I have nice skin.
No, no, no. Now don’t go saying how lucky I am. I am pretty sure it all comes down to a clean and balanced diet, lots of water, good fats, no dairy or sugar, lungsful of fresh air, a lack of toxic product pile-up and no glunky chunky make-up. Yep- I have to say it has nothing to do with luck. No matter what the reason, it’s still fun, at 30, to be asked for ID at the liquor store (when I’m buying vodka to make medicinal tinctures of course!)
I was recently interviewed for another website about my upcoming Natural Body Care Workshop (Sunday March 21st!) and I know you are wanting me to publish and share the tutorial and recipes we play with in that workshop, and I will soon. In the meantime, however, I would share with you my favourite beauty product, aside from coconut oil. 
See, in my workshop we play around with tons of fun food products, essential oils and herbs, but when it all comes down to it, I am a simple girl and I like the simple things in life- particularly the single ingredient beauty products that have a plethora or uses. That is why I heart jojoba oil so very much.
Jajoba (pronounced ha-HO-ba) is a resin that comes from the seed of the jojoba tree. It is mostly clear, totally odourless and isn’t an oil at all. It’s a wax and the closest product out there to what actually comes out of the pores of our skin. That is why, are you ready for this, jojoba makes the very best cleanser around! Yes, yes, yes! I clean my face with oil. Dab a little on a damp cloth or sea sponge and wipe away. No need even to rinse!
The benefits to jojoba oil my clean and clear skin friends are many:
- Moisturization! Jojoba oil doesn’t evaporate like water based moisturizers will but its also not all oil slick across the forehead either
- It’s a very stable oil so you won’t get rancid nastyness if you use jojoba on a hot day or lose antioxidants. This also lends to its long shelf-life
- Spreads well and absorbs well.
Now, jojoba can get expensive but you know what? Creams and powders and cleansers and masks and foundation and bla bla bla are way more expensive so just use this one and you are rocking and rolling. Here are my favouritalicious uses:
- Moisturizer: For your face or body. 5-6 drops goes a long way and you could always blend with a little coconut or olive oil if you like for the body.
- Make-up remover: Not an eye irritant, nor allergenic, you can use it to remove eye makeup. And if you go the way of more make-up than just mascara (I never really got into the make-up thing) it also easily removes foundation, blush, and lipstick.
- Lip balm: A few drops on my finger and apply to my lips.
- Hair conditioner: Mix a few drops of jojoba oil into your current conditioner or use it on its own. You can also add it to damp hair before drying for some au-naturelle de-frizzing and shine boosting.
- Massage oil: need I say more?
Come play in the kitchen/beauty parlour with me next Sunday, March 21st! There are only five spots left in that workshop and it is so much fun being girly girls and getting into the nitty gritty of not just beauty products but all around beautiful, clean and simple living.
Natural Body Care
Cost: $60.00 per person
Location: Queen and Dufferin Area, Toronto
Date & Time: Sunday March 21, 2010, 2pm – 4pm Register now
In this two hour workshop, you will learn how to make everyday personal body care products out of the most basic kitchen ingredients. Using essential oils for their healing properties, combined with whole foods like avocado and oats, I will show you how to make an assortment of products including shampoos, hair conditioners, lip balm, tooth paste, mouth wash, shaving cream and deodorant. You will receive a collection of recipes as well as a list of herbs and foods and the function they can play in your cosmetic cabinet. This will be a relaxed demonstration class and attendees will all receive some samples of the products made. We will also discuss the importance of transitioning over to some more natural products for things we use on a daily basis. You will never go back to store bought again! You will receive recipes for and perhaps even samples of the following:
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Hair Conditioner
- Face Mask
- Face Scrub
- Bath salts
- Facial Steams
- Body creams
* Due to the limited class size and costs of high quality ingredients, payment, unfortunately is non-refundable. It is, however 100% transferable. Should you be unable to attend, you are encouraged to send so
I wish I lived in Toronto…just so I could go to this class. It sounds AWESOME! I recently made my own deodorant and it was so easy that now I want to make everything myself. Toothpaste, cleanser, shampoo…you name it, I want to try it!
Have you seen my vid on toothpaste? http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2009/09/27/brush-up/
Where do you buy jojoba from?
Health food store.
I used to use jojoba oil all the time and was always suprised that I didn’t breakout as a result (despite what most dermatologists have told me); don’t know why I stopped using it. I noticed a dramatic difference in not breaking out once I eliminated sugar, gluten, and peanuts from my diet. I used to think chcolate was the problem, but I can eat it (thank God!) and don’t have any skin issues.
Ever since I discovered your green smoothies and purged my pantry of processed food, my skin has drastically improved – and not just on my face! Amazingly, the skin on my feet is much softer than it ever was. My partner says the same thing about his previously dry, cracked hands. We don’t know why exactly, but since the changes accompanied our dietary changes, I’m willing to give you the credit!
And I’m willing to take a little of it- but you and I both know that you did the hardest work- clearing out the junk!
I REALLY want to get into oil cleansers, but I really love the fresh feel of washing with warm water and soap (and mine is gentle- castille based with some other oils). But I really like the idea of using the same thing as a cleanser and a moisturizer…I love simple things too
I have to agree though, that the quality of your skin is really about what you put IN your body. I had bad acne until I stopped eating dairy…coincidence? Ummmm, no.
Took me time to get used to un-foamy tooth paste- but in time, we can change any habit.
This is a great post. I’ve been looking for more natural products to use on my skin, coconut oil has been my recent go-to but I’ll definitely pick up some jojoba!
I still say you’re lucky. Off to the dermatologist today to try to get my face cleared up. Yes, I’m vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, cook from scratch, eat whole foods, never used makeup or chemicals on my face, always had beautiful skin . . . now I don’t know if my hormones are out of whack, if it is thyroid, or more food intolerances, but I have this awful, cystic acne and rosacea that will not go away for anything. Tried going grain free, soy free, tried all kinds of natural and medical solutions . . . nothing helps. You can do all the right things and still end up with immune or autoimmune problems.