Coconut Oil: Skincare

Let me begin by saying that when I talk about coconut oil, I’m referring to Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil. This stuff is a miracle oil! It’s so good I use it on my face! Yes my face. I have suffered with oily/acne prone skin since I was a teenager. I’ve spent money on dermatologists and high priced face products. Who knew the answer to my skin problems would come in the form of an oil.

I wash my face twice a day with coconut oil. It’s a supper easy process:

Step 1- take a dime size amount of coconut oil and massage it on face for about 1 minute.

Step 2- take a face cloth (I like to use a white one so I can see the dirt) run it under hot water. Wring water from cloth then wipe hot cloth over face to remove the coconut oil from face. I repeat this step until all of the oil is removed.

That’s it! If you suffer from dry skin you should take a small amount of oil and use it as a face moisturizer. Sometimes I use coconut oil to replace lotion when I get out the tub. My skin loves this stuff! Did I mention the smell? You’ll smell delicious with this stuff on.

"Commercial moisturizers contain lots of water, which makes you feel like your skin is being moisturized. But as soon as the water dries, your skin becomes dry again. Also, many commercial brands of moisturizers contain petroleum-based ingredients that can suffocate the skin. In contrast, coconut oil provides deep and real moisture. It helps strengthen underlying tissues and helps remove excessive dead cell on the skin's surface that makes your skin rough and flaky in texture.” (huffington post)

Water Challenge Update

I was really admiring my skin yesterday and then it hit me, it must be the water or a combination of things including the water. So I decided to share my skin regiment and some helpful water challenge tips. Click Here for previous Water Challenge post

 

 Image courtesy of Naypong/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

My Current Skin Regiment: 

• I drink between 96 ounces to a gallon of water a day. 
• I drink hot peach tea with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and honey 2-3 times a week. 
• I take a whole foods, food based multivitamin daily
• I take flax seed oil supplement 2-3 times daily with meal.
• I wash my face twice a day with Vitamin E Body Shop face cleanser for 2mins using my Mia 2 Clarisonic.
• I use my homemade half ACV, half water solution toner 
• Then I moisturize with Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream and body shop Vitamin E moisturizer with SPF in the morning or Vitamin E intense moisture cream at night sometimes  I substitute the intense moisture cream for Burt bees sensitive skin moisturizer.

Disclaimer: I'm not recommending my skin care regiment nor products I'm just stating it for full disclosure purposes. I am only recommending you drink more water. 

 

Some Thing's I Found Helpful :

• Buy a 32 ounce container and fill it up 4 times throughout the day, that should result in you drinking 128 ounces of water also known as a gallon. 

• Time is another great tip. You aren't suppose to drink water too fast just so you can get your gallon in lol. Instead have a time target or estimate time for completion. For example  sip on 32 ounces every three hours.  I start drinking my first 32 ounces at 7am and I'm completed by 10:30 am. My second set of 32 ounces usually last me from 10:30am - 1pm. My third set of 32 lasts me from 1 - 3pm. Then I drink my last 32 while I am home usually between 5-9pm at night. 

• Buy a Brita water pitcher or dispenser. Drinking 8 water bottles a day can be expensive and wasteful! Not to mention how strenuous it is for a single female living in an apartment complex trying to carry and unload a pack of water bottles from her car to her front door lol. Either you can constantly carry a ton of water bottles or you can have an unlimited supply of water and replace your filter every two months for $8 its totally up to you lol

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is often referred to as the Miracle Oil. I've been using it for different reasons for over a year now and thought others would be interested in learning about its many benefits.  There’s no way I can cover all the benefits of coconut oil in one post, so I decided to do a series on this miracle oil. The series will cover the following topics:

·         Coconut oil for skincare

·         Coconut oil  makeup remover

·         Coconut oil for hair

·         Coconut oil for cooking

·         Coconut oil for overall health

I look forward to sharing what I know about this miracle oil. -Angelle

The Water Challange

One of my goals for this year was to drink more water and pursue natural remedies for everything.  I try to drink between 3 liters and a gallon of water a day. I can say since starting the water challenge faithfully about three weeks ago, I have noticed my skin, hair, and scalp feels less dry and itchy. I would love it if others joined me *hint hint* so that we can encourage each other to stick with it.

I have included some water challenge inspiration and testimonies below.

This lady says drinking three liters of water a day took ten years off her face. Read the rest of her story here. 

Gabrielle Union shared her beauty secrets with Essence Mag back in 2012. 

 

ESSENCE.com: Your skin is amazing! Describe your skin care routine for us.
Union: It’s funny because I have all of my cleansers in my shower but it really depends on what I feel like using that day. If I want an extra boost, I use the Neutrogena Oil Free Pink Grapefruit Scrub because it’s so pungent. If I wake up with a huge blemish on my face, I’ve got to attack it so I might use an acne-specific cleanser. When I take off my makeup I love the Pink Grapefruit cleanser because when I’m working, they really pack on the makeup so I have to use a deep cleanser. I always use the Clear Poer Toner after I cleanse just to make sure I’ve removed all the makeup.

ESSENCE.com: Do you have any beauty secrets that keep your skin glowing?
Union: I try to drink a gallon of water a day and it’s made a huge difference in my hair, skin and nails.  I generally don’t have major skin flare-ups because I’m so hydrated.  Substitute soda, juice, and any sort of sugary drink out of your diet.  That’s been the best and easiest secret.

Chilli sat down to share some beauty secrets with Hype Hair awhile back. Link

Hype Hair: Now, what about your skin-care routine? How do you care for your skin?

Chilli: It's funny, because people always ask me that question, and on my Twitter page, everything I talk about relates to health and taking care of your skin and all of that kind of stuff. The number-one thing that I suggest that helps with the skin is water. You can never drink enough water, and I have to say I exfoliate my skin a lot. I think that's very important because you're always getting rid of that dead layer.

Hype Hair: How often do you exfoliate?

Chilli: Three times a week, but you have to find a scrub that is not too abrasive, because then you're going to damage your skin.

Hype Hair: Let's talk makeup. Do you have any favorite brands?

Chilli: When I don't have to be in front of the camera, I just love lip gloss, and I might put on a little teeny, tiny bit of eyeliner. When I'm really dressing up, but don't have to be in front of the camera, I'll just put on some blush.

Hype Hair: So you just keep it to the bare minimum?

Chilli: Yep. I'm telling you, if you drink that water and cut out certain things — when the skin is clear and smooth, you don't need makeup.

Hype Hair: That's true. That water will clear your skin up so well.

Chilli: Yes, ma'am. You might have to go to the bathroom a little more often, but let's weigh the options. I'd rather go to the bathroom about three more times a day than have to deal with pimples all over my face, so y'all can talk about me and say, "Chilli needs to use Proactiv." (Laughs)

Hype Hair: So your most tried-and-true beauty tip is just drinking that water for your skin?

Chilli: Yes. Water and exfoliating, and find a good vitamin C serum for your skin because vitamin C is very good for your skin.

Love, 

Christina