Basic Skin Wins

     Unfortunately, I suffer from really dry, temperamental skin. I have tried so many moisturizers and skincare products from Aveda, Lush, BareMinerals, etc. and even got some medical cream called “Elta”, but for some reason, nothing really worked for me. My grandma urged to then try an all-natural/holistic route, so I bought aloe vera gel and coconut oil to remedy my skin.

     You hear about aloe vera in just about everything, but many times, the aloe vera is too processed to really do the deed. Opting for pure, raw gel is your best bet. I bought raw gel from Whole Foods, though I know some people buy the actual plant from a nursery and scrape the gel off the leaves. I hate nature, so that was a NO for me. The bottled gel is so much easier and more accessible. I simply slop some out onto my fingertip and massage it into my skin. Sometimes I put more on and use it as a mask, then rinse it off in an hour. It dries quickly too, so no mess or anything. I swear, this stuff is the business. I wake up with NO redness on my problem spots and it reduces my blemishes like magic, plus it leaves a fresh feeling in the morning.

     To follow the aloe vera gel, I use coconut oil as a moisturizer before bed. Hipsters are all about their organic, animal cruelty-free, unprocessed, raw products, and for once, they are on to something when it comes to coconut oil. You know the stereotype…Indians and their coconut oily, greased braids right? There is a reason! While there are infinite ways to use coconut oil, such as in cooking and lately for “oil pulling”, the stuff is absolutely divine for dry skin. I bought some from Trader Joe’s and it comes in an almost solid, raw form. When you leave it out, it’s softer (though slightly grainy), so it’s technically not oil, but a quick 10 seconds in the microwave will change that. Use it on your face as a night moisturizer, on your arms and legs for a sexy sheen during the day, and of course, in your hair overnight.