Here’s What Happened When I Switched to an All-Natural Skin Care Routine

I’m a beauty writer, so my skin care routine constantly changes. Every few months I swap my cleanser, toner and moisturizer for the latest beauty products that just hit the shelves in top beauty stores. And if I’m brutally honest, it isn’t uncommon to find three different types of face and eye creams on my counter. My skin is tough enough to weather the harshest chemicals, thankfully.

Surprisingly, however, I’ve never tried an all-natural skin care routine. Except for coconut oil and a few natural deodorants here and there, 98 percent of my beauty arsenal is loaded with chemicals. But that all changed last week when I decided to replace my go-to products with an all-natural routine.

To make sure I was sticking to my original intention, I opted to use only ingredients I can eat for my routine. Sounds safe enough, right?

For starters, I was terrified. I’m over 30 years old, so not having retinol in my corner could be enough to send me over the edge. But if I could be healthier and still have dewy, glowing skin, I was down.

My Normal Routine:

Serums and treatments: dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (morning and night), Sunday Riley C.E.O Rapid Flash Brightening Serum (morning and night)

Scrubs: Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub (twice a week)

Makeup remover: None

Cleanser: Murad Environmental Shield Essential-C Cleanser (night)

Toner: SkinCeuticals Equalizing Toner (morning)

Moisturizer: Tatcha The Water Cream (morning and night)

 

My New All-Natural Routine:

Serums and treatments: half an avocado, mashed, applied to face every three days. Let sit for 20 minutes.

Scrubs: 4 teaspoons sea salt and 2 teaspoons raw honey, applied weekly

Makeup remover: 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Cleanser: 2 teaspoons plain yogurt

Toner: Apply 1 part apple cider vinegar and 2 parts water after cleansing skin.

Moisturizer: Massage a few drops of castor oil on clean skin twice a day.

As for my holistic approach outside of topical ingredients, I decided to double the amount of water I typically drink. Normally I can down 4 to 5 cups a day, but my new routine consisted of nothing less than 8 to 10 cups a day.

Because sleep is a huge factor in your overall heath, I added two more hours of sleep to my routine each day. Instead of going to bed at midnight, I turned out the lights at 10 p.m.

Did It Work?

Most of the items in my new routine gave me decent results. After a week of using them, the results weren’t groundbreaking, but I did notice clearer, smoother skin. For instance, the protein and lactic acid in the yogurt helped tighten my pores and make my skin feel more hydrated. Also, the avocado masks seemed to pump my skin a bit. Not sure if it was in my head or if the monounsaturated fatty acids were busy at work, but I loved it.

I’m curious to see how the natural ingredients will fare when the weather is cooler. Will castor oil stand up to the winter air that dries my skin every December?

I’m not sure if I’ll completely overhaul my entire beauty routine, but I’m happy to go to bed earlier until the new season of Game of Thrones debuts or, at the very least, until my fall TV shows premiere.

In retrospect, I’m sorry I didn’t try an all-natural beauty routine earlier. My complexion looks slightly brighter and more vibrant than before, and at a fraction of the cost. It sounds like a win to me.

This post was sponsored by Carmex Comfort Care.