My All-Natural Skincare Routine

If you're anything like me, then you probably grew up using your mom's skincare products, not really knowing much about how to care for your skin. My routine as a teenager (when I actually did it) was basic: wash my face and put lotion on - because that's what I was taught. For most of my life, I always used the products I saw other women in my life using, or ones that had the best commercials, regardless of whether or not they worked for my skin. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I switched to all natural skincare, but I was still using what I saw other people using, or the brands with the best packaging and marketing, and wasn't really taking into account what my skin really needed.

A few months ago I began seeing Hayley the Therapeutic Skin Coach for some acne issues I've been having. Ever since stopping birth control last year, I had occasional acne that always got worse around my menstrual cycle. Even though I eat very healthy 95% of the time, the acne would occasionally present itself and it became frustrating because I thought I was doing everything correctly and eating well for my skin. Thankfully, Hayley walked me through everything going on with my skin, what it was stemming from, and what it needed. Some of my breakouts were hormone related, some were digestion related, some were just little spots on the surface of my skin that would quickly go away, but what she taught me is that it was all my body's way of communicating with me.

Thanks to Hayley I learned all about intuitive skincare. Most of us use the same skincare products every day, all year long. Instead, we should be intuitively choosing our products based on our needs. Just as produce is seasonal and we should eat a variety of foods each day for different vitamins and minerals, our skincare should be treated the same way. The best skincare routine will come from listening to your skin's needs. Our needs are much different in the hot, humid summer than they are in the cold, dry winter and what we use on our skin should account for this. Choose the products each day that resonate most with you - this could change daily! It's also important to use natural products that have no scent, or a scent that you like. For months I was using a cleanser from a popular all-natural brand and I hated the scent - it smelled like beer to me! But, I still used it because I had no idea that this was important. As Hayley explains, if you don't like the scent of your product, that's a good indicator that you will not benefit from it. Once I started using a cleanser that had a pleasent scent that I enjoyed, I began to also enjoy my entire skincare routine. The more I focused on using the best products for me and allowing myself the time to check in with my skin and properly cleanse, the less it felt like a chore and the more meditative the process became. Don't get me wrong, some nights when I'm super sleepy it can still feel like a chore, but overall I thoroughly enjoy the process and know that by spending a few minutes checking in with myself, I'm setting myself up for success each day and night.

Ok, now let's talk about products!

The products Hayley recommended for me were:

Odacite Aloe + Immortelle Treatment Mist - This rejuvenating facial mist is a very effective and innovative way to infuse your skin with anti-aging actives and perfect hydration Kypris Antioxidant Dew - Restores Strength, Vitality, & Radiance To The Skin With Distinct Forms Of Antioxidants + A Host Of Soothing Botanical Nutrients Osea Atmosphere Protection Cream - lightweight moisturizer that hydrates and helps protect against visible damage caused by environmental stressors (see below) Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil - Refines appearance of damaged skin and fine lines During the summer Hayley had me using the mist first as a toner, then the antioxidant dew, followed by the Protection Cream for my morning routine. For my nighttime routine she had me use the mist followed by the rosehip oil, as PM moisturizer isn't necessary in the summer. A few months into this process I also added One Love Organics Vitamin D spray to help with a couple of brown spots I had, which I also use as a make-up setting spray. I bought most of these at The Detox Market (my heaven!) here in LA, but some can be purchased on Amazon, or directly through the brand's website. I made it easy and linked all of them for you if you're interested!

Recently, Osea, a female-founded family run business out of Malibu, CA, reached out to me to try a few of their products. I was ecstatic since I already loved their Atmosphere Protection Cream and I knew they were a reputable brand. All of their products are vegan and non-toxic - SCORE! This means no synthetic chemicals such as parabens, petrochemicals, and sulfates which are often found in skincare products. What makes them truly unique is that the base of their products is made from organic, bioavailable seaweed!

Ok, more products! The ones they sent me to try are: Anti-Aging Body Balm - Intensely nourishes, hydrates and promotes firmer, more supple skin. Good for all skin types. Ocean Cleansing Milk - Creamy cleanser that gently removes impurities and visibly diminishes surface redness and irritation. Good for age-defying, dry, sensitive skin.

Advanced Protection Cream - Ultra rich Organic Seaweed and botanical anti-aging moisturizer deeply hydrates and firms skin. Good for age-defying, dry, sensitive skin. Sea Vitamin Boost Spray - Refreshing mist delivers an instant surge of hydration and radiant glow to dull, thirsty skin. Good for age-defying, dry, sensitive skin. Undaria Argan Oil - Soothing botanical oil delivers ultimate hydration and instant radiance to dry, sensitive skin. Good for age-defying, dry, sensitive skin.

And I was already using the Atmosphere Protection Cream, as mentioned above, which is a lightweight moisturizer that hydrates and helps protect against visible damage caused by environmental stressors such as dry climates, wind and air pollution - umm hello LA!

I've been using these products for a couple of weeks now and wanted to give you guys my thoughts! What I love most about all of them is that they have little to no scent. The only ones I can smell while applying them are the Anti-Aging Body Balm which has a light and pleasant floral/citrus-like scent, and the Advanced Protection Cream which has a mild, oceany-seaweed scent. While this scent may not work for everyone, it is my absolute favorite product out of all the ones they sent me. It goes on like silk and leaves my skin feeling so hydrated and calm. I've even been putting it on the occasional eczema bump I get on the back of my hands and it makes them feel so smooth. I've also used the Undaria Argan Oil, which has a faint hint of lavender, on my hands for the same reason. It feels very hydrating and once that dry LA winter hits, I imagine this little roller will be my best friend! I love using the Sea Vitamin Boost as a make-up setting spray, or as a refresher throughout the day - it worked great as a refresher in Mexico! The Ocean Cleansing Milk is far superior to the "beer scented" cleanser I was using. I've been using the Body Balm to occasionally replace the Kypris Antioxidant Dew as it contains antioxidants from acai and coconut. The key is to use what your body gravitates towards and that's what I've been doing with my wonderful supply of products! However, sometimes less is more, so I listen to my face when it feels like it needs a break from certain products as well. My acne still fluctuates as I work on my gut/digestive health and continue to intuitively choose my skincare, but I have faith that it's slowly making progress!

Hopefully this post makes you want to get out there and find some products you love that work for you! There may be some trial and error during this process, but once you have products that resonate with you, you're going to appreciate your skincare routine so much more, and maybe even look forward to it like I now do! Take the time to love your skin and it will love you back - don't dwell on what you think are the negative aspects of your skin, instead, focus on the positive. And last but not least, don't forget to tell yourself how beautiful you are every damn day, because YOU ARE!

Check out the Therapeutic Skin Coach's blog for much more in depth skincare talk! And if you're near LA, go see her for any of your skincare needs!

And since you've read this far, I scored a deal for you! Use code FORKINPLANTS to receive free shipping (in the US) on any order from Osea!

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