If you were stranded in the middle of nowhere, what would be the top 3 everyday skincare products you’d hope to have on hand? Okay, skincare isn’t top priority in this situation, but you catch my meaning! We all have those few products that we simply cannot do without! Whenever I discover high quality products from great brands that deliver excellent results for my sensitive skin — I sure as hell need to stick to them! With that in mind, the following 3 skincare products are the only few that have made the cut over time. Also, I generally like to keep my skincare products as clean and minimal as possible , and of course, budget friendly (kids ain’t cheap!). Without further ado, here are my top 3:
1. Black soap:
Originating from Africa, black soap has taken the beauty industry by storm with all of its amazing natural properties! As an all natural product, it is effective for most skin types and acts as a one-step solution for an array of skin issues. Depending on the African region, the recipe for black soap may vary, however, the ingredients most commonly used are: shea butter, honey, cocoa pods, plantain skin, coconut oil and palm oil. All of these ingredients contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as high concentrations of antioxidants and moisturizing elements. I absolutely love using black soap as a facial cleanser because my skin feels as if it has been neutralized (suffered with oily/combination skin for awhile), it is gentle enough to use on my sensitive skin, and it does a brilliant job of washing off makeup residue!
I tend to gravitate towards the black soaps that list honey as one of the top 3 ingredients, because of all of the antibacterial goodness it has to offer! Black soap is available at your nearest Healthy Planet and on Amazon! Here are few I would recommend checking out:
Just as a side note: a bar of black soap can last me forever — literally, forever! I would strictly use an entire bar to wash my face, but over time, the bar of black soap becomes very soft and mushy, and that’s when I’d look into replacing it with a new bar. I’ve learned to cut a third of a brand new soap bar to use right away, and wrap the rest up for later. So, just letting you know, a little goes a long way!
2. Raw Honey with Royal Jelly
What’s all the buzz about honey with royal jelly? Well, it’s a milky secretion produced by worker bees, which is used to provide nutrients to developing larvae (sounds like the bee equivalent to breastmilk, huh?!). Furthermore, bees chosen to be queen bees, are bathed in this secretion (quite the royal treatment!). So, if this incredible substance is fit enough for bee royalty, I’m sure it’s good enough for me (lol). Let me tell you why…
While royal jelly’s benefits to the skin are still being studied, many have claimed several skincare advantages. It provides the skin with an abundance of nutrients, such as B vitamin complex, vitamins A, C & E. When applied topically, royal jelly with all of its nutrients, helps to promote healthy skin cell growth, improve skin elasticity, and can even be applied to heal wounds and keep them free from infection. There is still a wealth of information to be gathered about the magic of royal jelly, and all the health benefits that it has to offer.
Honey with royal jelly is a very versatile ingredient, and I like to use it in various ways. I usually prefer to wash my face with honey and royal jelly in the mornings, as it is an extremely gentle and hydrating cleanser, and at the end of the day is when I use my black soap. I also like to use honey with royal jelly as a face mask alone, or as the glue to combine other ingredients as well. Some ingredients to combine in your honey mask could be lemon oil, oatmeal, avocado, or olive oil— the possibilities are just endless! So, go ahead and give honey with royal jelly a try — it’ll have you feeling like a bee-auty queen in no time!
3. Derma-e Vitamin A Illuminating Treatment Oil
Derma-E is one of my favourite clean skincare brands. They have an amazing line-up of skin care products that deliver professional grade results, and the best part? The cost of their products are easy on the wallet! I can go on and on as to why Derma-E is one of my favourite go-to brands, but I’ll save that for another post.
One of Derma-E’s amazing products is their Vitamin A Illuminating Treatment oil because of the amazing ingredients they’ve put into it! Safflower oil is the primary ingredient in this facial oil, which is rich in Linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an important fatty acid that helps to protect the skin barrier by sealing in moisture, and acts as a skin soothing agent. This product also contains sage oil, which is a great ingredient to help rid your skin of toxins, and help to diminish the appearance of blemishes and other marks. Another amazing ingredient found in this facial oil is Rosehip oil, which is rich in Vitamin A (aids in the production of collagen, thus reducing the appearance of those lovely wrinkles!). Derma-E is definitely a brand worth checking out because all of their products are formulated with some of the best skin-loving ingredients— you just couldn’t go wrong!
I love applying the Illuminating Treatment Oil because it quickly absorbs into my skin, unlike other facial oils I’ve experimented with in the past. Another thing that I love about this product is that it has a refreshing spearmint scent! This is a favourite because it doesn’t clog my pores and my skin is able to breathe with its weightless formula! Just another product to check out, especially if you have sensitive skin!
There you have it! Those are the top 3 everyday skincare products I wouldn’t be able to go without! What are your top 3 everyday skincare products? Comment down below!