The best way to become beautiful

is to recognize who you are.

So as I mentioned earlier, I’ve been testing out some face primers and just exchanged a concealer that turned out to be too light for me for one that is my perfect brown chocolate shade. More on that later.

I realize that if I’m going to be wearing more make-up more often that I will have to take even better care of my skin, meaning more water, more regular exercise (got in a few days at the gym while off from work) and deeper daily cleansing. As an Essence Box subscriber I received a pack of Dickinsons Witch Hazel towelettes in their July Box. I’ve been experiencing an unexpected cluster of breakouts on the lower right corner of my chin since I started using Raw African Soap. I read that this could be expected in the beginning as the soap draws out impurities but it’s still annoying. I tapped two drops of tea tree on one of the towelette and dabbed my face concentrating on affected areas. It felt so good, so fresh, clean and tightening.

I went to a local Duane-Reade to look for Dickinsons or something like it but they didn’t even have pure Witch Hazel. There’s always some product enhanced by or infused with something natural as opposed to just the pure product itself. And I’m starting to realize that as my girl soulsistah4real says, ACV, Coconut Oil and Shea Butter can be used for everything! LOL!

But seriously folks.

If you strip most skin care products down, the core ingredient was something we could have at one time, grown, picked, juiced, ground, mixed, bottled and applied ourselves, things that heal, feed, cleanse, sooth and condition your skin to act as a healthy, glowing canvas for whatever you chose to decorate it with.

Make-up is ancient! And so is skin care. Not so many years ago, pure Witch Hazel was something you could buy at most any drugstore. And there may still be some but not as many. There’s not as much money to be made if the one shelf in the skin care section only has like six or seven products. Our freedom of choice is just a marketing tool after all. The truth is there really are only a few basic skin products you need.

The rest is just make-up.