What's the combination of your skin?

I'm sure you all will be thrilled to know that I am still happily experiencing the effects of a poo-free lifestyle.  I have recently started adding tea tree oil into my "shampoo" and have found it works nicely.  I'm not sure my flakes are gone but the itchy scalp is much better.  The ratio of tea tree to shampoo is 12 drops per 56 oz.  Also, I've found a great product to use in my hair that washes out nicely with just water but gives nice hold and frizz control.  It's called Soft Hold Styling Creme by Sei Bella*.  It works nicely when I wear my hair curly and supposedly it helps when used before straightening (though I haven't been that energetic yet).  Adam even uses it, too!  


Now that I've got my hair care regiment in order I can focus on other problem areas.  Which leads me to my next 30 day challenge!!!!

My skin has been as much of a problem for me as my hair.  It is sensitive and prone to rashes.  My face has always been an annoying mix of oily and flaky dry.  I swear my face can be shiny enough to use as a mirror but still flaking off in sheets.  From puberty on, I've had acne prone skin.  In high school they were those huge cystic pimples that hurt like hell.  A bonus was if you messed with them too much they'd leave you with unsightly scars.  

The BC pill has helped somewhat to minimize the size and duration of blemishes but at 27 I am still experiencing monthly breakouts.  God forbid if I actually try to use a product for acne, though! My face gets so dry it nearly cracks.  There was a point in my early 20's when I didn't use soap on my face at all.  Just water from the shower would dry out my skin to the point where I had to use moisturizer.

For a few years now I've been using Clinque's mild face cleanser with a facial brush or sponge for lather and application.  While I'm not emphatically unhappy with the results, I am not thrilled either.  For $15 a bottle I should be ecstatic with my skin.  Every night I slather on whatever face lotion is laying around.

I've recently started wearing makeup every day to work.  Doing this has reiterated the fact that I still have yet to find a decent eye makeup remover. All I ask is that it doesn't require friction, cause burning, or leave a greasy residue.  That's not too demanding, right?!  I've tried a million different kinds and right now I've resorted to using Neutrogena's Alcohol-Free Toner on my eyes despite it's warning to avoid the eye area.  Clearly this is not an ideal situation.

So, without further ado, here is my solution:

The Oil Cleansing Method!! 

I recently read about this concept thanks to frugallysustainable.com's Wednesday Blog Hop!  It lead me to this link and then I googled about it to find more information and landed on this information packed link.  So for those of you who are unable (or too lazy) to check out the links, the jist is this:

Mix castor oil with a carrier oil like extra virgin olive oil, apricot kernel, jojoba, etc. and apply to your face.  Wet your face down first, of course.  Massage oil into your face for 2 minutes.  Allow to sit for another 30 seconds.  Saturate a wash cloth with very warm water and use it to wipe off oil from your face.  Voila!  That, ladies and gentleman, is how the magic happens.  Really though, the magical part is that it doubles as a makeup remover!!

The theory behind this cleansing method is that like dissolves like.  The oil you are massaging into your skin is dissolving the excess sebum from your pores without stripping it off completely like commercial cleansers do.  That's the idea, anyway.  So without further ado I present to you the

Oily-Face Challenge:  30 days to a fresher face! 

Starting tomorrow (since I need to go buy ingredients) I will be using only oil to wash my face.  Just as before, I will be posting weekly updates with ratio changes, results and, because I'm not afraid to look like an idiot, pictures!

*This is part of Melaleuca brand products.  They seem to me to be one of those AVON, MONA VE pyramid scheme type of deals.  While I appreciate that they tout greener options, I am not a member nor do I purchase directly from one of their sales people.  I have looked through their catalogs and found that the majority of their products for the home are things I make myself and therefore have no need to purchase. I believe they require a minimum monthly order to be a member.  Feel free to check them out yourself at www.Melaleuca.com.