Cleansing your face

After many years of trying an enormous variety of both expensive and inexpensive cleansers on the market, I was unable to find one that didn't leave me with tight, dry feeling skin.
In the end, I stopped using cleanser and simply washed my face with a washcloth. This isn't ideal if you wear make up, as I do. It doesn't remove make up residue particularly well and can lead to clogged pores and blackheads.

Our facial skin is far more sensitive than the skin on the rest of our body. It's thinner, less likely to be exposed to the extremes of weather and much more delicate.

The myth that a cleanser must bubble up in order to clean the skin has been perpetuated by the cosmetic giants such as L'Oreal and Clinique. I remember using Clinique's Cleansing Bar many years ago and finding my skin drying out so much it was peeling. I've recently checked out the ingredients and found it's simply a detergent bar, sometimes called a syndet (synthetic detergent) in the industry. It's made from harsh surfactants that have been pressed together and extruded to create a hard bar. The only redeeming feature of these syndet bars is that they aren't as alkaline as soap and are more in line with the slightly acidic pH of our skin.

When I developed Skinflint Enriching Cleanser, I did a lot of research on skin and skin care. It was this research that led me to believe that no detergent or soap is good for the skin on the face.

Skinflint Enriching Cleanser is designed to emulsify any oils and dirt on the face and wash it away without the use of soap or detergent. An emulsified system is far gentler and more efficient than a detergent or soap based system.
Skinflint Clarifying Cleanser contains a small amount of the natural saponin, Yucca Extract. This is a totally natural surfactant that adds just a little extra cleansing to the product which is designed for people with oily and acne prone skin.

When you dry your skin after cleansing, it should still feel soft and smooth. There should be no feeling of tightness or dryness - if there is, your cleanser is too harsh for your skin type.

Some people are able to use soap and water on their face. Good on them, that's fantastic, they've got really tough skin. Me, I'm sticking to my wash off creamy cleanser, Skinflint Enriching Cleanser, knowing that I'm not drying my skin and making it more liable to wrinkle.

Check out the ingredients in your cleanser - does it have Coco Betaine, Sodium Lauryl/Lauroyl/Laureth Sulphate, Lauryl Glucoside or anything similar to these chemical names? If so, it's detergent based.

Glass Reed Diffuser Bottles

I've finally been able to locate some really lovely glass reed diffuser bottles!

These are so cute. They hold about 100ml of Reed Diffuser Oil and come with a stopper, lid and bamboo topper. Perfect for small shelves, window ledges etc.

At only $5.00 each, they make a great addition to the Home Fragrance Range. You can purchase one bottle, a set of reeds and your choice of reed diffuser oil refill for only $20.00.

These make a great gift. If they're popular, I'll start filling them with the fragrant oils and sell them as a set with the reeds, rather than sell them empty.