Krystal’s Morning Skin and Hair Routine… Exposed!
Meet Krystal, everybody. Full disclosure: I know this gal! But finding her routine in our inbox was a total surprise. See, a long time ago we worked for the same company, and I actually tried stealing her from another department to come help me with copy. They wouldn’t let her go—so I’m happy to finally be putting her writing skills to use. Plus, it’s a great routine—we’re clearly singing from the same songbook on favorite brands—with some stellar tips. Enjoy!
Name: Krystal
Age: 27
Current Weather: Coming out of California “June gloom.” Cool mornings, hot, dry days, and somewhat sticky nights.
Hair: Extremely fine and silky (with a few skin weft extensions – my one and only dirty secret!)
Skin: Prone to breakouts, larger pores around my nose.
Favourite star or icon from the past: Candice Bergen in the 60s
In the shower…
When I’m not half-asleep, I dry brush first. I use Bronner’s liquid almond soap on the areas that require de-funking, and Skin and Bones oil (smells SO good) on the rest of me. I wash and condition my hair with Acure Organics duo in Pure Mint and Echinacea (the volumizing one). I was on a baking soda, ACV and dry shampoo kick for a while, but even after a few months, my hair always looked wet or greasy, and smelled unpleasant. If I need to shave something, I use coconut oil, which is lovely, but you need to use really hot water when rinsing the razor to melt away any oil and hair caught in between the blades.
Outside the shower…
Before I blow dry or braid my hair, I mix a tiny amount of argan and jojoba oil in my palm to moisturize the ends. I spritz my face with the lovely aloe and rosewater concoction I whipped up after reading this DIY and dab a bit of jojoba oil around my eyes. While that’s soaking in, I spread a little Soapwalla on my pits. I was using Lavanila for many months, and ended up quitting it, not for the controversy, but because it stopped working. Soapwalla is working out quite nicely, though I do miss that super sweet Lavanila scent.
Finishing touches…
What some call finishing touches, I call the main show! I’ve always been one of those gals who likes to wear a lot of makeup, but look like she’s not wearing any at all. I start with some RMS un-cover up (the price tag kept me from trying it for some time, but a sample from Spirit Beauty Lounge persuaded me that the price is well worth it) around my eyes, and in the redder areas around my nose and chin. I then sweep on a light dusting of W3LL People’s altruist foundation, and set it with Lotus Wei’s Infinite Love Energy Mist. I sweep on 100% Pure’s Pot Rouge on my cheeks, their satin eye shadow on my lids (I try to use as few brushes as possible) and, if I’m feeling dramatic, their eye brow powdered gel on my dirty blonde brows. I finish off the eyes with Jane Iredale’s pencil eyeliner and Longest Lash mascara (which does require several passes to get the same volume and lengths as commercial mascaras). For my lips, I use Josie Maran’s Magic Marker Lip Stain with Argan Color Stick (it’s so easy to get nice, sharp lines with the marker end!) Of course, no natural makeup look would be complete without that subtle glow, best achieved with RMS’ Living Luminizer.
When I went clean, the absolute hardest thing to give up was my Burberry London perfume, which I had worn dutifully for years and it had become so identifying that when I stopped wearing it people immediately began telling me I smelled different (“Oh, no, no, no, not bad just…different”). I went through SO many different natural perfumes that just smelled like old ladies or cooking ingredients, I thought I’d never find a new signature scent, forever smelling “different.” Then, I tried out Tsi-la’s Fleur Sauvage. Floral and sweet, but with a woodsy quality that gives it substance and weight, I can’t smell my wrists without closing my eyes and smiling. It’s that good. Trapped-on-a-desert-island-and-can-only-bring-one-thing good.
That’s it! Thanks for letting me share! It’s been a long and crazy journey from dirty to clean, but after finding what product works best for me, I’m happier with the quality and performance of the products I use far more than I ever used to be with conventional junk.
A clean story after our own hearts. Just for fun, are there any readers out there who like their clean products less than the conventionals? Which ones, and why?
Be prettier Candice Bergen. Not possible.
I am so jealous of your makeup bag! I might steal your routine because I am in a clean routine funk and need something different.
What a great routine! As for clean vs. conventional, I am generally much happier with the clean stuff. Like, much, much happier. That said, much like Krystal, my struggle is with perfume. I find it very diffucult finding perfumes that don’t make me nauseus and/or give me a headache, let alone those I actually like. Sadly, I haven’t been able to find a clean perfume that comes even close to working. Like, the $200 Strange Invisible scents that sounded heavenly smelled like burnt dog poo to me. I am also a huge, huge fan of Olivia Giacobetti. Love her scents, still cherish the two perfumes I got from her now-defunct line Iunx that I bought in her stuuuuunning St. Germain boutique in Paris. And yet her clean line leaves me cold at best and makes me gag at worst.
My compromise is to use small, niche brands like Frederic Malle (Olivia made a perfume for FM that is absolute heaven), Artisans Parfumeur and Creed. They are in no way organic or natural, but at least I can hope they don’t chuck in a whole bunch of unnecessary chemicals. And then again, I don’t wear perfume to work (if I use anything, it’s Lotus Wei and essential oil mixes), so my exposure is pretty limited.
I love Tsi-la! The scent amazingly lasts for hours which I was pleasantly surprised by. I love Kizes mixed with Fiori D’arancio. I use coconut oil to shave as well and found that spraying some liquid Bronners mixed with some water on top of the oil makes for a great shave and the razor rinses off really nicely.
Great routine, Krystal!
It has been hard for me to find a clean fragrance also. I haven’t found one that I love yet. I am trying the Honore des Pres line that I got as a free-gift-with-purchase from Saffron Rouge (my favorite online organic retailer). So far, i have disliked a few of them and discarded them, but one named Party is nice (scent is cinnamon-y with slight floral note), but they don’t last all day.
As for conventional vs clean, two items still elude me in clean format: mascara, and an eyelid primer that will help my eyeshadow stay on all day. So, for these two items, i am still using drugstore brands.
But I love all the rest of my organic beauty products. And am happy to say, I have just found the right colors of mineral foundation (from Alima Pure) that work great on me (at 56 years old!!)- I am thrilled about this. But I still love, love, love the Living Nature liquid foundation. Lovely colors there.
The Jasmina collection by Intelligent Nutrients has been a safe bet for me as far as clean fragrance is concerned. If you like the smell of Jasmines you will like it for sure. I find it uplifting too.
@ Jan I had a few special occasions this summer, so I used Vapour’s Stratus Instant Skin Perfector as an eyelid primer and it worked well. I like it as a face primer too. As far as mascara goes I really like Earth’s Beauty and I wonder why I hardly ever hear it mentioned by others. It doesn’t flake or smudge (unless I have good cry or I get stuck in a thunder storm).
@Lindsay Oooh I’m going to try using Bronner’s with the coconut oil! Thanks for that tip!
I have replaced all of my conventional makeup and beauty products with fabulous natural products that I absolutely adore (far more than what I gave up)….except for one thing….mascara. I have tried various natural alternatives (including the NMDL recommendations) but find them wimpy in comparison to some of the brilliantly toxic ones. Alas!
@Moksha I’m still with you on this one too, though there are some really good naturals—just not as good. :)
Thanks for sharing, Krystal! What a fun routine. I think I’m going to bite the bullet and get RMS Living Luminizer.
Mascara tip for Moksha: when I wear Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Volumizing mascara, people stop me on the street to comment on my long lashes. And that is not something that happens to me otherwise! It’s not the absolute cleanest product, but it’s better than most, and in my opinion it’s a good compromise.
I don’t know if anyone can relate, but I tried for almost two years to clear up my acne-prone skin, and the only thing that has worked so far is a super unclean regimen from my new derm: three topical prescriptions, dirty cleanser, dirty SPF (CeraVe), and dirty foundation (Clinique with salyciilc acid). I wish I could keep my acne at bay with cleaner products, but my acne was making me unhappy, so I’ve decided it’s worth it for now. I try to use clean products for hair and body.
Also, just an aside, my derm was horrified to find out that I used mineral makeup on my face. Apparently those formulas–and powdered makeup in general–are notoriously clogging for many women.
@Krystal, thank you for letting us into your routine. There is always something to learn or a new(or never mentioned) product that gets our attention…
@NMDL.. As for many, fragrance was the hardest thing to let go.. that is, until I found EOV( my favorite). As for everything else..I was never a make-up afficionada to start with so getting to play with RMS, Alima Pure , Illia, Vapour Organics has been fun. As for cream and potions.. I used to buy everything under the sun dreaming that I would achieve the promised results.. That never happened. Since switching to clean products ( FF few and fantastic) my skin is happy, very happy!
I gotta admit since switching there is a bit of a hole in my heart. I switched almost completely to Pai, Vapour, W3ll People, Suki and a few others I’m pretty happy with, continuing to use ‘unclean’ mascara much like many others. I have a Chanel foundation that I can’t help but use on ’special occasions’ because it really is substantially better than the clean ones I’ve tried – which always begs the question, ‘why wouldn’t I want to look this good everyday?’. Finally, probably the worst of worstness, I miss La Mer, I don’t buy it anymore, but I miss it, and I really shouldn’t think about it as much as I do :)
I love RMS beauty way more than any other concealer I’ve ever had! It gives me a light glow that I love (hate cakey makeup!), moisturizes my dry skin, is light enough for me, lasts forever, and gives sufficient coverage! I’m about to go buy my second pot of it and the first lasted me a year, so when you break the price down it’s actually about $3 a month.
xoxo Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
It’s nice to read a routine where makeup is part of the fun! I agree with liking to wear makeup but not looking like I do, though I know I don’t always succeed in that department. :) I usually layer W3ll People Narcissist under RMS Uncoverup or Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Creme Foundation for more coverage. My favorite perfume is a solid one by Phoenix Botanicals – Rose Supreme.
@Elle (I love your name!) – I’ve struggled with acne for 15 years. What is finally clearing mine up isn’t a dermatologist (despite every prescription medication, including two rounds of Accutane). I began seeing a naturopathic doctor because I needed more options. Three food allergies (gluten, dairy, soy) later, and going off the pill, and my skin looks better than it ever has, even though I still struggle with it. I’m still working through the effects of going off the pill (seven months later), but I’m still optimistic it will continue to improve. The naturopathic doctor had ideas and things to try that are restoring balance to my body and resulting in better overall health – it’s not a stopgap solution, but one that should normalize once my body and hormones are back to where they need to be.
@Fern & Elle: TOTALLY agree with the naturopathic exploration to help cure acne recommendation! I too struggled with acne for years, and tried every kind of potion and “quick fix” I could, or was gifted to me to “help.” In the end, it was my diet, and not just the chocolate and pop my mum said to avoid! It was grain and milk products, the very things we had for dinner every eve!
@NMDL: Our favorite gals of green glamour, can we have a post about how the whole inner beauty thing can be based on your diet and just going au naturel in your products don’t mean a thang without the inner healing?? That’d be the SHAZAAM! :)
@Brinklen, I agree that taking car of the internal is the first thing, always. Eating well and exercise, and more recently meditation, make more of a difference in my skin being clear than any product. Then I use products that I feel nourish my skin from the outside too.
I love your insight on the perfumes Krystal. I will have to try some new options. I have been relying on Lotus Wei for now. Miss my Narciso Rodriguez perfume. That was the one that everyone commented on for me.
I have to agree with the change of diet and stress for your skin. I am going through hormonal hell will parimenopause and the only thing that is perfect right now is my skin. I have just started going to a naturopathic doctor and she has helped tremendously with my hormones and food balance. I can’t stress how healthy lifestyle and eating really do help your physical appearance. I have noticed a huge change in my body since I switched products and food.
DIet and EXERCISE are super important for skin. Some people can get away with eating crap and never exercising, and their skin is fine (hate those people!), but for the rest of us, it takes a bit more. I don’t mean just eating less cheeseburgers either. I mean really starting from scratch, and eating very basic foods (raw, vegan) to start and notice what your body really likes and doesn’t as you add in more foods. Always good to cut out DAIRY and PROCESSED foods, especially processed wheat and sugar.
AND as much as I love RMS, I do miss the lovely slippiness of silicon-laden dirty foundations and concealers.
I love the glam factor! I have a job that requires looking polished so as much as I’d love to just cleanse and swipe some lip balm on, it’s just not in the cards most days. Plus, I love makeup- the routine, the looks, all of it! :) Great routine- I’ve been looking for a mascara, too, I’ll have to check out Jane Iredale’s! And for perfume, I’ve found that since switching to pure ingredients (like lots of people) conventional scents give me crazy headaches, Have you heard of BijaBody? They’re a small company in Montana, and their Daily Body Serum is my perfume- it smells like HEAVEN and lasts longer than the Lotus Wei I’ve tried (though I do love Infinite Love- it’s just pricey). It’s warm and inviting and comforting- like vanilla, honey, and marshmallow, without being heady.
Ditto Fern, Brinklen, Rebecca. The inner side of the beauty coin needs SO MUCH consideration.
great list! i was wondering about josie maran’s lip marker. is it not considered clean? i could have sworn that it has been linked to in the past…
thanks!
aisha
Jan–eyelid primer–would that be liquid plastic on your precious eyelids? I use a little Jane Iredale powder on my eyelids before shadow–you might try that. And have you tried Honeybee Garden mascara? I think i read about it on here but i love it–it is better than most $25 high end mascaras I’ve used—my daughter loves it, too!artsnil conc.
there’s only one thing that’s really disappointed me after i switched to clean eye makeup- i was really hoping that i could find a powder eyeliner that i could paint on my eyes with water (i used to use a cheap black eyeshadow as eyeliner- it worked so well when applied with water that i never bothered to buy liquid eyeliner). so i bought the alima satin black eyeliner…what a disappointment. when you try to apply it by wetting it, it dries to a cakey grey. its so awful. and i haven’t found any substitute (not to mention the alima customer service didn’t even reply to my email when i sent them a question about why the perfect black eyeshadow, which looks fine if just smudged on, develops an awful grey cakey film when applied with water…) suggestions for a better eyeliner??? i really miss richly pigmented black wingtips on my eyes :(
Longtime lurker, first time commenter.
Yay for makeup! Thanks for sharing your routine, Krystal. As a fellow makeup enthusiast (junkie?), I do miss the pop of color & staying power of my non-clean eyeliners. Oh, and please don’t get me started on clean products for curly haired girls – for me, they just don’t work.
With all the buzz about W3ll People on NMDL these days, I’m eager to try! And the Spirit Beauty Lounge sample program is heaven sent so we can try before we buy, genius on so many levels.
And I can’t echo enough what the other ladies said in the comments said about food, hormones & acne – I’m in that boat now, at 41, and while SO hard on the ego, I’m learning so much that I wish there was somewhere to connect & share & get support. Because, when you go down this path of getting clean, esp. on the “hard” stuff like hormones, it can be lonely, even though cleaning & greening seems to be everywhere these days. I’m grateful to have found NMDL, as I’ve realized what a community it’s become for me, what a wonderful thing that’s been created here, and I notice where it’s missing on the “hard” stuff like hormones, aging & acne, etc. The positivity, willingness to help each other, and love on this site is so unique and feels like the vibe at my beloved local yoga studio.
Ok, mash note done. Thanks, all!
Welcome to the convo Steph. :)
I <3 you already, Steph!
@all the lashloving ladies Though I’m using the Jane Iredale mascara right now, I could also just as easily wax poetic about 100% Pure’s mascara line. It really builds on itself nicely. I do like to “moisturize” my lashes with some jojoba as i’m moisturizing my face, which i found helped a little bit with the application and stopped it from flaking off so much during the day.
Has anyone tried the Nvey Eco mascara? It’s the only one on Spirit Beauty Lounge, and I’ve had my eye on it for a while…