Natural Living

Philosophy: You won't find expensive creams or body washes in my bathroom cabinets. But I am guilty in rotating my skin routine on occasion, and I will do my research and try out a product first before committing to one. I believe in choosing gentle and natural solutions—often opting to make homemade masks or skin treatments for the family.  I hardly used any baby creams on my daughter when she was born. Instead, I used extra virgin olive oil to sooth her skin or dry patches, and she now has an excellent, beautiful skin. I love using healthy natural oils on my face and body and, depending on your skin type, you can either use them directly or infuse a couple of drops in your day cream to reap their benefits.

We eat healthy foods to stay strong and change our diet based on the season, but sometimes, often in the winter, I like to give my family an extra dose of vitamins. Especially when a lot of kids get sick at my daughter's school or we don't get enough sunshine in colder winter months. So below, I recommend some multi-vitamins that we like to take once or twice a year.

Although the list below can grow—because I love trying out new gentle brands— here are skin solutions and products that you will regularly find at my home and which the whole family can use.

Waxelene Petroleum Jelly Alternative I always have a tube or jar of Waxelene in my drawer. It is the best balm ever for the whole family. I use it for chapped or dry lips or to protect scraped skin (it is my “mommy essential”). It is great as an under-eye treatment (it does not clog pores or causes skin break-outs); a skin moisturizer or to soothe skin rashes like eczema. I even used it in the past as a diaper rash treatment. It is an all-in-one solution that uses gentle ingredients, and you can smell a hint of rosemary oil.

Xlear Kids Saline Nasal Spray It is not very often that my daughter suffers from blocked-up mucus, but when she does, nobody gets any sleep. I have only recently started to use Xlear Kids Saline Nasal Spray, but it helps with clearing a blocked nasal passage before going to bed. I like the gentle ingredients of this product!

Pure Rosehip Seed Oil Pure Rosehip Seed Oil is so nourishing and skin-loving. It is a beautiful facial moisturizer. I often use it as a night treatment, and the next day my face is more firm and soft. It is an excellent way to give your skin an extra vitamin C boost and is gentle for more sensitive skin like mine. It is so light in texture that I can use it as a daily moisturizer. I often work a couple of drops into my day cream or use it alone.

Castor Oil I love to use Castor oil in my weekly skin and hair care regimen. I sometimes combine my night cream with a couple of drops of castor oil to create a thicker moisturizer during colder winter months. It is a perfect under-eye treatment to nourish this delicate area with fatty acids. When my daughter’s hair or mine needs extra conditioning, I work in a couple of small drops into the hair strands after shampooing. It locks the moisture in the hair shaft and enhances the natural hair color. I even started to use a couple of drops on my eyebrows and eyelashes to make them fuller and stronger.

Jason Vitamin E Skin Oil I always have a small bottle of vitamin E handy and use it for so many different things. In the winter, I use a couple of drops in my moisturizer when my skin is drier and alternate with the rose hip seed oil. During summer months, I apply a couple of drops directly on my face as a night cream. It allows my skin to recoup from the daily sun exposure, and it helps with preventing or getting rid of brown skin spots or any other form of sun damage. I also use it on extra dry spots or the occasional eczema spots on my daughter’s skin; small stove burns or cuts and to heal small scars faster. I love the Jason brand, but often alternate with Sundown Naturals Vitamin E oil.

Tierra Mia Organics Malika Bar—Face Bar I never thought that I would use a soap bar as a facial cleanser. But this face bar, made from organic raw goat milk and other gentle ingredients is super soft and an excellent treat for my face. The package calls it a skin therapy and it truly is. It luxuriously cleanses my face without drying it out and calms down any redness—I have sensitive skin. I use the one for "Normal to dry skin," but you also have one for "Normal to oily skin" with slightly different ingredients. This brand also carries different body and shampoo bars that I am going to give a try. There is also a shaving soap bar for men that I would love to get for my husband next.

Glonaturals Essentials Collection - Vitamin C Renewal Cream with Hyaluronic Acid & Green Tea Sometimes it is good to give your skin a boost of other free-radical fighting vitamin C and other antioxidants from organic herbs, especially after summer. But a lot of these vitamin C serums can be a little too harsh on my sensitive face. There are two that I interchangeably use that are soft, efficient and give me a beautiful clear skin. I use it more as a seasonal facial treatment or serum during colder winter months to give my skin extra radiance. My husband, who has more of a normal to oily skin texture loves to use it as a daily moisturizer in the winter. I recommend either Glonaturals Essential Collection or Beauty Without Cruelty Vitality Serum Vitamin C With CoQ10.

Heritage Products—Mist Sprayer Rosewater & Glycerin I love this mist spray. In the summer it refreshes my face and body. I even spray it on my hair if I suffer from any frizz. In the winter I use it again to freshen my face, but this time from any dryness. I often carry it in my gym bag, and it immediately soothes redness after a hard workout!

Auromere Herbal Toothpaste If you love to use chemical-free, herbal toothpaste, then you should give Auromere a try. I love the licorice taste, but it comes in other flavors like cardamom-fennel and fresh mint. It is one of the few herbal toothpaste that freshens my mouth, has a great taste and a great price as well. The same brand also carries different kinds of ayurvedic soap bars for various skin types. I love the gentle Himalayan Rose for my daughter and me and often buy them in packs of three on sale. They are a great option if you love to alternate your body products from time to time like me.

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw D3 In the darker winter months, I give myself and my husband a little bit of a helping hand with taking a cure of raw vitamin D. We just take it for 2 or 3 months a year. I love Garden of Life because of their quality ingredients; this is the best vitamin D I have tried. I have also used their multi-vitamins for women and men, and it was my trusted brand for my prenatal vitamins.