My "Get People to say Nice Things to You" Skincare Routine

            “Wow, you have such beautiful skin.”

            Up until about a year ago I would have never thought I would receive such a compliment. My face was dotted with acne and hyper pigmentation scars, and I had a huge problem with skin picking, which just made everything ten times worse. Now? I get it all the time. There’s still a part of me that can’t believe it when I hear it, because my skin was bad for so long, but it’s such a confidence booster! I can’t even put into words how good it makes me feel, so I’m going to tell you what I do to make my skin so great. That way, you can experience the compliments for yourself.

            The first two things I’m going to mention aren’t even what you might think of as skincare, but they are the rock solid foundation to build everything else up from. Number one, do everything possible to resist the temptation of picking at your face. This was a really hard one for me. I had to keep my nails cut short for a very long time in order to get myself to break the habit. Number two is to stop using antiperspirant style deodorant. I know we all hate sweating, but there’s a good reason for it. Your body uses sweat to release toxins. If you block that sweat, the toxins will find a different way to get out. My skin has been so much clearer since making the switch. If you’re wondering what I use, it’s the Tom’s of Maine LongLasting Aluminum-Free Deodorant in the fresh apricot scent.

            Now on to more traditional skincare. Most of the products that I use are from Origins. I love that their products are all natural, everything smells divine, and they make everything using earth friendly practices. Plus, you can get a free mini facial with loads of samples any time you go into their store!

            To wash my face I use the Dr. Weil for Origins Mega-Bright skin illuminating cleanser in the morning and evening. I just dampen my face with water and then rub a thin layer all over. You only have to use the tiniest amount, and it keeps your skin looking renewed and bright. The consistency of the product on the skin feels so luxurious you are going to fall in love.

            After washing my face I use the Mega-Bright skin illuminating moisturizer, also from the Dr. Weil’s line. If you have combination or oily skin, this is perfect for you. It’s incredibly light, and really sinks into the skin without leaving any residue. It works perfectly with the cleanser to keep your skin fresh and hydrated so that you don’t have any dull, dead skin clogging up your pores. These two products, along with coconut oil as an eye makeup remover, are what I use on an everyday routine basis.

            There are a few things that I’d like to mention that I use if I want to give my skin a treat. Every couple of days I’ll trade my Mega-Bright cleanser for the Modern Frictionnature’s gentle dermabrasion, just to keep things extra smooth. Do this in the shower and the grainy bits (they use ground up rice) wash off with no mess.

I still get blackheads around my nose and chin, and whenever they’ve developed enough to become noticeable I use the Clear Improvement active charcoalmask. It pulls those suckers right out, but doesn’t leave my face with that uncomfortable tight feeling. Plus it’s fun to scare family members walking around the house with jet black clay on your face.

If I do have a pimple pop up, I take care of it with the Yes to Tomatoes Acne Repairing Lotion. It uses a combination of salicylic acid, bisabolol, ginger, and witch hazel to clear acne, combat redness, and control oil.

Now, I know the products in this post have been heavy on the splurge side of things, but take some things into consideration. One, with everything I’ve mentioned a little goes a long way, so you get a huge bang for your buck. And two, your skin is important, why not take care of it with some of the best stuff possible?

Thick Hair Tools: What to Pick Up, and What to Laugh at and Put Back on the Shelf

            Thick hair. I’ve got it, Nat’s got it, and I’m betting some of you have it too. And if you’ve got thick hair, you know what it’s like to try tons of different hair tools that work great for your friends with normal amounts of hair only to have them sit unused in a drawer because they just don’t work for you. That’s what I’ve done. I learned after a while that there were certain types of tools and accessories that work fantastically, some that only worked in combination with other tools, and some that I just had to stay away from.

            Let’s get started with what I consider to be the Holy Grail of thick hair tools; the Tangle Teezer. It’s a brush with no handle that you just nestle into the palm your hand. My hair is so thick that it tends to get tangled a lot, and when I’ve tried to use regular wide tooth combs or brushes they just tend to get stuck. The different length bristles of the Tangle Teezer are meant to detangle your hair gently and easily, whether wet or dry. It’s the best thing I’ve found for getting through all of my hair with little to no breakage.

            The next thing you’ll want is a good boar’s bristle brush. I use this one from Conair. While it won’t really get through your hair like the Tangle Teezer, it does a great job at smoothing over your hair and spreading your scalp’s natural oil from root to tip. Ever wonder why your scalp looks like a greasy mess while the ends are dry? You’re not letting the oil do what it’s meant to do, which is keep your hair soft and protected. Plastic bristles can’t spread that oil, and when the oil doesn’t spread you end up washing your hair more than you need to because your roots look gnarly. With lots of hair, that’s a big waste of shampoo if you’re washing your hair when you shouldn’t need to. Plus all that washing is likely drying your hair out even more.

            Another thing I always keep handy is a fine tooth comb. Nothing fancy, and I don’t use it for combing through my hair on a regular basis, because, let’s be honest, it just can’t do that. Mostly what I use it for is to smooth the surface of my hair when I’ve put it up.

            I cut my own bangs so that I can stretch out my time between salon visits, but in order for them to not look too crazy I use these thinning scissors from Goody. You've probably seen something similar at your hair salon. They’re used to soften the ends of your hair so that they don’t look so blunt and harsh. The first time you use them is a bit scary, because that little part of your brain insists that you’re about to chop off all your hair, but it really only gets about a third. If you do any home trimming, these are a necessity.

            Have you ever seen that first world problem meme about how your hair is too thick for the hair tie to go around three times, but the hair tie is too loose if you only wrap it around twice? Did it hit just a little too close to home? Well these hair ties from Scunci are the answer to your prayers. You can see that their diameter is noticeably bigger than normal hair ties and are strong enough to really hold your hair in place the way you’ve always dreamed a hair tie could.

           Thin regular sized hair ties also have their place in your vanity. While they can’t hold up all of your hair at once, they are great for putting up half of your hair without having to use a clip that will snap your hairs. They’re also great for the ends of braids, or for helping hold up hairstyles like top knots and Gibson tucks.

            Another thing you need are hair pins. Don’t get me wrong, bobby pins have their place, but if you’re trying to do something like a bun one hair pin can do the work of three or four bobby pins. They can really reach through and grab hold of your hair. I can do a top knot using only four of them!

           Now really quick, let’s go through the things that aren’t really worth your money. Obviously, you don’t need a hair doughnut. They are for making your bun look fuller. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my bun to be so big that it looks like an extra head. Regular sized hair ties are another thing not to waste your money on. They will just make you sad when they snap (though side note, snapped hair ties make great cat toys). You may also have found that most hair clips don’t work right for you. That’s because the amount of hair that will fit in them is usually not right proportionally on your head for the look that they are designed for. The quarter updo anyone? No, it’s not a thing, but that’s all you can fit in those clips meant for the standard half updo.

           There are of course exceptions to everything that I’ve said. None of us have exactly the same hair, so some things that may work for me won’t work for you and vice versa. Be that as it may, I wanted to share with you what I’ve found in hopes that others of you might also find what I’ve had to say useful. If you have any thick hair tools that you can’t live without, let me know in the comments.

Cheers,

Julia