Since my Granny was my age, the women in my family have had a skin-care
“secret” – 100% pure extra-virgin olive oil. We use two brands of
soap/cleanser – Kiss My Face, a bar soap made from olive oil, and Dr.
Bronner’s Magic Soap, which contains olive oil. I prefer the Peppermint for a
face wash, Almond for a body wash, and both of those kinds of Dr.
Bronner’s also make an excellent tooth cleanser, substituting for toothpaste.
As far as moisturizing after cleansing, my Mother uses straight olive oil on a
cotton pad every night to clean and moisturize, all in one, and she easily looks
20-30 years younger than her actual age. I’m not the purist my Granny was
(though I’m still wrinkle-free at 36), so I use the olive oil trick only in the
coldest/driest winter months, or as a pre-cleanser before I wash my face.
For a facial moisturizer, I go with whatever is fragrance-free and has the
fewest hard-to-pronounce ingredients from the local co-op, health food
store, or even the corporate giant whole foods. For those of us with a
RushCard or pre-paid credit card, and a library card for internet access, some
really great skin-care products are just a click away. My favorite lines are Inky
Loves Nature, a vegan/organic/fair-trade/hand-made line of skin and hair
care. I also love Carol’s Daughter’s products, which can be pricey but worth
saving up for on my budget. Both Inky and Carol are Melanin-rich women
who started their companies because they were sick and tired of skin- and
hair-care products full of additives, pork and/or whale-oil derived
ingredients, bleach, glycerin, and other unsavory things.
Always look for discounts before making purchases.
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