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Over this last winter my skin was a bit more dry than usual (hello stress!) and I was fishing about for something to help. I moved to a cream cleanser which was good but then ran out. So one night I grabbed a bottle of jojoba oil, massaged about 8-10 drops over my face and eye area and then gently wiped with a warm cloth. I was pleased at the time because it took off all of the mascara I had applied that day in one go (usually I have to give my eyes an extra wipe to avoid panda bear eyes). Over the next few nights I continue this routine and found that my skin hydration improved significantly. Fast forward 2 months and I am still using this cleansing technique and love it. Apart from increased hydration I have also found that the congestion I usually experience on my nose and chin has also improved – so happy about that!

While it feels counter-intuitive to cleanse with oil there is actually some reasoning to this method. Essentially, oil attracts and pulls fat soluble particles (those that mix with fat rather than water) including pollution, makeup and waste products from the skin. Eventually this has an effect on skin congestion including blackheads and whiteheads, as the oil mixes with sebum and follows its pathways down to skin cell and skin matrix levels destroying bacteria.

For acne and oily skin, this method can be used but it is important that the oil used is chosen carefully. Castor and Jojoba oils are ideal as they mix with sebum well and therefore help clear bacteria. However, molecularly heavy oils such as Coconut and Castor oil need to be diluted by mixing them with lighter oils such as grapeseed, jojoba or even Olive oil. So a blend of oils is generally a good idea. A 50-50 mix of Oilve and Castor or Jojoba and Castor is good for acne prone skin.

For dry or dehydrated skin, oil cleansing avoids the traditional use of foaming cleansers which can have too strong an effect on the skin’s protective barrier. The oil creates a moisturising barrier across the skin that allows the skin to function normally but holds moisture in. It also supports the acid mantle of the skin thereby eventually helping to balance oil production. This may also be a suitable method for sensitive skin, as there are no essential oils or artificial scents which are the most common irritating agents. For me, I just used pure Jojoba oil and didn’t worry about blending oils. However, if my skin were more congested, I would consider mixing Castor and Jojoba oil together.

The Oil Cleansing Method

• Massage 8-10 drops of your oil mixture over your face and neck
• You don’t need to pre-clean off makeup
• Massage the oil gently into your face and neck for 30 seconds to a minute
• Soak a soft washcloth or microfibre flannel and in warm water. Gently wipe away all visible oil. Using a flannel will also help to remove dead skin cells on the surface of your skin.
• If your skin is oilier and want to open up your pores, use hot water and gently apply the cloth over your face. Leave it until it starts to cool then wipe away all visible oil. I advise against using a hot washcloth if you have dry or sensitive skin or rosacea as it may irritate the skin and increase moisture loss.
• Rinse the cloth and repeat.
• I always apply a serum after washing my face and using this method is no exception. However I did find I need to use less serum. If you have oily or acne prone skin you may choose not to apply anything at all.

If you have used the oil cleansing method, I would love to hear what your experience was. Good, bad…indifferent?

Skin care advertisers promise women so much…and do they deliver? Is it really possible that a supermarket brand such as Olay can halt the 7 signs of aging? Well quite frankly I doubt it given the ingredients. So what indeed can a product such as this can do for your skin?

Olay falls into the category of a cosmetic which is classed as a product that helps to maintain the surface of the skin. The ingredients don’t pass through the stratum corneum and as such are active only on the top
layer of skin which means they don’t stimulate any structural changes in the deeper layers of skin. What cosmetics can do is maintain the moisture level on the skin by blocking water loss and nourish the top layer of skin with herbs and nutrients. This is ideal for dry, dehydrated and normal to oily skin with no significant issues. However, if you want results for skin conditions or slow ageing, you are going to need more than a cosmedic.

Cosmeceutical products contain “active” ingredients which are capable of treating beyond the surface of the skin. They are used by beauty therapists and skin professionals to bring about skin change results where
there are conditions such as premature ageing, pigmentation, acne and rosacea. Ingredients that you may recognize that are considered cosmeceutical include active AHAs, retinoids, and some herbs among others. I also think that many oils such as bilberry, sea buckthorn seed oil, acai pulp oil, lingonberry seed oil and tamanu nut oil fall into this category as they are high in natural phytonutrients such as carotenoids, tocotrienols and essential fatty acids that help maintain and improve the health of skin cells.

The newest category of product is called cosmedical which are really just hyped up cosmeceutial prdoucts. They may employ advanced delivery methods ensuring the benefits are delivered as deep as possible into
the skin, higher strengths ingredients or contain clinical trialed ingredients. Therapeutically they can target past and present skin damage. They may also have a preventative affect to some degree and help slow the ageing process. Ingredients that you can look for include AHAs, retinoids, newer forms of vitamin C such as Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, peptides, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and SPF technology (micronized zinc
oxide).

Please let me know if you have had any experiences with skin improvement using cosmeceutical or cosmedical products or ingredients.

At Vitale we are often e-mailed about which Dry Body Brush to use. Our advice varies depending on skin sensitivity, whether or not the person has used a skin brush before and what areas of the body they want to skin brush. Jodie from Bodecare writes this about the range of natural brushes she has created:

All brushes are made of natural materials and vary in bristle firmness to cater for individual preferences. (The Vitale Natural Online Store every brush has details on what the brush is made of, dimensions and the firmness of the brush bristles.)

All Bodecare brush bristles are categorised under Extra Soft, Soft, Medium and Firm.

Extra Soft

• Face brush: Meant for delicate skin on the face, the bristles are silky soft, gentle enough for a baby. Suitable for working with Cleansers and removing face masks.

Soft

• Face brush: Soft bristles suitable for cleansing and removing face masks.
• Nails/Feet: Suitable for buffing residue off nails and lightly cleaning dirt under nail.
• Dry Body Brushing: Best for someone just new to dry body brushing, will still provide good stimulation. This is a great starting point until your skin gets use to dry brushing and then you can graduate to firmer brush bristles.

Medium

• Dry Body Brushing: Suitable for someone wanting extra stimulation, flexible bristle, great exfoliation.
• First time dry body brushers could also start with this level brush, because you only need to use light strokes for dry brushing.

Firm

• Dry Body Brushing: Suitable for experienced dry body brushers, firm, stiff bristles, providing optimum exfoliation, stimulation and massage for the skin.
• Nails: Firm, stiff bristles great for removing dirt from under nails, especially if you are a gardener or mechanic.

It is simply a choice of which brush meets your needs and comfort levels. View the range of Bodecare Brushes here.

Related Articles:

• Energise with Dry Scalp Massage
• Brush your butt!
• Have you heard of Lymphatic Detoxification?
• Cellulite – is there ANYTHING I can do about it?

The term “new adopter” refers to people that follow new trends or products particularly in the area of new technology however I have borrowed the term for skin care aficionados i.e. people that just have to have the latest cosmetic or cream released on the market. I can confirm that I have definitely had moments of “new adoption” where I have bought products just because they were new or eagerly anticipated the release of a new range or product with the intent to purchase as soon as available.

On the flip side there are some favourite products I just can’t do without. Products that work for my skin or hair or coloured cosmetics that suit me so I go back to them time and time again. Among these is my Minerelle foundation. I have tried so many different foundations (I receive many samples in the course of my work) and while initially I might be impressed, I go back to Minerelle every time. For me it is not just about the performance of the product, which is excellent but also the shade which suits my skin perfectly.

One trend I did follow (well almost followed) is that of Morrocan Oil. I was really pleased to hear that there was a hair oil on the market based on natural ingredients. However, at the point of purchase I gave the ingredients a quick once over and smartly put it back on the shelf – the ONLY natural ingredient in Morrocan Oil is a bit of Argan oil – it is not even the first ingredient which means the fragrances and polymers make up most of the product. I was so disappointed so I instead chose Pure Lustre from Nature’s Symphony which is based on Camellia oil and completely natural. My hair loves it and love that it is natural.

The body product I just can’t go without is Remedica African Vanilla & Shea Nut Body Butter. I love everything about it – the texture, the scent (which lasts all day) and the way it moisturises my skin. BIG LOVE and a staple in my bathroom cupboard.

One new product that I think will become a favourite is La Mav’s Bio VA5 Daily Wrinkle Smoothing Crème. It has recently been reformulated and I find it excellent for my skin as it is not too rich but the cosmeceutical ingredients really pack a punch – Acai, Kakadu Plum, Hibiscus, Pea and Cassia to name a few.

With regard to cosmetics, when it comes to mascaras, I just can’t go past the Ere Perez Natural Almond Oil Mascara – it doesn’t clump, it doesn’t run or smudge or do any of the annoying things mascaras generally do. HANDS UP for this product. However, I will also say that the newer range of Lavera mascaras are pretty appealing particularly for longer, lusher lashes. I feel the call to try something new…

I did a quick ask around with the staff at Vitale Natural and they all pretty much mention the same three products as definite favourites:

• Remedica Black Soap – also love it particularly in Summer when my skin tends to oily
• La Mav Bio-A7 Firming Eye Lotion – this product is an AWARD WINNER of Nature & Health 2010 Beauty Awards – “The Best Eye Cream”
• Devita Solar Protective Moisturiser SPF 30 – this product also won an award – Voted BEST SUN SCREEN MOISTURISER PRODUCT by Natural Solutions Magazine for their “Beauty with a Conscience Awards”

I would love to know if you have any favourite products or products you think will become favourites.