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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?

Recently I was working with a customer that e-mailed me about having a dry itchy scalp (for the purposes of this blog I will call her Claire). There was also redness and irritation. For her this was a recent phenomenon and she felt quite embarrassed by the dry skin flakes on her scalp and the need to scratch her head constantly. After a bit of back and forward via e-mail we established a few things:

• Claire used a commercial shampoo and conditioner. Most commercial shampoos use Sodium Laurel Sulphate which can cause to a dry scalp and can certainly exacerbate an existing scalp issue.
• Claire used commercial styling products which may have caused scalp irritation
• Claire’s diet was generally good with plenty of good oils and water (for skin & scalp hydration) but she consumed a bit too much sugar which may have increasde the chance of candida (yeast infection). Claire also has some other signs that Candida may be an underlying issue for her which may be an underlying factor in the development of her scalp condition.
• The scalp flakiness emerged as an issue in winter and Claire had been having a lot more long hot showers to keep warm

My love affair with topical oils for skin and indeed, hair continues with the recent discovery of Tamanu oil. Once again the Remedica brand that brought this amazing oil to my attention. Used in Sensitive Visage and now also available as 100% oil, Tamanu has extraordinarily high levels of essential fatty acids which means it is a powerful skin anti-inflammatory and the potential for a strong healing effect on damaged skin.

The oil is derived from the nut of the Calophyllum inophyllum, a large evergreen tree native to East Africa, coastal India, the South Pacific and even Australia. The oil is green coloured with a “moss” type odour. The green colour is due to the high level of antioxidant phytochemicals in the oil. The nutritional profile of the oil shows up to 38% omega 6 essential fatty acids (EFAs), 0.5% omega 3 EFAs and phytochemicals with healing, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and even anti-viral activity.

As part of my research about Tamanu oil I did a search on You Tube and came up with some interesting videos. There is an amazing progressive healing pictorials using Tamanu oil on a severe scald – it did make me cringe to look at the open burn but the outcome was amazing. If you have the stomach for it, click here. Please note, seek medical advice before applying anything to an open burn as the exposed flesh is so susceptible to infection.

It is not only new burns that benefit from Tamanu oil. A 9 week study looking at the effect of Tamanu oil on significant old scars (over one year or more) showed a reduction in both scar length and width. Twice daily application for a 6 week period was enough to show obvious improvement. I find this quite exciting as old scars are generally really quite hard to minimize and so this effect is quite significant.
Other research has shown the following benefits:

• a soothing effect on damaged skin including sunburn, skin redness, bites and inflammation
• a regenerating effect on skin cells which promotes skin healing (wounds, burns, cracks, scars)
• an anti-bacterial effect which may assist with skin bacterial overgrowth in acne
• antioxidant which has a protective effect against DNA damage and free radical stress resulting from sun exposure
• moisturising and nourishing effects on the skin which can assist with dry, damaged skin – this has a normalizing effect on the protective acid mantle
• an increase in microcirculation which may assist with bruising

I know that we use Sensitive Visage to great effect on those with sensitive, dry and damaged skin but I would love to read comments from any reader that has used Tamanu oil for other skin issues.

Research reference: Dweck, A.C.: Calophyllum inophyllum – Tamanu oil the African, Asian, Polynesian and Pacific Panacea. International Journal of Cosmetic Science 24, 6, 1-8 (2002).

As you may have read in a previous blog I have had an ambivalent relationship with coconut oil – that was until I found Coconut Magic. However, despite liking the taste (or lack thereof) of Coconut Magic Oil, I still hadn’t really found the motivation to take it regularly…until now. I went to the Coconut Magic site and was doing a bit of reading and came across a video blog that Jenni from Coconut Magic did about the benefits of coconut oil which includes teeth whitening. Now this peaked my interest. I may just have to take up the challenge…and I would love to hear of any experiences of teeth whitening or oil pulling (see video for more info on this) – please comment if you have given either of these a go using coconut oil.

Watch Jenni’s video blog below:

Following on from my last update, I had the two BCCs removed from my face about a month ago. I decided to get them cut out rather than use Black Salve (otherwise known as Cansema). I would probably have tried the Cansema had the BCCs been on my body but I felt a bit precious about risking this on my face as this product does have a risk of keloid and non-surgical scarring. So to surgery I went. I must say the whole process was simple but unsettling. I felt very relieved the cancers were cut out but at the same time wondered why they formed in the first place particularly as I have spent my life being careful to minimise sun exposure. Even more unnerving was the thought that more may develop.

Well its now a month later and the scars have healed up. I am applying all the good things including TSB Skin Smoother at night and Minerelle Vitamin C in jojoba oil (this product is in testing at this stage but due online very soon). I really think it has made a significant difference but due to the face the scars are on my face, I was not prepared to leave one without treatment as a placebo. No, I am far to vain for that level of dedication! Now that they have healed I have stopped worrying about more developing – I do all that I can to prevent them – wear natural sunscreen (Devita Solar Body Block when out in the full sun and Devita Solar Protective Moisturiser during the day), wear a hat, eat good food (most of the time) and generally look after myself but if anyone has any other ideas I would love to hear them. PS I am also using my phone as a hands free just in case it had anything to do with the development of the BCCs.

The photos below show the healing process to date.

Day 1

After 1 week - stitches removed

After 2 weeks

After 3.5 weeks

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Dry, easily broken nails can be a problem at any time of year but like our skin it tends to be worse in winter when there is less humidity. Due to their porous nature, nails lose moisture very easily and easily become brittle and dry. Preventing moisture loss is essential. Nails will also be slower growing during winter (on average nails grow about 1mm per week). Apart from the weather and humidity there are a number of other factors that affect nail health:

• Nail polish remover is a really common cause of dry nails. Acetone removers are the worst (apart from other potential toxicity issues). To overcome this effect use an acetone-free remover and massage nail cream or cuticle oil directly onto the nail following use. The cream forms a protective layer over the nail bed helping to retain moisture.
• Nutrient levels will impact on your nail health. Among the first signs of low levels of certain nutrients are changes in our skin, hair and nails. Changes in nails can be seen as an early warning system that we may need a nutrient top-up. Calcium, iron, good fats, silica, vitamin A and B12 and protein if missing from our diet or not being processed efficiently by our bodies can all show up in our nails. Individual signs include:
  • Pale, spoon shaped nails can indicate low levels of iron.
  • Weak, brittle nails with slow growth may indicate low calcium or protein
  • Fragile nails with vertical or horizontal ridges may be a sign of low B vitamins
  • Splitting nails could indicate low Hydrochloride levels, which often correspond with poor digestive function.
• Remember that nails signs are only one indication of nutritional status and generally 3 or more signs are needed to give a strong indication. A general skin, hair and nails supplement may help to increase nutrition to the nail bed and eventually strengthen nails.
• Periods of ill health or stress may also impact on nail strength
• Swimming – chlorine can dry nails out so if you swim regularly carry a hand & nail cream in your swim bag and apply after your session.
• Use a soft nail file. Metal files can pull the nail bed and increase the risk of ripping or tearing nails.

A really good way of maintaining nail health is to protect them from damage in the first place by using gloves to wash up or garden. Then regularly apply hand & nail cream, taking the time to massage the cream into your nail bed.

I would love to hear any nail tips you might have.

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No matter what type of skin you have choosing the right cleanser is key to maintaining the protective layer and nutrition of your skin. When choosing cleansers for skin types, I break them into different categories ranging from the most gentle and nourishing to the strongest cleansers:

Cream Cleansers – have the consistency of thick cream. Cream cleansers generally don’t contain any surfactants (foaming agents). They are ideal for dry, dehydrated, mature or sensitive skin as they work by using the oil component to bind with and remove makeup and daily pollution. Cream cleansers only minimally disrupt the acid mantle of the skin, if at all and maintain skin hydration. They are also the best for removing makeup.

For best results, moisten your face with tepid water, apply the cream cleanser and gently massage your face. Remove by wiping with a soft moist cloth or rinse with tepid water. Examples include Haven Scent Coconut Cream Cleanser and AUM Brightening Milk Cleanser.

Milk Cleansers – have the consistency of milk. Milk cleansers may or may not contain surfactants and if they do, they are generally only very mild surfactants. They are lighter than cream cleansers and therefore are ideal for normal to sometimes dry, mildly dehydrated and mature skin. Examples include Treasured Earth Cleansing Milk and Third Stone Botanicals Palmarosa Cleansing Milk.

Gel Cleansers – typically used for normal to combination skin they can be minimally drying but less so than a foaming cleanser. Gel cleansers are ideal for skin that is sometimes dry and sometimes a bit oily and certainly for congestion. They aren’t as good as milk or cream cleansers at removing makeup but will certainly give the skin a “clean” feeling. Generally they are gentler on the skin than Foaming Cleansers and less disruptive to the acid mantle. Mukti Gentle Foaming Cleanser and Treasured Earth Lemon & Mango Cleansing Gel

Foaming Cleansers – often leave you with a “squeaky-clean” feel and so are great for acne-prone, congested or oily skin. Most natural foaming cleansers only create tight bubbles rather than lots of foam like cleanser based on synthetic foaming agents. The smaller foaming action means less disruption to the acid mantle and a quicker recovery. Foaming cleanser can be slightly drying for non-oily skin types or in winter when there is less humidity in the air. Examples include: Remedica Black Soap, Devita Aloe Cleanser and Third Stone Botanicals Rose Geranium Cleanser.

If you use a cleanser that is too “strong” for your skin it will have an impact on the protective layer and you may find your skin feeling overly tight. Using a richer moisturizer is a common way of combating the use of the wrong cleanser for your skin type and ultimately it will lead to either dehydrated skin or dehydrated skin with congestion, which is something no-one wants.

On the other hand choosing a cleanser that is too rich for your skin can lead to congestion and/or superficially oily skin. Again not a great outcome! You may find that you need to try a few cleansers to get the best one for your skin. And indeed it may change with the seasons. Myself, I use a cleaning gel in summer and a milk in winter which I have found suits my skin perfectly. As a general rule of thumb, if your skin feels squeaky clean, the cleanser is probably to “strong” for your skin. Your skin should feel clean but not tight after cleansing.

View our range of natural & organic cleanser

I tried to take a tablespoon of Coconut oil once and hated it because it tasted like toasted coconut. So when I was convinced (it was hard work) to try Magic Coconut oil I was sceptical. I was completely surprised – it was delicious and didn’t taste like rich toasted coconut rather like the fresh nut.

Despite the claims that coconut oil can cure most health concerns under the sun (slight exaggeration I think!) there is some good research and a long history of use with Ayurvedic medicine.

The key component of coconut oil is Lauric acid, which the body converts to monolaurin and it is this active that helps the body deal with foreign microbes, yeasts and bacteria. Although coconut oil is comprised of more than 90% saturated fat with traces of unsaturated fatty acids, most of the saturated fats are medium chain triglycerides (MCFA), which the body assimilates well rather than storing as fat or roaming around the body having a damaging effect on the cardiovascular system.

Unlike other saturated fats, the medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil are not bad for the heart. The Lauric acid prevents the increase in LDL (bad cholesterol) and in fact helps to increase HDL (protective cholesterol). In population studies, people who have traditionally consumed large quantites of coconut oil as part of their diet have a lower than normal incidence of heart disease and good cardiovascular health. Keep in mind that traditional diets also include large quantities of whole foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, which have a high antioxidant content.

As a regular part of your diet coconut oil may assist with the management of

• Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels – as above
• Assists with immunity – the antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-yeast effects help reduce the workload of the immune system
• Digestive function – may assist in combating yeasts and microbial overgrowth in the gut e.g. candida.

Traditionally coconut oil has been applied topically for:

• Hair Care – coconut oil has been used as a hair treatment in Ayurveda for … well forever! It has a conditioning effect helping to nourish dry hair and enhancing the re-growth of new hair. Massaging coconut oil into the scalp as an overnight treatment helps to minimize dandruff and a dry, itchy scalp. In Ayurveda coconut oil is said to have a soothing effect and hence applying coconut oil to the head followed by a gentle head massage helps to remove mental fatigue – whatever the effect, it would sure feel nice.
• Skin Care – an excellent rich massage oil, coconut oil has nourishing and moisturizing qualities ideal for dry skin. The effect of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to using mineral oil but unlike mineral oil, it contains no petrochemicals or contaminants. In Ayurveda coconut oil is traditionally used to manage skin problems including mild skin infections, dermatitis and eczema. It is also ideal oil for helping to nourish pregnant bellies as it deeply nourishes the skin allowing it to stretch further without causing stretch marks.
• Healing Skin – applied to mild infections, coconut oil forms a layer protecting the wound from dust and microbes.

To take coconut oil internally you can use it in cooking as it is a very stable oil. It doesn’t oxidize easily at high temperatures. Alternatively you can mix it into a hot drink (if it is a mild tasting pure oil, you won’t notice the flavour) or even use it as a replacement for flax oil in the Lemon Detox Drink.

Read more about Magic Coconut oil

Covering up redness

A question from a customer struck home for me this month. It was about red skin, not rosacea rather a red or pink tone to the skin. This is more common in pale skins like myself and I have always tended to a slightly pink nose and red cheeks. Ironically now that my skin tone has evened out, I use blush!

This question from Nadia: I am a 39 year old redhead with freckly skin (from the sun!) and fairly red skin on my chin and cheeks, other than that, my skin is in good condition, with no wrinkles and I am regularly told I look late 20’s.   I have had the redness for many years (I have had two try at expensive laser treatment twice, (its not rosacea ), though it hasn’t worked and I was very disappointed.

My skin doesn’t appear to be sensitive at all.  I wear a lot of foundation to cover the redness (I don’t have any freckles on my face).  I would love to get away from wearing foundation all the time, though it is quite a sensitive topic for me, as it stops me doing many outdoor activities, sports etc, as I am always touching up my make up, as I am so self conscious about my skin.

My response to Nadia was: Thank you for your e-mail. Based on what you have written below I have a couple of suggestions. Firstly it is great that your skin looks so good – it shows you have looked after it.

With regard to redness…the cause may be internal. I have attached a link to an article I wrote recently about Facial Diagnosis which looks at the internal causes of skin issues including red skin. The thing that makes my redness worse is when I drink too much coffee, alcohol or eat sugary, processed foods. These foods are pro-inflammatory and so can cause redness in the skin. For me, minimising these foods helps a great deal.

Topically I find that vitamin C products help reduce redness. They increase the antioxidant network in the skin and improve skin immunity all which seem to dampen down redness. Personally, as one with red cheeks, I have used Devita C Accelerate to great effect with redness. I have also used antioxidants internally (vitamins A, C, E and zinc along with grapeseed) and this markedly decreased the redness in my cheeks. The grapeseed works by strengthening the capillary network reducing reactivity and “blushing”.

In addition, while it may not be obvious, sun exposure can contribute to redness over time so wearing sunscreen on your face is important. Where the damage is permanent and long lasting Devita Sun Damage Repair Gel may help as it promotes repair of damaged skin and helps lighten spots. To cover redness, I recommend and use Mineral Makeup (my savior on many occasions). Minerelle, the brand we stock is a professional range and the cover is excellent. I only need to apply once a day for great long-lasting cover.

Ed note: I did go onto to discuss feelings of self-consciousness with Nadia because on a personal note, I do understand the feeling of being self-conscious about my skin. It took me a long time to feel ok about going without makeup and even now sometimes I look in the mirror and think that my skin looks terrible. However, I finally realised that the more I focused on it, the more of an issue it became and I was making myself miserable. These days I am far more accepting of how I look and it is quite frankly, a relief.

I would love to read your comments, how you feel about your skin and what helps you feel better.

Skin type can be confusing to pinpoint particularly when you don’t seem to fit into a particular definition. I often have people ask me what their skin type is because they get dry patches around their cheeks and eyes and an oily nose or chin or T-zone. Commonly called combination this skin type can seem inadequate particularly when there are dry, flakey patches of skin combined with breakouts or oily skin that is sometimes oily and sometimes just congested. And really does it matter what it is called when you have no idea how to manage it. Products for oily skin tend to further dry out already dry areas. Products for dry skin just end up causing increased oiliness and/or congestion. This leads me to question how one product range for a particular skin type can actually manage a combination skin.

Of course there are products for combination skin types and these are a good start for mildly oily and dry combination skin types however, if you are experiencing lots of oiliness with dry skin or even dry skin with breakouts, combination skin ranges usually don’t do much to help.

Mango Cleansing Gel

A recent e-mail from a client illustrates this point: I have very (VERY!) oily, congested, red skin that is often itchy and quite sensitive. I usually have anywhere from 5 to 40 pimples at one time (usually those horrible deep ones that hurt!). I also tend to get eczema, although this is usually on my hands and arms and very rarely on my face, but that may be what is making my face so itchy lately. I can actually feel how congested my skin is and the oil is very hard to control. Any products I use for oily skin often leave my skin feeling tight and itchy. Please help!!

My answer took into account a number of factors which include:

• repair of the acid mantle – this is cricital to stop moisture loss from the skin. At the same time as allowing moisture loss which creates dry areas of skin, poor acid mantle protection will actually stimulate excess oil production in other areas leading to both oily and dry skin at the same time.
• internal nutrition – are there any nutritional issues that are contributing to this condition
• reducing congestion – congestion will contribute to further breakouts
• prioritising treatment – in this case, balancing the acid mantle and correcting nutritional imbalances will have a positive effect on breakouts. This is the priority. Internal nutrition and managing other factors such as hormones, diet, stress etc will help to minimise breakouts as well.

So my reply was: The very first and most important thing I want to say is that the oiliness of your skin together with concurrent dry patches and eczema is likely a reflection of an internal imbalance of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and possibly also B vitamins. It is quite tricky to get EFAs out to the skin as the critical organs such as the heart and brain use them first. So I recommend the drink below as a really quick way of boosting your skin levels which will help relieve dryness and balance out oiliness in about 7-10 days. I have put the recipe below.

In addition I recommend the Remedica Clair Visage at night. This will help to balance the acid mantle of your skin which is currently not protecting your skin. It is a very light oil/hydrosol based serum which will help to nourish skin without contributing to congestion (Editors note: remember from previous blogs that you can use molecularly light oils on oily skin and it will actually help rather than hinder the condition). During the day I recommend the Treasured Earth Balancing Lotion. Daytime is when a lotion is needed rather than an oil as they help to prevent water loss when you are out and about. It is a light but nourishing product. Couple this with the Treasured Earth Mango Cleanser. It is an effective cleanser that doesnt strip the skin. One of the worst things you can do for your skin is to dry it out in hopes that it will stop oil production. Overwashing or using harsh cleansers dries out your skin and causes irritation and inflammation. Your skin will take that as a signal to produce more oil and therefore more acne lesions.

If you find the area around your eyes is particularly dry, use an eye cream. There are no sebaceous glads around the eyes and as such this area is more prone to losing moisture. Any eye cream you use can be richer than the day moisturiser. In effect we are managing your skin in zones, treating the dry areas differently from the oily areas. The Treasured Earth Rose Eye Cream is a nourishing eye cream without being too rich. 

Lemon Flax Drink

• 1 tablespoon of flax oil
• 1 tablespoon of soy lecithin (the German is better than the US version)
• Juice of half a lemon
• 250-300mls of water

Blend on high for 30 seconds. This makes one serve. You can double the quantity and have it before lunch or dinner as well.

Let me know how you go…you may not love the taste but it does such good things for your body.

To help you manage the underlying cause of the breakouts have a look at our Acne Information Page.

As with all things, sometimes we just don’t fit into a neat category. In these cases, don’t give up – look outside the box and try a different solution.

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