A Frugal, Non-toxic, One Ingredient Skincare Routine

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Try this frugal, non-toxic, one ingredient skincare routine for summer skin that glows!

By Sarah Nichols, Contributing Writer

I used to be one of those people who spent a lot of money on different beauty products.  I had face washes, toners, makeup removers, moisturizers, eye creams, spot treatments, and more.  As I slowly transitioned to a more natural lifestyle, my skin care routine was one of the last things to change.

When I got married and started having kids, I could no longer justify the expense of all those products.  Truthfully, I couldn’t justify the expense of ANY of those products. I also was concerned about many of the ingredients found in conventional skin care products and decided to find something non-toxic that wouldn’t break the bank.

I am a researcher at heart, so imagine my surprise when I came across one ingredient that appeared to be effective as not only a make-up remover, but also as a face wash and moisturizer. I was pretty skeptical, but after using this ingredient for quite some time, I can honestly say I would never go back to those other products even if I could!

My skin is so much healthier now, and for the first time in my adult life is not riddled with acne or dry skin. Furthermore, a three-month supply of this ingredient usually costs me less than $12.

What ingredient is that, you may ask?

My friends, meet Sweet Almond Oil!

Sweet Almond Oil is an excellent ingredient for your all-natural skin-care routine for many reasons:

• It is not a super greasy oil and soaks into the skin quickly without leaving a lot of residue and without clogging pores.
• It is rich in vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant. (source)
• It has an SPF value of almost 5. (source) Read about how our family approaches natural sun protection here.
• It slows down the photoaging process and can prevent UV damage from the sun. (source)
• It is great for both dry and oily skin types.  It moisturizes dry skin and the composition of sweet almond oil actually dissolves the sebum (sticky oil that clogs pores) on oily skin. (source)
• Sweet almond oil is a natural emollient that softens the skin. (source) I love to put it on my feet when they get dried and calloused.
• It is one of the cheapest carrier oils.
• A little bit goes a long way.

I love using this oil because it is frugal, non-toxic, and simplifies my morning and evening skincare routine.  It also is multi-functional and acts as a soothing face wash, an easy makeup remover, and an effective moisturizer.

How to Use Sweet Almond Oil

As a face wash:

To wash your face with sweet almond oil, simply get a washcloth and run it under some warm water.  Gently wet your face with the washcloth.

Next, add about 5 to 6 drops of almond oil into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together.  Massage the oil into your skin for about a minute, being gentle around the sensitive eye area.

Re-wet the washcloth with very warm water and drape over your face. (This is optional, but it feels like heaven!) Slowly massage away the oil with the washcloth and enjoy the feeling of clean, moisturized skin.

As a makeup remover:

If you use the oil as a face wash, it will remove the makeup that is on the skin.

However, if you ever need to spot touch your makeup (like removing smeared mascara from under your eyes), simply put a drop or two of almond oil on your finger tips and gently apply to the area that you are wanting to remove the makeup.  Then with a cotton swab or small cotton pad, gently wipe the oil away.

I love to use it around my eyes because it has the added benefit of moisturizing fine lines and wrinkles.

As a moisturizer:

For beautifully moisturized skin, apply 5 or 6 drops of almond oil into the palm of your hand.  Rub your hands together and then gently massage into the skin all over your face and neck.  The oil should soak into your skin pretty quickly, but if there is any excess, you can gently wipe it away with a washcloth.

A Couple of Cautions

If you have been looking for a simple, cost-effective, natural way to pamper your skin this summer, I hope you give almond oil a try!  It has been a game-changer in my household. I even use it as a body lotion and in our homemade sunscreen recipe.  If you are considering giving it a try, there are a couple of things to consider:

1. If you are allergic to almonds, you will probably want to try a different oil like avocado oil for similar results.
2. In my research, I did come across one study that found pregnant women who regularly applied almond oil to their abdomens to prevent stretch marks were twice as likely to go into labor before 37 weeks. (source) I am currently 35 weeks pregnant and while I daily apply it to my face and feet, I am waiting until after I give birth to resume my regular use of it for lotion.
3. When purchasing almond oil to use for skin care, be sure that you are purchasing sweet almond oil.  This is the fatty oil that is extracted from the almond.  There is also bitter almond oil which is actually the essential oil that is extracted from the almond and is used for flavoring food and fragrance. They both come from the almond, but are very different types of oil.

What do you use for frugal, non-toxic, one-ingredient skincare products? Are your budget or the ingredients important factors in your decision?