Natural Beauty

 

Yesterday I was supposed to get a facial. I was really looking forward to it. I've been noticing a lot of changes in my skin over the last year and since I just turned 45, well, I thought I was due. But it wasn't meant to be. The spa screwed up my appointment. They admitted fault yet their only suggestion was that I return on Tuesday, the day they had mistakenly scheduled the appointment. Convenient for them. For me? Not so much.

So, I went to Sephora and got a foundation consultation. I've been using the same foundation since high school, so again, I thought I was due. He hooked me up with Bare Escentuals bareMinerals matte foundation and some of their other basic products (lip gloss, eye pencil, etc.) and I left feeling rosy.

Since my pregnancy, I've been paying a lot more attention to cosmetics and toiletries. I've been wanting to make the switch to healthier cosmetics for a while. It has taken some diligence to find the products that meet my needs for price, performance, and convenience. Here are some of my favorites: 

• Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash: This is so economical and seems to work well with my skin type. Not overly drying and leaves a very clean feeling.
• Desert Essence Jojoba Oil: I use this as a body moisturizer in the winter and I use it on Audrey all year long. 
• Avalon Organics Lavender Moisturizer: I only use this once or twice a week on my cheeks.
• Yes To Cucumbers Shampoo & Conditioner: I finally found shampoo and conditioner that I like and is carried by Target. Often, I love the way something smells, like Avalon Organics Rosemary Shampoo, but it just doesn't work well for my hair type. Yes To Cucumbers is perfect. I still color my hair. I don't even want to think about all those chemicals. I'm closing my eyes to that topic for now.
• Tom's of Maine Toothpaste: Easy.
• Soapwalla's Deodorant Cream: So far, I like this. We'll see what happens come summer.
• For Audrey, I primarily use California Baby unscented body wash and shampoo, since she has sensitive skin prone to rashes. When she was younger, I used California Baby or Badger Sunscreen. But last year I switched over to Coppertone Water Babies because it has a good rating on Skin Deep's Cosmetics Database and is way cheaper and easier to find.

Since I wasn't able to get the facial, I'm going to try some home recipes for facial scrubs and/or masks. There are hundreds of online resources for this and they have to be healthier. Also, my skin would look a lot better if I got more sleep, fruits, vegetables and less dairy and meat. Easier said than done. But I'm going to try. Natural beauty, indeed.