Dear Lucy,
I am trying to use all-natural products for my face, but I do not know which ones are beneficial. I was recently given little bottles of pure essential oil and it is supposed to be good for the skin, but I do not know how to apply it in a way that is beneficial. Right now, I use an organic face cream and toning mist. How can I incorporate the essential oils in my regimen? I have tea tree and lavender, both of which are supposed to be really good for the skin.
Nina
I love using essential oils. If you use them regularly, please make sure it is pure and of therapeutic grade. It is very important to know the source, especially if you use it directly on your skin. I also use lavender and tea tree for the skin — I drop lavender on my face cream in the morning, or I apply it as a moisturizer right after spraying on a toning mist. The tea tree I apply on areas that easily break out — usually the chin — but I never use it directly as it is very strong. I always dilute the tea tree with another oil or a carrier oil, like Marula, which I really love. Marula is available at SM beauty counters.
As always, before using any product on your face, consult your dermatologist and do a patch test on the skin of your inner elbow for any adverse reactions.
Lucy
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Shining moment: Control unwanted shine with Bench Facial Absorbent Paper.
Retouching Oily Skin
Dear rissa,
Is it better to retouch oily skin and get rid of shine by topping it off with face powder or using oil blotting sheets?
Samantha
A beauty tool every girl should be equipped with is oil-control film. When I get shiny, I personally don’t like having to keep retouching my makeup with my face powder. Piling up all those layers of makeup just feels too thick and heavy. I also find it so unhygienic to use your makeup sponge to blot and wipe off excess oil and shine on the face. This will eventually be a breeding ground for bacteria. Keep in mind that too much makeup can also clog all those pores. For controlling unwanted shine, I like the oil blotting sheets of Bench, Gatsby, and Clean & Clear. If your oiliness is uncontrollable, consider using a mattifying primer at the start of your routine. It keeps shine and oil at bay and works wonders to keep your makeup in place all day, too.
Rissa
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Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil.