Simply Moisturize and Exfoliate with…Oil?

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Yes, you read that correctly. Oil.

(Note: Men, this post is for you, too! Your skin is just as important as any woman’s!)

Over the summer, my good friend recommended that I moisturize my face with Sweet Almond Oil every night to help brighten my skin. Initially, I was a skeptic. I mean, I was really skeptical. I’m constantly trying to remove oil from my face; why would I slather it on top?

Upon further research, I realized that my friend was not, in fact, a crazy person. She was really on to something!

The Perks of Sweet Almond Oil

Sweet Almond Oil has a whole slew of uses, only one of which is moisturizing skin. When applied regularly, it can:

• Protect your skin against UV rays (it has a natural SPF of 5)
• Soften skin
• Make skin more supple
• Brighten skin
• Reduce the appearance of dark circles
• De-puff the under-eye area
• Remove toxins from your skin
• Delay signs of aging

Further, Sweet Almond Oil is 100% natural, so there’s no need to worry about contaminating your skin with any of the bizarre toxins or chemicals that fill so many moisturizers and cosmetics.

Since I’ve been using it before bed each night, I’ve noticed a remarkable difference in my overall complexion. My pores are smaller, my skin is softer, my once-dark circles are brighter, and my fine lines are finer. I have tried a couple of brands, but Viva Naturals Sweet Almond Oil is my current favorite.

The Sweetest Exfoliant

If you missed it when reading the link to naturopath Dr. Axe’s website above, a phenomenal exfoliant is a homemade mixture of Sweet Almond Oil with…sugar! I know, I know…slathering a key baking ingredient on your face sounds just as crazy as coating it with oil, but just trust me on this one!

The recipe is so easy. Simply put about a tablespoon of Sweet Almond Oil in the palm of your hand and then add sugar until it’s the consistency of a thick-ish paste. That’s literally it! Use this scrub in the same way you’d use any other exfoliant: apply it gently to clean, moist skin and rinse with lukewarm water. After you rinse, you’ll still feel a film of oil on your face, but that’s okay because the next step would be to moisturize with Sweet Almond Oil, as mentioned above. This exfoliant is actually doing double duty!

The Perks of Jojoba Oil

Unbeknownst to me when I started my oil moisturizer/exfoliator love affair, Sweet Almond Oil belongs to a whole group of beneficial oils, which are widely known as “carrier oils.”

Now, my Sweet Almond Oil must make room for my second favorite oil: Jojoba. Jojoba Oil may also be used as a facial moisturizer, but I like to use it as an overall moisturizer. The reason for this is that it absorbs more quickly than almond oil, so it’s a great product to use in larger quantities. Jojoba also has many other uses, which you can read about on another of Dr. Axe’s helpful pages: Jojoba Oil — Skin & Hair Healer and Moisturizer. Again, the Viva Naturals brand is my favorite.

(Side note: If you haven’t already realized, this all-natural, phenomenal, simple skincare regimen is cheap! In the past, I’d pay top dollar for creams that made a lot of promises and contained a lot of sketchy ingredients. Now, I’m receiving better results from these all-natural oils for a tiny fraction of the cost.)

Other Noteworthy Carrier Oils

Sweet Almond and Jojoba are only the tip of the iceberg. Here are some other carrier oils that have been shown to have positive skincare benefits:

• Olive Oil (I like the Kirkland Signature brand because it’s organic and scores well on third-party testing for being super pure. Use it for drizzling on cooked food, as well!)
• Avocado Oil (I love Chosen Foods Avocado Oil for moisturizing and cooking.)
• Coconut Oil (Again, Viva Naturals wins!)
• Argan Oil (This one is great for moisturizing your hair, face, skin, and nails!)

Get creative and go crazy; they’re all great for you! One thing to consider, though, is that the quality of each oil really does matter. If you buy Argan Oil, for example, make sure it’s 100% Argan Oil, not a small percentage of Argan Oil mixed with other filler ingredients.

Do you have a favorite carrier oil that you have incorporated into your skincare routine? If so, please share!

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In each blog post, I aim to bring you food for thought (pun intended. Note: my day job is teaching English), but don’t take my word for it! Click on and read all of the links above to become your own expert on this topic; knowledge is power. The more you know and understand the “why” behind each biohack, the easier it will be to stick to it and realize you can’t live without it!

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