic Elixir, which is really expensive but so, so nice. I'm definitely getting this again. In fact, I just got paid, so I'm placing an order with Amazingy right after posting here! The facial mist is amazing: it is moisturising, so perfect for an oil free night care regime and for people with oily skin for during the day. I find it really calms the skin, gives a wonderful glow and really improves the general appearance of the skin over time.

After toning, I then layer my care products. Every morning and night, I use Dr Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel, which is lovely and gentle, and clears up any eczema flare ups I have. (Especially when I moisturise with coconut oil after, it's a magical combination for my skin.) This is all the skin care I do in the evening, I don't use any oily products over night, which seems to have improved the general feel and look of my skin.

In the morning, I do what takes my fancy: I either use Dr. Alkaitis Organic Nourishing Treatment Oil, Pai Rosehip Oil (DO NOT USE IN THE SUN) and depending on the sunshine add a suncare product over the oil once it's gone into the skin. Especially with the Pai Rosehip oil I tend to use the SPF 30 if I know I'm going to be outside for longer than walking from my car to the office. Otherwise I use SPF 15. 

For lip care, I love the Weleda Everon lip care stick. I love the smell, the consistency and the care it gives! I don't need lip care every day. Normally once we get to the colder months I tend to use it.

So that's my skincare routine. I'm not super consistent, but tend to cleanse my face in the evening and only splash with water in the morning. One consistent thing is always the Dr Alkaitis Organic Soothing Gel, I love this a lot. And once I have the YUULI Metamorphic Elixir again, I guess I'll use that regularly too. Everything else really depends on my mood and the condition of my skin.

In the spring BioBox delivery I got this Arnica Gel Cool Lavender from Go&Home. I was initially a little annoyed and couldn't imagine using it at all, but that all changed in the last month: We got mosquitoes! And this gel is wonderful at keeping mosquitoes at bay and for reducing swelling and itchyness from mosquito bites! It now lives on my nightstand, so I have it at hand before I go to sleep. I rub a little onto my arms and legs and since then I've not had a bite. And mosquitoes love me.... 

Next post I'll report about some hair care findings, and I'll post a homemade courgette soup recipe...

xxx, C.

Recipe: Spicy chorizo and zucchini tomato sauce

We've been harvesting zucchinis and tomatoes like crazy lately. All that nice warm weather with plenty of sunshine and a bit of rain does the vegetables good!

Combine the harvest with the souvenirs we brought back from Barcelona and you have a great dinner!

Yesterday I made a nice pasta/rice/whatever sauce with what we had in the fridge and the garden, and we both really enjoyed it. So here's the recipe:


Spicy Chorizo and Zucchini Tomato keto sauce

Ingredients:
serves 4 fairly hungry people

1 tablespoon coconut oil, butter or any kind of frying fat you prefer
1 medium sized onion, chopped fine
4 medium sized, very ripe tomatoes, or 2 large very ripe tomatoes, cut into small cubes
2 medium sized zucchinis, cut into cubes
2/3 spicy chorizo sausage, cut into small cubes (take skin off first!)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup plain cream cheese
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
1 sprig rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 handful flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
1 handful celery leaves, chopped fine
1/2 handful chopped lovage leaves
1/2 handful basil ripped fine (chopping reduces the flavour, so rip them; they will have more flavour)
salt and pepper to taste


Instructions:
In a large pot or pan heat the fat of your choice and add the onions. Reduce to medium heat and fry until glazed. Then add the chorizo cubes and fry on high for a few minutes. Keep stirring, burnt chorizo is not nice! Add the rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Once the chorizo is evenly fried on all sides, get the zucchini and add to the pot. Stir well and fry on high for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for a minute or so. Add the chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes. At this time cook the rice, pasta or whatever you want to eat your chorizo dish with. Add the pressed garlic to your chorizo veggie pot and the cream cheese and stir well until properly mixed. Simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove the hard stalks of the rosemary and thyme and fish out the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. (You will hardly need anything, it's quite strong tasting already!) When you are ready to serve, add the creme fraiche and fresh herbs and stir in quickly. Now you are ready for spicy deliciousness!

Serve over pasta, rice, fried potatoes, or like I did with shirataki noodles and enjoy! For extra indulgence you could add a little grated manchego cheese or parmesan....

I love the bright vibrant colours of the dish, it tastes the way it looks: happy and fun!

xxx C.

Sunscreens: what works in natural cosmetics?

So sorry for the late, late post! I've been playing catch up at work and at home we started a new project: building a raised bed for our veggies next year. Very exciting, but it's more work than we initially anticipated.
I'll definitely dedicate a post to the whole build and all the work around it once we are ready!

Anyway, today is all about sun care. I tried a few sunscreens in the natural cosmetics sector and found a brand that I so far like a lot. And when you find something that you like and it works, well you stick with it!

So without further delay I present to you Eco Cosmetics!  

The Eco Cosmetics sunscreens are really good and in the picture above you can see which products I currently have in use. The ingredients are limited, no thousand incomprehensible components, no parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, silicons, synthetic sunscreens, or nanoparticles. The main sunscreen they use in their products are titanium dioxide and for some products karanja oil. For the rest nice and caring oils and plant extracts and waxes. They don't cover you in a white sheen like some mineral sun screens and they are pretty economical in their use, so although the aren't the cheapest products around, they last quite a while.

I use sunscreen on my face every day, especially since I've had some moles removed and a pre-cancerous spot on my nose treated. So I usually use the green Eco Cosmetics face cream that contains SPF 15. This is a tinted lotion, goes on lightly and does not take too long to sink into the skin. The colour is suitable for everyone, as it really blends in well and does not add or take away much from the natural skin tone. It is a light enough product to wear under make up or on its own. A little goes a long way and so far I've not had any issues at all when using this product on my face.

If I know I'm going to be out in the sun I use the Eco Cosmetics SPF 30 face gel, on the left of the face cream. It's thicker and feels and looks like a yellow/gold oil. It goes on quite easily, but here a little goes a long way too and it takes longer to really settle on the skin without looking like an oil slick. I use less than one pump and that is enough for my whole face and neck. It protects really well and does not have an unpleasant fragrance, reminiscent somewhat of unripe peaches.

At the beginning of summer I used the tinted SPF 30 cream. Especially my legs look whiter than white so this is a bit of help when you want to wear shorts but not scare the little children in your neighbourhood! It is quite thick, but spreads nicely and gives a very light hint of colour. Watch out for stains when wearing lighter clothing as it is mineral based it will rub off! This cream works really well and I like its protection. No sunburn, and at the end of the day still a hint of colour even though I don't sit out in the sun on purpose.

For ease of use I bought the Sun Oil SPF 30, which has similar ingredients as the SPF 30 face gel, just a little more liquid. I really like this one, but if you are going to be bothered by the shine from the oil, I would sooner use the cream... This does not make you look white, purely because it's an oil and does not contain zinc oxide.

And finally on the far left, my SPF 50 lotion, which I use for days that I know I can't avoid being in the sun. I have to say it goes on quite easily and does not leave behind a too noticeable white film when you spread it well. Works a treat and so far I've found here that it is the nicest consistency and has served me very well on those extra sunny days when gardening work has to be done or when I was in Barcelona and could not avoid the midday sun.

Last but not least the lip balm SPF 30: It is useful and works well but I don't love the consistency. It's quite waxy and thick. But I only use it if I know I'm going to be in the sun. Otherwise I use my trusted Weleda Everon balm.

For after sun if I really need it I have a huge aloe vera plant at home. I just cut off a leaf, scrape out the gel and apply. Works a treat for almost any skin problem! Alternatively I really like the Soothing Gel Serum from Dr Alkaitis, it is a miracle in a bottle! I often use it straight after cleansing my face in the morning or in the evening. It is for the whole body, so not just used as a face care balm.

I have some Melvita Prosun to try out: still haven't gotten round to it, as I've not had or made the time! I bought some bodypeeling from Melvita too, and thought as a preparation for the selftanner I could scrub with the body scrub and then moisturise with the fragrance free Body Oil from Balm Balm and then the next day apply the Prosun... So far, no go!

For a nice glow I've been using the Melvita L'Or Bio, which I love! It gives a really nice natural shimmer and really smells like summer! Very nice and coconutty! Definitely worth investing in, as it lasts forever because a little goes a really long way. Also suitable for face and hair. It's a dry oil, so you don't look like an oil slick after applying. Not suitable to use as a sun screen of course, as it does not have SPF!


Here a quick picture of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona... Already a lot further in the build than last time when we visited Barcelona three years ago.

We really had a lovely time and of course came home with lots of delicious foods from the local market... The other day we had a dinner consisting of tapas, really nice and a little bit of Spain in our own back garden!

Next time I'll write up a little about my delicious chorizo garden vegetable pasta/rice/anything sauce and I plan to discuss my face care routine as well!

xxx C.