Bianca’s Natural Skin & Hair Regimen

If there were one thing my mom was going to drive into my head while growing up, it was to always wash my make-up off before going to bed. No matter how tired I was, or how late, or how little make-up I was wearing (if any!) – WASH. YOUR. FACE.

It’s one of those things that stuck with me all my life, and it is so important to me. I truly believe my skin is as healthy as it is because of this healthy habit that I had drilled into my brain since I was in Jr. High school.

My mom was also a hairdresser back in the day – and she still is my personal hairdresser – so you can imagine all the years of advice and tips along the way.

Now that I have had my fair share of trial and error with a number of beauty products, I found that mostly natural remedies keep my skin glowing and my hair strong and healthy. I’ve never been a huge sucker for products, so I really love making my own. When I do use products, I make sure I buy cruelty-free and all-natural. I thought it would be fun to share some of my skin and hair tips on here, along with some of my go-to products.

Skin Routine

Products I use daily & recommend:

• Burt’s Bees Deep Cleansing Cream, Soap Bark & Chamomile
• ACV & Tea Tree Oil homemade toner – DIY recipe

Products I use sparingly:

• LUSH Love Lettuce Face Mask
• LUSH Cupcake Face Mask
• Tea Tree Oil – straight
• Yes to Carrots Intense Hydration Night Cream
• Yes to Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes

I hear the backlash that Burt’s Bees gets because it is a Clorox company, but Burt’s Bees products are not tested on animals. I do use this face wash, because it is one of the best things to happen to my skin. It has a great cooling sensation and keeps my skin from getting too oily/dry. I have combination skin, so this is really important to me.

My favorite homemade toner is great for combination skin, which I discuss in THIS POST.

As for my sparingly used products, there aren’t many. Like I mentioned above, I am not crazy about products… but these have been wonderful to me. Every once in a while, I will treat my skin to an all-natural LUSH mask, and these two are my favorite. I am also a fan of Yes to Carrots products. The night moisturizer is great for cold winter months (I use if my skin is starting to dry out) and the facial wipes are great for traveling. I keep them on hand for travel only, but Joe will use them every once in a while. The grapefruit smells great and keeps my complexion feeling light and bright.

As for tea tree oil, I will use this a dab or two on my skin every once in a while when I notice scarring.

Hair Routine

Products I use every other day & recommend:

• Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender Shampoo
• Apple Cider Vinegar wash – DIY recipe
• LUSH No Drought Dry Shampoo
• Giovanni Powder Power Dry Shampoo

Products I use sparingly:

• Coconut Oil Mask
• Avocado Mask
• Alba Botanica Coconut Milk Conditioner

I only use hair products every other day – I wash my hair every 2 or 3 days, usually because I prefer to go natural and hate to strip the natural oils. I really believe my hair is much healthier because of this. It’s tough at first… your hair will feel really oily the first few times you skip a wash. I mean, it’s used to getting washed everyday! But after a few weeks, oil production will slow down and will figure out your new rhythm. I swear, it’s worth it!

So… starting with shampoo. I am not a fan of the “no poo” method so I use Avalon Organics. Smells great, is light-weight, and gets the job done. The star of the shower, though: ACV wash. I talk all about my recipe HERE, along with some benefits. I can’t say enough good things about this wash fhfjkhdsjkfhjkds!

Next, dry shampoo. It’s my BFF. I put two above, because I can’t choose which I like more. They are both great, but No Drought by LUSH is awesome because it smells like lime. The shipping costs for LUSH are terrible though, so if I can’t get to a LUSH nearby, I will opt for Giovanni.

As for the stuff I use every once in a while… [mostly] natural and DIY. My favorite treatment is a hot coconut oil mask. I heat it up, slather it on (run fingers through it to make sure it is all covered!) and toss on a shower cap. I let this sit for about an hour while I watch an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and then wash out with shampoo and Alba Botanica conditioner. Why? Because ACV isn’t too great at getting all the coconut oil out. I really like the smell of this conditioner… so I use it once or twice a month for extra hydration.

I also love using mashed avocado as a hair mask. I just mash it up with a fork, add a little olive oil for consistency purposes, and leave it on for about 30-45 minutes. Wash it out like I do with coconut oil. I prefer a coconut oil mask, but avocado is nice every once in a while.

Oof, this is a lengthy-ish post, but that’s really it! All the products I use on the reg, and that I highly recommend. OH and drink lots of water… because, it wouldn’t be an accurate hair and skin post without this tip ;) I am pretty proud of my skin and hair, and I hope you’ll find some inspiration in my routine.

Now… share yours! Would love to hear your tips and tricks. xx bianca