Facial Skincare

[lemoned]

Hello everyone..I'd just like to throw in a question about facial skincare. The JF (day 54 today) has not significantly improved my facial skin, actually right now it is not very clear. This may be "detox" but at this time in the JF I had really hoped for better skin.

I have given up my Clinique, which up till now had actually made my skin look better than anything else storebought ever, and switched to Burt's Bees soap and day cream because I wanted to be more "natural", I guess.
But BB stuff made my skin even worse.

I don't have acne and from a distance my skin looks very clear. But I have a myriad of clogged pores and blackheads that just never will clear up. Any recommendations for a cleanser and lotion?

(Just water is best I guess but I can't seem to keep my hands off the mascara and eyeliner so I need something to get that stuff off hehe)

[Kat Bowie]

Hello Lemoned,

I have had some minor breakouts throughout the entire JF. I am currently on Day 77. Some have been more obvious than others. It is part of the detox I believe.

However, I am still part of the working world and as a psychologist I still feel a need to wear makeup and present well. In October I switched from Lancome to Dr. Hauschka's Skin Care line. I did a lot of research on their product line and took my time choosing, because it is expensive, but no more so than Lancome (or Clinique for that matter). Within days of beginning to use their prodcuts I actually had friends asking what I was doing to my skin. It truly was visibly improved. I like their philosophy, and the fact that they use herbs, flowers, flower essences and are dedicated to keeping everything as Earth-friendly as possible.

You can go on line and check them out and see what you think. I started by buying a Trial kit for around $15 at Whole Foods. They also have some really nice body and bath products. I am in love with their Lavender Bath which I use in the morning and at night to sooth and calm my body, skin, and mind. Hope that helps and that you find what your skin and body need.

In Light and Peace,
Kat

[Jennifer Montanez]

I have been using Miessence skincare products lately and they are 100% certified organic. I purchase them through a website at www.cleanlivingorganics.com
They are so clean and safe you can actually eat the products because as you know or skin is more absorbent than if we ingest something. I believe they do in home demonstrations so you can actually try out the products before buying them and are also 100% guaranteed if you don't like them or want something different. I highly recommend this product and so do many people I know. Also, they have makeup that is 100% certified organic so you dont have to keep using the stuff from the store! I hope this helps!

[leslie]

Greetings!
Is there a natural facial place you can go to? Really 100% organic ayurvedic or holistic, I'm talking! Burt's Bees, as great as an endeavor they may be---- are DEF. not near organic, and you'd be better off (in my opinion) using Clinique which is more cosmetically and dermatologically tested.... and at least not on animals. I sometimes use Clinique because they are high quality, though I try to abstain from makeup...
My skin suffered the last couple of years (excess cortisol and stress, I think!)
I haven't had any breakouts since JF-ing, but still have healing to do with my skin.
David Wolfe says some beautiful revelatory things about skin issues... which are fascinating. Basically, the whole "acne" thing is a virus, lodged, like a "herpes" in the spine... often at the base of the neck (cervical vertebrae). For me, I think stress in my jaw sort of irritates my skin. The "pimple" says D. Wolfe, is like a flowering mushroom that bouquets on the skin to express an underlying virus (lovely, ey?)
I'd say that Neck/Jaw massage----- acupuncture..... these things might help since you are already flushing out toxins---- coupled with a GREAT quality facial--- people using CLEAN sterilized equipment (or nothing but their hands).
Sometimes for exfoliation I use a grapefruit peel first for astringent/cleaning...
then Salt (finer or coarse, Celtic Mineral Grey Sea Salt only) mixed with a little coconut oil (be it that skins not oily) and do a VERY gentle rub.
Learning how to be gentle to my skin is synonymous for me to learning how to be gentle with my whole self.
They say Acne serves a purpose---- once we get rid of the physiology of a virus, we have the upper hand! Go deeper and find the root, and work there!
We are our own doctors in this respect!
Much Joy and Support,
Leslie.

[Chai]

I disagree about Clinique's safety . . . go to www.ewg.org and visit their "skin deep" site where they rate skin care lines according to safety--
Clinique ain't safe nor clean!
IMO you'd be better off with suki or hauschka than anything sold at nordstroms
Whole Foods actually has labeled the products that they have researched for safety (and not marked the items that still contain parabens and sodium laurel sulfates)
best to you!

[lemoned]

Thanks for your advice! I didn't know that about Clinique, I've never researched that deeply I guess. I used them because they had out of all products the most positive impact. But there's lots of room for improvement here! I'm going to check out Hauschka next time.

By the way, I'm not using any make up in terms of foundation or powders. All those are just making my skin 100 times worse, I feel it's suffocating under those things. I use a cleanser and a moisturizer, and only use eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara as far as make up goes.

Yep, I agree that skin is as good as your diet is and no topical treatment can remedy deeper issue completely. That's one of the reasons for me to JF :) I still dream...of super clear skin...

[jamielor]

I have tried every natural skincare line out there, i think and Simply Divine Botanicals is definitely the best. Living in the city, water only just doesn't work for me. I prefer their black velvet facial cleanser and use their Peel Me a Papaya exfoliatior once a week.
Cream I use Bee Yummy (raw from Live-live in NYC) for summer and Beautiful on Raw facial cream (www.beautifulonraw.com) for winter months.
They are both excellent!

[Stephanie]

Hey there!
My skin on my face is also going through its detox still at this point in juice feasting (day 73), its doing good just not yet fully clear, which is ok I know i just must have something deeply rooted that is slowly vanishing!!
I am currently using Aubrey brand vegan face wash for sensitive skin as my cleanser
and after washing I apply fresh aloe vera gel, this really works wonders!!
I also use rosewater, spritz that right on its a great moisturizer and helps with keeping skin under control as well!!

GOOD LUCK!!


oh yea MSM cream is really good too....but not all MSM lotion is good, they all have some kind of weird ing. added....I buy mine from David Wolfe, the company he gets his from is great! it comes in a few diff varieties

[juicespirit]

A raw-unpasturized honey face mask left on your face will give your skin amazing rejuvenation.

Ingredients:
- raw-unpasturized honey spread over the face, left on for 5-10 minutes

[Kayleigh]

I use lilly lolo cosmetics which is just natural minerals. It has no parabens and acts as a natural sunscreen. My acne has cleared up since using it too. (I am also in a less stressful job now too so it could be that) I just use warm water on my face or if I have been wearing make up I use essential care coconut cleanser or faith in nature shampoo! Which is totally natural and paraben free.

[Seattle Juicy Girlz]

I'm not much of a product-person, but I just LOVE Eminence organic skin care products from Hungary - smell just like the organic food that they're made of and feel fabulous on the skin! In the Seattle area you can go get a natural facial, not sure about other places...

[Prudence]

I concur with the Eminence Organics endorsement. I've had sensitive skin for years, and Eminence has been wonderful. I recently discovered a less expensive and, so far, just as effective alternative: Garden of Eve products. I use the rosacea-specific formulas, and they're very nourishing.

I'm on Day 22, and my rosacea is clearing up nicely, though I still have some blemishes. I'm guessing it's a good sign that you're breaking out now. You still have enough time on the feast to allow it to clear, but you've gotten to something deep that will now be healed! Congratulations! This is inspiring to me!

[juicespirit]

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps Files Lawsuit Against Major 'Organic' Cheater Brands

Offending Companies Claim "Organic" or "Organics" on Labels But Main Cleansing Ingredients Are Based on Conventional Organic and/or Petrochemical Material

Press Release - For Immediate Release
April 28, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The family owned Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court today against numerous personal care brands to force them to stop making misleading organic labeling claims. Dr. Bronner's and the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) had warned offending brands that they faced litigation unless they committed to either drop their organic claims or reformulate away from main ingredients made from conventional agricultural and/or petrochemical material without any certified organic material. OCA has played the leading role in exposing and educating consumers about deceptive organic branding.

David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps says, "We have been deeply disappointed and frustrated by companies in the 'natural' personal care space who have been screwing over organic consumers, engaging in misleading organic branding and label call-outs, on products that were not natural in the first place, let alone organic." Dr. Bronner's has determined, based on extensive surveys, that organic consumers expect that cleansing ingredients in branded and labeled soaps, shampoos and body washes that are labeled "Organic", "Organics" or "Made with Organic" will be from organic as distinct from conventional agricultural material, produced without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides, and free of petrochemical compounds.

For example: The major cleansing ingredient in Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic" liquid soaps, body washes and shampoos is Sodium Myreth Sulfate, which involves ethoxylating a conventional non-organic fatty chain with the carcinogenic petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which produces carcinogenic 1,4-Dioxane as a contaminant. The major cleansing ingredient in Avalon "Organics" soaps, bodywashes and shampoos, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, contains conventional non-organic agricultural material combined with the petrochemical Amdiopropyl Betaine. Nature's Gate "Organics" main cleansers are Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate (ethoxylated) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Kiss My Face "Obsessively Organic" cleansers are Olefin Sulfonate (a pure petrochemical) and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Juice "Organics", Giovanni "Organic Cosmetics", Head "Organics", Desert Essence "Organics", and Ikove "Organic" all use Cocamdiopropyl Betaine as a main cleansing ingredient and no cleansers made from certified organic material. Due to the petrochemical compounds used to make the ingredient, Cocamidopropyl Betaine is contaminated with traces of Sodium monochloroacetate, Amidoamine (AA), and dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA). Amidoamine in particular is suspected of causing skin sensitization and allergic reactions even at very low levels for certain individuals. Organic consumers have a right to expect that the personal care products they purchase with organic branding or label claims, contain cleansing ingredients made from organic agricultural material, not conventional or petrochemical material, and thus have absolutely no petrochemical contaminants that could pose any concern.

Dr. Bronner's products, in contrast to the brands noted above, contain cleansing and moisturizing ingredients made only from certified organic oils, made without any use of petrochemicals, and contain no petrochemical preservatives. The misleading organic noise created by culprit companies' branding and labeling practices, interferes with organic consumers ability to distinguish personal care whose main ingredients are in fact made with certified organic, not conventional or petrochemical, material, free of synthetic preservatives.

Lawsuit Also Names Estee Lauder, Stella McCartney's CARE, Ecocert and OASIS

Ecocert is a French-based certifier with a standard that allows not only cleansing ingredients made from conventional versus organic agriculture, but also allows inclusion, in the cleansing ingredients contained in products labeled as "Made with Organic" ingredients, of certain petrochemicals such as Amidopropyl Betaine in Cocamidopropyl Betaine. Even worse, despite Ecocert's own regulations prohibiting the labeling as "Organic" of a product containing less than 100% organic content, Ecocert in practice engages in "creative misinterpretation" of its own rules in order to accommodate clients engaging in organic mislabeling. For instance, Ecocert certifies the Ikove brand's cleansing products to contain less than 50% organic content, noted in small text on the back of the product, where all cleansing ingredients are non-organic including Cocamidopropyl Betaine which contains petroleum compounds. Yet the product is labeled "Organic" Amazonian Avocado Bath & Shower Gel. Another instance is Stella McCartney's "100% Organic" CARE line certified by Ecocert that labels products as "100% Organic" that are not 100% Organic alongside ones that are; the labels of products that are not 100% organic simply insert the word "Active" before "Ingredients." In allowing such labeling, Ecocert simply ignores the requirements of its own certification standards. Furthermore, the primary organic content in most Ecocert certified products comes from "Flower Waters" in which up to 80% of the "organic" content consists merely of just regular tap water that Ecocert counts as "organic."

Explicitly relying on the weak Ecocert standard as precedent, the new Organic and Sustainable Industry Standard ("OASIS")-a standard indeed developed exclusively by certain members of the industry, primarily Estee Lauder, with no consumer input-will permit certification of products outright as "Organic" (rather than as "Made with Organic" ingredients) even if such products contain hydrogenated and sulfated cleansing ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate made from conventional agricultural material grown with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, and preserved with synthetic petrochemical preservatives such as Ethylhexylglycerin and Phenoxyethanol. [Reference: OASIS Standard section 6.2 and Anti-Microbial List] The organic content is required to only be 85%, which in water and detergent-based personal care products, means organic water extracts and aloe vera will greenwash conventional synthetic cleansing ingredients and preservatives.

The OASIS standard is not merely useless but deliberately misleading to organic consumers looking for a reliable indicator of true "organic" product integrity in personal care. Organic consumers expect that cleansing ingredients in products labeled "Organic" be made from organic not conventional agriculture, to not be hydrogenated or sulfated, and to be free from synthetic petrochemical preservatives. Surprisingly, companies represented on the OASIS board, such as Hain (Jason "Pure, Natural & Organic"; Avalon "Organics") and Cosway (Head "Organics",) produce liquid soap, bodywash and shampoo products with petrochemicals in their cleansers even though use of petrochemicals in this way is not permitted even under the very permissible OASIS standard these companies have themselves developed and endorsed.

Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA, said: "The pressure of imminent litigation outlined in cease and desist letters sent by OCA and Dr. Bronner's in March prompted some serious discussion with some of the offending companies, but ultimately failed to resolve the core issues."