ÁMEZING NEWS #3: HOW I MOISTURIZE MY BODY
ÁMEZING NEWS #3: HOW I MOISTURIZE MY BODY
Plus Coachella, Earth Day, and my obsession with cars
ÁMEZING NEWS:
The sunshine is FINALLY out and L.A. makes sense again!
I know many of you are heading to Coachella this weekend or next. As your skin-fairy-godmother, please listen to me when I say the desert is no joke – prepare for dust, wind, sun, and grime. Pack hydrating masks and spray toners (such as a yummy rosewater). Buy a mini-size of your favorite hydrating spray (maybe this ROSEMARY BAY HYDROSOL by WILDCARE) and bring it with you to the actual festival! Along with sunscreen, of course!
Pack some electrolytes too, because you know, it's COACHELLA. My favorites are LMNT and Liquid IV. Both are available at most grocery stores and health food stores. They’ll save you from hangovers and comedowns!
(For any Costco members, LIQUID IV has been on sale lately! Stock up!)
ÁMEZING QUESTIONS:
I love answering your questions! Both of the questions below are real reader responses to my last newsletter. Thank you for your replies, Autumn and Lynn!
What body lotions and body oils recommendations do you have? Or that you personally use? -Autumn
Body products are an ever-revolving joy that I genuinely look forward to after every shower, bath, or sauna session. My foundational product is a super simple yummy organic oil that I get at my local refill grocery store. I typically go for jojoba, avocado, or almond oil. This is slightly more eco-conscious too!
Along with that, I opt for a simple shea-butter-based lotion or something along the lines of Weleda Skin Food or Allafia unscented shea butter (it comes in a giant pump that I just love, plus it’s only $12.79 for 32 ounces). Somehow Kiehl’s Creme de Corps has always managed to stay in my rotation too (maybe Equinox is to blame haha).
I actually am not super picky when it comes to body moisturizers because I like to blend them with a beautiful body oil. My personal preference is to emulsify my oil with body lotion. I make a mix of 2-3 pumps of lotion and 3-4 pumps of oil together in my hands and then apply it everywhere. I’m generous here, duh! My skin drinks it up.
Now for specific body oils…
One of my all-time favorite oils is OSEA’s Undaria Algae Body Oil. Its lime, cypress, and mango mandarin aroma is so energizing.
I’ve always been obsessed with In-Fiore's Jasmine Superieur Body Balm. It’s so visually beautiful. Such a gorgeous experience and a total treat-yourself product.
A recent obsession is May Lindstrom’s The Happy Galaxy Body Oil. How to describe it? Gosh, the aroma is heaven to me. A definite splurge but I literally get the biggest smile the second this oil touches my skin. It is literally DELICIOUS.
Lastly, I have to shout out Necessaire for making two fabulous products. The Body Serum and Lotion are simply lovely. They’re also both available in unscented versions, which is just so needed! Especially for those with sensitive skin conditions.
I was gifted these a few months ago. The serum was so nourishing, which surprised me! It's kind of… well…Ámezing! I also found it to be a really convenient product for when you need to just get ready and go. It absorbs instantly!
Body serums are a great alternative for those of you who don’t enjoy the slickness of oil but still want a hydrating or healing boost. The lotion is also a beautiful base to mix oil with or just to use on its own.
(Please remember, I’m the biggest advocate for doing what feels good for YOU. I don’t believe in product rules per se because ultimately our bodies and vessels are all different! Have fun and experiment!)
Browse all of my body care faves on Shop My Shelf.
You mentioned you like to use cotton pads/cloth/etc to take off an oil cleanser. Can you just use water instead? If not, do you recommend any specific ones? - Lynn
I did! Given that it is Earth Month and EARTH DAY EVERY DAY, I suggested a shammy or muslin cloth to avoid using single-use cotton pads. There are also reusable cotton rounds, but I haven’t used those yet, just know they’re absolutely out there!
As for the heart of your question, you can absolutely use water to rinse off your oil cleanser, but you probably won’t get as thorough of a cleanse. My answer here is based on basic chemistry.
WATER AND OIL repel each other. There isn’t a bond there. With oil cleansing, people usually start with a dry face, rub the product in, then activate it with water. By using a cloth or shammy at this stage, you are essentially forcing these two products to bond in their removal process. That’s when your product starts to really dissolve your makeup and impurities.
If you were to just rinse with water, it would be totally fine, but you probably wouldn’t receive the full benefit of the product.
Most of you reach for oil cleansers to dissolve makeup, sweat, and dirt, so it’s best to think of them as removable products. This is especially true if you are prone to congestion. If that’s you, definitely use a cloth or cotton pad (and follow up with a second gentle cleanse!)
Here are some fun re-usable face goodies:
Washable, Organic Facial Rounds
Double-Sided Organic Cleansing & Exfoliating Cloths
Double-Sided Muslin & Microfibre Face Cleansing Cloths
ÁMEZING TIPS:
EARTH DAY EDITION
Earth Day is next week (April 22)! I’m sharing some simple sustainability tips for different areas of your life. These are small things I do with the planet in mind.
1. Two environmentally friendly beauty and skincare brands I admire:
Axiology (incredible vegan lipsticks that are zero-waste) and Zoca Lotion (a small, plant-based sunscreen company with environmentally-friendly packaging). Check them out!
2. I’m obsessed with my Stasher bags! I use them for food storage and overall organization! Reusable silicone bags that come in all sizes reduce plastic waste.
3. I’ve also gotten into carrying reusable cutlery and a reusable straw in my car. It’s been working. I find myself using my straw instead of getting a disposable when I’m picking up matcha or juice. I like silicone for some reason so I tend to gravitate toward that versus other materials.
4. I’m always thinking about small adjustments to apply to my practice. Being an esthetician is tricky because we are working with bodily fluids and membranes, so sanitation and health codes are the top priority, making it tricky to be sustainable at times. However, I re-use where I can! I use silicone-based spatulas instead of single-use and re-washable headbands as well.
5. At home, I'm avid about turning off all appliances at the end of the day to conserve energy. As well as turning off light switches and using energy-efficient modes while doing laundry. I also reference the EWG Consumer Guide for information about the safety of my preferred personal care and cleaning products.
One eco goal I have is to start a consistent compositing practice. I’ve tried it, but I’ve never managed to keep it up…yet! I’d also like to reduce my meat consumption to curb carbon emissions from the livestock industry.
BEYOND ÁMEZING :
If you know me, you know I love cars. @Beyond_Amezing is an archive of the Ámezing vehicles I spot. I take submissions in the form of story tags… but beware… I’m highly selective.
Enjoy some of my favorite vehicular eye candy here:
Thanks for reading! If you like this newsletter, please share it with a friend!
Until next time!
Andrea