Top 5 Best Tips on How To Use Coconut Oil for Great Skin

Coconut oil has become notorious in the skincare community for its naturally hydrating and moisturizing properties.  It is a great natural alternative to skincare products that may come with a lot of unnecessary chemicals.  Thankfully, there are endless uses and possibilities for using coconut oil in every aspect of your skincare routine.  Below are my top 5 favorite tips for using coconut oil to achieve great skin!

1. Stretch Marks

Coconut oil can aid in the visible reduction of stretch marks after pregnancy.  It allows them to fade quicker by infusing moisture into the skin and helping to aid in healing.

2. Shaving Gel

By exchanging coconut oil in place of regular shaving creams of gels you will help prevent ingrown hairs and razor burn.  It will also add much needed moisture into your skin after shaving.  Rub the coconut oil into your skin, shave, pat dry, and then rub in your normal body moisturizer.

3. Lip Balm

For an all natural lip balm alternative simply rub a small amount of coconut oil onto your lips. It will naturally soothe your cracked or dry lips.  Plus, there are plenty of recipes out there for adding flavors like lavender or mint to make your own DIY lip balms!

4. Makeup Remover

Coconut oil is a great makeup remover specifically for the tough, dark makeup that we tend to place around our eyes. Coconut oil is perfect for people with sensitive skin because it shouldn't irritate the eyes area.  As an added bonus, coconut oil will infuse hydration into the entire eye area, meaning less wrinkles!  To add a little more coconut oil to your skincare routine check out my recipe for Simple Natural Coconut Oil Face Wash.

5. Body Scrub

It's easy to make your own DIY body scrub using coconut oil and brown sugar.  It's the perfect way to remove an old self-tan or simple remove dead skin cells to reveal healthy, soft and smooth skin. Simply mix two parts brown sugar to one part coconut oil in a small bowl and apply to your skin.  A great recipe to check out is my own recipe for Natural Coconut Coffee Anti-Cellulite Body Scrub. 

You skincare routine can be transformed using coconut oil as a substitute for many daily skincare products.  Let me know the other ways you have loved using coconut oil!

Want MORE skincare advice and tutorials?  Check out my YouTube channel!

    

Top 10 Ultimate Tips for Radiant Skin

1. Cleanse your face twice daily

Cleansing your face removes all impurities that tend to accumulate on the skin during the day and night.  Failure to do this one simple step can make any products you apply to your skin useless, as they cannot penetrate deeply into your clogged pores.  Cleanse your face before applying makeup and then again after removing makeup.  My long time favorite cleanser has been the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser.  The full size bottle is a little on the pricey side at $38.00 for 5.1 ounces, but one million percent worth the investment.

2. Apply a moisturizer after cleansing

Moisturizer will not only help your skin lock in hydration, but it will also seal into place any other skincare products you use beforehand, such as eye cream, anti-aging serum, or toner.  Acne-prone skin needs a moisturizer, even though it may feel counter-intuitive, and will help your skin heal because drying out your skin will actually cause it to over-compensate and produce more oil.  Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion has been a favorite of mine for years, which feels incredibly light on the skin but packs a punch when it comes to hydration.

3. Remove your makeup every night

Although it may feel tempting to skin this step, it is important and very necessary to continue to have healthy skin.  When you wear your makeup to bed you are not only clogging your pores with the day's makeup, but also with dirt and grime that accumulates daily on your face.  It also doesn't allow for your skin to recover from the free radicals and particles that land on your face every day, which causes a break down in the collagen on your skin and leads to the development of lines and wrinkles.  Mascara and eye liner, when left on your face for long periods of time, accumulate germs and can lead to infections.  

So what is the quickest solution to removing makeup?  Thankfully, you have many options.  The very first thing I do is I don't wait until bedtime to remove my makeup, and instead to do it right after I arrive home for the night.  I find I am not as tired at this point and I am more likely to freely expend the effort to cleanse my face.  For a medium-to-high-end product I recommend Josie Maran Bare Nakes Wipes, which are packed with natural and soothing ingredients that easily remove makeup and leave your face feeling fresh and clean within less than a minute.  For a drugstore product I recommend Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes, which are ultra soft and are great at removing even waterproof mascara.

4. Drink A LOT of water

Drinking enough water every day is skin hydration 101.  Check out this article from the Mayo Clinic on how much water you should be drinking on a daily basis and the health benefits. Add lemon to your water to act as an internal cleansing agent.  I carry around the Hydr-8 32 ounce water bottle with me everywhere I go every single day.  People always comment on how they love the "time stamps" on the side, which allows you to see when you need to drink more water.

5. Wear SPF every day

Applying a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 will protect your skin from harmful UV rays.  Even if you are stepping outside for only a few moments, sunscreen is not only the best thing you can do to protect your skin, but it is the only thing you can do to prevent premature aging.  Apply every morning as your last skincare routine step after your moisturizer and serums, and before you apply any makeup.  Apply every morning and reapply throughout the day as needed.  Any drugstore sunscreen will do the trick, although I prefer to use the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30 for those days I just need a little extra color on my face.

6. Use an at-home face mask once per week

Face marks will target blackheads and impurities, and draw out residue clogged deep inside pores.  Masks that contain clays in them are especially great at deep cleansing and removing impurities to leave you with the ultimate fresh and healthy looking skin.  A high-end favorite of mine has been the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, but there are plenty of drugstore alternatives to choose from, such as the cult favorite Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, which is only $12.00 for a one pound jar on Amazon.

7. Use a sheet mask once per week 

Sheet masks have long been a staple in Asian beauty, but have just recently found more popularity on Instagram and in stores like Ulta and Sephora.  Sheet masks infuse the skin on your face with nutrients and come in a variety of styles and leave your face feeling refreshed and brand new.  One of my personal favorite is the Too Cool for School Egg Cream Hydration Mask, which you can also find in Firming and Tightening.

8.  Clean your makeup brushes

While it makes sense to clean makeup your makeup brushes, it is often a chore that is overlooked or put off until later.  However, taking the time to do this one step will not only ensure that your make up looks better once you've applied it, but also prevent your brushes from transferring any old face oils onto your face.  At a minimum you should be washing your brushes weekly, and at a maximum after every use.  

All you need is a bottle of Johnson's Baby Shampoo, apply a small amount to a wet makeup brush and swirl in the palm of your hand until all the excess makeup is removed, and then set on a towel to dry.  If you're looking for that quick fix I highly recommend Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleanser, a professional grade cleanser that is quick drying and rinse free.  It cleans and conditions quickly, and is perfect for the person that wants to clean their brushes daily.

9.  Wash your pillowcases

Similar to washing your brushes, washing your pillowcases is one of those chores that needs to be done weekly to ensure healthy skin.  Pillowcases are notoroius for housing oil and dirt, and are often the causes of acne breakouts.  Pillowcases made from natural fabrics breathe better and transfer less oil, however nothing makes up for a good regular wash.  Word of caution: do not use fabric softeners on pillowcases, as they leave behind a waxy residue that is highly pore-clogging.

10. Exfoliate your body with a sugar scrub once per month

Exfoliating will help remove the dead skin cells that live on the surface of your skin and makes skin smoother and brighter.  Similar to using a cleanser on your face, it gets rid of debris and allows the rest of your skincare products to work their magic.  A high-end favorite of mine is the Josie Maran Argan Sugar Balm Body Scrub, which gently buffs away dead skin cells and impurities, then moisturizes with argan and coconut oil to leave your skin feeling smooth and soft.  While the drugstore has limitless options in terms of affordable body scrubs, I encourage you to make your own and try my recipe for DIY Coconut Coffee Body Scrub, a natural and easy alternative.

Interested in MORE skincare advice and tutorials?  Check out my YouTube!

    

SNAP ME! @AshleyEBeauty

DIY Beauty | How To Dupe LUSH Lip Scrub

As a professed Lush Cosmetics addict, I am always searching for fun and easy dupes of my favorite Lush products.  As beautifully scented and amazing as their products are, sometimes I just love to see if I can make the products myself.

During the Winter months a great lip scrub recipe is perfect for treating those dry, cracked lips that are in desperate need of some TLC.  Lip scrubs help remove excess dead skin cells to reveal the healthy skin beneath.

DIY Lush Lip Scrub: Ingredients

Small Lip Balm Container

Peppermint Extract

1/2 tsp. Granulated Sugar

1/2 tsp. Olive Oil

Optional: Food Coloring of Choice

DIY Lush Lip Scrub: Recipe

1. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and olive oil.

2. Add a small drop of peppermint extract and mix into the sugar and olive oil.

3. Optional: Add 1-2 drops of food coloring of choice into the mixture.

4. Add mixture to your small lip balm container!

DIY Lush Lip Scrub: How To Use

1. Using clean hands use your index finger to scoop out some of the scrub.

2. Apply scrub to clean, dry lips using slow and soft circular motions for approximately one minute.

3.  Using a warm wet washcloth gently wipe away the scrub from your lips.

4. Apply a lip balm or moisturizer to lock in hydration!

DIY Lush Lip Scrub: Tips & Tricks

• If you choose to color your lip scrub, make sure to choose a light pink or "natural" shade, as it may stain your lips.
• Go to the Dollar Store for your lip balm container.  They have small plastic or acrylic containers, as well as cute tiny mason jars you can use.
• Choose a different "extract" to make different flavors.  Try almond, vanilla, or chocolate!

Interested in MORE Lush product dupes?  Check out my post for How To Dupe Lush Coalface!  Also, follow me on YouTube for more DIY beauty!

  

Snap Me! AshleyEBeauty

My Favorite DRY SKIN Winter Skincare Routine Products

As winter approaches and the weather turns cold and dry so does, inevitably, my skin.  In the winter it is important to remember that your skin needs extra moisture and hydration to stay healthy and glowing.  Who says you're not allowed to have dewy, glowing skin in the winter?  If you find the right products it's extremely easy and you will be amazed by the results.

In this video I share with you some of my most coveted winter skincare routine products for dry skin.  These products help my lips, face, hair and body maintain their healthiness even during the driest of winter months.

This will be our first winter in the Pacific Northwest, and from what we've heard it doesn't necessarily get as cold and dry as it does WET.  Apparently we have months upon months of rainy and gloomy weather to look forward to until the sun finally reappears sometime during early April.

Perhaps this time around I'll be seeking out more waterproof products than anything.

  

Snap Me! AshleyEBeauty

Product Empties | Items I've Completely Used Up!

For the past few months I have been keeping the empties of the product I have been using up in a bag, waiting to share them with you!  From makeup and beauty, to skincare and personal hygiene products.  When I use up an entire product it usually means that I completely fell in love with it and wanted to use it until it was completely gone.

While I think I may have accidentally thrown out a few empties along the way, the majority of them were saved!  This video will also give you a really good idea of the products I use on a daily basis and the ones I find to be consistent and reliable.

Snap Me! AshleyEBeauty