Wow

It's been one hell of a long time since I posted anything! As an update for all my acne stuff, I've had mediocre success with them all, they tend to slip back into breakouts. It's as if my body figures it out and starts to ramp up the acne again (boo). I've recently returned from a trip to New Brunswick and I've started a regimen from a soapery I went to. The soapery is called Olivier and they do sell products online. Their stuff is organic and as natural as possible and I had a tour of their facilities which showed that they do a lot of things by hand. Their bar soaps so far I've found to not be very harsh and they can be used for hair without needing any rinses like an ACV rinse. My face has broken out like mad over my vacation though (I was being bad I picked). The regimen is a sage soap twice a day with a lotion that has essential oils for acne. There's also a tonifying spray that you can spray throughout the day. I'll let you know how it all turns out if I remember to.

Update.
Wasn't faithful to this one and everything just kinda got put in a drawer.... It was nice stuff to use though I do recommend trying it. I use the soap now just for washing int he shower and it doesn't leave residue or dry out my skin.

Looking For Cheap All Natural Shampoo?

Today I found an interesting thing. If you go to the pet section of a store, natural shampoos are in abundance (even color enhancing ones) and you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for it. Today I bought a 355ml color enhancing shampoo for blond hair (haha for golden retrievers and such) for only 12 dollars!

Happy Shopping!

The Crunchy Betty Honey Challenge: Day 3

I've been using honey to wash my face once or twice a day since monday and I have to say I'm not hooked but I like it a bit. My skin looks lovely and soft and my complexion is radiant. But as I thought it would, my acne has increased a bit due to the moisture. But all the acne that has shown up has been mild and by today it is fading or dissapearing. I hope this trend continues and my acne goes away and stays away. If it does I'll be in love with this method!!!

#1 best thing about it so far:
My skin looks nice, and is soft, moisturized, and radiant

#1 worst thing so far:
My acne increased a bit for a couple days but nothing serious, it is now subsiding. My honey has crystalized and drags the skin on my face uncomfortably when I use it. I'm going to try to soften it first next time I use it

Verdict so far:
While my skin is loving the honey wash the acne flared up mildly it is now subsiding. If  my skin becomes clear and stays clear I will keep this routine going.

 Good luck everyone!

The Crunchy Betty Honey Challenge: Day 1

So today was the first day of Crunchy Betty's honey challenge. So far, my face looks nice. My skin is soft and moisturized. I'm kinda waiting for my acne to go nuts though to be honest....let's hope it doesn't!

#1 best thing about it so far:
My skin looks nice, and is soft and moisturized

#1 worst thing so far:
Nothing yet

Verdict so far:
While my skin is loving the honey wash, I'm not sure how my acne is going to react to it. Hopefully it dies instead of thrives.

Good luck everyone!

I'm Taking The Honey Challenge! Will you?

I'm a huge fan of Crunchy Betty, a fellow blogger who blogs about alternatives to the icky cosmetics they sell in the stores (mostly with things in your kitchen). She's made a challenge for all her readers and beyond, use honey to wash your face for two weeks. Her challenge is below:

Put Pure, Raw (Unpasteurized) Honey on Your Shopping List

You don’t need a whole bunch.

In fact, each time you wash your face, you use maybe half a teaspoon. Probably not even that.

You just need to make sure your honey is raw and pure (and if you can, make it local!). If you needed an excuse to visit your local farmer’s market this weekend, here it is.

Otherwise, you should be able to find raw (unpasteurized) local honey at the supermarket (our King Soopers carries raw Colorado honey). It’s just right there in the honey section. Check it out.

(If you can’t find local, no biggie. Just go for the good stuff.)

Challenge Schedule

People can come and go throughout this challenge as they’d like, but let’s try to get as many people to start with us as we can.

Here’s the schedule of events:

• Monday, July 18th – An introduction into how to wash your face with honey and why you’ll do it. On this day, you can also “sign up” for the challenge in the comments.
• Friday, July 22nd – I’ll send out emails to everyone who’s participating in the challenge just to check up on you and see how it’s going (however, there will be a thread on it in the Crunchy Community, so you guys can chit chat about your experiences).
• Monday, July 25th – There will be a post about the Honey Challenge on this day talking about ways to modify it for easier makeup-washing, as well as a chance for you guys to talk about what you think so far.
• Monday, August 1st - We’ll do a wrap-up post, which will include a super deluxe linky-party where everyone who blogs about their experience with the challenge can link up, and we can go around and read from all the other crunchistas blogs! In addition, on this day, I’ll choose one person to receive some raw Colorado honey from one of my local farmer’s markets. (THIS fun giveaway comes courtesy of the 10 AMAZING ladies who have sent financial support to Crunchy Betty over the last week; if it weren’t for that, this wouldn’t be a fun perk. AND, if more people want to donate over the next week, I’ll TOTALLY buy more honey to give away.)

AND, OF COURSE:

The best part of all of it?

YOUR FACE IS GOING TO BE SO SOFT, CLEAR, AND BEAUTIFUL WHEN WE’RE DONE!

Are you excited?

Yeah?

Tell me about it!

Here's a link to her challenge page which will be up Monday. Crunchy Betty's Honey Challenge I'll be writing about my experiences starting Monday.

Good luck and let's take the challenge!!

Honey, Oatmeal, and Apple Cider Vinegar Acne Cure: A Bust

This is the fourth day of using this regiment as a treatment for acne and I'm calling it quits. The reason it's a bust? My face is beginning to break out where there is almost never any acne. I'm going to blame the oatmeal on that one. There might be something to the apple cider vinegar though. It did seem to calm down already inflamed acne, but it made my existing acne itchy, which unfortunately makes me more likely to pick my acne. If you can withstand the itch it may be a good remedy for calming your inflamed acne.  If this solution works for you then that's great! But for those with severe acne (red bumps and cystic acne), this regiment probably isn't for you.

Good luck till next time!

Honey, Oatmeal, and Apple Cider Vinegar Acne Cure: Day 3

My face is looking and feeling basically the same. My face also doesn't feel as soft as it did the first day. My acne is starting to get smaller and size and isn't as red, but it's still definitely there and now it's itchy, although I've heard that itch in acne is a sign that it's healing. So far I'm not going to call it a bust but it's not a miracle either.

#1 best thing about it so far:

acne isn't as apparent and my face doesn't seem to need moisturizer after washing

#1 worst thing about it so far:

my skin isn't soft like the first day and my acne has gotten itchy

Verdict so far:

the full two weeks will tell if it works or not, so far i'm not really pleased with it but it hasn't made anything worse

Honey, Oatmeal, and Apple Cider Vinegar Acne Cure: Day 1

I can't get over how baby soft my face feels... I keep stroking my cheeks. Acne is less red I think and my face doesn't seem to need moisturizer.

#1 best thing about it so far:

How soft my skin is.

#1 worst thing about it so far:

I don't like the smell of apple cider vinegar when it's wet and it burns my skin a bit where my acne is. Also if you get enough of it on your skin, the apple cider vinegar fumes may sting your eyes a bit. The smell and fumes go away quick though.

Verdict so far:

Promising.

Honey, Oatmeal, and Apple Cider Vinegar Acne Cure

So I found this great site I'd like to share with everyone. It's called http://www.myhomeremedies.com/ and has an extensive page on acne remedies submitted by users. I thought hell, I'll try them one by one (not the stupid ones like using rubbing alcohol....OUCH) and put up a review.

For the next two weeks I'll be trying this one:

Make a scrub out of honey and oatmeal (or buy one, organic and toxic free please!) and use that every night. rinse with cold water and pat dry. Then apply apple cider vinegar on trouble spots with a cotton ball without rinsing and go to sleep. Wash you face again with the oatmeal scrub in the morning. 

The person who submitted it claimed their acne improved within a few days. It's worth a try! If it works on my stubborn acne then maybe it will work for you. If you feel like trying it with me please let me know how it works for you too and maybe even what ratios of honey to oatmeal you used, and if you buy a scrub what one you used.

Stay happy and healthy!

The Cosmetics Safety Comparing List!

Hello all. I've finished my list! Now you can all print it off and bring it with you to the store rather than trying to remember all the icky things you don't want in your health and beauty products. The list is double sided and allows you to compare 5 products. Enjoy!!

(Page 1)

PRODUCTS TO COMPARE

1

2

3

4

5

BAD INGREDIENT LIST

                                                         1                  2                  3                  4                   5

2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1

3-Diol

Alluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Aminophenol

Apha Hydroxy Acids

Aquasol A

Arovit

Axerophthol Palmitate

Benzalkonium Chloride

Beta Hydroxy Acids

BHA

Boric Acid

Bronopol

Butyl's

Ceteareth-20

Ceteareth's

Coal Tar

DBP

Diaminobenzene

Diazolidinyl Urea

Dibutyl Pthalate

DMDM Hydantoin

Emu Oil

Formaldehyde

Formalin

Fragrance

Glycolic Acid

Hexadeconoate

Hexadeconoate Retinol

Hydroquinone

Imidazolidinyl Urea

Isobutyl's

Isopropyl's

Ketoconazol

Lactic Acid

Lead

Mercury

Methochloroisothiazolinone

Methoxyethanol

(Page 2)

                                                1                   2               3                 4                      5

Methyl Cellosolve

Methylisothiazolinone

Mink Oil

Nitromethane

Octoxynol-9

Optovit - A

Oxybenzone

Parabens

Parfum

PEG's

Petroliums

Phenacetin

Phenopthalein

Phenylenediamine

Phthalates

Placenta

Polyethylene

Polyethylene Glycol

Progesterone

Propyl's

Resorcinol

Retinol

Retinol Palmitate

Retinyl Palmitate

Salicylic Acid

Selenium Sulphide

Sodium Borate

Tallow

Toluene

Triclocarbon

Triclosan

Vitamin A Palmitate

Totals

Best Choice

(If you have any ideas for how to make this list better just let me know in the comments section. Happy and healthy shopping!)

I got to wondering...

Today I did some laundry and as I was hanging my clothes out on the line to dry I was wondering to myself, I wonder how I can do this naturally and easily without spending a ton on natural cleaners. So I looked it up! You can make an all natural and cheap laundry detergent with a bar of soap, borax, and washing soda. the recipe is here (http://kindacrunchykate.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/doing-laundry-frugally-and-naturally-and-how-to-make-your-own-laundry-detergent/). As for fabric softener and keeping whites white and colors bright, look no further than your kitchen cupboards for white vinegar. Use it like fabric softener and it works it's magic without leaving a vinegar smell. And of course, don't dry your clothes in the dryer in such warm weather! Hang your clothes on a clothesline outside and you get the bonus of having great smelling clothes.

Happy Laundry Day!!!