My All Natural Skin Care Routine

I didn’t used to think it mattered what I put on my skin because it wasn’t as if I was eating it. In my teenage years I used what ever was in fashion at the time, or ideally what the Dolly magazine had recommended. As I grew older and my skin break outs weren’t improving, I decided to invest a little more money into my skin care routine. I would buy products that claimed “acne free” and “acne clear” type benefits. I didn’t read the ingredients because I didn’t understand what was good for me and what wasn’t.

Between the ages of 23 and 25 my acne really peaked. I was living over in London at this time and my breakouts on my face were getting so severe that people would stop me on the street and ask me “Are you okay?” and “Is that Eczema on your face?”

I was so uncomfortable in my own skin that I resorted to trying the popular United States brand Proactive. It burnt and bleached my skin. It was horrible and didn’t take me long to realise what ever it was made out of was not good for me so I threw it in the bin.

It wasn’t until age 30 that I learnt what we put on our skin matters. Our skin is the largest organ of our body and what we put on our skin we absorb. So if we wouldn’t eat the ingredients listed on a skin care product because they are harmful, why would we put them on our skin?

I started experimenting with natural skin care products. And I want to be clear that they were not just products that stated “natural” or “organic” on the label, because this doesn’t mean much. They were real life whole foods ingredients that I could buy off the shelf at my local supermarket and health food shop.

Over the years I have found what works best for my skin type and I would like to share with you what that is. It’s inexpensive and simple with absolutely no risks involved (unless you are allergic to the specific ingredients of course). We are all unique though and what works for me, may not be what works best for you. However, I encourage you to throw out your chemical ridden skin care products and start experimenting with toxic free alternatives.

Face wash

To wash my face, I use one simple ingredient. Manuka honey. It is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and hydrating. You can buy it at most supermarkets and just about every health food shop. To be honest, I don’t use a specific type or brand. I have mixed it up over time. I have a jar in the shower. I rinse my face with water, dab a little honey on my fingers and wash my face. I then rinse it off with water.

Make up and or zinc remover

I don’t wear a heap of make up but I do wear a lot of zinc when I surf. Most make up removal liquids and wipes are toxic. They contain harmful ingredients and I don’t know about you but they often stung my skin and my pimples. For the last six years I have used a non toxic make up removal cloth from Norwex Makeup Removal Cloth Set | Norwex USA. You don’t need to use any product on the cloth. I rinse it with water and remove my make up and zinc with it and then rinse it again. I wash the cloth regularly with my other laundry using non toxic laundry detergent. Simple, inexpensive and efficient.

Moisturiser

I use a mix of three pure organic oils to moisten my face. Hemp seed, jojoba and rosehip oils. The product is called Cellular Levels - Organic Hemp, Rosehip & Jojoba Natural Facial Oil – The Good Oil and it is from “The Good Oil” company, which is based in Byron Bay, Australia. I live over in Hawaii now and get the products shipped over. It cost me $22 AUD to ship three bottles of it over recently so it’s well worth it for me. Once again, this product is simple, inexpensive and all natural with no toxic and harmful chemical ingredients. One of my friends got me onto this oil and I absolutely love it and haven’t looked back.

I encourage you to start googling the ingredients listed on the back of your skin care products to get a clear understanding of what you are putting on your skin and absorbing into your body. I also encourage you to try out some more natural alternatives.

Now a talk about skin care wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t touch on what goes on INSIDE our bodies and minds and how much this impacts what is showing up OUTSIDE.

My gut health whilst growing up was always poor. I experienced a lot of loose bowels and always had reactions to different foods. I also didn’t feel good about myself because I had acne breakouts. At the peak of my acne I struggled to look at myself in the mirror without crying so I would put my make up on with my eyes closed.

Since age 30, I have made some huge changes in my life, which have had a positive flow on effect on my skin health. These have included changing to a plant-based whole foods diet, drinking clean water (no more tap water) and various lifestyle habits (engaging in activities I enjoy, daily movement, yoga and meditation), prioritising self-care and rest and mindset changes towards self-acceptance, self-compassion, self-belief and self-confidence. I have graduated towards a low toxic lifestyle with all household, skin care and make-up products.

My skin is looking the best it has looked since I was 12 years old because it is now consistently clear and acne free. There are many studies to support how connected gut health is to our skin health and I am living proof that improvements in my gut health due to diet, lifestyle and mindset changes have had significant carry over effects on my skin.

If you have skin issues including acne, then no doubt there is also something going on with your digestion and bowel movements. Reviewing what you are putting on your skin is one thing, but your gut health, what you are putting in your mouth, your lifestyle habits and your mindset also need to be addressed.

I help women with anxiety, gut issues and negative self image to reduce overwhelm, maintain a healthy gut and learn to love the body and skin they are in. I love what I do and would love to have a chat and find out more about what is going on for you and I can fill you in on how I may be able to assist you. Get in touch with me today to book a free chat.

Thanks guys and I hope you enjoyed this blog post. I would love to hear what natural skin care products work best for you.

Tiff xx

The Biggest Mistake You *Might* Be Making On Your Journey To Greater Health

So, you're eating healthier, working out regularly, drinking more water, taking more time to rest, dropped off the alcohol binging and you've even dabbled at meditation...BUT you're still not feeling that great and this may be why...

The way you talk about yourself to yourself and to others MATTERS! Guys, this is a really big deal and there is science to back it up.

A light bulb moment for me on my own healing journey was when I realised the way I was talking about myself to myself and to others was having a direct impact on the way I was feeling, everything that was going on in my body, the actions I took, the kind of support I received, the way I was treated and ultimately, my recovery. It literally was impacting every single thing and was my major barrier to moving forwards.

I thought I was doing everything I could. I went plant-based, I cut out sugar, processed foods and alcohol, I did yoga and meditation daily, I was well-hydrated, I engaged in detox methods, I threw out all my toxic skin care and household products and I noticed huge changes but there was something missing.

I had experienced break outs on my skin since my teenage years and although my skin was clearing more than it ever had, the pimples were still popping up and I didn’t feel that great about myself. I was making massive changes in my life and yes I was proud of myself for that, however I didn’t love and accept myself in my current situation. How could I?

I felt like I had let myself down from all those years of binge drinking and eating processed foods and I was convinced I couldn’t be happy in my own skin until my pimples cleared. I thought “Okay, once my pimples clear, then I will be happy, then I will feel good and then I can be confident”.

But the universe had a different plan for me. My skin was the last thing to heal. My bowel movements improved, my seasonal hay fever and itchy eyes went away, I no longer required ventolin for asthma, my anxiety reduced and I was no longer experiencing panic attacks. My sleep improved and I didn’t have to rely on sleeping tablets anymore, the puffiness around my face and body went away and I was looking fitter, yet doing less intense exercise…all of these changes blew me away but I was still craving for my skin to clear. It looked clearer but it wasn’t consistently clear. I experienced break outs when I was approaching my monthly cycle and at random times through the month. It was frustrating.

I was upset with the way I looked. I would stare back at myself in the mirror through my tears and think “Why can’t you just heal? Why am I being punished with these pimples?” I would say to others “I have shit skin, I’ve always had it, I’ve tried everything and it still doesn’t clear”. I also convinced myself that other people were also embarrassed about my skin. Any one I dated, I would be thinking “Oh god, they are looking at my skin, it’s so gross”.

It was also a focus of conversation with family and friends when they asked how I was going. They knew I had embarked on this humungous health journey and they wanted to hear about how I was feeling. Yes I focused on the good stuff but I always mentioned about my skin and how it still wasn’t consistently clear. My family would focus on this a lot too. My mum and my grandma. When ever I visited they would always take a close look at my skin because I was always talking about it so much and they felt sorry for me. I made them feel sorry for me because of the way I spoke about it. Because I felt sorry for myself.

This viscous cycle of feeling sorry for myself, talking negatively about my skin to others, repeating critical comments in my head about my skin, convincing myself that I had tried absolutely everything and it seemed my skin was never going to fully clear and also telling myself that I couldn’t be happy or confident in my own skin until my skin was consistently clear…now this was toxic! Fair enough I was detoxing from all the toxic, chemical ridden products, foods, alcohol and tap water I had consumed over the years but I was continuing to feed myself and others with toxic self-talk and this was stopping me from stepping into my full power to heal.

I love Louise Hay’s quote “You’ve been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens”.

What a powerful quote. I was triggered to reflect and address this issue by a friend who had bought to my attention I didn’t love and accept myself. I began noticing the way I was talking to myself on a day to day basis. It was quite shocking to sit back and observe exactly what Tiff was telling Tiff. I also became aware of how I was speaking to others about myself, my skin and my overall health.

Once I became the observer, I was able to identify the impact it was having on my health and the way I felt about myself and it was time to make changes. This wasn’t easy and it didn’t happen over night but it did happen and you want to know what else happened? My skin became consistently clear. However, it wasn’t until I worked on feeling happier and more confident in my own skin WITH pimples that I began to notice the bigger changes. And I had to change my belief systems around what I thought my body was capable of achieving to open up more space for it to heal.

I have noticed over the years working as an occupational therapist and health coach that many people share this experience with me. People get diagnosed with a chronic disease or are living undiagnosed with a range of symptoms and they are stuck in a detrimental mindset pattern of believing “This is the way things have always been so they are never going to change”. They are also focused on talking about all their symptoms rather than the good things going on in their life.

They go from one health professional to the next seeking guidance and support and having to tell their story over and over again, disempowering them even more. Within the medical model, health professionals are focused on “Tell us what your problems are?” and this adds to the vicious cycle of negative self-talk. Can you relate?

From my own experience and observing others, I am determined to teach others that how we talk about ourselves to ourselves and others matters. Within my “Get Your Life Back” Program, I work with my clients on this topic and teach them ways to firstly become an observer and then become the powerful change maker. I love watching their Wellbeing Warrior mentality develop as they learn how powerful they truly are.

If you can relate to this story then try these journal prompts to get you on your way to firstly becoming an observer:

*Please note, this reflection can be quite confronting and if you have a mental health condition, I encourage you to seek support or reflect on the questions with your psychologist or in the presence of someone you trust.

1. Stand in front of the mirror, look at yourself and write down the first few things that come to mind. What do you often tell yourself about yourself?

2. When someone asks “How are you feeling, how are things going?” What do you often reply?

3. What do you tell family and friends about your condition/symptoms or disease? Do you find yourself talking about this often? How do you feel after talking about yourself in this way? Does it feel empowering, does it lift you up and give you hope? Or do you feel deflated and disempowered by the language you use?

4. Do you believe you can change your current state of being? Your ability to manage your condition? Your quality of life? Or do you feel as if you have tried everything and that this is always the way it’s going to be?

When you have finished journaling on these questions, take some time to sit with it. You may wish to try a 5-minute breathing practice with me to ground yourself and assist in releasing what no longer serves you.

Becoming the observer is the first step in changing the language you use.

If you would like to share your experience on this topic with me then I would love to chat with you more.

Thanks for reading

Tiff x