I’ll be wearing paraben-free makeup, formaldehyde-free nail polish, a gorgeous vintage dress, vegan stilettos and…a big, fat zit on my cheek. Because regardless of the fact that I’m well past puberty, when stress hits and the spotlight’s on, chances are my skin will do something to muck it up.
With 24 hours to go, I’m on acne damage control overdrive—au naturale, of course. After spending most of the weekend swabbing with antibacterial tea tree oil, today I type at my desk sporting a giant glob of aloe. It seriously looks like a sneeze gone bad. But there is nothing better for pimple fighting than pure aloe vera. Simply break off and open one of the leaves and smooth on the clear healing gel inside. Its powerful antioxidants speed up the healing process and protect the skin from infection. As an anti-inflammatory, it also helps to bring down swelling and redness. I think every household should have a healthy aloe plant. Unfortunately, my black thumb means I have to keep replacing mine!
To combat any dryness from the tea tree, tonight I’ll do an all-over honey mask. Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it helps the skin to retain moisture, so it's especially effective at times when skin gets parched--like after being repeatedly swabbed with tea tree oil. I keep organic honey sticks on hand, and when my face feels dry and tight I simply cleanse, crack open a stick, slather the honey on to my face, neck and décolletage, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes while I soak in the tub. When I rinse it off my skin is so soft and super hydrated--and I get to lick it off my lips in the meantime!
Finally, this obviously has nothing to do with the harrowing skincare situation, but it is part of my night-before-a-big-night beauty routine. My stick-straight hair gets so filled with static that I look like one of those pink-haired dolls from my childhood--you know the one that you'd spin and it's hair would stick straight up? That's me. So I tend to pile on the hair products. A palmful of mousse here, a slick of shine pomade there, a little hair spray to keep things in place. Granted, all of my products are eco-friendly and chemical-free, but that doesn't mean they don't still build up.
When I need to show off shiny, healthy hair, I gently strip away product buildup by rinsing with a cup full of cider vinegar in the shower. Vinegar clears away product build-up from the hair shaft and closes the cuticle. It also promotes blood circulation in the scalp. A vinegar rinse leaves my hair so shiny and soft—so I can start piling on the products again.
What are your natural secrets to nailing the beauty spotlight? How about a fool safe way to NOT get those stress-related zits in the first place? Tell me about it!
