cosmetics and skin care

This is mostly for the women on this site (although I welcome input from anyone knowledgeable on the subject)...

What brands of skin care and cosmetics do you use? Do you have any natural beauty secrets you'd care to share?

I'm seeking out skin creams and make-up items that have a limited number of mostly natural ingredients (and don't test on animals).

The ones I know of so far: Burts Bees, Alba and Jason. Burts Bees being the most affordable, as far as I can tell. But I would like to learn of simpler, more natural alternatives. I have break-out prone skin, so I'm not about to slather my face in coconut oil (for example), but jojoba oil seems to work well. I've used coconut oil on my hands and feet, but commercial creams with unpronounceable ingredients still seem to do the job more efficiently.

Anyone?

(just dawned on me that Burts Bees isn't totally vegan... No offense meant to anyone, but I'm keeping it on the list for now. It's the most affordable commerical option I've found. But as I said, I'm open to alternatives).

I used to use LUSH skincare, it worked really well for me. The vegan options are clearly marked on their face.

If you are looking for cosmetics info, check out crueltyfreeface.com. It has a list of what is vegan.

I've tried coconut oil on my face and I broke out pretty bad. Some people swear by washing their face with oil but it just does not work for me.

I've been using Beauty without cruelty products which I really like. Here's a link to the site: http://www.beautywithoutcruelty.com/

For deodorant I use this recipe: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/03/update-homemade-deoderant.html

I've tried coconut oil on my face and I broke out pretty bad. Some people swear by washing their face with oil but it just does not work for me.

Have you tried olive oil? I use it after showering, while my face is still wet. One drop is enough for the whole face. It is excellent. Tried coconut oil - and I agree: bad idea!

Deodorant I use: baking soda, diluted with little water.

Mouthwash: I chew fresh sage leaf, and sometimes rinse with sea salt solution (1 tsp salt in 1 cup water).

Toothpaste: green clay, baking soda or any toothpaste without fluoride and SLS.

I sometimes buy stuff from german brand Alverde (shampoo, etc.), they claim it is organic, vegan and natural. They smell nice, flowery.

http://www.dm-drogeriemarkt.de/dmDHomepage/generator/dmD/Homepage/Sortiment/Gesichts-__und__Koerperpflege/alverde__markenbeitrag/alverde.html

I've tried coconut oil on my face and I broke out pretty bad. Some people swear by washing their face with oil but it just does not work for me.

Have you tried olive oil? I use it after showering, while my face is still wet. One drop is enough for the whole face. It is excellent. Tried coconut oil - and I agree: bad idea!

I tried olive oil first (to cleanse my face) and at first I thought it was great but after a while I started breaking out. I have jojoba oil here which I've heard great things about but I'm scared to use it on my face. It's a great body moisturizer though!

Thanks for all the tips! Definitely would like to try making my own deodorant.

I use jojoba oil on my face, and it seems to be fine. I usually add a drop or two to my moisturizer, though. Plus it smells kinda funky on its own.

I use witchhazel after shaving, and sometimes make a scrub out of a tablespoon of cider vinegar, the same of witchhazel, a few drops of tea tree oil and half a teaspoon of salt. Apply it after washing your face with hot water, then wash off with cold.

It stings, but it leaves you skin really clear.

Also, I've had a few estheticians tell me that baking soda is the best and cheapest natural exfoliator there is. Adding a bit to your cleanser a few times a week is supposed to be pretty effective. Or mixing with plain old water sounds like it would work, too.

Oh, and something else that I forgot: olive oil is quite acidic (it can be used to strip dye out of coloured hair), so if you have sensitive skin, you might want to lay off it.

I have several websites that I go to for carrier oils and essential oils to make my own body serum oils:

Mountain rose herb site: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/bulkoil/bulkoil.html

Banyan Botanicals: http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/products.asp?dept=1013

and all my ideas of mixing the carrier oils and essential oils were from the following websites:

Max Green Alchemy (Elemeni for normal complexion ingredient list - the bulgarian rose oil is so expensive! over 100 dollars for less than an ounce of the stuff. But still it takes alot of rose petals to squeeze that oil out of them!): http://www.maxgreenalchemy.com/item--elemeni-Radiance-Face-Oil-for-NORMAL-complexions--ele.oil.n.html

and this site gives me so many ingredient lists (I use the anti aging stuff myself, but rosehip seed oil is so stinky! the pomegranate oil not so much) and the body nutritive serum is the best smelling stuff, and it is nongreasy going on! soaks in so fast!:

http://www.justnaturalskincare.com/9/serums/-1OILS.html

For those of us who like to splurge once in awhile and think it is worth it, this website is the one I use for my anti-wrinkle magic (and I use the stuff sparingly so it lasts a long time):http://www.naturopathica.com/products/best_sellers

I have just started to begin using make up, so I use a local company that does the mineral makeup stuff, but insist that it is not nanoparticle size -which I believe cause it feels a little heavy going on (though I do put my moisturizer on first which may what makes it feel like that):http://www.eveorganics.net/

):http://www.eveorganics.net/

I've been looking for something like this--thanks!

Washing my face with baking soda helps clear my breakouts.

I have troublesome skin too.

If you also like me very much like to wear makeup and look stunning, then you should take care to use only the best cosmetics that will not harm your skin. However, finding such cosmetics is not that easy. Fortunately, recently my makeup artist friend advised me to pay attention to this makeup manufacturer. I decided to take her advice and I did not regret it at all, because this manufacturer was exactly what I was looking for so long.