Tag Archives: skin care hacks

Skin care is too complicated!! Let’s simplify it a little…

Why have people made skin care so complex and overwhelming?! I know we have learned a lot and really homed in on the specifics of skin care products which is great, but to the average person it seems so overwhelming that many don’t know where to begin!! So, my goal with this post is to try to simplify some things for you to give you some confidence to find and create the best simplified skin care routine for YOU!

Cleanse • Moisturize • Sunscreen

To make it extremely simple, focus on these 3 areas. First cleanse your face (Try the cleansing face bar soap I mentioned in a previous post) then you follow that with a moisturizer and then a sunscreen. Keeping it very simple will make it easy for you to stay consistent. On a relaxing day- usually Sundays for me- get yourself a face mask to do weekly!

As you create the habit of doing your skin care routine daily and are ready to add a new product(s) then you can look into other skin care products like a toner after you cleanse your face, an eye cream and serum. These aren’t always necessary though!! The rose water toner I’ve tried always made me break out and cause redness so I decided that it’s just not for me at the moment. Don’t go crazy and add a bunch of things to your routine at once- you won’t know which product your skin doesn’t agree with, which products are doing what for your skin and if you even need that extra product.

Living simply is the goal!


Some things to keep in mind when selecting your skin care products and creating your routine …

• Always check the ingredients. Avoid things with a ton of alcohol and long ingredient lists with many things you cannot pronounce. Alcohol can be drying for your skin. Also, stay far away from anything that lists “fragrance or perfume” as these may make the product smell good but can also expose you to cancerous and other harmful things.

• Big brands are not always the best! They are often times living off their name and not the quality of their products. Don’t feed into the hype these brands create.

• You are getting what you pay for when it comes to beauty products most of the time. The good stuff might cost a little more, but it’ll be absolutely worth it for your health. Keep your eye out for sales!

• Some of these new beauty tools are not worth the money or hassle and may even cause irritation to your skin, like the black head machine or electric scrubbers. Try it if you want, don’t try it if you don’t want to!

• Doing a skin care routine twice a day can be overwhelming to many people with limited time! Attempt to consistently do it at least once a day. Remember you’re doing this for YOU.

• Trail and error! Stick with a product for at least a month to see real results unless you developed irritation immediately after using, then stop. It takes time for our skin to adjust and show physical improvements so give new products time to see if they really work for you.

I hope that you’ve gained something from this post and you are confident enough to begin creating or adjusting your skin care routine. Don’t overthink it! I’m here to help the best I can so please comment or message me if you’d like me to help you with product recommendations or techniques.

Now go be great!

xo, J

10 extremely useful ways to use coconut oil. Beauty hacks!

One of the first things I learned about when starting this clean beauty products journey was how many ways you can use coconut oil. My face creams/soaps/moisturizer were the first products I looked to swap out immediately after learning what harmful chemicals were in them. I personally use coconut oil in every way I mention below; however, I just started doing number 8 (drinking it) when I find that I haven’t used coconut oil to cook in some time. It has been such a game changer and huge money saver!! I replaced my body lotions, face moisturizer, hair oil and lip balm with coconut oil. It didn’t happen overnight, I swapped one thing out at a time and tested it out for two months before deciding if it was for me. Also, I use organic unrefined coconut oil from the grocery store! (It’s the best option!)

Quick tip in case you’ve never used coconut oil before. When it’s cold it solidifies so you’ll want to scoop some in your hands and rub together to help it melt then apply to the desired areas. If using after a shower during the colder months, I usually put my jar of coconut oil on the heater so that it starts to melt and is warmed for after my shower.

Okay, let’s get into it!

  1. Skin (body) moisturizer– improves appearance of skin and may heal stretch marks. Replace your regular body lotion with this for after the shower moisturizing.
  2. Face care treatment- under eye care, dark circles, and wrinkles around eyes and mouth can be treated using raw coconut oil. Great face moisturizer but be careful with your pores. Use judgment; if your skin seems dry then go crazy. Apply the coconut oil and let it bake on your skin. Dap off excess with a tissue. However, if your skin is on the oily side, then skip a day or two. Coconut oil has also been known to prevent acne and help with acne scars, but it also known to clog pores when overused in excess. Be the judge of your skin here 🙂
  3. Lashes– If you’re looking to grow your natural lashes then pause on getting anything major like lash extensions. Get yourself a clean, soft eyelash brush and some coconut oil. Brush daily and apply coconut oil 2-3 times a week. Be sure to wash your lashes between uses!! Best tip is to wash your lashes when you’re doing your daily skin care routine or rinsing your face before bed. 
  4. Cooking– coconut oil is a much healthier alternative to the average person’s butter, canola oil, olive oil, etc. Fry, saute, and bake with this stuff. It may add a flavor to your food. Some people love it, some don’t. My suggestion is to start with a little at first.
  5. Hair oil for styling– If you have curly or wavy hair, after you wash and apply your cream(s) & gel/mousse, use some coconut oil to lock in the moisture into your hair. This is perfect for hair that’s on the dry side. Use ‘praying hands’ technique and scrunches to apply to your hair. 
  6. DIY hair masks– Warm up some coconut oil in the microwave for 10-15 seconds (be careful!!! Not too hot. It is oil after all) and massage it into your scalp and work your way to the roots of your hair. Wrap your hair up for 20-30 minutes then wash it out in the shower and continue with your normal wash day routine. It will add some much-needed moisture and shine! 
  7. Lip balm– Out of chapstick or lip gloss? Reach for your nearest organic unrefined coconut oil from nearly every grocery store and apply some as you would your regular lip balm. Super glossy and lightweight, coconut oil is the perfect alternative to these chemical-filled chapsticks on store shelves that actually dry out your lips so that you have to apply more. We don’t have time for that!!
  8. Drink/eat to reduce belly fat and increase metabolism– First things first, as for everything on this planet, consume in moderation!!! If coconut oil is eaten in large amounts, it could actually do the opposite of what you are trying to achieve and actually cause health issues. So please be mindful of how much you are consuming especially if you are already at risk of things like heart disease. If you don’t like the flavor of cooking with coconut oil you can drink a tablespoon of coconut oil in warm water once a day if you cannot find any other way to get coconut oil into your diet.
  9. Sunburn relief– forget to put enough SPF while outdoors and now you’re dealing with a painful sunburn. Been there! I got two options for you- reach for the nearest coconut oil and apply it all over or use raw egg whites and apply that all over your sunburn. Fun fact, raw egg whites have collagen in them similar to human collagen. The stuff we need to keep our skin looking young and clear. 
  10. Natural deodorant– Now that everyone is becoming more aware of the harmful chemicals in our everyday products like toothpaste and deodorants, people are getting creative with what they are using to replace these harmful products. (btw- yes you can make homemade toothpaste with coconut oil). The biggest thing is the chemicals in women’s deodorants that cause breast cancer and other illnesses. Many women are turning to are looking for more natural options but they are also finding that these natural options don’t leave them smelling so great after a day’s use. This trick may work for some and not for others, but it won’t hurt to try!! Apply some coconut oil to your pits to help with the odor you may get with natural deodorant alternatives. See how it goes! 

Here’s my list of all the ways you can use coconut oil at home! I wanted to keep it short and sweet and straight to the point. So I hope this was beneficial to you in some way! If you already use coconut oil or decide to try it out, let’s chat in the comments! 

xo, J