The Results Are In...

Drinking caffeine-free teas like this one was totally helpful! 

I promised you all week the results of my "break" from wearing makeup, and here are the details just under the wire....

After 7 surprising days of life without wearing foundation, my naturally difficult and acne-prone skin improved dramatically. I would say my skin was 80% clearer. But it wasn't the break from makeup that did it really. During this period, I visited Area Spa in Brooklyn for a facial. After that, I gulped 4 - 10 cups of herbal (non-caffeinated) tea a day*, ate loads of kale and spinach (no, it doesn't always taste very delicious), and hooked myself a few salmon dinners. But my efforts didn't even stop there!

I stuck to a strict regimen of only washing my face with Avalon Organics Lavender Facial Cleansing gel both morning and night. I chose this cleanser because it's pretty basic. At various times throughout the week, I also applied the Origins Out of Trouble 10-minute mask.

During the first few days, I avoided moisturizer for fear it might cause a minor breakout. Then, I started using moisturizer. During moments when my skin appeared uneven, I found that putting on jojoba oil and Lily B. moisturizer actually improved my skintone.

I even windexed my cell phone to remove oil and dirt that could irritate my skin.

It was kind of cool to see the results of all my hard work pay off. I felt like my skin was finally in a really great place, and overall, I feel more confident.

Since my detox of sorts though, I discovered that stress, hormones and caffeine intake still can affect my skin (the first two I can't control, and sometimes I have to drink caffeine to get lots of work done). For me, if I don't drink liters of herbal tea and avoid sweets, my skin is less clear.  But I don't wear foundation regularly (pretty shocking!), and I might not for a long time now that I have less problem areas to "cover up." My guess is that I probably will switch to tinted moisturizer instead ;-) .

This is a huge change for me. Personally, I love just putting on my Chanel lipstick and a bit of eyeliner, and heading out the door....

XOXO,
Charlotte

*Teas that I consumed during my 7 days without foundation: Yogi Eyptian Licorice, Trader Joe's Rooibos Chai Tea, The Good Earth Tea - Original, Organic India Tulsi Sweet Rose, and Traditional Medicinals Organic Roasted Dandelion Root. I also drank some caffeinated tea, but tried to stick to my boxes of Equal Exchange Organic Breakfast Blend and Chai teas. The Equal Exchange brand sells fair trade "whole leaf" teas, which when brewed generally have a cleaner taste than a cup of Lipton's.