Deodorant Free...

I gave up wearing deodorant two years ago, and let me tell you, it's not as stinky as you'd think :) 

I've always had an awareness of what I put on and in my body. 

I never used antiperspirants, you need to sweat- it's your body's way of cooling off. So restricting your body of this with chemicals, was definitely not an option. 

I used commercial deodorants for years in my youth- paranoid about smelling, or sweating. But as I've gotten older, you learn to accept that this is a natural body occurrence. 

It's healthy. And honestly, who cares? Everybody sweats! 

Obviously I don't want to smell bad, but I also don't want to douse my body in chemicals. Especially in such a delicate area of the underarms.

And so the search for the perfect natural deodorant began...
I tried a handful of different brands from sticks, to gels to powders and none of them I fell in love with. They were either too sticky, or I didn't like the smell, or they stung my underarms after shaving.

Now I've always been one for home remedies (diy face masks anyone?!), so I thought I'd investigate homemade deodorants.

And guess what?
I found a recipe that WORKS!
It's such an easy recipe and it most certainly does the trick. It's 3 ingredients (most of you may have them at home already) and you can add essential oils for a scent if you desire.

Here's the Recipe:
6 tablespoons of Coconut Oil
1/4 cup of Baking Soda
1/4 cup of Arrowroot Powder or Cornstarch (I've tried both and they worked the same)
Essential Oils (optional)
*recipe c/o wellnessmama.com

Just mix the ingredients above until you get a creamy consistency. I put mine in an old jar and apply a small amount to each arm. Just be sure to keep it in a cool place so the coconut oil doesn't melt!

Some other tips for smelling fresh as a daisy...
Eat Clean. 
ie; lots of greens!
The more processed foods you eat, the stinkier your sweat. Sounds silly, but it's true. The cleaner you eat the less chemicals your body has to get rid of = less sweat and odor.

So while this post is not glamorous, I hope you found it insightful and useful!

How to deal with break outs

Let's talk about something not so glamorous. 

Pimples. 

I don't know about you, but recently I have been struggling with struggling weather in the midwest (40 degrees to 80 the next day!), and it's being taken out on my skin! I have also not been drinking enough water--- yes, I'm guilty! 

So here are some products and tips for dealing with those pesky pimples.

Step 1

DON'T TOUCH IT!

This can be tough. Once this guy starts to rear his ugly little white head, all you want to do is pop him! Try not to :) 

I'm so guilty of this, and the end result? Scarring! I have little acne scars on my face from when I would fuss with my face. Not something you want. The best thing to do is to try to treat it and leave it alone! 

You have to wait it out. 

Step 2

Treatment

I recently stumbled upon a treatment that WORKS! 

DDF Acne Control Treatment with Salicylic Acid Acne Medication. 

photo c/o birchbox. 

I received a sample of this little guy, and I love it! It's great for quick spot treatments. I'll apply a little dab onto the pimple right after washing my face, in the morning and at night. Within a day or two- the area is clear! 

You can buy it off their website HERE! 

Step 3

Take care of yourself

I'm a firm believer that everything that goes into your body has a direct effect on the outside. I try to eat as clean as I can (for the most part :)), and drink tons of water! (again, for the most part :))

I know it can be tough to always make the right decisions- I can say that because I recently bought tiny ice cream sandwiches from Trader Joes and I CANNOT stop eating them this week. Hence my little pimple friend under my nose. 

You just have to try to be conscious of where you're sourcing your food, try to eat as many vegetables as you can, and really drink that water! Water helps to cleanse your system. It's necessary. 

Good for the body, good for the skin. 

Some other things to try... 

If you can see a pimple starting, try one of these home remedies!

Baking soda

The miracle worker! Make a paste out of baking soda and warm water and hold it onto the affected area with a warm washcloth over it. The warm cloth will help to open up the pores and allow the baking soda to help kill bacteria. 

This trick is also good for bug bites and rashes! 

Icing

Continually placing ice on your pimple will help to reduce swelling and redness. Place an ice cube in a clean towel and hold against the affected area. Repeat several times. 

Give these things a try and let me know what you think! Have some other remedies you like? Or treatments you love?! Leave them in the comments section! 

Good Makeup starts with Good Skin...

Hello everyone! 

This is my first blog post.. ever! yay! And what a better way to start this series than to discuss winter skin care. 

Many people think makeup can cover anything... WRONG. Makeup does have some powerful capabilities to mask a  lot of problems, but to achieve that flawless look, you need to make sure you are taking good care of your skin (even if you were born with nice skin:) <--Those are the worst offenders!

Here in Chicago we have had a pretty mild winter, many would consider us lucky to have missed big snow storms and 0 degree days... But we've had a horrible winter for our skin. With all the back and forth of low temperatures to 50 degree days, snow, and then rain and then cold, dry, windy days! It's horrible! Our hands and faces are rebelling!

So here are some basics you should know to keep your skin glowing and healthy in the hardest of times: 

1. Most important: EXFOLIATE!

    

 *So many women I meet neglect this step and it's so important to do! I exfoliate all year long, usually once a week during the hotter months and up to 3 times a week during the cooler months. Exfoliating is important because it is a gentle scrub that sloughs off dead skin cells. If you neglect to do this, those skin cells continue to pile up and build, creating flakey skin that can be one of the hardest things to cover! 

Exfoliate once and you'll see an immediate difference!

     *Here are some home remedies for you to try if you haven't found an exfoliant you like yet: 

          -Baking soda and warm water

          - Sugar and lemon juice

      *Gently mix and apply with clean hands on your face in small circular motions for a few minutes, rinse and moisturize!

     *Here's another quick tip for your lips. It's important not to forget about them! You can easily run your exfoliant over your lips (they also sell lip exfoliants in beauty stores), or you can be sure to brush your lips with your toothbrush after brushing your teeth (which is what I do, cause it's easy to do and remember!). Be sure to apply lip balm when you're finished! xo

2. Second most important: MOISTURIZE!

     *Your skin needs moisture from the inside out to help eliminate dryness, wrinkles (yes wrinkles!), and to make your skin glow!

     *Drink plenty of water! Especially in these drier months, your body is begging for extra moisture.

     *Moisturize daily. I moisturize twice a day, first with a lightweight formula to wear under my makeup and then a night cream before bed. I also use an eye cream as well. Why do you need all these?! I'll break it down: 

     *Moisturizer: Obvious, your skin needs moisture! Even if you have oily skin and think you don't need it, YOU DO! Buy an oil free product and be sure to do it twice a day. Oily skin produces more oil (which leads to more break outs), because it is making up for a lack of moisture in the skin. So confusing but so true. Luckily for you, having oily skin leads to a youthful face as you get older :) 

    *Night Cream: Most people use a heavier, more concentrated cream on their faces at night because your body absorbs more of the nutrients while you're sleeping, AND it's generally calling for more moisture than during the day when you're running around!

     * Eye Cream: Your eyes don't have oil glands, therefore they don't produce any moisture/oil, which means they age first! Ever notice how crows feet and wrinkles usually pop up first?! So you need a specially formulated eye cream to fight that. Get something that's hydrating and anti aging (retinal) and apply once to two times daily. 

     *Hate putting chemicals on your face? 

There are plenty of natural choices to keep your skin hydrated: 

          -Coconut oil

          -Jojoba Oil

          - Maracuja Oil

*Do your research! Visit a dermatologist and find what's best for you! 

If you take these two steps you can apply them all over your body.. Your hands, feet, legs, back, etc. 

So get to it! Good makeup starts with excellent skin care! Enjoy your day! 

xoxo Jen