Ever notice how your hair becomes oily if you leave it unwashed for few days? That’s sebum. Sebum is an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands. Its main purpose is to make the skin and hair waterproof, protecting them from drying out. If you take sebum and mix it with sloughed skin cells, you’ll get the waxy vernix caseosa that covers and protects newborn babies. Without this coating, babies would come out of the womb (looking like Benjamin Button) very wrinkled from the water world environment in the womb.

Much to the dismay of many teenagers (myself included), sebaceous glands often go haywire during puberty, producing excess sebum causing oily skin, odors, and (ugh!) acne. As sebum drains out to the surface of our skin it can get blocked (the reason for this blockage is unknown). Backed up and with no place to go, it lingers in the pores, mingling with dead skin cells, allowing bacteria to grow. Before you know it, a shiny bright pimple is born.

It’s believed among some people, that drying excess sebum or using products designed to control oil production, such as Oil Free (insert product here), will reduce sebum production. This is simply not true.  Drying excess oil and using oil control products (on a freshly cleansed face) will only cause your face to produce more sebum.

Jojoba Oil & Grapeseed Oil to the Rescue

So just how do we control our skin’s need for moisture while maintaining a clear complexion? We trick it and give our skin what it craves the most. Oil.

Jojoba Oil:
Jojoba Oil is an extract that comes from the seed of the jojoba tree. I guess the term “oil” markets better than “wax” because jojoba oil is actually a wax ester. Jojoba Oil is different from other oils because its consistency is similar to sebum.   You can use jojoba oil to “trick” the skin into thinking it’s producing enough oil, thus balancing oil production. Unlike some other oils (mineral oil) jojoba oil is adsorbed by the skin and it doesn’t block pores. Feel free to use it without fear of breaks outs.

Recommended Use:
Jojoba Oil does have one negative; it’s greasy. If you apply too much your skin will look greasy until it’s adsorbed! To avoid this use 2-6 drops in the AM and a liberal amount before bed. Due to it’s greasy texture I recommended Jojoba Oil for dry skin.

Grapeseed Oil:
Like Jojoba Oil, Grapeseed oil contains essential fatty acids similar to those that combine to create sebum. This non- greasy, anti-pore blocking, ultra light oil has a fine texture that’s virtually odorless and easily absorbed by the skin. Packed with very potent antioxidants, Grapeseed Oil is helpful for diminishing the sun’s damaging effects, assisting in tissue regeneration and lessening free radical damage to the skin. Regular application helps in preventing the pores from clogging, thus reducing the incidence of nasty breakouts. Grapeseed Oil is also known for its astringent properties helping to firm and tighten the skin. People with oily skin will benefit greatly from Grapeseed Oil and its ability to reign in oil production.

Recommended Use:
Cheaper than jojoba oil, I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Grapeseed Oil. It’s very light on the skin and works well as a moisturizer. Use it under make-up to protect the pores from clogging. Recommended for those with combination, oily and sensitive skin. If you have dry skin, Grapeseed Oil my not provide enough moisture for you so try Jojoba Oil first.

Do the sebum test!

I love doing this test cause it’s an easy way to see just where your skin thinks you need moisture most. It’s almost like you’re communicating with your skin and it will tell you how to take care of it if you only listen.

1. Wash your face like you normally would with your preferred cleanser
2. Pat your face dry with a clean towel
3. DO NOT apply moisture and wait for 5-20 minutes

If you see beads of liquid dots on your face in the nose, cheek, chin or forehead region — say hello to your sebum. This will also give you an idea of where sebum is being created the most. Use the information to your advantage and apply an extra helping of oil (Jojoba or Grapeseed) to those areas.

Results vary depending on your skin type. This test is not scientific or fool proof and as always if anything above produces a rash, please discontinue using it.

Many say that Fullers Earth clay, also know as Multani Mitti Clay or Indian Fuller Earth Clay, is the best clay for oily skin and of course, they’re right.  In addition to sucking up excess oil, it effectively absorbs the impurities in your skin and excels at deep cleaning oily, acne-prone skin (NOTE:  If your skin is sensitive or dry please use French Green Clay). Not all Fuller’s Earth clay is equal, however. Cosmetic grade Fullers Earth Clay is a blend of montmorillonite and bentonite clay in specific proportions ideally suited for skin care, unlike the industrial variety. When shopping for Fullers Earth Clay look for “cosmetic grade” in the product description.

Fullers Earth Clay is also widely used as a skin-lightening agent and is best known for its ability to be applied as a “facial bleach”. For this reason, I (personally) only use fullers clay as a spot treatment but those with oily skin can use it to it’s fullest potential.

Fullers Earth Clay Recipe

• 1 Tablespoon of Fullers Earth Clay
• 1 Teaspoon of Honey
• 2-4 drops of Lavender Oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon of luke warm water

Mix the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Wet face with warm water to open pores. Gently apply a thin layer into the skin adding a thicker coat to any pimples. Allow mask to set for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cool water. Rub an ice cube over your face to close pores. Use this recipe once a week to reduce and heal acne.

The Fullers Earth Clay will suck out the dirt while drying up pimples and working to reduce them in size. You’ll feel your skin tingle, tighten and pull. The honey hydrates and prevents the skin from drying and works as an overall anti-bacterial. The lavender oil soothes and heals any damaged skin. You may experience a slight redness. This is normal and will disappear. If a rash should happen to appear, discontinue use of the clay.

This little baby retails for $450!!

I adore the steam room at the gym. It’s the most relaxing part of my day. After a few laps in the pool and the cool down in the Jacuzzi; it’s my final haven for complete relaxation with the added bonus of baby smooth skin and a glowing complexion. Adding steam to your skin care regime will have you feeling this way everyday.

Creating a Face Sauna

You don’t have to buy one of those expensive table-top face saunas; they don’t create enough steam anyway. There’s simply no need to waste your hard earned cash when you have everything you need right in your kitchen.

• Step 1: Fill up a small pot with purified water and place on the stove.
• Step 2: Set the temperature to high and allow the water to boil (for about 2-3 minutes).
• Step 3: Take the pot of boiling water carefully off the stove and place on your kitchen table. Protect your table with a towel or a flat pot holder.
• Step 4: Finally, place a towel over your head and the pot of boiling water. Lean in to soak up the sweet, sweet steam (but don’t get close enough to burn your face). Stay under the towel for about 5 minutes (no longer than 10). Wash face or apply a clay mask to take advantage of the open pores.

One last thing; jazz it up and be creative! Add in 1-2 drops of soothing rosemary oil, peppermint oil (any oil) or peppermint tea bags to create a luxurious spa treatment.

As always, please exercise caution when handling hot, boiling pots of water.

Happy New Year and may 2011 be your skin’s best and brightest year. Lets face the facts; a new year means both you and your skin will be turing a year older. As such we have put together a milky sweet kitchen recipe to keep you glowing in 2011.

Sweet Lemon Milk Toner

• 1 Tablespoon of Sugar
• 1 Cup of Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon of fresh lemon

Mix ingredients together making sure the sugar dissolves completely. To speed up the mixing process combine them in a blender or food processor. Personal blenders or hand (stick) mixers work the best. Wash your face like you normally would with your preferred cleanser. Keeping pores open, splash face with warm water. Wet a cotton ball or cotton pad with the toner and work, gently, into face. Leave toner on skin for 5-10 minutes then rinse with cold water to close pores.

For those with sensitive or dry skin, substitute cucumber juice for lemon. To make cucumber juice:

• Wash, peel and blend cucumber in a food processor until a liquid consistency is formed.
• Shift and separate cucumber membrane, using a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, several times, until all that’s left is liquid.
• Add cucumber liquid to the ingredients above.

Tip: Keep a bunch of  3 oz. travel containers on hand or old clean toner bottles. They work great for keeping your creations in.

Note: You can store your toner in the fridge for up to 1 week. Please do not put spoiled milk on your face.

There are some things I just can’t make and don’t want to improve upon. This is one of those things.

I’m 31 and for some reason (probably hormones) my childhood acne has come back with vengeance. I have enlarged pores, blackheads, white heads, Pustules and (very large) Cysts. All of this has of course resulted in the scarring of my beautiful face. I have personally tried about every skin care product on the market since I was 14 years old. From the prescriptions, to the dollar store finds, to the latest and greatest green a white “acne solution” sold on TV. But nothing has worked…until now.

Desert Essence, Throughly Clean Face Wash

My favorite store, iHerb.com, has a wonderful acne section with hunderds of reviews for just about every product they sell. Due to my sketchy history with acne products, I have come to rely on reviews from others and the more positive reviews, the better. Taking it on faith, I decided to give Throughly Clean by Desert Essence a try and I’m glad I did.

Although not 100% (because nothing ever is), this face wash really works for me! It has helped to close my pores, reduce my breakouts, clean (and I mean really clean) my skin of all dirt and make up and, generally, improve the over all appearance of my skin. The texture of my skin is radiant and smooth. I know my skin is free and clear when there is no visible dirt on my toner ladened cotton balls. Now that’s clean. Imagine, a face wash that actually does it job so well that it almost renders toners useless.

Yes, Throughly Clean is truly awesome but, such as the way of the world, nothing is perfect.

• The solution isn’t a thick gel, like some might be accustom to, it’s more like liquid; almost like an oil in consistency. I recommend purchasing a foaming soap dispenser to put the face wash in. You will love the soft, frothy texture of the foam – trust me!
• It’s can be drying, but with any face wash you’ll want to use a moisturizer after wards. You really should be using a moisturizer anyway. If your face is dry it will over produce sebum and that could be the source of your next break.
• It has a smell. Not a bad smell but an all natural smell due to the tea tree oil and other all natural goodies, but some still may not like it.
• It can break certain people out (so I’ve been told). It hasn’t broke me out, but like anything that works really well, it will suck out (not in) the harmful pore clogging dirt and toxins. This will probably create a pimple for some — at least this is my theory.

But if all of the cons bug you, you can tweak out this face wash in true Skincare Cookbook fashion!

• If a breakout should occur: The solution is to moisturize with Jojoba Oil. Jojoba Oil has the same consistency as the sebum that your skin produces. The idea is to trick the skin into thinking “I produced oil for this section already”; in hopes that sebum will not be over produced.
• If you have dry skin: Using Throughly Clean as a base, add 1 Teaspoon of Jojoba Oil.
• If you have oily skin: Add a couple of drops of  Tea Tree Oil to the wash. After you have cleaned your face and splashed it with cold water (to close the pores), moisturize with a drop or two of Grapeseed Oil. Grapeseed Oil is a mild, non-oily hydrating oil. You’ll love the results and your face will thank you!
• If you have sensitive skin: Using Throughly Clean as a base, add 1 Teaspoon of Grapeseed Oil. The Grapeseed Oil will protect your face during the wash.

You can purchase Desert Essence, Throughly Clean Face Wash on their site for $9.29 - OR- you can purchase it on iHerb.com for $5.58, read the other reviews, oh and save $5.00 on your first order by using code ANE923 and get it for close to nothing! It’s your choice.

Need a quick face lift but don’t have the bucks for the ingredients? This Honey & Extra Virgin Olive Oil firming mask will do the trick in a jiff! The best part — all the ingredients are in your kitchen!

The Mix:

• 1 Tablespoon of all purpose flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Organic Grade A Honey
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold pressed means more nutrients)
• 1 Egg White (No yokes)

Mix ingredients together and smooth on the face. Let the mask set for 15 minutes then rinse off with luke warm water. Splash your face with cold water or use an ice pack to seal face and close pores. About an hour later you will be pleased with the results.

So what’s it doing?
The Extra Virgin Olive Oil and honey infuses the skin with necessary fatty acids and anti-bacterial fighters. The flour and egg white treatment, although not a replacement for mineral packed clays, helps to tighten up your pores and smooth away wrinkles.

Tip:
If you’re strange like me and have a flour allergy, substitute the flour for powered sugar or Guar Gum powder.

This high mineral clay, beloved by skin care professionals, is a bio-mineral, and contains decomposed plant matter as well as many trace minerals packed with Calcium, Magnesium,  Zinc, Selenium, Silica, Iron, Potassium, Cobalt, Manganese,Copper, Phosphorous, & Sodium, micro-algaes, algae, and phyto-nutrients. The algaes found in French Green Clay gives it its green color. French Green clay is extracted from pollution free, high mineral content sites in France then carefully sun dried to absorb energy from the sun.

When using French Green Clay as a mask, it stimulates the blood and lymph circulation while adsorbing the toxins, impurities and fats, toning and strengthen connective tissues and removing dead skin cells leaving your skin smooth and radiant. It’s these qualities make French Green Clay awesome for your skin and gentle enough to use weekly, or even daily on problem spots.

French Green Clay Recipe

French Green Clay helps to close your pores and improve the overall look of your skin. If applied before bed, you’ll wake up to smooth healthy skin in the morning!

Hydrating French Green Clay Mask
For Sensitive Skin

• 1 Tablespoon of French Green Clay
• 1 Teaspoon of Honey
• 2-4 drops of Lavender Oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon of luke warm water

For Acne prone skin

• 1 Tablespoon of French Green Clay
• 1 Teaspoon of Honey
• 2-4 drops of Tea Tree Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon of fresh lemon
• 1/2 Teaspoon of luke warm water

Mix the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Wet face with warm water to open pores. Gently apply a thin layer into the skin adding a thicker coat to any pimples. Allow mask to set for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cool water. Rub an ice cube over your face to close pores.

The French Green Clay will suck out the dirt; you’ll feel your skin tingle, tighten and pull. The honey hydrates and prevents the skin from drying. The lavender oil soothes the skin and the tea tree/ lemon combo (recommended for acne prone skin) dries up pimples and works with the clay to reduce them in size. There may be a slight redness, this is normal and will disappear. If a rash should happen to appear, discontinue the mask.

We will be starting the new year and our new blog off with a series dedicated to our most favorite skin care ingredient: Clay!

Enjoy the recipes!
Jeaneen

Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay (also known as Montmorillonite) is an edible clay from naturally occurring volcanic ash sediments, and contains over 70 trace minerals.  This clay is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays used to treat both internal and external maladies. Externally, Bentonite is used as a clay poultice, mud pack, in the bath, and in skin care recipes.  Bentonite clay has the ability to absorb toxins (hooray!!), impurities, heavy metals and other contaminants from the body, and is ingested to treat mineral deficiencies, anemia, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, intestinal problems, hemorrhoids, and for general organ health.

Internal Bentonite Clay Recipe:
Beauty from the inside out!

• Simple Cleanse: Take one tablespoonful of Bentonite and add it to about eight ounces of liquid and thoroughly mix until the clay is completely combined with the water.
• Deep Detox: Take one tablespoon of Bentonite Clay, 1 teaspoon of Caproyl and 2 teaspoons of Psyllium daily in 8 ounces of purified water.
• Drink both mixtures quickly as it has the tendency to thicken up.

So what’s it doing?

Neither the Psyllium or Bentonite is absorbed into the system. They act as a sponge as each absorbs and then expels toxic materials. The Safflower oil in Caproyl (which contains Caprylic acid) interacts with the Psyllium to amplify its fungicidal effects. As the combo presses up against the intestinal walls, Caprylic acid is slowly released through the entire length of the intestinal tract.  The Caprylic acid, dispersed in a Psyllium gel, will rid most people of major yeast symptoms and toxic ailments in three to eight weeks. By taking the mixture internally you will be improving your skin externally not to mention your overall health!

** As always consult a doctor when deciding to take any treatment. Especially those found on the internet

External Bentonite Clay Recipe:
For the face & body

Bentonite Clay can also be used externally to strengthen & close pores, smooth skin and provide a healthy glow. Form your own skincare regime  by using one of the recipes below.

Bentonite & Lavender Sugar Scrub/ Mask:
For All Skin Types

• 2 Teaspoons of Bentonite Clay
• 1 Teaspoon of Sugar
• 1-2 Drops of Lavender Oil
• 2-4 Drops of  Grapeseed Oil
• 1 Tablespoon of luke warm water
• ** Double this mixture for mask

For Scrub:
Mix the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Wet face with warm water to open pores. Gently massage and rub into the skin for 1-2 minutes. Rinse with cool water. Rub an ice cube over your face to close pores.

For Mask:
Mix the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Wet face with warm water to open pores. Gently apply a thin layer into the skin adding a thicker coat to any pimples. Allow mask to set for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cool water. Rub an ice cube over your face to close pores.

The bentonite & sugar will suck out the dirt; cleaning and gently scrubbing the skin. The lavender and grapeseed oil acts as a shield as it soothes and protects the skin. There may be a slight redness, this is normal and will disappear. If a rash should happen to appear, discontinue the mask.

Don’t be afraid of the oil!!
Grapeseed Oil is an all natural moisturizer that protects the skin from premature aging and aids in reducing the effects of acne. This versatile oil contains numerous essential fatty acids including Linoleic, Oleic, Stearic, Palmitic, Myristic and Lauric. Its rich, silky texture is perfect for soothing away dryness and irritation and is suitable for all skin types. Since grapeseed oil is 100% natural it absorbs in the skin and it won’t clog pores or cause break-outs