Holy Grail Products Safe for Acne Prone Skin & Hair

1) Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel for hair (must be clear, dyes are drying & irritating).

2) Pure Aloe Juice for skin & hair. Brand does not matter, just make sure it's 100% aloe.  Both are great for natural & curly hair!

3) Bain De Terre All Day Straight Safflower Smoothing Gel.  Can be used for curly hair or a blow out. My all time favorite gel, very light, silky, no flakiness, crunchiness, oil, not drying on hair, allows my short curls to pop. There is Amodimethicone in this gel, but I have never experienced clogged pores with this gel.

4) Neostrata Antibacterial Facial Cleanser kills acne bacteria, lightly exfoliates, hydrates (even oily skin needs it), doesn't strip skin, is soothing and fragrance free making it perfect for the most sensitive skin!

5) Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash Pink Grapefruit is the only Neutrogena product I will use.  It effectively clear body breakouts, I use this everyday with a exfoliating glove.  Don't over use, it will dehydrate skin, the reason why I do not use their other products.  You just need a quarter size for back, chest and shoulders.

6) Retin-A Cream 0.05% prescription.  I apply every night to face & neck.

7) Clarisonic Cleansing Brush 2x a day. I can't stress this enough.

8) Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation.

9) Alima Pure Mineral Makeup.  Absolutely no pore cloggers or irritants.

10) 100% Tea Tree Oil is a great spot treatment, for irritated hair follicles.  Avoid eyes and can be diluted with water.

11) Murad Acne Skin Perfecting Lotion has been the only moisturizer I can use without breakouts.  For evening hydration or under spf for day if you need extra moisture.

12) Murad Acne Spf 20 moisturizer for Daily use every morning.


Avoid: Silicone, "cones", silica, ALL oils (except tea tree & geranium oil), Neutrogena products.
Refer to the Zero Zits list, which provides a list of pore clogging ingredients.  Print it out & carry in your purse if you have to- it can safe you money and future breakouts!  Check your current products for their pore clogging capacity, I just found out my blush was causing irritation and clogging.

Review: 100% Pure Purity Facial Cleanser+Mask & Cabernet Grape Nourishing Body Cream

 100 % Pure Purity Facial Cleanser + Mask

I recently hopped on the natural bandwagon and love it. Why do I love natural products? My skin is hypersensitive, which makes chemicals, synthetic ingredients and dyes my enemy. They are highly irritating to my skin. My skin is also very oily and acne prone. Although natural products can be highly irritating, this product does not irritate my sensitive skin. 100% Pure products are 100% natural, vegan, cruelty free. The packaging is BPA and Phthalate free.

“The Purity Collection is formulated specifically to give you a clear complexion and to protect against future breakouts. Detoxifying essential oils kill the acne causing bacteria while nourishing seaweeds and purifying herbs protect against future breakouts. Acnegenic skin is raw and sensitive and needs skincare that is non pore clogging , gentle and effective.” -100% Pure

The cleanser+mask comes in a tube, the cleanser is a dark moss green shade, the consistency is not too thick, nor thin. It smells like Extra peppermint gum, which makes me hungry lol. Immediately upon application of the cleanser, I feel tingling from the peppermint and tea tree. After massaging in the cleanser and thoroughly rinsing my face, I realized my skin has never felt this clean before. EVER. I become excited every time I cleanse with this product.

The mask is equally great. It detoxifies skin. Your skin will feel and look amazing after using this for a week, I promise. My skin has immensely improved since using this cleanser+mask. I wish I tried this product sooner, it is my new favorite cleanser!

Acne fighting ingredients in the cleanser+mask include, Lavender, Burdock Root, Tea Tree, Spirulina, Sea Buckthorn, and Goldenseal. Calming and anti-inflammatory ingredients (fantastic for irritated skin): Aloe Vera, Green Tea, Echinacea, and Calendula. I recommend this cleanser for everyone, from clear skin to cystic acne. Your skin will thank you for it.

Ingredients: Organic Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender Hydrosol) Aqua1, Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Juice) Leaf2, Cocos Nucifera (Saponified Coconut) Oil, Asparagopsis Armata (Red Algae) Extract, Fucus Vesiculosis (Kelp Powder), Fucus Vesiculosis (Spirulina Powder), Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea Powder) Extract, Cannabis Sativa Seed Extract (Hemp Seed Powder), Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Oil, Extracts of Calendula Officinalis Flower (Calendula), Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf (Thyme), Salvia Officinalis Leaf (Sage), Origanum Vulgare Leaf (Oregano), Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal), Echinacea Purpurea (Echinacea), Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) and Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root, Essential Oils of Melaleuc Alternifolia (Tea Tree), Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) and Mentha Piperita (Peppermint), Lonicera Caprifolium (Japanese Honeysuckle) Extract.

$21

5 oz.

Available at 100percentpure.com

5/5

Cabernet Grape Nourishing Body Cream

My first thought was, “Can I eat this??” It smells that good. I normally cannot use scented products but this body cream is all natural, no synthetic fragrances YAY!

The body cream is a pale yellow shade and has a somewhat thick consistency. No greasy mess, just well hydrated skin. “Highly nourishing, luxurious cream concentrated with potent anti-aging antioxidants, vitamins, skin softening fruit oils and moisturizing cocoa and avocado butter.”- 100% Pure

Contains no artificial fragrances, synthetic chemicals, toxic preservatives, or any other unsafe ingredients. 100% high quality organic ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Juice)1, Organic ROsa Centifolia Flower Water (Rose Hydrosol)2, Theobroma Cacao Seed (Cocoa) Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado Butter), Vitis Vinifera (Grapeseed) Seed Oil, Organic Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Seed Oil3, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Ribes Nigrum (Blackcurrant) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Extracts of Vitis Vinifera Fruit (Cabernet Grape), Organic Coffea Lona (Green Coffee)4, Organic Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Fruit5, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate), Organic Rubus Idaeus Fruit (Raspberry)5, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit (Blackberry) and Organic Camelia Sinensis Leaf (White Tea)3, Citric Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water (Witch Hazel), Extracts of Lonicera Caprifolium (Japanese Honeysuckle), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf (Rosemary), Origanum Vulgare Leaf (Oregano), Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf (Thyme) and Hydrastis Vanadensis (Goldenseal), Ethyl Alcohol (Grain Alcohol), Extracts of Euterpe Oleracca Fruit (Acai Berry), Resveratrol, Organic Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea)3, Garcinia Mangosteen Peel (Mangosteen), Lycium Barbarum Fruit (Goji Berry), Aristotelia Chilensis (Maqui Berry), Sambucus Canadensis (Elderberry) and Vitis Vinifera Skin (Muscadine Grape)

$15

8 oz.

Available at 100percentpure.com

5/5

A Lady J Favorite

Products provided by 100% Pure. This review is my honest opinion.

100%pure

Oily Skin: It's Not a Curse

Oily skin is caused by the overactive sebaceous (oil) glands that produce too much oil and in most cases pores are visibly large.  It can feel dirty and look greasy.  During puberty, pregnancy and menopause our hormones start fluctuating, producing more sebum (oil). During this time, androgens (male hormones) are at a high causing the over production of sebum.  As we age, we produce less sebum. This is the reason you had acne in high school and it may have diminished into your 20's.  What's the good news about oily skin?  Oily skin ages much slower then other skin types!

Why is my skin so OILY?

• Hormones & Pregnancy: Oily skin will increase anytime hormones are fluctuating, including during pregnancy, menopause and using birth control pills.

• Hereditary: If your parents have oily skin, chances are you do too.

• Diet: I have noticed through out the years, what will make me breakout...fast food, anything high in sugar, dairy.  Everyone is different, but is most cases, these are the main triggers for acne. 

• Humid & hot weather: Humidity and warm hot weather irritate and swell sebaceous glands, causing them to produce even more sebum.  Moisture in the air makes the skin even more sticky and very prone to clogging. 

• Birth control pills:  Birth control pills offer higher does of estrogen (female hormones) to balance out the raging androgens (male hormones).  Androgens are what drive our oil production up.  

• Cosmetics: Cosmetics containing oil attracts oil, bringing oil to the surface of the skin.  Synthetic ingredients can clog pores.  Mac cosmetics are a HUGE culprit for acne.

Oily Skin Tips

• Don't over cleanse skin or use harsh products to strip skin of oil.  This will cause skin to overcompensate and produce even MORE oil.  Choose a gentle oil free cleanser (2x a day) like Murad Clarifying Cleanser.  Your skin should not feel tight and dry after cleansing.  DO NOT USE SOAP-it clogs pores and leaves a film on skin.
• Cleanse with warm or tepid water, NOT hot water.  Hot water strips skin of its natural oil and will produce more oil.
• 1-2X a week use a clay/mud based mask like Murad Clarifying Mask to absorb oil and purify skin. Makes a great overnight spot treatment too!
• Avoid eating fast food, fried food, processed & junk food, anything with a lot of sugar, dairy, soda, and artificial coloring.  Choose water to flush your system and eat healthy fruits,veggies, grains, proteins, ect.  Your skin will thank you for it!
• Drink Green tea to detoxify your body.
• Carry oil absorbing sheets with you.  Don't reapply more power, it will contaminate your brush/sponge, look chalky and possibly cause breakouts.
• Don't touch your face, rest your hand on your chin, press your face against cellular phone, headset.  Oil will spread, as well as bacteria causing clogged pores.
• Use a gentle antiseptic toner containing tea tree oil (will not create more oil & is a natural antiseptic,  great for acne).  Make your own with a few drops of tea tree oil in water.  Mix a new batch 1x a week.
• Hydrate with a light moisturizer like CeraVe or Murad Perfecting lotion.  Yes, even oily skin needs to be hydrated. 
• Stop oil in its tracks with a mattifying lotion like, Murad Oil Control Mattifier Spf 15.
• Choose oil free cosmetics appropriate for oily skin.  Avoid thick formulations, stick foundations, cream to powder cosmetics.  I suggest Bobbi Brown, Tarte, Lorac or Estee Lauder.  Don't reapply powder throughout the day, it will spread oil & bacteria, causing breakouts.
• Clean your makeup brushes & applicators once a week with warm water and fragrance free liquid anti-bacterial hand cleanser OR unscented liquid dish soap to avoid contamination.
• Don't forget SPF 30+ everyday Olay spf 30 sensitive skin is great for oily skin. You already have skin that ages slower-protect it =)