Svea. She’s got a sense of humour on top of her deluxe knowledge of oils
This is a guest post from a really cool girl named Svea who claims she’s not an oils expert, but compared to my knowledge, I think she sure comes close!
I realize that I’m a little too set on my jojoba oil and had a hunch that different people’s skin would react better to different oils, but I am not very good at external skincare subjects and I just didn’t know where to start.
Luckily I found Svea! Enjoy!
Let me introduce myself: I‘m no oil expert. I‘m an average girl, usually disorganized, dreaming, musing, but creative. I fear snakes, need 48 hour days, and love to watch Italian movies of the 1950ies – 1970ies. Maybe that‘s one of the reasons why I chose to live in Italy – apart from food, monuments and landscape. I love traveling, love to learn foreign languages, love the arts and architecture.
Before developing eczema and adult acne, I was an extreme skincare junkie, mixing and matching products with little consideration for what they contained. After a severe breakout, I was fed up with antibiotic pills and lotions that just masked the problem. Then I decided to take matters into my own hands: good food, sports, minimal skincare. I still have to lower my stress levels and – above all – I still have to learn to listen to myself much more.
However, I do not believe anymore in external skin care being able to fix a serious acne problem, but I believe in the force of nature. I think, a very mild and elemental skincare regimen can help to rebalance your skin. Personally, I love oils. I tried so many of them over the last few years, that I‘d like to share my experience with you.
But remember: Less is more! You will be surprised that I‘m washing and moisturizing my face only once a day. At the moment I‘m going mad for rosehip oil. Just two or three drops, and my skin feels like heaven. That‘s all.
How to Use Oils
First of all: Always apply only a few drops of oil to damp skin – or wash off the excess oil, patting the skin with a towel afterwards, just like Tracy does (or did, since she‘s living with the cavemen now).
Good quality organic and cold pressed (or CO2-extracted) oils won‘t clog your pores, but you can still easily create a very thick layer of far too much oil on your face, which means your skin won‘t be able breathe! Forget about ZeroZits! I personally do not believe in those comedogenic ingredients-sheets. The listed oils and fats were tested years ago on rabbit ears without even differentiating between “cold pressed”, “refined”, “organic”, “non-organic” or “hydrogenated”. That makes a great difference.
On the other hand, I think that the combination of fats with other questionable ingredients represents the biggest breakout potential in most commercial products: fats plus emulsifiers (i.e. PEG-esters or anything labelled “ethyl-”, “ceteareth-”, “cethyl-”, “stearyl-”) or film building agents (i.e. silicone, paraffin, glycerin, triglycerides, …), not to mention preservatives, perfume and solvents.
So if you are courageous, just try different oils as a moisturizer! Do not expect an overnight miracle though. It just takes time to find the right dose of the right oil for your own individual skin type. Your choices might change with the seasons, your own personal life cycle or your mood.
Oils and Skin Types
I‘ll give you some brief indication about how to detect, which oil is good for you: If your skin looks matte, not stressed, feels well rested, dewy and moisturized, you‘re definitely on the right track. If your skin “feels wrong”, looks patchy, the oil just lies on top of your skin and does not sink in very well, don‘t continue to use it. Oils should be absorbed completely. If not, your skin might not need any moisturizing at all. Not every skin needs external care.
Nevertheless, let‘s have a closer look at those oils. What are oils, exactly?
Oils and fats consist of fatty acids. There are saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Every oil is characterized by an individual spectrum of fatty acids, vitamins and other substances (phospholipids, plant sterols, squalene, flavonoids, carotenoids and many more) that make it either great for your skin or inappropriate.
Everybody is different and reacts differently to different oils. There are non-drying (heavier) and drying (lighter) oils. That is basically just a figurative expression of how quickly and easily an oil is absorbed into your skin or if it is well suited for dry skin. In painting, for example, linseed and poppy-seed oil are used. Both are extremely fast-drying oils.
So what makes the difference between slowly and fast-drying oils? Their composition of fatty acids: oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid and so on.
A high proportion of oleic acid – a mono-unsaturated fatty acid – characterizes all these velvety oils, which feel so soft and nice on dry skin: olive, macadamia, avocado, canola or hazelnut oil, for instance. These oils are slowly-drying oils and do not turn rancid too fast.
On the other hand, a high amount of linoleic acid makes an oil lighter. These oils are particularly good for acne prone skin because linoleic acid seems to have the ability to reduce comedones. Of course, it won‘t work in just a few days, but after a month or two you might see a difference!
Oils containing a high percentage of linoleic acid are: thistle/safflower oil, hemp oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil and rosehip oil. Evening primrose oil, borage seed oil and black currant seed oil do not only contain a high amount of linoleic acid, but are also very good choices for dermatitis sufferers due to another specific fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). GLA is considered to promote healthy skin growth and works as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Unfortunately, all these lighter, fast-drying oils get rancid very easily and are not very resistant to sunlight, so be sure to store them in the fridge and to use them preferably at night or during the winter months (at least if you want to avoid hyper-pigmentation or age spots).
This is a summary of a very interesting study about linoleic acid used as a topical in connection
with acne:
“A major pathogenic factor of acne is the disturbed keratinization of the follicular infundibulum. It has been hypothesized that a relative decrease in linoleic acid in the sebum could be responsible, in part, for this. The aim of the present study was objectively to evaluate the effects of topically applied linoleic acid on the size of microcomedones in patients with mild acne.
The design was a double-blind placebo controlled randomized cross-over study. Evaluations were performed by digital image analysis of cyanoacrylate follicular biopsies. There was a significant effect of topically applied linoleic acid on the size of follicular casts and microcomedones, an almost 25% reduction in their overall size being achieved over a 1-month treatment period. In contrast, no change was found at placebo-treated sites. It is concluded that topical linoleic acid might play a role as a comedolytic agent in acne-prone patients.“
Letawe C, Boone M, Pierard GE: Digital image analysis of the effect of topically applied linoleic acid on acne microcomedones. In:
Clin Exp Dermatol., 1998 Mar;23(2):56-8.
Then, of course, there are oils composed by almost equal parts of oleic acid and linoleic acid. These oils are neither extremely light nor extremely oily. Almond, sesame and plum kernel oil (a little more on the oily side) or apricot kernel oil (a quite balanced oil) are some good examples.
What about shea butter and coconut oil?
These fats consist of mainly saturated fatty acids and are solid at room temperature. Shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, cupuacu butter and palm oil are rich in stearic acid and palmitic acid. Many people can use these plant butters without problems, even straight on their skin. Others might find them too heavy and greasy. Plant butters can provoke some kind of semi-occlusive effect, but might turn your skin into the smoothest ever due to palmitic acid! I LOVE plant butters as a cold-cream in winter, for example.
Coconut and babassu oil are another special case. These fats contain a saturated fatty acid called lauric acid – the same component, which makes soaps foam. Moreover, these oils are very stable, can be heated at high temperatures and are easily absorbed into the skin.
How to Chose a Good Quality Oil for Skincare
Most oils in commercial moisturizers – including products from organic brands – are refined or at least partially refined oils. Unrefined shea butter and argan oil in a good quality for instance could never become a bestseller just because of their “fragrance” – polite people might say it has some kind of a “nutty” touch.
Cold-pressed wheat germ oil is a very dense, yellowy orange liquid and smells like sourdough. Nobody wants that in a face cream. Organic rosehip fruit oil has an extremely fancy deep orange color (that’s the carotenoids), cold pressed avocado oil is of an intense emerald green color. Nature is so beautiful! Nevertheless, no customer would buy a frog-colored cream. That‘s why in most commercial products you will find only refined, filtered, deodorized or interesterified oils and fats.
First of all: prefer to buy oils from certified organic cultivation! You don’t want to slash pesticides and chemicals onto your face. Try to learn about organic certification standards. Use Google! Each label (USDA, Soil Association, BDHI, …) has its own guidelines as to what qualifies as “organic”. The purity and “naturalness” of a product can vary greatly depending on the body it is certified by.
Done that, have another close look at the label: “virgin” AND “cold pressed” or “CO2- extracted” oils are the best quality you could probably get. Don‘t be put off by a little (!) bit of turbidity, an intense color or a very specific scent: this is actually an indication of quality and authenticity. Unfortunately, the world‘s oil market is dominated by a handful of large companies aiming to maximize profits. So it‘s no surprise, why most often the small oil mills try to offer much higher quality products. Just be aware, that an excellent oil requires a high level of manual skills, expertness and careful elaboration – this also means that a good quality oil cannot be cheap.
Anyway, thinking about the small quantities we might actually need (30 ml should be sufficient for approximately 4 months used on face, neck and décolleté!!!), prices are still quite low compared to most commercial moisturizers. Therefore, buy only very small quantities! One, two or three small flasks of different oil types should be enough!
A Little Oil Encyclopedia (For Hardcore-Readers)
Food Grade – Cosmetic Grade?
If possible, buy edible oils! Food grade oils are subject to clear legal regulations, whereas the quality of “cosmetic grade” oils is not always that clear: in some countries oils HAVE to be refined to be marketed, if the proportion of free fatty acids and peroxides exceeds the prescriptive limits. Other oils might be blended with cheaper qualities. Unfortunately, this is not always declared on the label and affects mostly almond, avocado, olive and wheat germ oil. So check your local (health) food store first for organic cold pressed oils: it’s much cheaper, too! You might find safflower (thistle), sunflower, sesame, olive, coconut or even grape seed oil or cocoa butter. – I guess I don‘t have to tell you not to eat “cosmetic grade” oils and fats! You won‘t buy them anyway!!!
Unrefined?
The term “unrefined” apparently seems to express absolute pureness, but “unrefined” oils aren‘t necessarily as pure and natural as you might think: the seeds might have been roasted, the oil might have been filtered after being extracted, treated with hot water, steam or externally added heat. “Unrefined” only means that the oil has not been bleached or deodorized.
Cold Pressed?
A frequent eye-catching quality attribute for vegetable oils is the statement “cold pressed”. Despite the processing name, a certain amount of heat is produced during the process due to friction. For an oil to be marketed as “cold pressed” though the temperature must not rise above 120°F (49°C). Unfortunately, the term “cold pressed” is not legally protected and allows a broad field if interpretation. “Cold-pressed” simply means that no external heat is added. Cold-pressed oils can be subsequently refined, deodorized, treated with hot water or steam or come from previously roasted seeds. If you buy oils labeling only this short term, you cannot be entirely sure to purchase a high-quality, “virgin” or “native” natural oil. The term “cold pressed” assures higher prices and is therefore used very frequently.
CO2-Extracted?
However, technology is constantly developing. CO2-extraction is a good example: CO2 in its fluid state is passed through raw plant material, extracting all biologically “active” components. This process takes place at about 85°F (30°C) without any thermal stress and without using any kind of solvents. The low temperature and lack of emissions make it an extremely environmentally friendly process. The extraction is done in a virtual vacuum, with no oxygen present. No oxygen means absolutely no risk of oxidization. This is particularly important for oils prone to turning rancid such as sea buckthorn, rosehip, hemp or grape seed oil. During cold pressing oxygen is present throughout, causing the oxidization process of these oils to start immediately.
Virgin (or Native) Oils
The term “virgin” (or “native”) is a high guarantee of quality. “Virgin” oils are “cold-pressed” and have not been treated with external heat before or during the extraction process. No further processing is allowed. This means: no refining, no washing, no filtering, no centrifugation, no deodorizing.
Extra Virgin Oils
This is the maximum! The term “extra virgin” is used for olive oil only. Until now, there is no precise legal regulation for other oils to use this term. Olive oil that comes from virgin oil production contains no more than 0.8% acidity and is judged to have a superior taste. During the extraction process the temperature must not exceed 86°F (30°C). Extra virgin olive oil does not undergo any kind of further treatment after extraction.
This is the end. Finally.
Well, almost. I‘d still like to propose some oil-mix ideas:
Oily skin: hemp, safflower and apricot kernel oil / rosehip, evening primrose and jojoba oil
Dry skin: macadamia, almond and wheat germ oil / olive, avocado and hemp oil
Invent your own mixes! Just be creative and have fun!
And please remember: less is more!
Have you ever tried different oils as a moisturizer? What have your experiences been?
You said “extra virgin” is used for olive oil only. So does that mean “extra virgin” coconut oil is not really that? Am I being an idiot and spending more on “extra virgin” coconut oil when I should just stick with “virgin” because they’re one and the same?
Hm… yes. Hahah… not yes as in that you are an idiot! But it is true that the term ‘extra’ when it comes to coconut oil doesn’t mean anything. That’s shady they are charging you extra for the extra
Tracy is right.
As far as I know, there is no specific legal regulation for the term “extra virgin” related to other oils than olive oil. Sure, you can still write “extra virgin” on a label, but nobody can really be sure, what “extra virgin” actually means in this case.
Just save your money. “Virgin” is good! In connection with “cold pressed”, if possible.
But you’re definitely not an idiot!
Svea-
I’m trying to look for a safflower oil. The only one I can find it this on amazon:
Safflower Oil Cold Pressed (Low Heat Traditional Press) Organic Unrefined (473mL = 15.7oz)
Do I want it to be unrefined? Thanks for your help.
It claims not only to be unrefined, but also to be cold pressed and organic. Seen only that, it sounds great! But I just googled it and found it was “high oleic”. Is it this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Safflower-Pressed-Traditional-Organic-Unrefined/dp/B003ZZAJV2
There seem to be two types of safflower that produce different kinds of oil: one high in oleic acid and the other high in linoleic acid. Having oily skin, you should opt for the one rich in linoleic acid though. Where I live, I can find it in almost every supermarket at quite a low prize (3-5 EUR), but maybe it’s not that easy in your country.
If you can’t find it, try hemp oil, evening primrose oil, grape seed oil, borage seed oil, rosehip oil or sunflower oil (there are also different types of sunflower oil, so you still have to look for the one rich in linoleic acid). Try the lower priced oils first because you still don’t know if your skin “likes” them.
The oil you found is great, but the “high oleic”-version would be more appropriate for someone with normal (or slightly dry) skin.
I know, it’s a little tricky, so don’t hesitate to ask me!
Hey Svea,
I have a question that doesn’t have to do with your main topic of oils, but an important one nevertheless. About a month ago I all of a sudden started to develop eczema rash on my face! You mentioned that you suffered from eczema as well and I was wondering if you have any advice on what could be going on in my body?! From what I’ve been learning about eczema is similar to acne in that it is caused by different reasons for everyone but any little bits of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Marie,
yes, I suffered from eczema, too! You are not alone!
My skin was itchy, dry but oily, inflamed and flaky. Emulsifiers were my biggest problem! After I ditched the billions of commercial moisturizers I used to own, my skin is WAY better!
You say, that your skin rash flares up for the first time. So it’s also worth thinking about possible environmental triggers – is there anything you’re doing differently? Such as using a different type of face wash or eating differently? Rashes can occur after a shock to the body, emotional or physical, and can be triggered by stress. Stress can cause food allergies or candida overgrowth (and therefore eczema) because we do not properly digest our food when we are stressed.
As a starting point I would suggest you to stop using any topicals on the affected area. These could be irritating the condition. Leave the skin to recover naturally for at least two weeks and see if there is any improvement!
Also try to boost your immune system by drinking lots of water or herbal teas, avoiding alcohol, getting plenty of rest and exercise and eating healthy and nutrient foods. Getting off sugar is key! Sugar is a chemical in our diet that just makes itchy skin much more unbearable. Wheat or dairy might also be a problem.
Yes, eczema is very similar to acne!
I hope, I could help you a little bit.
Lots of love,
Svea
PS -
Chlorine or limescale are a big cause of itchy, red, dry and flaky skin, too!
So if your tap water happens to be very calcareous, try to use filtered (or at least boiled) water to wash your face. It might help!
Thank you for your advice.
Yes I eat a pretty grand diet already although you caught my eye with these emulsifier things. I had never heard of this before but as I researched about it I found that almond milk (which i drink a lot of, and have been drinking like tons lately for some reason) have emulsifiers in it. I’m wondering how you came to know that they had such a contribution to your eczema.
LOL – emulsifiers in food didn’t even cross my mind! But you are absolutely right! This might be a very important point. After I ditched all my cremes and moisturizers, I also switched to a whole foods diet to eliminate as many chemicals from my diet as I could. This means: no emulsifiers.
I also think that we often tend to form “addictions” to the food that is causing the problem. You could try to eliminate almond milk for a period of at least 3 weeks and see, if the symptoms improve dramatically or resolve completely.
But – as far as I recall – this blog is run by an awesome girl, who happens to be – amongst many other fields of expertise – an extremely cool foods expert!
Tracy? What do you think?
What do I think? lol, I would say do a candida cleanse. That’s what got rid of my eczema quickly.
You said you did a candida cleanse too, right Svea? Was that when you had eczema or not?
I did a candida cleanse and it didn’t seem to help : (
Thanks for you advice ladies. And thank you Tracy for this wonderful blog full of great information.
Hi Marie
Maybe you weren’t on the candida cleanse for long enough? Or maybe you need to avoid gluten foods and/or dairy and grains for a while as well as any sugar if you didn’t already(they can be hiding in so many foods that seem natural and healthy). The other thing is maybe you were experiencing die-off symptoms which caused your eczema to flare.
I’ve been doing a candida cleanse for a couple of weeks and cut out using a lot of creams on my skin. The perioral dermatitis on my face that I suffered from since September and dandruff are nearly completely gone, but I did get an eczema flare up on my neck. It’s not itchy at the moment but I know it just means my body is healing itself
Svea and Tracy definitely know what they’re talking about anyway
Thanks a lot, Laura!
@ Marie and Tracy
Yes, I did a 6 week candida cleanse last year as well! At that time I didn’t have eczema, but I finally could sleep better, I was regaining energy and I got rid of those eternal yeast infections. And I still feel great!
Changing my whole lifestyle – whole foods, exercise, sleep, less caffeine, fresh air and daylight – already did the job and tremendously helped to clear up my skin. My eczema still flares up sometimes in winter, triggered by heating and frosty weather, I think. But as soon as the sun comes out, it gets better almost immediately. And as soon as I can take a vacation and spend a few days (or weeks) at the seaside, all redness and itchiness disappears completely (sun, seawater, pure air, minerals from the sea, no stress … ).
Emulsifiers (in skincare products) just worsened my eczema by causing drying and some kind of a disruption to the skin’s barrier by emulsifying sebum and intercellular lipids.
http://discover-decouvrir.cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/article/?aid=460957
Have you ever heard of Neem oil? its also super affective on acne becuase of its vitamin E, antibactieral properties similar to tea tree, and it´s anti inflammatory. I read somewhere its benefitial to dry and oily skin! i only use it as a spot treatment though becuase the bottle was super small at whole foods, plus i dont live in America anymore and cant even really find it in Germany:/ also, if you are in America and live near a Trader Joes, you can get awesome quality jojoba oil, and its cheaper than other brands. Ive gone entirely natural all at once, stopped birth control pill, washing face with honey, washing hair with baking soda and vinigar, plus a candida diet (exept my guilty pleasure of eating carrots:/) its only been a little over a week, and my skin is nearly flawless along with losing 7 pounds naturally from not eating sugars. im totally exted about it becuase i was so scared to quit BC pill and break out, but i didnt!!:) who knows…maybe it was only making my acne worse.
Hi Tori!
It‘s really cool to hear that your new lifestyle is working so well for you! And your „guilty pleasure of eating carrots“ actually made me laugh:
I‘ve just had a piece of chocolate! Very dark chocolate though. With rose pepper. And I‘m not even sorry! Sometimes I simply have to enjoy life.
Yeah, I‘ve heard about neem oil! Do you like the smell of it?
Neem oil is extremely potent stuff! It is an excellent natural insect repellent and organic pesticide. Neem is a plant, but some of the world’s strongest “toxins” are herbal. That’s why it works so well on your spots! However, personally, I would NOT recommend using undiluted neem oil for all-over skincare. Straight neem may cause a skin reaction, especially if you already have sensitive skin. You just don’t need that much! Neem oil is very powerful and a 1:10 dilution (for example with jojoba as a carrier oil) is still strong enough. The stuff is not cheap, so why use more than you need to? That’s cool, isn’t it?
And attention girls! If you are, or hope you soon will be pregnant, neem seems to have some kind of contraceptive effect …
http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-birth-control.html
Please do never attempt to self-experiment with neem oil or extracts internally!
Cheers,
Svea
Tori-do you know the exact name/brand of the jojoba oil at trader joes?
Svea- I have many black heads and few red/cyst like pimples with an oily complexion. What do you think about the sunflower/castor oil cleansing method? Any oils that would work better in your opinion?
Anyone have any info on how to do a candida cleanse? And what foods you CAN eat? I’m new to this blog and willing to try anything that may work. Thanks for all your help!
Here’s what I said about the oil cleansing method in a comment to an older post:
“I don’t think that the oil-cleansing-method is suitable for everybody, especially if you have very sensitive or inflamed skin, so please be careful! For me it wasn’t great, at least to say. The first time I tried this method, I ended up with cystic acne. It was too harsh on my face because of rubbing too much, because of using the wrong oil and because of the very hot water.
To avoid that, massage your face only VERY VERY gently – or not at all. Just leave the oil on your face for about 20-30 minutes. Excess sebum will be removed anyhow and even some impurities might pop out. You don‘t have to use olive and castor oil though. Castor oil might remove too much natural sebum from your skin, so your skin might produce even more sebum to protect itself (you could use it for haircare instead). If you like, try jojoba, safflower, hemp, grape seed or sunflower oil if you have oily skin. If you have dry skin, macadamia, canola or olive oil (used alone) might be fine. Then, instead of using a very hot wet cloth to remove the excess oil, use a warm one pressing it gently on your face without rubbing. Repeat a few times. Don‘t use microfiber cloths, but only soft muslin or cotton cloths.”
Oils containing a high percentage of linoleic acid might reduce oiliness and blackheads (see post): you could try thistle (=safflower) oil first. It’s the most economic choice and you’ll probably find it in almost every supermarket. Check that it’s organic and cold pressed.
Or try hemp oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil or borage seed oil.
Mix with (or switch to) oils containing a higher proportion of oleic acid, if your skin is getting dry patches or gets scaly.
Ah, and the candida cleanse! Check this link:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/2501/details-about-the-hosted-candida-cleanse-idea/
Hey DRX – I have a whole candida cleanse program with a private support forum … check it out: http://www.thelovevitamin.com/candida-cleanse/
I know that when you see the “not allowed’ foods list, it’s like wow…. what can I eat, exactly what you said. But there’s actually lots to eat, and I give you a ton of recipes that are actually really, really yummy! Everyone doing the cleanse right now is amazed at how delicious everything really is
Ok I’m back. What I thought was eczema is in fact something called perioral dermatitis. I was just hoping someone had some information about this awful condition. I’m starting to think it is linked to emotion stress because otherwise I am quite healthy, with an occasional sinful food, and using beautiful natural products from simply divine botanicals. if anyone knows anything about this I would be so grateful to hear your thoughts. love and blessings
Marie!
I had (self-inflicted) perioral dermatitis once in my life, and it was awful (I used to be a cream junkie)! I can understand how you feel. Really.
How does your skin look like, exactly? “Perioral“ means “around the mouth“. Is it an inflammation of your facial skin due to the development of small eruptions and redness around your mouth which makes you look like a clown? Is there a tense feeling in the affected area? Do you have lumpy rashes?
1)
Stop using all kinds of topical skin care products immediately! I‘m serious. Make friends with Tracy and the cavemen for at least 3 months. Tracy‘s next post will be about her non-skincare-regimen-experience anyway. Please read it! I know, it is not easy and you might look awful for a few days or even weeks, but your skin needs time to recover. A perioral dermatitis has to „dry out“. Your skin might look scaly for a while, but that‘s actually a good sign. Underneath, healthy skin will appear. Believe me!
2)
As an exception: try to apply compresses soaked in very strong (and cold!) black or green tea as a gentle anti-inflammatory treatment for at least 10 minutes every day. Tea contains tannic acid which will help to fortify and cool your skin! Use compresses that are permeable to air. Avoid to seal your skin hermetically at any cost!
3)
Is it emotional stress which causes your problem? If so, check these links:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/668/clearing-trapped-emotions-with-the-emotion-code/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/353/3-steps-to-emotional-healing/
4)
See a naturopath for a food allergy and sensitivity test. Get tested for vitamin and mineral levels so you know what to work on!
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/165/food-sensitivities-acne/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/1971/naturopath-acne/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/832/the-results-of-my-recent-allergy-test/
5)
Write a diary. How did you feel today? Why? What did you eat? What did your skin look like?
It might help you to find out eventual environmental triggers.
6)
Get a proper diagnosis. See a dermatologist. You don‘t have to take any antibiotics (even if prescribed!!!), but perioral dermatitis can easily be mistaken for rosacea or other types of skin disorders. Be careful!
xox,
Svea
Hi Marie,
I don’t know why, but my long comment still needs “moderation”. So please be patient until Tracy gets her hands on a decent internet connection.
hold the line please …
Lol… I’m here! Internet still broken, but going to the in-laws’ house later today and then I will be back in black.
haha The candida diet told me i couldnt have carrots until it was all “under control” and since ive only done it about a week, i try to be more cautious even though a few days i just give in:D i also eat beans though because im a vegetarian and apparently im not suppose to eat those on it either :/ oh well, seems to be working anyways! and yea..i mixed a little Neem oil in with a few tea tree drops and coconut oil, so i use it like that as spot treatment:)
i actually dont have a problem with the smell! which might be weird i dont know, but i find it actually kindof smells like a peanut in a way. the first time i bought it, this lady told me how badly it smelled, so i was a bit scared, since normally oils smell decent. I actually often use Tea tree drops undiluted all over my face since it never has bothered my skin or stung, and my face smells pretty strong of it for a few hours. But i dont think id want my face to smell like some weird peanut for that long >> so i guess its good that it has to be mixed with other oils.
anyways, its back to being milky white and clear again!
I havent used jojoba oil in a while, but i think im going to try it after my almond oil is gone (I use Weleda, since its soo common in Germany and it works amazing) i had bought the almond oil because my skin was sooo dry it was actually red from using chemical treatments
DRX- i honestly cannot remember the brand of jojoba oil i used from TJ, it could have been Desert Essence or just a plain TJ brand. Never caused breakout on me though, and my skin at the time was super oily and prone to reactions. and btw…ever since i started washing my face with
Manuka honey; no more blackheads! worth a try?:)
Hey Tori,
Yes, carrots contain a lot of sugar, I know. I don‘t want to be the bad guy, but just try to keep these carrots out of the house! You will run out of carrots one day! And – especially when no one else is eating them – there cannot be any battle! At least, if there aren‘t any elephants near you going after that subtile peanut scent!
And yes, Weleda almond oil is nice. It is blended with plum kernel oil, that‘s why it smells so lovely!
@ DRX
Manuka honey rocks indeed! But you can still use two drops of safflower oil to moisturize after cleansing! Your blackheads won’t like it!
I think it is. I’m alittle hesitant about the manuka honey only because it works great for some and not so great for others! My luck, ill probably start purging insanely? Did you experience a “worsening” before it got better? I think I’ve got nothing to lose at this point! So far ive been doing the OCM with EVOO alternating with sunflower oil and castor with each. Ive been doing it for a week and im seeing purging, really not getting better at all yet. I do notice my face less oily, but i still have the acne redness and worsening blackheads and just bumpy skin all over. Changed my diet, mostly all raws, no carbs, and if so then gluten-free. So frustrating. What was your exact cleansing regimen Tori? Manuka honey mixed with jojoba like Tracy? Twice daily or just once a day? Thanks for all your help!
Hey DRX,
I know it is frustrating, but please don‘t expect wonders from both the honey or the oil. I know you might be impatient. We all are. Acne usually shows up because of an internal imbalance. Switching to a gentle, natural skincare routine means switching to something that it is NOT provoking inflammations more than switching to something that is curing your problem like a magic potion. It‘s more about NOT maltreating your skin – just because your face is no boxing champion! I know, when you have a break-out it’s tempting to throw everything you can find in your bathroom or on your kitchen table at it. But this can overload your skin and result in further break-outs as your skin struggles to adjust to different moisture levels, oils, honey, …, xyz-ingredients. Less is more! Moreover, your skin does not like change! That‘s why skin sometimes freaks out when switching routines. Choose a routine and stick with it for at least 6 weeks. Your skin needs time to adapt and to renew skin cells. Moving from chemicals to a natural regimen is a process and it may take a while – even up to three months – before you really notice a difference.
It‘s definitely not easy and it might be a long way to go. Please don‘t give up!
Lots of love,
Svea
Thanks for the comments/replies Svea! I will try to keep positive. I think I’m going to try another oil regimen and see if I get some better results. I’m stuck between jojoba or safflower? What do you think? Thanks.
Hi DRX,
you seem pretty desperate, aren‘t you? What you wrote to Tori seems very much my own story: getting off birth-control, breaking out, getting desperate. Then taking those pills again, getting clear; but on the other hand I didn‘t want those hormones playing havoc with my body anymore. These pills used to have nasty side effects on me: I felt like a rudderless ship, like driftwood, depressed. I stopped eating those hormones and broke out worse than ever!
But hey, I got over it! And I‘m sure you will too, if you continue with your healthy lifestyle! It takes so much time to heal – for me about 6 months, but my skin looks quite good now, even though I‘m still fighting a little bit of hyper-pigmentation. No, I‘m not perfect. That‘s not easy to accept, but it‘s a matter of fact. But guess what? As soon as I manage to forget about my skin for a while, my face begins to look so much better! Maybe we should just cover our mirrors and turn down lighting in the bathroom!
I already had switched to a natural and minimal skincare regimen much earlier in my life. At that time, throwing away all commercial stuff and using simple oils as a moisturizer had such a great effect on my eczema that I knew it was good for me, even though I was breaking out after burying all my birth-control pills.
Although I think it‘s not that important which oil you are using (it‘s more important that you stopped using those chemical treatments!), safflower oil could be the right choice for your skin at the moment. Linoleic acid used as a topical in connection with acne seems to have a certain – scientifically proven – effect on comedones (= blackheads, whiteheads – see quotation in this post!). Try only one oil at a time for at least two weeks, so you will see how your skin reacts to it! You can mix different oils later.
You say, you don‘t get out very much because of the cold weather. Did you ever try a led light therapy? I only have a red light lamp at home, and I must say it worked great (especially on my acne scars). The red light actually helps stimulate healing. The blu light or a combination of red and blu light is supposed to work even better on acne skin, but these special lamps are expensive! 10 minutes every day should be enough! Too much “electromagnetic radiation“ might activate your body a little too much in its fight against inflammation and worsen the situation (especially if you are using red light), but a few minutes might help a lot!
http://www.ehow.com/about_5372875_acne-infrared-light-therapy.html
xox,
Svea
I massage the honey in my face, leave for 30 min, then wash off. and massage almond oil in my skin, then wash off and pat with a tissue. Then i apply my tea tree and at night some aloe vera. I came out with severe acne in 8th grade and it never actually got clear after that. of course it shifted from severe to moderate or medium acne. I thought there was nothing morei could do and that my face was just to be…that way. then i came across tracys youtube vids and figured i already had acne..and the msot expensive topicals still didnt give me the skin i had dreamed of for years so why not?? and….i never had a new breakout since…my skin is clear again! it even got rid of a stye on my eye. having clear skin is of course kindof a new thing for me, and i still am self conscious about my appearance and a fear that ill wake up again with a breakout…but nope…every morning i jsut heal even more. and Svea is totally right about the internal imbalance! you say you eat raw?? personally i think thats really not a bad way to eat, but you defiantly should make sure you incorporate lots of protein in your diet. protein can work wonders. as for me- im a vegetarian so i have to get creative sometimes. i make my own almond milk, sprouts,eggs and beans. plus..it really helps to knock out irritating foods like gluten, soy, and refined sugars. ever since i stopped the gluten..ive never been so energetic. If you crave bread though and dont want to buy the card boardy gluten free bread…you should buy it! i bought some and yea, it taste horrible raw, but i toast it in a skillet with lots of coconut oil and its pretty close to heaven. ( also depends what kind you get…ive found a really good product) i tried the raw food thing once and it was reallllyy hard, i felt i was only depriving myself and that eventually i would just crash and end up eating every naughty thing out there at once. If youre interested….i make a special drink every night before bed with raw garlic, ginger, turmeric, and lemon. it definantly doesnt taste good but its managable and amazinggg for skin. everytime i drink it i get this big rush of energy and actually dance around my room before bed. ahh anyways, i dont know how old you are but im just about 18 and therefore am naturally hormonal and prone to imbalance..so if this has worked for me..then im sure it can work for anyone.
Thanks Tori. I find myself rushing immediately to the computer when I come home, because I feel much better talking to people who I know are going through (or have gone through) what I’m currently struggling with. Let me tell you alittle about myself and my regimen. I’m 27 years old. I started with acne when I was 19, went on to birth control and my skin looked great. I always had compliments and I felt like I could use whatever brand, etc and always had nice skin. About 3 years ago, I decided to stop birth control and I broke out. Dealt with it for about 6-9 months and ended up going back on birth control. About 15 months ago, I stopped birth control again and just made the decision that I don’t want all those hormones in my body. I said to myself that I would just “get through it” and fight the acne. I’ve not done too many prescription creams but definitely went through a year of proactiv and now I’ve come to the conclusion that nothings been working. About two weeks ago I stummbled upon Tracy’s website and started reading. I decided to stop all the OTC creams/gels and go natural. I wanted to buy the Manuka honey but then I read a review with someone’s bad experience and it discouraged me. I thought to myself “oh my, I could break out even more? I don’t think I can handle more breakouts than what I already have” so I decided to try the castor/sunflower oil cleansing method. I’ve been doing it for the last week (each night and very gently with warm towels) but I look worse than when I started. When I say worse I mean, my skin looks bumpy, white/black heads all over now including the jawline, by 3pm I’m pretty oily and in general my skin looks rough. The worst part for me is in the morning and evening when I wash my face and touch it with my hands, its like the reminder that my face looks and feels gross. That’s really the hardest part. So in the morning I wake up and I just rinse my face with warm water and towel-pat dry. In the evening, I use the castor/sunflower method, warms towels, and then just pat dry. Nothing else. About three weeks ago I changed my diet. I eliminated all caffeine, chocolate, glucose, dairy/cheese, gluten, and bread. I eat now all raw veggies, gluten-free cereal (quinoa, amaranth, corn), and fruit (all berries, bananas, mangos, apples, grapes, watermelon, melon are my staple). I workout 30-60 minutes per day and I have to do this everyday since I do for the majority of the week have a stressful 8 hour workday. I’m not outside for more than 10-15 minutes per day because I live in cold climate but I will be getting out there when summer comes.
So, here I am now with what looks like a bigger mess if only my face could talk. I have to say that I do feel better “inside” and I am seeing an improvement in energy, but that’s about it. I guess it all takes time.
After reading all these posts, I think I’m going to change my regimen. What do you think if I try this:
Morning: Honey x 30 minutes followed by safflower/jojoba oil mix with a rinse then pat dry
Evening: same as above + tea tree oil as spot treatment.
What exactly does the aloe vera do and do you put that over the tea tree?
Do you do that above regimen both day and night? Did you always use almond oil? I was going to start with safflower or jojoba (or both) but did you have better experience with almond? Also did you get worse before you got better? And yes, please, I would love to try the drink! Anything that may help me! How you do make it exactly? I apologize for the long reply, but I really appreciate yours and everyones help on this site.
ahh i definantly know the feeling of hating my skin and the horror of facing it every time i had to wash it:/ *sighh. It is possible that there is too much oil that you leave on your face, sometimes even though the product is natural..it can still be too much than what your skin wants. i do the honey, almond oil and tea tree morning and night. im thinknig of buying jojoba oil when my almond runs out. but at the moment im perfectly happy with it. i have used oils on my skin straight on my face and didnt rinse and pat..and i never liked the feeling, i jsut felt too oily. for me the almond is my perfect match to get me hydrated after my previous chemical methods. i also used to put coconut oil on my face ( great for redness) and again it was too heavy..but i LOVEEE coconut oil on my body, it sinks in so quickly and it got rid of my body acne.i just put the aloe vera on over the tea tree at night time, mine is 98%( the best i could find) it helps with scarring and has natual vitamin E i also think it helps alot with inflamation, the purpose mainly for me is that it accelerates the healing of skin and helps repair it. Ive noticed less scarring and quicker healing of blemishes when i use it. Its possible it can feel a little weird on the skin..which is why i just do it at night. I actually never researched reviews on the honey so i dont know! maybe it wa sjsut my intuition going straight and buying it. im defianntly used to having to deal with the initial breakout thing when switching treatments for my skin, so if it happened i probabaly wouldnt have cared. fortunetly it never did! also…i quit my birth control pills the same day and actually emotionally prepared myself to be a warrior, and thought id have to go to school when my face freaked out. however, the days that followed, my skin only got better and better. Maybe im jsut lucky or maybe my pills only made matters worse ( which can happen in some cases) my reason for getting off the pills was becuase i felt fatter since i got on them..and my breasts had grown cup sizes ( which i defianntly was not in need of to start with)i jsut felt out of control of my body and wanted to feel skinny again. i actually lost 7 pounds in a week..i dont know from the no sugar diet..or the pills but either way..:) To make my drink ( which is actually my version i created from the liver cleanse which uses olive oil and no turmeric) I use half a clove of raw garlic. you can use a whole ..but if you arent used to raw garlic it can cause stomach ache. then i chop off a good chunk of raw ginger ( normally the amount that would be in like one of the arm looking things on it) then 1/4 of a lemon, juiced, and two spoonfuls of turmeric. then blend it with a cup of water. the finished product should jsut look like orange juice. Also the stress in your life could be a major factor. im working on it myself. it may seem nearly impossible. but what i do is, everytime i start to feel stressed i do the best fake laugh i can do or jsut smile. even though its fake..the body doesnt know that and will make you feel better. and dont worry too much about the sun haha…i rarely get to see the sun..its alwaysss clouds and cold. mehhh:/
Thanks Svea- So I went to 6 different supermarkets, and none of which carried Safflower oil that was high in linoleic and not in oleic. Boo. So, I decided to pick up organic, cold-pressed hemp seed oil from whole foods. I looked online for Safflower oil (high in linoleic) and unfortunately, no success either. If anyone is reading this, and is using a good brand high linoleic safflower oil, then please reply and let me know! Anyway, so it’s been 4 days now with the hemp seed oil, and my face seems the same, still breaking out in a multitude of back and white heads. Also I’m having an increase in pimples now too, but I’ve decided to stick it out. Currently, I’m just using the oil before bedtime, and just water in the morning still. I’m waiting for my order of Manuka honey, tea tree oil, and organic aloe vera to come in so that I can start with that regimen, as Tori has had success with above. So far the only benefit that I’m seeing to this OCM is that I do have a less oily complexion, which is nice not having the oily t-zone by 4-5pm each day. So, I’m just thinking to myself that the white/blackheads outbreaks are a sign that my skin is still purging. I am definitely eating alot healthier these days (LOTS of greens, no carbs, everything possible gluten-free, no dairy, and obv no sweets) and lost 12 pounds in the last 2 weeks. Another good thing. Now if only my face would start showing some positive signs, then that would be great! But till then, I’ll keep you guys posted!
Tori- how do you apply the tea tree oil? Do you just do spot treatment?
Alot of people dilute it with their oil ( my mother does this) but ive never had a problem just directly putting it on my face, getting a few drops of it out and rubbing into my skin:)
Hi DRX,
I’m really sorry for all that confusion!
It seems to depend a lot on where you live which type of safflower oil is sold. I have to admit that I didn’t even know about the existence of high oleic safflower oil before! However, hemp oil should be a very good choice! Just remember to keep it in the fridge: it’s prone to turning rancid a lot faster than olive oil, coconut oil etc.
And yes, stick with it! You won‘t see any change in just a few days. Try not to massage your skin too much, at least in the most inflamed areas. Even a soft massage can be very stressful for your skin and might spread acne bacteria all over your face. That‘s why I‘m not such a big OCM-fan. I know it‘s easier said than done, but try not to stress out too much about how your skin looks. It‘s possible that stress makes you break out!
I hope, your order of manuka honey, tea tree oil and aloe vera will arrive soon! Make a patch test under your chin first to see how your skin reacts to tea tree oil. You can also mix it with your manuka honey as a face wash or put a few drops in your aloe vera gel.
And yes, keep us updated!
Svea- what is your regimen exactly? Do you just use oil as a wash and moisturizer? So far not doing too good with the hemp oil either, used it for about a week now. Going to start the manuka honey tonight. Will see how it goes.
Hey DRX,
I’m using organic raw milk yoghurt mixed with a small amount of clay as a cleanser. I just slash it onto my face, leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse. After that I apply 3-4 drops of rosehip oil, splash my face once again and pat dry.
I used to use manuka honey for cleansing, and I found it really great as well! It helped to make my hyper-pigmentation marks fade a lot faster.
But please remember, every skin is different! My favorite oil or skincare regimen might not necessarily have the same effects on your skin. It‘s sad, but you actually have to TRY every single substance yourself to see how it works and how your skin reacts to it.
However, a week is not enough time to judge a skincare routine. Try to keep on using hemp oil for another while and try to observe how your skin actually feels. Does your skin feel tight? Does the oil sink in completely? Does your skin feel moisturized and relaxed?
Well, let me know!
Hi Svea,
Just purchased the Pai Rosehip Oil as per your suggestion. Great info BTW between yourself and Tracy!!!
My question is, I am planning to apply it to my eczema on my face *cheeks eyelids and forehead. I read about using Rosehip around the eye area. What are you thoughts?
Thanks!!!
Hi Sara,
rosehip oil should be great for your eye area as well
! If you’ve never used rosehip oil before, make sure to make a patch test under your chin before applying it to your whole face to see how your skin reacts to it. It’s an extremely concentrated “cocktail” packed with lots of vitamins, precious fatty acids and antioxidants. Anyway, I think it could be very helpful with eczema as well. Which type of eczema is it?
Ah, and please remember not to expect wonders from it in a very short period of time. It’ll take time, but I think you know that
.
Have a spectacular and happy New Year!
Thanks Svea. I can’t wait to try the rosehip oil. I do have a question about olive oil. My face was super inflamed with eczema, particularly my cheeks so I massaged some olive oil on it. I am on my 3rd day. Although it has calm the inflammation, I noticed it has made the rest of my face super dehydrated looking. It is an extra virgin cold pressed olive oil. Should I try a diff oil on my face? I do break out occasionally and have combo skin. Right now, the eczema takes over and only started around Sept of this year. All started when I did a wheatgrass juice cleanse for a month. Rashes start to come out and then the next stage was eczema on cheeks, lids, forehead and hairline.
Hi Sara,
did you use cremes, before you started using olive oil? Olive oil doesn’t “pamper“ the dead cells on the surface of your skin like many sticky film building agents in cremes do, but it moisturizes the cells underneath. That could be a reason why your skin seems that dry at the moment. You’ll have to wait at least two or three weeks. The cell renewal process takes time.
AND be sure to apply only 2-3 TINY drops to your whole face and neck, and to apply it to DAMP skin only. If not, you‘ll experience the contrary effect after a while and your skin will dry out even more.
Personally, I love using olive oil as a soothing rescue moisturizer, if nothing else works. So be a little careful with the rosehip oil, it could feel even more drying on your skin (since it’s rich in linoleic acid and considered to be a fast drying oil). But I also think it could work great in concerto with your olive oil, so that your skin will be moisturized by a much broader spectrum of fatty acids. Just mix 1 drop of rosehip with 1-2 drops of olive oil in your hands before applying (or mix a very small amount in a small flask: 1 part rosehip, 2 parts olive oil).
Green virgin avocado oil could be great for you as well, since it contains lots of lecithin and palmitoleic acid, so it’s usually extremely well tolerated by sensitive and inflamed skin types. Phytosterols help to support the barrier function of your skin. These are similar to the molecular structure of the natural cholesterol contained in your skin‘s sebum: it can replace it and stimulate cell production. It’s high permeability increases the effectiveness and efficiency of oil blends or other skin care preparations (even though it’ll be an ugly brown mixture, if you combine it with rosehip oil
– but it‘ll still be great for your skin!). Grape seed oil, wheat germ oil and lanolin have comparable “enhancer” properties.
I only hope you don’t suffer from seborrhoeic dermatitis (caused by a yeast). If so, oils containing a high amount of oleic acid could aggravate your skin condition. Do you have dandruff, too? In this case, you could try evening primrose oil (for very sensitive oily or combination skin types) and / or meadow-foam oil (for dry skin) or coconut oil (I find it extremely drying, but it has some anti-fungal properties and works great as a component of an oil mix – 20-25% of it won‘t even be that drying any more), or maybe jojoba oil.
Hi Svea,
Thanks for all the info. I truly appreciate it. I am definitely a cream users prior to trying out oil. My dermatologist told me it is eczema and prescribed cortisone. I only use it when I really have to but over time, it has caused my skin to be leathery looking. I had very itchy scalp when my skin flared up during my wheatgrass cleanse. I would say it is still about 10-15% itch level on my scalp, particularly on my hairline. I am on a high level probiotic and it seems to be helping with the issues. I am certainly feeling helpful with my face for sure. The first oil I tried was coconut oil but it didn’t help calm the inflammation, unlike the olive oil. I am tempted to purchase Evening primrose oil, borage seed oil or black currant seed oil after reading this blog about those oil being helpful. Would you suggest that over avocado? Do you think high oleic sunflower oil is better for eczema? I get them on my body too and the flare up on my face is new this Sept so trying to deal with it with no prior experience.
Hi Sara,
I’d suggest you to stick with olive oil for a while, since it seems to help a little bit to calm down your skin. That your skin seems parchmenty and dry at the moment is due to using cremes AND cortisone before trying a more natural routine. I think it will take quite a while for your skin to re-adjust (maybe up to a few months or longer), so please be patient, even if it‘s hard. On the other hand, I know how you feel, since I have (or had) eczema, too – even though I have it under control for quite a while now! It isn’t even noticeable any more. So there is hope for you as well
! Apart from a natural skin care routine and a balanced whole foods diet excluding almost all sugary stuff, NOT thinking so much about my skin any more, is what helped me most. And regular exercise.
An oil mix of evening primrose oil (if you prefer a lighter oil) or borage seed oil (if you prefer a heavier one) with olive oil as a base oil and a small amount of rosehip oil could be a great, balanced and healing mixture for your skin: 2 parts of olive oil, 1 part of borage (or evening primrose) oil and a small amount of rosehip oil (it is very concentrated, so less is more – I’d start with a few drops only and eventually screw up the amount). Evening primrose or borage seed oil are extremely mild oils and ideal for sensitive, aggravated skin types, eczema or atopic dermatitis – so yes, go for them! Absolutely!
Avocado oil (the green, cold pressed and untreated one) isn’t comparable to evening primrose or borage seed oil (or any other oil), and I’d definitely still recommend it to you as well! It has really amazing moisturizing and healing benefits, leaves a soothing, velvety feeling on your skin and sinks in easily. You could replace one part of olive oil with avocado oil in the mixture I mentioned above: 1 part olive, 1 part avocado, 1 part evening primrose (or borage) and a few drops of rosehip oil.
But keep in mind that this is just a suggestion! If you can, buy only small flasks of oil (maybe some 10 ml tial size), so that you can see if it works for you or not.
Ah, and high oleic sunflower oil is a quite neutral, usually well tolerated oil. It won’t do that much for your skin though, but it won‘t irritate it either.
For my body I‘m using pure shea butter (if I find the time, I mix it up with a little bit of olive or avocado oil as a whipped “cream“ to make it more spreadable). It works great! I find it a little too heavy for my face though. I used to have eczema on my hands and small “patches“ of psoriasis on my back and elbows, but I can keep it under control with regular dry brushing, shea butter, showering with lukewarm (or warm, but never hot) water and washing mainly the “smelly“ parts with a very mild vegetable oil soap bar (preferably a handmade one, but Dr. Bronners or Badger have nice soaps as well) – or with Weleda Calendula Babywash.
What helped me, too, is boswellia serrata (frankincense) extract. I’m taking 400 mg of it every day. It seems to calm down inflammation from the inside out. I’ve read that it has a similar effect compared to cortisone (taken orally), but without any of its nasty side-effects. Maybe that could be worth a try for you as well in order to “wean off“ your prescribed steroid cream?
In addition, I’m taking a good probiotic supplement, just like you do. It helped me a great deal as well, so I think you’re already on the right track
! Try to continue like this!
Thank you again Svea. I love how you are so detailed with your explanation and truly truly appreciate all your suggestions. I can’t wait to try the various blends.. You are truly Godsent!!
I must tell that I used jojoba oil for a while, but:
1.It’t seemed like my skin condition was becoming worse after apllying it. Mayby I was using it too short (a week or so) and my skin didn’t have time habituate itself.
2. Oil is a liquid. Everything just ran down my face ; moreover, skin looked too oily, so I wasn’t be able to use it through a day.
Second of all, using it at night wasn’t good idea as well. Oil stay on my skin, so as soon as I touch the pillow, everything became washed off my face.
Hi Mario!
You are using WAY too much oil! Even though jojoba oil is natural stuff, thick layers of it can still clog your pores! Just have another look at my article. There are instructions on how to use oils for skincare: apply only a few drops of oil to damp skin or wash the excess oil off and dab your face dry! Oils should always sink in completely and leave your skin matte, dewy and moisturized. If not, you are using the wrong oil for your skin type (see article) or your skin might not even need any moisturizing at all! This way you won‘t lubricate your pillow any more with oil!
Hi Svea!
May I know what brand/label of rosehip oil you use? I’m thinking of getting a bottle from Mountain Rose Herbs, but I’m not jumping on it yet till I’m entirely sure!
I’m using jojoba, tamanu and tea tree oils in my skincare regimen – all seem to be working great for my acne / lightening my scars! I’ve read so much about rosehip oil, so I’m keen to incorporate it into my regimen. Do you think it’ll be too much?
Thanks so much, your article was awesome! Do you keep a blog?
Hi Sam!
thank you, I‘m glad you like the article!
I‘m using Pai rosehip oil at the moment. It‘s an extremely lovely and good quality oil (CO2 extracted, organic, with an awesome herbal rosehip-scent), but it‘s quite expensive! The packaging says “not recommended for acne prone skin”, but I don‘t know ANY reason WHY it shouldn‘t be! My skin IS acne prone and really, really likes it a lot!
http://international.paiskincare.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=29
Living in Italy I simply got tired of finding cold pressed organic rosehip oil almost exclusively stored on warm sunlit shelves … not to mention the fishy smell, yuk! That‘s why I‘m using the CO2-extracted version now. It‘s much more stable and has a longer shelf life before it turns rancid.
The oil from Mountain Rose Herbs sounds great though! I guess they don‘t store it in a warm and humid Mediterranean climate, so cold-pressed shouldn‘t be a problem in your case!
Rosehip oil really helped me to fade my acne scars and hyper-pigmentation marks. Every skin type has its own individual needs, but I think, it‘s worth a try! Jojoba, tamanu and rosehip oil sounds like a great oil mix, too! Be sure to use rosehip oil in the evenings only: it is not photostable!
I‘m not running a blog (yet – lack of time), but I‘ll definitely let you know when I should start one! At least I‘ll try to write some other guest post for Tracy. I love her blog! Maybe about that eternal sunscreen dilemma (about the sun‘s dangers, chemicals in sunscreens acting as oestrogen mimicers, nano technology, how to avoid geisha-like whitening looks … ) and about how to mix your own sunscreen – or about how a high daily dose of creativity can activate your lifestyle (with great skin benefits! – a bit of my own story) or something completely different …
Lots of love,
Svea
Hi Svea!
Great article! I was hoping if you could recommend how to travel with rosehip oil. Will it survive (checked-in) on a flight up to 24 hours? Thanks in advance!
Thanks a lot Jacq!
Yours is a very tricky question. I‘d recommend CO2-extracted rosehip oil. It doesn‘t turn rancid too fast. Last year my flask survived a 6 hour flight to New York and back to Italy … at least I didn‘t notice any change in color, fragrance or texture afterwards, although the difference in temperature was huge!
If you take only a small amount of oil with you, you can put it into your hand baggage. This way you avoid it to deep-freeze during your 24 hours flight. I‘m not sure about the effects of radiation though … but I don‘t think it will affect it that much.
Have a beautiful flight!
Hi Svea,
What do you suggest for people who wear makeup on a daily basis? I wear a full face of foundation, powder, eyeliner and mascara. I have dry skin and tend to regular breakouts, not servere but I always have a few bumps on my face and the texture isn’t smooth. I also have bad hyper- pigmentation (my reason for the foundation). So I wanted to try the all natural route again. So I just purchased Manuka honey today and plan on using it in the mornings as Tracy does but was wondering if you would recommend for my night time routine mixing it with olive oil to remove makeup? Or makeup us an oil first to remove my make up and then cleanse with the Manuka honey? I also have raw Shea butter and in the article you said you used it as a cold cream in the winter, so would you suggest that perhaps? Sorry for all the question but I want to get you input before I get start. Thanks
Hi Ebonie,
I’m not using a lot of makeup. Just a few dips of concealer and some mascara every once in a while when I want to get all dolled up, but not on a everyday basis. To get it off, I usually place just a few drops of oil (olive, jojoba or argan oil work fine for me) on a moistened cotton pad. Manuka honey mixed with oil (equal parts) works great as a cleanser as well, especially if you want to remove makeup. Even yoghurt and clay might do the trick, but you should leave them on as a mask for at least 10 minutes before washing off.
Tracy did a nice video about how to remove makeup the natural way:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/823/what-can-you-use-for-a-natural-makeup-remover/
I hope that helps!
Thanks for replying. I will try those methods and check out Tracy’s video!
Hey Tracy and Svea,
I’ve been using honey to wash my face and really like it, but my skin was getting a bit dry, so I recently added in jojoba oil. Did you find when you first started using this oil it caused you to break out? I noticed a bit of a purging period with switching from irritating cleaners to honey, but it was not as bad as the reaction I’m getting towards the jojoba oil. I love the way it makes my skin feel and look, but the next morning I seem to always wake up with at least one new pimple
And I did splurge for high quality oil like you’ve mentioned. Is this normal??
Hi Jenny,
how long have you been using jojoba oil? Did you use a moisturizer before switching to jojoba oil? If yes, was it a conventional or an organic moisturizer?
If you didn’t moisturize at all, I don’t think that your skin is still going through some kind of a detox period. In this case jojoba oil might simply not be the right choice for you. Try another oil!
You said you have slightly dry skin? Try apricot kernel oil, olive oil, almond oil, …
Babassu oil, for example, could be a very good choice for dry AND acne prone skin. It has some kind of antimicrobial effect (lauric acid!).
On the other hand, you said your skin feels and looks good at the moment (apart from the pimples) …
If you DID use a moisturizer before, your skin might just be a little upset at the moment. It probably got used to the film-building agents in your cream (yes, even your skin can become some kind of an addicted cream-junkie!). In this case it will take a while for your skin to get cozy again! Suddenly you give it a chance to breathe! So that might be the reason why you break out now. The effect is even worse, if you have used a conventional moisturizer before. There still might be a layer of silicones, mineral oil etc. on your skin …
Just ask me if you have another question!
Thanks for the reply Svea!
I was using a conventional face wash/moisturizer in the past, so I guess my skin must be adjusting to the natural products. I’ve only been using jojoba oil for about a week now. Do you have an estimate for when this period goes away?
Thank you for your help!
Jenny
Hi Jenny,
you‘re welcome!
This period of ‘transition‘ is depending on your individual skin renewal cycle, which is influenced by lifestyle, your overall health condition, exposure to sunlight, the products you have been using before, and so on. Generally, it should be about a month up to six weeks, but it can also take a longer time (up to a few months).
However, in your case I’m pretty sure it will pass! It’s actually a good sign that your skin feels great after applying a few drops of jojoba oil!
I know, it’s not an easy job to wait all that time. But maybe it’s worth it! If you don’t see any changes after 4-6 weeks, you can still try another type of oil!
Lots of love!
Svea
Hi Svea,
Thanks for the article, it’s great!
One thing in particular got my attention, was that you only cleanse your face once daily. Recently I was told by Pai skincare customer service to cleanse once a day & I’ve tried but my skin just doesn’t feel right. May I ask what your skin care routine is?
Many thanks,
Andrea
Hi Svea, I had missed your response to DRX re your skin care regime. I’d still like to know if you cleanse your face ‘am’ or ‘pm’, as Pai advised to cleanse only ‘pm’ & only splash water on face at ‘am’. Also, is there a reason everytime I use Kaolin clay I severley break out (huge cysts & skin red as a beetroot)? However, in saying that this kaolin clay I’ve got has a lot of other ingredients in it (all organic, but still, not just the clay ingredient). Maybe I should find a simpler clay? Any suggestions?
Hi Andrea!
I’m so sorry for the late reply! I didn’t really get an email notification that there were any new comments
Maybe it’s my email account … Well, I’ll take a look!
To your questions:
1) I’m cleansing in the evenings only, but in my opinion there is no reason why you shouldn’t cleanse your skin in the morning as well, if you simply feel better with it! At least as long as your cleanser is gentle enough! Do you use the one from Pai? That should be okay! I’m using this cleanser when I’m traveling!
2) Yes, there is a reason why kaolin clay makes you break out! It’s slightly comedogenic, which means it definitely CAN block your pores, even if it’s “just” clay. It also can be an allergic reaction. Are you sensitive to nickel? Clay usually contains traces of it! Or you might react to some essential oil in it.
I hope this was helpful!
Lots of love,
Svea
Hi Svea / Tracy
I’ve been doing the natural routine since December and my skin seems a lot happier. I use Manuka honey and jojoba oil like Tracy used to.
Following on from the traditional anti acne treatments (including Accutane) my skin is a bit all over the place but it’s getting better. My one worry is that because of how dry accutane made my skin it’s aged more than I’d like. I was wondering if there were any oils you’d recommend for skin aging. Also what do you think of essential oils that you can add to ‘base’ oils (I’m not sure what the right term is, oils like jojoba oil).
Thanks
Nicky x
Hi Nicky,
oils containing linoleic acid (hemp oil, grape seed oil, rosehip oil, evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, black currant seed oil) can stabilize the protective lipids of the horny layer of your skin (stratum corneum) by promoting the formation of ceramides. Oils containing α-linolenic acid (rosehip oil, elderberry seed oil, sea buckthorn seed oil, inca peanut oil or pomegranate seed oil) can stimulate cell regeneration. However, these oils are not very resistant to sunlight and can contribute to hyper-pigmentation! During the summer months, use them in the evenings only. The same applies to all seed oils or essential oils.
Oils that are naturally rich in lecithin and phytosterols (grape seed, avocado or wheatgerm oil) can help to smooth out rough and keratinized skin. For dry and scaly skin, oils containing a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols and/or antioxidants are always a good choice (argan oil, olive oil, avocado oil).
Good carrier oils for essential oils are jojoba, almond, apricot kernel, macadamia, meadowfoam, marula, camellia, sesame or high oleic sunflower oil – and all other, relatively stable, oils without a strong inherent scent. Frankincense, myrrh, neroli, patchouli, rose and sandalwood seem to be great for “anti-aging” mixtures. Add 1 drop only to 30 ml (1 oz) of your carrier oil.
Supporting and optimizing your skin’s own functions to keep it smooth and moisturized – THIS is, what “anti-aging” really means. Conventional cosmetics surely cannot offer you more (even if they promise you all sorts of unrealistic benefits) and will most probably only irritate your skin!
Here are some great balanced (“anti-aging”
) oil mixes:
- rosehip, evening primrose and argan oil
- olive, avocado and hemp oil
- avocado, grape seed and elderberry seed oil (makes a fancy green mix – yet, it won‘t color your skin!)
AND:
Drink a lot of water, eat well, exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep!!!Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I hope this wasn‘t too complicated …
Thanks so much for your reply! And sorry for not getting back to you sooner – for some reason it didn’t notify me! I must have forgotten to tick the box
Does it matter what kind of ratio you use the oils in? I’m sorry I’m a complete novice at this!
xx
Hi Nicky,
I‘m sorry for the late reply. I was on a trip without internet access!
I’d start to mix only very small batches in the beginning (15 ml for example) and put equal parts of every oil into the mixture (for instance: 5 ml rosehip oil + 5 ml evening primrose oil + 5 ml argan oil). You’ll see how your skin will react to the mixture: if your skin feels a tad too dry, add a little more argan oil. If your skin feels a little too oily, add some more rosehip or evening primrose oil.
It’s a bit of a question of trial and error and it’ll take some time until you’ll find the right mix for you.
Hello- I live in AZ and have very, very dry skin due to a thyroid condition I have. I started using Coconut Oil on my skin and it seemed to work well for the first few days but now it seems my skin is getting dried out. I was wondering about ordering some Jojoba Oil and see if that will help it say conditioned and hydrated. I drink plenty of water daily. If anyone can be of help and advise I’d appreciate it. I was shocked the coconut oil dried out my skin at all.
Thanks
Thunder Girl
Hi Thunder Girl!
Moisturizing your skin with oils only is apparently not enough for you! If your face looks and feels parchmenty most of the time, it will need a little more pampering! It seems that your skin’s barrier layer isn’t intact, lacking its own natural emulsifying substances (in your sweat and sebum). That’s why your skin can do little or nothing with the oil you apply.
Cutting out emulsifiers – almost every commercial creme contains them – is generally a good idea, since these tend to wash off your skin’s surface layer of natural oil and will dry it out even more on the long run. The only exception is lecithin – it could even be beneficial for you!
Try the following tricks:
1)
Apply preferably oils that are naturally rich in lecithin and phytosterols, such as avocado, grape seed or wheat germ oil.
Or add a few drops of liquid lecithin to your oil/oil mixture (ca. 1–3 % | pharmacy or online shop). It will help to soften your dry, scaly and keratinized skin.
2)
Blend 3 different oils to obtain a mixture with a balanced profile of fatty acids. Your skin might lack certain fatty acids!
I mentioned some possible oil mixes in my reply to NickyFraggle (just above your own comment) and in my article. You’ll have to experiment a little bit to find out the right types of oil and the right percentages and amounts for your skin.
3)
Add a moisturizing agent (urea, ectoin, lactic acid, allontoin, d-panthenol,…) to aloe vera gel, mineral water or an alcohol-free organic floral water. A few crumbs or 1-2 drops (ca. 3%) of it should be enough for a 1oz (30ml) flask.
This way, the horny layer of your skin will be able to absorb more water. Apply your oil mixture afterwards to avoid evaporation and to keep your skin pampered!
And if still nothing seems to help, try the caveman regimen! Not washing your face for a while could be extremely good for your skin! Really! I know it sounds weird in your case, but it could help to restore your skin’s natural barrier layer. I can’t promise you that it’ll actually work, but it’s possible! It’ll be an extremely hard time for you with your skin feeling dry and tight and becoming unbearably flaky. But at least it’s worth a try!
Thank you for your insight. I will try the Greapseed oil. I got Shea butter 100% pure and it is helping soooooooooooooo much!! I was/am amazed. Thanks again for all your help. I greatly appreciate it.
I’m so glad you found something that works so amazingly well for you! In fact, shea butter can be of great help for rough and damaged skin! Palmitic acid actually CAN soothe away all kinds of little problems, especially dryness! Stick with it! You really seem to love it!
I didn’t dare to suggest plant butters to you simply because some people tend to break out with them. However, personally, I adore them! And I HAVE acne prone skin!
Also, you can try to mix some shea butter with a few drops of grape seed oil in the palms of your hands before you apply it to your face and see how it works for you!
I will most likely do that. I have found that the Coconut oil is GREAT on my arms, and legs. The Shea is great on my face. I don’t use much at all and am not using every day. It doesn’t seem to need it daily. I am making my own face wash ect cause I am just not using stuff that has those awful chemicals in it anymore. Plus it’s so much cheaper. I know it’s gonna take time to find the right mixes for my skin. Thank you so much for your insight and time. I greatly appreciate it.
Have a wonderful day.
Okay I got scared a little when I read this paragraph:
“Unfortunately, all these lighter, fast-drying oils get rancid very easily and are not very resistant to sunlight, so be sure to store them in the fridge and to use them preferably at night or during the winter months (at least if you want to avoid hyper-pigmentation or age spots).”
Does this mean I shouldn’t use the lighter oils on my face in the summer months (during the day)? Can you please explain a little bit about how the sun affetcs those lighter oils on skin and why it could cause hyperpigmentation or age spots?
I use jojoba, rosehip and argan oils on my face (not mixed together) Any of those I should avoid during the summer? (not night, but day speaking)
And also what are your thoughts on argan oil and which skin type you think it’s best for??
Thank you Tracy for the awesome blog & Svea for the great article!
Yuriy
Hi Yuriy,
I wrote a long comment for you a few days ago, but it simply doesn’t appear. I’ve even tried to copy smaller parts of it in here, but still NOTHING!
TRAAAAAAAACYYYYYYYYYYY!!! PLEASE HELP!!!
I don’t want to rewrite it all!
Hi Yuriy!
Yes, exactly! It means that you shouldn’t use lighter oils during the day in the summer months!
But please don’t be scared right now! It’s in YOUR hands to react!
As a general rule of thumb, lighter oils are basically all seed oils. Essential oils can provoke a phototoxic reaction as well.
This means:
Stick to jojoba and/or argan oil, which are both stable oils with great cosmetic properties. Use your rosehip oil in the evenings only.
Here is a list of oils containing linoleic acid (= “lighter oils”/seed oils) to avoid during the day in the summer months:
Hemp, rosehip, evening primrose, borage seed, grape seed, black currant seed, elderberry seed, inca peanut and pomegranate seed oil. Plus: essential oils.
The same applies to all omega-3 oils (flaxseed, linseed or poppy-seed oil; you see, these are still seed oils!), but usually these oils are not used for skincare purposes. They are drying too fast and are not moisturizing enough.
Hyper-pigmentation and Mallorca acne (acne aestivalis) are caused by toxic metabolites: solar radiation and heat oxidize and decompose unstable lipids in cosmetic products and oils prone to oxidative rancidity (= “lighter oils”, which means: most seed oils and essential oils).
OH WOW, IT WORKED!!!
Obviously it was my long list of oils!
Tracy, you don’t have to do anything!!!!
Problem resolved!
As far as Argan oil is concerned: Traditionally it is used to treat different kinds of skin diseases, acne and allergic or damaged skin. Aggravated skin can benefit from its specific spectrum of fatty acids: it’s characterized by a very balanced combination of oleic, palmitic and linoleic acid (in this case you don‘t have to be afraid of it being phototoxic: argan oil contains lots of stabilizing fatty acids and vitamin e as an anti-oxidative component). In addition, argan oil is also recommended for dry and mature skin.
The oil is sold mainly in two versions: one derives from previously toasted nuts, has a nutty flavor and a distinctive scent (that’s the traditional Berber oil), the other one comes from untreated seeds and has a subtle, but very typical aroma (not everyone likes it). Cosmetically, the unroasted version is ideal; this is the one which is traditionally used in Morocco for all kinds of skincare purposes.
You should know that some dealers sell “cosmetical argan oil”, which is exaggeratedly expensive(sometimes with a surcharge of 200 %): it is usually deodorized, made from unroasted nuts and has been treated with hot water vapor to remove unwanted odors (probably destroying all healing benefits). This “premium” price is not justified! Try to buy edible argan oil instead: it’s subject to strict legal surveillance, should be less expensive and ideal for cosmetic use! Have a look at the labeling before you buy and choose one with a credible organic certification (USDA, Soil Association, BDHI, …).
Omg thank you soooooo much!!!! You answered everything I wanted to know!!!! I really appreciate it!
I’m about to read your sunscreen article! But just one last thing regarding argan oil, I use one from a brand called Kae (former kaeline?) It’s pretty expensive, but is it a good one? I’m positive it says it’s organic, but as far ascertification Please let me know and thank you so much once again!
Yuriy
LOL sorry I pressed enter as I was typing. I was saying as far as for certification from USDA and ect… I’m not sure, so please let me know and if you know any good brads or the ones you’re a big fan of I’d love to know as well!
Thanks again
Yuriy
I’m so happy to have found your informative blog on oils for the skin. I’ve been using only oils for moisturizing and it never occurred to me about them reacting with the sun. My question is, what is your thoughts on using Pomegranate CO2 on the skin in the summer? I know you said that the regular oil isn’t good but I was wondering about CO2 instead. I love it for its antioxidant properties. Also what about sesame oil? I mix it with other oils for my face in the summer and am wondering if this one goes rancid quickly. I actually mix it with red raspberry because I heard both provided some natural spf. What are your thoughts?
Hi Kristin,
honestly, I wouldn’t rely on oils as the only sun protection – and then expose myself to UV radiation for hours!!!
I’m actually quite skeptical about the sun protection claims of oils in general, as these typically only have an SPF of two or lower. Apart from the fact that you’ll have to use quite a lot of it, just to get that little bit of protection.
Pomegranate seed oil – CO2 extracted or not – is a great oil with amazing anti-inflammatory properties. It can help to speed the healing of wounds and dark spots, for instance. But it’s NO sun stable oil. That you don’t expecience any immediate reaction doesn’t mean anything – maybe in ten years you will
. Personally, I’d use it at night only.
At daytime I’d prefer to use extremely stable oils like jojoba or meadowfoam oil, marula oil, babassu or coconut oil – or plant butters like shea, cupuacu or cocoa butter. Sesame oil is not THAT stable, but it’s still stable enough to use safely during the day. The same applies to olive, argan, rice germ, amond, apricot kernel, camelia seed, avocado, macadamia, hazel nut or avellana oil.
I’m not sure about raspberry seed oil. Are there any significant studies that prove that it effectively provides some kind of natural UV protection? I’m a little skeptical because seed oils usually aren’t very stable. But, well, I don’t know everything!
I‘m not that fond about wearing sunscreen either, but I burn easily and I‘m wearing it every time I‘m staying outside for a while! Or I‘m wearing a big straw hat and enormous sunglasses. I love sunglasses anyway.
Have a look at my sunscreen articles:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4000/sunscreen-and-acne-part-one/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4012/sunscreen-and-acne-part-two/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4013/sunscreen-and-acne-part-three/
Here’s another article about “eating” your sunscreen, although I’d still suggest you to wear sunscreen on the beach!!!
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/8-natural-ways-to-prevent-a-sunburn-and-sunscreens-not-one-of-them/#axzz1xgLqk6eS
P.S. -
Sesame oil doesn’t turn rancid very easily. It contains lots of vitamin e, so it’s naturally protected.
Hi Svea,
I want to make a facial oil blend and I’m wondering about CO2 extracted oils. They are so much more expensive than cold pressed, are they that much better? I was using organic Pomegranate oil in a blend and thought co2 would be better but the co2 isn’t organic and costs so much more. Will the co2 have a longer shelf life and be superior? Also wondering the same about red raspberry seed oil, co2 or cold pressed? Also if I use only 5% of either pomegranate or rose hip co2 extract in a blend is it still not safe for day use?
Thank you so much for your help!!
Hi Kristin,
co2 extracted oils have a little longer shelf life since they are not exposed to any heat during the extraction procedure. “Cold” pressed only means that there is no external heat added during the process. However, a certain amount of heat is always produced due to friction. On the other hand, I’d ALWAYS choose the organic (or wild harvesting) version over a non organic oil. Yes, organic AND co2 extracted would be an ideal combination. On the other hand, refrigerating cold pressed oils extends their shelf life a lot, too. Make sure to buy it from a trusty shop (it shouldn’t have been stored for a long time, in the sun or near any heat source). If you open it and it smells fishy or moldy right away, bring or send it back to the shop immediately, ask for a refund and buy somewhere else.
Yes, you certainly can use 5% of those unstable oils in your day mixture, IF you are using extremely stabilizing oils as well, which have to make up at least 50% of the mixture: jojoba, meadowfoam, coconut, avellana, babassu or marula oil, squalane or a plant butter like shea or cocoa butter). In addition, stabilize the whole mixture with vitamin e (8-9 drops / 100 ml).
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me:) I actually am using these oils under a pure sunscreen, I thought it would enhance the effectiveness of the sunscreen and moisturize as well. I’m still wondering a few things. If I use some of these seed oils, broccoli, pomegranate, red raspberry, in a day oil won’t these oils absorb into the skin and not be photo toxic? Or do they actually sit on the skin and can react? Also will using a sunscreen protect against pigmentation if using these oils? I chose these oils in my products for their antioxidant properties and I’m hoping I don’t have to reformulate, but possibly I do:( one more question, carrot seed essential oil, photo toxic during the day or not?
Thank you for your help!!! Xoxo
Hi Kristin,
I guess you already answered your question yourself: reformulate!
You don’t want to have trans-fats on your face, do you? The oxidation of linoleic acid forms free radicals. You don’t want to combat them by putting them on your skin!
Maybe, if you apply your oil mixture at 6 o’clock in the morning and leave your house at 9, it might be okay, but I’m not sure. I’m no expert either. But there are lots of oils with antioxidant properties that are quite stable as well! Argan oil, avellana oil, avocado oil, baobab oil, meadow foam oil, …, … Especially cranberry seed oil might be a great option for you. Although it’s a seed oil, it’s relatively stable and packed with a whole cocktail of antioxidants. It’s very similar to rosehip and elderberry seed oils, but it’s much more stable. AND – good news: broccoli seed oil is okay to use during the day!
Essential oils, on the other hand, are never stable. Put them in your night formula instead!
PS – I forgot, sunscreen won’t make an unstable oil stable.
Thank you so much for your help! You have so much knowledge about oils its impressive. Where did you learn about it all as I would like to have this information too:)??
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment.
I just had quite a lot of skin problems, and no cream or prescribed treatment really helped. So I started to read about skincare, diet, exercise and so on. Mostly on the internet. I love to put natural substances on my skin, and I simply tried all kinds of different natural oils. Oils feel nice and soothing, unlike any harsh chemical treatment. Also, it’s balm for the soul!
And my skin is great now. And that makes me happy.
You can learn that, too! Just keep on reading and being interested and fascinated!
And I‘ll always be glad to help you!
Hi, somewhere on this site I read the best percentage for active oils to be in the blend. I’m not sure if an oil needs to be at 10-20% or what that percentage actually is in a blend to get the benefits of the particular oil?
Thanks!
Was it in this article? http://www.thelovevitamin.com/7917/oil-blends-for-acne/
Yes, thats is exactly! Thank you:)
This all gets sooooo confusing.. I don’t even know what the lighter oils would be!!
Hi Thunder Girl,
maybe I just bombarded you with too much information in my article!
Oils containing a high percentage of linoleic acid are “lighter oils”. I just listed them once again in my reply to Yuriy, which – however – doesn‘t appear (who knows why?), so here you are:
Hemp, rosehip, evening primrose, borage seed, grape seed, black currant seed, elderberry seed, inca peanut, pomegranate seed and essential oils.
Since you are using shea butter: Plant butters with a low proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as shea, mango and cupuacu butter are quite unproblematic and can be used during the summer months without any remorse!
@ Yuriy
Oh yes, Kae sells one of those extremely over-priced oils! It’s ecocert certified, but that doesn’t have to mean anything: it simply means, that only 10% of the oil must actually come from organic farming!!! In addition, it claims to be pure, but not to be cold-pressed or wild-harvested or to be untreated!
Don‘t get me wrong, I don’t want to say that your oil is necessarily a bad oil! But we’re speaking about daylight robbery!!!
Use it until it’s finished, then try another brand – and save some money at the same time!
Better brands are:
NHR ORGANIC OILS (soil association certified – a minimum of 70% of the product must be from organic farming).
RAW GAIA (as far as I know not yet certified, but states to be wild-harvested, cold-pressed and untreated. I tried it, and it feels and smells like a good quality Argan oil has to be!)
But I’m sure there are some more great brands out there!
Try to google “food grade Argan oil”, “USDA certified Argan oil”, “Soil Association certified Argan oil” and so on.
Hey! I’m planning to purchase a different argan oil! Is the josie maran 100% pure argan oil any good? It says it’s certified organic but is certified by what…? Please let me know! I’m debating weather to got the josie’s or raw gaia’s argan oil! I’ll still use the kae on my body after shower lol!
Thank you!
<3 Yuriy
Hi Yuriy,
sorry for the late reply, but I was on a vacation without internet access.
I don’t know the brand you mentioned, so I can’t give you any more information, I’m sorry.
Maybe you could write an email to the company – at least if you haven’t already found a good oil for your face. You’ll notice, if you’ll get an evasive answer or an informative one!!!
Hey
I’ve been using oils for about a week and half now. My skin is slowly starting to produce less oil
. I also noticed that the hardened sebum in my pores is starting to get pushed out but not completely out. Will it come out on its own or should I use a cloth or something to get it out? Also I was wondering if I should start doing your OCM leaving the oils on for 30 mins or should I continue just putting it on and splashing water on my face right after?
Thanks for all the info Svea and Tracy! I’m thinking of trying the caveman thing but I think I’m going to continue with natural cleaning and oil for at least a month before I try it.
Chase
Hi Chase,
sorry for the late reply!
I think the hardened sebum will come out on its own, but it’ll take a while. Yes, you can try to use a muslin cloth. It’ll make your skin look a little smoother, but it’ll probably only cut the upper part of the hardened sebum without removing it from your pores. Please be as gentle as you can without rubbing your skin too much! If you have very sensitive skin, use the cloth only every other day or just once a week.
Leaving the oils on for 30 minutes before washing it off might be useful and help to unclog your pores even more effectively. Don’t massage your skin, just put on the oil and read a book or surf the internet or drink a nice cup of tea!
Does anyone know how to get facial oils, in my case rose hip oil, to penetrate and sink into the skin? Everytime I apply the oil to my face after my shower, it just lays on top of my skin. I’m not sure if it is even sinking into it at all. I hate the sheen that the oil makes on my face, it seems to emphasize every blemish, line, scar, and flaw I have, so running around my dorm at night with a greasy looking face can not happen haha. Any suggestions?
Hi Eirik,
there are several possibilities:
1) You’re putting the oil on dry skin. Try to apply it on damp skin instead or splash with water after applying it.
2) You’re using too much of it. 1-2 drops are enough for your whole face and neck.
3) Your skin simply doesn’t like rosehip oil. If you want, try other oils
or:
4) Your skin does not need any moisturizing at all. Not every skin needs external care.
If you want to “combat” scars, red marks, flaws and so on, try aloe vera gel. If you mix in some pure msm flakes (3 tsp + 100 ml aloe vera), it’s even more effective. Check this link:
http://www.a1msm.co.uk/msm_lotion_recipe.htm
I’ve been using oils for cleansing and moisturizing for about 2 years now. I have what feels like a million tiny bumps on my forehead and some eczema around my mouth. I figured it was because of emotional stress that in turn made my skin hyper sensitive to everything. Wherever I touched my face I would get something new. My skin would itch right away and a bump would appear like literally in a minute. It was horrible. I’ve tried loads of different oils with varying results. Now I follow a routine of dry brushing my entire body, including my face every night and then I wash the dead skin off with water and moisturize with jojoba oil. This has worked wonders for me. My skin is no longer as sensitive as before. Is dry brushing something you would recommend?
Hi Sabine – out of curiosity, how rough is the brush that you use to dry brush your face? Is it the same brush as the one you use on your body?? I just started dry brushing my body, but the brush is SO rough, I’d never ever ever consider using it on my face. Do you use a gentler brush? I was thinking like maybe a dry baby brush would be appropriate. Anyway, I’m not saying don’t do that if it works for you, I’m just really curious!
It´s the same brush that I use for my body for now, all natural bristles and quite soft. I’m actually thinking I’d buy a baby brush for my face because of the size. I’m way more gentle with my face but it feels like my face can handle a bit more already. Like I said, my skin is a LOT less sensitive since I started brushing it. Also, I don’t have any open sores or anything like that. I think of it like if I got a cut somewhere I´d never rub the cut with a brush, but then my skin looks really good right now, all I have left is some tiny bumps on my forehead and scars on my cheeks. I haven’t had any major issues since I started with this routine. All I’ve had is two almost microscopical whiteheads around my period. It feels great when I can actually count the blemishes. Haha!
Another plus is that it looks like I’ve had a facelift.
When I started using seabuckthorn oil my skin cleared up completely! No diet changes, just the oil. Have you heard of it? I’m surprised it wasn’t mentioned here!
Hi Meghan,
there are SOOOOOOO many different oils out there that I surely wasn’t able to mention all of them. The article is meant to be a general overview, but – naturally – it’s still far away from being completely exhaustive.
As far as I know, there are two different types of sea buckthorn oil: seed sea buckthorn oil, a yellow oil containing a combination of fatty acids obtained from the seeds – and fruit sea buckthorn oil, a red to brown oil obtained from the whole fruit and containing a wide variety of ingredients, vitamins and antioxidants. The fruit oil is known to be an active antimicrobial substance. The seed oil contains a high amount of linoleic acid, and – as I explained in the article – a lack of linoleic acid might contribute to acne. This could explain, why one of these oils (or a mix of them) helped you so much.
Out of curiosity, which type of sea buckthorn oil are you using?
Svea,
Overall switching to natural cleansing/ moisturizing has worked well. My skin tone has evened out and my skin on my t-zone has become less oily.
Im’ still having troubles with the skin around my mouth mainly my chin. The skin is very sensitive and has white sebum coming out of my pores still. Ya your right. Right now the sebum stays in the pores and the cloth just cuts them off plus i think the cloth sometimes causes breakouts. Im gonna try leaving the oil on for 30 mins. How would you suggest washing off the oil after?
Another question for you hahaha I’m washing my face with water twice a day. Once with the honey and then in the shower in the evening. After both I apply a mix of oils and some aloe. You think I would benefit from only wash once a day?
Cheers
Hi Chase,
I’m so sorry, but somehow I don’t get any more e-mail notifications. I should check back MUCH more often!!!
However, I’ll answer your questions below!!!
Hi svea this is my first time visiting this site and i was blown away by all the useful inforation on the different types of oils. my question is: what is the right oil for dry thick hair? ive been getting bad relaxers in my hair since i was about 6 years old and now that im 19 and my hair is completely damaged i cut it off and its still in critical condition
. any advice would be amazing at this point. thanks
Hi Kieona,
I’m sorry, it’s a really late reply. I actually didn’t even notice that there were so many “new“ comments! For some reason I didn’t get any notifications …
To your question:
The traditional hair washing routine in India includes massaging the scalp with coconut oil, allowing it to soak in for an hour or two (or over night), and then washing it with shikakai or aritha powder (but you can still wash it with an extremely mild shampoo or conditioner only afterwards). Coconut oil is really great for dry and thick hair. It makes it shiny, but is also a great natural remedy to combat dandruff and itchiness. Olive, macadamia or avocado oil are some more nice options for dry hair. I’d suggest to try the ones you already have at home (maybe olive or coconut oil).
After washing, apply another (SMALL!) amount of oil to your wet lengths. Start with 2-3 drops and see what your hair looks like when dry. If it wasn’t enough, wet your lengths a little bit and apply some more oil.
Hello, just want to say this is extremely helpful! I feel much more knowledgable about what to put on my face than just slathering on any oil I can think of. I have perioral dermatitis but have kept the acne and bumps at bay. Now I’m trying to figure out how to moisturize and stop the flakiness. I have acne prone, dry, AND sensitive skin around my chin. It’s horrible.
I recently tried coconut oil (bad idea), jojoba oil (not cold pressed), cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil (not cold pressed and it had fragrance…), and pure grapeseed oil from Italy (nothing mentioned about cold pressed so it is probably hexane extracted). ALL broke me out. Do you recommend an oil that can solve my Dryness? Just FYI, I exfoliate every other day using honey and brown sugar, I eliminated all causal factors of perioral dermatitis, I’m stress free, and I’m doing a mini-caveman regimen just for my chin (taking shower with mask, etc. I really do not have a clue as to what can help me with this dryness around my mouth. Not too mention, I also have Hyperpigmentation there to boot. Any help is much appreciated!
Hi Justin,
I’m really sorry for the late reply, but as I mentioned above, I didn’t get any notifications.
I can so much relate to what you’re saying, but in your case I’d try a full (or almost full = water only) caveman regimen to make your skin “learn” once again to produce its own oil. Please don’t put any oil or other skin conditioners on your face until it feels and looks “normal” again – it can take up to several months. I know, it’ll be an extremely hard time for you. In the beginning, your skin will feel so dry that you just want to rub it off and it‘ll look extremely dull, but – it WILL definitely get better! Your skin CAN help itself – I truly believe that!!! Your skin might look scaly for a while, but that‘s actually a good sign. Underneath, healthy skin will appear. Believe me!!!
As Chase mentioned below, tap water can be another trigger. Depending on where you live, it might contain chlorine, fluoride or be very limy. These substances can dry out your skin A LOT or can even cause cystic acne (fluoride) in some individuals. So it’s actually an extremely good idea to use distilled, mineral or – if your tap water doesn’t contain fluoride – filtered water for washing (or doing a full caveman regimen without washing at all – at least as long as you don’t suffer from seborrheic dermatitis like me). Soft, chemical-free water really CAN improve your skin!
The hyper-pigmentation problem has to be solved afterwards! Manuka honey might be a great idea, as well as vitamin C applied topically (dissolve 1 tiny little pinch of ascorbic acid in 1/2 cup of water, mix well and apply it to your face on a cotton pad twice a day).
After a few months of going with the cavemen, use a peeling only ONCE every two weeks. Peeling your skin more often will only dry it out even more (and brown sugar is extremely scratchy too!!! – use a soft muslin cloth instead – or oatmeal). Or simply stick with the cavemen.
Ive been trying to get rid of a similar problem. My skin is dry around my mouth on my chin and cheeks yet oily aroundvmy nose my nose amd my forehead. The ocm has cut my oil production on oily parts by a lot. I now only wash once a day. Im still having problems with dryness but i think i may havr found a solution but im not sure yet. I startes washingvmy face with distilled water andvevery day that i do it my skin seems to get less dry. Maybe its the placebo affect butvim gonnavkeep doing it and see if my skin is healthier in a few weeks. if not ill stop wasting money on distilled water although it is really cheap. I would do the caveman but my pores are just wayyy to big it would be disaster. You could tr
Hey Chase, I might try the distilled water. I really am trying to figure out how to get my sebum production back on my chin again. It’s just soo dry! I have been using light therapy so I think that is the cause of the dryness although it’s keeping all acne back. Even prior to light therapy, my chin has always been dry.
It looks like your comment got cut off. What were you going to say?
Hey
Sorry I was writing that on my phone. I was just gonna suggest using the distilled water it’s fairly cheap $1-2 per gallon. I’ve been using it for a week and half and everyday my skin looks healthier.Who knew water was my enemy!
My routine is honey for 30 mins, wash off with distilled water, then I do a version of the OCM that Svea suggests where you just apply the oil to damp skin rubbing VERY lightly (massage for a max of 1 min I tried longer and got cystic acne)after application let the oil sit on your skin for 30 mins. After that I use a warm muslin cloth(use tap water but wring it really well so its just a warm cloth) and pat your face no rubbing. I then shower without getting my face in the water, then before I get out I grab some distilled water and dump it over my face. After you can pat any excess oil off with your towel.
Its a huge pain in the ass but well worth it. For you since only your chin is a problem maybe just do the oil on your chin or stick to the distilled water only but the oil is a good natural moisturizer.
Hope that helps.
Hi Chase!
It sounds like you found your ideal regimen already – at least ALMOST! The routine, how you’re doing it so far, sounds quite gentle, so I think it’s fine just as it is! Once or twice a day? Every skin is different, but for most of us once a day is enough!
You’re right to suspect your tap water (it’s probably not only imagination or placebo). Here’s my answer to Justin:
“As Chase mentioned below, tap water can be another trigger. Depending on where you live, it might contain chlorine, fluoride or be very limy. These substances can dry out your skin A LOT or can even cause cystic acne (fluoride) in some individuals. So it’s actually an extremely good idea to use distilled, mineral or – if your tap water doesn’t contain fluoride – filtered water for washing (or doing a full caveman regimen without washing at all – at least as long as you don’t suffer from seborrheic dermatitis like me). Soft, chemical-free water really CAN improve your skin!”
Lots of love,
Svea
Hi so I stopped using moisturizer all together because that is what you recommended in many of your articles but my face now looks SUPER SUPER dry, flaky, parched, and just…disgusting.
Is this a temporary stage that will pass? I really cant stand this :/
is there any natural moisturizers for dry flaky skin that you would recommend? or should I just leave my skin be and let the flakiness subside on its own?
sorry let me rephrase because I just realized how stupid my last comment sounded.
I realize now that this article actually does have a list of oils for moisturizing dry skin xD.
so forget that last post.
My question now is this:
I had been using commercial moisturizer for a while now and my skin was fine, but after I stopped, my skin became more flaky than it had EVER been.
I suspect that this means that after relying on moisturizer for so long, my skin now “forgot” how to produce its own oils.
so my real question is, should I stop using moisturizer all together for a while so that my skin goes back to normal???? or should I switch to one of the oils you suggested right away??
Hi Audre,
Yes, it’s totally normal your skin is going to take a while to normalize itself after quitting moisturizer, and will be dry. However, water itself is very drying, so it’s also quite normal to need a moisturizer after putting water on it in general unless your skin errs on the side of oiliness. So you may as well just start using an oil right away, unless, if you really, really want to get your skin completely normalized back to it’s completely natural state where no moisturizer is needed, ever, you’re going to have to do the caveman for a while. http://www.thelovevitamin.com/3135/caveman-regimen/
Hi Tracy, you are beautiful!
Svea, you are like a walking treasure trove with all these knowledge on oils. I’d really like to hear what you think of squalene. Like this product – http://www.botani.com.au/shop/olive-skin-serum-15ml/
I’ve just answered your question on my blog:
http://blackoldchewinggum.com/2012/04/20/are-you-a-skincare-messie/
Cheers,
Svea
I have a burning question for Tracy and/or Svea that’s been bothering me ever since I read this article last weekend.
I’ve been on the caveman for about 3 months…using only water on my face (misting with thermal spring water in the mornings to help me wake up and washing with tap water about every three days when I wash my hair.)Occasionally I use a bit of some mixed organic oils(base is cold pressed organic jojoba oil)that I have laying around.
On any given day I can take my sleeve (if I’m wearing a long sleeved shirt)across my forehead/eyebrow area and little white flakes will appear on the fabric. I suffer with some dryness around the mouth, too. 1-2 months into the caveman my forehead/temples started getting bumpy & clogged. Oh and every once in a while my forehead gets a little greasy…which confuses me greatly. I know everything sounds contradictory – dry & flaky with clogged pores and sometimes greasy forehead, but it’s true. I’d like to use some oil in the winter (now) to help combat the dryness but I don’t know if I a need a drying or a non drying oil. I’m afraid one will dry out my already dry skin or the other will overload my clogged pores. All I want is non clogged, smooth, supple skin. Help!
Hi Katie!
Well, my forehead was a bit like that… oily but also kinda flakeyish. Jojoba worked for me for this exact problem, so that’s what I’d suggest, but maybe Svea has some more insightful insight, as she tends to know more about these matters than me!
Hi Katie,
I‘m pretty sure that your skin is lacking moisture (i.e. water, not fat) in the first place. I also think, that‘s the reason why your pores get clogged. In addition, temperatures during the cold season tend to solidify the cutaneous sebum, so that it doesn‘t spread as effectively on your skin surface as in the spring/summer months. This might lead to an increased permeability of your skin‘s natural hydro-lipid film, letting water evaporate from it. Low humidity, dry and heated air accelerate trans-epidermal water loss as well.
This type of skin condition isn‘t that easy to cure, but it‘s definitely curable
. If there is another underlying cause like seborrheic dermatitis, keratosis pilaris or psoriasis, it will even be more difficult. Did you ever check that? Is your face a little red and / or itchy at times as well?
However, it‘s no good idea to add pure moisture (water only) to your face. It might have fatal consequences: Not just the water you‘ve applied will evaporate from your skin‘s surface, but even some of the water contained in your epidermis. And this can increase the chance of skin irritation. Flaky skin, clogged pores, redness and / or itching might be the result.
Did you ever try NOT to let water touch your face for a while? If so, for how long? Did the flakiness get any better or worse? Do you have dandruff, too?
Whenever you wash your hair, do you wash your face in the shower or at the sink?
Maybe the water you‘re using is simply too hot. Warm or hot water can dry out your skin like hell. Use lukewarm water – more on the cold side – to wash your face instead.
Or maybe your tap water is very limy and/or contains chlorine? If so, use filtered, distilled, spring or mineral water, if you can.
Ah, and another question/advice: When using your thermal water spray, do you let your skin air dry afterwards? Please don‘t do this. Just let the water sit for a while in order to make it cool down and calm your face, then pat your face dry, so that your skin won‘t loose any unnecessary moisture. Or apply some oil to your face while it‘s still damp to lock in moisture.
So which types of oils can you use?
That depends on your skin type. Personally, I don‘t get along with jojoba oil very well, since I find it‘s too drying. But that‘s a question of trial and error anyway
.
These oils are usually suggested for flaky skin types:
1) evening primrose oil (a lighter oil, packed with lots of gamma-linolenic acid, which is considered to promote healthy skin growth and has strong inflammatory properties).
2) extra virgin olive oil (In folk medicine, it is described as warming and anti-inflammatory. Olive oil is a non-drying oil and needs a little time to sink in, but at the same time it acts as an emollient, making it ideal for scabby, scaly and rough skin conditions.)
3) calendula oil (That‘s an oil infusion actually, usually made of olive oil and dried marigold flowers. You can make it yourself or simply buy it. Sometimes, it‘s also made from other basic oils like almond, jojoba or sunflower oil. Calendula oil is a great option for people who have dry or chapped skin. Having antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, it is a great treatment for skin infections, burns, skin rashes, inflammation, and wounds.
4) almond or apricot kernel oil (These oils are are neither extremely light nor extremely oily, usually well-tolerated by all skin types, even sensitive and baby skin, and extremely versatile).
5) shea butter (if nothing else works: shea butter can regulate the moisture levels of irritated and stressed skin and is soothing and smoothing. It strengthens the lipid barrier and makes it an excellent treatment for dry, neurodermatitic and barrier disordered skin. It can also be used as a balm or in combination with other oils. The only downside: it has some kind of semi-occlusive effect, so you might find it too heavy and greasy).
And please remember:
1) Apply oils on damp skin only. If not, you‘ll experience the contrary effect after a while and your skin will dry out even more.
2) Use the smallest amounts only: 1-2 drops of oil or a rice grain size of shea butter are enough. Apply the oil (or shea butter) to the palms of your hands and warm and soften it by rubbing your palms together. Then run them over your face.
3) It takes time for your skin to adjust. Don‘t expect extremely fast results in 2-3 days. Maybe it‘ll even get a little worse in the first two weeks: maybe your skin will look or feel a bit dryer, or it‘ll break out a little bit. I know it‘s frustrating, but please don‘t loose your courage. Ever. It‘ll take weeks or months for your skin to heal, and maybe also a little bit of trial and error. But in the end, you‘ll get a feeling for what your skin needs. Listen to it.
Hope that helps!
Lots of love,
Svea
Svea-
Please excuse the time lapse in replying, but I was on a holiday & exceptionally busy thereafter. Now for some answers to your questions!
As far as I know, I do not have seborrheic dermatitis, keratosis pilaris or psoriasis.
Do not struggle with redness or itchiness (although when my acne was a whole lot worse it would get a bit itchy). The longest I’ve gone without letting water touch my face was something like a week (early into the caveman & before my clogged pore problem) and it was during the summer/early fall when dryness wasn’t such a big problem for me. I have fine curly hair and zero dandruff…my scalp gets greasy if I go too long without a wash. The only reason that I wash my face when I wash my hair (which I wash in the shower) is
because I use a lot of product in my hair (curly girl method – no poo, conditioner, leave in conditioner & gel) and I want to be sure none gets on my face. I try to stay away from hot water for my hair and my skin and the fact that the water at my house is hard makes that a double whammy. ;( I mist with thermal spring water in the mornings and then pat dry as it would annoy me to let it evaporate. Like a little water to remove the sleep from my eyes and wake me up.
I’ve been on the modified caveman ever since October 2012 – only water and maybe some oil if the skin is dry. It’s kind of confusing because I like the idea of letting your skin take care of itself but when I have dry, dry skin and clogged pores/oily skin from living with the caveman… it’s not so attractive after all. Sigh. About oils – I use EVOO every once in a while but it doesn’t seem to be heavy enough or something. My skin seems to be becoming more translucent as I get older (almost 23!)and it scares with every new pimple (no picking!) and then take months to fade.
PS. Tracy and Svea,
Thank you guys so much for taking the time to reply…it means a bunch.
Hi Katie,
I’ve been on a vacation, too! I hope you enjoyed yours
!
First of all: I don’t have any patented skin care solution for you. I’m sorry
.
But: you could try to google “seborrhea sicca”. This is the “professional” term to describe extremely dry, yet oily skin. It means that your external skin barrier, the acid mantle, has lots of tiny gaps that let water evaporate from your skin. The good news is that this skin condition usually improves a lot after the heating season, in springtime and during the summer.
For now, you could try to “pimp” your skin barrier with a plant butter (shea, cocoa, cupuacu or mango butter) or pesticide-free lanolin. Be sure to use the smallest amounts only (plant butters and lanolin have a semi-occlusive effect).
Or:
1)
try oil blends with a balanced profile of fatty acids (non-drying + medium drying + drying oils). Your skin might lack certain fatty acids. I mentioned some possible oil mixes in my article.
2)
add oils rich in lecithin and phytosterols, such as avocado, grape seed or wheat germ oil.
3)
add a moisturizing agent (urea, d-panthenol or lactic acid) to your thermal spring water or an alcohol-free organic floral water. A tiny pinch or 1-2 drops of it (ca. 1-3%) are enough for a 1oz (30ml) flask. If you use thermal water, add a quarter of e teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (to 1oz / 30ml). Most moisturizing agents need a slightly acidic environment in order to work properly.
That your acne scars seem to take ages to fade might be due to lymphatic congestion. Please have a look at this article:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4403/lymphatic-system-acne/
And: keep your head up! Please!
One last question…what do you think of the clarisonic?
As far as I know, it doesn’t work that well, so please don’t waste your money.
Hey! Im at the end of week 2 with jojoba oil for cleansing and my skin is breaking out in all these little bumps… Im not sure if i should continue this regimine or not
Hi Joanna,
jojoba oil definitely has some detox effect. I think there can be a transition period (of at least a month) where your skin may get a little upset when switching skin routines, and I think this is especially true if you were using something all chemically before it. This is where I DO think it will pass.
But it could also be that jojoba oil is just too drying for your skin. You could try some argan, olive or almond oil instead. Or your skin may genuinely not like jojoba oil (or other oils), but often the issue is simply a matter of quality. You could also try NOT to use any oil or any cream at all for a while.
You see, it gets kind of confusing. It’s simply not easy to answer your question. There always has to be some trial and error. Unfortunately.
Svea.. I’m just enamoured with how smart you are
Tracy, thank you so much! Indeed, this is becoming a monster thread
.
I used the Auria Cura Organic Jojoba https://www.auracacia.com/dspCmnPrd.php?ct=anpcpcsc&l=J
Its also breaking out in TONS of acne so Im not sure if thats normal or purging but i did it just for two weeks with only jojoba oil and washing that off.
I suppose I could do like a month trial on my chest because I have those bumps on my chest and its causing tons of acne there too and see if it helps my chest after a month. (Ive been applying jojoba there too)
Hi Joanna,
doing a monthly trial period on your chest sounds like a good plan!
I can’t actually figure out, if your jojoba oil is a good quality oil or not. The website only says it’s organic, but it doesn’t say if it’s cold-pressed, untreated, unrefined…
Maybe the label on your bottle can give you some more indication. And Tracy’s article:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/3028/choose-good-jojoba-oil-acne/
My skin is an oily mess halfway through the day, its def never dry
Im not really sure why I thought jojoba would be good for anything, just thought it would be nice to use a natural cleanser/mouisturizer
Well, jojoba oil seems to work for many people, but that doesn’t mean it has to work for you as well! But it might! The pain of it all is that you always have to try out all kinds of things before you really know. In addition, the reason for oily and blemished skin is usually linked to your body as a whole. There is something that is out of balance: hormones, stress, food sensitivities, lack of exercise,… External skincare is just one small piece in an enormous puzzle. It most probably won’t be the only key. To find your main triggers, you could try to consult a naturopath.
But most of all, it’s a brain issue. NOT thinking about my skin as an ugly and incurable mess any more, having a relaxed attitude to it, forgetting about the mirror and starting to enjoy my life instead, is what really helped me. Really.
Hi Svea & Tracy! I’m 26 and switched to natural skincare for my acne about 5 months ago and couldn’t be happier. I am ridiculously oily to the point that if I leave my hair down all day and any of it that touches my face it gets oily too. I went through lots of trial and error, and lots of purging, but my face seems to be normalizing (finally) with no new major acne coming up and it’s a bit less oily. My skin hates change and is very prone to breakouts so I’m trying to stick with my new regiment for a while, but i have a problem. My oils are on your list for having a phototoxic reaction! I’ve been in cold, cloudy weather for work the past 6 months so I haven’t had any reactions, but next month I’m headed back home where it’s already warm and sunny. Summers have been the worst for me as my face also hates sunscreen. Which finally brings me to my question (plead for help). Did you ever do a post about how to mix your own sunscreen? Or do you have any suggestions? I guess I have 3 questions:
1) Do I need sunscreen for my face daily? If I’m not going to be sunbathing but will still see the sun as I work a lot outside.
2) What about for long beach days? More potent sunscreen maybe?
3) If I should change my oils due to photo sensitivity, any suggestions?
The time that you both take to share your insight and experience is amazing. I hope you know how much it means to your readers and that you know how appreciative we all are! (Tracy-sorry for not thanking you earlier!)
Hi Nicole,
thank you so much for your lovely words!
To your questions:
1) Do I need sunscreen for my face daily?
Not necessarily. You can also protect yourself with clothing: a hat, sunglasses, long sleeves. Or you could try to stay in the shade most of the time you’re outside. Actually, a little bit of sunshine every day can be quite healthy! Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin and causes vitamin D to be produced underneath your skin. That’s why 10-15 (maybe up to 30) minutes of pure sunshine are considered to be safe, depending on your skin type and on where you live. I know, that’s not much, but please make sure you never burn.
If you still want a little protection: zinc-oxide based mineral makeup works quite well for many people with a problem skin and provides sun protection at the same time!
And – read this article about “eating” your sunscreen (although – personally – I’d still wear sunscreen on the beach!!!):
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/8-natural-ways-to-prevent-a-sunburn-and-sunscreens-not-one-of-them/#axzz1xgLqk6eS
2) What about long beach days? Sunscreen?
Yes, I’d definitely wear a sunscreen. In my opinion those classic Badger sunscreens (the pasty ones) are probably the most natural choice you could make: only few ingedients (non-nano zinc oxide, plant oils, plant butters, beeswax – that’s all). But these are really, really heavy.
Alternatives: Preferably, choose a sunscreen with a physical filter, especially zinc oxide (always the non-nano version). The second best choice: titanium dioxide, but make sure that these sunscreens are also rich in antioxidants like vitamin E, gamma oryzanol, green tea, resveratrol, …, to limit free radical damage. If you really, really, really don’t get along AT ALL with those physical sunscreens, which can be drying at one side and still a very thick and pasty cream formula, make sure to choose only extremely stable chemical filters: Tinosorb S and M and Mexoryl SX and XL. However, be aware, that chemical filters always tend to generate free radicals (to avoid the formation of free radicals during sun exposure, naturally
).
Have a look at my sunscreen articles:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4000/sunscreen-and-acne-part-one/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4012/sunscreen-and-acne-part-two/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4013/sunscreen-and-acne-part-three/
However, although I adore self-made skincare, I’m not a big fan of self-made sunscreens. At least not of promoting them on the internet. Sad as it is, most types of zinc oxide (or titanium dioxide) powders available on the market consist of nano particles. These tiny particles can easily be inhaled and absorbed by your lungs, i.e. be a serious health risk, especially during the preparation of your sunscreen.
3) Should I change my oils due to photo sensitivity? Suggestions?
Extremely stable oils are jojoba oil, meadowfoam oil (very similar to jojoba oil) and marula oil (feels very calming and “protecting”). Coconut oil.
BUT –
You seem to react very well to lighter oils, containing lots of linoleic acid. You could
a) moisturize at night only,
or
b) try a compromise: sesame oil, rice germ oil and argan oil won’t cause any kind of phototoxic reaction, but still contain a good amount of linoleic acid.
You see, the solution can be quite simple.
Have a nice day,
Svea
Hi Tracy and Svea!
I’ve been using regular ‘ole Safflower oil as my moisturizing base (I add Lavender oil and Tea Tree oil just to kick it up a notch) for several weeks and I love the way it makes my skin look and feel! Only today, I read that most Safflower oils found in everyday stores are the high OLEIC type when what I should be using is the high LINOLEIC type! Well, after an exhausting internet search for this (and running out to 3 different health food stores), I’ve come up with nothing. Seems the only way to get the high LINOLEIC variety is to buy it in capsule form which is marketed for weight loss (???) Do either of you know where this high LINOLEIC oil can be purchased? If not, is there something else just as beneficial?
Hi Jennifer!
Are you sure that the high LINOLEIC type of safflower oil would really be better for you? I’m only asking you because you seem to get along so well with the high OLEIC type you’re already using.
As you have noticed
, there are different varieties of safflower oil (deriving from different species of safflower plants). The trend is that the one high in monounsaturated fatty acids is sold in America mainly, whereas the high LINOLEIC type is more common in Europe. I had to learn that, too! 
By the way, for diet use, high–linoleic safflower oil has been shown to increase adiponectin, a protein that helps regulate blood glucose levels and fatty-acid breakdown (at least Wikipedia says so
) – but personally I’m quite skeptical if omega-6 fatty acids are really that great taken internally.
If you still want to try an oil high in linoleic acid for your skin, you could try grape seed oil instead. Or high LINOLEIC sunflower oil (there are different types of sunflower oil as well!!!).
Hemp oil, evening primrose oil or black currant seed oil are great choices, too. These oils have quite intense healing properties, so in the beginning I’d mix them into a more neutral carrier oil to minimize a probable detox reaction.
If you want to try a very balanced oil instead (OLEIC acid = LINOLEIC acid), you could try rice germ oil, sesame oil or argan oil. These oils usually feel very silky on the skin, give it a dewy look and are accepted by most skin types.
Lots of love
xox
Hi Svea,
WOW! Thank you! What great information! I didn’t know that the high LINOLEIC variety of Safflower oil was found mainly in Europe! No wonder I can’t find any here! LOL!
I’m still going to stick to using the Safflower oil I have because it’s a a ZERO on the comedogenic scale and it doesn’t seem to be irritating my skin or breaking me out. Gotta love that, right?! And just as an FYI, I found this website: http://www.zerozits.com/Articles/acnedetect.htm, that has a pretty long list of irritating and/or comedogenic ingredients commonly used in anti-acne preparations and cosmetics. Yes, I know it’s from 2008, but I still think it’s pretty good information. I’m going to refer to it when purchasing anything that touches my skin! Thanks again! ♥
Hi Jennifer,
I’m sorry that I didn’t find the time to answer your comment earlier. Thanks for sharing
!
That zerozits-list can surely be of help, especially if you just started checking your skin care ingredients more thoroughly. But keep in mind, that this list doesn’t make any difference between virgin, cold pressed or CO2 extracted oils on the on hand or subsequently refined, deodorized or chemically treated oils on the other hand. If you will break out or not, hugely depends on the quality of the oil you’re using and on your skin type.
ive been using grape seed oil on my face to even the skin tone and i use tea tree oil on my acne scars and zits. and for face washes i use derma E. i recently bought rosehip oil to get rid of my acne scars and lines undermy eyes. Can i use the rosehip oil directly on my acne? will it get rid of it or make it worse? i have even skin its not oily or dry its right in the middle but my bc causes me to beak out
so can i use the rosehip on my zits directly r should i not?
Hi Samantha,
rosehip oil is very potent stuff. In a good sense. It can be a great skin healer. But that’s also why I wouldn’t use it straight on the face right away (in order to avoid some kind of detox reaction). Let your skin get used to it first. You can dilute a small amount of it with your grape seed oil. If your skin likes it, simply ramp up the amount of rosehip oil.
What about rose oil? Does it have the same benefits as rose hip oil? It is very pricey though…
The difference is that rose oil is an essential oil:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_oil
Essential oils are highly concentrated and can also be harmful if not used correctly. That’s why essential oils should never be used undiluted on the skin (10-15 drops / 100ml). Less is More!
Rosehip oil is a regularly pressed oil and can be used on its own. You can find rosehip seed or fruit oils, or a blend of both varieties.
Hi Svea!
First up, thanks for writing this extremely informative article. I never really thought about using oils this way until I read about using jojoba oil to help with excessive oil production and then I found this article.
Of course, I am still a little worried about putting oil on my face because there are mixed reactions to oils and I am worried about massive breakouts. Also because I don’t like it if my skin feels sticky.
I was trying to figure out from your article and comments to determine which oil I should try out first, but I’m rather overwhelmed, I guess, about the amount of info here…haha. Trying to find an oil with the properties I need.
I live in a country that’s hot and humid all year round near the equator and some times in the year, it rains more often and some times, it’s really hot. I have oily skin, but after washing my face with water, the lower parts of my cheeks feel a little dry. What oil would you recommend? I was thinking of jojoba, but when I went to a store to get jojoba they didn’t have that in stock and recommended Nigella oil instead. I didn’t get it because I was unsure.
I also have whiteheads on my chin and I sometimes get cystic acne there. I would also like to fade my scars, some of them from chicken pox. I got well from chicken pox a month ago.
Thanks for taking the time to read this! Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Hi Jules,
I think jojoba or meadowfoam oil could be a great choice for you. Both oils are almost neutral base oils, great for sensitive and oily skin and very stable in hot climates. In addition, these oils will give your skin a minimum protection from the sun (SPF 2 – max.4). The chemical composition of jojoba and meadowfoam oil is very similar, although jojoba oil might feel a tad “waxier” on your skin than meadowfoam oil, which will sink in without any noticeable residue if applied properly:
To avoid that sticky and oily feeling, make sure to apply only 1-2 drops of oil to damp skin. Oils actually DO penetrate when the skin is wet! And applying only the smallest amounts of oil to your skin will minimize the risk of breaking out. In the beginning, you could start to use a drop of oil once or twice a week to get your skin used to your new routine, then every other day, and after a while every day. Just make sure NOT to moisturize at night, so that your skin can do its own thing to get rid of all toxins accumulated during the day while you‘re sleeping.
If you notice that you might need a slightly heavier oil to moisturize your face properly, I would recommend almond or olive oil. Both are cooling and moistening oils, olive being slightly heavier than almond oil. Argan oil might be a good choice as well.
You mentioned nigella oil: I don’t know much about it, but it’s surely no classical base oil. However, it can be an active agent in an oil mixture (10-20% of a formula). If used on its own, it might be “too much” for your skin.
Next theme: Cystic acne around the chin area usually comes from within. The reason is a hormonal imbalance. Please read this article:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/6855/treat-female-hormonal-acne/
As far as your acne and chickenpox scars are concerned: oils that naturally contain lots of vitamin e (jojoba, meadowfoam, olive, argan, almond for instance) are great skin tissue softeners and will make those kind of scars less noticeable. MSM might be of great help as well. Just add 3 heaped teaspoons of MSM powder to 100ml (30oz) of floral water, aloe vera gel or simply some mineral water, shake well and use it as a spray to moisten your face before applying your oil.
It will take time for your skin to heal. But it WILL heal. I’m sure.
Hi Jules,
I live in similar climate. Oils works great for me. Tamanu oil is wonderful at fading red marks left by acne and pretty calming too. Maybe it’ll work on chicken pox scar? I also use Sea Buckthorn seed oil and Rosehip seed oil. Both don’t break me out.
You know oil is actually NOT oily. When I woke up in the morning, my face was moist but not oily, unlike when I was using moisturizer. If producing excess sebum makes you breakout, when your face doesn’t, you won’t.
Svea has given you some fantastic suggestions. I think the only thing you have to worry about is choosing the right quality oil. Organic, co2 extract, virgin, edible, etc.
Enjoy experimenting! If you don’t try, you’ll never know.
@ Johen: You rock! Thanks a bunch for posting your great tips and your own experiences with oils so far! I think your (and other people’s) feedback on this page is extremely helpful. Always. And not only for me and Jules. That was really sweet of you!!!
@ Jules: There are always a variety of treatment options to choose from. Try not to be too overwhelmed. Just start with the ones that appeal to you the most and see how things go. And please keep us updated!
@Svea: Thank you very much for the info and recommendations!! My only problem now is looking for those oils at my local organic food store. The types of oils they stock are pretty limited… and they stock oils that are cosmetic, I think, from this company called Florame and is super expensive. I can’t even find meadowfoam here! Haha. I’m looking into some online vendors now…I found a USDA certified organic jojoba oil of the brand “Now Foods”. I hope that’s good? I haven’t made the purchase yet as I want to be absolutely sure before I buy. Maybe I should look for more online sellers that actually ship to my country and decide from there… as for the MSM powder, what do I have to look out for in the label?
Thanks again for the info Svea, it has been a great help. I’ll admit, it’s really overwhelming with all the possibilities…hahaha. But I’ll give it a try all the same
@Johen: Thank you for you input too! The thing about getting oils for me now is finding out where I can actually get them here!! Haha.
About the oil not being oily, I get what you mean!! At first I felt like it would be super oily and sticky in this climate…but some time last week, I bought a bottle of virgin coconut oil for my hair (dandruff) and applied some on my arms as well (to experiment)…needless to say, my perception on oil being oily has totally changed! Haha! Thank you for sharing Johen!!
Hi Jules,
“Mountain Rose Herbs” is a great online source for good quality oils in the U.S.
There are similar online shops in many other countries as well.
Also, have a look at this article:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/3028/choose-good-jojoba-oil-acne/
Someone commented: “I use NOW Foods pure jojoba oil which I buy from GNC. And yes, Tracy, I know you just said not to trust “pure”, lol, but this stuff works really well.”
As far as MSM is concerned: try to avoid impure grades of MSM imported from China and the Far East, synthetic, petrochemical or animal derived MSM or MSM powders containing fillers, flow agents or additives. Crystal flakes seem to be the most effective MSM product. I’m getting mine from Raw Gaia (UK). I think it’s best to write an email to the supplier and ask them a few questions:
- Country of origin?
- Organic or synthetic? Is it pure?
- Level of purity?
- Crystal flakes or powder?
- Does it contain flow or bulking agents?
Hi Svea!!
Thanks for the link on jojoba oil! I don’t know how I missed that one…haha. I found another brand (desert essence) that is stocked by the local online store and now weighing between the two brands.
It seems both brands also have a USDA certified organic version of the pure jojoba oil.
Mountain Rose Herbs was one of the first sites I tried since I saw someone (I think it was you??) mentioning it here earlier on.. They unfortunately do not ship to my country
As for the MSM, I suppose it would be a good idea for me to order from Raw Gaia too,since I can’t find it in the local organic store (even the local online store) until I can actually find a local supplier. (Thanks for the list of questions to ask, btw…)
Going to the Raw Gaia site, there were several other products that caught my eye, particularly the floral waters and MSM spray. But I suppose the MSM spray is something I can mix up as per your guidelines above
Will I need to refrigerate the MSM mixture? For example,if I mixed it with mineral water?
Hi Jules,
it seems that both certified organic jojoba oil versions might be a good choice. If I were you I‘d choose the less pricy one to see how your skin likes it.
And yes, I‘d refrigerate the MSM mixture. Since you‘re living in a hot climate, it‘s best to boil the mineral water before making the mixture (or to use distilled water) and to sterilize the flask: clean it with water and a little bit of baking soda. Attach the cap and shake vigorously, then scrub the bottle and cap with a bottle or nipple brush. Rinse thoroughly. Shake off the excess water and place the bottle and cap in the microwave for 2 minutes. It might sound complicated and time consuming at first, but you‘ll see that it isn‘t that bad at all in the end. And it‘s much less expensive than buying a ready-made mixture – although the MSM-spray you mentioned is actually really good…
Hello Svea,
Thank you very very much for all your time and help!!!
I really appreciate it, you have helped me narrow down options from a vast amount of choices and made it less overwhelming!
Thank you!!
I will remember to post an update here
Hi Jules,
yes, please! Let me know how it works out for you!!!
It might be a long way to go. If something does not work immediately, don’t get discouraged. It still took me over a year for my skin to look great after I first started with oils and a healthier lifestyle in general. Somehow, my skin was healing in waves and I still had several minor breakouts in between (although it was gradually getting better). It just felt right, so I kept doing what I did.
Keep in mind that you can ask me any question about oils or skincare that pops into your head whenever you want to.
Lots of love ♥
Hello Tracy and Svea!
I have recently started the caveman regimen and am wondering about using tiny amounts of oil to clear up whiteheads, like you did Tracy, with jojoba oil on your forehead. So far, I have seen great results with the caveman regimen– I have not gotten any papules or pustules since starting, which is a HUGE improvement! I can’t thank you enough for the wonderful resources you have on your website
Who would have guessed that I was creating acne for myself by washing my face?! Anyways, while I was still washing my face (using very natural stuff only- Skin Essence Organics ‘Pure’ cleanser and their ‘Light’ moisturizer) I had very oily skin. Now that I am doing the caveman it has swung to a more dry composition, although i don’t seem to be getting the dreaded ‘dry skin mask’ at all. My skin just feels and looks a bit tight, and it has gotten sort of rough and bumpy. Tracy- is this what should be happening? Should I stick it out and let my face regulate itself? Or should I help it out with a little oil? You used jojoba but I think that is more for oily skin, no? Svea- can you recommend an oil that might help? I also have a good deal of redness going on, that I wouldn’t mind getting rid of, since I am not wearing makeup! 
If there is an oil that might be slightly moisturizing and anti-inflammatory, that might be nice 
Thank you both so much!!!
Hi Stephanie,
first of all: congratulations!!! I’m sure you’ve already gone a long way and it was worth it! That’s great!
In fact, washing your face with regular tap water can be very drying due to lots of gunk in it: lime, iodine, chlorine,… . This might have been the reason for your oily skin. Not washing your face anymore has helped your skin to adjust its moisture levels.
For how long have you been doing the caveman regimen now? If you are only 2 or 3 weeks into it, I’d suggest you to stick it out and see what happens. If you are doing the caveman for more than a month now, trying Tracy’s “oil method” sounds like a good idea. I’d recommend you to experiment with very calming, soothing, cooling and nourishing base oils like olive, avocado or argan oil. Maybe you could simply start with olive oil. Just fetch it from your kitchen! If you should find these oils to heavy, try meadowfoam oil.
Redness is usually “just” a bit of mild inflammation of the skin. Work on your lifestyle changes, the same as you would for acne. The healthier and the more in balance you are, the more even your skin tone will be. Try to eat as many anti-inflammatory foods as you can, especially dark leafy greens, coconut and coconut oil, fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat whole foods and avoid trans-fats, fried and omega-6 vegetable oils. Lower your sugar consumption. Eat lots of antioxidants. Try burdock root extract or stinging nettle infusion for their blood cleansing properties, but make sure to drink enough water as well: Burdock root and stinging nettle have a diuretic effect on your body, so it’s best to use them as a cure every once in a while for a few months. It may be necessary to pause in between “treatments”. Exercise regularly. Get enough sleep.
And please let us know about your results!
All the best,
Svea
Hi Svea,
This is the first time I am vising yuour site. I am really confused what my body needs or what i should try. I feel my body needs more moisture. But my skin type is combination, very sensitive. I want some oils to use at night for moisture and day time to protect from SUN. Protecting from SUN is main for me. Because none of the sun lotiosn works for me. And damage is really bad for me. That damage is sometimes not recoverable to me. Please suggest soem oils. I read you suggested a combination of Olive oil, avacado oil, Evening promise oil and rosehip oil. I never tried these oils, but would love to try them. I am in USA. In which type of shops can i try these?
Hi Amul,
actually, it’s Tracy’s website.
There are quite a few sun-stable oils: coconut oil (very light, great for oily skin), jojoba oil or meadowfoam oil (medium consistency, best for combination skin types) and marula oil (heavy, for dry skin).
Please AVOID evening primrose, rosehip or other oils high in linoleic acid during the day. These oils have great nourishing and skin healing properties and are packed with a whole cocktail of antioxidants, but should be used at night only to avoid sun damage and hyper-pigmentation.
However, even sun-stable oils are NO sunscreen substitute and will only provide you a protection-factor of max. 2-4. These oils don’t rely on blocking out the sun’s rays, they work by preventing free-radical reactions which lead to all the consequences caused by overexposure to the sun.
In addition, make sure to wear a hat, shirts with long sleeves and sunglasses and avoid the peak hours of sun radiation. I know, chemical sunscreens are doing more harm than good and most mineral sunscreens are pasty and nasty to wear, but please read my sunscreen articles:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4000/sunscreen-and-acne-part-one/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4012/sunscreen-and-acne-part-two/
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/4013/sunscreen-and-acne-part-three/
Although I’d still suggest you to put on sunscreen on the beach, there seems to be the possibility to provide yourself some sun-protection from within as well:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/8-natural-ways-to-prevent-a-sunburn-and-sunscreens-not-one-of-them/#axzz1xgLqk6eS
Thanks Svea.
I am sorry Tracy, I just saw the comments and thought Svea is answering all the questions.
From 3-4 days I tried olive oil at night, but i dont see my skin has moisture or nurished. I felt the aveeno body crean which i use gives some moisture immediately to my skin. But that is temporry. If i dont use that cream for 2 days i feel, skin is not good.
So do i think that Olive oil dint suit to my skin?
So i will try avacado oil, Evening promise oil and rosehip oil in the night time and jojoba oil at day time.
But where should i find these oils? I am in USA.
And in case of using sun screen, which one i should use?
For me i drive 2 hrs in the morning to reach office and 2 hrs in the evening. So sun is one me for almost 4 hrs everyday. So I am looking for some best solution for it. Still my skin is not recovred from last year summer.
Hi Amul,
I think Tracy is perfectly alright with it, but thanks a lot for apologizing!
It will take time for your skin to adjust, especially when starting with oils for the first time. Creams contain lots of moisturizing and film building agents. Oils don’t. Using oils only, you’ll experience how your skin is really like, without the influence of chemical substances that pamper your skin, but usually only have an extremely temporary effect. With time, you’ll probably need more and more of those creams.
Please don‘t expect extremely fast results in just a few days. It‘ll take weeks or months for your skin to get used to a more natural skincare regimen. Maybe your skin will even get worse in the first two weeks, look and feel a lot dryer or you might break out a little bit. It’ll also take lots of trial and error. But in the end, you‘ll get a feeling for what your skin needs. I’m sure.
I don’t live in the USA, but I think that many edible oils can also be found at your local supermarket. You might find a greater selection of oils at wholefoods. Or in specilized online shops like “Mountain Rose Herbs”.
Please read my sunscreen articles for product suggestions, especially part 2+3. Personally, I’m using Badger sunscreens at the moment, but since we are all different, it’s difficult to suggest a precise product. You could try mineral foundation as an everyday product as well (SPF 15 circa).
Hey Svea, I am wondering if there are any oils that are helpful with hyperpigmentation from acne? I was reading that lavender oil or rosehip oil may be helpful, I currently just use jojoba oil, I started about a week ago and like it so far.
Hi Dani,
please read my (and Johen’s) replies to Jules (just a few comments above).
Hi Tracy!
I am a 21 year old female, and have been reading your site for a while! I find it gives me a lot of hope for healing my acne naturally!! I often want to run to the doctor and get something like Differin and Retin-A because I have friends that it has worked for. But I don’t want to be dependent on chemical products.
This is what my acne is like. I have over 100′s closed comedones (whiteheads and black heads)on both cheeks, forhead, nose and chin- everywhere!
They turn into small cysts or pustules. And I get large boil/cysts on my chin and forhead ocassionally.
I have really been trying to watch my diet and see how that effects my skin. However, I think that alot of my cysts have to do with stress. Is this understandable to think so? I have been so stressed this past year with school and my relationship that I have actually missed my period for the past three months. I think my body is telling me to chill out.
So here is where I need your advice. I have been doing the OCM for 2 weeks to try and get rid of the whiteheads. I haven’t saw much improvement- there might be more? it’s hard to tell… and there has been some purging (i hope thats what it was.) Castor oil 50% Grapseed 50%
I wanted to start using manuka honey as a mask. I sometimes tone with 1 part ACV to 1 part water.
I was wondering if I could use a small amount of hemp seed oil as moisturizer? I wanted to use it because of its high linoliec (which is supposed to loosen sebum…) and it is supposed to be non-comenogenic.
I would love to hear your opinion!
ultimately I would love to start the caveman regim this summer, but my scars and acne is still too red and inflamed that I don’t think I could walk around without makeup on.
Take care Tracy, be blessed.
Hi Lana,
I think that it is very reasonable to think that big stresses in your life are contributing the acne, certainly. And the missed periods! Do you have a plan for ways in which to take it easier on yourself and lower some of that stress?
As for which oil to use, maybe Svea can give you some of her expert advice
Hi Lana,
to me, manuka honey as a face pack plus moisturizing with 1-2 drops of hemp oil every day sounds like a pretty good idea. To remove makeup, you could add hemp oil to your oil cleansing mixture (just experiment a little to find out the right quantities of castor and hemp and/or grapeseed oil) or simply use a few drops of hemp oil on a damp cotton pad. You could also try manuka honey as a cleanser. It doesn’t remove makeup very well, but you could mix it with some (hemp) oil.
Whenever you are doing the oil cleansing method make sure that your washcloth is just warm, not extremely hot. Hot water can be very irritating. The first time I tried the oil cleansing method, I was using very hot water (many websites explain it that way) and broke out horribly. Especially, if your skin and body are already prone to being “hot” and often feel that way, try to avoid hot water.
And yes, I agree that your stress levels and missed periods might be the culprit for all your problems with cystic acne. Plus the additional stress having acne causes you. I think, doing yoga and excerise in general might be of great help for you. And this free e-book about the connection of life stress, emotional issues, acne and other skin problems:
http://grossbart.com/
Hi Svea,
Could you point me in the direction where to find the documentation on some of the oils that can contribute to age spots/hyper-pigmentation? I put together a great combo of oils that have worked for me, but now I fear that I need to modify it if I use in the daytime. Thanks!
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
the most informative list indicating the sun-stability of oils I can think of at the moment is on a German website. Obviously, the text is in German. However, all oils are not only listed with their German name, but also with their Latin and English name, so I think it’s pretty readable for non German speakers as well. For every single oil, there is a little pictogram of the sun, either entirely filled in a green color (= extremely stable), half-filled (= still quite stable) or blank (= not stable at all):
http://www.olionatura.de/_oele/fettkennzahlen.php
Thank you for one of the most brilliantly written articles on oils but it stands alone as one of the best of its kind. It is hardly a 101 class but rather a post PhD.
Thank you!
Hello Svea
I have ordered some Macadamia oil to try on my dry skin (have had many wonderful things about it)can I mix it with a non fragrant moisturiser that I am currently using?
Also, I have been searching the net for Macadamia oil moisturising recipes, and haven’t come across anything that can shed some light on my questions; Can I mix with other moisturisers that I am using etc – a little help please
Kind Regards
Zone
Hello Zone,
you can definitely mix macadamia oil with any moisturizer you want to. I don’t see any problem as long as your skin likes the moisturizer you are going to use. You can also try a few natural DIY-moisturizer recipes, even if these recipes do not explicitly mention macadamia oil. Just replace other oils by macadamia oil. Since my skin does not get along at all with almost every emulsifier I‘ve tried, I rarely make my own custom facial moisturizer (only body and hand creams/lotions containing lanolin or lecithin – or emulsifier free body butters). That‘s why I simply don’t know any good recipe for a face cream. I‘m using oils only. Or oil mixes.
Hi Svea,
I really hope you are still posting on this thread. I have been on Tracy’s site since January, but this is the first time I have come across this particular article. Thank you for all the information you have provided!
I have been doing oil cleansing method since November, but my jawline continues to have cystic acne with scarring. I currently am using grapeseed oil. I see now that it may not be the best quality. Moreover, I think I wanna try rosehip per your recommendation, but am feeling overwhelmed as to knowing which oil is the right one for me.
Also, can you explain again what regime you are recommending? I currently rub the oil on my face, using hot cloth, and rub it off. After reading this, I realize that it may not be the best for me. What exactly do you recommend?
I really appreciate your time and effort to help me. I am feeling very frustrated that my skin is a mess for the summer.
Caitlin
Hi Caitlin,
Even though you are using natural oils to cleanse, OCM is a pretty harsh regimen, especially if you are doing it every day. Just my 2 cents. Massaging too much and the hot cloth can be very irritating for your skin. This way, your skin has no time to recover naturally and you might even be spreading bacteria all across your face. Every single day. Your skin really needs time between treatments. Less is more.
Did you read my other post about natural face cleansing alternatives?
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/3477/14-natural-face-cleansing-alternatives/
I know, there are many choices, but actually there is no right or wrong. Just try a method that appeals to you most. And stick with it for a while. Usually, intuitive decisions are the right ones. Listen to your body.
And if all these methods are a tad too messy or freaky for your taste, you can always try an all natural cleansing milk (Weleda Almond, Martina Gebhard Shea, Pai Camellia + Rose are some good ones with few ingredients – or Weleda Calendula, if you prefer a less oily one). Use only small amounts of the product, leave it on without massaging too much and rinse well.
In addition, try to treat your skin as gently as possible. The good news is that our skin has the amazing strength to heal itself if treated with love.
You could also use the “magic mitt” for cleansing (a microfibre cloth that is super gentle):
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/5457/how-to-remove-makeup-without-cleansers-oils-or-makeup-remover/
As far as a moisturizing routine is concerned, ask yourself: How is your skin? Dry (=heavier oils), normal (=balanced oils), oily (light oils)? Do you really NEED to moisturize? In my opinion, moisturizing once a day is more than enough.
I know, searching for a reason, why you‘re breaking out right now, won‘t be easy and sometimes it can be pretty frustrating. It seems that where your get acne on your face, can give you some clues about what the root cause of it may be. Make sure to (re-)read this article:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/5335/where-your-acne-is-and-what-it-looks-like-can-tell-you-whats-causing-it/
And this one about hormonal acne:
http://www.thelovevitamin.com/6855/treat-female-hormonal-acne/
AND: Try not to think about your acne and not to pick at it. I know, it’s difficult, but it really helps. A LOT.
Lots of love,
Svea