This is part two of a multi-part series on Green Beauty alternatives.
The rest of the series can be found [here]
Part 2: Natural Moisturizers
Dr. Bronner’s Olive Oil. Delicious and Nutritious.
As I have stated before, I have really dry skin naturally. I seem to only have some reprieve in the Spring and Autumn, and even then I still need to moisturize like crazy. Having soft skin is something I love, and there are a few methods to moisturizing your skin that can be found in your kitchen.
I love Olive Oil and would be willing to sing verses about it, but I do not think that would make for a very entertaining blog post. However, olive oil is a magical liquid that can be used in a variety of manners including being a moisturizer. For a long time I slathered olive oil directly to my skin. Realizing I felt a bit greasier than I would like, I switched to mixing one-third olive oil to two-thirds water in a small spray bottle. A trick I learned from Michael Dejong and his book Clean Body: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing Yourself. If you haven’t bought this book yet, I highly recommend it.
Once you have applied the olive oil spritz all over let it soak into your skin without drying off. You will find your skin is delightfully softer instantly. After a few showers of this, you will find that your skin is softer than it has been in a long time. Do not worry about smelling like olive oil. You will find that the scent of olive oil does not stay with you.
As a side note, I find that a lot of oils work great for moisturizing. I have a new favorite oil I use, due to a suggestion from Eowyn. You can replace olive oil with coconut oil. I leave the shower smelling like coconut and this fills me with delight. Specifically I use Dr Bronner’s Fresh-pressed Virgin Coconut Oil. I appreciate the Bronner Family’s desire to remain fair trade and organic.
One of the problems you will run into with coconut oil is that if it is stored in a cold room, or during wintertime, it becomes very hard. You have to remember to heat it up before you take your shower, or keep it in a warm room. I tend to stick my jar of coconut oil in warm water prior to showering. After a couple minutes the oil has melted enough for use. Thankfully summer is here and that is not much of an issue. I will post more about coconut oil usage in winter later this year.
~Kera
I have used olive oil as a make-up remover for years. I keep the regular food grade olive oil in the kitchen and use NF (non food grade) for hygiene uses. You can find it in the pharmacy in small bottles. Sometimes listed as ‘Sweet Oil’. It’s also great as a remedy for mild ear-aches when warmed. But be sure to reserve the bottle for ear-aches for that use only. Just either pour a little into a small bottle with a dropper to keep it from being contaminated or reserve the bottle altogether for ear use.
Fantastic advice!