Back To Basics. Popular ingredients and their natural alternatives.

How arrogant would we be to think that we could create something in a lab that isn’t already found on this amazing and complex planet?  We have found a way to mass produce these ingredients and most people today don’t even know where they originated.  I’m taking you back to basics to show you how to buy the original product in the form of oils and extracts and avoid the side effect and harmful chemicals in these popular ingredients.  You can look for these ingredients in the products you buy, or I will show you a super easy way to make your own at the bottom of this post. 

Tea Tree(essential oil):  

Tea tree might be my favorite essential oil.  This oil is perfect for oily/acne skin.  It is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.  This will help to heal your acne and control oil.  It actually acts in the same way as benzoyl peroxide without over drying and irritating the skin.  I also like to use it on bug bites.

Willow Bark:







I’m sure you’ve seen salicylic acid advertised on plenty of acne products.  The kind you see in most products is the kind made in a lab and it can be very irritating.  Fortunately willow bark is a natural source of salicylic acid and it’s ten times better than the man-made kind!  So look for willow bark on your ingredient list instead of salicylic acid and know it’s just a better version of the same thing.

Yogurt:

Yogurt is a natural source of lactic acid.  Lactic acid is a great exfolient so use a mask of yogurt a few times a week instead of a lactic peel.

Chicory Root:

  Chicory root is a natural alternative to retinol.  Retinol is a very popular and truly effective skincare product that increases collagen production and is the top ant aging product right now.  Even though it really works, there are horrible side effects.  Retinol(or Retin-A) comes in two forms, gel or ointment.  The gel is a fast drying alcohol based product that severely dries the skin, causes irritation and extreme sun sensitivity.  The ointment, well, who wants ointment on their face?  It is a petroleum base which clogs the pores without actually hydrating.  Believe it or not, it can actually over dry the skin too!  So look for the chicory root and skip the side effects. The only product that I know of that uses this ingredient is the Age Corrective line from Eminence organics.  Remember, wrinkles take just as long to disappear as they did to appear, so be patient!

Licorice and/or African Potato:



  hydroquinone.  Hydroquinone is THE pigment lightning ingredient in skincare today.  Unfortunately it has been proven to be so damaging to the liver that it is actually illegal in some countries.  Of course it’s in everything here.  Way to go America.  So licorice is a great lightening ingredient.  Aftercan potato and tara tree is a natural alternative to hydroquinone made by Eminence Organics and found in their Bright Skin line.  Same thing goes for hyperpigmentation as wrinkles, it takes just as long to get rid of as it did to appear.
These are both great alternatives for the pigment lightening

Marshmallow Plant Extract:

Marshmallow plan contains hyaluronic acid.  Hyaluronic acid is actually an acid that naturally occurs in the human body but we start to lose it as early as our 20’s.  It is a gel like substance provides a barrier in our bodies to lubricate joints and protect essential collagen cells in the dermis.  It binds 1,000 times its weight in water so provides our skin with plumpness and hydration.  When we lose it, our skin thins, we lose elasticity and collagen production goes down.  So it’s a great idea to start adding it topically as early as your 20’s.

Not necessarily alternatives, but here are some more great things to look for:

Acai: Antioxidant, anti-aging

Cucumber: Soothing

Ylang Ylang(essential oil):  Normalizes oil production.

Clary Sage(essential oil):  Extremely calming and soothing, can even clear up a bad sunburn!

Arnica:  Anti-inflammatory, anti-redness, calming.  Be used on aching muscles and joints too! You can take this internally too.

Chamomile:  We've heard of this as a calming tea, well it does the same thing for you skin when applied topically.

Calendula(oil):  Calming, anti-redness, anti-inflammatory.

Lavender(essential oil): Antibacterial, soothing

To make your perfect skin cocktail.

You will need:

½ cup of a carrier oil.  Carrier oils are your base since essential oils are much too strong to put directly on the skin so you must dilute it.  Good carries oils are, coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil.  Coconut is a solid until heated, so you’ll want to heat it up for mixing.

5-15 drops of the essential oils that apply to your skin condition.  Check out the tea tree, ylang ylang, calendula, clary sage, lavender, and more!  Do some research and see what you can find at your local health food store.

Simply mix these ingredients together and store in a jar or small bottle.  Don’t be afraid of oil if you have oily/acne skin!  Believe it or not, it will really help balance and normalize your oil production if you use the right essential oils. Start simple like jojoba and tea tree.

This is two products in one.  You can actually use it as a cleanser and leave it on as a moisturizer!  No water needed.  Just wipe with a damp cloth after the cleanse to remove dirt and makeup then simply let the rest sink in and maybe add a few more drops.  Just try it, it will change your skin I PROMISE!